The sun was shining with the intensity of mid-summer, while it was only late spring in the Avalonian countryside. The land was full of life. All across the land, farmers tended their crops and hunters tracked the game in the woods.
Flying along the clouds was a mighty dragon, glistening as brightly as a polished ruby as she glided effortlessly across the sky. While still relatively young, the beast had reached full maturity in both experience and strength. The dragon's torso alone was the size of six horses, with the addition of her long neck and tail more than tripling her overall length.
Her limbs were long and powerful enough to knock aside houses with a single sweep, and each wing could be used as a king's pavilion. Each red scale was the size of an elven hand. Her golden eyes were as large as melons with black slits for pupils, and her jaws could snap up even the largest bull and then split it in half with a bite.
Down below, a winery basked in the early afternoon warmth. Walking among the aisles of grapevines was the farmer's daughter, humming in relaxed joy with a full basket hanging from her arm. Her name was Maria, and she was the pride of her family, a young woman with long blonde hair and a beauty that was equaled only by the greatest cathedrals.
She was eighteen years old, and she knew it wouldn't be long until she was married. In her mind was the face of the blacksmith's son she had met the previous year when her family went to the nearby village to sell their wine. She hoped he would be the one to take her as his bride and that the grapes in her basket would become the wine that they would drink on their wedding day.
As she approached her family's farmhouse, her fantasies were cut short, as she was eclipsed by a cross-shaped shadow. She looked up and smiled. She waved to the dragon, who landed and then shifted into the form of an elf with long red hair and two long slim horns protruding from her forehead.
"Elmira, you're here." Maria cried, and she threw her arms around her friend.
"I have returned," Elmira said in a clipped tone.
Maria felt bad for her friend. She had to keep a tight lid on her emotions or they would run wild. Elmira had never hurt her, but the dragon always feared she would. Maria had utter faith in her friend but didn't say as much, since it would only upset her.
"Come on, I set aside some grapes for lunch. We can eat them now." Maria took her friend's hand in hers and pulled her along to a gazebo where a table and benches were set up. Maria's brothers and parents were fermenting the grapes, so it was just the two of them for the moment.
"How goes the hunt for a mate?" Maria asked her friend.
Elmira's face fell a little. "No luck. Males are annoying. They lounge about on the rocks and care only about making their scales shine. Vain pretentious creatures. They irritate me." Smoke was billowing from her ears.
Maria quickly leaned in and pressed her lips to Elmira's. That always distracted the dragon. She couldn't deny that she enjoyed doing it either. Elmira smirked and pulled Maria into her lap. "I could just mate you."
Maria giggled and shook her head. "I'm in love with another. Besides, I want a baby one day and you want hatchlings. For either of us to have that, we both need those annoying males." She planted a kiss on Elmira's nose. "Be patient. I know you'll find your mate soon."
Elmira smiled at her friend, but she didn't share Maria's confidence. Most males were avoiding her. They annoyed her so much that she'd end up fighting them and they were tired of her. They preferred more demure mates he didn't snap when they were mad.
Elmira and Maria enjoyed a bunch of grapes and cool spring water. They gossiped and shared stories about events that had happened since they last saw each other. Elmira needed these meetings. She needed to come and spend time with someone who wasn't afraid of her and who didn't infuriate her.
But like all things, it was over too soon. She had to bid her friend farewell and once again took to the skies. She spread her wings and let the currents of air lift her higher till she was above the clouds.
Dragons lived on massive floating islands. Only dragons could get this high, which meant dragons had nothing to fear from those who dwelt below. There was a time when Elves and Dragons were mortal enemies, but nowadays, the two races maintained friendly relations. Both races kept to themselves, except for dragons like Elmira, who had elven friends.
Most dragons lived in massive stone fortresses, but Elmira lived on a mountain by herself. She was to be the next matriarch of her clan and, because of her issues, she had to live isolated from her kin. To be fair, her kin loved her. She was family, but she had a hair-trigger temper and some of her family could get under her scales too easily. She needed to keep her distance lest she hurt one of them by accident.
Her island was small, a few miles wide. Just big enough for her to live comfortably with her horde. All dragons had hordes. Some were bigger than others, and all were unique. Elmira's hire comprised precious stones and jewels. Most hordes had gold, but she didn't find metal appealing. She loved stones, loved how diamonds sparkled, and the soft glow of amethyst.
Built into the side of the mountain was a stone villa she had made herself. Dragons were creatures of fire, but they also wielded powerful magic. It was one reason elves and dragons had been enemies. For a long time, elves were envious of dragons' power. And dragons had been envious of the control of magic elves had.
Around half a millennium ago, an eccentric elven scholar agreed to teach a dragon patriarch how to control his wild magic and the dragon taught the elf how to increase his magic power and that formed the basis for an alliance. Over the years, the two races had integrated. Mainly magical academia. With each new generation, the hostility between the races grew less and less.
She missed her days back in the academy. Maybe instead of a dragon, she should look for an elf? What a scandal that would be. Elmira Bloodvist future matriarch forsaken dragon kind for an elf. Could she do that to her family? Would that even be an option? Was there an elf out there who could handle her temper?
Every dragon had a fated mate that completed them. Would she ever find hers?