Children of the Stars

Kalimdor, Year -7,400

(art by thunder-horns on tumblr)

   Ianthil found himself in a very odd situation. Everywhere he looked, he saw the blue glimmer of scales. He saw her in glimmering lakes, he saw her in the blue of the sky. He tried to rationalise it as after spending centuries with someone you become attached, but something in his chest told him otherwise.

   One of the cold nights, they both sat around the warm fire. She was in her elvish form, which she spent more and more time in. Blue hair draped down her back. Ianthil's eyes wondered, staring at the places her flowing robes revealed. The contour of her collarbones, her long legs. After a few times catching his eyes wondering, he chose to stare instead at the fire, but could feel her gaze on him.

   "Ian, I have a question," Avragosa spoke, her quiet voice braking his concentration on the glowing flames.

   "What is it?" he said, as the air grew thick around him. She noticed something off with him, didn't she?

    "What's for dinner?" she chuckled at his surprised reaction, the sound greeting him like the music of wind chimes.

    "If you catch it, I'll cook it," He grinned at her.

    She gave him a childish frown, "But I don't wanna," she whined. He couldn't help but laugh at her whining. Even if she was far older than him by thousands of years, she still managed to act like a complete child. "Don't laugh at me!" she scooted closer to him to playfully smack his shoulder.

   He just grinned back at her. "Well, it looks like we're just going to starve," he shrugged. Her eyes bore into his as she glared, and he couldn't help but notice what a beautiful shade of blue they were, light, with a purple tint. He then remembered what those eyes belonged to. She wasn't just an elf, she was a dragon. Those eyes were meant to be framed by blue scales, not her perfect face. She was meant to be a fierce  beast, not a childish elf.

    "Avragosa," he cleared his throat, unsure of where he was going with this, "Why are you here?"

     "Well when a mommy dragon and a daddy dragon lov-"

    "Ava. You know what I mean," he cut her off. His expression grew cold, distant.

    "You mean why am I still with you? After hundreds of years? Why you?" her voice took a serious note. He felt a sting with the way she said 'you', like he was nothing to her.

     "It's just- you're a dragon. You're not supposed to mettle with us elves."

     "Well it's obvious," she said, "this is where I want to be."

    He gave her a puzzled look, "Why?"

    She just shrugged. He stared at her for a moment longer before giving up. He stood. "I'm going to go find some dinner," he took a step away from her before he felt something tug him back. Her little hand was wrapped in the fabric of his shirt.

    "Ian, why are you still here? Don't you have family to go home to?" she asked.

    "Yes," he said, "but I'm not one for city life, I belong out here."

    "Is that the only reason?" her voice grew faint and unsure, "I mean, it's just-" she trailed off.

    "Just?"

    "If I left, would you still live out here?" she asked.

    He took a moment to think, "No, I don't think so."

    "So the reason you're here is me?"

    "What are you trying to say?"

    Instead of answering him, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a hug. He hugged her back, unsure of what was going on. It was when she pulled back with her arms still lingering around him that he finally began to understand. He closed the space between them, pressing his lips against hers. She responded immediately, and he could feel her smile against his lips.

   It made sense to him. He loved her, he had loved her for years. And, by the grace of Elune, she loved him too.

   In a time that was too short for his taste, she pulled back. They both were smiling at each other, lost in the irony of how many years that had taken.

    "Ava.." he looked at the blue of her eyes. They did not belong to a terrifying beast, they were not dragon's eyes. They belonged to the sweetest being on this planet, Ava, his Ava.

    "Ian, I want to go home with you. I'm done roaming this world, I just want a warm home with you in it," she spoke quietly, before leaning her head into his shoulder.

   "Whatever you want, it will happen."

    The journey back home was long, but moments passed so swiftly when he was with his dragon he did not notice. It was odd at first, trying to live as normal, knowing how she felt about him. But, they both soon came to realise that nothing was really different, except not the words were in the open, and a lot more kisses were shared.

    It was a clear summer's night when they arrived back  in Auberdine. Ava was exited about seeing the city, for it was one of the few she's had the opportunity to walk through in her long life. She buzzed from storefront to storefront, pointing at anything pretty and bubbling to Ianthil. He walked slowly, smiling every time his dragon pointed out something to him.

   They made their way towards the inn. Ava eventually calmed down and walked beside him, their hands linked together. She continued to chatter, with Ian smiling and nodding slightly with her words. The inn wasn't much different than he remembered. They walked inside and he ordered some food. It wasn't until they were seated that Ava inquired into why they were there.

    "Ian," she started, "Why this town?"

    "This was the last place I saw my niece," he answered, "I figure she couldn't have gotten too far."

   The inkeeper came to deliver their order, and Ian decided to begin the inquiry to where his niece was. "Excuse me, do you know where I can find Hikarie Lightblade?" he asked.

    The innkeeper looked flustered, "Hikarie? The only one around here is Ms. Silverwing, and you don't want any business with her." She then scurried back towards the kitchen.

    Ava spoke first, "Well, I guess she's not here. Can I have your mead?"

    Ian pushed his cup towards her, "Silverwing was her father's name, what the hell is she up to?" he asked.

She held the cup between her fingers. "Ian, if she's your niece, then why don't you share a last name? Your name isn't Lightblade or Silverwing."

"She didn't get the Wyndsong name because my brother isn't exactly her father. He raised her, but her actual father was a very awful man. That's why it's odd she's using his name."

"Well the only reason I could see to use an awful man's name is if you're doing awful things. Maybe we shouldn't find her," Ava placed her hand in his in an effort to comfort him. Ian looked downcast, before standing abruptly and walking away.

"I'm going to go buy a room for us," he said. Ava watched him go, feeling sorry for her druid and his odd family.