Of Friendship and Love, is a story that will forever be precious to me. Not only was it the first real story I’ve ever written in English, but it also holds wonderful memories of times spent playing a simple MMORPG called Ultima Online. I played this with my boyfriend, Ramzies, and thus, this tale was born as we played our way through the only game were we ever really role-played.

I love this story… and I hope some readers out there will find it to their liking.

Characters: Mara Levis was my character’s name in UO. She started out as a thief and archer, always out to chase down trouble or, when things got too tight, running from it. At one point not even running would help any longer, forcing her to flee her past and search her life for a new destiny. She certainly found it. (Tamer-Healer-Mage)

Ramzies, my boyfriend character. With a heart of gold set in a body of granite, and a mind so sharp as his blade, Ramzies is the only man who ever truly touched Mara’s soul. A blessing, and curse, that ties them together with a forbidden bond they will never quite understand. (Swordsman-Archer-Fencer…err…Warrior!)

---

"Don't move Caith… no... don't move... woaaah! Caith! Please!"

Mara reached forward, her fingers sliding down the rough wall. Her skin rubbed against the stone bricks, searching for something to cling on to. She found one of the many, deep ridges of one of the larger bricks and strained her hands to hold on to it. In the meantime Mara's feet were desperately searching for what had just vanished underneath her feet.

"CAITH!" Mara cried at the top of her voice. Her fingers slipped and she threatened to fall until her kicking feet found another gap to wedge her toes into.

Steady once more, the young woman muttered a row of curses that would undoubtedly make any hardy warrior in front of Britain bank blush.

How was she supposed to repair the row of bricks above her head?

There was no way to reach them through the window of the small tower; and neither could she get to them from the roof. And now that she thought to have found a viable way, the necessary helping hand didn't seem all too interested in sticking around until she was done.

"Damn you Caith…"

Mara felt how her belt lightened itself as her tools tumbled away. One hollow thud followed the other as hammer, chisel and a wedge hit the forest ground. One particularly heavy utensil hit something else but earth though. It sounded fleshier than your average forest floor, and evoked a low grunt from behind her.

"Now will you get your head back here? You stubborn bastard almost made yourself responsible for breaking my bones" she chided sheepishly and was rewarded with another grunt; followed by a low, throaty growl.

Mara shook her head.

"Come on now. Don't leave me all alone up here. That 'aint fair and you know that."

A warm brush of air crept along her back as Caith blew his breath out in a complaining snort.

"Mercy… Mercy…" Mara pleaded jokingly until her feet touched down on something soft but solid enough to hold her weight. She released the bricks and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Thank you darling," she whispered as she slowly lowered herself until she clung on to the dragon's nape. With her arms wrapped around the long neck, Mara made her way down. Once she sat on his broad back, Caith turned his massive, reptile head and regarded her curiously. His red eyes blinked a few times until the young woman was off his back and collecting the tools from the ground.

He nudged her, emitting a soft purr, and almost sent her on her buttocks.

"Hey now, I didn't shout on you on purpose. I just didn't agree with the thought of falling down from that height. It's not healthy for a human, cause, well, we can't fly."

Mara smiled at the dragon and placed a kiss on his big cheek. "I'll get a ladder tomorrow. Promise."

---

Despite her failure in repairing the bricks, Mara Levis was in high spirits as she finished picking up all the tools. Caith in the meanwhile had settled down in the clearing surrounding the small tower. He made a content and lazy impression as he lay on his belly, the long neck curled slightly inwards. Yet Mara knew that he was watching her ever closely through heedful eyes.

It was true that Caith did not appreciate the thought of a human – any human – riding him. Not even her. But while he would most likely gobble down anyone else who tried, Mara held her own special place in the old dragons great heart.

She was his friend and one didn’t hold a grudge against friends because they did something unpleasant. Especially not against the type of friend that trusted him with everything they had to give: their life.

Mara didn’t know whether Caith truly knew how much he meant to her; how much the dragon was more of a guardian and companion than a mere beast that did her bidding.

The young woman chuckled and stuffed the last tool – a chisel – back into her belt. Thinking about it, Mara knew that the dragon was everything she would ever ask for should she be left alone in this world.

“Thanks for your patience, love. Think we should head to Vesper and get some deals done before nightfall?” she inquired while her eyes trailed off above the treetops, where the sky was a pleasant mix of red and pale blue. Small flocks of clouds drifted slowly towards the west and flocks of Britannia’s birds danced in the distance.

Caith gave a growl that sounded like a halfhearted approval.

Smirking knowingly, Mara shook her head at the dragon. “Don’t worry, you will be at your pen with your lady soon enough.” She walked around the tower to the heavy iron door and pulled it open. “I’ll just get dressed, then we can head off!”

Whistling a soothing tune, Mara stood in front of the mirror and studied herself for a brief moment. Dark burgundy leather armor covered her body, revealing nothing but her delicate neck and a diamond necklace glistering against her skin.

She touched the tiny, round gem that hung from the fragile band and wrapped her fingers around it, feeling the detailed shape of a dragons head in her hand.

With a small, content smile on her lips, Mara let her gaze wander to the mirror image of the armoire standing behind her. Her eyes followed the light brown wood upwards and paused there.

Sitting quietly on top of the armoire, almost staring at her, sat an expertly crafted valorite helmet. Its otherwise smooth surface was marked by some odd bumps and edges inflicted by the countless battles it had seen. Mara turned away from the mirror and walked towards the armoire. She reached up, standing tiptoe, and touched the cold valorite steel with her right hand.

The moment the shaped metal touched her fingers she felt her skin prickle and the smile faded.

While the helmet was certainly incapable of speech, it unquestionably did well in telling her of memories that lay in both the recent and far past. It kept those memories save, just as it kept her save and warm whilst she slept.

But it didn't keep its former owner save. No, the bearer of the helmet was gone. Vanished.

"Ramzies...”

Not all memories pouring down into the depth of her being were joyful. Truth be told, most of them made her heart ache with guilt and ripped an even deeper gap of longing into her soul.

Mara withdrew her hand. She felt warm tears moistening her eyes and hastily blinked them away.

Who was she to cry? Who was she to cry because a man she felt bonded to had vanished? Mara Levis was stronger than that. Mara Levis was a woman who followed her virtues with a passion and never mourned when doing the right thing meant loosing something.

Even if it was a part of her.

"And still I would give so much to see you again just once. Just once. So I can see for myself that you are in good health. So I know that your life is more of a life than it used to be…" she whispered hoarsely and kissed the tips of her right hand’s fingers. Mara touched the helmet again, biting her bottom lip as she was forced to hold back those tears that she would never be allowed to cry.

"I want to tell you that I will never forget you.”