~*~Part 9~*~
Sable found Aaronth exactly where she had left him. She didn't want to wake him, but she knew that he would want to know. She walked over to him and knelt beside the chair. "Aaronth," she said. Her voice was quiet but she knew he would hear her. She watched as his eyes opened and focused on her face. "I have something to tell you."
"What is it?" he asked. "Does it have something to do with what Thierry wanted to talk to you about?"
"Yes. He wanted to tell me the truth about my family. I didn't want to hear it, but I needed to know. I guess I should begin with the dreams."
"What dreams?" he asked. He helped her up and they moved to sit by the window. The night was falling fast, but he knew she wouldn't sleep until she told him everything. "I have been having strange dreams lately. I didn't think they were that important until you said Thierry had sent you to find me and bring me back here. The dreams were about the day we met." she said. Slowly she told him about the dream she had had that day. She also told him everything that Thierry had said to her. She was crying by the time that she was finished. "Why did they abandon me? I just can't understand why?"
Aaronth held her until she calmed down and then wiped the tears from her face. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I know how you feel."
"How could you know? You always said your family was dead," said Sable.
"They are dead, my love. At least to me. I think it's time to tell you about my family." he replied.
Sable sat in silence as he told her of the way he had lost his family. It amazed her to see him stay so calm and he spoke. The memories had to be painful to him.
"My family was a large clan of outcasts. We weren't related by blood, but by common hardships. The clan was lead by a woman, and was passed to her first daughter. My mother was the clan's leader when I was born. My father had been a member of the clan, until he decided to leave and try to live with the mortals. He wanted to forget who and what he was. He was the last of his kind. The last living dragon. He announced his plans to leave to the rest of the clan and was told that if he left he would never be able to return. He left before I was even born. He never knew he had a son. I was 18 before I found out what had happened to him. I had decided to leave the clan and ask the witches to put me to sleep like they had the other dragons. That was the worst day of my life. I was put before the clan members and told that if I decided to leave the headquarters, then I would be dead to the clan. I would never be able to come back to my family or the home where I was born. My mother told me all this. She never even asked me to stay. She told me to make my choice and tell one of the others. She left and I haven't seen her since that day."
Sable could feel the pain in him as he spoke. {How could one person go through that much pain?} she thought. "Oh Aaronth, why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I knew how it would make you feel. I'd never do anything to hurt you. Just thinking about it hurts me, so I knew it would hurt you to hear it. Besides, we have bigger problems to worry about right now. Come on, let's get some sleep."
He stood and lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. After making sure she was comfortable, he lay down beside her and they both slept.