Don't Send Me Away - I Owe You, Nadine, or I Owe You, is a story about a persistent girl who wants to repay the anti-social passer-by that accidentally saved her life.
It plays off in a world where humanoid dragons of different colours/races inhabit the Earth. The girl and her saviour are both of a different race and have a demeanour and culture that clash with each other.
The story was conceived in August of 2019, but it and the characters have made no official appearance yet. Created by VampireMeerkat.
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Story
An impoverished green dragon, James, leaves her home town every day to look for food and objects to improve her simple living space with, and one day finds a branch of berries at the edge of a cliff. As her kind can't fly and she's been starving for weeks, she tries her luck, but the feeble branch can't hold her and she falls to her presumed death.
She is then caught, seemingly on accident, by a dragon of another race flying by. He is visibly annoyed by the interruption of his trip, but returns her to where she fell. When he wants to leave again, James informs him she has to give him something in return for saving her life; as the law of the green dragons states.
The purple dragon, Nadine, says the laws of other races don't apply to him, and flies off. His refusal to let her thank him agitates her and she jumps after him, but he's unresponsive to her calling and she can't keep up with his speed. She loses sight of him, whereafter she has to consider going to the feared purple domain to look for him. For the sake of keeping the green dragons' reputation clean -as they were known and treated as "lazy and opportunistic leeches" in the far past- she goes on ahead.
(Click "Expand" to read more)> She finds and sneaks into their mountain territory, but sees the majority is sound asleep on the boulders, and those who are awake don't acknowledge her existence. James is assured the dragons won't be a threat and browses the many comically unconscious residents for Nadine.
Before she starts to forget what his face looks like, she sees a tall figure stretched out on a rock and approaches him with the repeated request of stating his payment of choice. Nadine just wants her to leave, but James doesn't consider that fair payment for her life. She keeps interrupting his sleep, but his exhaustion is stronger than her patience, and eventually she can only sit by his side with an ignored pout, until the day is over and there's nothing left to do but go home. Nevertheless, she returns the next day, and the days after, with her most valuable possessions to offer as a trade, but the items are generally useless and unwanted by Nadine.Her life suffers more under her insistence to visit him every day; leaving her with less time to search for food and can't do so in the purple dragons' barren domain.
As nothing she owns or finds is of objective value, she takes a more creative approach and carves a wooden statue with the assumption Nadine might be of a race that prefers luxury items, like decorative art. But he stays indifferent, upsetting her.
Since there's no end in sight, though, he reluctantly accepts it. This pleases her and she bids him farewell, but witnesses him carelessly drop the item next to him and laying back down. Her pride is hurt and she returns with a scolding. She demands to know his biggest desire for her to fulfill, but Nadine explains removing her noisy self from his sight would be considered a fair trade, as slumbering is an important practise for purple dragons to help their hurting bodies find rest.
This bit of info inspires her and she offers to make medicine or bring pillows, but is told these do nothing. She is set on soothing his exhaustion and pain, and tells him her kind is known for their strong grip and she could attempt a massage. Nadine's interest is peaked, though he feels reluctant to accept something that requires physical contact from a stranger.
Nevertheless, James begins and he falls asleep with content. She heads back feeling much the same way, seemingly ending the chapter, yet shows up again the next morning.Nadine is confused to see her, but she insists a wooden carving is not equal to one's life and she should become his aid for a while. He knows what is meant by that and says not to accept a slave.
She argues to only have her hands and motivation to give and her pride as a green dragon depends on his willingness to cooperate. The exhausted man settles with making her his grocery maid and masseuse, but asks her not to make other dragons suspicious of their relationship, since keeping servants is frowned upon by most.James accepts the terms and cheerfully performs the minor tasks he pacifies her with. Because she spends most of her time with him, he sees it necessary to provide her lunch, despite the announcements he's making her more indebted to him.
Her high energy rubs off on him, relative to his race, and the massages are appreciated, but their growing interactions and her touch begin to feel inappropriate.
