Here you go guys, it's a bit short sorry xx

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CIRCE

I rose from the ocean, standing on the sandy floor only a few hundred meters out from shore with my head just breaking the surface. My eyes found the devastated village that I had last left smouldering in ashes. My heart beat a little faster as I noticed people moving around the still ruined buildings. There were survivors! I could see that all of the fires had been completely extinguished and high up on the hill I could make out the mansion, still standing and apparently unscathed. Maybe that had been where they had escaped to?

From this far away I couldn't make out any specific figures but I knew I had to get closer, just to see ... I felt my heart squeeze tight for a moment and I reached up a hand involuntarily to clutch at my chest. To imagine the alternative ... I shook my head and tried not to think about it.

Suddenly I sensed a large mass approaching from the ocean behind me, it's size was so immense that I momentarily lost my breath, a feeling of fear creeping up and down my spine. My eyes squeezed shut as I felt the form shrink and I forced down the lump that had built in my throat, knowing that it could only be one person. But it was just so hard to accept. I had never felt such power before, in fact I had but only in the presence of one other ... could this really be happening? Had this really happened to him?

He appeared suddenly, his breath lingering on my bare shoulders. He did not speak but I could feel his gaze burning into my back and the heat radiating off his skin enough to bridge the small space that was left between our bodies.

"You could lie to me," I said softly, my eyes still closed. "You could lie to me now; you could tell me that it isn't true."

"But it is true Princess." His voice was harsh. "Before this I was only a monster on the inside, easy enough to hide, but now my body matches my soul and there is no façade left to cover the cracks. It is up to you to decide if one is better than the other, but know that that does not change what I have become."

My eyes opened and I turned around to face him. His face was hard and bitter as he looked down at me, his golden eyes scanning my features. Every now and then his eyes would flicker and take on the lizard like slits that I had seen before, but had just brushed off as a trick of the light.

"I am not worthy of you anymore, not that I was in the first place. You are the beauty and now I am truly a beast." His hand appeared from below the water, his fingers lingering inches away from my face as though there was a barrier there that he could not cross. His eyes flashed again and the moonlight streamed down on his angelic face, highlighting the scar that cut through his skin. "The world is so cruel. I was given a second chance to be with you, but the consequences of such a choice ..." His hand dropped back into the water with a splash.

I felt my emotions rise to the surface as I looked over him in all of his anger. Because he was angry, I could see it in the way that he was standing, in the way that he held himself, even with water coming up to the base of his neck. He was angry, so angry, all the time, even now when we should be happy, he was angry, because he was scared of what had been done to him, scared because he couldn't control this new power yet. I could see it there in his constantly changing eyes, he couldn't control it. He didn't know how. I don't think he had ever really known.

My hands reached for him but he caught my wrists, his face dark. "Do not pity me." He snarled.

Before he could stop me, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. His hands tightened on my wrists for a moment before his grip slackened and he let go, his arms winding around my waist as he pulled me closer to deepen the kiss. I gripped the side of his face as we drew away from each other slightly, our noses brushing as we did and a light blush coloured my cheeks, indistinguishable in the darkness.

The words slipped off my tongue and I felt as though I had spoken them before, but whether it had been to him, or to reassure my own self, I couldn't remember.

"You are not a monster."

His lips twitched upwards for a second, his reply softer than my own.

"If you say those words often enough they might actually come true."

I pulled away from him, breaking his grasp on my waist although his hands lingered, reaching out as though to pull me back.

"You need to come with me." I began swimming for the shore and felt him reluctantly follow after.

We kept out of sight as we approached, hiding in the shadowed water under the pier. I paused for a moment, scanning the people up on the shore and felt him stop right behind me, the bare skin of his chest brushing against my back. I flushed.

"Is something wrong?"

I shook my head. "No, it's fine. Let's get a little closer."

"Why don't you just reveal yourself, wouldn't that be faster?"

She looked at me, first with surprise and then realization. "I forgot you weren't there. I would have, but my departure was a little questionable to say the least. These people won't trust me now."

"Then why have we come?"

I glared at him before turning back to scan the beach. And then suddenly ...

"Daddy!"

