Valleus blinked, eyes slowly changing as he did. After a few times, his eyes were back to the haunting, yet gentle heather-gray Aushen was so familiar with. “Your… Highness?” Valleus asked in a daze. 

“Yes, it’s me- Aushen,” he replied, nodding strongly. He was about to ask what happened, but was cut off by an expression of relief washing over Valleus’ features. 

“Thank goodness you’re all right!” Valleus leaned forward as his muscles relaxed, his forehead tapping against Aushen’s shoulder. 

Aushen found himself smiling wistfully. No matter how much time had passed, or what exactly Valleus had become in his absence, he was still the same Valleus he’d treasured all these years. “Valleus,” the prince called softly, “can you tell me what happened? I remember I was in a cave with the people who’d attacked the caravan… their leader cut my hand, and I passed out after that.”

Remembering his wound, Aushen looked down at his left hand to see it wrapped in medicinal herbs and tied off with a piece of Valleus’ tunic. 

Valleus sat up, blushing slightly from realization at the position he’d just been in. “I saw you get taken by them, and followed them to rescue you. I was waiting for the right time to strike since I was alone, but when they cut you I felt that I had to act immediately. You passed out, and I charged in- luckily, the men in robes weren’t trained soldiers by any means. I pushed them aside, but got cut myself.” Valleus paused, holding up his scaly hand to show him. The palm was completely covered in scales, and no injury could be seen on it. “Then as I was removing your bindings and getting you out of the cave, I fell and broke their crystal. The old guy started screaming and all the candles and torches suddenly blew out, so I used the confusion as our chance to escape.”

The knight looked distant, as though replaying the memories in his mind. “After that, I was trying to get us to safety, but I…” he winced as he spoke. “I remember falling off the cliff. I just held on to you tightly to make sure you’d be safe but…” He blinked in confusion. “—but somehow we’re both okay…” He finished his story as a question, looking at Aushen inquisitively. 

Aushen bit his lip slightly, unsure of where to start. “So that’s all you remember?” He was met with a nod. Aushen glanced to the right, attempting to think of a way to broach the topic delicately. “Valleus, your injured hand… how is it now?”

Valleus smiled. “Surprisingly, there’s no pain at— huh?” As he held his hand up and clenched his fist a few times, he finally caught a glimpse of it. “Wh… what? What is this?” He stared at his own hand in confusion. He looked at his other hand and, sure enough, it looked the same as always, not a scale to be seen. But the left hand was most definitely inhuman. 

‘So he doesn’t know…’ Aushen thought to himself. “Valleus, I don’t mean to alarm you, but, well, that’s not the only strange thing about your body.”

Valleus’ eyes, filled with nervous confusion, met Aushen’s briefly. He quickly saw which direction Aushen was referring, and reached around his back with his right hand. 

His first instinct was to cry out, but as a trained knight, he was able to suppress it into a silent gasp. “What… What’s happened to me?” 

Aushen saw fear in Valleus’ eyes, and lay his right hand gently on Valleus’ shoulder. “I’m wondering the same thing…” A thought flashed across his mind, like the glimpse of something shiny hidden in the sand. “The man… When he pushed my hand against the crystal, I remember him saying that the Heart of the Dragon had been awakened. I think he was referring to that crystal. And you said you accidentally broke it?”

Valleus met his gaze more steadily thanks to Aushen’s comforting grasp. “Yes, I fell on it with the same hand they’d cut me with…” 

Blood, dragons, rituals, crystals. It all sounded like something out of a fairy tale, but it was clearly very real. Aushen had to assume that whatever ritual they’d been doing in there had accidentally affected Valleus. 

Valleus glanced around while Aushen traced his thoughts. “Actually, Your Highness, where are we? Did you set up this cave? We have roasted meat– and it’s even sliced!” As he spoke, he reached for a piece. 

Aushen scrunched his nose in thought. “That’s the other thing… I just woke up. The last thing I remember was that ritual.” They met confused and cautious glances. “Look, there’s even a poultice on my injured hand.” Aushen held it up for Valleus to see. 

“Oh, that’s snow-thistle, and crying clover! They’re excellent for treating wounds. I wonder who—“ Valleus reached the same conclusion Aushen did as he spoke. When their gazes met once more, they could see they agreed. “It must’ve been me.” Everything about the little cave was exactly how Valleus would’ve done it. The wings behind him explained their survival in spite of plummeting off the cliff. Though neither had any memory of the events, it was clear that the “Heart of the Dragon” within Valleus had saved their lives, and acted as Valleus would have to maximize their chances of survival; even down to the healing poultice. 

Valleus looked down. The concept of another consciousness living within him was entirely unsettling. How long would he be in control– and which situations would he not be? Would the dragon within him always act to his will? 

“Valleus,” Aushen called out to him, interrupting his spiraling anxiety. 

“Your Highness?” Valleus cocked his head in response. 

Aushen met him with a soft smile. “It’s good to see you again. I’ve rather missed you.”

Valleus let out a laugh, feeling his worries begin to melt away. “I’ve missed you too, Your Highness.”