Jasmin part 16

JASMIN

The trip to Aldrek’s territory was long, but I made it back safely into his arms.

When I look up, I see that he is torn. I know he wasn’t expecting me, but I’ll take this reaction over him pushing me away.

“Aldrek.”

He’s actually here, in my arms. Safe and sound, albeit troubled.

“How did you get here?”

He looks behind me, searching for an escort, but I came alone. I left Myra with only a letter thanking her and asking that she doesn’t come after me.

“I came alone.”

“Why?” He grits, his anger finally surfacing. “Why return? I have nothing to offer you. I have no home!”

“I don’t care!” It feels strange to yell. To express what I feel with such passion. I’ve always been the silent type.

“I don’t care about sleeping in the woods. I had to see you, because we couldn’t end things the way we did.”

“It doesn’t matter how we ended things.” He steps away. “I can’t be your friend, Jasmin. Or your…”

Or your lover.

He doesn’t say the words, but they still hurt me even while dangling in the air.

“Would you have sent me back to Crux and Myra if I never admitted that I came to you with a purpose?”

He hesitates, and I know that I’ve caught him.

I take his hand. “Tell me you don’t care for me, and I’ll turn back right now.”

“You know I can’t!” He squeezes me, and yanks me forward, regaining control.

Our chests and foreheads are pressed together, and I can feel his temperature spike.

“Cursed fires. You shouldn’t have come back. Didn’t you see how hard the first goodbye was?”

“There doesn’t have to be another. I want to stay with you.”

I bite my lip, because although I’m willing to start as a friend, I want more. There is so much I’m dying to learn, and only he can teach me. I trust him more than any other man.

“Come.” He says.

My heart stops. Is he taking me back to Crux and Myra?

“Where are we going?”

He sighs. “An inn. I can’t let you sleep in the woods.”

“But for how long? And how do I pay you back?”

“I don’t need your coins, female.”

He picks up my bag and leads the way. I get a glimpse of his bruised back, and feel sick. What has he been doing that got him hurt?

We walk past his cabin, and I can’t pull my eyes away from the pile of destruction. Everything is gone, and only the memories remain.

I wish I could offer him something to repair. If not money, then maybe my labor, but I’m not built for construction and will likely only slow him down.

“What, are you comparing the cabin to Crux’s home?”

My eyes snap back to him. “Of course not.”

Crux’s home had been extravagant. Built tall and proud with chiseled details. There were endless rooms, making me feel like Alice in Wonderland. Nevertheless, it wasn’t as warm as Aldrek’s cabin.

“I’m sorry you lost your home.”

He grunts. “It’s only wood.”

But I know he spent months carving his table, chairs, and every other piece of furniture.

“I will rebuild. I will have to hire workers.”

I know it’s important for dragons to build their homes by hand, and he’s sacrificing that tradition to tend to me.

I’m quiet for the rest of the trip. When we approach the town, I pull a scarf from my bag and wrap it around my head.

The market seems louder than usual.

“Aldrek!” A man calls out.

They exchange a conversation in Le’vris, and Aldrek gets increasingly angry. When I take his hand, he shoulders past the older dragon and leads me away.

We walk for ten minutes until turning a corner and entering an establishment. I don't look up until we’re in a room.

When I hear the door shut, I take my scarf off and am shocked to see that this room has no roof. There’s furniture and a bed, but the sky is clearly above us.

“Is this supposed to be roofless?”

He sits on the edge of the bed. “Yes. I might go for a flight later and need easy access. Don’t worry, I don’t suspect it will rain.”

“And the guy you were arguing with? What was that about?”

“You have many questions today, don’t you?”

I lower my head, embarrassed. “You don’t have to answer.”

“It was the ringmaster, angry that I did not show for the cage fight.”

“Cage fight? So that is what you have been doing while I was gone. Back to fighting and drinking?”

I’m upset that he got hurt. That he went back to fighting in a cage for people that think he’s a circus freak.

“You judge me, Jasmin? What about you? You clearly lost weight, so I am not the only one with ill habits.”

He’s right. I could have taken better care of myself, but that doesn’t excuse his beatings.

“I don’t want you to keep fighting,.”

He crosses his arms over his chest and studies me. “Is that so?”

I raise my chin and cross my arms over my chest. “Yes, or else prepare for me to enter the cage with you.”

His eyes fall to my arms. “Take your clothes off.”

My heart jolts in my chest. “What!”

This makes him laugh. “How fast you go from stubborn to frazzled.”

Hearing his laughter is refreshing. It feels like ages have passed, but he’s slowly warming to me.

I walk to the other side of the bed, my palms so sweaty they’re slippery, and my heart vibrating. When I reach for my dress, Aldrek rips his gaze away.

“What are you doing?” He rasps.

“How quickly you go from stubborn to frazzled,” I echo and laugh nervously.

Now that I’m only in my underwear, I slip under the covers. This game of mine is dangerous, but it's just what I've been missing.

I trust him, and what better way to celebrate seeing eachother again than with teasing?

“Aldrek,” I call.

He turns slowly, and finds me under the covers.

“When did you become so bold?” He asks, breathing heavy and eyes sliding down to where the covers meet my chest.

I don't know when, but I’m enjoying this growth.

“Get under the covers with me.”

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