My song drifted into the night air, echoing around the tall walls of the castle below me. Tears fell down my cheeks, no sobs escaping my mouth like they had for so long before, just the sad, mournful song of the dead that sprang from my lips. It was the song that was sung at my mother’s funeral and one that always stuck with me through all this time. I sang it because I knew that I was to die. I had no idea when that might be, but I knew deep in my heart that there was no cure for my curse and that I was to die.

I sang the last few notes of the song when the wind picked up. The wind was strong and cold; it blew my hair in front of my face and stung my ears. I lifted my hands to free myself from the knot that was no doubt encircling my head when the wind slowed and leveled; my hair falling about my shoulders; my eyes catching sight of the dragon.

I didn’t scream, and neither did I run; I had met a dragon before when I was young, she had had no wings and her horns were broken; she was old and near her last days, her prophecy foreseeing my future; but this dragon was different. He was forest green with a white underbelly, two long curved horns were above his eyes and his wings were massive.

“I’m sorry.” The words came over to me but I didn’t see the dragon move his mouth. His yellow eyes stared across the space between us, they were knowing. He knew the pain I was going through and yet, he look as if he had felt it for himself. I reached out to press my hand against him and he obligingly moved closer, his eyes still staring at me.

“What is your name?” I ask, my hand still on his head, my fingers moving over rough scales.

The name Edwin comes across to me, again without his mouth moving, but somehow I knew that it was him talking. He didn’t need to move his mouth to talk, just a few words on the wind, but that was all the comfort I needed; someone to talk to, someone who understands, someone who loves.

Below in the Kingdom a bell rings, signaling the night’s patrol and Edwin jerk his head back, breaking our eye contact, almost startled. He turns, about to fly away when I grab ahold of him, hanging halfway out of the tower. He looks back at me, again startled, as if he couldn’t remember how he had gotten here.  He took me gently in his massive feet and placed me back inside the tower, flying away, passing another “I’m sorry” on the wind behind him.

These words were different from what they were the first time. They weren’t knowing and neither were they sorrowful. Instead they were apologetic, regretful, and a little scared. I couldn’t tell whatever for but I watched Edwin as he flew down from my tower and disappeared behind the walls, not glancing back at me in longing, the way I was looking at him.

Long after he had gone I stared at the spot he disappeared, small tears pricking in my eyes but they were different than the tears I have shed before. They weren’t sad, they were happy. They were happy because I had found someone to talk to, someone to make my dreary days better, someone who understands. They were happy tears that came with a new feeling and I couldn’t wait until tomorrow night per chance I get to meet with him again.

@ 2015 Amber Steinbeigle. All Rights Reserved