Chapter 3 - If Only he could Fly

I woke to the sound of quiet voices coming from behind me.

"Arvin, there are no such things as humans they are mythological beings that have never existed. He's probably just an elfin with weird ears."

"But he told me he was human and..." argued Arvin.

"He's probably an elfin who cast some sort bewitching spell over you. Like I've done to you," the other voice laughed.

"We dragons can't be bewitched by the likes of you...oh sorry, I meant to say elfins not you. Although I think he could bewitch all who hear him sing," Arvin sighed.

I opened my eyes as I heard them talking and thankful saw the warm glow of light on the wall I was facing.

"He sings?"

"Yesterday, when I went to the point I saw him looking over the cliff and he said his name was Gladimhere and he began to sing. It was so beautiful. Anyway, I think I startled him and he fell and hit his head so I brought him here so the orcs wouldn't kill him."

"I think he was a bit angry with me and..."

"Hold on. You did do to him what you did to me, did you?" asked the other voice.

"Uhmm, well, yes. It worked with you and at the time I thought he was elfin. And anyway it worked we are friends."

"Yeah, but it was mean," said the other voice.

I could hear the smile in Arvin voice when he replied, "Mean? Yeah, but that's the dragon in me. Grrrrrrr."

"Still, once he gets out of the pitch blackness of the cave he might change his mind."

This elfin was beginning to piss me off. I turn over and sat up saying angrily, "That will never happen! I don't give and take away my friendship on a whimmmmm."

Ohmigod! I was looking at the most beautiful boy I'd ever seen. He is an elf complete with pointy ears, big beautiful eyes and totally cute. We stared at each other for I don't know how long, but it wasn't long enough because he was so enchanting to my eyes and I think my heart.

At the same time I said to Arvin, "He's an elfin" I heard the elf say, "He's a human. He's so magical."

Then of course my stomach growled loudly. I blushed slightly.

"Are you hungry?" he asked shyly.

I nodded. I think he must have bewitched me with his elfin magic because I found it hard to think or speak.

Whatever magic spell he'd cast over me was broke by a roaring laugh by Arvin, "I knew you two would like each other. I think he has definitely cast a magical spell over you, Zeek. I think Gladimhere just captured your heart like he did with me."

My stomach growled again reminding us that I was hungry.

"Come on let's get you something to eat Gladimhere," chuckled Arvin as he led the way out of the cave.

It was early morning when we exited the cave. Zeek said that he'd run to his village and bring back some food for me leaving Arvin and I alone.

"Arvin is there some place I can bathe?"

"Bathe? Hmm, yes there is a warm pool a short distance from here. Follow me."

A short distance to him wasn't so short for me and I had to run fairly fast just to keep up with him. I wonder if he could fly as he appeared to have wings. As we ran along I really looked at him. He was strong and muscular. I loved watching the rippling of his muscles at he loped along. He was beautiful. I poured on more speed and at one point I passed him. The look on his face was priceless and it got me laughing so I had to stop.

He stopped too and was chuckling too, "You surprised me."

I felt I had to say something. "I-I don't know how I got here to your land or why," I began to tear up, "But somehow you changed my life. I am so happy you were the first person I met and became friends with. Too me I don't see you as a dragon but as a person, a friend who is beautiful beyond words. You said I captured your heart. Truth is you have captured my heart. I shall always hold you there."

He looked at me for a few moments -- I saw a single tear roll down the side of his face. He truly was beautiful. I don't know if I can explain this well enough. I've always had a strong affinity for other life forms, but this was different. Here was a different species who was as intelligent if not more intelligent than me.

"Well, let's get going. I've caught my breath," I smiled. He appeared to smile. Now I am sure to someone who was afraid of dragons I'm sure they would have thought he was about to eat me because when he smile he bares his teeth. You have to look at his eyes they sort of twinkle. I think if he intended harm his eyes would show it. We continued without the necessity for further words.

When we got to the hot spring. I was surprised it didn't smell like sulfur but had a scent similar to lavender. The water was quite warm like a hot bath. I hate being stinky. I'm a bit of a clean freek. I decide to wash my clothes as best I could and hoping the water's scent would permeate my clothes. I empied my pockets placing my wallet, fifty cents and my mp4 player neatly on a flat rock making sure that the solar charging panel of the mp4 player was opened.

After washing my clothes I lay them on some hot rocks to dry while I bathed. It was luxurious.

While I was bathing Arvin lay sprawled out watching me. For along time we didn't speak. I think he was daydreaming a bit or at least thinking pleasant thoughts. I finally broke the comfortable silence.

"Arvin? May I ask you a personal question?"

He nodded.

"Last night when we were becoming friends you said you were different. What did you mean?"

Instantly he looked sad and his voice sounded sad when he spoke, "I'm an outcast. My parents are quite influential. I am the youngest of their offspring. Anyway, they or I should say my father wanted me to think the way he thought and I didn't. What really pissed him off was when I became friends with Zeek. We are all supposed to be equal -- dragons, elfin and orcs, but my father hates elfins amongst other things like I believe in magic and he says it doesn't exist. Anyway, he told me to break off my friendship with Zeek. For once in my life I refused. He disowned me so did my dragon friends. They refer to me as Arvin the dirty elfin lover. I left home and found my own cave."

I held my temper because I didn't want to upset him castigating his parents which he probably loved. I dove under the water and screamed. He was still looking sad when I surfaced.

But then he smiled, "Without your clothes you look - nice. Nicely proportioned and soothing to my eyes - very beautiful."

"Thanks. So, you have wings, you could have flown here," I said.

"No, silly boy. They are just decoration. I know the folklore says that dragon used to fly and carried humans as riders. But it's just folklore."

For some reason that pissed me off even more -- guess because I'd been daydreaming while relaxing in the bath about him flying Zeek and me on some conquest over evil.

I didn't say a thing but when he giggled and shook his head mocking my dream my attitude came back and I was angry -- no, mad!

I literally sprung from the pool. My clothes were twenty feet away from me and I wanted them NOW then next thing that happened was they flew the twenty feet into my hands. I didn't even realize what had happened. I was so pissed at Arvin. I put my clothes on, put my stuff in my pockets, and walked off back in the direction we'd come.

His face showed surprise at what had happened. It didn't even register as shock or surprise to me because I was feeling so angry and hurt that he'd laughed at my dream.

I stormed off.

"Gladimhere!"

Turned and yelled, "WHAT!"

"How did you do that?" he asked.

I had no idea what he was referring to. I was on the verge of diving from anger into grief.

"HOW DARE YOU!" I screamed, "When I was little I believed in dragons that they really did exist that they were magical creatures. Dragons are in every human culture that has ever existed. So, I knew they existed. All I ever wanted was to fly on the back of a dragon and be a hero so I would mean something to someone!"

"EVERYONE! EVERYONE! Laughed at me and told me dragons never existed. That they along with elves were just children's stories. I refused to believe them! AND now I find you -- a real dragon! And you tell me your wings are for decoration that you don't fly! I don't believe that! I refuse to believe that. What you're saying is pure -- pure -- pure dragonshit!"

I turned and ran faster than I'd ever run before and finally collapsed at the point of Dragon's Tail totally out of breath.