The first light of dawn spilled over the rolling hills of Drakenvale, brushing the world in a soft golden hue. The fields stretched endlessly toward the horizon, where morning mist still clung to the earth like a living veil. The river that wound through the village shimmered beneath the pale sun, its surface reflecting the soft hues of the waking sky.
Eric walked along the riverbank, his boots brushing against the tall grass still heavy with dew. He had been awake since before sunrise, though sleep had eluded him the entire night. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her — that mysterious woman whose presence had shattered his world of dull routine and quiet despair.
Her voice echoed in his memory like a song — soft, melodic, almost unreal. The way her golden eyes had glowed in the moonlight was something he could not forget. She was unlike anyone he had ever met, yet something in her presence felt… familiar.
"Seraphina," he whispered to the wind, testing the name he had overheard her utter in his half-dreaming state the night before. It felt foreign and sacred all at once, like the name of a goddess.
But she couldn't be real. Could she?
Eric had grown up hearing stories of dragons — powerful, ancient beings who ruled the skies and whose noble houses governed half the continent. They were creatures of legend, capable of taking human form when they wished. Yet no one in Drakenvale had seen one in generations. To think that the woman he met could be one of them… it was madness.
And yet, when he remembered the faint shimmer of scales on her cheek beneath the moonlight — the faint gleam of horns beneath her silvery hair — the thought did not seem so far-fetched.
As the wind rustled through the grass, he sat by the river and stared at his reflection. He looked ordinary — rough brown hair, simple clothes, hands calloused from work in the fields. Next to a being like her, he was less than nothing.
He sighed and dipped his fingers into the cool water, letting it slip through his hands.
"Why am I even thinking about her?" he murmured. "She's probably gone. Someone like that… wouldn't remember me."
A soft ripple disturbed the water. Then another. The air grew strangely warm, and the soft scent of jasmine and smoke drifted around him.
Eric froze. Slowly, he lifted his gaze.
Across the river, through the thinning mist, a figure appeared — tall, graceful, radiant beneath the morning sun. Her silver hair cascaded over her shoulders like liquid moonlight, and her gown of white and gold shimmered with each step she took. The soft curve of her horns caught the light, elegant rather than monstrous, and her long, pointed ears peeked delicately through her hair.
It was her.
"Seraphina…" he whispered, barely believing it.
She smiled faintly, her golden eyes glinting like molten sunlight. "Eric of Drakenvale," she said, her voice soft yet commanding. "You wander close to forbidden waters."
He stood quickly, heart pounding in his chest. "You came back."
Her expression shifted — a hint of surprise, perhaps even amusement. "Did you think I would vanish like a dream?"
"I thought…" He hesitated. "I thought maybe you were a dream. Or something I wasn't meant to see."
She stepped closer, her bare feet touching the river's surface without sinking, sending out gentle ripples that shimmered with light. "Perhaps both are true."
Eric stared, speechless. The way she moved was otherworldly, her presence both gentle and commanding. It was as if the air itself bent around her in reverence.
He swallowed hard. "You shouldn't be here. If anyone sees you—"
"They won't." Her tone was calm, confident. "The mists obey me. To human eyes, I am nothing but air and light."
For a moment, they simply stood there, separated by the river's narrow width yet bound by something neither could name.
"You saved me last night," she said quietly. "You could have left me to die, yet you didn't. Why?"
He hesitated. "Because no one deserves to die alone. Not even a… noble."
Her lips curved into a faint smile. "A noble? Is that what you think I am?"
"I'm not sure what you are," Eric admitted. "But you're not… just human."
Her laughter was soft, like wind chimes stirred by a gentle breeze. "You're perceptive. Most mortals wouldn't have noticed."
"So it's true," he said. "You're… a dragon."
Her eyes glimmered — not with anger, but with something unreadable. "I am Lady Seraphina Drakonis, daughter of the High Wyrm Lord of the Aurelian Court."
Eric felt his breath catch. The Drakonis name was ancient, older than any human kingdom. Legends said their ancestors had forged mountains and tamed storms. To stand before one of their kind was both a miracle and a death wish.
He bowed instinctively. "Forgive me. I didn't—"
"Do not bow," she interrupted gently. "You saved my life. That grants you honor, not punishment."
He straightened, still nervous. "Then why do you look so sad?"
Her golden eyes softened, and for a moment the proud nobility in her gaze melted into something vulnerable. "Because even gratitude can be forbidden. My father would see this—our meeting—as treason."
Eric frowned. "Treason? For speaking to a human?"
"For being seen as… less than untouchable," she said softly. "Our kind live by rules older than the sun. To consort with mortals is to taint one's blood. To fall in love…" She stopped herself abruptly.
Eric's heart skipped. "To fall in love?" he echoed.
She looked away, her cheeks faintly flushed. "Forget I said that. You wouldn't understand."
"Maybe I wouldn't," he said, smiling faintly, "but I'd like to try."
Her gaze returned to him, wary yet curious. "You're bold for a farmer."
"Maybe," Eric said. "Or maybe I just don't know when to be afraid."
For the first time, she laughed — a soft, musical sound that made his chest ache with warmth.
The wind picked up around them, carrying petals from the trees upstream. They floated between them, glowing faintly as they caught the morning light.
For a time, words were unnecessary. They stood there in silence, two beings from different worlds connected by something fragile yet undeniable.
Then, the moment shattered.
A deep, resonant horn sounded from the heavens — a low, thunderous call that made the air tremble. Birds scattered from the treetops. The river stirred violently, as if in fear.
Seraphina's face paled. "No…"
"What is it?" Eric asked.
"My father's sentries," she whispered. "They've realized I've left the Sky Citadel."
Her form shimmered faintly, her control over her human guise flickering. For a brief second, her eyes glowed like molten gold and faint lines of light traced her skin — scales beneath skin.
"You have to go," she said urgently. "If they find you near me, they'll think you bewitched me."
Eric stepped closer. "Wait—will I see you again?"
She hesitated, torn between fear and longing. "If fate is kind."
"That's not enough," he said, his voice breaking slightly. "Tell me where to find you."
Her expression softened, sadness shadowing her beauty. "Follow the whisper of scales," she said quietly. "When the river sings beneath the silver moon, you will find me there."
And before he could ask what she meant, she lifted her hand — a swirl of golden mist surrounded her, glowing brighter until it blinded him. When the light faded, she was gone.
Only the faint echo of her voice lingered in the wind.
Eric stood alone by the river, his heart pounding with awe, fear, and something deeper — a spark that refused to die.
Above the clouds, unseen by mortal eyes, a shadow stirred. Massive wings blotted out the rising sun, and a voice like thunder rumbled through the heavens.
"The daughter of Drakonis consorts with a mortal," the voice hissed. "She brings shame to our blood."
Lightning cracked across the sky. The clouds darkened.
And far below, in the small, peaceful village of Drakenvale, Eric looked toward the horizon — unaware that the world itself had begun to turn against their love.