Lady Shareen watches the human intently. She'd never thought that she would fly to mate once she was hit with the magical disease. But now she feels clean and thoroughly cleansed for the first time in a decade. Lady Lisa sleeps exhausted after healing them. The level of magic Lady Lisa performed leaves Lady Shareen gasping. Being able to overcome the dragon's resistance to magic not their own alone is something human and elven sorcerers and wizards spent lifetimes working towards. Then she sent off even more healing on the wind through her tears. Lady Shareen hopes that those tears find the other dragons, her people's very existence might depend on that healing.
"Lady Shareen?" Prince Tyler, stands in the doorway.
"There has been no change Prince. I would never have thought the Earth realm could produce a naturally powerful magic user of that level."
"She didn't even believe in any of it until she followed me here. It was while I was fighting and dying that her powers came to life. That is when she sent the wave of fire out to kill our enemies."
Lady Shareen shakes her head, "No," she smiles, "it wasn't against our enemies. That spell was sent after YOUR enemies. Didn't matter who or what that enemy was. Had the dragon's also been enemies we too would've died."
"I doubt that, aren't you all immune to fire due to you innate abilities?"
Lady Shareen looks at him in surprise, "You mean you didn't know?"
"I guess I don't." Tyler doesn't like these games.
"Forgive me Prince, my father tells me I need to work on my people skills. All dragon kin are immune to the power of fire, unless a stronger dragon fires them. All enemy dragon kin are dead, turned to ash just like the rest of your enemies. Had my father been your enemy he too would have been ash." Lady Shareen says as matter of factly as saying the sky is blue.
"I did not know, no. I have been focused on helping repair my people's lives. The magical animals have reported some things to me, but most didn't report about their enemies in the rebel army."
"Very likely because no one wants to admit to having a weakness. My father was so wary of Lady Lisa for that very reason. He didn't want her to hurt him. She still did, but it was to help him, help all of us. Sometimes I think my father forgets that some pain is beneficial.
"She is the reason there are riots is that not so Prince?"
"Yes, the people love her and were angry that she 'died'. So instead of showing their respect for her they show nothing but disrespect to her, myself and their own selves. Lisa was less than pleased by it all when she awoke." Tyler says having moved to the other side of the bed watching the woman that he loves more than his own life.
"What do you mean?" Lady Shareen asks wide eyed.
"Lisa was hit with a knife. There were none here that could save her, except herself. She also has enemies here through no fault of her own. It wasn't safe for her to remain, especially since she," Tyler stops and smiles, "This information will be told to all of the magical beings but for now I must ask you to keep this information to yourself. Lady Lisa is carrying my children, her life and that of my children was in serious danger here. I had no choice but to send her back to Earth and even there they almost didn't save her. She's still not fully healed, I had to bring her back due to her going back to the hospital for stress from being away from me."
"So the funeral for her was for her protection." Lady Shareen says under her breath. "And we have put her in danger of her health once more by her healing us. She is a very generous person, Prince Tyler, far too generous for Andreamore."
"I know." Tyler kneels at the bedside and takes Lisa's hand. "She didn't even want a reward for saving Andreamore. She's refused to take anything for restoring the lands, houses and food of my people. All that before she was able to return home."
Lady Shareen gets up and slips out of the room allowing Prince Tyler time to be with Lady Lisa alone.
Tyler takes one of Lisa's hands and holds it tight. He fears this time. Before there wasn't fear, but that was before she was injured and almost died. He caresses her face with his other hand. "I love you Lisa."
"Prince, the other magical animals have arrived. The outdoor pavilion has been erected and they are gathering there now." Lionel is the only one that dares to interrupt Tyler when he's in his inner rooms.
"Stay with her Lionel. Let me know immediately when she wakes." Tyler orders his most trusted friend and servant.
"Of course My Prince." Lionel assures him, "She's happier here with you Sire."
Lionel watches as Tyler sets down Lisa's hand and gets up off his knees. "Did she truly do something to help the dragons Highness?"
"Yes, and I don't think she's done, but I won't know until she rejoins us. Have Sandra stay with her will you?" Tyler doesn't wait for confirmation he just walks out.
"You're happier with her here as well."
"Always." With that Tyler leaves his rooms and makes his way outside to where all the magical animals were waiting.
The cacophony lessened until there is no sound left as Tyler makes his way to the front of the tent. Once he has everyone's attention he starts out.
"Lady Lisa wanted to be here, but after helping the dragon's with something she fell into an exhausted sleep.
"I know we all owe our lives to Lady Lisa, some of us more than others. I, myself, was about to die when Lisa let loose her fire storm that freed us all from the enemies that plagued us for more than a decade. I know you are all angry that you found out Lady Lisa isn't dead.
"Tyler," Lisa stands unsteadily at the entrance of the pavilion, she is holding tight to Lionel who is slowly bringing her to Tyler's side. "They won't believe words. They must see what happened. Lionel," she motions to Lionel at her side, "he can show what happened." Tyler catches her before she falls once more. Tyler is angry that she is up and he looks at Lionel angrily.
"She insisted I bring her and when I told her no, she started walking here on her own. She told me what she wants done though, if you will permit?" Lionel isn't sure that Tyler would allow it his countenance is dark and filled with fury.
"She is too stubborn for her own good. Go ahead Lionel," Tyler says and turns his attention back to the magical creatures before him. "My loyal servant is going to show what happened to Lisa that day and why we made the decision we did."
It was like watching a movie, not just sights but words, sounds they could hear and see it all. Other than what was being shown to them there was no sound in the pavilion.
