It took an army of women to get me ready for the ceremony.
They slipped me into a white dress that i was sewn into and curled my hair with hot rods that I offered to help heat, much to thier amused rejection.
Another pinned flowers into my curls while more slapped colours across my face that smelled chalky and terrible.
They were done in no time at all to have be squeezed back down the narrow staircase and out onto the street they shepherded me across. One shoved a bunch of flowers into my hands on the way.
Witnesses were already starting to gather when I ascended the stairs alone and took my place before the flower arch.
The woman from yesterday was down in the crowd, flashing me both her thumbs. She held something that amplified her voice that beckoned for more witnesses.
I couldn't see my mate anywhere in the skies or amongst the crowd. At least I had breakfast while I waited.
I ripped up the petals of the flowers to munch on while I waited. I heard laughter when I did, shrugging it off when I snacked on the head of the petalless flower.
If he didn't hurry soon, there was going to be nothing left for me to share with Ari.
I saw the crowds turn when a black car slowly moved its way up the street to park with its doors facing the stairs.
A man rushed around to open the back door that a slender leg peeled out of.
I watched with the rest as a young man dressed in white stepped out. His suit had no colour at all in it that seemed to shine as he straightened.
He clutched a wreath of colourful flowers that I could see were laced with tiny crystals. I silently praised his good decision and moved onto the next flower to strip it.
Ari was surprisingly perceptive for someone with a white piece of fabric covering his eyes. The rest of it trailed down his back as he climbed the stairs toward me.
I could see his black hair had been slicked and styled to make it appear larger. His lips had been painted rosy like his cheeks, a red slice across his left cheek.
Other than the wound, the skin of him was flawless. I couldn't see a single scale in his shifted form getting closer.
He really did know what he was doing. It made me swallow the lump in my throat that definately wasn't the flower buds I had just eaten.
Ari stopped at the top stair and swept his leg out like the woman had yesterday. He bowed and held up the wreath of flowers without looking at me.
The gift.
"This is for you, Scayla" he spoke confidently in normal speech "an offering of peace woven from my own hands for you."
"It's Scala" I muttered to him before taking it slowly, looking down at him for guidance "ah, thank you?"
What did I say? This part hadn't been rehersed.
He straightened up and stood opposite me now.
"Take off my blindfold" he muttered in draconic.
My heart skipped a beat at the sound coming from his lips and I eagerly did so to finally look into his light brown eyes.
Not a usual colour I recognized from a dragon, but that only made him more alluring.
I wanted to see what colour his scales would be next.
"Today will mark a binding to the dragon, Scala" the woman announced "this ceremony has revealed a pure soul to her that has looked into her eyes."
I saw Ari roll his eyes at me which made me smirk back.
He had a sense of humour too.
"The Dragon's Dance will now begin to bind them together as mates."
"You ready?" Ari smiled when I placed down the gift with the half-eaten flowers
"More than ready to get out of this thing" I gestured to the dress before we held hands and touched faces.
"You are quite beautiful" he commented, our heads tilting upwards "I didn't know what to expect; there was nothing to go from."
"I had one photo" I spoke when he tilted to the right again "out of five others."
He raised his eyebrow and I shut my mouth.
Had I said too much? Was that insinuating that he was just another face in the crowd of choices?
"Well, I'm glad you picked me" he kissed my hand then began his circle.
I felt the fire across my face again and lowered it with a smile that widened when he stopped before me.
"Shall we?"
I was already shifting back in eagerness. I was ready for this part; practically jumping at the chance to join Ari in his natural form in the sky.
But he wasn't shifting.
"Take me up" he guided.
I took off with him clutched in my claws and climbed higher over the flower circle. I saw divers on the standby just in case I repeated yesterday's failures.
Thankfully, the real Ari here was like a pillow compared to the weight I had to haul with Punching Bag Ari.
Did he even eat? He felt sort of skinny for a strong male of his age.
