Forgiveness

I sat high up on the cliff. The Dragon and his Rider had departed for the day far off over the sea. It was cloudy the air was heavy with moisture. Fog clung to the crags between the sea and my perch above.

That's when it hit me. I'd run deep into the fog because I expected the new Rider to hurt me. I had run from my own pain of loss. Then I'd boxed myself in, trapped with my pain and worry until I exploded. I tried to fix myself, but even the Dragon saw my futility, grasping at gems and pieces of the past. The village tried to convince me to step out of myself, but still I was inside, listening to my old hurts and habits sing a song of woe.

The Rider didn't hate me. The Dragon didn't love me less.

The Rider respected me for training her dragon up to meet her. The Dragon held me in highest regard for being a mentor, a friend, and even helped me out where he could. They hadn't hurt me.

It was I who needed to forgive myself. I still had value and was still loved. I still had the Dragon.

I always would.