Gazing Upon The Stars (Private With Arkhor)

Astaria had always wondered.. what was beyond the sky? The stars? Those bright specks that dotted the sky like flowers dotted a field. They drew her towards them, yet she was grounded by gravity. Then again, she had never really tried.

She gazed up at them now, her eyes fixed upon the twinkling eyes of a thousand suns. She had studied them for many years, and so far she had figured out they were made of gases and heat. She sat there in the field, just.. watching. Studying.

Her tail, curled around her thick haunches, tapped lightly on the loose earth, flattening the dark blades of grass beneath it as Astaria thought, long and hard.

She had a pad of paper in her claw, and she was currently drawing the stars, making out the constellations. Were the tribes studying those stars? She didn't know, and wasn't in the mood to find out.

Her eyes twinkled, reflecting the bright lights that prevented night from being a plain, unsightly blanket, occasionally glancing at the moon, almost full.

As Ark appeared close by the wind slightly picked up blowing grass high into the air, speaking softly not to scare her. "I see your out star gazing again, mind if I join you?" Tilting his head slightly as he asked. Walking slowly over he smiled slightly using his paws to caress and brush the blades of grass. His usual look with shing blue scales yet orange markings and his eyes glowed in the dark atmosphere brightening the place.

The wind suddenly shifted, and Astaria lowered her gaze slightly, a soft smile appearing on her face. He was here. She felt his presence, brimming with life and light. She wondered what he saw in her many times a day. Was she brimming with darkness and death? That was what she saw and sensed in herself, did he see the same?

"If you must," she teased lightly, unfolding her tail and patting the grass beside her, before wrapping it around her haunches again. She looked down at her pad of paper and added the last few stars. She sighed and compared it to the paper hidden beneath it. "They move very slowly over the course of twelve hours," she said out loud, showing him the drawings. "Starting from the bottom drawing, I've drawn them once every hour, and look at the results." It was true. The stars on the drawings shifted very slightly with each drawing, some disappearing off the paper all together.

"It's the same every night."

She glanced back up at the skies, a light in her shadowed eyes, before looking at him. "Have I missed anything interesting? What's going on in the world?" she asked, a soft smile appearing on her snout.

She never really left her lair, so she relied on him to give her news.

Sitting down next to her he gently caressed her tail with his own, replying with a smile "True.. the stars are in constant movement... very much like our own world. Well as for news.. there isn't much those two factions are still at war.. theres no end in sight its upsetting me.." sighing slightly as he pressed his muzzle against her neck. "I can't handle death much... as you well know I just want to stop it.."

Astaria glanced up at the stars, studying them carefully for a few moments. As Arkhor's tail touched hers, she wrapped her own tail around his and tightened her grip gently for a moment. She listened carefully to her mate's words, a soft sigh escaping her as he mentioned the two factions, still shedding blood over something silly. "Why mortals tear each other apart over small things is beyond me," She said softly, closing her eyes for a moment. She had felt it for the past while. The souls seeping into hers and then ascending into the afterlife. Every soul brought more pain, more sadness and anger, but she managed. Sometimes.

She felt his muzzle press against her strong neck, and Astaria turned her head, resting her chin upon his snout, closing her eyes. "Death is merely the end of one story, and the beginning of another," she said softly. "Trying to stop death is trying to stop time, Arkhor. You can't stop time," her voice was gentle, a hushed tone, almost a whisper.

She felt his pain, the grief over those stories ended, some too early for many's liking. She shared it with him. He was such a compassionate dragon.. One of the reasons she loved him. She was.. Merciful. He was kind. She was darkness, he was light. They balanced each other. And therefore balanced the Universe. His virtues matched her flaws. Their souls were made for each other. She had come to terms with it long ago, but still, a part of her wanted to stop death too, but that was merely her irrational side. Funny, since Death was in her name. Astaria, Goddess Of Death And Stars. Mate of Arkhor, God Of Life And Tides.

"If there was no death, there would be no life."


