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The Dragon and the Emperor by Lavvy
Once upon a time, in a strange, faraway land that existed in the space between dreams, there was a vast and prosperous kingdom. It had known peace and prosperity for an age. Its people were lazy and content, and there were no issues to speak of. At the head of the kingdom was the emperor. Though still fairly young, he had reigned for several years without dispute. His senators below him took care of the functioning of the country, with the Emperor himself only overseeing major decisions. Though he had several wives, a capable queen, and a multitude of concubines and servants eager to cater to him, he was unmoved by passion, desire, or want. Indeed, the Emperor could be called heartless. He was neither cruel nor unjust, but he was perpetually unmoved. Love nor anger touched his features, and his coldness was unnerving. He was a leader with no cause to lead, a warrior with no battle to be fought; he was a man without direction or purpose.
One day the tedious peacefulness of the Emperors palace was shattered, as was its roof. An injured dragon had plummeted from the sky and landed square in the Emperors throne room. There was blood spattered across the marble floors, and the dragons giant serpentine form rose up from where he had fallen, speaking in a voice like distant thunder. He proclaimed that he would be staying there. The Emperor, however, did not take well to the disturbance. Instead of cowering as most of his house did, he demanded the demi-god explain itself. In the stunned silence following the emperors challenging of the dragon, the great beast turned his eyes to the mortal. Seeing the hole in him, the dragon eventually spoke, begging forgiveness for his rudeness, and politely requesting that he be allowed in the palace as a guest. Sullenly, the emperor agreed.
For the next fortnight, the dragon lived in the emperors palace. While most feared approaching him, the Emperor treated him as though he were any visiting noble. The dragon changed his shape, following the Emperor around the palace in human shape, pestering him with questions and teasings as a child may do to a doting uncle. While the Emperor seemed annoyed, he never dismissed him. Upon one such occasion, the dragon jokingly told the emperor that his kind could grant wishes.
"If you're kind to me, perhaps I'll grant you one!" he jeered. But, as usual, the Emperor did not laugh. After a silence he merely said,
"I have no desires to be granted." The dragon cocked his head, reflective. When he spoke up again, there was an odd note in his voice.
"I once heard of a tale of a man who was heartless. He could not feel love or desire. In the end, he was granted a wish, and he wished for something to wish. Of course once he had desire, he had no wish to gain it with!" The Emperor scowled.
"What was the point then?" He asked. The dragon smirked.
"Well there's no point in wishing for desire only to have it immediately fulfilled, is there? He spent the rest of his days following his desire." The Emperor was silent.
For a time, the palaces unexpected guest seemed to do well. His wounds closed, and his energy slowly returned to him. However, after a time, he took a sharp turn. He grew weaker and weaker, eventually lacking the strength to move about the palace or change his shape. He stayed in his room, coiled up and breathing heavily, servants bringing him food and drink that he could barely swallow.
Every day, the Emperor visited the dragons room to visit his friend. He sat next to him, an arm over his great neck, brushing his mane and scales, speaking with him. Soon, he rarely left. Finally, as the great dragons strength dwindled to its last, the Emperor said to him,
"I've thought of what I would wish for." The dragon turned an ear to him. "I want to feel," the Emperor confided "I want to know desire." The dragon laughed a weak, throaty laugh.
"I can grant you that wish." He said. "Take my heart." The Emperor was silent. The dragon continued, "With a dragons heart, you will know desire as few do. You will feel and you will feel well. Your heart will rejoice in sunshine and revel in heartache. You will feel love in its truest form, a passion few mortals can comprehend. There is but one stipulation." Although he remained silent, the emperor was intent. He lifted an eyebrow. The dragon growled, "You must take my heart while it still beats. So there is little time." The dragon rolled his body so that his soft underbelly faced the Emperor, who sat still and silent. His eyes trailed over the dragons form, feeling the heat rolling off of him, almost able to hear the pounding of the great heart so near to his reach. The silence stretched on for a long time. At length, the Emperor put a hand on the dragon.
"No."
"No?" The great beast asked "Is it not your wish."
"Not like this." he replied "I can't do it to you."
The dragon laughed again, and as his last breath left him, he whispered,
"You see, my friend? You were never heartless."
And then the Emperor wept.
A short story I whipped up in the last night or two, and only just typed up. It's very short but, personally, I like it. Let me know what you think! ; o;
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