Princess of Dragons

Chapter 57

Ciara laughed as Basuril jumped around her, snow flying up in the air after him.

It had already been half a day since Sunrose had returned, and Ciara had stayed outside the entire time, unable to leave the little one for even a moment.

While the Dragon Slayers certainly hadn't been excited about the new arrival, she didn't worry, because word had spread to both maids and guards. So many had been by to see the little dragon playing around, and every single one of the maids had cooed and petted and hugged the hatchling drake. He was completely smothered by their love and affection, and he absolutely loved it. With so many people around, the Dragon Slayers wouldn't dare anything.

It really warmed her heart to see how many had grown to love the dragons as much as she did - it was exactly what she'd been aiming for all along. All their hard work had come to fruition.

Everything was turning out to be just what she dreamed.

"So, the rumors are true," a voice spoke as it appeared right next to her. "Those two really did produce an offspring," Lodin stated, his gaze following the happy drake just as hers did.

That was until she broke her own off to smile brightly up at him.

"Yes, they really did." She wasn't at all surprised he had already caught wind of it by now. She was a little surprised about his quick arrival to check things out for himself, though. "Is he not adorable?"

"I would be hard-pressed to argue otherwise," he simply said, only barely answering her question "Does he have a name?"

"Yes - I was allowed to name him," she said. "I chose the name 'Basuril' - an adorable name for an adorable drake," she explained, telling him the same words she'd told everyone else.

"Where did the name come from?"

She returned his gaze with a melancholic smile. "It was actually the name my mother gave to her dragon's hatchling a few years back," she said. "Unfortunately, it had been born with a deformity due to it being a hybrid between a wind and fire dragon. It did not survive past its second summer..."

She had been so little back then, but she still remembered the little, deformed dragon and its struggle to survive - it was heartbreaking when it finally gave up.

"I see," he muttered. "It is a nice name." He turned back to watch the little dragon as he tried to catch his father's tail.

It was so fun to watch him try, because Kaisog would move it out of the way as soon as Basuril pounced. Yet, occasionally he'd let Basuril succeed and bask in that short moment of victory.

"I thought it was incredibly rare - impossible, even - to see a live hatchling like this, yet you seem like you have tried this a thousand times," Lodin spoke again.

She nodded. "I can imagine how it would be exceedingly rare for you all to have seen a hatchling here," she said. "It is because Sunrose and Kaisog both trust so many of us here that they would allow it." She looked up at him. "For that reason, it has not been unlikely for us in the Dragon Kingdom - it was the rule rather than the exception." It'd always been such a happy time when a young hatchling had been born and brought to the island.

"Is that right? In that case, we had better meet those expectations," he stated. "I will make sure to have someone watch him day and night."

"Thank you so much, Lodin! I really appreciate it, and I know both Sunrose and Kaisog do as well." It would ease her worries to know someone was watching over him.

He looked down at her with a bit of an amused glint in his eyes. "Well, we cannot have you tossing and turning in your sleep - I would not get a wink myself."

Somehow, she got the feeling he was referring to something that she should know.

"Speaking of the Dragon Slayers, however, there is something that has been bothering me for quite a while now," he trailed off.

"Yes? What is it?" What could she possibly tell him about his own men?

"It is about the scales they wear on their armor," he said. "And the one you had me use back then."

She nodded for him to continue. She knew where this was headed, yet made no move to interrupt him.

"Both are the scales of a dragon, yet one is filled with color and the other is gray. One has the power to heal any wound, the other holds nothing but dust." He looked at her with a puzzled expression. "What is the difference?"

She knew she had at the very least told Alex and Elias this before. She was only surprised none of them had told Lodin of this - or that he would've waited so long before asking her.

"Well, it is quite simple," she answered. "The difference lies in how it is acquired. The ones the Dragon Slayers have are stolen, the one I had was a gift. Therein also lies the magic of the healing."

He nodded slowly. "We cracked one of the gray ones open a few cycles back. Nothing but ashes came from it." He crossed his arms in front of himself. "I am not surprised it is something as simple as that."

She giggled. "I suppose not," she agreed. "Still, it is a way of assuring that this kind of power does not reach the wrong people."

"That is true," he agreed. "I presume that is the preferred method of healing in the Dragon Kingdom?" he asked, likely remembering her brother's admonishment of how she'd neglected to bring any with her here.

"Certainly." She vividly remembered all the ointments, herbal concoctions and incenses she'd endured here. "We make no use of ointments and such the way you do - all we use is those scales and some light bandaging to protect the wound. Even the most serious of wounds should take no more than seven days and nights to heal enough for a person to be assured survival - when it is done correctly, of course."

"I see. That is very effective, indeed."

She smiled, unable to help herself. She was just so happy to get to talk with him already again - even if it was mostly her monologuing about dragons. She was glad she decided to come back here again. That she had become something like friends with Lodin, that Sunrose was back, that Basuril had been born and that Alex and Elias were back to guarding her every day, even if it was alternatingly. She was just so happy about it all.

Suddenly though, Basuril had given up chasing his father's tail and dashed right at them. The young hatchling showed no restraint as he rammed right into Lodin's stomach.

He was just as surprised as she had been when the drake had done it to her, and  stumbled backwards until he landed on the ground.

Both she and the parent dragons froze, anxiously watching Lodin's response to the unexpected ambush.

Basuril cared not for the tension in the atmosphere as he snuggled up to the man, who was still baffled to the point of speechlessness, unable to do anything but blink in pure and utter confusion.

The next moment, however, the man broke out in a full, deep belly-laughter loud enough to draw anyone's attention, no matter how far away they were.

She exhaled a breath of relief and let her shoulders slump as the tension left them. She genuinely couldn't remember seeing such a genuine, almost boyish smile on his face before. Such innocent, unadulterated humor and joy. It suited him.

When the little drake pulled back to look at the man confusedly, Lodin attempted to compose himself, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Why, you are a brazen, little thing, are you not?" He reached up to place a pair of awkward pats on top of its head.

She smiled warmly at the scene before her. She was glad she'd chosen this to be her home.