Princess Rosie and the Dragon

Chapter 5 (Last chapter)

Rosie saw a shadow streak across her valley, cast far ahead of its owner by the setting sun. She looked up as Rose glided overhead, waved as she saw the dragon's head tilt downwards, then watched as she swept her wings forward, gathering the air before her and slipping out of the sky, landing easily by the shore of the lake. Rosie waited as she walked towards her - footsteps making the ground tremble softly - and took a few paces to meet her as she folded into her human-sized form.

"What are you doing out here?" Rose asked, glancing around the small gully, with its stream leading into the lake. The tower was some distance away, casting its slim shadow along the valley.

"You brought me here once," Rosie replied. "Remember?"

"Of course," Rose nodded, her voice quiet.

"I-I thought- That is, I wanted to talk," Rosie said. "With you," she added. "Well, obviously."

"Yeah," Rose joined her in chuckling, sharing her nervousness.

"Um, is Adam...?" Rosie asked after an awkward pause.

"I sent a fairy from town," Rose said quickly. "The sheriff is keeping him locked up until my people arrive for him. It should only be a day or two - they're pretty strict about anyone trying to harm a dragon without adhering to the traditions. You know, proper challenge, that kind of thing."

"Good," Rosie nodded. "Rose, I..." She trailed off, then abruptly laughed. "I had this all planned, what I was going to say. I promised myself I'd go through with it."

"Go through with what?" Rose wondered. "What's... You're not, leaving? Are you?" Her face twisted in dismay. "Not with Riley?!?"

"God no!" Rosie exclaimed, the giggles taking firm hold of her at the thought. "No, never in a million years. No."

"Then...?" Rose asked.

"I wanted to... that is," Rosie hesitated again. "Oh, forget the speech. Rose, I..." She took Rose by the shoulders, staring into her eyes, and lost her voice. When it returned, it was soft, and straight from the heart. "I love you."

Rose blinked, once, twice, then said: "...wuh?"

"I. Love. You," Rosie repeated, hitting each word clearly. "I have since, oh god, it feels like forever, and I have no idea if you feel anything like- That is, I'm sure we're friends, and I think, I hope, you feel more, but I'm not sure, but I am sure that the years I've spent here with you have been the best time of my life, and..." she paused to take a breath, "...and I can't go on like that without breathing like you can, apparently."

"Um... it's for flying at altitude," Rose said, bemusedly. "Lung capacity, you know..."

"That explains it," Rosie smiled, her gaze fixed on Rose.

"You just... said you love me, right?" Rose asked.

"I did," Rosie replied.

"I..." Rose began, then faltered. Rosie's l frowned as Rose looked away from her, her expression distressed. "Even though...?"

"Rose?" she asked.

"I'm not human," Rose said in a tiny voice. Rosie shook her head, and took Rose's shoulders, giving the dragon no choice but to meet her gaze.

"I don't care at all what you're not," she said firmly. "You are the woman I love, and I have for the longest time, and when I realised what was happening today, I thought how stupid I've been not to say so all this time..."

"I..." Rose whispered. "I guess... that makes two of us?"

"Two of us?" Rosie echoed.

"Because, all the times I've wanted to tell you, and didn't because I was worried that... You know what, that forgetting the speech thing you did was great, so I'm going to do it too, and I love you. As well. Also. And... can we sit down?"