Lexi's heart felt like it had stopped as she was stunned into silence and she took in the sight before her. She had no idea when they had last seen each other because of her fractured memories but deep down, her heart knew and recognised the loss that she had suffered for all those years.
The flickering torches filled the cavern with an almost otherworldly light, refracted and magnified by Bella's deep purple, pearlescent scales that seemed to shimmer through a myriad of hues as the light danced across her body.
She clutched at Orynn's hand as his chest rumbled soothingly beside her and he helped her to her feet. Her chest was tight with emotion as he led her closer, her breath caught in her throat and robbing her of the ability to utter the words that she wanted to.
The enormous dragon, her heart-bound companion, truly was breathtaking and the guilt she felt at having forgotten her was indescribable.
Bella's scales glistened like a field of amethysts kissed by the first light of dawn, gleaming and pulsing with a life of their own as her colossal chest rose and fell steadily, casting intricate patterns of iridescent reflections across the room. She was just as beautiful as she remembered, if not more.
The chains that held Bella did nothing to diminish her almost regal beauty, but they underscored the heart-wrenching years of separation that filled Lexi's chest in that moment.
If she had been around, would this have been prevented? Would Bella still have been free if she had stayed with Lexi?
Before she knew what had happened, she was face to face with Bella, her snout only inches from Lexi's face and her hands trembled as she reached out to brush her fingers along Bella's immense, scaled cheek.
The dragon's eyes, pools of ancient wisdom and boundless love, met hers unfalteringly, her intelligence and understanding swirling within those deep, obsidian orbs and Lexi saw recognition and a longing that mirrored her own.
"Bella, I'm so sorry I disappeared…it wasn't through choice…I…" Lexi whispered, hiccuping through her tears.
"Hush Lexi…I know. Eromaug explained what had happened before he chained me here in my misery. None of this is your fault. We were both caught in a web of fate that there was simply no escaping."
Silent tears streamed down Lexi's face as they drank the sight of each other in, but she couldn't help but smile through her overwhelming joy.
She had been reunited with her Bella, the tiny little scampering dragon that she had clearly spent so much time with as a child and teenager, and the bond that they had forged all those years ago sang in her heart loudly.
It was as if they had never been away from one another and the room seemed to hum with their rekindled connection, with Orynn's chest thrumming alongside theirs as Lexi rested her forehead against Bella's snout.
They savored this moment together, each of them delighting in each other's closeness and saying more with their silence than words ever could.
Orynn stayed nearby, a serene expression on his face as he hung back and Lexi frowned as she realized that even without any discernible words in his humming and occasional chirruping, she still felt as though she could understand his intent.
"Bella…I can hear Orynn," Lexi murmured with wide eyes, turning to look into the serene face of Bella's son, "But I don't understand his words. Idf that makes sense. It's almost as though I can understand his emotions…"
"Yes, Orynn lacks the ability for human speech presently." Bella replied, her voice tinged with a cold fury that was unmistakable, "Narcissa robbed him of that when she took one of my eggs and twisted it to her liking.However, he shares a small portion of the bond that we have imprinted on each other Lexi, as do all of my children."
"All of them?" Lexi said with a little laugh of incredulity, "How many children do you have?!"
Bella inclined her head as a satisfied rumble reverberated in the cavern around them, the sounds of the chain grating across the floor providing a stark contrast that reminded them of her captivity.
"I have laid many clutches over the years, although I have not been allowed to keep all of them." Bella rumbled sadly.
"They took your children? Why?!" Lexi gasped in horror.
Bella lowered her head to rest on her front legs and let out a long breath as she considered her reply.
"Because why not? I am nothing to them except a beast that served to entice you here. I prayed for your return Lexi…but at the same time, I hoped that you did not because I knew that you would be enslaved here…as I have been."
"Oh Bella, " Lexi breathed, her heart pulling painfully for the grief that radiated outwards from her, "I'm so sorry…if I had known…"
"If you had known there would have been nothing that you could have done to rectify this anyway." Bella answered curtly.
"You don't know that! My father could have…"
"Your father erased me from your memory with no care for what became of me," Bella hissed furiously before sighing heavily, "I understand why he did what he did though. It is no matter, it's in the past now and we cannot undo what has been done."
"But...you said you outranked Narcissa," Lexi frowned, "How is it that you are chained here and she is free to come and go as she pleases."
Bella snorted, tossing her great head imperiously.
"It's not hard to outrank a wraith. At least I still have value and besides, Eromaug promised me my freedom once you returned to him."
Lexi froze as her words sank in.
She had no intention of 'returning to Eromaug', or doing anything else with him for that matter and her physical reaction to Bella's statement had not gone unnoticed.
"Lexi? What's wrong?"
Lexi swallowed nervously as she looked up at Bella. How was she supposed to tell her this? A million emotions swirled within her as Bella's gaze weighed heavily on her, crushing her under its weight and before long, Lexi succumbed.
"Bella…I need to tell you something," she said softly as she licked her lips, "I don't want to be with Eromaug…it's wrong…on so many levels."
"I know Lexi, but sometimes…we cannot change the hand that fate has dealt us. Sometimes, we have to make the best out of a bad situation."
Lexi's brows furrowed deeply as she took a step back from her and stared at her.
"No, Bella. Fate doesn't get the final say in my life. I make my own fate, I always have." Lexi answered her firmly, "I have no intention of giving in to Eromaugs demands, now or ever, but I promise you this, I will do everything that I can to set both you and your children free."
"Lexi..." Bella choked back a sob as she saw her freedom rapidly slipping out of her grasp.
"No, Bella. I can do this. It might take a little time, but be patient with me, okay? I already lost you once and I swear that it won't happen again." Lexi smiled as she rushed forward and wrapped her arms as far around her gigantic snout as she could, "It's you and me forever missy, whether you like it or not."
Lexi snorted suddenly as she stepped back and squinted up at her.
"Is something wrong?" Bella asked tentatively.
"No," Lexi snorted again as she shook her head, "Aside from the obvious, of course. I was just wondering how badly Allen and Greyson were going to lose their minds when I bring you home to them," She sniggered, the thought sparking a faint light of hope deep within her heart.
She could get through this. She had to.
Seeing that reaction from both of her mates would be worth more than her weight in gold.