Chapter 15
15
While the king and queen tend to their domains, the stranger and the young prince set off for the seaside, taking in the salty winds and call of waterbirds. This stretch of beach is just for them, a place to hide away as they share sweet smiles at sunrise and tender kisses beneath the silver moon. The warm thrum through their bond sets their hearts ablaze. It has been only a few days since the stranger’s arrival, but the love they share is pure and true.
“Tell me, my prince,” he says, “how might I use magic to heal my people?”
The young prince hands the stranger a single sapphire scale. He instructs the stranger to place it at the bottom of the nearest mountain spring. “The magic imbued in the scale will cleanse the waters,” he explains, “purifying not only those who drink, but so too the plants and the animals who call the land home.”
The stranger thanks the young prince profusely for his kindness. “Come with me,” he urges, “to the lands beyond the horizon. We may help thousands yet!”
The young prince shakes his head. No, his honorable, doting parents would never allow such a thing.
As determined as ever, the stranger promises to return one day soon with tales of his adventures. After a parting embrace, he sets off with the dragon scale in hand, determined to save his people. The blue dragon is so full of hope and integrity that he cannot help but feel sure in his decision to share his secrets.
The red thread of fate between them stretches beyond sight, but does not break no matter how far the stranger goes. The blue dragon looks out to the glimmering seas, longingly awaiting his Fated One’s return.