"You aren't going to shift back?" I frowned at him when I hovered in place "you are meant to be doing your part now."
"We dive as I am" he spoke "you practiced this yesterday, didn't you?"
I felt the dissapointment wash over me when I nodded and gripped him together before going limp.
I heard the gasping of the audience echo around me before the wind whipped it away.
We fell, twisting and tumbling, until i yanked us back just in the nick of time. My wing slapped the water and jolted me, but I was otherwise fine when I ascended again.
"You have to change back" I urged "for the decision."
"I can't" he moaned back "I don't have wings."
Huh?
"Who took them?" I pressed, confused now "how come I wasn't told?"
"You need to drop, Scala" Ari veered away from the subject "you've been up here too long."
I did so, quickening the fall and rise over the water so I could get my answer.
He kept quiet though, which made the frustrations with the punching bag resurface.
"I'm losing interest" I warned "I thought you were going to prove yourself to me? Isn't this what we are doing right now?"
"Yes, but I will give you your answers when we reach the ground again."
He was afraid. I could see him glancing down nervously as he tried to keep his shaking under control.
His fear and lack of trust in me added salt to my wounds. I felt my nose crinkle up when i drew my face close to his and snorted out his flowery perfume tickling me.
"Shift back or I will end the dance."
"I can't" he refused again.
I promptly released Ari to watch him tumble down. I followed, twisting around him to try and push him to copy the movements he should be displaying.
He wasn't trying at all. He was a screaming mess rushing towards the waters surface.
It was pathetic. I had been cheated out of a mate for someone who refused to put any effort in.
I snatched up Ari at the last moment then dumped him back at the alter.
I was seething at our failed dance that had everyone stunned and silent.
I had failed because of him.
"The fateful dance ends with both returning as mates!" the woman tried to remain hopeful when she looked up at us "a celebration is underway for the beautiful binding."
Binding.
I rolled my eyes at the words and felt the tears that I turned towards the ocean. Ari was trying to explain himself while I refused to look at him.
"You ruined me" I muttered with a hollow laugh at the chance slipping back into a fantasy "I needed this to work, damn you."
"It will, Scala!" he got to his feet and rushed to my side that I moved from him again.
I could see the lure of food and music tempting people from thier crowd to scatter in the streets. I just watched them, contemplating my next move.
"Please understand that I'm not trying to mess things up" Ari begged "I've been picked for you; that should mean something."
Did it? I wasn't so sure anymore.
"Let's discuss this in private" he continued with a look to the crowd "away from everyone."
That I could agree with.
"Am I carrying you there too?" I huffed at him.
He nodded, looking defeated.
I sighed and grabbed onto him to launch myself from the alter that the woman from yesterday was rushing up.
I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone or explain what had happened. It was already humiliating enough without having to re-live it again.
Ari was shivering when I dropped him off at another cliffside that wrapped around the ocean. This one had no town and was just a blowing meadow of silence surrounded by trees and dotted with wildflowers.
I was ready for my explanation. We could be as open as we wanted now without judgment from anyone else.
"Explain to me why you refuse to turn back" I scowled and sat down at the cliffside he moved from "are you stuck? Did you forget how to or something?"
Ari looked up at me nervously and sat in the grass cross-legged.
"Did they not tell you at all?"
"Tell me what?"
He pulled up the grass around him then sighed.
"I'm human, Scala."
"No."
The realization of it all hit me at once. I didn't know what to do but just sit there in shock.
There had been little things that hinted at this all along that I had overlooked.
The photographs all being human. The surprise from Monty when I picked Ari. The comment of being delicate with him. The punching bag. The urgency of me shapshifting. The fact I had to do the first part of the dance shifted.... it had all been there and I had been too hopeful to listen.
A human. My last grasps of motherhood were gone just like that. It was only the beginning, but I felt like I had been robbed of the whole season already.
"Scala" he soothed and got to his feet to gently touch my bowed head "don't cry, please."