Astaria sighed quietly, the soft breath coming out in a cold, misty cloud that quickly evaporated into the air.

Deciding to change the subject, she clumsily asked the first question that came to her head.

"A-Ark, do you ever.. Interact, with the tribes?"

Her own words stung her. She herself refused to go out in public. She didn't want to hear those names shouted at her, or muttered under fearful, ragged breaths.

She-Terror.. Death-Bringer..  Unholy Ghost.. Evil Spirit..Reaper.

Sighing slightly as he replied "No not really Star... I just watch.. otherwise the balance would be broken" frowning as it was clear on his face that the war was effecting him. "I know death is simply the next step but it hurts to see creations being destroyed... when your time and care made them..." Soft growling as he needed comforting just to take his mind off of what was happening.

Astaria's cold, black heart broke for her mate as she saw the frown on his face, the pain in his warm orange eyes welling her up. She nodded at his words, then his next sentence, followed by a growl, sent shivers up her spine. She had never really heard Ark growl like that..

Astaria nuzzled his cheek gently before putting her head under his, nuzzling into his strong neck, while her wings wrapped around him in an embrace, the cold, black scales meeting warm, blue scales. "I know, Ark.. I know.." she said softly, closing her eyes.

Her Ark was hurting, and it hurt her to see him like this.
Astaria didn't know how to fix it except hold him and talk to him about his problems, or just hold him.
And she felt horrible for it.

Astaria chased the little thoughts of guilt out of her head. Feeling sorry for herself wasn't going to help Ark.

"Eventually, this war will end," she said softly. "With or without intervention."

It did worry her, the war. How many dragons were being killed? She had felt the coldness seeping into her soul for a while now, and had barely been able to keep track.

So much death..

There was another rush of cold into her head and Astaria shivered. Quickly, she sent out calming thoughts to whatever dragon had just died, then comforting ones. Almost immediately, she felt all the pain, upset and anger the soul had collected dropping into her soul, then the soul disappeared.

Another one dead.

She hoped Arkhor hadn't noticed.

That's around sixty by now. In how many days? Five?

"I think everyone looks forward to the end of this," she finally said. "The end of this.. Hell."

Smiling slightly from her contact he replied as best as he could "The war will end... Though I would need to pick up the pieces... Sometimes It feels like a curse seeing so many die.. When you could just appear and say stop but... then I would be effecting them.."

Sighing as he stroked his snout against hers, "I dread to think how your feeling... and don't make out your fine.. I know your not.. with all this death" tightening his tail around hers as he continued "You know I'm here for you... even though you my opposite we complete each other.."

Astaria felt daggers stab her heart at her mate's feelings of helplessness. She knew that feeling all too well, and didn't want him to feel it. It's like a hatchling watching his family be massacred before him, while he had no choice but to run. She had many memories of that, locked away, picked up from the souls passing by.

That wasn't the only thing she was helpless to.

It was starting. The build up. Another couple of years and the world would be thrown into darkness, because she'd have..

A dark and ugly image entered Astaria's mind, and she was forced to stop it going any further before she broke down and cried.

Astaria nuzzled Arkhor's neck again, but his words made her tense.

Even now, even in such a difficult time, her mate was still looking out for her. Astaria shrugged, something she didn't do often, in an effort to disguise her emotions. She touched noses with him and closed her eyes. "I'll be fine. Guiding so many souls into the afterlife is what I do. It's what I was made for. It's not like I've got a choice, which makes things easier to cope with." she chuckled humorlessly at her own helplessness.

She nuzzled his snout. "That we do, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

And she meant it.

Smiling slightly as he thought of an idea, "Hey.. how about we go somewhere? Its been a while since we have been together after all. I could use something to distract me and I bet you do too" smiling more brightly towards her with his orange gaze sweeping over her. "We can go onto one of my islands... or somewhere more cosy.." lifting his brow teasing her slightly as he tugged their tails. Chuckling as he continued "If you don't want to thats okay.."