After some weeks, he tells her they shouldn't continue. She asks if his fellow dragons started asking questions, but Nadine refers to the massages, which is an act mainly reserved for lovers in his community. He wants her to deem the debt repaid, and rejects her second offer of focusing on the gathering of stones and house cleaning only.James returns home, where food is again scarce and she feels lonely. Her ended relationship with Nadine is one she can't describe herself, but is one she wants to replicate. She wonders if selling herself as a partner to a more established green dragon will rid her of her poverty struggles and they'll be good company to her as well. She heads over to the wealthy district, but becomes more unsure with every step. With no plan or idea as to why, she turns around for Nadine.
Back at the purple domain, she looks for him in the sea of tired and hurting faces, until a familiar voice asks her what she's doing back again. James pulls out a wooden carving from her sash and makes the excuse she came to replace the first one he dropped. The statue is of a classic-looking dragon, argued to be him, but her artwork still draws little response from Nadine.
She picks up on it and says he's not obligated to accept gifts just to please her, but then he decides to take it anyway.Uncomfortable silences start spoiling the visit, and James diverts her attention to the purple dragon babies and children that more resemble elderly people. She asks what causes them to be in pain. Nadine answers it's because of the high amounts of magic they possess, but can't use, out of the safety of every living being. She wants to know if her massages are of any help to him, but he admits they only soothe him in the moment, making her conclude it entails she never gave him anything in return for her life. Nadine disagrees, but James cuts him off and insists she should be his aid a while longer. Her sudden loudness urges Nadine to continue their discussion at his house.
There, two apples are waiting for her on his counter, while he helps himself to the bowl of stones next to them. As he doesn't eat conventional food, she asks if he was expecting her, and he guessed there was a chance she still hadn't learned how to leave him alone. James is hesitant to accept, but he promises they're free gifts.
She comments how different he is from green dragons and would've never guessed "free gifts" to exist, to which he replies that to be an unfortunate confession.
She tells him of her parents who died a year ago; how they owed a rich woman a favour, and paid for it with their lives while they were out looking for her request. Nadine finds her kind's neurotic urge to stay out of debt unhealthy, and she agrees, but also knows asking favours is the only way the poor can survive nowadays, while taking responsibility is important to keep green dragons from falling back to their ancestors' ways. That the rich are the ones who truly benefit from this system is something James and Nadine agree to be suspicious and affect the responsibility argument.
After wolfing down the apples, she jokes to like another free favour and want meat next time. He says to go look.He continues to give her long stares and the facial expressions that stem from his own personal dilemmas concerning his feelings towards her are mistaken for psychical hurt. James offers a massage for the apples, but before too long, they're in each other's embrace and spend the night together.
She wakes up next to him, scared for having engaged in a taboo, and leaves without a word. Back at her cottage, she tries to resume her life as normal, but can't figure out how to get her carefree demeanour back or fully erase Nadine from her mind. The days of doubt turn into weeks and she finds her waist growing larger with time. That which she worried about comes true; and she lays three eggs. She panics and can only think of turning to the one she carelessly abandoned.
The very next morning, she catches Nadine exiting his home and reveals to him their forbidden offspring inside her sash. They go inside and discuss on what should be done.
James worries the children will look off and be ostracised, but also expresses not being ready to take on the stress of having children from a foreign lover. Nadine shows understanding for this and says he should've known better. This response surprises her.
Because he perceives her to be a young girl at the start of her life, he offers to take the children and promises he won't look down on her decision to turn around. His words displease her and she insists to be an adult who's equally responsible. He replies that doesn't change their situation or the feelings she just expressed.As dragon eggs benefit most of their mother's body heat, she decides to stay at Nadine's house and wait for them to hatch before making any decisions, but after a month, this hasn't happened. When she starts to get worried, Nadine opens one up and sees it's empty.
