Fafnir looked at her with wide eyes, he was relatively young for a dragon, so how was it that he was going to die soon?
"What do you mean, that is when I will die?" The words rushed past his lips as if they could not escape fast enough.
Morgianna looked him in the eyes contemplating telling him about her other abilities but decided that with the pact she could trust him. "My eyes. Do you see how they are different?" He nodded, eyes still wide open.
She sighed before continuing, "The gold one... it allows me to see when someone will die. Not how or where, but when. Down to the last second. The other is also special, though I don't suppose you really need to know that right this moment. All you need to know is that I was born with this ability and every person around me has a clock. Yours... just has less time. Whatever course you are currently on will lead to your death. Even if you don't want to stay with me... please don't do what you are about to do."
When she finished speaking she sat down on the cave floor feeling like her knees would buckle if she continued to stand. She took a deep breath feeling like telling him he was going to die was the hardest thing she has ever had to do and that's coming from someone who has died before.
The cave was silent except the distant sound of water dripping on the cave floor. A shuddering breath broke the tension and Morgianna raised her downcast eyes looking towards Fafnir who stood as still as a statue with glassy eyes.
He turned towards her an emotion that she could only describe as despair playing in his eyes. "I can tell you are not lying, and that is the part that hurts the most... I cannot return to my kingdom yet without dying. I cannot see what has become of my citizens.. see my siblings graves, or if they even have one."
A lone tear ran down his cheek, yet she did not think any less of him. For centuries he was unable to escape his prison, trapped in a body that was not even a shell of his former self. Cursed to be alone his only company himself.
"I will not force you to stay, but may I suggest you prepare beforehand... maybe train and get back into shape after...well just since your curse is broken." She frowned as she tried to get her point across feeling like a fish out of water.
"Where would I go? My home was my kingdom and the only place I have been in centuries is this cave. I do not even know what the world looks like anymore." He frowned thinking of the years he lost to the curse.
"Well if you didn't have wings and horns I could bring you back to my home." She looked at his wings which she imagined stretched out would be at least twice the length of his height. His horns stood out on his head and even with a hat of some kind they could not be covered.
Her eyes almost popped out of her skull when his horns and wings disappeared within moments of her finishing speaking.
"Would this appearance be acceptable?" He frowned as he ran his fingers through his hair without his horns hindering their path.
At first she could not utter a word, still shocked at parts of him disappearing. Finally finding her tongue, "You would probably have to take on some position within the castle. Like a bodyguard of mine or something. I am sure my father would allow you to be there if we told him you saved my life or something."
She began thinking of what she would tell her father when they returned, which would need to be soon. She was unsure how much time had passed since entering the forest, but she was sure too much would be the answer.
Looking at Fafnir she worried about whether he would be able to adapt to her household, but as a prince she felt if anyone could do it he could.
"Well, now that we know where you are going to go we should Ummm get you some better clothes... while they had been talking she had not realized he was wearing a torn pair of pants that looked as if they were on their last thread. A strong breath could probably cause them to disintegrate. He had no shoes or shirt. His skin bare and unblemished except a few minor scars.
Looking at his size she knew she had nothing on her person that would fit him directly, however she could use her creation magic to make him an outfit. She had been practicing but was not as good as she had hoped to be by this age. She could make clothes but they were plain, and usually held few details.
Putting one hand on her chin she tried to imagine something that would allow him entrance to their castle without anyone being suspicious.
The guards in the castle generally wore suits. At first, she was shocked as this world almost perfectly meshes medieval and future but now she isn't surprised by anything.
Starting with the shirt she imagined a long-sleeved red shirt. Most of her father's men wore white, but she loved red. She pictured each black button, forming them in her mind down to the individual buttonholes. Happy with the shirt she passed it to Fafnir and began thinking of the suit jacket to go over it. The process was easier this time since she saw similar jackets every day around the castle. The finished product could almost pass as professionally made.
Once again handing him the clothes she looked down at his long legs. She imagined the same fabric at the suit jacket and stretched it imagining a pair of pants that would hug his hips but leave him enough room to be flexible if needed. When finished they were crisp as if just ironed. She was excited that she had just created 3 articles and they actually looked great!
"Alright! All that's left is shoes." She cheered herself on not paying attention to the strange look that Fafnir had been giving her through the whole process.
Once again imagining the outfits her father's men wear she focused on the shoes. They seemed to be a tar-black leather. The laces were also black, and could almost not be distinguished from any other part of the shoe. They were slightly rounded at the top with a shine.
Before long she held two perfectly sized shoes in her hand and almost jumped for joy. Turning to Fafnir she finally looked up at his face full of excitement.
However her excitement quickly turned to confusion when she saw him standing there, the clothes still in his arms. "Do you not like them?" She tilted her head to the side wondering why he had not changed yet.
"Where did they come from? Who do they belong to?" He had not seen her bring anything in with her and if she had a space chamber he doubted she would carry clothes for a grown man when she is a small girl.
At his questions she finally understood the confusion. "I made them, so now they belong to you." She smiled passing him the shoes to complete his outfit.
He did not immediately move, looking at the clothes in his arms and back to her multiple times before asking, "You made these? When?"
She sighed realizing she would have to explain to him fully before he would be satisfied. "It is another of my abilities. I can create things if I think of them, however, it takes quite a bit of energy so I thought of something simple. The clothes are yours now you know, so how about you put them on. I need to get home soon before my father sends out every guard and probably the maids too to find me." She couldn't help but shake her head thinking of how over the top her father could be when he was worried.
Finally accepting the clothes Fafnir walked into one of the adjoining caverns and returned shortly fully clothed. The outfit fit him perfectly, as she knew it would. However there was something missing. Looking at him her eyes lit up when she thought of what it could be.
Imagining it in her mind she pictured a white handkerchief with a dragon in the corner. When it appeared in her hand she almost squealed in delight.
Walking up to Fafnir she had to swallow a giggle. He was touching his outfit in various places as if he thought it would disappear and leave him wearing nothing but air. She was standing right before him, the top of her head barely reaching his hip. She knew she was short, but it's unfair to be as tall as he was. He must be at least 6 foot 5.
She looked up at him, waiting for him to take notice of her presence. After a few minutes of him still too engrossed in checking his outfit she coughed twice.
He looked down at her surprised that she was so close. "Is something the matter?" He could not help but ask, as she was looking at him with a strange gleam in her eye that if he was honest, freaked him out.
"Bend down please." He looked at her as if she had grown a 2nd head right in front of him when she said that. "I only wish to present you with something but you are much too tall for me to reach." She batted her eyes, hoping that it worked on him as good as it does her father. However in the next moment those dreams were dashed to bits like a ship who dared to get too close to the rocks.
He looked at her strangely and in almost a whisper said one word. "Why?"
She was disappointed that the eye batting did not work, but she was not going to be discouraged from giving him the handkerchief.
"I made one more item for you, however, I want to put it into place." She smiled up at him with her most innocent smile.
He still seemed like he did not want to do it, but finally bent down until he was almost eye level with her.
Pulling out the handkerchief she folded it until the dragon was visible and put it into his breast pocket. "A little reminder of what you are working for. Now let's go home, shall we?" Her smile was almost as bright as the sun as she turned around and marched straight through the exit and into the world.