Chương 57: Book 2; Chapter 56; Beauty of the dragon

Rainee was holding Silver in her embrace allowing her to fly as fast as she wanted, in any direction she wanted. All Rainee could feel was happiness and the wind passing by. She also could feel an immense amount of stress, rage and uncertainty coming out of this powerful body carrying her forward, but Rainee didn't pay much attention to it.

It was way too familiar to her what her dragon was feeling right now, and also not important, as with every move of her wings, these feelings were being pushed back into the past, where they belonged now. Silver was alive, and she got her back. That's all that matters right now. And it was so incredible to be able to feel her again, to feel through her again, to see, to hear, to share.

King Armanin must be truly something impressive, being able to create such a gift for everyone that never ceased to last through the centuries. Rainee could feel that slowly her own joy was entering Silver's heart too, pushing away all that stress, and her flight was becoming more oriented, not so frenzied. Not just looking for something where she could release her anger, or an aimless attempt to escape, or to find something that was impossible to find.

It must have been really horrible for her to lose this connection. Dragons were not meant to live on their own. No one who doesn't have one will ever understand what it is, what it means. No matter how it looked before, it was a kind thing for King to seal her like this. The second kindest thing would have been to end her. But he didn't. He found a way to retain her! And Rainee has her back now! A bit mucky, a bit scruffy, but all this is washing away rapidly.

Silver already started to realise that something that she thought was lost had returned, and recognition and response were rapidly coming back. Once worries leave her, they will be gone for good and will never bother her again. This extension part of humans wasn't meant to retain these kind of memories. At first, they were not even meant to go through such traumatic experiences. Finally, Silver's sanity started to come back, and her colour started to return.

Rainee ran her hand through those scales glowing in the sunshine. Long before she met Silver in this form, she was seeing and feeling it in her dreams. Rainee had never seen true Silver's form in a dream, but time after time she would see and touch these scales that looked sharp as a razor to the eye and were soft and flexible to the touch as a grass dancing in the wind and irresistibly calling her. The dark colour that was engulfing Silver was leaving rapidly. Dark didn't suit her.

Now she fully understood what King meant, saying the exact words to her herself this morning. Was she radiating the same darkness this morning as her dragon was just now? That would have been a very dark rainbow, Rainee laughed to herself. Rainee sat up straight and looked at her dragon. Shiny and bright as it used to be, none of that dark dirt left on the outer appearance, none of that pain and anguish left inside her heart. She was so beautiful that it was difficult to appreciate her.

Silver let a loud sound acknowledging that she agrees with what Rainee thinks. There was no loneliness left in her, no pain or memory of separation, no aggression towards those she held responsible for what had happened. Dragons are beautiful; they don't keep grudges or memories about dark times. They think neither good nor bad about themselves. They think about themselves what their person thinks about them. The more one loves their dragon, the more powerful and beautiful it becomes.

The way one loves their dragon is the way the dragon is shaped. It is not a puppet, the shaping is not like this, it also cannot be manipulated or talked into something. They have their own character, their own likings, but all based on the person. Like some strange reflection in a mirror that reflects something unknown with an additional touch to it. Rainee asked Silver to go down, and Silver obeyed instantly, even before the complete thought could be manifested.

Dragons, same as any other creature of magic, listen to the heart, not to the thoughts. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The heart is much faster, and the thought is very slow in comparison. Heart is steady, thoughts are wobbly. Thoughts mean little to the creatures of the magic. They can hear it, same as words, but they don't place any importance to it.

They landed in an empty field, and Rainee slid off Silver's back and stood in front of her for a long time, admiring this beautiful friend of hers. Silver liked this kind of attention. Not flattery, not even awe, but just true, raw appreciation of her beauty. For Silver, there already wasn't any moment, when they were not together left. It doesn't work that way in a dragon's mind.

When Rainee was teaching people relations with their sword, she would describe relations with the dragon, and it would fit perfectly with the only exception that the dragon had its own mind, feelings, and was fully capable of making its own decisions. If Rainee were to say to Silver that she missed her, Silver would never understand what she meant. She doesn't live in the past, she lives in today, in this moment, and at this moment they were together, so to say that I missed you would make no sense for her.

Rainee sat on the ground and then slowly lay down. Finally complete again... Bruised, scratched and lost, but complete. That's how she was feeling right now. The biggest void in her life now was King. How strange. He was always the strongest pillar. The unmovable one. The one she could fully and utterly rely on. Could fully trust. People don't even understand what that trust was. How strange… Why is all of it gone? No, actually, it is not gone; it is still there, but covered by so many things.

