Born for her

“Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, of many alternatives – choice, not chance,determines your destiny” Aristotle

Dimitri

The Dacia kingdom grew well under the reign of King Burebista becoming a powerful state and as always enemies grew just as quickly with it. Dimitri warned the King that supporting Pompey would push Julius Ceasar over the edge but being King he did what he wanted. Julius Caesars’ campaign would have destroyed the Dacians if he succeeded and that left me no choice to do what the King asked, I was after all the best assassin he had. We were forced into a war we did not want but given no choice, and if you were a man, or boy that could hold a sword you could fight, and the young ones either survived or they never returned home.

As born dragons we did not need weapons, we were weapons; our strength, magic, and other instinctive gifts surpassed humans in both forms but in our dragon form, we were almost unstoppable. We did not share that with anyone, our father made that clear and as the King of dragons, his word was law and obeyed without question. Should any dragon expose himself and get caught they would be left on their own but under no circumstances shall any dragon expose his true nature to anyone except his chosen woman. Our essence should always be used sparingly until the day she comes, only then will the restriction be lifted from our magic, completing man

and dragon. But until then we must use everything with caution. So lost in thought Dimitri Drusus almost missed the question.

“ Are you sure about this Dimitri? Killing Julius Ceasar is not going to be so easy as the King has told you. Have you told him about what you are, and the danger should you be caught?” Looking at my brother seeing the worry edged into his face about me going on what they thought was to be a suicide mission. Into enemy territory where my brothers cannot protect me even though my power surpassed theirs and I have used my essence to keep them alive more times than they knew, shielding them from wars and death as much as possible. Having more than my dragon essence, knowing it was there but never looking too closely, magic none of my younger brothers seemed to have. What they did not know was I had no choice but to succeed and I had to come back to protect them. Even though I just wanted to crawl into the biggest cave and sleep; sleep to forget the war, death, and screams of men, women, and children, to escape a past no one could change. Power did not corrupt, but should the person holding the power be rotten, power only amplified the rotten core. But I am a protector of humans and dragons alike my choice made up for me the moment I was born the first son of the Dragon King . With a sigh, looking at Lucian, seeing how the wars have ravaged his soul, a softhearted man that hated wars and death, making the guilt heavier on my shoulders. His earth dragon was attuned to earth and the fauna and flora that took a massive hit in fights, blood coating the earth he loved made his dragon aggressive and unpredictable. The heavy burden of knowing that my brothers can never meet their woman burned like a relentless fire that has been chipping away at my soul for more years mortals lived. Our Royal family got the bad and deadly end of the stick.

Needing to answer Lucian, placing more worry on his strained heart. “Yes, I am sure and no I did not tell the King of what I am, why would I? you know the rules and that is one rule ingrained in all dragons from birth, caring for the King does not mean I became lax or stupid with our secret.” Without raising my voice saying with more bite than necessary affirming my shortening temper. “You fear needlessly about me brother. I would never reveal to the King who or what I am even though I suspect he might have an idea .” The whispers of flying creatures that own magic have become more than bedtime stories whispered to unruly children that refuse to sleep . “ He has never asked me outright but the thoughts of what I am has crossed his mind many times especially when I return from the battlefield with little to no damage to my body. He is a mortal, and human, his thoughts are not hidden from me when we speak as you know and if he should say something to anyone about his suspicion, he would be dead before he could breathe one word. Most mortal minds have no block and I read what I need to, trust me when I say you have nothing to worry about. We may be friends, but you are my brothers, my blood kin and I would never place you in needless harm should there be a different outcome I could take. I am almost six hundred years older than all of you and will do what needs to be done and return as soon as I am able. ” My words were spoken with finality about the subject, and they have learned a long time ago I never repeat myself nor do I raise my voice for any reason.

