Touch of Flame

After a long refreshing ride, Ravina and Aaron sat on a cliff at a mountain to rest and enjoy the view.

“There is something about mountains…” she said looking like she enjoyed the cold breeze.

“We say that mountains are the heaven of earth.” He said.

“I can see that,” she said staring ahead, arms around her knees.

He watched her in silence wondering how there could be so much strength, intensity, and determination in such little body. Yet he knew she wasn’t only like this. His mother had told him about how she found her covered in blood. Her hands were enough to tell him that she wasn’t alright. Her eyes were haunting. He had never seen anything like it.

The more he saw her, the more he felt the need to help her. No, he felt like he had to help her, not only for his brother but for himself and for the people he betrayed. Also because he owed her this much. He wondered if she knew about her father.

“You must miss home.” He said.

She nodded. “I do. Is it strange that I have seen so much beauty the few days I am here yet I miss home?”

“No. It is not strange. Nothing can replace home unless you build a new home,” he said which made him think about something. “May I ask something?”

She turned to him. “Yes.”

“You want to become queen. That means you have to marry my brother. Do you… like him?”

Her eyes remained cold. “Well, maybe it is different in your world but in our world, we marry for convenience.”_.

“That sounds sad,” he said.

“It is,” she said staring ahead again.

“Don’t you wish to marry for love?”

She smiled. “My wishes all collide. It is one or the other. I have to make some sacrifices.”

It sounded so tragic. “But you two seem to get along better?” He said in a desperate attempt.

“I think we do. Perhaps we just needed a few days to calm down and I am just showing my useful side.”

He chuckled. “You know you could do a lot more?”

She smiled. “You mean cause fire as you said.”

Well, that was before he guessed that she was innocent. He would give her less bold advice now. Instead of the breeding sexual side, he would focus on the protective side.

“Do you know that men like being helpful? Especially to women. They like to feel like they are of use and they love it if you ask them to help you with difficult things that make them feel strong and protective.”

“Really?” She frowned.

“Well, humans call it something. When you lend a woman your hand.”

“Chivalry?”

“Yes.”

She chuckled with a shake of her head.

“It is true. Men have a basic instinct to protect so a man feels like a failure the most when he fails to protect his family.”

“Alright?” She said with a questioning look knowing he was going somewhere with this.

“So if you ever need something, you just…” he shrugged.

“Just what?”

“Well, Saul was just saying that women have many hidden weapons and therefore they are more difficult to fight. I agree. You are strong. You get what you can with your strength and the rest… you can be a damsel in distress.”

p、and a-n、o、vel She looked at him baffled. “Are you… suggesting I manipulate your brother?”

“I don’t call it manipulation,” he smirked.”It is just triggering his inner true self.”

She laughed. “You are unbelievable.”

“You should at least try it,” he said although he liked her more because she didn’t try to please or appease his brother to get her position as a queen.

She didn’t act desperate but presented herself with dignity and showed her worth. She won through wit, knowledge, and confidence. He just wanted her to feel protected and he wanted to trigger that faster in his brother. Perhaps her strong persona was not compelling him enough.

“When you go home, go into your room and just scream. If he is not there within a second, then I lose.”

“That is absurd. And what should I say when he comes?”

“That you saw a spider.”

She laughed and he could see she wasn’t used to it as she always covered her mouth with a hand. “A spider?”

“Yes. Even a fly will work. You can tell him you can’t sleep unless someone washed your feet.”

“Oh no,” she laughed.

“Anything will work. I promise you.”

She shook her head at him.

“Just complain.” He told her. “I dare you to call him five times in a row and ask him for something. He will do it.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.”

He guessed that she was someone to never ask for help. Someone to not rely on anyone.

She took a moment to look at him with a gentle smile as he sensed his brother’s arrival.

“You are funny. I have not laughed like this for so long.”

Do you hear that Malachi?

“Ravina!”

She was startled by his sudden stern voice. Looking over her shoulder, she was surprised to see him there. She rose quickly and Aaron followed.

He knew his brother so he could see that he was holding back his anger. There was a change in his skin, getting thicker, scales flashing for a moment so faintly that only the eyes of a dragon could see.

Good, Aaron thought. This was the side he wanted to see and expected to see. Their eyes met, his speaking loud and clear to stay away from his breedmate. He would not be wary if she was a dragon but he had to be like this since she was human. He was more of a threat because of that.

Shifting his gaze to Ravina, “come with me,” he ordered her.

“You don’t have to go,” Aaron told her.

She looked at him shocked and then looked back at Malachi who frowned angrily at him.

“You want to fight me, brother?”

“I don’t want to fight you but I will if I have to. She is staying if she wants to.”

Ravina looked at him as if he had lost his mind and as Malachi threateningly crossed over the distance she hurried to stand between them. “Alright. I was thinking of going back anyway.” She said.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to him. “I will deal with you later,” he told him and dragged her away. She let him do it for a while and then angrily pulled her arm away.

“You can’t just order me around,” she told him.

Aaron watched amused.

“I can. Have you forgotten that I am king here?” Reaching for her arm again.

“I can walk. Let go!”

He didn’t and he was walking too fast for her to catch up. At last, she surprised him by biting his hand.

Oh no! This made Aaron laugh but his brother didn’t find it amusing at all. He grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder.