Wishful Thinking

“Right person, wrong time… or was it?”

Minlara and Ezra, best friends, business partners, guild founders, used to be engaged (5-6 years before this story). While in our D&D campaign they have moved on (mostly), I wanted to experiment within an alternate reality where maybe they didn’t ever get over their feelings for each other. I am also a HUGE fan of putting my boss babe adventurers into more “domestic situations”… as a treat. 🥹

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Characters

Minlara Munkyrdane - Drow Elf, Warlock/Druid, Goddess of Undeath, Dreams, and Magic

Ezra Drake - Half Dragon, Paladin, God of Lightning, Hope, and Dragons

Henley - Rabbit folk, 6 years old, Minlara’s son

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Minlara knew it was to be a long night of paperwork and planning. Opening an Arcane school had its challenges; she had prepared for them as best she could, but she didn’t think it would be so overwhelmingly… mundane. Each piece of paper asking something so simple, and yet she had almost no answers. Who was to ensure that proper payment was in order at the academy? What can we do as a school to encourage students into more practical uses of magic (there was an overwhelming interest in evocation schools)? Are there any pre qualifying factors, such as proof of magical abilities, before admission is allowed? Where can they gather more spell components? Who would clean the toilets for gods sakes!? And on, and on. Page after page, she had began to thank her Bloody Stars that Dramneir was on top of the band’s paperwork. She would find him a gift, for he was saving their asses while her and Ezra saved the world. 

Realizing she had studied the same letter thrice without comprehending a single word, Minlara pushed herself away from the wooden desk, leaning back heavily in her chair. Gods did not tire physically, but her lessons with her great grandfather had shown her that mental fortitude would wane without rest. Even the Night Father had to rest every once and a while. Opening her eyes only slightly, Minlara produced a shadowy hand and compelled it to drag a light blanket to her desk. She covered herself, tucking the blanket under her chin and let her mind wander to where they had procured this particular quilt. Was it Amethystine? No, it wasn’t luxurious enough for that trip. Definitely not Dracaeryn, she couldn’t recall any dragons selling or using any quilts. Then again, she had only ever seen a couple dragon’s bedrooms… 

She felt it first on the tips of her fingers, a tingling that was slowly starting to buzz. Her mind still hazy with sleep, Minlara moved her hand out from under the blanket thinking it had fallen asleep. Her fingertips were smokey with shadows and a light ringing filled her ears. It took a moment before the panic seized her, it’s fangs sinking deep into her heart. One of the wards had been tripped; something was in Henley’s room.

The chair crashed to the floor as Minlara stood and scrambled through each drawer on her desk in search of her gauntlet. Her whole body shook with anxious intensity as she quickly donned the metal glove and strapped it to her forearm. With a gesture and a word, Minlara’s form dissolved to the floor in shadows and broke into a frivolous chase towards the Band of the Bloody Stars tower.

There was no moon tonight, the entire city encased in shadows save for the light of city lamps. Minlara clambered faster as possibilities danced through her imagination. By the time she reached the tower door, future opponents were well muddled with past realities. 

An army of ghouls.

A woman’s pale and unforgiving face.

Her sword crashing down on Henley as he wailed in terror. 

Minlara could hear him crying as she jumped from shadow to shadow on the tower's steps. In her shadow walking form she could not tell him she was coming but he knew she would. Minlara would always be there. She wouldn’t let anything touch him. Not her son. 

She reached the last of the tower stairs, and saw Henley’s bedroom door had been left opened. Who ever was in there was dumb and dead. With her last shadow jump, Minlara, still cloaked in shadow, aimed a blast of eldritch fury to kill whatever was inside. 

In the dark room, a tall creature stood over Henley’s bed, reaching for him with taloned hands. Henley was crying, whimpering, as the humanoid snatched him from the tousled blankets. The feeling of crackling Erdrich furry burnt out in Minlara’s gauntleted hand. She couldn’t hit the creature now, not without the possibility of hurting her son. The creature held Henley closer and started to shush him. Minlara dissolved into the darkness, as the intruder quickly checked the doorway she had previously been standing in. Hiding in the shadows of Henley’s scattered toys, Minlara prepared a gnarled blade and waited. She could hit him fast and he would drop Henley. Even in her shadowed form, Minlara felt herself shake, with fury, with anxiety, with terror. She would not let anyone hurt her son. The creature growled and lifted a clawed hand above his head. Now.

