Dean and Lana

           I came down the stairs and looked around the living room. As I turned the corner into the kitchen I saw my best friend in the whole world sitting on the counter as my mother was making breakfast.

“Hey Dean.” I said.

“Hey Lana.”He replied. “How are you this morning?”

“Good. You?”

“I’m OK. I’d be better if you’d just say yes.” He said teasingly.

“I told you I’m too young to get married.” I was getting very annoyed at his constant nagging.

 2 months ago he had asked me to marry him. I was just too young.  I was only 17 and he was 18. I loved him like no one had ever loved another person. He was perfect. He was handsome and kind and smart. But he didn’t know about my little problem. I was an immortal.

My father had abandoned his place of honor at the right hand of the King so he could marry my mother. And he never regretted that decision. He loved my mother. But when the King called on him to negotiate a treaty with the kingdom to the east he went. But he never returned. The ruling monarch there had no desire to sign a treaty. So he simply killed everyone the King sent. The King was not pleased with this so he invaded and dethroned their entire monarchy and replaced it with he’s own people. So now my family ruled that kingdom. My mother is the Queen and reigning monarch. If I were to marry Dean we would become the king and queen. And I wasn’t ready for that. I didn’t want to be queen. But I knew Dean would make an excellent king.

“I still want you to marry me. I don’t care that you think you are too young. I love you and will never give up.” He said with a smile. Ohhh, how I loved that smile. All I could do was smile back.

“Good morning mother. How are you this morning?”

“Like he said I’d be better if you said yes to him.” She knew he would make a good king too.

I frowned at them, but then smiled.

“Can I speak with you alone for a moment mother?”

“Sure, Honey”

And as we walked down the hall to the sitting room we talked.

“Why do you encourage him?” I asked.

“Because I can see how much you love him. And he is very good for you. Before you met him you never left the castle. You just sat in your room and read your books. And now you go out riding and fishing and swimming, and look happy again. I just like seeing you happy and you are happiest with him.” She spoke the truth. I was happiest when I was with him.

“But why do you want me to marry him? I’m only 17. I’m too young to marry.”

“No you are not. I was married to your father when I was 16.”

“OK so I’m not too young. I’m just not ready to be married.”

“Yes you are. You just don’t know it yet. But you will.” Then she gave me a hug. The kind of hug only a mother can give. The kind of hug that makes you feel like nothing can hurt you like nothing will ever go wrong.

“OK if you think I am then I must be so now I have to tell him. But how do I do that without scaring him?”

“Just take him out flying and take a picnic lunch and spend the day with him. And just tell him when you think he is ready.”

“OK we’ll leave first thing in the morning.”

“Then let’s go tell him he has plans tomorrow.” She smiled.

Back in the kitchen Dean was still sitting on the counter. He looked so perfect today like every day. With his cropped bronze hair and beautiful green eyes.

“So what were you two talking about?” he asked quizzically.

“Nothing. Hey do you want to go on a picnic tomorrow?” I asked.

“Sure. Sounds like fun. What time do you want to leave?”

“Whenever. But not till after breakfast.”

“OK.”

 

The next morning after breakfast Dean and I were headed out to the stables.

As we entered the stable the sight of the dragons still took my breath away even though I had been riding them since I could crawl. They were so beautiful. They weren’t much bigger than a horse but they had big triangular heads with swirling eyes.  My dragon was a vibrant gold and Dean’s was a smooth bronze. They were a mated pair and looked beautiful together. As we walked toward them they stared at us. Prenth started to talk to me. It felt good to hear her in my head again. I hated that they had to stay in the stables. I had been meaning to talk to mother about that.

When I looked at Dean I could see that he was talking to Kalenth. He had this look on his face when he talked to Kalenth that made him look so happy. Like nothing could go wrong. It was beautiful. Ohhh, a boy and his dragon.

“So where did you want to go?” asked Dean.

“How about the valley out west that we never got to explore?”

“That sounds good to me.”

“OK then lets saddle up.” I said with a smile.

So we saddled up the dragons and set out for the valley. The land all around the castle was luscious and green. It was so beautiful. We didn’t have to fly very far. The valley was only about an hour’s flight from the castle. Once we were there, we landed and just walked for a few hours and talked about everything under the sun. Everything except what needed to be talked about.

“Dean, I need to tell you something. I don’t know how you will take it.” I said.

“I think I can handle anything you can tell me.” He replied looking quizzical.

“Well… I don’t know how to tell you this but here it goes. I’m an immortal.” I said. The look on his face was not reassuring.

He didn’t say anything for a long time.

Then he finally spoke.” How? You are growing older. You can’t be immortal if you grow older.”

“Have you noticed that I haven’t changed at all since I turned 16? I’m exactly the same today as I was that day. My hair and nails have grown but that’s it. Nothing else has changed.”

“I don’t care.” Was all he said.

“What do you mean you don’t care?” I was filled with a mixture of joy and confusion. I didn’t understand what he meant. I had not expected this.

“I don’t care. I really don’t care. I wouldn’t care if you were a vampire. I love you for who you are not what you are.” He looked so sweet. I was so happy. And then he kissed me. It tasted of a warm summers day and salt water taffy and roasting marshmallows on the beach and the ocean spray and everything I ever loved was all in that one kiss. It was perfect. And then I knew what I had to do. I loved him and wanted to be with him forever.

“Well you’ll just have to turn me so we can be together forever.” He said with such a confident smile I was tempted to say yes.

“I don’t know how. Mother won’t tell me how it happened.”

I lied. I do know how to turn him.

So know I know what I must do. I can’t turn him. I just can’t. He is the love of my life and I can’t take that life from him. I love him. He deserves a chance at a normal life. Not one with a wife that will never die. I have to find the cure.

                There is a legend that states if you can find the cure you can be human again.  I have to tell him of the cure and that I have to leave to find it. I don’t want to leave my home but I have to.

“Dean?” I said. My voice weak and low. “I have to leave for a little while.”

“Why?”

“I have to find the cure from the legend.”

“What legend?”

“There is a legend that says if I can find the cure I can be human again. And if I’m human I can be with you. I don’t know how long it will take but I would search for a life time to be with you.” I sounded like I was going to cry.

“Then I’ll go with you.” Said Dean.

“No you can’t. I have to go alone. I can’t risk your life. It’s too precious to me. I can’t let you come with me.”

“You really don’t have a chose. If you go I go. I can’t let you risk your life alone.” He said.

I was going to cry. I couldn’t help it. All I could feel was happiness. This didn’t make any since. I should be terrified at the prospect of hunting down this cure. But I wasn’t. All I could think about was the fact that he knew my secret and he didn’t care. I was elated. Like nothing could touch me when I was with him. I didn’t think I could do this without him. He had to come with me but I didn’t want him to come. I didn’t want to get him killed. If he got hurt I don’t know what I would do.

“No.” My voice was back and it was very strong now. “No. You can’t come. I won’t let you.”

“Like I said if you go I go.” He said with that perfect smile. I nearly melted into a puddle right there.

When we got back to the castle the Queen was waiting. And she wanted to know everything.