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Elodie had never thought about what weddings would look like in other parts of the world.
It was that curiosity, that spark to learn something new, that she had focused on during her wedding to Prince Henry. A way to suppress the doubt she herself felt, and the warning of her step-mother. She had never seen the woman like this before. Frightened, serious. All glimmers of her usual joy and love for life hidden underneath dread she could not quite explain.
Maybe things would be better if Elodie had listened to her.
Maybe not, given the ruthlessness and relentlessness of these people.
And yet, Elodie now stood in the same spot she stood in a day or two before.
Surrounded by almost the same decor used at her own wedding to Henry.
Flowers red, the colour of love, of passion, and a sign of the fertile ground this country had to produce such flowers all year long. The golden details of sheer unending wealth were proudly displayed wherever they could be. Clothes lavish, made to decorate the bride and groom instead of any practicality beyond that.
None of that truly mattered to Elodie.
For in her homeland, where the cold ruled more months than it did not, where both heat and food were scarce in the worst of times, pretty things did not matter. Instead, whichever house was better off would provide a bonfire. The longer it burned, the stronger the marriage would be.
Watching how the royal family and all those standing by them were set aflame, together with all they had built upon the base of their treachery, by the dragon felt more of a marriage vow than Elodie's last one.
A vow forged with fire and death.
One Elodie would never break as long as she lived.
The dragon had yet to tell Elodie her name, despite that she wanted to bring her heat to the frozen landscape of Elodie's home.
"My presence is the only thing protecting this island from the same cold your home is wrapped up in," the dragon had told her. "It was why they did not try to end me."
"What about your children?" Elodie could not help but ask. For even now, the dragon had jealously guarded the dead bodies of her three hatchlings.
"I have sealed every entrance accessible to man, and turned the caves into a tomb that all innocent killed within may finally find peace." She lowered her head slightly to look at Elodie. "Peace I might have denied them forever were it not for you, El-o-die."
Elodie shivered at the playfully drawn out pronunciation of her name. A shiver which had quite a different origin to the one that was sent through her the first time she heard her name said that way. She wanted to reach out, to feel those warm scales beneath her hands again, just as she had when Elodie placed the glowing snails on her.
Instead, she smiled, hoping it conveyed her feelings.
Elodie watched from a safe distance as the dragon tore the ground open with sharp claws and carefully filled the resulting hole with flames.
Her breath caught in her chest as heat washed over her face. Even from where she was standing, she could feel the heat warming the ground beneath her feet. Frost gave way to the mud normally only experienced during the first few days of the warmest months. When the snow and ice melted, and left them with clear warm water that created rivers down towards the valleys.
But this was so much more, meant so much more.
She knew it.
And her people knew it, too.
Elodie could hear them mumbling lowly as they slowly neared the lake of fire. Gasps of disbelief and relief as the aches of the cold were temporarily banished from their bodies. Their movements, their words, were those of worship.
For the heat.
For the dragon.
For Elodie.
For their marriage.
As there was no bigger bonfire that had ever been lit before.
Elodie felt her muscles protest with how wide she smiled. Her hand automatically closed around a smaller one as her sister stepped up beside her. Both of them taking in the joy of their people after so many long months of misery. A bright future once more in sight for them.
Her gaze wandered back to the dragon, only to find her glowing eyes already on Elodie. "Thank you," she said, hoping to be heard without raising her voice.
She must be, as the dragon nodded her head. Bright eyes wandered over the surrounding mountains until they settled on one. The dragon took off towards it, to make a new home.
Elodie was left behind, wondering how one would tell a dragon that they were viewed as married.
It was not the dragon's first visit since she brought an early yet lasting melting season, yet it was the first one in a long time that they were truly alone. A sunny day, as Elodie wandered through a field of growing saplings. A forest to take the place she herself had helped cut down until nothing but stumps were left in their desperation.
"El-o-die," the dragon teased.
Elodie had no time to react before the dragon's tail swept her off her feet and cradled her within its hold. Long gone was the strength and intent that broke both bone and stone underneath its might. Only awfully soft movements that had her relaxing into hard scales as the dragon settled down beside her.
"Your people are behaving strangely around me."
"That is because they view you as a goddess worthy of worship for keeping the cold at bay."
"They treat you differently as well."
Elodie swallowed down the nervousness when facing the dragon she felt for the first time in months. "Because for my people, creating a big fire is part of our weddings, of our vows. The bigger and longer burning the fire, the stronger the marriage."
The dragon tilted her head, clearly amused. "Is that so?"
