The Dragon's Chase

Chapter Six

(Ah sorry it's so short, but I realized that this was the perfect ending for this chapter! Please enjoy)

"Grizzy, I'm home!" Cecelia called as she entered the little cottage that she shared with Grizin.

"Welcome home, Cece," Grizin replied, coming out from their bedroom. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "How was it?"

"Ava's gonna be fine," Cecelia replied with a smile. "Tullan's gonna be teaching her how to read our language and Thassio how to read in the human one. Isn't that fascinating?"

Grizin frowned. "I don't like how a human is learning so much about us."

Cecelia huffed as she pulled away. "I don't like how you don't trust her. Come on, Grizzy! I know I'm a lot younger than you, but you don't have to be a meanie."

"Cece, I'm not being mean, I'm just being careful," Grizin told her.

Cecelia rolled her eyes. "Well you aren't being very nice, either. Anyways, Sonya wanted to talk to me. She told me that I would be better at convincing you to do this, so-"

"To do what?" Grizin interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

"Sonya wants you to teach Ava how to use a sword," Cecelia confessed rather timidly.

Grizin's eyes widened. Blood flashed before his eyes, bodies, horrible laughter, a red-soaked blade. He gripped the back of the couch. "No."

"Grizzy, are you alright?" Cecelia asked, putting a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

"I'll be fine," he insisted.

"Is there anything I can do?" Cecelia asked, starting to rub his back gently.

"Just keep that human girl away from me," Grizin told Cecelia.

"I can't do that, Grizin, you know that. She's staying here," Cecelia informed him gently. "Come on, why don't you trust humans? Why do you hate them so much?"

Grizin shook his head, turning away. "You wouldn't understand. I won't ruin them for you, you don't deserve to know what I went through."

"Damn it, Grizin!" Cecelia snapped. "I am not a child, we've been together for over fifty years, and you're treating me like I'm younger than Thassio! I'm plenty old enough to understand what happened, so tell me!"

"Trust me, Cecelia," Grizin began. "You don't want to know."

"Grizin, believe it or not, I do," Cecelia replied, taking his hand in both of hers. "Please. Come on, I love you. How else am I supposed to know you better, to love you more, if you don't trust me? Please?"

Grizin sighed. "Fine, if you must know," he began, taking a deep breath. He told Cecelia his story. Before long, her eyes widened and her hand covered her mouth. Tears were filling her eyes, her heart filling with an ache of wanting to comfort Grizin. She now knew exactly why Grizin hated humans. It wasn't a fun story.

"Oh, Grizin," was all Cecelia managed to say before wrapping him in a tight hug. "I am so, so sorry. But you have to know, Ava's not like that. I doubt she ever will be. You can trust her."

Grizin leaned into the hug. "I know. I'm sorry it took so long to tell you. I do love you, you know."

"I know," Cecelia replied, rubbing Grizin's back. "I love you, too."

Cecelia pulled away and looked up at Grizin. She reached up and brushed a hair out of his face, tucking it behind his ear. "There we go. Though you do realize I don't think Sonya will give you a choice on training Ava, right?"