Astrophriel

Love between mortals and ancients had never been easy. One dies while another lives on. It's a tale as old as time, and one often used to caution people against pursuing those with mismatched lifespans.

But the Dragon King was a hopeless romantic. In the face of countless warnings he still chose a mortal partner, death be damned.

Countless seasons passed—mere seconds in the life of an immortal. Their final day arrived with ferocious speed, stretching from beyond like a great shadow over the hills.
Soon the King found himself kneeling at the bedside of his love, pressing a cold hand to his cheek. A funeral followed. It too vanished in an instant.
Extravagant though it was it left no mark on the King, who's eyes remained vacant after his beloved's passing.

At least their scent will linger, he thought, lip quivering into a sash that used to be draped over his partner's neck. Sadly, scents never visit long.
One morning he lifted the fabric and was distraught to find its scent had dimmed. Panic set in. This couldn't be. What would he do without the
essence of sun on skin and hair dusted with sea-salt? No flower in any garden could replicate this distinct presence. It made the shape of half his heart, after all.

Perfumers from all over the world were immediately called to action—anyone who may be able to salvage whatever scent still remained.
His castle soon burst with people of every color and size, each a perfumer of renown. Through great effort, and by using enchanted threads from the sash
 they coalesced his beloved's scent in a perfume. Immediately the King surrounded himself with it. Each meaningful location possessing the ghost of his love once more.
The bath. His bedsheets.

Still it was not enough. His nose became accustomed to the enhanced scent, causing it to grow dull.
The second bout of panic filled his halls with not only perfumers but doctors, witches and alchemists too.

Years of silence passed until the King emerged on his balcony in a peculiar form. His horns, tail and abdomen had been scraped hollow and replaced with precious perfume.
Glittery mist danced around him. He breathed deeply and caught not fresh air, but that wonderfully distinct scent of sun on skin and hair dusted with sea-salt.

Most agreed he'd gone mad. Some thought him romantic. Regardless, the peoples' opinion on the matter meant little.
As far as the Dragon King was concerned, he now stood on this balcony with his beloved once more.
He need only close his eyes and it was as if there was another beside him.

MORE

- As a byproduct of his mad chase the kingdom is now reknowned for having skilled perfumers. Many travel there for cosmetics.
- He may be intense but is not impossible to get along with. Just don't bring up his partner.
- Keeps the sash in a glass display case on a satin cushion.
- Often dreams of his late partner and considers these dreams as meetings from beyond the veil.