The Dragons' Crystal

Chapter Eighteen ~ Darius

I'd be lonely a few times before. After my father killed everyone I loved, I felt it often. I felt it in the absence of the warm embrace of my mother and the teasing nature of my brothers. I missed it in warm meals and family events and those nights as a child where nightmares filled my head and I wanted nothing more to disappear into their loving arms. I felt loneliness before I had discovered my camp; before I discovered my friends that had quickly become family. Each time I had ever felt lonely, it was because there was no one else around. 

This was the first time I felt lonely with another person in the room with me. Not just another person, but a person I truly cared about. 

I stared at Odelle's back from where I sat, not being able to contain the sigh that came out. She had been so set on finding the crystal that it had destroyed her when our search came up empty. I knew the crystal was close, but the exact location was a complete mystery. There was nothing I wished more than to wake Odelle and tell her I knew where Allira was hiding and I could take her straight to her. At that point, it wouldn't have even been for the future of my people but to see the light come back into Odelle's eyes. 

At first, I hadn't quite understood her need to have a mission. All she could ever want was located directly at my camp. What reason was there to keep searching for something you weren't sure even existed? It had been finding her father but, when that was shut down, it became to find Allira. Why was Odelle so hung up about a spirit that had very little to do with her? 

I just wanted her to happy. I wanted Odelle to come back to the camp and stay with us and have that be the end of the story. We could find Allira later, when she wanted to be found. It was quite possible she was purposefully hiding from us. My mind reminded me of the dreams Odelle had been having, causing me to groan. This was far too confusing for my liking. Hearing the stories of how Odelle had been treated in her home made me want to stop this madness. I wanted her to see what a true village looked like; what happiness and overall love was. I wanted her heart to heal and repair itself from the years of damage Erstonia had caused her. 

I wanted to be the one that showed her firsthand what love was. 

The first night she had been with us had been spectacular. Dancing with her felt like no other. From that moment on, I knew she was special. Even from when I first saw her, I was drawn to her. It was why I had woken her, though it had been overpowered by concern of a person lying in the middle of the snow. I hadn't expected her to be alive, but my heart relaxed when she was. From her eyes, I had assumed she was a dragon like me, but time would certainly prove me wrong. In my eyes, she was breath-taking. She held a uniqueness to her that sparked joy in me without any exchange of words. 

It was hard to admit if it was love or not. Father had held a strict line while raising me. Each glance or gaze I spared into the direction of a young lady was reprimanded. There were more important things than women. Upon meeting Odelle, I quickly realized that there was no one to hold me back this time. 

I loved her smile. It was innocent and kind, not what I would expect from a person with as brutal a life as hers. If I was the reason behind her smile, that was even better. I loved the risks she took; how she had set out completely on her own in search of a better life and how she planned on finding her father without even knowing where to start. Her determination was stronger than most. 

Maybe that was why it hurt so bad to see her like this. 

I could see the hope fleeing from her eyes as exhaustion took its place. There was nothing I wished for more than to be able to comfort her. I wanted to hold her hand and to tilt her chin up when she began to look down. I wanted to tuck her hair behind her ear. I wanted to dance with her into the night, just like we had the first night she spent at camp. I wanted to see a care-free Odelle that was simply enjoying life without any worry.