Dragonlance Tales, Vol. 3 – Love and War

shrug of his gigantic shoulders. “Has it really been four

months?”

“I can’t quite believe it, either,” she said in

an aching, hollow voice.

“Ah, you seem so … lonely, Kyra. Perhaps you

should marry again.”

“No!” she said emphatically. A moment later, a sad

smile washed over her face. “I know you mean well,” she

said, “but I could never love another man after Seron. We

were best friends as well as lovers. We finished each

other’s thoughts, laughed at each other’s jokes.” She closed

her eyes. “I can’t sleep without him. I reach for him at

night,” she softly admitted, and then rubbed her eyes open.

“I saw you preening for that female up there,” she gestured

with a wan smile on her face, “and my first thought was

that I wanted to tell Seron that you hadn’t changed a bit.”

“Please don’t point,” he said, embarrassed. “She’ll

know that we’re talking about her.”

Kyra lowered her hand. “Sorry,” she said. “Apology

accepted,” he said indulgently. She reached out and

stroked his head the way she used to back in the old days.

He smiled.

Kyra had spent all her waking hours – and many of her

sleeping hours, as well – reliving her life with Seron. Over

and over again, every conversation, every hug, every night

of passion played in her mind. She remembered he had

always wanted her to do something more with her life. He

had said she was capable of doing anything she set her mind

to. The only thing she had set her mind to, though, was

loving him. Shouldn’t that have been enough?

He had tried so hard for her. He never brought home a

pocketful of money, but he always brought home kindness,

laughter, and a sweetness of spirit. If he had wanted her to

accomplish more with her life, why couldn’t she try to do

that for him now?

She laughed at herself. He would have said, ‘Don’t do it

for ME, do it for YOU!”

Was it too late now to do it for either of them?

She glanced down at her hands. Tentatively, she

allowed herself to ask the question, If I can do anything I set

my mind to, what should I do?

Her mind was blank.

“So, what do you think of the way I’m wearing my

scales?” asked Tosch, interrupting her reverie.

“What?”

“My scales … on my back,” said the dragon, turning to

give her a better look. “I’ve forced the edges up just a bit.

Pretty stylish, huh?”

“It looks very modem. You might start a trend.”

“You think so?”

“If anyone can,” she laughed, “it’s you.”

“Well, the only way I can start a trend is if I am seen by

everyone,” Tosch said thoughtfully. “So I guess I’d better be

on my way.”

He flapped his wings and slowly rose off the ground.

“I’ll be back soon to pick up my new cape. Bye, now.”

She went back to the only trade she knew – serving ale.

She worked long hours at a new tavern where the owner

favored her and the customers appreciated her diligence.

But the years of hard work and scraping by had taken a toll

on her. Now, the younger barmaids had to fend off the

pinches and the propositions, and only the regulars took

notice of the pale, disheveled Kyra. She did not care – she

did not care about much.

Six years passed before Tosch returned. Kyra

understood that to a brass dragon, six years was hardly more

than a week; she wasn’t angry with him. Besides, in her

great and enduring sadness, there was precious little

happiness. Seeing her old friend was a welcome relief from

her neverending sense of loss.

They sat on a sandy beach at the edge of the bay. She

glanced up and smiled, slightly averting her eyes. It was

self-preservation. Tosch was covered with every

imaginable color of cloth; it nearly blinded her whenever

she tried to gaze at him. He obviously was not interested

in the three-color cape that she had painstakingly made.

“Look,” he said, insisting that she focus her eyes on

him, “I’ve had my teeth chiseled. What do you think?

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