Romance: The Campus Player: A College Romance

by Caroline Lake

  “Madame Althaeda, I come from a clan in the deep of the forest on a special request of the utmost urgency,” Guinevere announced loudly.

  She waited with baited breath, ears picking up every little sound in hopes a positive response would soon be heard. There was nothing for what felt like an eternity but even Guinevere knew better than to be too pushy. Finally, just as the sun crested over the horizon, she heard a grunt. There was shuffling, a louder grunt, and a bit of scraping.

  “All who seek me are on a mission of utmost urgency,” she finally called out unsympathetically.

  "Madame Althaeda, I do understand the weight of your statement. I should only hope for you to grant me an audience to explain in the hopes of acquiring your assistance."

  “Wait out a while longer and I’ll meet with you.”

  Guinevere did not much like the idea of waiting around for an indeterminate amount of time but she knew there was no choice. At this moment in time, the healer was just about her only option and no risk was worth compromising the already severely failing health of her Elder. So Guinevere moved to the clearing in front of the healer's nest and sat, long and thin neck stretched out with her head pointed at the sky. She retracted her wings and held them tight, a nervous habit she'd acquired from a young age. She huffed a sorrowful sound as the sun began its daily ascent. The waiting felt like it could kill her.

  Finally, when she felt she could wait no longer, a loud sound came from within the nest. Not more than a second later, a large and snow-white dragon appeared at its entrance. The dragon was smaller framed and thin, with feathered wings and a long mane of silky, straight white hair. Althaeda’s appearance brought a feeling of serenity, white all over save for the jet-black eyes.

  “Why have you called upon me?”

  “My Elder is deathly ill and has sent me in search of you,” Guinevere responded. She wanted to launch into a greater explanation and describe in great detail the condition of her Elder. However, she knew it was wisest to answer Althaeda’s questions simply.

  Althaeda spread her white, feathery wings and glided down swiftly to where Guinevere stood. She stood tall and straight, beady eyes surveying the dragon before her carefully. Guinevere was solid black save for the silvery blue plate running up the center of her body and along the bones of her gossamer wings. Once Althaeda had sized her up and perhaps memorized her look, she asked, “What is your name?”

  “Guinevere.”

  “Guinevere,” she repeated quietly. Something about the way she asked the next question made it seem like she knew the Elder in question. “Tell me about the illness.”

  “My Elder has been left weak, barely able to stand upright. Food is rarely consumed and even speaking is difficult.”

  “And you are sure your Elder is deathly ill?”

  “Yes,” Guinevere responded brokenly. She looked quickly away from Althaeda and up at the sky. It was difficult to say it out loud to another dragon. She could not even come to terms with it herself in silence in the dead of night.

  “Very well,” Althaeda said, “Lead the way.”

  As Guinevere spread her wings and took flight, she wanted to ask if there was nothing the healer needed to take on the journey. As they zoomed over the sprawling forest, so expansive that humans never ventured anywhere near the area, she could not help but wonder what the healer’s methods were. How was it possible to just take off from one second to the next? She had no herbs or special medicines with her, at least not that Guinevere could see. But these were not questions to be asked because it could be perceived as questioning the legitimacy and even knowledge of such a renowned healer. If dragons often sought her out and hers was a name known to everyone, surely there was merit behind such reputation.

  The journey was long and quiet save for the sounds of the huffing from both dragons and the gentle flapping of their wings. Guinevere flapped more often than Althaeda, but it was not just because her wingspan was shorter. Despite her Elder’s best attempts, Guinevere had never quite mastered the art of gliding gracefully through the skies. She’d seen baby birds flap fretfully only inches away from the safety of their nests and felt she looked nearly the same. Only she was a large dragon, a creature to strike fear in the hearts of many. Her appearance may have been beautiful and quite unique, but she lacked the poise of other dragons she’d encountered sporadically in her clan.

  They finally arrived when the sun was closer to setting for the day. Guinevere could only hope this would not interfere with Althaeda’s evaluation of her Elder. She feared another day passing could not be afforded at this point. Guinevere stepped inside the cave cautiously, not wanting to startle the ill and sleeping dragon. In the waning light entering the cave, Guinevere’s heart trembled once again with worry and sorrow. The once majestic body, large and silver with curved horns and large talons along the wings, was lying in a quivering heap on the cave floor. Small sounds came from it of pain and discomfort, sounds Guinevere had never heard before if not from her own mouth.

  “My Elder, Althaeda has arrived with me,” Guinevere announced in a soft voice.

  The Elder’s head lifted a mere inch off the ground, eyes peeking open for a fraction of a second, before collapsing down once more. Guinevere turned away and took a moment before heading out to invite the healer inside.

  “You must wait out here,” Althaeda told Guinevere.

  “Madame Althaeda, I fear I cannot comply with your request. I must be by my Elder’s side.”

  At this defiance, Althaeda rounded on Guinevere with stern eyes and a menacing aura. “It was not a request,” she warned. She stared Guinevere down for a few seconds before turning back to face the mouth of the cave. She then emitted a drawn out, low screech before entering.

