The Dragonborn

Part 110

Jack wrapped his arms tighter around his pillow, unable to say anything. Mark's hand reached out to touch his shoulder very carefully. Despite how tormented Jack felt inside, he couldn't hold anything against Mark. Untangling a hand from his pillow, Jack took ahold of Mark's wrist to keep him close. Slowly rolling onto his back, Jack looked up into Mark's puppy brown eyes to utter out in a broken whisper of a voice. "Mark... I'm scared. You didn't see him... He's so strong... I don't think I'm enough..." Mark shifted to sit more comfortably next to him, before sweetly replying. "You're not going up against him alone. You are the strongest person I know. And not because of your magic... but because you have a way of seeing the good in people. You bring it out of them." Jack huffed softly, mumbling out. "Not lately..." Mark ran his fingers through Jack's long green bangs, telling him with a warm smile. "You can't win them all over, but you try. That's more than a lot of people do. The gods must have chosen you for a reason. It's probably for something so small that you overlook it... but it sets you apart from him."

Jack's hand drifted up Mark's arm, then over to his broad chest. Mark rubbed his free hand over Jack's, adding confidently. "The future isn't written, Jack. Anything can happen. We just have to be crazy enough to fight for it." Jack grabbed the leather strap across Mark's chest and pulled him down. Mark leaned over him to kiss him, letting Jack's fingers unbuckle Mark's armor. Mark shrugged it off, laying over Jack to deepen their kiss. It was just a snuggling kiss, but it nurtured Jack's poor frightened heart to feel Mark's warmth against him. Jack wrapped his arms around Mark's neck, giggling into their kiss as Mark nipped his lower lip playfully. Mark arms hugged Jack close, whispering to him lovingly. "I'm not leaving you, Jack. It would destroy me if something happened to you that I could have prevented." Jack pressed his forehead to Mark's, mumbling out with a chuckle. "You stubborn ass..." Mark grinned, kissing him sweetly in response. Reluctantly, Mark shifted off Jack to snuggle in behind him.

In his caressing arms, Jack slowly fell asleep. Mark had dozed off for a short time, before the cabin door opened sending a soft icy gust across Mark's back. Mark carefully glanced over his shoulder, his wolf eyes showing as he stared at the man who entered. Storn. Storn dusted the heavy snow off his thick grey cloak, moving to the warm firepit as he whispered softly to Mark. "How is he doing?" Mark carefully untangled himself from Jack's sleeping form to answer coolly. "He's alright. Still a bit shaken after the news you gave him..." Storn rubbed his hands before the roaring fire, taking a seat as he replied casually. "I can imagine. It's never an easy thing to discover. But knowing where you come from is only a small part of who you are. Like a colorful thread in a tapestry, you'll never see the design you're apart of... but someone somewhere sees the beauty of what your small part is." Mark rested an arm on one of his raised knees, stating out bluntly. "So, what's your story?" Storn smirked grimly, answering distantly. "That is the catch. I can see everyone's past, except my own."

Mark scooted closer to the fire, softly asking. "What about someone's future? You ever seen that?" Storn lowered his hands onto his crossed legs, giving Mark a neutral expression when he honestly answered. "Future fortunes are a dangerous thing. Often times when a person learns of them, they wind up making the very thing they were trying to avoid happen. Otherwise, they change the course they desired." Mark sighed heavily, asking even softer. "What about a person's past life? Can you see how their future ended?" Storn raised an eyebrow, stating to himself curiously. "You think knowing how your past self-died will help you live in the future...?" Mark glanced back at Jack's sleeping form, saying bluntly. "Maybe." Storn was lost in thought a moment, before he answered. "It could still have its risks. You must understand that your past life and your present life walk mirrored roads, but the slightest changes wrote their ends. If you forget that... you could end up dying before your time."