Feeling my blood heat for my hot-headed baby brother snorting. Dominic, still a child by our standards at a hundred and fifty years of age is clear. ‘Do first and think later about the consequence’ was the reason I had used more of my essence than I could afford; ever. He would have been killed years ago if I had not. But he was my frate ma mic -little brother- and all of them were my responsibility. “ You do not agree with my decision frate mai mic? – little brother,

as if I have a choice in the matter as if I am the King .” Dominics’ dragon rose for a fraction of a second to show his annoyance at being called little brother, his violet eyes showing his elemental dragon. He had so much power inside of him, and Dimitri prayed to the stars that his little

brother would start to take responsibility sooner rather than later. Dominic being Dominic had to have the last say. “ Do not call me little again brother; I am no longer three years old, but a grown man and you should afford me the respect you so quickly give Lucian and Gabriel, hell even your friend the King gets more affection than your own blood kin. But no, you choose not to be King even when it is your birthright, and choosing not to take your place is affecting all dragons, there can only be so long we can hide our species to humans and wars you forced us into. You should have killed this man you call King and taken what belongs to you a long time ago, we fight and sit in this hellhole without being able to search for our woman because you are weak Dimitri. Our father is dead because he tried to help a human, and our mother ran away like a coward , leaving us. These humans are not worthy to be saved and should be left to die from their stupidity. Your protection of them is ridiculous, maybe another should have been the next Dragon King, anyone but you. ” The unspoken words hanging in the air; she left ‘me’ her baby of three years old because she did not love me enough to stay. Looking at my baby brother I am shocked to hear the vehemence coming from his mouth, words that could get him hanged or stoned are those of treason against the King, and the hatred towards me feels like a stab in the gut.

“Dominic you will stop this way of talking at once! Maybe start behaving like the grown man you claim you are and not a child! The past cannot be changed no matter how much you wish for it, so stop this foolishness. I take my leave in the morning and will return as soon as possible . My word is final. ” Nothing will change my mind, nor will there be an abandonment from the task the King appointed to me. With my final words, Dominic stormed off as usual without a backward glance, Lucian grabbed me into a fierce hug and left. Gabriel, my silent third-born brother just stared at me, giving a nod walking away. His fire dragon is restless as always because Gabriel suppressed him, refusing to accept they were a part of each other since the day of the village incident.

Dimitri sat staring into the fiery flames Gabriel built while we talked long after they left. The flames danced as if to music only the flames were privy to. Again, like so many times Dimitris’

mind drifts back a hundred and forty-seven years. If only I could tell the three most important people in my life what happened the night our father died. The story I told them so far removed from the truth. My first lie, one of what would become lies upon lies to keep everyone safe. That the woman who killed him was our mother. She was the reason we are forced into wars we never asked for. Dragons being solitary creatures chose not to interact with mortals very much. She hid her thirst for power until after Dominic was born. She begged our father to share half his essence with her so they may rule and keep peace together. When that did not work, she resorted to blackmail, speaking of suicide, and killing not just herself but Dominic as well.

No dragon can ever survive the death of his woman, every dragon was born with that knowledge.

Should the woman die for any reason the man chose to die with her, not being able to support the balance of unlocked magic without her. There was a reason dragon essence remained locked and the woman is the key. She was the balance and third part to form the perfect triangle to man and dragon. The women can survive without the man, but the man and dragon could not.

Our mothers’ ploy, always being the same; dragons must rule over everyone to keep the peace, but she never longed for peace, she wanted the power of life and death to leave chaos in her wake. Our father could not lose the love of his life or his son, believing their love would overcome anything, so he succumbed to her plea, and our mother did not just take half, she tried to take everything.

Our species are not easy to kill, but our human hearts are as vulnerable as any human heart. I saw everything that night. The evening walks our parents took to the waterfalls would be our fathers’

last walk. Being outside I felt the disturbance in the night air. The unforgettable smell of deceit was like sour grapes. My first thought was to protect my parents against an attack, changing from man to dragon on the run spreading my snow-white wings flapping hard enough to uproot the tree near the field with the force of my wings. Who would be so stupid to attack the Dragon King and his wife? I was going into a battle singlehandedly with another dragon. Only a dragon had the strength to take on another dragon but for our parents' protection I would gladly give up my life knowing I was about to face more than one dragon. The ground trembled with the force of my dragon landing.

