To The Stars Through Difficulty 00

Prologue:

Caliban sighed as he stalked round his lair. He felt agitated and angry. His talons clicked on the cool stone with each step he took. Why was life so cruel to him? Why did he have to love a human? Why couldn't he fall in love with another dragon? He growled at his own stupidity.

He walked to the lake that hid in the back of his lair. He dived in trying to calm himself down enough to think clearly. He came outta the lake again and laid on the embankment. His mind was filled with mental images of Serverin Ruthen. The black haired blue eyed pale skinned human had his heart.  

His grey talon tapped on the cool stone floor yet again in agitation. He had to see Serverin again. He walked to one of the many chambers of his lair. It was a room full of different chests. In one was clothes. He shifted to human and donned a pair of jeans, black t-shirt and a leather coat. He slid his feet into a pair of black boots and laced them up. He stood and walked off to find his Serverin.

Serverin sat in the courtyard of his home with his father. They were arguing again. "Father I love him! Why is that so hard for you to understand?! You and mom are in love! Why not me and Caliban?"

"Do you know that Caliban comes from the poorest family in the land? Do you know that he isn't worth a grain of Sand?" Serverin's father looked at his son with anger. "We do not mix with their kind Serverin!"

Serverin growled. "You can't stop me from loving him!" Serverin turned and stalked off. He gasped as he ran into something. He felt strong arms go around him. He looked up and saw Caliban. He put his arms around his lover and cried. "Caliban... Father says i can't love you..."

Caliban hugged Serverin and kissed the top of his head. "It's gonna be alright Serverin. He can't keep us apart. Nothing ever will." Caliban held him close as he looked towards the courtyard where Serverin's father still sat drinking a cup of tea. "No one will take you from me babe."

Serverin sniffled and looked at Caliban. "Can we just go somewhere? I need to be with you right now." Caliban lead Serverin off to their spot and sat with him.

They sat in a lush meadow. The flowers were gorgeous at night. They would normally sneak out an meet here. But this night Caliban heard the yelling so he went in search of his love. "Caliban? Can I ask you something?"

Caliban nodded. "Always. What is it?"

"Well... I want you to be my first... Father will try to give me to someone else. So I want you to take my virginity. I want it to be with someone I trust with my life. I know you won't hurt me. But if Father pairs me off that person might. Give me this one fond memory?"Serverin looked at Caliban wishing, no praying that Caliban would save him.

Caliban hugged Serverin. "Are you absolutely sure? Once I do as you ask there is no going back. Once it is done it can't be undone." Serverin nodded his answer. He leaned to Caliban and kissed him passionately. Caliban moaned against the other bringing him even closer so they had little space between them.