They bury them and he concludes it to be for the best, but finds James in tears, who wonders if she didn't keep the eggs warm enough or the lack of food during pregnancy is to blame. He believes the eggs were never fertilized to begin with. The answer doesn't calm her down and she begins to lament the possiblity she can't have his offspring at all, confusing him more.
Nadine asks her what it is she thinks and wants with him, but she admits only to know she misses him when separated, but feel scared when they're together. He says to have felt the same way.Nadine suspects she might be confusing gratitude for love, and her desperate home situation is not helping her make good judgements. He suggests she retreats and gets her personal life in order first before making any decisions, even if it takes multiple years. He pleads her not to come see him if there's any doubt left that would make her run off again. James takes the polite scolding and advice, but as the days go by, her feelings don't change and she feels miserable being by herself again.
James is then approached by a lord who recalled seeing her pregnant, yet without children or a partner. She becomes nervous and can only reply the eggs were empty. Her bumbling is taken by the man as a sign she is "abandoned used goods" and boldly proclaims she should become his youngest son's wife. He further reveals her single motherhood has become a known fact in town, affecting her worth, which is only being held up by her youth; making his demand -disguised as an offer- a generous option she should take. But James hesitates and the lord has to leave her with a time limit.
She flees inside her home, embarrassed. Because her reputation and way of living can be saved by becoming the obedient wife of a lord's son, she couldn't outright decline, but her mind is with Nadine, though with all the worries that come with dating another race.On her last day, the lord and his son head over to her cottage with the full expectation she's going to accept. She sees them coming, but is still conflicted on whether to choose love or comfort; and can't make such a hasty prediction on what'll give her true happiness. Then suddenly, the town enters a frenzied panic and the scurrying dragons warn each other for an intruder.
Nadine shows up at her house, where the lord and his son are still standing. Their presence visibly displeases him.
As to keep the two of them safe of suspicion, James treats Nadine like a stranger, but he doesn't care to play along and approaches the unwelcome duo. The once confident lord is crippled with fear in the presence of a foul mooded purple dragon, but his naive, spoiled son wants to impress the one he believes will become his wife and demands Nadine to leave their domain with a trembling finger.
He ignores the theatrical teenager and asks the lord what they came to visit James for. As any kind of close relationship with another race is unheard of, the man sees no problem in telling him the truth. This instantly sets off the once collected Nadine into unrecognizable rage.James shrieks at the sight of him strangling the boy he perceives to be his competition, while the environment around them changes like it's been hit by the plagues of Egypt. The father begs for his child's life and wants to come in between them, but is instantly punched in the stomach and his lifeless body sent flying.
As his unchecked magic is destroying her home, James throws herself onto Nadine and calls for him to come to his senses, again and again, until he finally picks up on the damage he's done to the innocent village.
He releases the unconscious boy, whereafter James attends to him and his father. Nadine can only apologize, but she's too busy checking for a pulse on his victims. The only appropriate action he can think of is to leave.Outside the town's borders, James stops him and demands an explanation, but Nadine can only guess and not confirm anything. He clarifies that purple dragons are a monogamous race that don't move on after choosing their partner, making the concepts of separating or getting involved with more romantic contenders unfathomable and something they've never dealt with in known history.
He says not to have lied when he wanted her to take time figuring out her feelings, yet couldn't stop himself coming back for her.The explanation worries James. She asks if their different race and culture will make them and their relationship dysfunctional, something Nadine doesn't dare to give an answer to, considering the boost of aggression he wasn't able to detain. She further expresses fear he'll kill her if she does something off, which he deems impossible by the fact he loves her.
Hearing him speak these words for the first time gives her pleasant shivers, but their interaction is cut short when the town's residents return to the area to inspect if the coast is clear. James lets him know she wasn't going to accept the marriage and no one had died during his outburst, since green dragons are nimble cowards who start running whenever they hear a bang. Nadine doesn't know if she's trying to make a light-hearted joke or is serious, but the info gives him some comfort.
