Estevan
The sun was bright and the day was cool. Before I was suffocated by the weight of the crown, knowing that I would soon have to return to my duties and that I would be more closely monitored after the poisoning episode, I needed to see my dragon.
I let the fresh air pass through my lungs and looked at Charlotte who seemed a little lost as she stared out at the open field, I remembered her hands, the marks I had seen on them and hadn't commented on, I thought it was something from my mind when I saw her bruised palms in the dim light of the room, but I wasn't wrong.
As Charlotte picked up the soap I saw marks on her hands again, marks of recent injuries and I began to understand why she wore the gloves, the confirmation only made me feel terrible and I wanted to know even more, Charlotte lived under the restrictions of Torrem castle and hardly anyone knows her face except those who live in those walls and a few visitors who spoke about her appearance to the four winds not extolling her beauty, I wanted to understand now why the future heiress of Torrem had such ugly marks on her hands.
I was about to question her when Charlotte jumped up and down, bouncing like a child, she ran across the open field with little cries of joy, raised her arms to the sun, barely caring about her hair, which came undone, revealing a little of its length. She stood up, opened her arms and spun around with her eyes closed, feeling the sun, the wind, like a child impressed only by nature.
I smiled and found it amusing, all her purity and innocence, I felt I had to protect her because she didn't know the world, she was easily impressed, she seemed willing, given over to everything, naive.
"If I had known that going to the country would make you so happy, I would have brought you on the first day."
"I won't forgive you for that," she said jokingly with teasing eyes.
"I wanted to meet you first," I said sincerely and Charlotte stopped, panting from jumping and already slightly sweaty, and turned around.
"You wouldn't like me before."
"I'm sure I would."
"I'm sure you wouldn't even look at me.
"I don't think I'd marry you if we didn't have to?" I asked puzzled. "I think one day with you was enough to make me fall in love."
"We were predestined" she said, but she didn't sound happy, her words came out weak "I would have married you anyway Estevan, if you'd really looked at me I'd be here, but after you I don't think I'd fall in love again. Yesterday... I was afraid, but I want you to know that if I'm not with you I won't be with anyone!"
I approached her feeling my chest heavy and ran my hand down her arms, her eyes distant.
"Charlotte, were you afraid of losing me yesterday?"
She shook her head, but still avoided my eyes. I lifted her chin.
"I'm here, I'm not going anywhere, let alone die. You're the one fate brought me, we'll grow old together!"
I thought that my words had reassured her, but Charlotte's eyes reddened in a way that I didn't understand, I frowned at her without understanding, I heard his roar, he flew over us scaring Charlotte, I pulled her closer to my chest to reassure her and I saw him land in front of us, he got closer and I let go of Charlotte to get closer to him.
I put my hands on his head, smoothing him, and saw him close his eyes.
"I never knew exactly where my dragon was, he was free.
Sometimes my dragon would disappear for a day or two, but that didn't break our bond, it was as if I knew what he was feeling and so did he, so even though we were far apart we were still connected.
I never thought that our bond was strong enough to inflict rationality, but last night when I was about to die and I heard his roar I understood that the bond goes beyond logic and reason.
I looked at Charlotte and raised my hand, Charlotte didn't hesitate, she approached me slowly and gave me her hand, trusting me completely.
I took her hand to his head.
"Don't be afraid, he won't hurt any of the people, it's just something with the smell."
"But I'm not from Olimper."
"But it's important to me."
Charlotte nodded and touched him, she smiled excitedly and slowly slid her hand over his head.
"You're a good boy" she said as if he were a dog, Charlotte looked at me "Where's the other one?"
"You won't see him around much, he's a sea dragon. It's not so easy to see him around, we don't have as much of a connection as he and I do, but he somehow became attached to me on a trip I took and I was almost killed in a pirate attack, I woke up on the beach, he had saved me."
"Do you believe they can see our souls?" Charlotte asked.
"That's just a superstition, nothing proven, but I do believe it."
"I believe it too," she said, smoothing him down.
"Come with me," I said, taking her hand and pulling her along, Charlotte frowned.
"Estevan..."
She was about to say something until she saw me climb onto his back, I raised my hand to her and Charlotte shook her head in denial.
"No way."
"Don't you trust me?"
"You do, I don't know about him."
The dragon snorted, he seemed to understand and Charlotte laughed impressed.
"Give her credit, she doesn't know you yet," I said loudly so that Charlotte could hear me as I smoothed him down. "You know you'll be missing out on the most fun of your life, you don't want to feel free. What's freer than flying?"
My question seemed to stir Charlotte's mind and she softened her expression. Without saying anything, she grabbed my hand and I lifted it, pulling.
"Hold on tight," I asked and saw her wrap her trembling hands around my waist.
"This is crazy!"
"Don't worry, I won't let you fall" I said, sure of my words and slapped the dragon signaling that it could take flight, it soared through the sky with speed and Charlotte clung to me so tightly that she choked me.
She pressed her face into my back, but didn't scream, which I thought would be the first reaction I'd see from her.
Her hands almost ripped my shirt, I looked at the gloves and then at the sky.
"Open your eyes, Charlotte."
"No."
"Open them, for me!" I asked and Charlotte raised her face a little, her hands softened a little and she looked around.
"This is incredible Estevan" she said in amazement as they hovered above the clouds, Charlotte spread her arms a little and closed her eyes smiling.