Arkhor suddenly smiled, his small smile that the Goddess found oddly adorable. Astaria smiled a tiny one in return, warmth in her black eyes, framed by the moonlight white that circled her eyeballs.

His suggestion took the War Goddess by complete surprise, and her eyes widened, her pupils thinning into slim, cat-like slits. Go somewhere? The thought.. Surprised her to say the least. She hadn't left this clearing in a long time..

Astaria's tail flicked as she watched Arkhor's eyes. She felt her face grow hot at his joking.. Suggestion, and Astaria, for a moment, was flustered and embarrassed, and it shone briefly on her face. Astaria tried her hardest, to her credit, not to giggle, but it escaped her. Such a.. Girlish sound. A sound she'd only heard from giggling dragonesses when they were being complemented by their significant other-

Oh god, she was being giggly wasn' t she?

An an attempt to save her dignity, Astaria attempted to stop, but she knew he'd heard her. She bared her fangs, playfully daring him to comment.. Well.. Half playfully.


Him tugging at her tail wasn't helping her facial temperature.


There was anxiety deep within her at the notion of leaving her meadow, but Arkhor's next words made her melt.. A small bit. Astaria wasn't soft, she thought..

"No, really," she squeezed his tail gently. "I'd love to."

In an effort to disguise her irrational fears, Astaria stretched her wings slightly. "Besides," she added. "These bad boys haven't had a good stretch for a while." She smirked.

Smiling happily as he nodded pulling himself onto his feet, "So.. where would my beautiful mate like to go?" smiling playfully as he pushed his nose against hers. Swinging their tails as he waited for a response, acting more like a hatchling to cheer her up. He missed her being playful and wanted to see that side again for a long as possible.

Astaria watched Arkhor rise to his feet, and followed quickly, rising to her dark pads with a soft grunt, an action that sent a cloud of cold mist shooting from her nostrils and into the air. Her tail tightened around his for a moment, and Astaria found herself smiling as her mate pressed his snout against hers. Tingles went up her face and Astaria's smile widened.

Being with him was the only time where she was.. truly happy.

"Anywhere suits me. I haven't seen anywhere of Ellesmera, really, so take me anywhere and I'll be happy," she said softly, the air tickling her wings. The joints begged to be stretched and flapped, and Astaria felt excitement along with anxiety building inside her.

Chuckling happily as he nodded stroking her snout again with his paw, "Alright I know the perfect spot.. don't worry it will still be night.." placing one of his paws onto her shoulder with a snap of his claw they both teleported thanks to his magic onto a peaceful beautiful beach where the sand was pure white, the cool inviting waters stretching up the beach in the ocean's steady pulse. Looking towards her his eyes glowed his usual orange colour, "There... now just some more finishing touches" the stars overhanged above them clear as ever, with a shake of his paw which started to glow orange fireflies started to appear around them glowing the same colour as him. Pressing his side against her as he wrapped a wing over her back, "If you want I can give you some glowing patterns too" he chuckling nuzzling her snout licking her softly.

Astaria raised a brow at Ark's words, but she had faith in him. She felt him place a paw on her shoulder, and before she could react, a beach was lying in front of her.

Astaria jumped about two foot into the air, a gasp escaping her as shock passed over her. Then, she remembered Ark was able to teleport. Oh yeah.

Astaria breathed in the briny aroma. Scrunching her claws, she felt the softness of the sand, still damp from the retreating tide. She wiggled as a shiver cascaded down her spine and her eyes burst open.The sand blurred out in a blissful trance, the shore fading into liquid gold, vivid in the brilliant light. Her dark mouth corners curve upward.
Astaria shifted her gaze to the far off horizon, the flaring hues of the sun melting into the sky and ocean like a divine painting. The forever stretching sea was masked with a dark colour, that beautiful dark blue flowing into black as it went further out. Through narrowed eyes she watched as each wave overlapped one another, sending the white bubbling crests descending, masking the shore with the transparent fading water.

It was simply.. breathtaking.