I didn't push him away. I needed someone to understand; to feel my pain, as I sobbed for what couldn't be.
"I wanted them so badly. I did everything right and now I'm being punished for it."
"Scala" Ari pressed his head to my snout "I'm not here to punish you. I'm only here to make you happy."
"What kind of existance is that?" I lifted my head from him to see his tearful eyes "you can't do what you want? You have to throw away everything for me?"
"I... I have to be perfect" he mumbled and dropped his eyes down "I've been trained for this. How to talk, how to walk, how to eat and what hobbies would best suit someone else. I don't even know who I am."
His tears fell with mine and he grabbed my snout now for guidance.
"I just want to be loved" he sobbed up to me "if it's with another human or with a dragon, then so be it. I didn't give up everything just to be pushed back to where I started. I need this to work as much as you do, Scala. If it's children you want, I can still give them to you when you are shifted. There is a way around it."
I pulled Ari close and we cried together. He sniffled and shivered against my chest while I clung to his tiny body and let it all out.
"Scala, I-I'm sorry" he sniffled against me "I knew how much that dance m-me-meant to you."
"I should b-be the one who is sorry" I wiped my eyes and looked to the skies above to try and stop the tears "I dropped you while knowing you a-are scared of heights."
"My flaw" he snorted.
"Hey, I have a bad habit of almost roasting people" I chuckled down to him when I pulled him from me "but in all honesty, they really deserved it."
I saw his weak smile and felt mine creep back. He touched the part where my scales had been ripped out to retireve the bullet. They still hadn't grown back.
"You've been through a lot. We both have. I still want to be your mate if you'll have me. Not because of anything else, but because I really want us to work on this."
I saw his hopeful smile beeming up at me.
"Not until you impress me" I smiled back cheekily.
He looked confused until I moved from the edge to head behind him.
"We have a dance to finish, Ari. I haven't made my decision yet."
I shifted back to stand there, waiting. Ari quickly stripped off his jacket to cover me with it.
"My gift to you, Scala" he bowed.
"I accept" I bowed back with a chuckle.
We met and cruised through our routine. Ari was focused and determined not to mess up his second chance at this. I had to admire his determination as he circled me and bowed again.
Instead of taking to the skies, Ari grabbed my hands in his and danced us around in a circle while slowly dipping and turning. His other hand was on my hips to draw me close, while mine grabbed his shirt to stop me from falling.
"This is a waltz" Ari smiled at me stumbling along to his steps "your hand goes on my back."
I grabbed his back and he stopped the dance to reposition my feet on top of his.
"I'll teach you. I step forward with this foot and you step back with that foot. Always my opposite."
I watched his move with mine, giggling at how he made me move flawlessly.
"When I step forward, you step backward. Then we dance in a box, or a circle, as we are now."
"I want to try" I gushed when he took me around in a loop.
"Remember, when I step forward, you step back. And the opposite for me."
I nodded and saw him step forward. I went back, grinning at the success of the first move.
Ari moved us around as we dipped forwards and backwards. I followed, only having my feet stepped on once. But as soon as they were, Ari took his shoes off so we were both barefoot.
"Here" he chuckled and unbuttoned his shirt to throw it into the pile with his shoes "now we are both dressed for the occasion."
"You still have pants on" I pointed out.
"Oh, do I?" he smirked back as he started to undo them despite my giggles "I see no pants here."
They went into the pile, leaving him only wearing white underwear that left little to the imagination.
They came off too, to leave him standing there completely smooth and naked.
I blushed and trained my eyes upwards when he caught me staring.
I had to say, it was quite impressive. I was pleased that it hadn't turned out dissapointing like almost everything else today.
I let Ari lead me around the circle again and threw off his coat to the pile with flourish. I pressed my breasts to him and leant in close.
I saw no problem with the gesture, but it obviously got Ari excited. I could feel him against me when we came to our third loop.
