Three

Corithias sat at the entrance of the cave, thinking about his little princess. He was sure she was the little girl he had saved so many years ago. He recognized her scent. She had grown into a beautiful woman. His human body longed to hold her.

Alicia was his mate; he knew it in his heart, but how could a dragonith be mated to a human, he pondered. It was not possible. Surely, he must be wrong, he thought…. still, the feeling was so intense.

It made Corithias sad to think that God had chosen him a mate that he could not have. “How cruel you are!” He shouted, shaking his fist in the air as he looked to the sun. He needed to get out of here, quickly before the mate bond was formed between them. Once the bond was sealed, it would be great pain for both of them to be separated.

He transformed into his dragon form and tried to fly. Unfortunately, the injured wing was still not strong enough yet. He heard footsteps in the forrest, so he stayed in dragon form.

Alicia had a dream about the dragon. She dreamed that he took her far away from here. In her dream, her dragon turned into a man, a very handsome muscular man. But she recognized him through the man’s eyes. It was her dragon.

She was anxious to see her friend, her dragon. She wished her dream were real and he could take her away from this place, and she wished he really could transform into a man.

She had brought him breakfast of bacon, biscuits with gravy, and fried eggs. But just in case he did not like that, she brought more of the vegetable soup.

“Dragon, it’s me, Alicia. I have food for you,” she called. Corithias walked out in dragon form to greet her. His stomach was growling, so he was glad she was bringing him food.

Alicia was standing there looking beautiful in the rising sun’s light with her blonde hair sparkling and blue eyes shining bright. She wore a faded blue dress, but even faded it looked perfect on her. He surprised her by licking her hand, making her giggle. Her laugh made him happy.

She explained to him what she had brought for him to eat, hoping he would find something he liked. To her surprise and enjoyment, he lapped up everything, including the soup. That earned him another musical laugh from her.

She sat beside him on the blanket and just enjoyed the weather as she pet his velvety soft arm, leaning against him in silence. Corithias wished he could put his human arm around her and sit like this.

“I had a dream about you, Dragon,” Alicia began. “It was so real that I woke up so happy, wishing that it was. I dreamed that I rode upon your back and you took me far above the clouds and far away from here. It was like I could see it all, and I felt like a bird, soaring up in the sky. It was glorious,” she said, looking up into one big blue eye. She felt that he understood everything she said.

“That wasn’t all, though,” she said, sitting up so she could look at him as she told him the rest of the story. “I dreamed…. i dreamed you transformed into a man. A very handsome man,” she said, giggling. “I know, it’s silly, isn’t it?” Alicia asked, holding onto his arm with both hands and leaning her head against it.

Corithias leaned his head gently against Alicia’s, enjoying the moment with her. He so wished he could let her know that her dream was real and that he was a man. A man who wanted this woman as his mate more than anything he had ever wanted in his life. He licked her cheek and she giggled.

“I better go before they come looking for me. I will be back after sunset though. Maybe you can take a swim with me tonight? It may do your wing good to relax in the water,” Alicia suggested.

Fortunately, she made it back before everyone got up that morning, so she did not get in trouble this time. She prepared the family’s breakfast and stripped their beds, putting new bedding on them all. When she was busy dusting the shelves, she could not help but hear their conversation.

Nathan, the father of the house was telling about the townspeople organizing a search party for a dragon who had been shot a few days ago. “They said he was injured pretty bad, so he could have come down in this area. If he somehow survived, we have to kill it before it has a chance to come back,” he said.

Alicia dropped the glass figurine she had in her hand, and they all turned to stare at her. “I’m so sorry,” she said, fearing what the lady of the house would do to her. “Hearing the word ‘dragon’ startled me,” she added.

“Mind your business and quit eavesdropping on family conversations!” Rosalie scolded. “And that figurine is worth ten shillings. It will be taken out of your pay,” she informed Alicia.

“Mam, I need to take the sheets to wash. May I be excused?” Alicia asked, hoping to go alert her dragon of the threat. “Clean up the mess you made and then go, but do not tarry too long. We expect our supper on time,” Rosalie said in a scolding tone. Alicia nodded her head and quickly cleaned up the glass.

She filled a laundry basket with sheets and lye soap and ran out to the stream. “Dragon! Dragon!” She screamed anxiously. Corithias changed quickly into his dragon form and came running to see what was happening.

“Dragon, I heard the man talking, they are coming for you tomorrow! They plan to kill you if they find you,” she said with tears streaming down her face. He wrapped his good wing around her, comforting her.

He thought about what she had suggested about the water loosening up his sore wing. He stood on his back legs, urging her to go with him to the stream.

Once they got in the water, he lay back on his back and stretched out his wings, trying to work out the soreness. It seemed to be working, and Alicia started encouraging him as he moved his wings back and forth in the warm water.

“I wish I could go with you, my friend. I wish we could just fly away from here and go somewhere where we could always be together,” Alicia said, crying on his neck. Her tears fell onto his wound, and he felt warmth and healing going through the area.

He looked up to see a red fire glowing in her eyes as she touched him. She had healing powers! Corithias was excited and stood to his feet, flapping his wings that were now healed by her magical tears.

Corithias now knew that God had not made a mistake. Alicia was indeed his true mate, his princess. She was not just a normal human being; she had a gift. He was not sure what she was, but he knew she possessed healing powers, and that should convince the dragon kingdom to accept her as his mate, their princess.

Just then, Alicia heard someone yell, “I knew it! I knew you had a secret out here, so I followed you. This is your day to die, dragon!” Antione Richmond yelled raising his bow. “Dragon! Fly! Get out of here, save yourself!” Alicia cried. She ran over and stood in front of the dragon, begging Antione not to fire.

Corithias shot flames at Antione, making a wall of flames to block his path.

Lowering his head for her, Corithias hoped she would understand he wanted her to climb up on his back. “You want me to get on your back? Are you taking me with you, my dragon? Are you taking me away from here?” She cried, hoping she was understanding him correctly.

Alicia’s tears fell on his face, and she kissed him on the cheek. Corithias felt warmth and energy flow directly to his heart, linking him with Alicia and causing him to fall in love with her. He had no doubts she was his chosen mate.

Alicia climbed up on Corithias’ neck and grabbed ahold of the feathery appendages that came out from the spikes on his spine. Corithias raised up on his powerful back legs and pushed off as he spread out his wings and took off. Alicia giggled as they soared up into the sky. Antoine shot up at the dragon, but missed, and he quickly ascended into the sky with Alicia on his back.