The creature swiftly brought its talons onto Henley’s stomach, Minlara too slow in her concealed form to stop it. 

Henley giggled.

Minlara halted her attack. The creature repeated the movement, bringing his claw up and then down again, growling softly. Henley giggled again, a bit louder this time. Minlara did not move from the shadows.

Panic began to dissolve from her, she saw the creature for what it was. Not an elf in plate mail armor. A blue half dragon, hair tossed from sleep, smiling softly at her son as he continued with the game.  

“Look out Henley, the dragon is going to get you! Ahhhhh!” Ezra careened his hand into Henley’s sides and stomach, tickling him. Henley continued to giggle as he fought off Ezra’s hand. 

Shame began to fill the hole where panic once sat within her. Henley was safe. Her son was safe. And she had almost hurt her best friend in her panic. Maybe Ezra was right, she needed to work through her issues… 

Minlara began to creep slowly through the shadows out of the bedroom door, but turned around to view the two of them from the doorway. A low rumbling was coming from Ezra’s throat, a sound only dragon kin could make. He began to rock Henley in his arms, while the humming sound resonated in different tones. Ezra began to softly sing. 

She wanted to cry, and Minlara wasn’t altogether sure why. Seeing her best friend lull her son to sleep, in the middle of a warm summer night was something she didn’t know she wanted. Needed. For a moment, Minlara allowed herself to think of a different time, maybe even a different reality. Where she could spend her days playing, dancing, and singing with her son. Where she didn’t have to worry about anyone attacking her or her family. Where she could have a meal with her friends, and none of them spoke of the trials ahead, because there were none! Where her days could be spent researching magic and learning all its secrets. Where her greatest headache was figuring out who would clean the toilets in her academy. Where her and Ezra…

That was not the reality she lived in, at least not now. There was hard work to be done, and she wouldn’t be able to focus on it if she was focused on what could have been. For tonight, she had a mountain of paperwork to comb through. And tomorrow… who knew what it would bring. 

Despite the sense of longing that threatened to strangle her, Minlara spared one more look into the room. Ezra had lulled Henley to sleep minutes ago, but continued to softly sing his dragon lullaby. He gently lowered Henley back into his bed and tucked him under his blankets. His lullaby ended, but Ezra continued to stare down at the bed. Then, almost faster than her eyes could track, Minlara watched as Ezra kissed Henley’s forehead before he quickly, but silently strode out of the room. 

Minlara jumped into his familiar shadow as he left, closing the door behind him. She followed behind him, until he paused at the top of the stairs. 

“You are getting quieter and quieter in that form, Lara.” His voice was still filled with sleep. Minlara emerged behind him, no longer wrapped in his shadow.  “ I didn’t hear you.”

“Then how did you know I was there?” Minlara realized her voice also sounded tired. 

Ezra laughed quietly. “I can feel you near me. You forget, you carry a piece of me wherever you go.” 

The longing, which Minlara had expertly tucked deep inside her heart, began to travel up her throat again, past the cord around her neck that held his ring finger.

“Ez I -“ She would tell him. She had to.

“Yes?” He asked expectantly. 

“Thank you. Thank you for taking care of him while I was away.” And that was all she said. 

Ezra paused. He didn’t turn around to look at her. Probably for the best, MInlara knew her face would give it all away. “Of course.” He started towards his room. “Goodnight, Minlara. Don’t stay up too late.” 

She snorted. “I am the princess of darkness and dream walking. Staying up late is when I do my best work.” 

Ezra turned around at that. He was smiling, and did an exaggerated bow as he continued to walk backwards towards his room. “Then send some good dreams my way, your holiness.” 

Minlara curtsied as she said, “ Oh of course prince of dragons. I only exist to bring your wildest fantasies to life.” 

Ezra and Minlara laughed, but quickly shushed themselves. They listened for another call from Henley’s room but none came. The two Demi gods smiled at each other, before Minlara headed back down the stairs. Off to her paperwork. And to her wishful thinking.