At Arkhor's words, Astaria instinctively looked up, her jaws parting slightly as the stars became crystal clear, and then, out of the corner of her eye, Astaria saw the most beautiful thing she had seen in a while.

Fireflies, dancing in the night's light, their glowing bodies illuminating tiny spaces around them, like the first rays of sunshine against the night sky.

Astaria couldn't remember the last time she saw a sunrise, but this was a decent alternative.


She felt a wing being placed over her back, and her breathing hitched. Again. She smiled, feeling her face heat up, and tried to hide it by burying her head under his chin. "Feel free," she chuckled. She then looked around, removing her head from under his chin and turning it left and right. "Ark, this is.." she said softly, breaths deep and calm.

She had no words. She could never even begin to describe how grateful, how amazed, she was at this piece of art he had created.

Her eyes reflected the dim glow of a firefly as it passed by her face. Her eyes tracked it as it landed on the tip of her snout, and a childish smile found it's way onto her usually stiff and tight mouth.

"Thank you."

She looked at him as the FireFly drifted away, and nuzzled him gently. "This is the first time I've seen FireFlies, and the ocean at night.

His gaze watching the fireflies smiling as they seemly played with her scales, he ran one of his paws down her side creating beauty circular patterns similar to water as they shun brightly on her scales with his unique orange warmth. Gesturing towards her torso as he nuzzled her pushing her side in view "See... we are one another... I could hold you till the sunrise if you want... making it something to remember for us..." Licking her chin again he raised his brow towards her waiting for her answer. "You know.. if there was anything you want changing about yourself... N..Not that I think you should...gah..dammit.. I mean.. If you want anything just ask..." frowning slightly as he looked saddened from his mess of words.

Astaria felt a familiar webbed paw running along her side and felt her ticklish nerves sparking to life. She giggled, and then clamped her maw shut, but her eyes widened when she saw the orange patterns springing from his paw and clinging to her scales, creating a beautiful watery pattern across her flank.

Her jaws fell open again as her eyes glowed a soft orange, like a small flame sprouting in the corner of her dark iris.

She smiled at Arkhor's words, feeling tears beginning to clog her throat. Why did she want to cry? She didn't understand.. She was so happy, why was she crying? Astaria didn't even understand herself sometimes.

"I'd love that. Very much." her voice went a bit higher towards the end and Astaria raised a wing to her face, using her scratching an 'itch' on her snout as an opportunity to wipe her left eye.

She then smiled at Ark's fumbling of words. She tilted her head, before nuzzling his chin gently, licking him affectionately. When she pulled away, she looked into his eyes. "I know" she said softly. "Thank you. I know I can always count on you. And you can count on me. Always."

She then nuzzled his cheek and put her head beneath his chin, curling into his chest as she sat down, relishing the moment and saving it into her memory.

Wrapping both of his wings around her in a hug he smiled happily growling softly in affection. "I've missed you... Hey.. after the sunrise.. I can take you swimming if you like? Don't worry I can give you stuff like I have temporary if you want." sticking his tongue out as bright as his eyes orange.

Pulling her down onto the sand slightly with his wings so they could lay together, his paws still running over her scales creating more patterns which glowed beautifully in the moonlight.

Astaria smiled as she felt strong wings,wrap around her, sighing softly as the cold breeze was replaced by warm scales wrapped around her body.

Wait, did she hear the word.. Swimming?

Astaria hesitated, before replying. "Um.. sure! It's best I learn, considering my mate is the God of Tides," she teased. "Just so you know.. I've never swam before," she warned.

Astaria grinned as she was pulled to the sand beside Arkhor, gently cuddling into him and shutting her eyes tight. She felt so.. small. So cocooned. So protected.

She wanted to stay like this forever. Sadly, even she knew all things had an end, otherwise it would be like stopping time.

So she appreciated this as much as she could. While it lasted.