"She sacrificed herself to stop war between us and the Fey realm. It was her decision, she chose to give her all to save Andreamore. She is far more loyal to Andreamore than those of Andreamore are.
"Sending her back to Earth was the only way to save her. Letting people believe that she was dead was only to protect her while she was at her most defenseless." Tyler is getting angry all over again. "Even on Earth they lost her, they had to restart her heart. I had lost her, but they gave her back to me.
"Do you think that I liked being away from her? She's carrying my children. Instead of being with her I've had to deal with the petty insignificant idiots here. The senseless riotings, the power maneuverings of the council. Lisa had already taken care of the housing and food issues. She healed the land. She restored Andreamore and I had to fucking leave her side."
Lisa touches his face with her fingertips. "Shh, Tyler." Tyler closes his eyes and lets his anger leave him. Lisa keeps her fingers on his face until she feels all the tension leave him. "Set me on my feet please."
Tyler sets her on her feet. She looks over the assemblage of the magical beasts. "You have now witnessed what all those in the palace had to deal with while I was gone. The subterfuge wasn't to hurt anyone, it was to protect me. The knife caused a great deal of damage.
"Instead of blaming him for hiding this from you, you should be thanking him for doing everything he could to save you. Time and again I've heard him say how he's failed his people, how he's failed Andreamore, how he's failed me. And none of it could be further from the truth. He came to the Earth realm desperately looking for someone or something to help him fight this war.
"The day I came here, he had come to say goodbye because he felt that he'd failed. I didn't even believe in magic, I felt it was all a bunch of shit. He could no longer afford to stay there, he was returning to Andreamore knowing he'd failed but he was going to fight to the end.
"He was returning me to Earth when the palace fell. Before I could portal back he was attacked. He managed to seal the portal to Earth to protect the people there, but it cost him. It damn near cost him his life. As he was dying he begged my forgiveness, he wanted me to forgive him for failing me, because I couldn't go home. But he saved my home, my people. There was nothing to forgive then as there is nothing to forgive now.
"He has always made the hard decisions, always sacrificed for his people, for Andreamore. How could I not do the same?" Lisa demands facing the crowd.
"You are not of Andreamore Lady Lisa, you are not the ruler, of you it isn't expected to sacrifice everything." Lord Beauty says only slightly mollified at knowing the reason for the deception.
"On that I call bullshit, Lord Beauty. Any country anywhere should have the loyalty of its people to the extent that they would be willing to defend and give to their country everything. That was how I was raised. Andreamore wasn't my country of birth, but became my country by accident. But loving the Prince of that country how could I not also love the people? And if I truly loved them would I not then be willing to sacrifice for them?" Lisa reaches for and grabs hold of Tyler's hand and brings him to her side.
"This man has sacrificed everything to do his best by you and all within Andreamore. Yet all he gets is more shit from all those he's given everything for. Either you start showing him respect for the decisions and sacrifices he's made or there's no reason for him to remain as leader of Andreamore."
"I've already told the people, either they stop the riotings and restore peace and accept my choice of wife or I will abdicate. I will not tolerate further disrespect. I will be marrying Lisa at the end of two weeks either as the Prince or as a regular person and leaving for Earth. You can either support me or not. As of now I no longer care."
"Lord Geminis, might I speak with you?" Lisa asks as the magical creatures file out of the room.
"There are dragons in other realms are there not?"
"Yes, of course. Where ever there's a strong magical influence we thrive." Lord Geminis responds warmly, he's still thankful for what Lisa had done for him and his people.
"Why don't you go to some of those other realms and see if you can't get a few dragons to return here to live? Even magical creatures need DNA diversity to survive. At the very least you will need more females." Lisa says tiredly.
"What is DNA Lady Lisa?" Lord Geminis asks intrigued.
"It is your genetic makeup. If you don't have a wide enough genetic selection then you get inbreeding and ailments that shouldn't be. It will weaken the dragons of Andreamore to extinction if you don't die out from lack of females." Lisa gives a very simple explanation.
"Is this the science of the Earth realm?" Lord Geminis asks intrigued.
"Some, but I was never an excellent student of the sciences, I enjoyed them but they didn't like me back." Lisa deprecates her abilities in the sciences.
"Science and magic never get along well. Science has rules, whereas magic doesn't." Lord Geminis says absently.
"The Fey would let you into their realm to look," Lisa says enticingly.
Lord Geminis smiles, "Why do you say that Lady Lisa?"
"She owes me." Lisa leaves it at that. They all know that the princess owes Lisa more than she'll ever be able to pay.
"Thank you Lady Lisa, I think your suggestion is a valid one." Lord Geminis turns to Tyler, "Could you let her know that I'll be coming tomorrow and what I will be doing there? I wouldn't want to make problems."
"Of course." Tyler is more than willing to do something so simple.
"Lord Geminis, could you do me a favor as well?" Lisa asks tentatively.
"If it is within my power it is yours." The dragons owe her as well.
"If there are any pegasi that would be willing to come, I wouldn't have our pegasi die out either."
"It will be my pleasure, Lady Lisa. The pegasi, might be pests at times but they are friends to the dragons. I would see their herdflocks restored."
"Herdflocks?" Lisa asks confused.
"Horses generally gather in herds, birds in flocks, the pegasi are of both and neither world. Hence they have herdflocks." Lord Geminis is pleased with himself and the direction things are now going. He'd been a leader of a nearly dead people and Lady Lisa has given him a way to save his people. And possibly the pegasi as well.