When Fire Meets Ice: The Lovers

While she hated to admit it, Damocles had been right the day before. Leilani thought of Jura as her only real sibling, but that was an untruth she needed to correct. Instead of venturing back into the village of Lynrei to check on Jura, she spent her remanding hours in her human body on the seaside. She didn’t expect to see Aselassa until her dragon form returned, but she was surprised.

A large serpent creature with small legs skittered onto the shore. Its teeth weren’t seen directly, but its light blue scales shone like glass in the morning sun. Pale green encircled its mouth before a soothing, yet deep, female voice fell from its large mouth. “What misguidance brings you to my sea?” There was no admiration in this creatures tone, nor was there any resemblance of happiness. Her presence truly annoyed her oldest sister.

“Someone informed me of my rudeness toward you and our siblings.” Leilani met Aselassa’s green eyes. “I want to apologize for treating you in a most ungracious manner. I never meant to be imprudent toward any of you.” She caught herself nervously winding the hem of her shirt around her fingers

“It took an informant to make the grand Pagos clan realize they are not so grand anymore?” Her long tail circled around, curling in on itself. Leilani let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d be holding.

“I suppose that is the ghastly truth.” She nodded to her dragon sister.

“And why have you appeared in this human atrocity? Are we Nerou so loathsome that you must come to us in this unfavorable manner?”

“I beg your pardon, Aselassa. I came as soon as the dawn broke even though I had taken on human form to spend a moment with our youngest sister. You do remember we have human blood in our family now?” Leilani watched as Aselassa circled her. She dared not take a seat until the dragon sat first. However, instead of taking a seat, Aselassa shocked Leilani again by moving into her human form.

“If you truly mean your words, Sister, then I shall grant you the ease of meeting you on solid footing for the time being.” Her scales covered her bust and pelvis as if she wore nothing but rough undergarments.

“Why have we not taken the time to sit and talk before,” Leilani asked. The question was hypothetical, but that didn’t stop Aselassa from answering it.

“Because you, in your human state, look normal; save your ears and your bluish skin. Look at me…I slither in my dragon form and I am far from human now.” She gestured toward her snouted nose and yellowish green eyes. Leilani watched as her hands moved toward her scales down to her webbed feet. “Your humans would hate me almost as much as Father does.”

“He does not....!”

Aselassa shook her head. She smiled, crinkling her cheeks and eyes. The emotion made her appear more alien. “Do not fool yourself. He has reasons. The first and most important in his eyes is that I did not turn out to be Pagos as he wished me too. The second of his idiotic reasons is my appearance.”

“Father has no control over who I chose to spend time with.” Leilani protested.

Aselassa’s smile grew sad, but her opinion never faltered. “He controls every aspect of your life. He is the one who made you talk so pointed, he made you formal, and he taught you about your clan. The proud ice warriors who are better than everything on this planet and the next.”

Leilani held back her shock at the phrase only her father used coming from her sisters lips. ‘…this planet and the next.’ She could not repent for her father’s sins, nor could she justify them.

“Perhaps we should throw a gathering.” She suggested. “Let us bring our siblings and our father together for a reunion before we dare suggest he loathes us all.”

“No, Dear Leilani, he hates all but you. You are his heir. You can still save the Pagos Clan where he cannot.” Aselassa tucked a strand of aqua hair behind her ear. “I do like the idea of a reunion. I shall invite Mirayanna and Sevirama. You see to the boys, and, if you dare, bring your human. I would like to see Father’s reaction.”

“Shall we agree on human forms? Perhaps Jura would feel more obliged to arrive if all are not dragons.” Leilani suggested. Her heart sored with hope for a moment before she remember her father’s words.

‘I have fathered many, but I have but one child. You are my moon, stars, and daylight.’

“I will ask, but you know how Sevirama is.” Aselassa answered before heading toward the water. “Is it me, or is this weather a tad humid.” She vanished into the water as Leilani wiped her perspiring hands on the hem of her shirt.



By the time Leilani decided it was time to make her apology to Damocles, she had returned to her dragon form. Her wings stretched out wide at her sides as she lumbered through the coals of the Fotia tower entrance. She felt sore and cramped from her human body. Her mind tried to talk her out of missing her human form, but something about her vast size and hard scales still made her long for fragility.

The ground shook beneath her, and she turned to face Damocles. His wide shoulders looked a little disgruntled though his stern face tried to hide his surprise. “What do we owe the pleasure?” He asked as he moved around her. As he grew closer, she saw the blood on his shoulder.

“I stand before you asking for your forgiveness.” She answered. “My father was right in his words last night; I should be more respectful, nicer, to you. I also wanted to admit a truth you made me see.”

A grin spread on his features as his head move to cover his shoulder. “Is that so?”

“Ah, death must be upon us for the Pagos have graced our acrid tower with their abundant ego,” A deep voice echoed over Damocles’ shoulder.

“Kaian! Is that a proper way to speak to a lady,” He chided before Leilani caught sight of her oldest brother. His scales were a deep rust color with black undertones. He stood taller than Damocles though he was nowhere near as broad. His long black claws scratched the stone floor as he glared.

“I see no lady before me, only a snobbish dragon.” Kaian spat.

“Excuse me,” Leilani scoffed. “I came to beg forgiveness, and then invite you to a gathering. Aselassa and I discussed getting together as a family because truly none of us know one another.” She spun away from her brother. “Again, I have reason to apologize for this intrusion. Perhaps he will be in a better mood once I am gone.”

“Lei!” Damocles pleaded. “He is only angry.”

“No, I am furious,” Kaian interrupted. “Why should I speak to a family who disowned me? I know all my siblings but two. The Pagos and the human.”

“Then come,” Leilani sighed. “Come and meet us both. I have been instructed to make sure Father has come as well.”

Damocles couldn’t hide his surprise for once. Kaian looked pleased. “How to you propose to accomplish that?”

She smiled in return, batting her long lashes at Damocles. “I was hoping to ask for some assistance in order to keep my promise of being more…civil.”

“You said nicer,” Damocles corrected, “and I’ll be happy to assist you in whatever manner you need.”

Kaian gagged, Leilani winced, and Damocles laughed. “Now that is no way to speak to a lady,” Kaian chided.

“For once, I agree with the Fotia,” Leilani retorted, shaking her head.

“Who shall ask the others?” Kaian questioned.

“Aselassa took it upon herself to ask the sisters, and tasked me with asking the brothers.” Leilani reported.

“What have Train and Ekcle replied?”

“They both accepted with bells and whistles,” Damocles joked.

“Could you ask them?” Leilani asked in a whisper as she lowered her head. “I am not sure I can take another belittlement from people I have shamed for no good reason.”

Kaian took a step back, aghast on his features. “Did you just humble yourself,” Damocles said, shock littered his tone.

“I shall do as you wish, Sister, for that simple reason.” Kaian answered, his voice as light as Leilani’s.

“Thank you.” She nodded. “Now I must go invite Jura.” Confusion crossed Kaian’s brow. “The human.” Leilani clarified before moving away from them.

“I shall return to Lynrei with you.” Damocles moved to follow her, but she shook her head.

“You need time to heal. I will be as prudent toward her as I have ever been, and twice as imprudent toward the slayer as I ever was.”