[N/A: Don't worry about the ending of the previous chapter, it was exceptional (4th wall stuff)! Sorry for those who didn't enjoy it, thanks for telling me. This chapter is longer than usual because it's special and I didn't put Freya's full status at the end on purpose. Happy reading]
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-- POV Freya --
We were still on the road and had been all day. The sun was slowly setting as the carriage continued onward.
"We'll be stopping soon for today !"
Shiro was still sitting in the back and sucking her thumb for the first time as she looked at the scenery in the distance with a tired look on her face. The horse she had gone to see earlier now had a flower crown in its mane and had oddly moved faster since then.
*It wouldn't surprise me if Shiro could even cure people with her simple kindness.*
[Indeed.]
Gaya was still by my side and we had talked about everything along the way. I was now more and more certain of how I felt about her. Never in my life had I been with someone as incredible as this dragoness. She had contracted with me to survive (which I thought was very brave at the time) and then she had followed me without ever doubting me, without ever failing despite the circumstances.
I had never felt so confident with someone, so serene, so...happy.
Everything was new to me and I was afraid at first to mistake this physical attraction for love, but the truth is that I was afraid to really connect with someone for life. I had been alone longer than I had been with someone, you can't change bad habits like that, but seeing Gaya so loving, caring gave me butterflies in my stomach and warmth in my heart. I knew it in my heart, she would be able to die for me and for Shiro, she would be able to give me everything if I asked her to and to give up everything.
After Kira's declaration I had watched her all day deciphering my own feelings and I had come to two conclusions: she was well and truly in love with me and I was much more attached to her than I wanted to admit.
"Freya, shall we stop ? The little one is tired."
Shiro was indeed starting to fall asleep against the edge of the carriage so I decided to stop for the night. Gaya untied the horse and tied it to a tree trunk in the forest which was only a few meters away from us while I went to get my little moon.
"Shiro we're going to stop for the night, you're very brave to endure the trip, I know it's hard but in a few days we'll be able to settle down permanently."
She shook her head as she answered me.
"No don't worry I understood that it was important to go where you want to go. I don't know or understand everything but I won't make you worry, I promise."
"You know, you have the right to tell me if something is wrong or bothers you. To tell you the truth it would suit me because mommy want you to be happy, I don't want you to hide your feelings from me."
Shiro's little tail then began to wag in all directions so I knew she was happy.
"Mmh promise then mommy !"
Taking her in my arms to give her a kiss on the forehead while she smiled, we went to join Gaya who had already taken the tent out to place it at the front of the forest. When she saw us coming she stopped to give us a suggestion as to the night we would spend.
"I hope it will be pleasant enough to sleep here, we could give the cushions to Shiro and sleep on the ground what do you think ?"
"I'm not going to sleep in the tent, I'm going to sleep outside in my wolf form to avoid any attack."
The dragoness looked disappointed and I knew why. She wanted the chance to stay with me and I felt the same way so I continued my sentence to reassure her.
"That said, once Shiro falls asleep I wouldn't mind a little company kufufu~"
Her smile as radiant as the sun appeared on her face as the horizon was bathed in a soft, warm light.
[Don't worry onee-san, I'll put myself on standby to give you some privacy].
*Huh ? Standby ?*
[In a manner of speaking, haven't you noticed that sometimes I'm not "there" ? I can sort of lock my mind in my own space where I can rest and leave you "alone."]
*I...no I never paid attention but now that you mention it I understand better. Thank you for the privacy tonight.*
[Try not to scare her this time, right ? pffhaha~]
*Me ? I wouldn't dare kufufu~*
While I was joking with Kira again, Gaya had finished making the fire and Shiro had fed the horse without forgetting to tell him how beautiful he was.
*How adorable she is..*
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We were all around the fire and we finished eating. My little moon was really tired and the real moon was already visible and lighting us with its beauty.
It was full and its light illuminated the road and the forest with such a radiance that we had the impression to be in full day. My skin almost seemed to glow in its light and I felt somewhat strange. My body was warm and I felt good, soothed and a bit drunk. It wasn't a very strong effect, I could control it, but it was the first time I felt like that. Maybe the full moon ?
Asking myself some questions without thinking too much about it, I took Shiro to go and lay her down in the tent before she fell asleep on the floor. Gaya followed me so that once she was in bed she could say goodnight.
"It's your first night out but don't worry Gaya and I are watching over you so you can sleep without worry. If you have any problem or even if you are afraid don't hesitate to come to us, okay ?"
I said these words to her as I kissed her tenderly on the forehead while holding her gently against me.
"I am brave even though I am not as strong as you mommy, so you can watch quietly ! But if something is wrong I will tell you !"
She was saying these words while she was barely awake which made her look really too cute, her ears were slightly lowered and her tail slowed down as she sank. Gaya also gave her a kiss on the forehead to say goodnight before leaving her in the little tent and in her dreams, which I hoped were wonderful.
We both came out of the tent and positioned ourselves a few meters in front so as not to disturb Shiro with our voices. Gaya and I were sitting on a huge rock that rose to the sky and seemed to be directly under the stars. With our strength, it wasn't hard to climb it and make it a small observation and monitoring post.
"It's a beautiful night isn't it ?"
