"Rin, are you happy with your life?" Dorin asked her daughter.
"What do you mean?" Trinity asked, confused.
"Hon, I know you only went there because you found out that you're a dragon; and not because you wanted to... so if you want to return-" "Return? What do you mean 'return'?" Trinity questioned.
"You are all alone there; Look at yourself... you look so thin and it looks to me like you are unhappy," Dorin tried to explain herself.
"Mom, please just let me live my life... and to answer your question, I'm happy and I don't want to return," Trinity said, hoping her mom would understand and leave her alone.
"Honey, the only reason I let you go was because your father was with you..."
"No mom! The only reason you let me go was because I almost roasted you alive," Trinity corrected her mother. "And besides, I don't want to discuss this; I'm happy where I am."
"Are you-" "Mom please. Just stop it. I don't want to come back, period!"
"Sweetheart, calm down," Meredith Meyer said, trying to ease the situation.
"Than tell mom to leave me alone. I love being a dragon, grandma, and I wouldn't trade this life for anything," the brown eyed girl shot back.
"Rin, there's something else...." "I don't want to hear anything else." saying this, Trinity opened the door and slammed it shut behind her.
She walked out of the house in the direction of her only loyal companion; her mango tree, who stood by, waiting for her.
Tyrone heard the door slamming, and followed his mate outside. He could sense the anger and sadness brewing inside of her, and knew something had happened. He couldn't hear them talk, which was strange, since dragons have great hearing.
He sat down quietly on a root beside Trinity, mesmerized by the scene that lay in front. The turquoise water, the dancing waves... being a water dragon, he could feel its purity and strength. The area under the tree was covered with dry and wet leaves and small insects.
"All I ever wanted from my mom was some freedom... but she was so controlling that I couldn't even do anything without her knowledge," Trinity began saying, still staring at the lake. "She divorced my dad; remarried; had a son; and always made me feel like I was an outsider, as all decisions were made by her and Patrick." She looked towards her mate, "The only decision that I made myself was choosing you as my mate, and I never once regretted it, and they want me to leave everything and come live with them again." Tears flowed down her eyes, and Tyrone held her hand tightly, just listening to her.
"I sometimes really miss my father.... Ty, I never asked you, but, how was your life in the castle?" Trinity asked, remembering that her mate had to live without both parents, and he never even knew his dad.
"Well... I tried to think of the future and felt grateful for uncle Sea and aunt Marina. Em and Jack are almost my age, so I had someone to play with, and... what?" He asked when he saw Trinity looking at him with her eyebrows up.
"Jack?"
"Esmarald. Everyone gets confused on their names so we call Emeralda 'Em' and Esmarald as 'Jack'." he said, and continued, "I always knew my parents were dead... until one day, I heard that the last living oracle had been discovered by the Dragon Lord, and he wanted to bring her in, and chose me for this task. I was eight and didn't understand why a baby dragon was chosen for such an important job, so my uncle revealed the truth."
Trinity felt sad and embarrassed that she was crying over her father and her life, whereas her mate had been through so much without a single complain. She also realized that she already had a father; but she never cared about him. "You know, you just made me realize how much Patrick means to me."
"And you told me how important I am in your life," Tyrone said to his mate, staring at her big brown eyes.
"I also realized now that I never really asked you about how you felt about me," Trinity said, as she felt her emotions being exposed.
"You're the most amazing person; and dragon that I've ever met. Dragons like us, half breeds, as we're called, rarely get a good mate, let alone beautiful and intelligent one."
Trinity felt herself blush. She lowered her face, but Tyrone held her chine up, and they drowned in each other's eyes.
Tyrone smiled, as he felt a change in the heat around him, and Trinity had a feeling she had never experienced before. A mix of happiness combined with the urge to hold him and be in his arms forever... what was happening? Was this love?
Time seemed to have stopped and all their problems forgotten. The pair took comfort in each other's presence, letting their silence talk. Tyrone knew that she was just as much in love with him as he was with her, and he made up his mind to propose, but he wanted to make it memorable.
***
"Is everything alright?" Patrick asked his wife as she came out after Trinity. Seeing the girl run out, he knew something happened which wasn't good and when he saw Tyrone go after her, he decided to let them have some alone time.
"I...I... She misunderstood my question, and ran off," Dorin replied, and tried going after them, only to be stopped by her husband.
"I think we should leave them alone."
"But..."
"Let her go. She's almost eighteen, and she has a right on her own life." Dorin stared at her husband who continued, "Let her make mistakes and learn her flaws because that's what makes a person strong."
Dorin lowered her head as she realized Trinity wasn't a baby anymore. She was an adult capable of making her own decisions.
The others also heard all the commotion and were staring outside, when they all noticed a strange storm coming their way. Heavy grey clouds were gathered in the horizon and seemed to move at great speed towards them.
"Hey, guys!" Stacey called out as she ran outside. "Look!."
The couple looked towards the voice and saw Stacey with a horrified expression on her face pointing in the opposite direction as she reached the tree.
"Marcus," Tyrone said under his breath. "Trin, you need to keep an eye on the injured humans," he said to the confused girl who was running to the house with him and Stacey. She just nodded and went straight to the study, which was a make shift hospital for Eric, Susan and Abigail.
"What's going on?" Derek asked, confused.
"Just stay in the house, OK," Tyrone replied, as Trinity went to the people on the bed, fighting for their lives, and the other dragons went outside.
"So, we meet at last!" Marcus said, coming into view.