"You know, after the second one, we are supposed to be mating" I smiled at him.
I didn't care how forward I was being. I had already been robbed once, I was not letting the chance slip by again.
"So, you accept me?" he gulped back.
"I'm still here, aren't I?"
He looked thrilled. We stopped the dance and he bowed to me. I bowed back before he held me in his arms and slowly lowered me to the ground.
"Humans mate on the ground?" I chuckled.
"I can't fly, now can I?" Ari laughed back as he leant over me.
I felt my breath catch with him so close and instantly felt powerless.
I liked this feeling of vulnerability. Every part of me was exposed to danger. But I felt safe with him. I barely knew him and he wasn't making me doubt a thing.
"I don't know if it'll work between a human and a dragon" Ari mumbled as his fingers ran over my body to make it shiver "and we have no protection."
"If I had my wings, we'd have protection" I sighed back "that'd give us some sort of cover from lurking males."
He laughed and shook his head at my response.
"You do want children, Scala?"
I felt my mouth dry and my heart flop again.
"I do."
"Then I will try my best" he smiled and chuckled again "wings. You really are funny."
It was true. I don't know what he found so amusing about it. Being this vulnerable was no joke. We had no cover from any threats at all.
"Scala" he breathed and pressed his lips to the side of my neck "you really are an amazing woman."
I shivered and watched him trail down to my breasts and stomach before stopping at my legs he bent and parted.
I could see he was wanting and ready. I was more than ready for this.
"Let me know if I hurt you" he nodded to me then guided himself in.
The explosions within me was instant. It felt like the fire in my belly had leapt upwards to tickle at all of my fingers and toes. I moaned out at the pleasure, slapping my hands over my mouth at the noise.
There was no way this was going to be a quiet union. Anything would be able to hear us and come running.
I really did feel insecure without my wings shielding us. And my soft scales in this form would do nothing.
"Don't worry about that" Ari pulled my hands down to guide them to his body "we'll make it quick."
I nodded and saw him slowly move to make the explosions thrash through me again. I didn't want them to stop though. My body arched and begged for more as he sped up.
I had to increasing urge to bite him as he powered away. He looked so focused on me and not on anything around him. He loved the way I moved under him and made all sorts of noises I didn't know I could make.
I had to bite him. To mark him as mine.
I snatched onto Ari's arms and twisted so that I had him pinned to the ground. I then leant forwards to reach his soft neck before he forced more noises from me.
I made it very easy to mark him. The electricity now coarsing through my veins from him wanted me to grip on in any way possible and never let go.
He was making all sorts of noises with me. He looked pained as his body tensed up and he struggled to keep going.
He twisted and pinned me to the ground so he could gasp and shudder against me. He bowed his head as it happened, gritting his teeth and digging deeper.
I felt my own release of emotions when I felt what had been achieved.
We were now bound to each other as mates.
The feeling of it all made my happiness soar. I clutched onto Ari who withdrew and curled up beside me.
The visions of motherhood returned now that there was a chance.
I would have to make sure they didn't fade by continuing this fun process when he had recovered.
"We should get dressed" Ari mumbled but didn't move "and rejoin the celebration before anyone sends a search party."
We both giggled at the thought but still didn't move.
"You need some more clothes before you can go back anyway. And we both need a shower."
"I'm sure Bee would have the clothes sorted" I brushed aside "and I only have a bathtub."
Ari's eyes glinted at the mention and I saw how keen he was.
Any chance taken was better chances for both of us.
"You should get dressed" I agreed quickly, watching him pull his clothes back on before he tossed me his jacket and scooped me up into his arms to give me more coverage.
Now that we had a taste, we wanted more. It was a dangerous thing to experience with hormones at a raging high due to the season.
Nothing else mattered anymore but the feeling of Ari's warm body around mine as he carried me back towards town while I savored the scent of him mixed with mine.
ns 18.68.41.175da2