"Yes."
She huffed out a laugh. "Then, as one of the rulers of this realm, I order for there to be bigger cattle. I would love some cows as a regular food supply."
"You shall have your cows as soon as we have recovered from the last winter." She tilted her head as the tail caressed her face. "Will you ever tell me your name?"
"It is not something you can understand as you are now."
"Then... what should I call you until then?"
The dragon hummed. "Whatever you believe would fit."
Wherever Elodie went, whatever she did, possible names for her dragon were her constant companion.
Yet, she only settled on one when her step-mother approached her.
"The people are wondering what to call her," she said.
"Ava," left Elodie's lips before she could think further on it. The name felt right, and suddenly, she could not even consider another. "Her name is Ava."
Ava was the name written in all the records. The name that was woven into the tapestry of Elodie's family tree next to Elodie's own name. The name that was sung by the people in their prayers.
Elodie rested on the charred stone of the mountain Ava had claimed as her new domain. Exhausted, yet finally able to relax away from the busywork of her new daily life. Ava was curled around her, the heat of her body drove away the aches within Elodie's own.
"I hear them call me Ava. What does it mean?"
"It means a few things, like the strong one, while others would take it to mean the little bird."
Ava growl rumbled through the cavern, causing birds to flee.
"Though, I thought it fitting for a different meaning." Elodie turned to Ava, captured those glowing eyes that were always focused on her, that had heat curling within her. "The desired one," she breathed. "For that is how I want you to be viewed here: as someone we are happy to share our land with, and not some sort of demon meant to be pacified with sacrifices."
"And for how long would those sentiments last?"
"I will personally make sure they will not change for as long as I live, and even beyond that."
Ava huffed out a wave of warm air. She gently bumped her nose against Elodie. "We shall see, El-o-die."
The changes were so slow, Elodie did not notice them for years.
The heat that became her constant companion she had simply traced back to the warmth that now ruled their lands, instead of something originating from inside her. Her slow ageing she had pushed on what she remembered of her mother, as she had retained her youthful features for a long time. Yet, there was no denying that her younger sister started to look older than her. Nor that she was not as easily cut or hurt any more.
"What is happening to me?" She asked Ava.
Ava lazily looked her up and down. "The gift of being my wife is taking a hold of you. Though, it will still be a long time until you are ready to be truly mine."
"What does it entail?"
"It mostly changes your body to adapt to my strength and lifespan. Anything beyond that is up to our choosing."
Elodie thought back to those days. "When did you even give me this?" No moment really stood out to her, yet it had to have happened then.
"You earned it when you showed me mercy and healed me. It is the base for any dragon's bond - the opposite of what we are usually known for." Ava moved her head closer, until one big eye was within Elodie's roach. "We were married by dragon laws before I lit the fires your people view as marriage vows."
Elodie ran her hands appreciatively over the scales underneath Ava's eye. Pressed her lips to them in soft, quick kisses. "Then, I will look forward to the day you believe me to be ready."
"Excited, are you not?"
"I have been married twice and have yet to have a wedding night."
Ava hummed. "We will fix that then."
The day came long after the first strands of gray had appeared in her sister's hair. When the glint of fire had started to light up Elodie's eyes.
Elodie found herself on top of an alter of molten stone covered in layers of animal pelts, completely bared to Ava's appreciative gaze. Ava rumbled low in her chest, and Elodie instinctively knew it to be Ava's true name. Another rumble, another name. A shiver wrecked her body at the knowledge that it was the dragon name Ava had given her.
Wetness started to collect between her legs. A wetness which Ava was all too eager to lick up with her big tongue. Elodie moaned, arched her back and spread her legs further. The tip of Ava's tongue sunk into her before it quickly retreated to lick over the rest of her body. Over her stomach, over her breasts, up to her face where Elodie stuck out her own tongue. She moaned at the mixture of fire, death and herself.
The tip of Ava's tail rubbed between her legs. Spread her wetness. Elodie settled her feet on some of the tail's scales, and with one crude movement forced it to sink into her.
She let out a scream of pleasure at being filled for the first time. Ava's growl shook the mountain. She licked over the place they were connected as she started to thrust her tail in and out of Elodie. The hunger inside her only seemed to grow with every movement, with every noise that escaped Elodie's lips. She tilted her head, and gave Elodie access to all the spots that made her feel good.
All too soon, Elodie found herself reaching completion. Yet, already she found her stamina replenishing. This night was far from over.
"My El-o-die."
"My Ava."