Tough Love

The dragoness’s body was heavy. Gravity seemed to be doing everything it could to keep her from the podeum. Cameras flashed all around her, and with each bright light more purple smudges obscured her view of the stage and the thousands seated around her.

…” Don’t loose focus!” Her trainer growled.

Matao had been rougher than usual as far as training went. Today he wore brass knuckles and was cuffing at her like an outraged bear. There was no escape. She watched him wined up for a monster blow. Such a skull crusher would surly break her skin if he landed it. The seventeen year old had wasted her reaction time thinking. On her next glance the silver laced fist was coming at her face…

Her right foot was on the stages first step now. She stared at her purple toes, the hooked black claws coming out of the open toe sandal’s front. They were made for human feet. The same basic principal was also behind the tightness of her dress. Her hips and shoulders, wile muscular, were too wide set for human anatomy. Though it was true no one would ever know if she kept quiet about it.

…She prepared for the massive impact, for her vision to go white, to feel the intense heat that spawned pain, and to taste her own blood as her mouth filled up. Tension was all she felt for ages as she waited for her master’s meteor like fist. The impact never happened. Her eyes opened, lids sore from the long wait, to reveal that her master stood before her his dangerous arms hung at his sides.

“ You’re just a obstacle to them you know, the counsel.” He murmured seeming sufficiently depressed………..

Tears welled in her eyes as she looked over the crowd realizing that out of all the people present she was the only one who knew the giant man’s true colors. Inclining her head toward the livid body displayed at her right she forced a grin. The box was almost too small to hold him.

Her throat was dry as she opened her mouth. “ I’m positive that every one here knows who we are. Him,” she gestured at the body. “My colleagues sitting before me, and my self. It’s safe to say we all seem pretty tough…and to some extent we are. But none of us were born that way.”

… His eyes, like a pare of polished blue lace agates, glistened as he continued to speak.

“ At some point they will try to get rid of you.” He grimaced, the veins on his neck stuck out as he clenched his fists. “ The reason they haven’t yet is that they don’t think that it would be good publicity wise. “

Her world blurred as the two giant arms went for her………..

“ I assure you.” She continued. “ That this man laid out before your eyes today was not my father in any sense. In fact you could say that we were at ends most of the time.” She gulped hard. “ But I owe him my life…I’ll always owe him my life.”

…She buried her face in his massive chest after a moment of shock. He had pulled her against his chest and was hugging her. His thunder loud voice was but a cracked whisper as he apologized for the last ten years.

“ They would have ordered your death sooner had I shown emotional attachment.” He sobbed. “ It was all I could do to protect you.”

His voice as he had uttered the word protect had been so unreal. She had never truly heard him say it until she stood there, remembering. The day after that she was given her own place to live and rarely saw her former master.

“ He raised me with my future in mind from the start and for that I could never repay him. “ tears rolled down her cheeks. “ I would never aspire to be just like Matao, but I am damn sure that there are parts of him that made me into who I am. His teachings keep me alive on the battle field each day and….”

… “ You must promise me that you will never trust the counsel…that you will leave at the first sign they want you dead.”

It had been difficult to nod whilst being crushed against his bulk. But she had.

“ Your birth is not a travesty. Your blood is not a curse. You your self are a miracle and any one who says different wastes their breath.” He whispered the words into the top of her head as if he were trying to force them into her brain.”…

“ My master was never delicate with anything. He never used words that made a person feel good. But in the end, looking back on the way he raised me, I knew intended prepare me for life all the same. And for that,” She smiled. “ I can honestly say I’m grateful.”

That night she slept in his arms. He considered her his only family and knew that after she lived separately from him that they would never see each other again. She looked up at the man who had just admitted ten years of love, pride, and anguish he disguised as hatred. The massive arms that held her against him seemed to convince both of them that he could protect her, if only for one night. The sudden display of paternal love seemed in the giant’s eyes to be the only kindness he could offer her…

Her speech was done. She turned to the cadaver nervously as the crowed clapped and roared. All the noise was distant. Reaching down she took his cold hand, smiled, and leaned over pressing her lips to his cheek.

“ Good bye master…. your love will always protect me.”

She stood up glimpsing her tears as they pooled on his massive cheek. Shaking her head she bowed respectfully and left the stage to reclaim her seat.