Caliban and Serverin laid together after their moment in the grass. They both were naked; Serverin laid across Caliban's body. "Thank you Caliban. I was right, you were gentle. Thank you." Caliban nodded and kissed Serverin as they just laid there together.

~~~~

2 weeks later Serverin's Father tried to pair him off with an old friend of the family. But the friend of the family gave Serverin back a few days after he was given to him. Serverin Sat in the high wing back chair of his father's den. "Serverin. You will tell me right now who is the father of that bastard child in your belly." Serverin shook his head. "You will tell me right now or I will have it killed!"

Serverin glared. "You will not kill my baby! If you try the father will kill you! Caliban will not let you kill his baby!" Serverin replied not noticing he gave Caliban away.

"Ah, Caliban. Well maybe I should pay him a visit. Maybe I should have him employed as my slave?" Serverin stood and smacked his father. He turned and ran. He had to find Caliban before his father did.

He ran to the meadow screaming his lovers name. "CALIBAN! WHERE ARE YOU?! I NEED YOU!"

Caliban heard his name being called. His talons clicked on stone as he walked out of his lair in search for the one yelling for him. He got near the meadow an saw Serverin sitting on his knees crying. He went to a spot where he hid clothes. He dressed then ran to Serverin. He kneeled and hugged him. "What is wrong beloved? What makes you cry like this?"

Serverin cried hugging him. "Father wants to kill our baby!"

Caliban was shocked. "Say that again?"

"Father tried to marry me off to a friend of the family. I was there for all of 3 days. He was worried cause I was sick every morning. He had a doctor look at me and learned I am pregnant! He sent me home saying he didn't want me cause I wasn't a virgin. Now father wants to kill our baby! Please stop him! He's gonna send men after you and try to make you a slave!"

Caliban hugged Serverin close. "Come on baby. I'll keep you and our baby safe. I'll take you where no one can find us." Serverin nodded. Caliban picked him up and ran off carrying him in his arms bridal style.

Serverin gasped seeing he was inside a cave. He was shocked. "Caliban... Where are we? Where did you take us?"

"This is my home Serverin. I live her alone... Just me... I have a few things to tell you."

Serverin looked at him confused. "Tell me what? Is something wrong?"

Caliban sighed. He sat on a chest and looked up at serverin. "Well you might hate me after I tell you the truth..." He looked away from serverin. "I'm not what i seem to be serverin... I'm totally different... And the baby will be too..."

Serverin looked at him confused. "Different? Different how?"

Caliban sighed. "Come sit, I'll show you." Caliban stood and walked away from him so he won't hurt him. "Just promise me you won't run ok?"

Serverin nodded. He saw Caliban take off his boots, his shirt, his pants. He was shocked to see his lover there naked. Then flames engulfed him. He gasped. The flames went out and revealed a golden dragon. Serverin was completely shocked. "What? Where..." He felt faint and the world went black.

When Serverin woke again he laid on a bed with silk sheets. He put a hand to his stomach hoping his baby was ok. Then he remembered seeing Caliban turn to a dragon before his eyes. He sat up and looked around. "Caliban?" He heard clicking then the head of a dragon peeked into the room. The dragon had Green eyes like his Caliban. "Caliban, is that you?"

The dragon nodded. "It is." Caliban sighed. "I... I know I'm hideous... And you can leave if you want. But you should know you'll be pregnant for 18 months... You'll give birth to an egg that will need to hatch on it's own... It will be a baby dragon. It won't be able to shift until he's 6 years old..."

Serverin was confused. "But how? I am not a chicken. I do not lay eggs!"

Caliban sighed. "Dragons are born from eggs. Would you rather give birth to a baby dragon with sharp talons, wings that can accidentally open during birth, and the sharp spike of it's tail?"

Serverin paled. "I can die during both. Is there any other option?"

Caliban sighed. "Not really. Your body will adjust when it comes time for the birth. You won't die. And I want your permission to claim you. If I don't some other dragon will try to hurt you and our baby..."

Serverin looked at him confused. "Claim me? What does that mean?"

"Well, in theory we've already done part of the claiming. The other part involves me being human and burning my person brand into our skin. After that I will have to bleed my hand and put it over the burns. It will mingle our blood together. That way you have my scent on you and my brand." Caliban scratched at his leg nervously with his talon.

Serverin sat up a little bit to fast and his stomach rebelled. He got it under control and scowled at Caliban. "What the hell are you talking about?! Blood rituals?! I am not some virgin sacrifice sulfer breath!"

Caliban sighed. "Serverin, I'm trying to protect you and our child. I don't want to lose either of you! If I don't claim you, you can get gravely injured or even die! Please you have to trust me. If I don't claim you, you can never leave this cave."

Serverin glared at him. "That is not fair! I love you but I don't want to be a proverbial cow. I mean really Caliban... If you force me to do either of those things you're as bad as my father."

Caliban sighed. "I am trying to protect you. You asked me to save you and our baby. that is what I am doing." He looked at Serverin. "Don't you understand?"

~~~~

Serverin has been getting weaker and weaker as the pregnancy progressed. He reached his third month and need Caliban to help him do the simplest things. Caliban sat by his lover in his human form. He wore just pants. He rubbed a cool cloth over Serverin's forehead. "Serverin please let me claim you. If you keep this up you can die... Please don't die on me..."

Serverin smiled weakly. "Caliban, I'm ok. Yeah I need help sometimes but I'm ok.I am fine I swear."

Caliban growled. "Dammit Serverin, please just give in. The moment I claim you the morning sickness and cramps and weakness will all go away! Please!" Serverin sighed and nodded. "You mean it? You really mean it?" Caliban nodded. He leaned forward and kissed Serverin. He lowered the blanket to Serverin's Hips.

He put his hands on Serverin's Forearms. He kept kissing Serverin to distract him from the pain. Once the brand was left he grabbed a letter opener and stabbed his palms making them bleed. He pressed his bleeding palms to the burns and watched as Serverin's color came back. His cheeks were rosy again. His eyes were like sapphires once more. His hair had it's sheen back.

Caliban noticed the ring on serverin's right hand. He picked p his lovers hand and took it off. Serverin whimpered. "what are you doing?" Caliban held the ring in his hand. he Then took the red hot ring and pushed it to his chest. The Crest expanded in size to be more visible. When he took the ring away a dragon went over the crest to for an 'S' For Serverin. Serverin gasped. "Oh babe..." He leaned up and kissed him. Once the ring cooled it was put back where it belongs.