She had witnessed it in another just a few hours ago, and all looked so clear and understandable there, and she could lead Anniet out of it without fail if she would just let her. Then why is it so difficult or even impossible to see it in herself?

"Will you lead me out of it?" she asked.

"Yes", the answer from The One came instantly.

"Even if I fail to see the reason?"

"Yes". That was good to know. She already knew it before asking, but still, it was so comforting to get this confirmation. It was difficult to understand how people live their lives without communication with The One, without their soulmate, without their soul friend, without even knowing themselves… Where do they find joy? How do they find a sense of fulfilment? Or better saying is why don't they want that joy and fulfilment that is always available but rarely taken.

A little kitten jumped on her chest, purring and clawing her white uniform. Rainee wasn't sure why King prepared this uniform for her. Was he in doubt, too, if she would be granted one of the natural general uniforms again, or did he want to spend time with her so he could crack through that anger that was lingering inside? She must admit he surely risked it all to do so. Was he prepared for it, or did he simply know her better than she herself? One mistake, one lie and then a lifetime of truth. Her lifetime.

He never lied to her as long as she lived. But still, all life engulfed in lies. She wanted to forgive him, she just didn't know how. Never before had she had any difficulty in doing so. He taught her that she should never ask for forgiveness from others, as it is not hers to ask, but forgive others instantly, as it would just hurt her not to forgive. And she trusted, and it worked. It always works. Then why is she not capable of forgiving him now? What is it? There was no reply from The One.

Or rather, to say there was a reply, but she didn't hear it. The only reason for it is because she doesn't want to hear the answer. She wasn't even trying to clear herself and ask again. She could feel strong resistance to do so, which meant there was a part in her that didn't want to do it; to force it through would mean to disrespect herself, to break herself, and there was no reason for it.

One part of her wanted to know what the other didn't, and there were no additional influences that would require a fast decision. So she just made a choice that she wants to know and let it be. The answer will come with time. A more correct way to say it is that the opportunities to find the answer will be presented now over and over, until she finally takes one of them, and then she will know, and then she will be able to forgive.

Anything forced now would work, but through so much confusion, hurt, and resistance that it would probably take much longer to recover and heal all the "broken" parts than just to wait for the opportunities to be presented. The One doesn't appreciate force, and the world he created doesn't support it. The little kitten on her chest curled into a little ball and fell asleep. Rainee stroked it a few times, fondly looking at it, and closed her eyes too. Just for an hour. As expected, she woke up after an hour.

Silver was already waiting for her. Rainee thought about where she wanted to go, and with a flash, Silver slid under and was in the air in no time. All was back to normality as if this hardship, Rainee had been going through for the past two years, had never even happened. Rainee wasn't sure if this place was still on School premises or they had left while flying before, but Silver was taking her without a doubt or uncertainty, so there was no need to bother.

Hardly ten minutes passed, and Rainee could see a familiar town below. The next moment, she was left walking towards her place next to the King while Silver slid from under and left. Rainee never told Silver what she should do or where she should stay while on her own, and her little dragon always managed to entertain herself in such ways that made Rainee wonder sometimes. She passed Ruffus, Blake and Angus, smiling at them. Each one so dear and each so different!

There was no same person, and the concept of name wasn't even needed, as there was no possibility ever to mix one person with another, no matter how they are named. This time, she didn't take her place between Angus and Blake, but walked to the King and stood behind him on the right side. Usually, she would stand here when on her own with King, but she chose to do it now because she wanted to.

She was fully aware that the feelings King is receiving from her right now are not matching her actions, but she wanted to change it, and it has to start somewhere. One cannot expect things to change by themselves without an effort, or at least indicating what direction this change is required. The enormous roars of cheers greeted her. People were happy to see her, but how little do they know about her...

Even now, despite all that King said before Silver's awakening, most of the audience greeted her as a successful monster slayer. King clearly said that it will be her soul friend, soul creature. Not many understood or even tried to understand it. They just saw a monster, and she was met as a conqueror of it. Well let them be. None wanted to see any more than they do now, so her services are not required.

However, these cheers didn't reach one sleeping person at the back of the arena, who was covered by a few different layers of protection right now. Under that many layers, not just a sound would ever reach her, but no one would even come closer to disturb her. Anniet definitely didn't need her touch to top it up, but Rainee couldn't help herself. Seeing her snuggling into the very same beast she was terrified of just less than a day ago was rather peculiar. So Anniet made a move too...

The direction of that move was very desirable and will make Anniet's life much easier and happier.