"Alice, there you are, stay close to me where it's safe alright?"

I gasped, tears filling my eyes. They were all right! I watched as the little girl ran towards her Father, a wide smile on her face in spite of the grim situation. Arthur scooped her up and spun her around, clutching her close to him. I found myself moving forward without realising and Obsidian laid a hand on my shoulder, bringing me back to reality.

"She's alive." The tears overflowed, dripping down my face to meet with the ocean. The relief that I felt was incomprehensible. I hadn't expected to feel this strongly at all. "I have to see her," I whispered, starting forwards again. "I don't care what they think of me, I have to."

*

OBSIDIAN

She slipped out from under my grasp and I let her. She disappeared under the surface of the water and after a few minutes I saw her surface, over at the other side of the shore. Her face was turned towards the man and his daughter and where they stood on the beach. I could just make her out as her mouth opened and suddenly a soft, magical note pierced the evening air, the sweet, sweet sound echoing through my ears. My eyes widened a little and I stared at her. Had that been what I thought it was? I had never heard that before.

I looked back to the two humans and saw that the little girl had seemed to be the only other one who had heard the sound. She had climbed down out of her Father's arms and was running through the sand towards Circe.

I watched as her form rose out of the water, still in-cased in my sodden shirt and disappeared swiftly into the forest, just above the shore. The Father had followed after his daughter and it was then that I decided to follow.

Sinking below the water I swam to where they were and surfaced to observe them. We were far enough away that the other humans would not be able to see the interaction. The little girl was running through the sand and then suddenly she stopped, turning to face the jungle.

Circe stepped out, sinking to her knees in the sand. Her whisper was easy for my sensitive ears to hear.

"Alice, it's me."

"Circe? Is that really you?"

The little girl squealed and ran into her arms. There was a weird feeling in my heart as I watched the reunion. Circe had picked the child up, holding her close to her body and suddenly she began to cry.

My eyes widened with shock. She meant that much to her?

"Oh Alice, I am so glad you are safe."

The child's small hands were intertwined around her neck and Circe's hands ran through her hair and down her back as though she was checking for physical injury.

My eyes narrowed as I saw the Father quickly approaching. He was tall and well built, young for a parent. Was this the man who had been taking care of Circe? What did 'taking care of' entail exactly. Had she found comfort in him? My teeth ground together and I forced myself to stay put as he called out.

"Alice? Who is that? Alice, you shouldn't just ..." He slowed to a halt as he recognised the person his daughter had found. "Circe ... is that you?"

Circe had turned, the child still in her arms. "Yes, Arthur, it's me."

I stiffened as I heard the familiarity in her tone.

"Alice, come here now. You need to get away from her. She is not who you think she is."

"Arthur please-"

His voice was trembling. "Please put my daughter down now."

Circe looked torn, but she bent down to place the child on the ground. "I'm sorry Alice." She held the girls hands tightly for a moment before letting her go.

"Alice, come here."

The girl leaned up to whisper something in Circe's ear before stumbling back to her Father. He picked her up, clutching her tightly.

"Why have you come back here?"

"Arthur," Circe's hand was outstretched. "I just wanted to make sure that you were safe, after all that you have done for me, I would never be able to forgive myself if something had happened to you."

"Is that so," His voice was dark. "Well something did happen to us Circe. We may be alive but many of our friends perished in that fire, our home is gone, and it is all because you forced us to let that beast go. You did this. Now you need to leave, before I tell others that you are here."

Her hand was still extended, but her fingers were trembling. I waited for her to explain, that it hadn't been her, it had been me, but she said nothing. How hard was it for her to hear these words coming from him I wondered? If she had been so worried for their safety they must have done something to earn those feelings from her. How painful was it now to be accused by those that she had trusted.

"Go!"

I could take it no longer. "That's enough."

I waded out of the water, walking up the beach towards her and taking her in my arms when I reached her side. I leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Let us go."

"Who are you?"

I looked towards the man and the child that clung to him, as though he was strong enough to protect her from all evil and even though I could see the fear in his eyes at my appearance he stood his ground.

I ignored his question and turned back to Circe. "You have done what you came for. Now we must go."

