Dragon's Fire

Eighteen

Kayden. 

    I bring our bags upstairs and place them by the dresser. I can hear the water running in the bathroom, I sneak inside. Taryn has just gotten undressed and stepped into the water, I watch as her body submerges under the water, she leans back in the tub. The water rises up to her breasts, she turns off the faucet. 

I watch from the doorframe, she looks over seeing me standing there. 

“Are you coming in?” She asks 

“In a minute, I’m just enjoying the view” I step into the bathroom, pulling my shirt over my head and tossing it to the floor. I step into the water behind her and pull her close to me. She rests on my chest, getting comfortable. 

“Kai..” She whispers to me nervously. 

“What is it, Love?” I play with her hair 

“I need to tell you something…” 

    I wait for her to continue, it takes a few minutes but eventually she speaks. “I’m pregnant” Her lock of hair slips from my fingers. 

I stare at her for a moment before my hands go to her stomach, “Are you sure?” I ask hopefully. 

“Theodora said I’m about eleven weeks, so it’s really early nut she said she can sense the baby” She whispers

“I can’t believe I’m going to be a father” I tell her, she stares down at my hands on her stomach. 

“What’s wrong? Are you unhappy?” I ask, as I feel my heart sink a little bit. If she doesn’t want children I have forced this upon her. We never discussed the topic of children, not really. 

“No.. I’m really happy but I was scared you wouldn’t want it” 

“Taryn, I couldn’t be happier. I have a beautiful wife whom I love with all my heart, now I have this little baby growing inside you. I am over the moon happy” 

She spins around so fast to look me in the eyes. 

“Are you being serious?” 

“Of course, having it all with you is my dream come true”  She jumps into my lap, hugging me tightly. I hold her and caress her hair until she falls asleep. I carry her to the bedroom and lay her down, I sit beside her and gently rub her stomach.

“Hello little Dragon.. I’m your Daddy… I can’t wait to meet you. You need to be good to mommy until you get here okay?” I talk to the baby until the sun rises, not feeling tired at all, but full of energy. 

Taryn rolls to her side, opening her eyes, “Have you been awake all night?” She yawns

“I’ve been talking to the baby” I say as I lay pull her into my arms and snuggle her. 

We lay in bed for a while before I get up suddenly, 

“What’s wrong?” She asks, sitting up and looking at me with worry. 

“You’re eating for two now. I need to get breakfast for you. Stay here I’ll be back soon!” I run down to the kitchen and rummage in the fridge finding everything I need for breakfast, I go to the barn and find the chicken coop, snatching up as many eggs as I can before they go crazy. 

I get upstairs and find Taryn dressed, reading a book in bed. 

“Hungry?” I set the tray of food down on the bed, 

“Starving!” She giggles as she looks over the food. 

“You made all this?” She eyes me 

“I know how to cook you know” 

“So what do you feel like doing today?” I ask her once she finishes eating 

“I would love to explore!” She tells me, her eyes brightening. 

    We make our way outside, seeing the barn and the stable. I bring out the horses and we go for a ride. I don’t know how I feel about doing anything that could be considered dangerous to the baby so we stick to relaxing activities. 

    I take her to the village and we see the farmers market and buy some fresh cheeses and soaps to take home. Taryn finds a shawl she falls in love with so I buy it for her, she wears it on our way back to the cottage. 

    She gets tired easily so we spend most of our time inside, reading to each other and making love in front of the fireplace. 

    On our eighth day she wakes up in the morning early and runs to the bathroom. I follow her and hold her hair as she throws up. Her morning sickness has started. Dragon pregnancies have been said to be more extreme and more intense than that of a human, the pregnancy is also only six months long. The babies tend to grow too quickly and are born a lot sooner than that of a normal human. Many Dragon babies do not survive the pregnancy as the mothers body is not strong enough in most cases. 

I carry her back to bed and grab a warm washcloth to wipe her sweat away. 

“Kai… I want to go home” She tells me in the afternoon, she has been throwing up all morning and crying. I nod and pack our bags, no questions asked. 

“I’m sorry” She cries as I pick her up and carry her downstairs. 

“Do not be sorry. You are growing a precious life inside you. We should be in the comfort of our own home.. Where we have Theodora to help you. We can have a vacation anytime, this baby is top priority ” I tell her. 

    I shift and let her climb on my back, grabbing our bags with my talons I take off, going down the side of the cliff. I try to make the ride as smooth as possible for her but the wind is extremely strong today. 