"Beautiful.."
We weren't really talking because we were enjoying the night, the soothing silence in the presence of someone we cared about.
[Onee-san, I wish you a good night, I will leave you alone. Don't forget, let your heart speak.]
*Ah ? uh..okay I'll do my best, thank you Kira and good night !*
I was now truly alone with Gaya and as I looked at her, her eyes met mine so as not to let it slip away. As we looked at each other in silence, the dragoness broke it to ask me a question.
"Freya.."
Her soft voice sounded a little worried.
"Yes ?"
"I have something important to tell you but before that I would like to tell you my story...would you listen to me ?"
I didn't expect her to tell me about her past but I was willing to listen, as I nodded my head the dragoness began to tell me about her history.
"There really isn't much to tell during my childhood and adolescence. I grew up where an Empire called Vancesia currently stands alongside my parents and other earth dragons. We didn't hurt anyone and we lived on big mountains facing west, every day happy and every day with a smile on our faces. At that moment no one cared about leveling up because we were naturally strong and wanted to live in peace."
"You were just happy to be alive and all together.."
"That's right. And then one day, a war broke out between several factions of our own race. Some of them had been tricked by the humans who feared our forces and manipulated them into exterminating us all. These filthy humans sought to bring about our self-destruction !"
As she told me about this event, her fists clenched and I could feel an aura of power and hatred coming from her body.
"This happened about 11 years ago. At that time humans were not as powerful and dominant as they are today, but they were already beginning to be and were using stratagems to oust any creatures deemed too dangerous. The earth dragons were no exception and they came after us even though we had never been hostile to them.
My family, my friends and I fought night and day for days on end while we had to endure taking down our fellow dragons."
"..."
"In the end we found ourselves outnumbered and one after another it was my allies and family's turn to die without me being able to do anything. I saw my father die of exhaustion riddled with spears and swords...I saw my mother die burned alive by human mages while bound and unable to fight back."
Her violent and murderous aura had turned into one filled with sadness and regret as she continued.
"In a moment of extreme rage I used one of my skills called "earth fist" and on the land where the war was almost over I caused a huge earthquake splitting the ground for miles. After that, roaring with hatred and pain I crushed a whole army. That's where the nickname "mother of dragons" comes from, because at the moment I roared, I was also crying for all the dragons who died in the battle, without distinction of camp or ideology...I was simply crying for the death of my fellow dragons, those I loved so much and those I had killed".
"..."
"I fled to the West...after my anger I could not bring myself to kill more. There were a few dragons left on the side of the humans but they were all slaughtered after the war as my title can attest. My family and I knew that the humans would never ally with us but some were young, naive, and eager for recognition. After that I landed in the Syn forest where I met Daggus, Magni and Warg who after a few months sealed me in the mountain and the rest...you know. "
I had absolutely no idea what to say..her past was different from mine but it was no less full of suffering, fear and uncertainty. She had been alone all this time without even being able to trust those who had betrayed her, sealed her away and yet she had chosen me without hesitation.
"Freya...I wanted to thank you for taking me away from this mountain and giving me back my life. You saved me physically when you freed me but in that moment you also saved my heart, mind and soul. Thank you for that..."
As she spoke these words, I could see a tear gently fall from her cheek as she looked at me with a smile she had never shown me before. Under the rays of the full moon, this beautiful woman was crying with joy as she wore a most splendid smile. It was sincere, full of sweetness, gratitude and love.
Without even thinking I grabbed her cheek to tenderly wipe away her tears as I looked into her eyes again. They were glistening from the humidity and the beautiful moonlight that descended on us from the starry sky.
"From now on I promise to protect you and I promise that you will never shed tears of sadness again."
At that moment, nothing else mattered more than her. This woman who had been hurt by life and lost her family was now part of mine. I didn't want to understand my feelings anymore because I now knew exactly how I felt about her.
I leaned closer to Gaya to hug her and show her that my words were not said without thinking. I could feel her heart beating in unison with mine as our bodies pressed together in an embrace filled with powerful feelings.
Separating us, as I lifted my head, Gaya's face was so close to me that I could almost touch it with mine.
*Let your heart speak, right Kira ?*
Thinking about my little sister's advice in my mind, I grabbed Gaya firmly by the waist and pulled her close to me again. She didn't even have the time to say anything or to blush that my lips were already closed on hers in a passionate kiss. She didn't move right away, but after a few seconds I could feel her arms clinging to my neck as she kissed me back.
Shivers ran down my spine and an immense heat invaded my whole body. As if the full moon was making me wilder, my hands began to grip the dragoness a little tighter as they slid down her back. As we kissed I could feel Gaya squirm slightly as her breath came faster. I wanted to dominate her, I wanted to make her mine !
The full moon shone high in the sky as we continued to kiss passionately, alone in our little world. My hands became bolder and bolder and unconsciously roamed the perfect body of this woman in my arms.
*I...I mustn't scare her.*
Pulling away from her, breaking our first kiss, I looked at her before smiling warmly and asking.
"What did you want to tell me that was important after your story ?"
Gaya then spoke words that I had never heard before, words that will resonate in my heart and that I will never forget...sincere and strong words.
"Freya...I love you."