She looked away from me. "Very well,"

We walked back to the water and she didn't glance back as we waded out of the shallows and into the deep until the ocean swallowed us whole. The two figures on the beach were left gazing after us, fear lingering in the Fathers heart and wonderment in the child's.

*

We swam until we were far away from shore and then I caught her arm, forcing her to stop. "Circe if that was the way he insisted on treating you then I don't understand why- "

She pulled away from me, hiding her eyes. Her voice trembled as she spoke. "Don't you see Obsidian? You are blaming him, but he only said what he said in relation to the event that he thought I was responsible for. Even if I had told him the truth, he wouldn't have believed me and that isn't his fault!"

Suddenly she was glaring at me. "How is he expected to understand our world when he has only seen the side that leaves humans running in fear? You attacked these people thinking of them as a means to an end, but you didn't stop for one moment to think about who you might be hurting, directly and indirectly. What if I hadn't disappeared on Anthemin before you had arrived? You could have burned me alive."

I was shocked as I looked at her angry face. My mouth opened but I didn't know what to say.

"He is not to blame Obsidian; it all comes back to you in the end. To what you did. I bet you never thought that you would end up hurting me, but if they had died, if they had been killed by your hands ... well I'm not sure what I would have done. But I know that this was a choice that you made, whether or not you were hurting, I was hurting just as much. But I didn't resort to this."

We held each other's gaze and I wanted to feel angry. I wanted to turn my face away from her, to tell her that she couldn't lecture me, to tell her that she didn't know me. But I couldn't. For the first time in a long time, I felt ashamed.

"Circe, I-"

Her wide blue eyes were watery. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

She disappeared below the surface of the water and I felt her swim away. I waited for it to come, the burning rage at being scolded; normally I would fly into a fury but this time ...

The image of her clutching that child sprung into my mind. She had been holding her as though the girl had been her own, and her face ... she had been so relieved. I tried to picture what that perfect face would have looked like if she had found the same girl dead, tiny body covered by a white sheet, face lifeless and cold. I couldn't imagine it, it was just too painful. And I would have been the one to cause that pain.

The silent evening air was stifling. I could still sense her and unable to be alone with myself any longer I transformed, taking to the sky this time to follow after her.

*

I found her on a beach around the coast, sitting in the sand with her head tilted back as she looked up at the setting sun. I shifted back into the form she knew, unwilling to surprise her, and approached cautiously from behind.

On the way here I had had some time to think more about what she had said and I knew she was right. I sank to my knees in the sand behind her, my hands reaching for the warmth and security of her body. I pulled her back into my chest before she could resist and she let out a soft gasp of surprise. Her short hair tickled my face as I whispered in her ear.

"I am sorry, truly. Please forgive me."

I tried not to growl at how pathetic I sounded and a light blush touched my cheeks as she turned, her beautiful blue eyes reflecting the colours of dusk back at me. I dipped my head and had the good grace to look ashamed.

Her slender fingers touched my stomach and I sighed as she leaned her head against my chest.

"I forgive you." Her voice was small.

I gathered her up onto my lap and cradled her gently as her face moved up to hide in the crook of my neck. I could feel her silent tears kissing my skin and I ran my fingers up and down her spine, breathing in the smell of her hair.

We stayed there for a long time.

*

"It's time for you to show me."

I looked at her warily. The morning had brought new purpose to Circe. She had always been like this, pushing on to the next obstacle, even if it had frightened her and behind that determination I knew that this did. I could see it there, the fear in her eyes and the last thing I wanted was for her to look at me with that same emotion.

"I don't think you're ready."

She stuck her tongue out at me, an attempt to lighten the mood and hide the truth I knew she felt when she heard those words. "You don't get to decide whether I'm ready or not."

I studied her stonily and sensing my reluctance she approached me, her fingers playing with the waistline of my pants. My shirt still covered her tiny frame and I couldn't help but chuckle at the two of us, each half dressed and looking like we had been isolated from civilisation for months.

"What are you laughing at?" Her fingers tickled the sensitive skin around my hips and I tugged her closer to me, lifting her up and letting her legs wind automatically around my waist.