    I fly close to the water to cut down on the danger of her falling. She is exhausted and she can barely hold on to me. It takes us longer to get to the mainland than expected. There are no flights out until morning, I rent us a hotel room for the night. 

“How do you feel?” I ask as I order room service 

“Alright. I’m really sorry Kai” She looks down at her hands, avoiding eye contact.

“Hey, I told you not to worry about it. I was just happy to be with you, watching you smile is more than enough for me” 

“I didn’t want to ruin our honeymoon” 

“You didn’t. I promise” 

    Thirty-six hours later we are finally home. Taryn is so weak she can barely stand. I carry her to our bedroom, calling for Theodora. 

“What’s wrong, why are you home so early?” She asks as she enters the room 

“Taryn is sick, you already know what it is.. Making her sick.. She can’t keep anything down and she is getting weaker and weaker by the day. I’m really worried about her” 

“Let me see what I can do” 

    She walks over to Taryn and places her hands on her stomach, murmuring something under her breath. The atmosphere changes around her, a dim light radiates off them and a breeze circles them. Within minutes it is like a full blown storm surrounding them I take a step back, pushing myself against the wall. It dies down and I see Taryn is asleep on the bed, there is a light coming off her, pale blue. 

“I’ve infused some of my magic into her, her body needs to strengthen. She is too weak to carry the child to term so hopefully my magic can help. Or she will lose the child. All we can do is wait and see, I’m sorry Kayden” 

“What do we do now?” I ask as I walk over and take Taryn’s hand. 

“We wait. I have put her into a coma, it should last about three weeks. That should be more than enough time for her to recover, my magic will provide all the nutrients her and the baby needs” 

“So we just leave her like this? For three weeks?” I don’t like the idea of that. 

“We will of course have a guard watching over her at all times, but yes.. She will wake when her body is strong enough, the baby will continue to grow. I will feel any changes and we able to do everything I can to make sure she keeps the baby” 

“I guess I have no choice” I kiss her hand, then her cheek, making my way to her lips. I give her a kiss goodnight. 

“I will be checking on her every other hour to make sure she is okay” 

“Of course. I will stay with her for a while. You should go see your Father, he is not doing well” 

I knock on my fathers door, Mother answers. 

“What are you doing home? Where is Taryn?” She asks, taking a step aside. 

“It’s a long story, Theodora can fill you in. What’s wrong with dad?” 

“He is holding on by a thread… he doesn’t have much time left” 

I make my way to my fathers bedside, kneeling beside him. He holds out his hand, looking for me. 

“Father..” I say, my voice not much higher than a whisper. 

“Kayden.. I- I’ve been w-waiting for you” He voice is rough and weak. 

“Father I’m so sorry” I say, feeling a tear slide down my cheek. I can feel his life force depleting and channeling into me. I blink my tears away, 

“Take good care of Taryn.. You and her are the last of our kind” 

“I will Father.. I promise” I squeeze his hand. The last breath of one of the mightiest Dragons slowly comes from his throat. His eyes close and his head sags to the side. 

“No! Father! Come back!” I cry out, making the room shake. Books fall off the shelves and the tables rattle, my emotions are getting the best of me. Within an hour I have lost my father and my wife and child are both in danger. 

“Kayden..” Mother steps forward to try and comfort me but I push her away. I run from the room and out of the castle, I can hear people calling my name but I can’t stop. I need to fly, to feel the wing on me. I Transform and take off. I go to the lake, I can feel my Fathers powers being absorbed, making me even stronger. I cry out, a deafening roar comes from my lungs as I crash down into the lake. I let myself sink to the bottom of the water, letting myself sit at the bottom for what felt like hours. 

How can I go on without them?

    I’m supposed to be able to watch Taryn grow our child, to be there for her. How can I be there when she is in a coma?

It’s only three weeks, I tell myself. 

    I can handle three weeks, I went years without her.. But that was when I thought she was dead.. Having her so close but so far away is not going to be easy for me. 

     I lay at the bottom of the lake until morning, not wanting anyone to see my pain and agony. I emerge from the water feeling no different than before, stronger but emotionally the same. 

I get back to the castle and go check on Taryn, I change her clothes and wipe her body with a wet cloth before going to shower and crawling into bed beside her. 

“I miss you” I whisper to her

    Every time I touch her the blue haze surrounding her flashes and burns my skin slightly. I don’t care, I can’t not touch her. I need her.