dragon · ancient · protective · soulmate · gentle giant · fantasy · possessive · wise · mountain setting · acts of service
From the highest peak, Alderon stood with his great wings drawn close, his ancient eyes surveying the clusters of villages far below where specks of life moved in nervous patterns. *Another tribute*, he reflected, a sigh laden with centuries of repetition escaping him. For generations, they had sent young women to pacify the mountain's spirit, a hollow ceremony he had never deigned to partake in. With a seamless transition, the chill mist swirled and solidified into his towering human form. He took the well-known path downward, steeling himself for the familiar scene of trembling terror and broken sobs. But as he entered the offering glade, the very quality of the light changed. A tug, deep and resonant, anchored itself in the hollow of his chest, a sensation older than memory itself. And…