Oriana kept her eyes closed, and soon she could tell there was a flash of light, which caused the young maiden to bite her lower lip in anticipation. She wondered what kind of special things he had planned for their first time together. Perhaps he was making a bed for them with his magic and covering them in beautiful flowers. After that, he would create beautiful dancing flames for them to enjoy themselves under. He cast his barriers to form the ideal dome to keep them safe.
As Oriana's thoughts raced, finally it happened, as he said, "Open your eyes, beautiful."
Oriana's eyes shot open as she undid the top button of her dress, wondering what kind of shrine Donovan had erected for them. At the same time, she was excited to see all of him. Everything she felt underneath his clothes. But what she saw instead was not anything that she had imagined.
Standing on all fours in front of them was a large blue dragon. It was at least thirty feet long and fifteen feet tall. It was the most beautiful dragon she had ever seen. The creature's scales were made of shards of ice and crystals. Its wings were not webbed, but instead they looked like an array of beautiful blue diamonds. Looking closely, she could see the dragon's sharp teeth hiding behind the crystalline fangs that came down over the dragon's lips. It was clearly a mighty creature, and Oriana's eyes widened.
"Are we going to make love on top of a dragon?!" Oriana asked.
"What? No, I was planning on doing that once we got back to the castle. Did you want to do it out here?? I am not against it." Donovan asked Oriana. That made Oriana turn bright red, and she covered her face. She turned away to try to hide her shame. Donovan was trying to show her a dragon, and her head was in the gutter.
"I am sorry, Oriana. Are you afraid of the dragon? Don't worry, it's my familiar. Most mages form pacts with magical creatures. This is mine. " Donovan said, placing his hand on her shoulder. Oriana had to take the opportunity to try and change the subject.
Her face was still red when she turned around again to face him. "No! I love it! Your familiar is very beautiful! Can I please touch your dragon?" It was nearly all in one breath.
She was no longer afraid; Donovan wouldn't let the subject go so easily. "Which one? The one you were touching in the carriage or the blue one? Because it sounds like you were ready to touch both a moment ago," That made Oriana's face grow a deep scarlet.
"I was talking about the blue one! So may I please pet your dragon!" Oriana squeaked, her embarrassment at an all-time high.
That made Donovan laugh as he walked over to his dragon and said, "This is Princess Oriana Barough. She is a good friend of mine." He leaned in close to his dragon and whispered, "And she is very important to me."
That made the dragon let out a squawk of surprise at his words. Something the dragon had never heard her master say. Oriana could see the dragon react to him. The dragon's sky-blue eyes now looked right at Oriana. She was aware that dragons were very intelligent creatures, though they didn't have the vocal cords to produce human speech. However, they could easily understand and comprehend what was being said.
Donovan turned to Oriana and said, "My dragon's name is Crystal. Feel free to come over here and touch her." Oriana nodded, making her way to the dragon. The closer she got, the larger she seemed. One of its legs alone was bigger than Oriana was. No doubt, this dragon could swallow her whole in one gulp if it wanted to. She gently ran her hand over Crystal's scales and slid her palm across the dragon.
"It's hard yet so smooth, just like diamonds," Oriana said as she felt the dragon. Crystal looked at Oriana curiously, watching the young woman, who felt her scales. The dragon moved her long neck over so she could sniff the princess. Oriana looked up into the dragon's shining blue eyes, giving her a smile. Crystal gave Oriana a big sniff, causing some of Oriana's hair to go into her eyes. That made the princess close her eyes tightly. Once Crystal had finished sniffing her, Oriana opened her eyes again.
"Hello Crystal, you're very beautiful. I hope we can be friends," Oriana told the dragon. Crystal gave a soft, quiet cry before she began to nuzzle into Oriana's hand. The large dragon started to make a purring sound as Oriana petted her. The princess couldn't have been happier as she squeaked, "I think she likes me!"
Donovan chuckled at Oriana's reaction. "Well, now that you two have gotten acquainted, why don't we go for a fly?" Donovan asked Oriana. That made the princess turn to him quickly before saying
"Really?? You are going to take me on a ride? On a Dragon?! I never thought I would ever get to!"
"Yes, I am going to show the southern fissure." Oriana's eyes lit up. She couldn't believe it. It was like something out of her wildest dreams. No, this was something she couldn't even dream of. Donovan didn't miss the reaction in her eyes either. He picked the princess up in his arms and jumped onto Crystal. It was an easy hop onto the back of the large dragon for the mage. He sat Oriana down in front of him before wrapping his arms around her.
