Cursed Blessing

The crowd listening to the tail had grown silent. The teller stood there tears wet on her cheeks. A girl’s voice rose from the quiet. "Stories are supposed to have happy endings."
The woman looked at her. "Life does not always have happy endings child."
“That is not exactly how I remember it” a male voice came from the very rear of the crowd.

She froze at the voice, a voice that she should not have heard. Some of the crowd turned to see who had spoken. She didn’t dare look. She couldn’t. Her son turned and stepped in front of her to confront who had said such a thing.

“Who are you to criticize a story that you know nothing about!?!” the young man demanded as he looked at the hooded man making his way to the front of the crowd.
“Because…” the man pulled down the hood and smiled at him. “I was there… my son”

She closed her eyes and shook her head. It wasn’t possible. She gripped her son's shirt and dared to take a look at the man. She gasped, her body went weak, and she would have fallen had she not been holding onto him. "Christian?"

“In the flesh” he said and smiled at his mate. “You look lovely even in your advanced age” a gentle squeak was heard from under the cloak on his right shoulder. “Oh, I’m sorry little one” he said and removed the cloak completely. On his shoulder laid a young baby dragon, its big eyes looking at the crowd with curiosity, its tail wrapped around his neck for comfort, the small wings stretched slightly.

"They hatched." She released her grip and walked up to him, unable to believe he was real. She touched his chest then his face. "It is really you." She looked at the small dragon and smiled. "How? How can you be standing here?"

“You remember the dragon telling us about the hibernation thing?” he placed his open pawl on the head of the baby dragon and it squeaked in enjoyment.

"Yes. You've been in hibernation all this time? I knew I should have went back."

“Yes, it was the price I had to pay for removing the curse from you. I had to stay in hibernation for many years. I think I would still be there if it wasn’t for our scaly friend, she brought me back, to my surprise, the eggs had hatched and as a dragon knight, I was given the strongest of the new generation of dragons. This cute little thing is sapphire, I named her that because of her beautiful eyes”

She tickled the dragon under its chin. "I cannot believe my own eyes." The crowd murmured and some had tears watching them. "Oh." She turned to look at their son. "It’s alright, it really is him." she looks back at him. "Our son, your gift left for me that I have cherished every day."

The young man slowly walked up to the man with the dragon, he had only heard tales of his father, his father had been like a beacon of light to strive after. A man so courageous, so brave and so just that it would put most super heroes to shame. It wasn’t long before the young man buried himself in his father’s arms; Christian only smiled and enjoyed the feel of his son there.

“I had a feeling I wouldn’t come back and I knew one way or another, the curse would be lifted. I wanted a child with you so badly and I felt that it was time to get our self our love child”
Christian extended one of his arms, opening his arms to join the embrace. The young man was actually crying with joy.

She embraced them both. Her family was complete. "I never thought I would ever see this day. I had dreamed of it but knew it was just a dream until now."

“I am here now and I am not going to leave you side ever again. But I have a question”

"Ask. Please. I've starved for the sound of your voice for so long."

“Why did you make yourself an old lady? You were so beautiful when I last saw you, and you know what powers you have over me” he grinned at her. “Oh, and do me a favor and call out that imp of yours”

"I'm an old lady because that is what I am. We have to age or those not like us will wonder and I really didn’t feel like become a science project. As for him." calls the imp

“You called my…” he was cut short when Christian’s fingers wrapped around his tiny neck.
“Hello there, Mr. Imp. I hear you took some liberties in my absence and I am now going to make you pay the price of your dishonor” the creature squirmed and cried for help as he knew he was going to lose something he couldn’t live without. Without hesitation, Christian grabbed both the imp’s wings and ripped them from his back. The Imp screamed in pain.

He then let the creature fall to the ground as he ate the wings to signal his dominance. “I will warn you again, ANY more perverted moves or words out of you and I will eat you next time. Now you know my word is true”

She gapped at them. "Christian, for shame, that was a long long time ago." She picked up the poor imp and ran a hand over his wound healing him. "But you were warned."

“The age of the warning and the sin does not matter. The punishment is the same; no one does that to my mate. Ever… he looked at her and how she cared for the creature. “I am still your mate right?” he had a worried tone in his voice.

She handed the imp to her son and smiled at him. "Always have you been and always will you be my mate."

"We have a lot of time to make up for mate."

“Yes, so much to do and I don’t know where to start” he grinned at her as he escorted her away from the fire. “You coming son?” he asked over his shoulder, and the young man ran after them.