Chapter 15

“Zalamar!" Rose yelled as she saw the Black scaled Dragon leaving his store. He turned to face us and instantly smiled on seeing Rose running towards him. He opened his arms and gave her a big hug as she arrived.

“Hi there sweetie!"

“Oh Zalamar I've got such wonderful news!" Rose beamed, “So please don't be sad."

“Sad? Why would I be sad if you've got good news?" Zalamar gave her a concerned look.

“Well... it's umm... I'm leaving."

“You're leaving? When? How? Who? Why?"

“Well Malakye and his group have offered to take me with them when they leave tomorrow." Rose answered. “It means I won't have Vireon pestering me and making my life hell. On the other hand, I won't be able to see you any more either." Zalamar gave Rose a tight hug and Rose hugged him back, matching his strength. Zalamar stared at me silently for a minute or so in before speaking.

“You better protect her Malakye. Rosie here is like the daughter I never had so you'd better."

“Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to her. I love her and I would die to protect her. I don't care if I have to fight my way through an army of demons!" Zalamar nodded at me and then released his hug on Rose to look at her.

“You be good now you hear!? Live a happy and full life and never regret anything!" Zalamar told her while being on the brink of tears. “I'm so happy for you Rosie, now don't forget to swing by and say hi when you're in town."

“I will, I promise I will!" Rose herself broke down into tears, the pair of them hugged once more tears of happiness and sorrow rolling down their muzzles. I just stood there and let them have the moment.

“Rose..." I said getting her attention. “We have to get going, the others will be waiting for us." She hesitantly nodded.

“Bye Zalamar, take care!"

“You too Rosie! I wish I'd known that this was going to happen sooner, I'd have made you your favourite, Frambos Buns*."

*Frambos Buns – A sweet roll that is glazed with melted honey and has various fruits through them.

“I'd have liked that! Tell you what, next time I stop by I won't leave without them." Rose laughed, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“It's a deal. Now get going, don't want to keep those nice furs waiting! And keep that boy in line, he'll make to be a fine dragon someday, so long as you make sure he turns out all right, he's still a boy."

“I will, bye-bye." Rose kissed Zalamar on the cheek before turning and walking back to me. I wrapped an arm over her shoulders to comfort her, there was nothing in this town for her except Zalamar, and she was leaving him behind to go onto a better life, they both knew it but this was still a sacrifice Rose had chosen to make.

“Come on Malakye, let's go." Rose lead the way, looking over her shoulder from time-to-time hoping to still see Zalamar, even though we were long out of sight of his shop and nearly at the Tavern.

“You okay?" I asked.

“Yeah... I have no regrets." She said with a smile. “I love you Malakye."

“I love you too Rose." We stopped walking and kissed, a long passionate kiss; one that left nothing to the imagination. We broke the kiss and rested our foreheads together to gaze into each other's eyes.

“Now isn't that sweet!" Came a voice from the shadows, I spun round to face the direction of the voice, and saw that Vireon was standing there, blocking our way. The faint light of the lanterns lining the streets gave enough light for me to see that his left arm was bandaged and in a sling and he was surrounded on either side by both furs and Dragons of varying sizes, all of them wore hardened faces that told Malakye that these guys weren't going to show any mercy.

“Now then Rose, come over here." Vireon said sternly. I felt Rose hug me tightly from behind.

“She's not going anywhere with you!" I yelled.

“Confident are we? You may have gotten the drop on my goons last night but there were only two, this time there are twelve. Think you can still win?"

I hated to admit it but he was right, even if I would be able to somehow beat all of them I wouldn't be able to do so while protecting Rose. I glanced behind me to Rose who looked at the mass of bodies threatening us in fear and then further down the street. The Tavern was a couple of minutes away, Eric and the others would be able to help us but we wouldn't be able to outrun all of Vireon's goons. If I could hold them off long enough for Rose to get away....

“Rose. Rose. ROSE!" I yelled finally snapping her out of her fear induced trance. “Go to the Tavern, get Eric and the others, I'll hold them off."

“But... you can't..."

“Rose, I can't protect you if you stay here and we can't outrun them... I promised Zalamar that I'd protect you and this is the only way... just go get Eric and the others... they'll protect you."

“But..."

“Go!" Rose hesitated for a moment but then quickly spun round and ran as quickly as she could.