Dragon Dance

chapter 3: under the pink moonlight

The castle had been busy, foods for the feast are prepared for days, wine and honey-nectars are taken out of storage. 

Reema listened to the castle servants haisty footsteps as they skirted in and out the castle. 

Long feast tables are arranged outside the castle, just beside the woods . A clearing was cleaned and prepared, ornated by flowers of translucent petals that shines under the tiniest light. 

Banners were hanged either on poles or on trees that sway with every blow of the calm wind. The banners contain a picture depicting a dragon under a peculiar moon, the moon was as pink as the flowers of spring. 

-----------------------------------------

The light of day is getting weaker minute by minute, the sun is hanging low at the cradle of the sky, which had now turned into a very faint shade of purple, the sun burned Ruby red, thin silvery threads of clouds scattered on the sky. 

Lusty has himself hidden in the woods ,carrying his Rucksack he wandered around it, safe, away from any dragons. The tress in the woods look like any typical tress Lusty had seen on his own world, except for the very thin silvery viens on the leaves of the tress. Fungus grew at the foot of the trees, glowing faintly on diffrent hues of blue. 

He pulled out a few strands of his hair, he grunted as he did so, scratching the part where he pulled it afterwards .He took out an ancient looking and very used quill ,he coiled his hair around it. He rummaged through his rucksack and pulled out an old ,crudely cutted piece of parchment. He flicked his fingers ,pointing at the parchment. The parchment lifted itself in the air, the quill landed on it and started dancing, hopping energetically on it's surface. 

"The realm of magic has interesting characteristics" Lusty narrated. 

The quill scratched it's tip on the parchment, it wrote everything he said word for word in green ink. 

"The fungus has strong arcane properties, stronger than any fungus back at my world, but is too strong to be used as an ingredient for brewing" he continued. 

The low sound of scratching quills on parchment, vibrated through the trees. 

Lusty continued his investigation,taking note that the sky is slowly creeping nearer. The moon had appeared on the horizon, it was the biggest moon Lusty had seen,  glowing brightly, casting it's silvery light on the thin clouds on the sky. Lusty was about to turn and leave to investigate another part of the woods. But someone's voice had reached his ear, the voice was singing in a very enchanting manner, it made Lusty fly out of his senses ,the voice was distant and faint, but he can clearly hear it inside his ear. Lusty collapsed down, crawling on the grass carpeted ground, looking through the thick layers of dark green bushes. 

He crawled nearer to the direction where the voice is coming from, Lusty pushed his head trough the branches and saw a girl. 

The girl was sitting at the bank of a small pond, touching the water with her fingers, humming her song. 

The girl had snow white hair and very pale skin. She was bathing in moonlight making her look like she herself is made on moonlight. 

Lusty stood up and coughed, allowing himself to he noticed. The girl stopped singing and stood up, facing his direction, her eyes glowed bright purple even though hidden behind her hair. 

"He-hello" Lusty greeted.

The girl knodded and turned back, she sat on the bank again.  "Hello" she greeted back. 

"Can I -can I sit with you" Lusty asked slowly. He noticed the parchment and quill still following him, writing everything he said. He snatched the quill and removed his hair, the hair stands burned and fell on the ground, he swiftly folded his parchment and shoved it in his pocket. 

The girl patted the ground beside her,  Lusty sat on the place she picked for him "what's your name?  Your voice isn't familiar, you must not like going out" she said staring at the sky. 

"I'm Lusty" he offered a hand. 

"I'm Reema" she answered not facing him. Rusty awkwardly withdrawed his aloft hand. He scratched his nape and joined her as she stares at the sky. 

Lusty pulled out a Berry and cracked it on his teeth, the fruity scent bursted out ,filling the cold air of the night.

Reema seemed to inhale ,"what's that?, i never smelled anything that fragrant before".

Lusty smiled and pulled out the berries from his pocket. Lusty smiled as he pulls her hand,gently rolling the berries from his palms to hers.

Reema took one and brought it to her mouth. She lowered her head and giggled as she chews on the berry. She took another one and chewed on it staring blankly on the water surface.

Rusty stared at her curious, he waved his hands at her face. He peeked at her face and saw her eyes. They were the brightest shade of purple but they lack pupils. 

"You-your eyes" he said lowly, not taking off his glance at her eyes. 

Reema breathe deeply "yes I can't see, I don't know what seeing is like "

"I'll help you" he smiled and pulled her up, Reema was not so sure, but allowed Lusty to help her stand. 

Lusty didn't know, but he felt bad for Reema, as a child he was so thrilled to see different things, even now he enjoys just staring at and observing everything. 

"Trust me " he said, cupping her cheek with a hand. 

He raised his hand in the air as if reaching for something, he pulled it down-the wand now present on his palm. 

Lusty pointed his wand at his left eye, light flashed from his wand tip.  His eyes glowed brightly. Lusty screamed as the light seemed to melt and flow out his eye socket. The light flew to Reema's  left eye. It struck her like a bullet. She was shooted back, falling on the ground. 

Reema clutched her eyes, she blinked and stared at the soroundings, tears begun to descend down her eyes.She ran to help Lusty up which is slumped on the ground, breathing heavy. She pulled her up, Lusty dizzily straightened. Reema cupped his cheeks and examined him, his hair was dark as the fertile soil, a strong jaw and dark thick brows, she looked at his eyes, they were the colour of the lush forest. But one of them-his left eye, has no pupil. 

"Take care of my eye" Lusty laughed, scratching his nape. " it takes the puriest intention and heart to do that spell"

Reema didn't hold her tears anymore, she let them flow freely , she launched herself into Lusty's chest and wrapped her arms around him. 

"How-how can I ever repay you?" She asked him. 

"Well, I came here to see the dragon dance" Lusty admitted. 

Reema smiled at him and place his hand on her waist. Reema coiled her arms on his neck. She started maneuvering the both of them in a circling motion. Her wings sprouted out her back .

"Dragon's wrap themselves with their wings during the dance,  at first I thought you were one, but when you gave me that Berry I knew you're not" Reema said. 

She laid her head on his neck, her hair catching the pink moonlight. 

"Reema! " a male's voice roared.  Reema let go immediately and faced the owner of the voice. 

"Father forbids us to dance!" The man said, he clutched his fist, his eyes glowing brighter than the moonlight. He suddenly morphed into a dragon and knocked Lusty down. 

"Marto!  Don't! " Lusty heard Reema shout, but the dragon banged it's head on his, his vison became dark as he pass out