Dragon Princess

Chapter 20: Taking Leave

Shade

When we returned to the haven I immediately pulled Aralia down a skinny tunnel that I could barely squeeze through. She held my hand and asked where we were going, I only told her that it wold be a place where no one could find us.

While briefly exploring this place I came across this opening, it was very small and I could barely fit through it, but it opens up to a fairly large room with a natural spring in the centre of it.

It reminded me so much of the pool that Aralia found Aquaria in and I'm sure she will love it.

We reached the other side, the heat from the water created steam that warmed my skin. I looked at Aralia and a hint of a smile was on her face.

"Shade, this place is beautiful, it's like..."

"It's like where you found Aquaria."

She nodded then looked down, "You have to tell my why you're leaving, and don't give me that bullshit about it being your own business."

I lowered my hood and ran my hand through my hair, "It's not that simple to just tell you, love, it's complicated."

I knew that was the wrong thing to say and I saw it coming, but I didn't bother to deflect it. Her hand slapped so hard across my face I actually winced in pain. Then she grabbed the back of my head and crushed her lips to mine.

Aralia

I bit his lower lip and pushed him against the wall and pressed my body against his. I didn't want him to leave, it pained me to lose someone else.

I roughly pushed myself away from him, but couldn't help but smile when I saw his widened eyes. "What in gods name was that, love?"

"That's for refusing to tell me where your going."

He rubbed his head cheek, "And the kiss."

I blushed a little, "That was me saying you aren't going to say goodbye."

He shook his head and chuckled, "You are one confused and crazy woman you know that?"

I laugh, "I guess you could call me that."

He stepped forward and brushed some of my hair behind my ear, "Don't guess, love, I'm going to call you that."

He lowers his head to mine and kisses me gently. His hand trails down my neck and shoulder to my side and pulls me close to him. In doing this he had undid the straps holding my chest plate together and it clanged to the floor.

He pushed it to the side with his feet and I could feel him smiling against my lips. I pulled at the cords keeping his cloak tide around him making it fall to the floor.

I placed my hands on his chest and pushed him back a bit, he looked a bit confused until I started to remove my tunic and start working at the drawstrings on my trousers.

He smirked and started removing his own clothes. Being naked I lowered myself into the warm pool realizing that it was deeper then I thought.

My feet could touch the bottom, but only just. Shade soon joined me and he pulled me close to him forcing me to realize that he was shivering.

I ran my hand down his face and placed my forehead to his, "Shade, what's wrong?"

"Love, Aralia, I want this more then ever, I want you,"

I kissed him lightly on the lips quieting him. "I want this too, but we should wait until you get back. I want you to come back to me."

"It's like you read my mind, sweets, but your going to have to try and tell that to the other Shade." He winked and I couldn't help but blush.

"Shush and just hold me."

***

I don't know when I passed out or even what time it is now. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and looked around realizing that I was at the edge of the pool me and Shade were in.

I looked around, but Shade and his clothes were gone. I bolt up and rushed to get my clothes back on. I roughly pull my trousers and tunic on, I leave my wrap and boots though.

I squeeze through the opening out back into the corder and run to the direction of the entrance. My hair and skin is still damp so my bare feet make wet slaps as I run. A couple of people tried to stop me, but most moved out of my way.

The entrance was just ahead, but there is no sign of Shade. Outside now I rush to the cliffs drop off and stop. Shade is nowhere insight, I drop to my knees having the adrenalin drain out of me.

He didn't say goodbye, he left and he never said a word to me. I gripped my hands into fists feeling my nails cutting into my palms. I whispered into the wind hoping my words could be carried to him.

"I love you, Shade."

Shade

"I love you Aralia," I said and planted a kiss on her forehead. I put her to sleep with a sleeping spell so she shouldn't be awake for a few hours and by that time I'll be back at my fathers castle.

Walking through the corridors they were almost empty. As I neared Grea's room my steps became slower, it pained me to have to leave Aralia here. But I couldn't take her with me, it would be instant death for her.

I knocked on Grea's door, she looked surprised when she opened it. I pushed her inside and shut it behind me quickly.

"You're leaving aren't you?" She asked.

I nodded. "Does Aralia know you're going back to your father?"

I shook my head, "And she's not going to."

"Why now? Why now do you decide to leave?"

I sigh, "My mother came to me on the battle field, I can't run from my father. If I go back there might be a chance for you and the others to leave."

She slammed her hand down into the table, "If you go back, you will be murdered and Aralia is soon follow, if she dies we all die!"

"I'm doing this to protect her."

"Your doing this because you're scared," She yelled. " Your father is going to come here whether you go back to him or not, if you leave you doom us and any chance of beating him. Aralia is the only one that has the power to kill him Shade, no matter how hard you try you don't have the strength to do it."

I calmly walk to the table placing down the letter I am to leave for Aralia, "I have to try, you know I do. Give this to Aralia, sweets, this is my final wish."

I turned my back on her and open the door, Grea calls after me, but I no longer hear her.