Ophelia and The Dragons

Chapter 29

"Like an old photograph, time can make a feeling fade, but the memory of a first love never fades away."

-Tim Mcgraw-

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Ophelia's P.O.V

Hundreds of years ago, when I was still young and innocent, didn't know much about the world around me beside what I saw on the daily basis.

My small comfortable life with my parents and tribe was everything to me. I never thought about men before. It was the least of my concern.

I saw some of my peers pairing up and flirting with each other, but I never felt any kind of romantic attraction to others before.

It was until I met Eder Aristos. It was a rather unexpected meeting. I was a young teenager at that time. It was late Spring, almost early summer.

The weather was perfect to play in the water. One morning, I headed to the river and took a bath there while singing my favorite song, the spring lullaby.

I splashed around the water, having fun by myself when I suddenly heard the sound of horse steps closing by.

I quickly turned around and I saw a young man standing there. He looked around my age and he was riding a black horse.

Our eyes met and he blushed before going down from his horse.

"Ah, I hope I'm not disturbing you. I was just taking a ride around the forest and heard you singing, it was beautiful, it drew me in so I came here and found you." His face was still red, his gaze trailed down and he quickly turned his head away.

"If you find my presence troublesome, I shall leave." He said again before I even had a chance to reply. I smiled and stepped out of the river.

"No, it's fine." I approached him shyly. He didn't smell like witches nor did he look like one. This man must be a human.

"Are you a human? It's my first time seeing a human in the forest." I approached him and circled around him in fascination.

At this time, I didn't know my behavior was considered off among human.

"You are not a human? But you look like one." He asked.

"No, I am not a human. I am a witch. My name is Ophelia. Ophelia Von Wickhelm." I reached out my hand to him and he looked a little hesitant for a split second. But he warmed up and took my hand.

"My name is Eder. Eder Aristos." He revealed his name. Even though I was just a young witch, I was already familiar with the name Aristos.

"You are a member of the royal family? Wow, it's my first time meeting one as well. I can't believe it." I was a little star struck but he quickly shook his head.

"I am but please don't be too formal with me. I might be a member of the royal, but I don't want you to treat me like one, just treat me like a friend." He suggested.

It didn't take long for me to agree to his request.

"Don't worry, I won't. My father is also the chief of our tribe, so that makes me a princess too. We are the same!' I replied back innocently.

"Ah, is that so?" His face looked a little sad for a moment, but then he quickly smiled again at me.

"Ophelia, you have a really beautiful name. Do you mind if I call you Lia?" he asked.

"I don't mind. That's how people closest to me call me anyway, I want us to be friends, so you can call me that as well." He smiled happily before taking my hand.

Then all of a sudden, he kissed the back of my palm and I was taken aback by this foreign gesture.

"This is how the men of the empire greet the ladies." He explained.

"I also want us to be friends, Lia. Let's be the best of friends." He encouraged.

"I have to go now, but I will visit this place every week on the same day and we can meet each other during this time and talk for hours." He suggested.

Suddenly, the two of us already made a promise to each other to meet weekly in the same place, same time.

Several weeks passed by and both of us fulfilled our promise to each other. We talked for at least two hours each time we met and spent the time sitting by the side of the river or swimming together.

Sometimes, we would bring food and shared them with each other. It was fun talking and spending time with him.

In my eyes, Eder was a true gentleman. He was polite and soft spoken, but he was assertive and funny at the same time.

He always made me laugh and never once made me cry. He was also considerate and charming. He would bring me gifts from the palace, little trinkets made of gold and gemstones as a friendship gift, as he called it at first.

In return, I would show him my magic and healed his wounds when he was injured from his training.

Before I realized it, our relationship had gotten so much closer than just friends. We started to develop feelings toward each other.

It was clarified one day when he gave me a thing called the promise ring.

"Lia, I am the crown prince of the empire. However, I have found myself in love with you. This relationship is forbidden, but I am willing to take the risk for you." He said before he pulled out the box containing a beautiful ring with red jewel on top.

He pulled it out and placed it on my ring finger.

"I love you, Ophelia Von Wickhelm. This ring is my promise to you. One day, when I become the emperor, I will bring you to the palace with me and marry you." He declared.

"Eder..." I was at lost for words. I hugged him and for the first time since we met, we kissed each other.

It was my first kiss. It felt so tender, so warm and sweet, unlike anything I've ever felt in my life. For a while, I believed in his promise.

I had this imagination in my head about what our future was going to look like. The beautiful and grand wedding, healthy and cute children, everything a woman could dream of.

However, I realized I was a little too naïve. I didn't know that Eder's father, Yigor Aristos hated witches and planned an attack.

I was so lost in my own fantasy, I didn't think about the consequences of my action. I was oblivious to the storm that was heading my way.

So that fateful day arrived.