The Dragon's Redemption

Chapter 25 Island in the Sun

They sat together watching the sun rise, then discarding their clothes ran down the beach entering the water. Brieanna and Gwen swam in the warm clear water then returned to the beach. "Abby gave me this oil, she says rub in our skin and we won't burn." Gwen took the clay jar.

"It smells nice."

"Rub it all over, don't miss your ears and feet. Then I'll do your back and you can do mine." They put their towels on the sand and lay on then lazily watching Dreki swim catching fish and eating. "We'll be golden brown tomorrow."

"How often do we oil ourselves?"

"Several times, after each time we swim, or if we sweat a lot."

"Brie, I'm really afraid of dying. Is it OK to talk about it?"

"We're sisters, yes we can talk."

"I wonder what it will be like to be dead."

"That is something I'm hoping to avoid as long as possible."

"My prospect for that is really limited. I have a time certain."

"I have a plan Gwen."

"I hope it's not too painful, the prospect of pain really frightens me...you have a plan?"

"The runes said your stay here will end, it didn't mention dying."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"No. Gwen, I'm not from this world. We can escape this world."

"Your island is still on this world Brie."

"I came to this world when I was eight. I came from Avalon, Fata Morgana. It's another world."

"How did you get here?"

"Dreki flew me, it's a long story. May I tell you?"

"I'm listening." Brieanna told Gwen her story as far as she could remember.

"Come with me to my home. You can join Sam and Aednat and me."

"I have people I love here Brie."

"As do I. But if you come with me you may buy yourself more time, a life time of time."

"I would like to avoid death, I will need to talk with my family first." They sat together for a long time without saying a thing.

"Let's get Dreki to take us out to deep water!" they swam together again and oiled up a second time. "Dreki, we have a surprise for you."

"My belly is full, I want to lay in the sun little ones."

"You can, I have more dragonhead and some soft brushes," Brieanna said coyly. Dreki relaxed in the sand as Brieanna and Gwen used the brushes to scrub the dragon. "Your skin was looking dry and scaly and we're going to use a second bottle of the oil on your skin too." Dreki moaned in pure dragon ecstasy as the girls scrubbed and oiled him. Then they went swimming in deep water with the girls clinging to him as he dove deep ending their water play with dragon surfing.

"I love all the colors of the rocks and fish!" Gwen said.

"The rocks are living corals," Dreki said.

"Dreki, can you tell Gwen a little about Avalon?" Brieanna asked as they reapplied Abigail's oil to their skin.

"Yes, I can take you with us when we go. You will be a witch like Brie."

"I don't understand," Gwen said.

"You can see me cloaked, only a dragon rider and a witch can do that."

"What do you like best about Avalon?" Gwen asked.

"I like living under the covenant and fore-swearing coercive force. We have no wars. But what I like the most is Brie, and her and her mother's willingness to forgive me when I have so badly failed their trust."

"We love you Dreki, two generations of love and someday a third."

"Come with us Gwen. Brie already thinks you are her sister."

"I do want to, but I have so much here too."

"Let's visit the waterfalls, Abby packed us a lunch too," Brieanna said. "And yes Dreki we will take a nap. They spent much of the afternoon sliding down the waterfalls, eating the lunch, and sleeping shaded by the dragon's wing. Then they used the soap to wash themselves off in the pond and applying more oil and then wrapping in their towels returned to the beach. It took some time to locate their clothing where they had carelessly tossed them, but Dreki found them quickly when asked. Then mounting the dragon they returned to Harald's long house.

Gwen and Brieanna sat together on Gwen's bed, they had changed clothing for dinner and were combing out their hair.

"Hate to admit this Brie, I love you like a sister, but sometimes I feel so jealous."

"Me too Gwen, I have been separated from my family. My father and older brother killed. You still have a dad and a brother that love you."

"I envy you having a dragon. I want a husband that loves me and someday to have children. You are so much alive, I have been alone and simply waiting, knowing my life would end and there were so many things I would never experience. I actually stopped living trying to protect myself from hoping for more or striving for more and finding disappointment. I have so enjoyed being with you. I feel so alive with you. I want so much more. I want to live."

"Then come home with me. Nothing is assured. I could be killed myself or loose Sam. But I will not go down without a fight. Our destinies are linked somehow. We were meant to be sisters, to ride dragons and work magic."

"Will you come with me when I talk to my parents?"

"Yes I will."

"Shall we go to dinner, and show off our tans," Gwen said. They had their hair in a single long braid. Their dresses were off the shoulders and left their tanned shoulders, neck exposed. They rolled up their sleeves exposing their arms and golden arm bands, then holding hands walked to the dining room. Haakon stared at his sister and Brieanna for several minutes.

"You both look very nice, your skin is different somehow."

"We have been tanning," Gwen said in an airy tone.

"You look healthy Gwen, I like that."

"We are going ridding tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, I'm looking forward to it. You too Brie?" Brieanna nodded as they took seats at the table.