"Crystal, head south; we are visiting the great fissure!" Donovan instructed. With a mighty roar, the dragon shot up into the air and flew off into the night sky.
At the sudden speed and force of the flight, Oriana grabbed onto Donovan's arms and closed her eyes tightly. It didn't take long before she felt a soft breeze. She opened her eyes slowly, "Oh! It's so beautiful!" The princess had opened her eyes to see herself flying through the puffy white clouds in the sky. She could see the full moon and stars in the sky like never before.
"This is amazing!" Oriana chirped as she reached her hand out to feel the clouds before her. Crystal was gracefully moving her way through the sky. It was like they were a ship sailing peacefully through the clouds. Oriana could see the land below them zipping by.
As she looked at the land beneath, Oriana could see what looked like sparkling dust coming off of Crystal's wings, wondering if perhaps it was snow. Donovan did mention an ice-breathing dragon in many of his stories. This had to be the one! The princess was in a state of awe. She felt like a caged bird flying through the air for the first time. It was almost as if she was having an out-of-body experience. The princess, once trapped on the borders of Barough, could only dream of touching the clouds. Now she was flying through the sky.
The curious young princess was full of her usual questions. "Will you tell me more about Crystal?"
"What would you like to know?" he asked.
"How long do dragons live?" She turned and looked up at his face. As she did so, the wind whipped her hair about, and it tickled both their faces. Donovan's large hand brushed across Oriana's face and helped to keep her long hair back.
"Depends on the dragon. Some live a very long time, more so than most mortals. I can't give you a real answer, as no one knows for certain. "
"And what happens when they perish? Can you get another one or is it only one per lifetime?" she asked.
"You can have another familiar, but if you're a strong enough mage, you won't need to worry."
Oriana seemed very relieved to hear that and settled back into place. She petted Crystal's scales lovingly with one hand while she held onto Donovan's arm with the other. "We don't want anything to happen to you, girl," she cooed quietly, as if she and Crystal were having a private conversation.
For the next hour, Oriana was quiet as she absorbed the experience. Donovan wasn't saying a word. He didn't have to. He wanted to just let Oriana take in what was happening, spreading her arms out like a bird at one point. Just feeling the breeze on her arms, the wind slipped through her fingers. Donovan chuckled at the silly princess.
Seeing where they were, he spoke up and said, "We are here, Crystal. Take us down." The dragon let out a happy chirp before she began to take a nosedive through the clouds. "Don't close your eyes," Donovan said.
"I couldn't! Even if I wanted to!" Oriana shouted in excitement as the pair made their way through the clouds. Then she saw it! The Great Fissure. She couldn't believe they had already made it there. Crystal must have been at least twenty times faster than a horse. Probably even more. The fissure was as wonderful as she thought and so huge. There were miles between the beginning of southern Lanoria and the rest of the region. Crystal continued to dive down until they were inside the fissure itself.
"Look to your left, Oriana. You will see the great waterfall!" Donovan shouted. Oriana quickly turned her head to the left, as instructed. Her eyes widened as she saw the waterfall glowing in the moonlight. The giant waterfall poured into the canyon below. Once, a large river that flowed from a huge lake in the southern part of western Lanoria turned into the biggest waterfall on the continent. In the full moon's light, it was clear as day.
"Here, let's get closer!" Donovan said.
Crystal let out a chirp in response to her master's command and flew close to the waterfall. Her body tilted to the side, her wings outstretched and steady, while Donovan held Oriana tightly. The princess was able to reach out her hand and glide it right through the waterfall. Feeling the water slipping through her fingers, the princess felt overjoyed.
"I never thought I would ever get to see the great waterfall up close, let alone touch it," Oriana exclaimed. But some water splashed into her face, which had her wincing and Donovan laughing.
"Be careful, it's still a waterfall," he teased the young princess.
"My well-traveled mage is the one who is supposed to teach me these things!" Oriana giggled, while she wiped the water off her face.
"Oh? So, it's my fault you got splashed in the face now, huh?" Donovan teased.
"Yes, it is." Oriana told him playfully, "Now, you have to make up for it."
"Okay, how about I show you the Dymorian Bridge?"
