•- Tales of the Heart -• Druig

HOME

( Welcome to Tales of the Heart: Our story starts with explaining the relationship between Druig and Gabriella before the events of the movie comes into play. It's a slow burn and I hope that you enjoy the ride!)

It has been one year since Gabriella arrived at Druig's secret compound.

The year felt long and despite the peculiarity of the situation she had found herself in, she proved to make the most of it. When Gabriella met Druig it was like everything finally made sense, like it was fate that brought her to him. Even though this feeling was almost suffocating, she made sure to keep it hidden, to keep it from changing things. Gabriella became a close supporter of Druig over time. Once he opened up to her and allowed her to see what he was, she was sure that she would risk her own life to protect him. 

Throughout the year together, Druig had often whispered the fact she felt different to the others that followed him. Gabriella needed no push or influence and yet she was the most loyal. It eventually came apparent that Druig needed no control to keep her close and for that he couldn't process the warmth he was beginning to feel again.

It was near the end of July as the winter nights became sharp and the forest floors were blanketed with snow, that Druig realised his feelings for Gabriella. It came after Druig silently followed her into a small clearing just past the compound. She had been watching a group of children playing in the snow until being caught herself and enticed to join their game.

Druig stood against a tree in the clearing out of view as Gabriella laughed loudly for the first time in what seemed like a long time. Her laugh was clear and vibrant and it echoed effortlessly throughout the trees as she let her guard down. He watched for some time before he was spotted and as she gazed into his eyes from afar with a smile from ear to ear, Druig felt time truly stop.

As Gabriella noticed his hesitation, her grin turned more mischievous and with little warning pelted a freshly made snowball towards him. As Druig was deep within his thoughts, he had no opportunity to move or retaliate and the snowball hit him square in the face.

"Bullseye!" Gabriella shouted out mixed with laughter as the children around her praised her range.

"I see," Druig called out wiping his face grinning, "you dare challenge me, to a snowball fight?"

Watching Druig bend to reach for snow, Gabriella let out another laugh before rushing the children to hide. As she turned to see where he would go, she gasped as the man that seemed so far was now in front of her squishing cold snow against her face.

"Humans have always been slow to react," Druig whispers mockingly as Gabriella reaches to wipe the snow away before mimicking him.

"The mighty Druig," she calls out loudly as she made herself tall, "I am beyond the reach of all humans! Bow before me!"

Laughing at her stupid imitation, she watched as Druig rolled his eyes before reaching for her again. As his hand grazed her cheek to brush left over snow that was now making her skin pink in comparison, Gabriella took the distraction as a way to hit him once again with some snow she had hidden.

As she moved her hand towards his face, his reflexes worked effortlessly as he grabbed her arm to halt the attack. Moving his hand slowly up her forearm to her wrist, Druig smirked as she let the snow drop.

"You seem to be getting slower," Druig questions still holding onto her wrist.

"I wasn't trying," Gabriella murmurs as she pulls herself from his grip, "I merely was just having fun, try it sometime."

Turning away from his gaze to hide her shyness, Gabriella beckons the children hiding to come out and to return to their parents. As the children grumbled and sulked, they watched as Druig moved to Gabriella's side and quickly bowed before rushing away.

"You know they would respect me more if you didn't hover over my shoulder like that." Gabriella turned back to Druig as he simply dusted the snow off his shirt.

"Remember who I am Gab-"

"Don't speak to me like I am some simple follower of yours Druig," Gabriella frustratingly questions back before he can conclude his words, "I am sorry, forgive me, I shouldn't have spoke to you like that."

Druig watched curiously as she stood shyly before him and without thinking he reached for her hand, more softly than before.

"No, I am sorry," he whispers as he uses his other hand to tilt her head so that her eyes were locked with his, "you have shown me more loyalty than anyone I have ever met, I should respect you better."

"Druig..."

Removing his hands from her and placing them neatly in front of himself, Druig turned to beckon her to follow him back to the compound. Without any more words, Gabriella followed silently behind him all the while letting herself fall into her thoughts.

As the pair walked quietly, Druig wanted nothing more to turn around and pull her close. But he knew it was best to keep his distance as he knew it would not last and he didn't want to bare that pain. Reaching his place of meditation Druig turned to once again graze his hand against Gabriella's cheek to remove a strand of hair that had fallen, any excuse to feel her warmth.

"You should let your guard down more often Gabriella," Druig comments as Gabriella straightens herself, "You're even more enchanting when you laugh."

"I have only you to thank for that Druig," she whispers watching his face for any indication that what she was feeling was reciprocated, "I can't picture my life without you in it."

"Gabriella..."

"I know," she felt a pain grip her chest and her eyes pricked with tears, "sorry."

As the word left her mouth, Gabriella felt herself bow out of nervousness and she turned to quickly walk away from him. Blocking out the sounds of everything around her, she made her way to her home before shutting herself away for the night. Feeling like a fool, Gabriella found herself sitting on the floor against her bed as she fought tears from forming. She always knew that Druig was out of reach in a way but she couldn't help her feelings and she felt like it was going to be hard to continue her support.

Druig felt weak, his body and mind tense as he made his way into his quiet spot. Often he would come here to mediate and to think of the past and the present but today he could only think of her, her thoughts lingering in his head as he let himself to see, to listen. He had lived many years and it was a first for him to feel something like this and it made him scared. Shaking his head in frustration, Druig calmed himself once more to mediate but yet again her face entered and he felt himself grow sad. He couldn't hide these feelings nor would they just go away but how do you let yourself be open to someone who has an end when you do not.

Druig felt heavy all night while he thought, his heart aching as he listened to her pain. 

Gabriella muffed her tears as she regretted her love, she knew it could not be so why couldn't she let him go.