2. Faraway Dreams.

***Willow’s POV.***

“Mama!” A little boy runs through fields as the sun shines above.

The boy has a beautiful smile, but his face looks blurred. He holds on the skirt of a woman and tugs at it vigorously. The woman looks up to see a man with a black cloak standing in the distance. He is standing too far to see who he is, but again I can see his smile.

“Mama! Are you happy to see us?” The boy asks, and the woman smiles widely.

“I do, my sunshine.” The woman says and somehow her voice is familiar.

I try to go towards them to see who they are, and why I am seeing them now. But I am getting nowhere closer to them. My feet are moving and so is the ground as I look down. I look up to see them gone and I know I am seeing a vision. I try to come out of it.

But then I see one more thing. In the distance, the man is still standing. He raises his hand towards me as if to help me out. I don’t know why, but I want to take that hand and save myself. From what? I don’t know. I close my eyes and keep running until I feel the brush of his finger against mine.

I open my eyes as my vision gets broken. I sit up and look around to see I am near the fire I stubbed out earlier. My head hurts by the sudden move and I look down to see that I am covered in a long, brown cloak. With wide eyes, I realized what had happened before my head hit the stone. Someone is here. But who?

Before the person comes back, I dry myself and wear the dark blue simple gown I have. I look at my hairs and curse. I dyed them recently and now the color is gone. Now where would I find another dye like that to color my ginger red hair into a plain brown one?

“So you are awake?” A rough male voice says, and I turn around.

This is the second time this man has sneaked up on me. And for the first time in my life, I feel like a human, not a seer. He is tall and way too muscular. His hairs are black but when my ash gray eyes collide with golden black orbs, I take a sharp breath. He is a dragon.

A dragon in human territories. Is he a spy? Or has he come here for some work? The robe which he covered me with has a fine material made in the capital city of Ashenalp. That means he is someone important. If he is someone important, then what is he doing here without his guards? Who is he?

“Sorry to startle you. But you did that to me, too. How is your head now?” He asks and I consider not to answer until I find everything I could about him, but for that, I have to concentrate as I have already touched him before.

“Are you mute? Can’t speak? Or are you deaf?” He says, breaking my concentration as I see his muscle flexing as he gestures to see if I understand.

“I can speak and hear.” I say.

“Good. And here I thought that maybe the bump in your head made you stupid.” He says.

“No, it didn’t.” I say, being extra cautious.

“Can I have my cloak back?” He says and I pick it up from the ground and give it to him.

When our finger touches, I get a vision of the past. A small one, but enough to surprise me. I blush when I realize that those fingers have brushed against my body not a few minutes ago. I walk back and not look up at him. It is embarrassing. But then my eyes widened in fear.

“Did you take me out of the water?” I ask.

“Yes. I can’t just let you drown. Why? Did you want me to?” He asks.

“Did you look at me?” I ask gingerly and look up to see his reaction.

He thinks for a second, then says, “Of course.”

“Why?” I whine.

“Come on, lady. I am a young man, and you were practically naked. I have to see you to pick you up and to get you out of the water.” He says with a smile, and I am horrified.

“What did you see?” I ask.

“Why does it matter?” He asks.

“It matters.” I say with closed eyes as I try to gather my patience.

“Fine. I saw your front.” He says.

“Oh, goodness.” I say with a sigh.

“You do know all the important things are in front, not on back, right?” He asks, confused, and it takes me a few seconds to understand what he meant.

“Stop it, you pervert.” I say and turn away.

“I thought you were relieved. By the way, you have great curves and also don’t hide your hairs. They look beautiful like that. I can imagine them being open and wet around your naked body. You can turn heads.” He says, and I put my hands on my ears.

“Stop it, you fool. Haven’t your mother taught you how to talk with ladies?” I ask.

“I thought women like compliments. I mean, the women in our kingdom appreciate direct compliments and approaches. Why? Is it different here?” He asks, and I look at him in shock.

Then I realized what he meant. I blink my eyes and straighten up. He is a simple, straight-forward man who says what he thinks. Obviously, I don't like compliments like that and if he is from Ashenalps and men are like that there, it would be terrible to receive compliments and approaches like that daily. But what I saw earlier makes me rethink my decision.

“Can I have this broth?” The man says, and I nod slightly.

As he eats, I look at his face for sometime and try to get something other than the small vision I had of my safety in Ashenalp and some kind of future. I rub my head and try to decide, as I feel like this man would leave soon and I don’t think he would ask me to accompany him. So I have to approach him with an authentic story which could get me to Ashenalp with no suspicion.

“Thanks for the meal in return for saving you.” He says and gets up. “I will leave now. I wish you good health.”

Just like I thought. As he leaves, I stop him. “Excuse me.”

“Yes?” He says and turns around.

“Can I join you?” I ask.

“Now?” He asks and looks around, which makes me confused.

“Ah, yes.” I say and he nods.

“Okay,” He says and starts removing his clothes and I realize what I said.

“No, I didn’t mean it like that.” I say, and he stops removing his shirt.

“Then what did you mean?” He asks with a raised brow.

“I meant. Can I come with you?” I ask, and he tilts his head in confusion again and I realize what I said again. I slap my head and rephrase again in simple words, “You are going to Ashenalps, right?”

“Yes.” He says as he wears his cloak again.

“Can I go with you to Ashenalps?” I ask.

“Sure. But why do you want to go there? Do you not have a family here?” He asks.

“I did. My name is Willow. I used to live in South Mortalian. After my father died, the town chief wanted to gain me, so I ran away. I have been trying to hide from them for a long time but they have not given up yet. So can you please take me to Ashenalp so I can start my new life there?” I ask him with a few fake tears.

The story is original. I lived in that town with the name Lillian and met another girl named Willow. I saw that after her father’s death she runs away and right now; she is in a Caindale Kingdom, safe and married. Nobody knows about her, as fairies are keeping her secret under some contract. So using her identity would harm no one.

The man thinks for a few seconds and then says, “Fine. No problem, but what is your specialty?”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“What can you do? You can definitely cook. But can you do that much or something else too? If you want to live in Ashenalp, you should have a few more talents, then only you can get to live there.” He says.

“As you said, I can cook and I am a healer too. Also, I know about knitting and herb planting. And not to forget I can clean and-” I say and he shows me his hand.

“That much is good. But are you sure you want to go to Ashenvale? I just showed how direct we are. If you want to go there, you have to be prepared to face something more than this. Also, you will find many suitors outside your door as humans have the capability to birth more babies. Even though dragons don’t marry humans, they don’t mind keeping them for reproduction.” He explains everything with a straight face, like all that is natural, while I look at him like he has lost it.

“Do the opinions of humans matter? Can they say no to the advances?” I ask.

“Yes. But normally they don’t. As dragons are fascinating creatures and are vigorously sexual being. Women ‌go to them natural to fulfill their sexual desires-” He says, but I interrupt before there is no difference between my hair and body as it is getting red by his every word.

“Fine, then I have made the decision to journey to Ashenalp with you.” I say.

“Are you sure?” He asks again.

“I am.” I say, as this is the only route I see that would keep me safe for now.

“Good. Then pack up as we are leaving now. I want to cross the borders first, then only would I be able to sleep.” He says.

“Me too.” I say and pack up. As I join him, I ask, “What is your name?”

“Ryker Wilburn.” He said, and I thought he smirked. But I shake my head while he turns and starts walking.

I look behind me and say a farewell to the lands where I have spent 19 years, then follow him.

Little did I know ‌this guy was going to change my life forever. In what ways? I have yet to know.