  Guinevere walked to the mouth of the cave and waited beside it, eyes looking straight ahead into the darkness forming slowly between the thick of the forest trees. If she had thought the wait for Althaeda to exit her nest had felt like ages, this one was eternal.

  Chapter Three

  The sun had set and the night progressed but Althaeda still remained inside the cave with Guinevere’s Elder. Not so much as a sound of shuffling or hushed whispers had reached her ear and Guinevere was starting to wonder if she would ever know what was happening. She once again looked to the dark sky dotted with shining orbs and wished to fly away. She wanted to sail into the night and not look back for a long time, but only if it somehow meant she was not abandoning her Elder. Lost in her thoughts, she wailed out mournfully into the night. She curled up at the side of the cave’s mouth and waited impatiently for an answer or anything at all. Her eyelids grew heavy with tiredness and her body threatened to fall into a slumber. After all, she had not slept at all since she left to fetch Althaeda.

  She refused to give in to the tiredness of her body. She wanted to be awake and as alert as possible the instant there was news. As if reading her mind, Althaeda swept out of the cave and onto the clearing immediately in front of it. She turned to look at Guinevere with a look that relayed the unfavorable news.

  “No,” whispered Guinevere. She stood up and moved to stand in front of the healer. “Please tell me there is hope. I beg of you.”

  “Sweet Guinevere, it is not up to me. Unfortunately, even I have limitations.”

  “Please tell me you do not mean to tell me what I am thinking,” Guinevere pleaded, desperation cracking every syllable she spoke.

  “I have no doubt you understand the severity of your Elder’s condition, which is why you are so fretful. There is one thing we can attempt to treat or perhaps even achieve a cure, but it requires a dangerous journey on your part.”

  “Anything! I will do anything needed for my Elder, I do not care how dangerous,” Guinevere shouted. Adrenaline coursed through her long body.

  "Your Elder knew you would say such a thing and for that reason has requested the two of you have a conversation before a decision is made," Althaeda said.

  “What is there to be said? If I must d
o this to help my Elder then there is nothing to discuss,” Guinevere said strongly.

  “Your Elder does not feel the same way and respect must be shown,” reminded Althaeda.

  Guinevere remained quiet for a moment before walking into the cave. Her Elder sat propped up against the stone of the back wall, heavily hooded eyes drooping but open nonetheless. She wondered if the healer had done something to give the afflicted dragon enough energy for the conversation.

  “Guinevere,” the Elder spoke in a feeble voice, “I have heard your cries.”

  “My Elder, I wish only to save you. I will be honored to do anything, anything to help you.”

  “I appreciate it, my dear Guinevere, but this is not something to be taken lightly. This is not a decision to be made rashly, pushed forward only by emotion.”

  “Please tell me what I need to do,” Guinevere pleaded, head bowed in respect.

  The Elder drew in a rattling breath and responded, “It is a dangerous journey of the kind you have never taken before, much less alone.”

  “I understand.”

  “You must venture into the human world and gather some items to bring back for Althaeda to treat me.”

  Guinevere looked up at her Elder in shock. Not once in her life had she actually ventured completely out of the forest to interact with humans in their territory. In fact, she knew very little about them. She felt a ball of nervousness in the pit of her stomach, the energy of which radiated to every end of her.

  “I knew that would catch your attention. Now do you understand the seriousness of this?”

  “My Elder, the seriousness of the entire situation has never been lost on me. It is simply that I never expected to find your cure in the realm of the humans.”

  “I see,” the Elder said with a small nod, “But please do not think of it as a cure any longer.”

  “Is that not what I will be in search of?”

  The Elder breathed out and responded, “No. That is something you need to speak to Althaeda about. Before you do that, however, we need to reach a decision.”

  “With all due respect, I reached my decision long before we sought out the renowned healer. I have always known I would do whatever it took to help you and I stand by that.”

  “Very well. Speak to Althaeda and then return before your departure.”

  Guinevere bowed her head once more and then walked out of the cave to find Althaeda sitting upright in the clearing, face pointing toward the sky. “It is more beautiful out here than where I dwell,” she commented.

  “I also find it beautiful here,” Guinevere agreed, “Although I do feel attached to the area.”

  "Of course you do," Althaeda said, "This is where you have lived by your Elder's side since you were a small dragon. This is your place of comfort. It is here that you know you are safe. But even to one who does not feel so strongly about this place, it is beautiful."

  Guinevere remained quiet. She had never considered how others might feel about where she lived. This was home to her. The two of them sat in silence, side by side, staring up at the night sky. Finally, Guinevere decided she needed to ask the question she most feared getting the answer to. “Now that you have met my Elder, do you believe my mission will result in a cure?”

  “That is not something I can guarantee,” Althaeda replied, a hint of sadness in her voice.

  “I understand, but is it a possibility?”

  “It is a possibility. Though how big of one, I cannot say.”

  “If it is not a cure, will it fail completely?”

  “Not necessarily. There is always a chance it will be an effective treatment, one that brings some relief and allows for some more time of life.”

