Autumn's Fall

XXI. Breaking of the Heart

No, no, no, no! They couldn't be gone! His forearm was all that he had managed to get through the loose vines before they had raced off as fast as their feet could carry them. He let out one last roar, as loud and as desperate as he could muster, but they did not return. No matter how long he waited, they did not come back.

A heaviness settled over him as the reality of the hopelessness of the situation struck him. Was this to be their fate? Was it not enough that he was to be punished over and over again for his unfaithfulness to his duty? Would he now have an innocent woman's death on his hands all because she chose to let him be free and not bound? Because he might not free her in time, no matter how hard he tried?

It usually took him days to break through the front gateway, days he did not have to spare! But, that was when he was much larger. That hole...it could be widened, widened enough that he could possibly push her through. It was just possible he could drag her out...if he could get her out. But, he had to try!

Throwing himself at the vines, he struggled with them with all the ferocity he could muster. He could not be this reckless with the woman for fear of hurting her more than he already had, but he had no qualms about breaking every inch of the doorway. His teeth flashed, his claws slashed at the hole; biting, gnawing, crushing, breaking, snapping!

The dragon fought against the bindings with all that was within him for hours until the sun set below the horizon and the earth grew dark, but still he worked with his tired and shaking limbs. Time was against him, and he would not let himself rest until he was done. Finally, in the early hours of the morning, when the light of dawn was just coming from over the trees on the horizon, he burst through the hole that was just barely wide enough for him to squeeze through, and collapsed in a heap upon the cold, hard earth of the clearing.

Long did he lie there, his eyes closed in exhausted sleep. But the feeling of the warm rays of the sun upon his back woke him from his slumber. Blinking, he opened his eyes and sat up, confused about where he was for a moment. Then the events from last night came back to him in a rush of realization. He had left the woman all alone all night long!

Racing back to the hole, he barely managed to squeeze through as yet again he had grown larger at some point in his sleep. Dropping down over the cliff, he scrambled through the trees and vines down to where the lady sat bound and unmoving and he froze at what he saw. Raw, angry wounds covered her right forearm where trails of dried blood ran down in dark stripes to her hand standing out in stark contrast to her pale skin. Pain and panic filled his heart as he looked at the damage he had caused, he hadn't meant to bite her so hard or so deep. His teeth were sharper than all his time fighting against the plants had made him to believe. And he had hurt her, hurt her badly.

A probing, cautious rumble came from him as he slowly drew closer to the Minister of Winter, but she did not stir. The tip of his snout gently touched her cheek, nudging her with all the delicacy he could muster, but still her eyes stayed shut. How cool, how cold she felt to his touch. Placing his head to her chest, he closed his eyes and listened, there was a heartbeat. But it was slow, so very slow.

Wrapping his neck across her shoulders, he positioned her body next to his for optimal warmth, and begged from his heart for her to wake up. After a while he began to feel warmth coming from her, but still she did not wake.

As he waited he worked yet again at her bindings, desperate to get her out, but fearful of doing any more damage than he already had. He tried to turn his mind to other things to keep him from his fear. What would he do with her once she was free? He had to get her to the tower, but how long would it take him to get there by himself? He could try to carry her but that would probably slow him down as well, unless he could find a way to bind her to his back. But his claws weren't meant for that, perhaps someone in the town could help? But who wouldn't run away from a dragon, especially one carrying a limp body around? Was it really...hopeless?

He turned his eyes back to the pale face next to him; so pale, so delicate, so fragile. Raising his claw he placed it as gently as he could manage against her cheek, cradling her face in his hand. A soft moan came from him as he closed his eyes and placed his forehead against the other side of her face.

Words could not come from his mouth, but from his heart he cried out to the Spirit that Lived.

"Spirit, please, heal her. I know I have done wrong, I know I have no business to ask anything of you for all the evil I have caused. But she hasn't done anything, anything but help me. Why should she be punished for that? I know my punishment is right, I have accepted that, and I will take a thousand years more in here if you deem it right, but please, help her! Send someone to help her again! Don't let her die, please! Please, I'm begging you! Spare her, let her live."

Great dragon tears fell from his eyes, sliding and splashing down his face to the roots still binding the woman as sobs came from his throat, threatening to tear him apart in his desperation and sorrow.

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A/N: To be edited...