The Carmine Rose

You were so small the day I found you in the forest, so weak. I could have devoured you. You smelled fresh of meat and blood. I could not stop salivating, my scales clamored, my spin tightened. My gaze never broken from your sight, my talons felt sharp and my nostrils burned with the intense blaze burning in my throat. I could think of nothing but hate. Your kind had killed so many of my kin, so many corpses lie at the feet of your ancestors. You unknowingly carry the sins of their past, of your future. I was ready to make every sin be paid in full, you were going to be our salvation, my vengeance followed through, my anger quenched…Yet, I stood there in sheer awe. How could eyes, deep in brown look as dark as night yet pierce into you like sun light breaking through amongst the trees. A face so innocent, how could it ever be taken as evil. I could see you were hurt as well, lost not just in the forest but in spirit.

You were so young, freshly drunk from the chalice of betrayal, too innocent to feel it’s icy elixir. In all that sadness, I saw an ember. The ember of a dragon, yet every instinct in my body, every bone and scale, every hot breath was ready to kill you, however my heart would not allow it. I can’t say why, and even now as you thrust into my chest and impale my heart. Where you stain your blade with my blood, I do not think in even the slightest that I made the wrong choice that day. As you cry and yell out father, I can’t help but remember the lost little human that stumbled upon me that day. Was it fate, or destiny that brought you to me, brought us here to this moment. Let me hold you my child speak into my ear and I shall listen. I bring you close as my hearing is beginning to fade.

“Father!” Is what you said as you sobbed. “It can’t be this way father. I…I can’t speak.”

“Quite my child. This is the path you have chosen; you must be strong. Dragons are proud, we never second guess ourselves.”

“I’m only human.” You looked down to break my gaze.

“Chin up young man. Your humanity is what gives you strength, but you have a dragon heart. We dragons never lose our focus, once we set our gaze it is impossible for anything to break it. Be relentless my child, but also never be afraid to show your heart. I did. Had I not I would have never gotten the pleasure and honor to call you my kin, my son.” I said in as soothing as a voice I could muster.

“ Father…why does it this hurt so much. I just wanted to find peace. Some common ground. Some…” you whimper with every breath you take.

“That’s enough Alecai, you did your best. You have to accept this now. This will not be the hardest thing you will ever do my boy. Worse is yet to come, the path you chose, the humans and the dragons will not agree with you. You are now a marked man, both sides will be coming for you. Come closer.”

I embraced you for one last time, I knew my time was almost out. I did not want to leave you in such a mess. Who would have thought to live for someone else would bring such great power. I should thank you.

I gently wrap myself around you, my tail holding your body up and your head resting on my chest, I can feel the weight of your grief. “ Thank you, Alecai. You have shown me what true power is, what it means to be alive. I only regret that I will not see the world a man, raised by a dragon will create.”

Just like that you died in my arms, Aratiri, the lightning god. Like you said I will hold true to my decision and follow through with the conviction and stubbornness of a dragon. I can’t help but chuckle, as much as you were feared, you were the kindest of them all. I remember it all to well, a young child lost in the forest. Freshly drunk from the liquor of betrayal, lost in despair, death would have been a blessing. Until I stumbled upon a dragon.