That had her eyes lighting up for the thousandth time that night. She had always wanted to see the bridge. Donovan didn't even need a reply; he could see her bright, wide eyes looking up at him.
"Better keep your eyes ahead, or you're going to miss it!" Donovan told Oriana. That had the princess looking straight out in front of them. She could see it in the distance—the two-thousand-foot-long bridge. The link that connected the southern region to the central.
"We won't be able to fly too close. I don't want the wind coming from Crystal to damage the bridge. Not to mention, the Dymorian Kingdom gets irritated when mages fly too close. The last thing we need is dymoria mages chasing after me again. Especially since people cross the bridge at all hours of the day. We don't want to hurt them." Donovan told Oriana.
"I think that is a good idea. We will just have to cross it on foot one day," Oriana suggested.
"Yes, one day I will cross the Dymorian bridge with you, I promise." Donovan said to Oriana:
Their flight took them under the bridge, and Oriana caught a glimpse of people crossing it heading in and out of Dymoria. She wondered if some of them were people from her kingdom or merchants traveling to deliver goods. It was such a magical experience, and Oriana had never felt such joy in her life. For the first time, she was exploring Lanoria. Her small world was quickly expanding on Crystal's wings, doing and seeing things she had always wanted to do. It only made her fall even further in love with Donovan. This man, this mage, could show her a life the young princess never thought she would have. Oriana could finally lean back and relax.
Donovan had his arms around Oriana's waistline. The mages' large hands clasped together over her stomach. His lips pressed against the top of her while he breathed in Oriana's scent. He needed her touch and smell; he needed to know she was there. He needed reassurance that she was okay and that the same fate that had befallen his mother hadn't claimed Oriana either. Oriana just leaned back against Donovan, her hands over his. They flew through the air while taking in each other's presence. Both of them kept their eyes closed so they could focus on their other senses.
Eventually, Donovan spoke up, saying, "I thought I was going to lose you, and it was all my fault for leaving your side."
Oriana smiled and replied, "You didn't. I am right here, right where I belong. Next to the man I love, and I'm not ever going to forget you."
Donovan gently spoke in Oriana's ear, "And I am with the woman I love."
Donovan's words made Oriana's eyes open up. It was the first time Donovan had admitted his love for her. It made the princess tilt her head up so she could look at Donovan. She couldn't help but blurt out, "You love me?"
Giving her a nod, Donovan repeated, "I love you, Oriana. You are everything to me. I really do love you. I am sorry it took all of this for me to be able to say it." Oriana then quickly turned around on top of the dragon and hugged him tightly. Donovan put one hand on her back to hold her close, while the other gently rubbed the back of her head.
"I thought you may never say that, especially when I thought back to the conversation we had in the orchard." Oriana said.
Donovan shook his head before saying, "I was wrong in so many ways... so many." Instead of a verbal reply, Oriana gave Donovan a physical one. Oriana's lips came into contact with Donovan's. The two lovers shared a kiss while flying on top of Crystal.
Their passage through the fissure had ended, and Donovan ordered Crystal to fly north towards Barough Castle. It would only take the swift dragon about two hours to fly there. Oriana just rested herself against Donovan's chest as they flew through the sky. As she rested against his chest, Donovan noticed one of Oriana's buttons had come undone.
"Oh, here, let me get this for you. It seems one of your buttons came undone while we were flying," Donovan said, buttoning it back up. Oriana felt both embarrassed and happy to let Donovan think that it was a mere accident.
"Thank you, handsome."
Donovan smiled and replied, "You're welcome, beautiful. It seems like a waste of time now that I think about it. Since I don't plan on letting you keep your clothes on for much longer," The young maiden's face turned scarlet at his comment, though she didn't deny it. What did surprise Oriana was when Donovan took off his cape and laid it down in front of them.
"Donovan, what are you?" The princess's words were quickly cut off as she found herself lying on the cape. The material that rippled about became still when the weight of Donovan's body pressed down against it. His hands were comfortably on either side of her head as he positioned himself above her. Oriana's lover looked deep into her eyes. The Princess's heart pounded wildly against her chest; the words lost in her throat. A thousand thoughts ran through her head at once. One of them finally burst from her lips in a sweet whimper "Please, don't make me wait any longer."
