Dragon's Wild Blossom

Boren stepped into the steaming water, a low groan escaping his lips as the heat enveloped his tired body. He sank down slowly, savoring the sensation of the water rising up his muscular legs, over his hips, and finally covering his broad chest. As he settled against the smooth stones, he let his head fall back, his black hair fanning out in the water like tendrils of ink.

The heat seeped into his aching muscles, unknotting the tension that had settled deep in his body. He could feel it penetrating down to his very bones, chasing away the chill that always seemed to linger after a long campaign. Steam rose around him, carrying with it the faint, mineral scent of the springs, and he breathed it in deeply, letting it fill his lungs.

Shortly, a young dragon approached the edge of the pool. "Officer Barkle," he said, his voice respectful. "The priestess said you asked for me."

Boren cracked one eye open, peering at the soldier through the haze of steam. "Yeah," he said, his voice a lazy drawl. He shifted slightly, the water lapping at his chest with the movement. "Take down the walls in my room and expand it before sunset. Build a proper bed, and a door."

"Yes, sir," the dragon said crisply, snapping a salute.

As the soldier turned to leave, Boren called out again, "Soldier—one more thing." He sat up straighter, the water sluicing down his chest in rivulets. His muscles flexed as he moved, the droplets catching in the ridges and planes of his abdomen. "Find Bortrand and tell him to bring me the most beautiful woman in the village."

"Yes, sir," the soldier said again, a knowing look in his eyes as he took in Boren's languid, relaxed posture.

As the young dragon hurried off to carry out his orders, Boren let his eyes drift closed again, a low hum of pleasure rumbling through his chest. The water lapped gently at his skin, its warmth a sensual caress. He could feel the last of the tension draining from his body, replaced by a growing sense of anticipation.

The tears from Arlena’s face finally stopped flowing like rivers, or maybe she hadn't felt them anymore because of the rain falling on the valley in a heavy wave. She still was slightly sobbing, but generally, she felt much better.

“I’ll prepare some food for Aron and Arola,” Arden said, approaching a long table next to the window in a big room of Arlena’s and Aron’s hut on the tree. “Arola probably wouldn’t have much time to gather or prepare food today.” In his regular habit, Arden pushed his dark blond hair behind his pointy ears and rolled up the sleeves of his thin linen shirt. His dark brown eyes felt a bit itchy after an unexplainable flow of tears, so he carefully wiped them and glanced at his reflection in the bowl of water on the table. Arden’s dark and heavy eyebrows were furrowed, and his thin lips were pale and tightly pressed. He had never experienced such a weird feeling before—a painfully heavy snake that enveloped his spine, tickling every nerve with its trembling tongue.

“Thank you,” Arlena headed to the bedroom to prepare some clothes for her father. She went to a shelf built under one of the branches at the wall and lay her hand on the thin fabric of her father’s shirts as a heavy lump once again arose in her throat. “He’s going to be fine,” she repeated to herself and shuddered from an unexpected noise that erupted in the hut.

“You’re not welcome here,” she could hear Arden’s voice emphasizing the notes she had never heard before.

Arlena went out to the living room and noticed two dragon soldiers. They both looked indifferent to Arden's attempt to make them leave the hut. Both were very tall with wide shoulders, twice the size of Arden, even though Arden was a strong elf.

“Are you Arlena?” one of the soldiers approached her.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “If you’re looking for my father…” she began, thinking that they were looking for him to apologize.

“Come with us,” he harshly grabbed her hand and pulled her outside like a weightless puppet.

“What are you doing?” Arden stood in front of a soldier. “Let go of her!”

“The general wants to see her,” the soldier said calmly and pushed Arden aside.

"Stop!" Arden cried out as the soldier roughly shoved him. He stumbled backward and fell, slipping on the muddy ground as cold rain pelted down, soaking through his clothes. The impact knocked the breath from his lungs, and for a moment, he lay there stunned, blinking up at the canopy of leaves above.

The soldier’s fingers were squeezing Arlena’s arm firmly, to the point of pain, and the more she tried to pace up with him or adjust her arm, the more painful it became. “Please, slow down,” she pleaded with the soldier. “You’re hurting me.” Arlena had hardly finished her sentence when a loud noise of splintering wood echoed from behind, causing the soldier to stop. When she turned back, she saw Arden holding a heavy branch, having just struck the soldier who was holding her. However, the soldier barely even felt the impact.

“Let her go,” he growled.

The two soldiers looked at each other as if not knowing what to do with the unexpected burst of violence from an elf. Then, one of them snatched the branch from Arden’s hands and swung it at him.

“No!” Arlena screamed. “I’m coming with you; please don’t hurt him!” she looked at Arden with eyes full of tears. “It’s fine,” she said to him. “I’m going to be fine. Please just stop.”

Arden’s face was fixed in an incomprehensible expression; his lips were raised up, and his eyebrows frowned as he breathed heavily.

“I’m going to be fine,” she repeated quietly. “Please, Arden, just take care of my father; I’ll come back as soon as I can.” Her plea worked on him like magic, and Arden stood aside, succumbing to a snake that now wrapped itself around his throat. He let the soldiers continue their way. However, a grip of pain in his body tightened.

The whole village seemed to freeze as they helplessly watched Arlena being taken away, but no one dared to interfere, after Arden’s defeat.

“Here’s the elf you were asking for.” Bortrand pushed her into the hot springs. “Get inside,” he ordered her, and she obediently went into the hot water that felt quite pleasant under the cold rain.

Arlena went down the stone steps and hid in a corner between the steps and the edge of the spring, enclosed by more roks. Her gaze locked on the massive figure of a dragon in front of her. He looked menacing, laying his massive arms on the stones behind him, and his black-as-night eyes looked at her with unhidden hunger.

The dragon pulled his long, black hair away from his face and scarred massive chest before approaching Arlena, creating wide circles behind him on the water, as if he were a big fish. “So, this is the most beautiful woman in the village?” He took her by the chin and carefully turned her head in different directions to see her features better under the gloomy light. “Looks like a regular elf to me.” He concluded thoughtfully. Boren’s fingers lay on Arlena’s chest and moved slowly, exploring her clavicles. They lowered under a thin fabric covering her breast and touched her gently just on the edge of the fabric. He tilted his head and looked into her eyes.

Arlena’s skin was gentle and smooth, much lighter color than a dragon’s skin and even some elves. Her white hair curled under the rain and stuck to her shoulders, thin neck and chest as if also enjoying the warmth of her body. Arlena’s jaw clenched with thin, petal-like lips, and her eyes, with a beautiful golden color, were widened as if she were in the hands of a beast.

She’s shivering, Boren thought. Hasn’t she been touched by men before, or am I so frightening?

“If you want, we can find someone else,” Bortrand said.

“No, she’s fine,” Boren replied and leaned closer to her, making Arlena feel highly uncomfortable but still somehow nice from the heat that was coming from his skin.

Why is he looking at me this way? She asked herself and felt a wave of scorching shiver down her spine. She didn’t dare to say anything, though, as her body and mind felt frozen.

“Take her to my chamber.” Boren let her go.

She looked way too innocent for his taste, but the look in her golden eyes evoked some weird but pleasant feeling in his stomach, and Boren couldn’t wait to explore it deeper.