A Fateful Journey 5

Tired was not quite the word I was looking for. I was looking for a word that conveyed so much more than that. Crayak and I were taking a break from traveling. We had been making good time, especially as I was in charge of navigation this time, but it had been at quite a cost.

"Ellimist," Crayak said, leaning against me. "How much longer?"

I thought about it. How much time would it take for me to part with this Coatl? How much time could I add to our journey?

A simple stop or a 'wrong turn' could make all the difference. Could give me just a few more hours with this Coatl that I was starting to like more than just a friend.

"Two weeks." I told it. "Two more weeks and you'll be a servant of the Plaugebringer."

I expected its face to be happy, but instead there was sadness. Such sadness that I don't know how to describe it. Not because it was unique in its pain, but because it was unexpected.

"I...I don't want to go to the Plaguebringer." Crayak finally said.

"What?" I gasped. "Where do you want to go? To the Icewarden? To the Lightweaver? All across Sornieth until you tire of this game?"

Even as I was yelling at him there was a hope. A small hope that maybe these feelings inside of me, that I had been pushing down, weren't in vain. But I would never hope for something that seemed so out of my reach.

"I don't know why I started feeling these things, I'm not exactly the friendliest dragon, hence going to the Plaguebringer." Crayak started. "But I do feel them. I do feel things for you. Where do I want to go? Wherever you go."

Crayak looked down and then looked back up at me.

"I don't want to see you in so much pain." Crayak continued. "I don't know why, it's not like any form of nobility tends to move me, but yours does. You rescued me and turned back your plans for me. I...I don't know how to handle that, to repay that."

"You don't love me," I said, trying to deny my hope. "You're still repaying your debt. You're confused."

"No, Ellimist, I'm not." It said sternly. "I know what being in debt feels like and this isn't that. I don't usually care for people and can always put my emotions to the side when a task calls for that. But...but I can't do that with you."

I felt a tear go down my cheek. Yes, I had wanted this, but any hope for it I had pushed down. So deep down so it wasn't really there at times. Always subconscious, not always conscious.

"I feel the same." I said as I embraced Crayak.

It first struggled in shock but soon its head was on my shoulder, my wings wrapped around the two of us.

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