He promises not to enter town again and gives her an open invitation to come see him whenever if there's anything more she wishes to discuss. Before the scouting townspeople can find them together, Nadine flies off.As James feels somewhat responsible for the damage done to town, she stays to help people rebuild their homes, earning her many favours and improving her reputation overall. Things are looking up for her, and her inclusion inside the community is improving her spirits.
By the time she reminds herself Nadine is likely still waiting for her, alot of time has passed and large chunks of town have been rebuilt. Now that she has so many connections, she wonders if including him into her life will benefit that which she just worked for, still, she doesn't want to end their story there and goes to him, hoping to determine whether her love for him is still strong.She shows up at his house late at night and enters, while knowing he and his neighbours are sound asleep. The small room is pitch dark and she only has her memory and Nadine's scent to go on. She finds his resting body and lays her hand down on it. Now that they've reunited, she's afraid to wake him up and doesn't know what to say.
Nadine's back feels hard, and in an act of automatism, she gives it a rub, whereafter she decides to make it a full massage like old times. It wakes Nadine, who slides his arms into a smothering embrace. He says no words and she can't see his face, but the sounds of silent sobbing are clearly heard. James can't help herself but mimic them, if only because of the fact she wished for the easy way out and wanted to forget about him.Nadine asks her to stay and ensures his lax community won't persecute them or the children they could possibly have in the future. After having her life in order, she finds her long-awaited answer pertaining her feelings, and finds that she can't refuse her one true friend.
Characters
James
James (2020).
James (pronounced: "Jah-mes") is a female green dragon.
She's energetic and just, but her life is dictated by the rules of her kind. "To owe someone" is stressful to a green dragon, especially when they're of small status and have little wealth/possessions to give in return; as is the case with James. She found Nadine a bother for not considering any of her propositions, but after spending time with him, realized she's the one who's been disrespectful.
In the story it becomes clear she has a slight disdain for her own kind, mainly their rules and the rich that benefit from them, yet also sees no solution to it.
Because Nadine doesn't care to exploit her, she's suspicious, yet quick to grow fond of him as well. The concept of friendship is not entirely understood by green dragons and their entire existence consists out of receiving and repaying favours, meaning James needed time to understand her feelings for him, especially when they become romantic.
She is supposedly under a 100 years old, which is young for a dragon. This, in combination with her nervous behaviour, makes it easy to make the wrong decisions and act on a whim. It's what drove her to go after the berries without conducting a proper plan on how to and made her treat Nadine insensitively later in time.
James is short and small in stature, has short green hair, orange eyes, small wings, a tail with small horns scattered around, a row going over her spine, a few on her elbows, and two on her forehead.
Nadine
Nadine (2020).
Nadine (pronounced: "Nah-dee-nay") is a male purple dragon.
He belongs to a powerful, but lazy and self-concerned race of dragons. He expressed regret for saving James' life when he learns of her kind's neurotically strict law of never accepting a gift for free; and she keeps coming back every day to harass him. Still, he's perceptive and generous, and her persistence gave him enough time to learn about her circumstances and do more for her than is common for a purple dragon. He helped her life improve.
He's level-headed and his exhaustion makes him tolerant towards James' high energy behaviour and ignorance. He is willing to speak about taboo subjects and knows quite alot about the other dragon races.
Nevertheless, there is a bit of nativity hidden inside of him, as he allowed himself to feel enamoured by James for merely giving him massages; which is an act of care within the purple dragon community, though nothing that should awaken an instinctual response. James is bothered by his own thinking and eventually asked her to stop interacting with him.
Like all dragons, cross-breeding isn't something he considered possible or appropriate, but when they share the night together, he no longer cares for this and accepts her as his partner, while James is the one with regrets. Because purple dragons don't have multiple partners in their life, her sudden departure left him heartbroken, yet her return was welcomed and he was willing to hear her out.
Nadine is tall, pale, lanky, has purple hair, also on his chest, purple eyes, sharp crooked teeth, a double set of wings, a long tail, and thick horns at the sides of his head that curl up.
Trivia
- Nadine's voice is similar to Morten Harket's.