Chuckling lightly from her response "I know you havn't... that's why I would like to take you...Don't worry I can teach you" sticking his tongue out playfully as he pressed his side into hers feeling the warmth between them. "Lets just enjoy ourselves first... you know.. I was thinking if you ever wanted to have hatchlings?" blushing slightly from his question he looked up to her curiously.

Teach her? Astaria smiled at the thought. "Yeah.. Okay," she said softly.

She then lowered her face to the sand and began playing with it with her free wing -the other was draped over Ark's back-. The way the golden substance just fell apart at her touch was.. Hypnotising. And fun. She drew a few circles, using the flat side of her wing to erase it. Then a square or two, then a couple of triangles. The sand was a perfect canvas.. She loved it.

Astaria felt Arkhor's sapphire scales pressing into her own, and she leaned into his touch, touching her snout off the base of his chin lightly.

Arkhor's opened his mouth, and then, he spoke words that made Astaria freeze.

Her breathing hitched, and her eyes widened, her drawing coming to a stop as her wing became still.

Astaria was silent as she turned her head to meet Ark's orange eyes. His blush made her smile, and after a moment, she regained her composure. "Hatchlings? Well.. Yes, someday. I'd love to have little ones running around," she answered, and then she looked out to sea.

"What would they be, Arkhor? Would they be either Life or Death gifted? A mixture of our powers? Would they be gods and goddesses of their own elements?" She asked, her eyes fixed upon the horizon. Then, she smiled softly. "Regardless, I'd love them. I'd love a son or a daughter, hopefully both," she chuckled at the last part.

Smiling as he cheeks filled more red, "Well I suppose they would be a mix, maybe elements too... There's only one way to find out" smirking slightly as he nuzzled her cheek "They will be perfect no matter what.. and bring us happiness" Gasping as he suddenly realised "Astaria! I... I.. can show you what they could be like.. It wouldn't be alive but we can glimpse what they could be like..." smiling nervously his orange gaze warmly meeting hers.

Astaria felt her own face flush as Arkhor nuzzledher cheek, speaking words that made her two back claws curl into the sand. Yep..

Astaria smiled at Arkhor's words regarding the future hatchlings, yet as she opened her jaws to agree with him, he gasped, a sound that made her tense. What was wrong? She got her answer when Arkhor began to stammer out a sentence. Once the words registered in her head, she raised it a few inches, her eyes widening.

They could see their hatchlings?

Astaria nodded before she realised she was nodding, smiling brightly. "I-I'd love to!" Unnatural excitement filled the usually calm and stony female.

Chuckling lightly as he replied "Now..they probably won't be want we would get.. but it gives us an idea.." placing on a paw onto hers he curled his fingers around hers like he was holding her paw. While his other paw glowed orange pulling some water from the ocean as he created an orb of water floating in front of them. Closing his eyes as he spoke "Now.. imagine what they would be like... feel the emotions.. of being a mother." Using this the water started to shape into a hatchling as details started to emerge.

Astaria's throat went a bit dry when her mate grabbed her paw. She wrapped hers around his claws and held tightly, taking a few deep breaths to steady herself. This isn't anything huge, She tried to reassure herself. This is just an idea of what they could look like.

Astaria's grip on Arkhor tightened as her mate grabbed some water and forced it out. Her breathing quickened, and she had to force herself to calm down. Why was she so nervous? She didn't know. Her tail lashed about nervously, her dark pupils narrowing into thin slits as the orb started to take shape.

Feel the emotions of being a mother? How in the name of herself was she supposed to do that?


Feel.. love?


Astaria thought of her feelings for Ark, and tried to manipulate them into a motherly way. She had never had a mother, or even a motherly figure, so she wasn't sure how it was supposed to be received or how it felt to deliver that kind of love.

She tried, and it worked.. somewhat. She hoped.


Astaria briefly closed her eyes, and then opened them, continuing to watch the features take shape.


Her eyes widened when she saw.. a mixture of her and Arkhor?

She couldn't tell the colors, but it had Ark's fins and webbed claws, but her body shape and eyes.

Her eyes widened. "You're beautiful.."