"So be it, my darling," Donovan replied, and he quickly disrobed them with his magic. He made sure to create a barrier around them so that their clothes wouldn't fly off. His lips quickly met hers. It was soft at first, but it led to their kiss being far more passionate. His large body carefully pressed on her small frame until the two seemed to be one. There was a bit of pain that flashed across the princess' face at first, until her courtmage soothed it away with his magic. Donovan's strength and Oriana's softness combined into a beautiful symphony of passion as the two of them made love. His right hand was entangled in her golden locks, while his left rested comfortably on the small of her back. Oriana's arms were wrapped securely around his shoulders as her nails dug into his strong skin.
Their kiss lasted only a few moments, but it was enough to leave a lingering feeling tingling on their lips. Donovan was quick to bury his face against his princess' neck, leaving little love bites all about it. The feeling of her breath warmed him as his name tumbled off her lips. Even magic in its purest form could not compare to the wonder that was happening at that moment. For the pair, it felt as if the gods themselves had blessed their coupling, for the stars glittered so brightly around them. It seemed almost possible to reach up and grab one.
After a good couple hours had passed and the two were quite finished, Donovan had Oriana and himself wrapped up in his cape. Donovan held her close as they continued their long flight on Crystal's back. "That was wonderful. Thank you, Donovan," Oriana cooed. Bliss and satisfaction were written all over her face.
A warm smile spread across Donovan's handsome features "It was my pleasure. I think we should start heading back," he suggested.
The night was wearing on. Oriana nodded in agreement, ready to return to the castle. Tilting her head towards his own, he kissed her passionately once more before he commanded Crystal to fly down towards Barough castle. It seemed to be only a short while before they reached the castle.
"Over there, Crystal," Donovan said, pointing to the large balcony outside of Oriana's room. Carefully, the trio landed, and Donovan hopped off Crystal's back with Oriana in his arms.
Donovan would make sure to keep Oriana wrapped in his cape. While the mage stood on the balcony completely naked. "Thank you, Crystal," Oriana said, making the dragon give happy chirps before extending her head down to give Oriana a lick. The cold feeling of the dragon's tongue on her cheek made the Princess giggle.
"Time to rest, Crystal," Donovan said, holding up his hand. A magic circle appeared in the sky, and the dragon was taken into it.
"I feel like my spirit and mind have been freed for the first time, thanks to you." Oriana cooed. Opening the doors of the balcony, Donovan carried Oriana inside the warmth of her room. The contrast was quite different from the cool night air outside. Let alone the cold dungeon of Gungir Castle.
"I am not quite done with you yet, my sweet princess," Donovan said with a playful smirk.
Thankfully, the duo would not be disturbed by prying eyes. Since it was just the two of them, they both planned on taking advantage of the situation. Donovan and Oriana would spend the rest of the night locked in passion. Just as the sun started to rise and beautiful pink and red hues splashed the clouds, the coupling finally came to an end. The Princess rested her head on Donovan's strong chest. Oriana listened to the rhythm of his heart beating. It was strong and constant, as it pulsated against her ear. Lulling the young woman into a peaceful sleep, Donovan held her close.
As the sun began its ascent into the blue sky, the castle was starting to stir. Word had reached the castle of Oriana's kidnapping. Most of the castle was in complete disarray. Not just Oriana, but Donovan had been missing too. To everyone, it seemed like Oriana's courtmage had been killed, and she was gone. No one knew how to find her. Celsy decided to work her way up into Oriana's room in the morning, with the plan of sending another letter to their allies. In the hopes that someone would be able to help. To her surprise, she found Donovan fast asleep in Oriana's bed.
She looked around and gasped at the complete disarray of the room. One of the arms on a wooden chair had broken off. The mirror on Oriana's vanity had been cracked, and everything that had been on it spilled onto the floor. With a hand clasped over her mouth, Celsy quietly ventured in further. She could see that the big curtains over the window looked like someone had grabbed a hold of them only to tear them off the wall. Some of the decorations on the tables were all over the floor. Even the couch looked like it had been moved, along with some of the other furniture. Celsy was completely startled by the chaotic mess in the bedroom. Though she would soon find out about Oriana and Donovan's adventure,
Celsy approached the bed, figuring she should wake Donovan and ask him. As she did, the old maid could see something moving on his chest. A lock of familiar blonde hair could be seen. When she came up to the side of the bed, Celsy ripped the bed covers right off. There was a mixture of excitement and fear that ran through her. Yet, seeing the two of them, anger bubbled up inside the older woman. The princess had slept with her courtmage.