"Are you sure you are ready for this?" I asked seriously, changing the subject.

Her face was earnest. "Yes."

I tried to shake away my anxiety as I teased her. "You want to see my fangs?"

Her eyes went a little wide as I bared my teeth and felt them grow longer, judging her reaction. I grinned at her and she laughed lightly.

"That's pretty scary."

My smile dropped and I felt my eyes flash. "You think so?"

She laughed again. "Not really, come on, that's not it is it?"

My hands started to change and she felt it, stiffening slightly. I held her with one clawed hand, bringing the other around so that she could see. She placed her palm against mine, feeling it as it transformed, the fingers lengthening and curling, the nails growing and curving into sharp hooks with a point that could slit any animal open from head to toe. And then the scales, the shiny black armour covered my skin, rattling as it formed and stopped just below my wrist.

Her eyes were wider now.

"Are you sure you want to see the rest?"

Her gaze flickered away from my hand to my face and it stayed there as she took in my eyes. I knew they had changed into the lizard slits that she was so used to seeing on her Dragon, and I knew that they were startling in my face. I had seen my reflection in the water many, many times.

She nodded, slowly at first, but then with more resolve.

"Then you had better get down," I whispered gently.

I let her slip from my grasp and her feet touched the sand, her arms still hanging loosely around my neck. Our lips were only millimetres apart and I felt her breath mix with mine as I told her to back away from me, removing my clothing as I did.

She obeyed and my eyes did not shift from hers as I embraced the shift, watching as she grew further away from me as I rose up, my neck stretching until my head swayed high above her. My front feet left massive welts in the sand, thick claws digging up the fine grains. My tail thumped and curled around my side and I stretched my wings out, momentarily blocking the sun and causing a massive gust of wind that blew back her hair and left her struggling to stand.

She threw up a hand to block the flying sand and I immediately dropped my wings to the side. I hadn't meant to do that. My neck curved as I lowered my giant head, stopping so close to her face that I could feel her breath against my snout. Gently I huffed out warm air from my nostrils, a grumbled rising up in my chest.

How could I tell her that I hadn't meant to scare her? That it was safe to open her eyes?

Shakily, she lowered her hand and slowly wonderment replaced the fear in her eyes as she saw how close she was to my face. I lowered my head further until it met warm sand, but still the top of my head reached her shoulders. I blinked at her with golden eyes, watching carefully as she stretched out her trembling fingers to make contact with the soft scales on my snout.

I closed my eyes and emitted a soft, rumbling purr that originated from deep in my throat. Her touch felt so good. I heard her breathless laugh and felt my scaly lips curl upwards in a dragonish smile.

"Can we talk like this?"

I didn't know.

She looked as though she was concentrating for a moment and then suddenly I jumped as I felt a presence push against my mind. The feeling was similar to how Zarska and I had communicated, but this touch was gentle instead of invasive and as I tentatively welcomed her into my mind I felt her thoughts wash over me tenderly.

Hello? Can you hear me? This is how Anthemin and I communicate; maybe we can do it too?

Hello Sweetheart.

I saw her shudder and recognised it easily as a shiver of pleasure by the faint blush on her cheeks. I smirked inwardly; I lived to make her blush like that.

That good huh?

Her blush darkened and she scowled at me.

I don't know what you're referring to.

Are you sure about that ... Princess?

My tail thumped and I moved my head to bump against her legs.

She stumbled a little and quick as a wink I pushed my nose between her legs, lifting my head up slightly so that her toes left the ground and she suddenly found herself sitting on the bridge of my nose. If there had been a blushing competition she would have taken 1st prize right then and there.

"Obsidian," She hissed, pulling my shirt down to cover herself. "Put me down."

I stared at her with hungry eyes. I had never seen her from this angle before, it really was enlightening.

You are so delectable; I could eat you right now. I thought in my naughtiest voice, flicking my tongue out to brush against her legs.

She squealed. "Obsidian stop it, put me down right now!"

I tried to sound pouty and suggestive at the same time. But don't you want to explore the rest of my body?

She smacked a hand down on my nose, still blushing. "Not like that! Now put me down."

