I cried out in sorrow as Lily, the only human I had ever loved kissed my great dragon lips and fell back into her tower silent tears escaping her eyes. I forced myself as close to the tower as possible, trying to help Lily’s pain in any way I could; the more I forced myself into the window the easier it became to fit inside and soon enough I was sprawled across the floor of her tower, wings, tail and scales replaced with cloth; no longer a dragon. 

Clumsily I came to my feet and unsteadily made my way across the room to Lily's still body. I pulled her into my arms, my human arms and pulled her into my embrace. Her hand grasped the folds of the clothing that covered my body and she looked up into my eyes, a small sad smile on her face.

"Never to love or be loved in return, if broken the love will die in its turn." Lily spoke in a quiet whisper the words I already knew. "I would rather die than have you, the beautiful man that you are, banished to The Pits like the Great Dragon Lily." Tears fell from my eyes as her skin began to pale and her eyes grew dim, "My beautiful Edwin, my dying miracle from Dragon Lily is for you to live." She whispered the last words before her hand went limp and fell from the cloth of my clothes, her last tear on her cheek, beautiful blue eyes staring up at me, no longer able to see. 

I pull her body close, my tears uncontrollable now and I hold on long after her body grows cold; mourning the loss of the one person who knew her own fate and forced it on herself to save the one she loved. I held her tight, wishing I could take it all back, wishing I could have stayed to my rounds, wishing I had never spoken to her, but if none of that had happened I wouldn't have been able to feel the things I had felt, I wouldn't have been able to experience a love so pure.

Not bothering to wipe my tears I lift Lily and place her atop the bed, arranging her dress and hair before stepping towards the window about to jump. I climb atop the bench and stop, remembering that I no longer was a dragon; all that was left of me was a man. I stepped down from the bench and strode across the room towards the door.

Still unused to my new body I stumbled down the stairs to the courtyard below where the Lilies grew. I pluck a few of the breathtaking flowers and began to ascend the stairs, my strength becoming stronger each step I took. When I finally reach the top I stare into the small room in which Lily had lived most of her life. How lonely it must have been, sitting here day after day, not sure what to do with yourself.

I sit on the bench and look out into the courtyard and the Kingdom below, it was beautiful, the oranges and purples of the sunset  fading darker, casting long shadows across the hillside below and I am glad that I had been here. Glad to have made her dreary days better by knowing that I was there to listen.

I cross the room and place the bouquet of flowers over Lily's hands before taking my dragon's pendant; one that I had been given at birth to help harness the Dragon Trait of Second Chances that had never actually surfaced. I pulled the cord from around my neck and tied it around hers, watching as the dark purple jewel shines dimly as it had when I wore it and I speak my first ever words.

"I will love you for all time and eternity Lily."

I close my eyes and allow the tears to spill when the familiar voice of Lily speaks quietly, her hand taking mine.

"And I you."

© 2015 Amber Steinbeigle. All Rights Reserved