  “There is no way to know from now which is likelier?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  Guinevere went silent once more. She spread her wings and moved up above the trees. Now was not the time for a flight but she needed to feel the lightness of her body held up by the wind beneath her gossamer wings. She knew it looked like the stars shined from underneath them, like a part of her twinkled. Usually, it was beautiful. On this night, however, it did not matter. She twirled in the air and then flew down to the mouth of the cave, entering slowly and quietly.

  “My Elder, the time has come for me to begin my journey,” Guinevere announced.

  “Come closer, my dear Guinevere,” the Elder told her. Guinevere complied and stepped closer. “Before you go, I must remind you of something important. Remember they know not of us nor are they likely to come to understand us should they ever discover we share the Earth with them. If a kind human offers genuine help when you are in need, you may accept so long as you are always wary. Never reveal yourself.”

  “Of course, my Elder.”

  “And one more thing– never, ever forget everything you mean to me.”

  Chapter Four

  After Guinevere declared her eternal loyalty and gratitude to her Elder, she went out from the cave feeling more afraid than ever. Althaeda listed everything she needed to retrieve on the journey, letting her know everything was important and would be used for two different treatments. “They are the likes of which I have never made or used before,” the healer had let her know. This was not something that Guinevere felt comforted by; in fact, it was quite the opposite. She thanked Althaeda nonetheless and took off in flight through the night. She knew she could only fly for the first portion of her trip, for there was a certain area by which the humans could spot her.

  So she flew freely for as long as she could. She took in the starry night and enjoyed the whistling wind around her body. This was the best she had felt in a long time and knew it could potentially be even longer before she ever felt this way again. Everything had been stress and difficulty since her Elder had taken ill. Even though she was heading to the nearest human village in hopes of acquiring everything needed for two treatments, she resolved to make the most of the flight. The sun had risen and started its passage across the sky but she was still flying, wings flapping harder than usual. She wanted to arrive quickly, especially because no timeline had been given to her. There was no telling how long it would take to gather everything and, even more frightening, how long the Elder could hold on without the help of the treatment. It was only the fact that Althaeda would stay with the Elder until Guinevere’s return that brought some solace.

  The sun was just past half its passage across the sky when she neared the area where she needed to dive back into the trees. It was no longer safe to fly, much less in broad daylight. Even humans could spot at this distance. Thankfully, her body was lean and she was agile enough to fly through the trees in this area where there was more space between them. She knew humans did not venture out this far, not even the most daring of them She flew and flew until she finally reached the lined of trees which served as a warning to dragons– human encounters were possible beyond this point. She drew her wings in and stood tall, looking around for any sign of not being alone. Once she was in the clear, it was time to shift into her human form.

  It was a form she had taken only a handful of times in her life even though she had never made it out this far, not even with her Elder. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling her insides warm up. The warmth spread from the inside out and her body began to lessen in size. Her hind legs became long and lean human legs, her forelegs skinny arms with thin hands at the ends. Her lean body undulated into a small waist and wide hips, set apart just enough so that a gap was left between her thighs. Her chest curved into large, heavy breasts and her gossamer wings seemed to wrap around her body as a covering. The covering thickened and appeared as black leather as if she wore a strapless top connected to shorts that comfortably hugged her figure. The scales of her body had turned into boots for her protection. She opened her icy blue eyes and saw long locks of hair whipping about her. They were of such a light blond that they appeared white or silver in color.

  She took a deep breath as if inhaling for the first time and
felt the air move through her entire body. She pressed her hand to her chest; she could feel her heart beating underneath the smooth, fair skin. Her hair settled and flowed down over her back and she began to walk forward. With every step she took, she became more and more anxious. She had spotted humans few times before but it had been from a great distance. It was safe, especially because her Elder had been by her side. Now she was not just alone, but she was marching straight into where they all dwelled. As she walked, her mind replayed the words her Elder had spoken before her outset. She knew she had to always be on alert but as she got nearer and nearer to the outskirts of her land, where she had always known safety, she took pause. Not only was she faced with the dangerous journey, but she also had the heavy task of remaining in her human form at all times. That was one aspect of the entire thing she had not considered from the start.

  It did not matter anyway. She was determined to do this successfully. If there was even a tiny chance of the treatments helping or even curing her Elder, she was willing to do whatever it took. She walked on faster and faster until she broke into a run. She ran faster than any human possibly could and eventually decided to slow down to a more reasonable speed, on the off chance of a human being nearby. Her heart thumped at the mere thought. The moment she stepped out of the forest and onto a large, open field she felt a terror not known to her before. She had to cross this large piece of land, cautiously, only to finally come in contact with them for the first time in her life. The sun beat down on her but she did not sweat– that was simply not a bodily function of her kind.

  When the outskirts of the town came into view, Guinevere slowed to a stop. There was a strong breeze and it made her hair whip about as she stared on. Even from this distance, she could see small figures moving from one place to another every so often and she knew they were humans. Her vision was more acute than theirs and she knew it was something to rely on heavily once walking amongst them. Guinevere drew in a deep breath and gathered courage. Her Elder had always taught her to be strong and confident even in the face of adversity. Even if she had never been faced with a situation such as this one, she knew she could handle it. She had to if she wanted to return with everything that was needed. It was the thought of that alone that could push her forth through anything.