I complied, although unwilling, and place her down, allowing her to scramble off, a little ungracefully and take a few steps back. I studied her as she studied me.

Well? What do you think?

Her blush was slowly fading as she redirected her attention to my new form. She moved forward to touch my feet and I followed her, bending my neck so I could watch her fully. Her hands ran up and down my legs, measuring the size of her hand next to one of my claws, (it was tiny in comparison,) and she bent over as she tried to lift it.

I smirked as she fell back panting and unsuccessful. "You are so much bigger than Anthemin," She said in amazement. "I bet you are almost as big as Unabonan, actually I thought that when I saw you two fighting."

I fought back a grin as I lowered my head until I looked her right in the eye.

I'll let you in on a little secret Darling. I purred seductively.

"What's that?" She asked, completely innocent.

I'm bigger than everybody.

I winked a giant eye at her and the blush was back in full force.

"Obsidian!" She shrieked. "I was being serious!"

I blinked at her. So was I.

"Hmph, you're hopeless." She marched off round the side of me and I followed her again, my neck stretching as I watched her inspect my hind legs and my tail, the latter which I playfully curled around her when she wasn't looking to lift up the back of my shirt and sneak a peek, much to her embarrassment of course.

I extended my wings for her obligingly, shielding her from the sunlight as she marvelled over the wide expanse of thin membrane that stretched between each wing bone. She scrutinized the hooks at each wing tip, and asked if I had used them yet. I replied that I had, they had come in handy during the fight with the so called Dragon Prince and were also good for grabbing holds that were too high up for my arms to reach.

She clambered up onto my back finally, examining the spikes that protruded from my spine, noting that neither Unabonan or Anthemin's were similar to my own.

"I wonder why that is?"

Well I am not exactly a normal dragon Love.

She lay back in the sand where she had come to rest, finally satisfied that she had seen everything. To be honest, I hadn't expected her inspection to be so thorough.

"Yeah I know, but it doesn't make it any less interesting." She tapped her chin. "Can you still communicate with Zarska, like how you did before?"

I shook my head once. No, but she is still there, her instincts and her knowledge. All of that is a part of me now.

"I understand. So that's why you were able to hold your own against Unabonan? That fight was pretty impressive you know, I know you don't like him but he isn't just any old dragon."

I rolled my eyes. I suppose. Are you finished then?

"Yes."

I shuddered, rolling my shoulders and shuffling my feet a little as I shrank back down, still not entirely comfortable with the feeling. It took mere seconds though and then I was standing in front of her again.

She threw what was left of my pants at me and I grinned.

"Is there a problem Princess?"

She scoffed. "Do you have to take your clothing off every time you shift? Doesn't that kind of remove the dramatic effect, if you have to strip every time you want to become a scary beastie?" She raised her hands and curled them into claws, baring her teeth at me and growling theatrically.

I laughed as I pulled on my pants before sitting down beside her and pulling her into my chest. "Well I can always just burst straight out of them, it's pretty dramatic."

"I suppose," She said thoughtfully. "So then, what is our next move?"

I sighed, leaning back in the sand and pulling her with me. All of our secrets were out in the open and I had nothing left to hide. For the first time in a long time, I felt something that could have resembled contentment.

"Well," I mused. "If you are sure that you don't want to return to your Mother, I would suggest that we stick to the original plan and head out to hunt down that idiotic brother of mine. Granted that he hasn't sunk his ship yet, I've never left him in charge before."

Circe laughed. "I sent Anthemin away to look for him, before I knew that you were the black dragon. I haven't been in contact with him, but our bond was restored – it should be as easy as reaching out to make contact."

"What will you tell him?"

She frowned. "I think I can trust him with everything, I have a feeling that Zarska had told him what you two were planning. Anthemin and I didn't see each other for very long though before we were separated again, and that topic wasn't really on my mind at the time."

I nodded. "Very well."

She smiled aimlessly at me and I felt myself grin in response. "What?"

"Time to let the world know you're alive. Are you excited?"

I chuckled and kissed her, letting her hear the words she wanted to hear and wishing that I could be convinced just as easily.

"Of course I am."

*