The shock that there was no attack against the Dragon King and his wife but our mother being the attacker. Seeing the look of betrayal on my father’s face broke my heart, our mother’s words burned into my soul leaving a dark stain. With his dragon essence flowing into her, she spoke words that would be the catalyst of our fathers’ decision. “ Keep your sons, I never wanted them or you. I sought you because you had the most power and Royal power at that. I am taking all your essence and I alone will rule this world and nothing you do can stop me. Everyone will bow at my feet after I’m done getting my revenge. Your royal essence combined with my lineage will give me unstoppable power and no one will ever try and stand up against me again. ” Our father had a look so desolate with tears shimmering in his eyes. Closing his eyes he spoke one sentence knowing I was there, one sentence that would haunt my dreams for more than two thousand years. The words whispered but we both heard them. “ They will come and unlock their essence and together they will fulfill the prophecies ” Our father took his dagger and plunged it into his human heart-stopping the flow of magic to our mother.

A roar of anguish ripped from my throat and my snow-white wings burned as if someone took a flame to them. The only King our species had to govern and guide is dead and the burden has now fallen on me was the furthest thing from my mind because I will never accept the role as Dragon King but killing our mother was paramount and with my dragon fury, it would be easy enough. Feeling the transfer of title and all it entails should I speak the words of acceptance as his life's blood flowed like a river, the beating heart going silent. Every dragon alive would know the King died. Our father chose to die instead of killing his wife and his choice affected us all in more ways even I thought was possible. My father and best friend lying on the grass, now turning a dull brown from his lifes’ blood. Fury and heartache consumed me, my dragon spewing white and blue fire the uppermost thought was to kill this woman; but with one flick of her hand, my fire died instantly without touching even one hair on her head. Trembling with fury and failure at my inability to take her life as she forced our father to take his life. With a maniacal laugh, she waved her hand again, and I was forced into my human form straight to my knees, my tears falling onto the ground I could utter only one word: WHY? She was cackling in glee; her towering form spoke over my hunched heartbroken one and she repeated similar words. “You could live like gods but choose to hide like cowards. None of you deserves this power and I will wait for every one of you to meet the woman that unlocks your essence ripping it from your hearts the same as I ripped it from your father. You belong on your cowardly knees at my feet, worshipping me. Look at you, Dimitri, weak, crying on your knees for a silly old man so easily swayed and manipulated to save his whelp. Love is a weakness boy, but lucky for me it is your love and your brother's love that will make me unstoppable. You all think dragon magic is the strongest in this puny plane you call home. ”

Fighting the stranglehold, I started to push to my feet. Her shocked expression as my body stood up against her power, a power I have never felt. She was laughing at the tears still staining my cheek. A shrieking scream with spittle running down the side of her mouth, eyes venomous because I broke the hold she had on my body to remain to kneel at her feet. Vowing at that moment, I would never kneel or cry ever again. Finding my voice, looking into her eyes the color changed to pitch black, our mother was wholly evil. “ You should have killed me mother because I will never seek the woman to unlock my essence. You know that I must be first to have my essence unlocked and only then will the next brother in line meet his woman. I hope you enjoy the power you have because that is the only power you will ever get, and I will find a way to end you even if it is the last thing I do .” Her hatred for me was a living thing I had never seen before and I was beginning to fear for my brothers, for Dominic that was still so young. Did the mother we know and once loved even exist or was it all a ploy for power?

She continued to laugh, laughing like she did not care that she murdered our father. “ You know the laws Dimitri; you will have to seek your woman your people will demand it that is a fate, not even you, dear boy can run from. You cannot allow dragons to go extinct and you cannot stop a meeting between you and your chosen woman. I was born for royalty, and I would have taken it by any means necessary, you want me to kill you but I can taste the power in you all, and I want it all. ” Laughing and tapping her finger against her chin looking smug I knew she wanted to say more but something stopped her. Her parting words as she just disappeared like mist and that she will return the moment she knows my essence is unlocked… Dimitri will carry the knowledge until he returned to the stars.

Shaking off the memories of a past Dimitri refuses to dwell on a moment longer, closing his eyes seeking rest before his appointed quest. No good ever came from dwelling on the past, the past cannot be changed anyway.