The Dragon and the Princess

Chapter 21

Opening his eyes to a new day, Lithon couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. Looking down at his princess who had a dreamy smile upon her lips, he knew that he would love and protect her with all his might.

"Lydia, dearling, it's time to get up." He called to her softly, watching as she gently began to stir, rising her arm out from under the silk blanket that lay over them both and placed her arm across his chest.

Slowly stretching out her muscles and giving out a yawn that sounded something more akin to a squeak, Lydia opened her eyes and placed a small peck upon Lithon's lips.

"Good morning, honey." she spoke, her voice still husky with sleep. "So, what's for breakfast?" She asked, stretching once more. A thoughtful look passed over Lithon.

"Hmmm... What would you like? You can have anything you want!" He smiled, awaiting her response. He watched as she opened her mouth to respond but no sound from her lips reached his ears. Instead, a loud crash sounded from outside, causing both Lithon and Lydia to fling themselves forward, sitting up straight in bed. Both straining their ears to hear what was going on.

Lithon could hear every detail of what was happening, even every breath each individual made. Lydia On the other hand could only hear some form of clashing of metal on metal. But even she knew what that meant.

"How did they find us? We're surrounded by Forrest on all sides! There's no way they could have seen it." She spoke from experience, remembering what the forest was like when she had tried to escape that first day.

"I led them here." Lithon spoke matter of factly and it took Lydia a few moments to realise what he meant.

"We flew straight here..." She mumbled, but Lithon heard her all the same.

"We need to leave here. Now." He spoke urgently, raising from the bed and pulling his clothes on. He picked up Lydia's clothes from the day before, no time to worry about hygiene in a situation such as the one they were in, and urgently passed them to her. His heart was racing in his chest and it hurt terribly at the very thought of Lydia getting hurt. Leaving was the safest option for her.

Lydia pulled her dress over her head before the weight of Lithon's words his her. Leave? The couldn't leave. Where would they even go?

"We can't leave! This is your home! It was going to be my home..." She voiced her thoughts as tears began to fill the corners of her eyes. "We... We were going to be happy here." She sobbed, unable to contain her emotions. She felt such loss at the very thought of losing her new home. The only place the every felt she truly belonged.

Seeming her distress, Lithon kneeled down in front of her. Taking her hand in his and wiping away her tears, he smiled at her.

"This place," he gestured around him. "is nothing but stone and fabric. We can find another place to live, another place to be together." He soothed. But his words had no effect on Lydia.

"But this place isn't just stone! It's home. Our home." She shook her head, unwilling to believe the heartless things Lithon was saying about their home. "This is where I fell in love with you. We can't leave here." She begged, trying to convey her feelings.

Lithon just smiled at her.

"This place is only stone." He repeated more softly. When Lydia began to shake her head once more he took her face in the palm of his hands. "I fell in love with you here too." His voice was gentle and kind. "But just because we leave this place does not mean that I will stop loving you. Our love will follow us. As long as you are safe and with me then I am already home, no matter where we are." He placed a small kiss on her lips as he finished. He understood how she felt. After all, he had lived here his entire life. The thought of leaving forever seemed so unreal and unnatural. But he knew that the words he had spoken were true. He would be happy anywhere, as long as she was by his side.

Lydia smiled sadly as she recognised the look on Lithon's face. It was the same look that she surely had on her face also. She knew that he didn't want to leave here, not completely, but she also knew that his words were true. He meant every word he spoke. Just because they leave this castle does not mean that they will leave their love behind. He held her heart and she held his. As long as they remained together then they would remain whole.

But there was still something in the back of her mind that told her not to leave. Some hope that they could somehow keep their home. But how? If Lithon fought them and drove them away then her father and ex-fiancé would surely just and more soldiers to 'rescue' her. Amid she left with the soldiers and attempted to reason with them, or her father, then what happened at the soldiers camp would only be repeated. They would never let her be. Never let her return to her love. She would be forced to marry someone she didn't love. So, was leaving their home their only option?

No, she thought. There is another way. There has to be. Year of listening to her father and his generals speak of battle strategies passed through her mind. All the books that she had read and stories she had been told played over and over in her head. There had to be a way that they could keep their home. But how? As long as there was a chance of 'rescuing' her they would never stop.

Then, the answer came to here. A relieved, jubilant laugh left her lips as she realised that her idea just might work.

Lithon waited patiently for Lydia to sort out her emotions and give him her answer. He didn't know what he was expecting but he certainly didn't expect her to laugh! However, there was something in that laugh that made him hold his tongue. Something that didn't allow him to question her. He saw the light return to her eyes as they gleamed with sheer happiness. He realised what that look meant just as the words left her mouth.

"We don't need to leave! I have an idea. A plan. A way we can keep our home and never be harassed again."