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 "Happiness is like those palaces in fairy tales whose gates are guarded by dragons: we must fight to conquer it."

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The forest air was thick with the scent of pine and earth as I walked through the winding path, the faint rustling of leaves beneath my steps barely audible over the rhythmic pulse of my heartbeat. The trees loomed overhead, their branches stretching high into the sky, filtering the sunlight into soft beams that danced across the forest floor. But it wasn't the quiet serenity of the woods that held my attention—it was the sound that interrupted the stillness.

A sharp snap of a branch. It wasn't an animal. I froze, every sense on high alert. There was something there. Something—or someone—watching, breathing, just out of sight. My instincts kicked in, the part of me that knew how to navigate through shadows, how to track every footstep. I followed the noise, heart pounding in my chest.

When I finally found the source, I stopped dead in my tracks. A boy. Curled up on the forest floor, his body pressed tightly against the cold earth as if trying to disappear into it. He looked... vulnerable. The messy mop of brown curls, the slight rise and fall of his chest. The sight of him should have made my heart race, but it wasn't until I caught the faint scent in the air, something familiar, something that tugged at the corners of my mind—that's when I recognized him.

Luke.

I moved closer, my steps careful, quiet. Kneeling beside him, I gently shook his shoulder, my fingers brushing against his skin. His body jerked at the contact, and he shot up, wide-eyed, startled. A gasp escaped my lips when I saw him clearly—his cheek swollen and bruised, his arms scratched and torn. There were cuts across his face, the blood still fresh, staining the edges of his lips.

"What happened to you?" My voice came out in a soft whisper, thick with worry. The sight of him like this, so broken and battered, hit me harder than I expected.

Luke didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stared at the ground, his eyes dark and distant. His breath shook slightly. "It's nothing," he muttered, but there was an unmistakable heaviness in his tone. I wasn't going to let it go. Not like this.

I reached out, lifting his chin gently with my finger, forcing him to meet my gaze. "Tell me." My voice was firm now, not giving him an out.

He sighed, long and deep, before letting the words spill out. "My parents... they beat me, every day. It's... it's like it's never enough. They take out everything on me. I come here to the forest, hoping I can find some peace... but I always have to go back to them. To that... to more pain."

The confession hung in the air like a thick fog. I couldn't find words at first, the heaviness of his pain weighing on me. But then, his lips twisted into a small, forced smile. "So when I heard your footsteps, I thought... thought maybe they'd found my secret place. But then... it was you."

I didn't say anything. I couldn't. I just pulled him into a hug, my arms wrapping around him tightly. His body stiffened at first, but then he relaxed into the embrace, sinking into the comfort of it. I could feel his warmth, his heartbeat against me, a soft contrast to the tension in his body.

"Come here whenever you want, L. This forest is for everyone. It's a safe place," I whispered into his hair, my voice carrying the promise of safety, of sanctuary. When I pulled away, he looked at me with gratitude in his eyes, a glimmer of relief breaking through the pain.

We parted ways shortly after, the moon now rising high in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the trees. But as I walked, something strange stirred within me. A deep ache, a strange pull in my body that I couldn't explain. My skin tingled, my bones began to burn with an intensity I could no longer ignore. The transformation had started.

I whimpered in pain, feeling my body begin to change, claws sprouting from my fingers, scales crawling across my skin. The agony was unbearable, each inch of my body fighting to stay human, but the dragon within me clawed its way to the surface. The transformation was excruciating, but the relief that came with it was indescribable.

What I didn't know, though, was that Luke had turned back, had heard my whimpers, had come looking for me. He stopped in his tracks when he saw me, his eyes widening in shock and awe. The sight of me—a massive dragon, with scales that shimmered under the moonlight—took him completely by surprise. I finished the transformation with a final, relieved roar, shaking my great head and opening my eyes, blinking away the haze of pain.

When I turned toward Luke, I caught the surprise in his gaze, and a deep growl rose from my throat, instinctively warning him to stay back. My body stiffened, tail flicking with agitation. But Luke raised his hands slowly, cautiously, his voice barely a whisper. "Woah, it's me... Luke."

I stopped growling, my head tilting to the side in curiosity as I crawled closer to him, sniffing at his scent. He stood frozen, unsure, but I could see the fascination in his eyes. His gaze swept over my massive form, the glistening scales, the powerful wings that now stretched out behind me.

"Why did you stay?" I asked, my voice now deeper, rougher, but still soft as silk. My words came out in a hiss, but there was no malice in them. Just curiosity.

Luke stared at me for a long moment, as if trying to process what he was seeing. "You look... different, Y/N," he said finally. "Why didn't you tell me about this? About... about what you are?"

I sighed, lowering myself to the ground, curling my tail gently around his waist as I lay down, my massive form curling protectively around him. "I couldn't, Luke," I said softly. "It would've revealed my biggest secret. I shouldn't even be showing you this. I have no place here anymore."

Luke's hand rested on my scales, his fingers lightly brushing the surface. He understood. He didn't question me further, but his eyes were filled with silent concern. "But what's your purpose, then? If it's not here...?"

I looked at him, meeting his gaze with my reptilian eyes, the weight of my destiny bearing down on me. "I'm destined to be the next queen of the Dragon Realm."

The words felt strange leaving my mouth, as if they didn't belong to me. But they did. They had always belonged to me.

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"I learned how to comport myself among trolls, elves, hobbits, or goblins. I learned that a friend could be lost to greed and avarice. I learned that solving riddles may be as important a survival skill as bowmanship. I know how to talk to a dragon and that it's best not to."

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A/N: I know this chapter is a little short, but I don't have more inspiration now, so ill end it here; the next one will maybe come on Sunday, idk. Until then ¨

-Saph