Dragonsoul

Chapter 44

"Are you alright?" Rimar asked after some time spent in silent contemplation.

"Much better now. I think talking about it helps." Leonie said.

"Then I want you to tell me about every nightmare you ever have, every last detail, deal?" Rimar asked.

"Deal," Leonie answered, smiling gently at her friend.

"We can do this, can't we?" Leonie asked, fighting sleep that was as difficult to escape as a snow leopard hunting its prey.

"Yes, we can. We are a force to be reckoned with!" Rimar said energetically.

Leonie could see that he was trying to lift her spirits, and she believed him, she had faith in them.

"Why don't you get some sleep, and I'll try to project myself into your mind to chase away the nightmares?" Rimar added.

"Sounds good," Leonie said as she closed her eyes.

"My lioness," she thought she heard, like a whisper in the wind, before she slipped into the world of dreams.

Sleep, the battleground of her life, was surprisingly better than usual, which made it clear that Rimar had succeeded in keeping his promise, in keeping evil at bay.

Not knowing how long he could guard her dreams, Leonie did all in her power to soak in all the rest that she could, like a flower soaking in the water necessary for its survival.

As she did so, she suddenly felt a soft pillow under her head and familiar hands stroking her hair.

"I am so sorry I couldn't come sooner, my lioness," Rimodar said gently.

Leonie's mind was so shocked that it took a moment before she was able to understand what had happened. However, once she did, she jumped up, hugging her father tightly. She held on to him the way a shipwrecked person clung to their raft, never wanting to let go.

"Daddy, you are here!" She said through her sobs.

"I am always with you, my dear. You are just not always able to see me. I am in the wind, in the forest. I live in the hearts of my family, never forget that." Rimodar said, hugging her back while also trying to get used to how big his little girl had become.

"What made the Elementals finally let you come?" Leonie asked, letting go of her father only to stare at his face, trying to memorize its every minute feature.

"I am ashamed to say they did not allow me to come. I..Well, I found a loophole and used it to my advantage," he said.

Leonie smiled brightly upon hearing that. Her father, who was always the one to follow the rules, had broken the ones belonging to the most influential beings Leonie knew of, just to come and see her. It meant the world to her.

"You are not to follow my bad guidance, young lady," he said, trying to sound stern, but his smile was too broad for her to take his warning seriously.

"I don't have much time, but I had to see you before you face this challenge. I know you have learned a lot about who you are and the power you possess, but the most important thing is for you never to forget who you are. You are a strong girl with a big heart. You know the difference between right and wrong. No matter what happens, remember that bad things done with the purest intentions are still bad. The natural order of things must stay intact. Do you understand what I am saying?" Rimodar asked as he brushed away the tears from her face.

"I think so, but when will I see you again, daddy?" Leonie asked.

"Leonie, my dear, I am always by your side. You don't need to see me, to know that I am there next to my family, every second of every day. I love you as flowers love the sun, as waves love the moon, and as Nald loves his sweets." Rimodar said.

"I love you, too, as the sun is my witness, as waves are my strength, to the moon and back, as much as Nald loves the cake," Leonie answered before Rimodar disappeared into thin air.

To Leonie's amazement, the moment her father left was also the moment she woke up from her slumber, and for the first time in years, she found her sleep refreshing.

Short as her slumber might have been, it provided her with energy and determination. Thus, even before she had the chance to stretch out her drowsiness, she was on her feet, ready to go.

"Are we going somewhere?" Rimar asked, lazily lifting his huge eyelids.

"Yes! We are going to attend the Hunter-Gatherer meeting!" Leonie said, buzzing with energy.

"Can we do it tomorrow?" Rimar asked sleepily.

"No, we can't, but if you don't feel like going, you can stay here and rest," Leonie said, noting how tired he was.

"Where you go, I will always follow," Rimar said, getting up.

Upon lifting his enormous body, he started shaking it off, as if that one simple action would allow him to remove the weight of sleep from his shoulders. As he did so, Leonie had to cover her smile so as not to have to explain the reason for its presence.

The truth was that she found the gesture to be one of the sweetest ones the huge dragon had ever done. However, she had learned her lesson the hard way. Adult Rimar did not care for being referred to as the cutest dragon ever.

On impulse, Leonie brushed her hand over the eyebrow that was a silent victim who got singed by Rimar's hot breath that day.

Naturally, the eyebrow had the time to recuperate. Still, the memory of the atrocious one-eyebrow look was sufficient to prevent Leonie from using the word 'cute' describing her dragon friend ever again.

Soon enough, Rimar was ready to go through the portal though he was much slower than usual. As a consequence, Leonie could not help but wonder if protecting her dreams had drained more energy out of him than she initially assumed.

"My father came to me. Did you feel him there?" Leonie asked.

"Yes, I could feel his essence. How do you feel about his visit?" Rimar asked.

Leonie thought about her answer for a while. She wanted to provide her friend with an explanation that was as honest as possible. Honesty proved to be much more helpful with her anxiety than she assumed it would be, and she wanted to take full advantage of it.

"It was different this time, happier. I could enjoy his presence more without thinking about the past. My focus was on spending quality time with my father, not on his death. It felt good." Leonie said.

"I am glad to hear that. I was worried about how his presence might affect you. If it would make you sad." Rimar said.

"You worry too much," Leonie said, patting his head.

"It's my job to worry about you. Our bond is as strong as family ties, and I want what's best for you." Rimar said.

"I know. Thank you," Leonie replied.

"Talking about what's best for you. Are you sure this is a good idea? Attending the meeting, I mean?" Rimar asked.

"No, but it's time to take destiny in my own hands and prove to the adults around me that I don't need them to protect me. After all, I am the protector. We both are." Leonie said.