Menarx heaved a quiet sigh as he stared down at Neveah, his gaze tender and adoring...waking up to find Neveah gone from his side had been more hurtful than Menarx would like to admit.

But hearing how Neveah intended to return to his side, even hurting a rider in the process and she had accepted the merging? Menarx only now realized it was possible for dragons to have butterflies...for what was this warm, fuzzy feeling if not that?

What was this strange giddiness? For someone who had almost died a few days ago, Menarx did not think it was right to feel this elated...still, he did.

He was so elated, Menarx had caught himself smiling for no reason more times than he was willing to admit in the past hour.

All around them were beautiful flowers in full bloom, each more enchanting than the other but Menarx only had eyes for Neveah.

She lay in Menarx’s embrace, sound asleep. Her breathing was even and steady so Menarx knew he did not have to be concerned for her health, still yet he was.

Conrad had said Neveah would recover soon enough if Menarx just kept her close to himself, Menarx also knew this was a fact...it was after all his flame strand which had left her in such a state.

Menarx’s presence would ensure Neveah’s body constitution would adjust quicker to the foreign presence, but even knowing this, Menarx’s mind churned restlessly with worry,

Menarx did not think he would find relief till Neveah’s eyes were open and staring back into his...those endless pools of violet beauty that enraptured Menarx by only a gaze and would never let him up,

Not that Menarx even wanted to be let up, he was right where he wanted to be.

Having Neveah in his arms like this already brought to Menarx a greater comfort than he had ever felt in his long, long lifetime, and that truly was saying a lot for Menarx’s lifetime had been long...and then some.

Neveah was in a disheveled state, her hair was splayed out messily all around her and over Menarx’s arm which served as her headrest out here in the fields.

There was still a good amount of mud stuck to her skin and hair, and also her boots.

Her skin was red and sore, there were some blisters that were yet to heal though most of them already had.

Even so, Menarx still found himself in awe of the woman in his arms and just how much he adored her.

"How are you always so beautiful?" Menarx murmured quietly, brushing aside a stray strand of hair from Neveah’s forehead.

The moment Menarx’s hand touched her skin, Neveah leaned closer to his touch.

It was an unconscious reaction, her subconscious seeking the relief Menarx’s touch brought to the burning pain she was enduring, but even knowing that, Menarx’s heart skipped multiple beats.

Menarx lifted his hand to his chest, marvelling at the strange beating pattern of his heart.

Feelings like this were hard to come by for dragon lords, Menarx had never felt this way before to say the least...it was a strange yet beautiful feeling.

As Menarx pondered over the strangeness of his own heart and the depth of the feelings it now held, Neveah twitched in his arms, slowly regaining her consciousness.

A quiet groan escaped Neveah, her eyelids twitching ever so slightly.

"Veah?" Menarx called in a low tone, hoping not to alarm Neveah.

Neveah’s eyes fluttered open and she was met with Menarx’s worried gaze, his brows were furrowed and his eyes squinted slightly as he gazed down at Neveah.

His nose was also slightly scrunched up in a manner that Neveah could only term as cute even through her disoriented state.

"How do you feel?" Menarx asked worriedly.

Neveah blinked, she did not respond immediately and instead took a moment to take stock of her own condition.

Memories of the everburn cave, the trials, the lake of green fire and Menarx’s flame strand returned to the forefront of her mind, along with the confrontation with Lord Conrad and Neveah could only breathe a quiet sigh.

"Hot..." Neveah finally croaked out after a short moment as that was the only response that came to her mind.

Menarx was stunned by Neveah’s choice of response and he broke out laughing.

"I see...Perhaps I am not close enough." Menarx said, still chuckling quietly.

Tired and groggy, Neveah just stared up at Menarx, having no clue to the meaning of his words. She did not sense Menarx’s movement till he drew even closer to her, while still holding her gaze.

It was only then Neveah realized she was almost completely laid over Menarx, her legs were entangled with his, the resting place of her upper body was his chest...which was noticeably bare of any form of clothing save for the bandage wrapped around his torso and arm.

Neveah could audibly hear Menarx’s heartbeat from their proximity and with Menarx’s recent movement, there was hardly even an inch of distance between them.

"I hear being this close would...help..." Menarx explained in response to Neveah’s questioning gaze.

As he spoke, his breath fanned over Neveah’s face and for a moment, Neveah was unsure what she had been thinking a minute ago.

’Help? Help with what?’ Neveah thought to her wolf in bafflement, wondering what she had missed.

’And I would know?’ Neveah’s wolf thought back to her with a scoff.

’Right.’ Neveah thought, recalling she was asking the one person who would know only as much as Neveah herself did.

"Help with what?" Neveah asked aloud this time, her voice still hoarse.

"You have something of mine in you...Veah..." Menarx replied in a tone much deeper than he had intended, his eyes gave off a dim glow and Menarx knew Neveah had caught it.

"Your...your flame?" Neveah asked slowly,

"My flame." Menarx agreed.

Neveah knew that well enough, that flame strand had burned it’s way through every vein in her body.

"Am I to...Do I give it back now?" Neveah asked uncertainly.

Menarx chuckled again before leaning in closer so his nose brushed against Neveah’s and their lips were just a hair’s width apart.

"No beloved...you never give it back...never." Menarx said, his words deep and meaningful.