The Infant and The Dragon

One Shot

The world we know today is covered in man-made monstrosities made of metal and glass. This is not how the world used to be, and this is not how the world appears on one warm Autumn night, deep in the forest surrounding Mount Somers. This night took place back when homes were still built chiefly of wood and there was no such thing as electricity or indoor plumbing. Most people lived in small villages with their homes built as close to each other as possible for protection as the times were not safe for the average person. Not everyone was like the rest, and there is one, in particular, that was far from average.

Her name was Seti, and she was not raised in the normal fashion, so she was not drawn to the crowded villages with their tight buildings. Ever since she was found as a child alone and injured in the woods surrounding Mount Somers, she was raised very differently from other humans. Now that she is older, this upbringing still impacts the way she lives and has helped not only shape her life but to save the lives of all others. All of that can be discussed at a later date though, for you see, it is getting late, and Seti must get her family to bed.

"It is time for bed, little ones," Seti says as she herds her twin boys toward their quaint cabin. It had been a pleasantly warm day for autumn time, so the whole family spent as much of it as possible outside. Seti has always preferred to be outdoors because of how she was raised and has raised her children with love and respect for nature. She has lived in the same quaint little cabin for as long as she can remember, and her husband was more than happy to live in it too as he fell in love with the place. The cabin was close enough to a small village by the name of Drodon to make it easy for day trips to get things the family needed, but it was far enough out that no one ever ventured to their home and bothered them. However, there are other reasons why no one ever dares to venture to the cabin, which can also be explained at a later time.

"Will you tell us a bedtime story, ma?" Fulco, the youngest of the twin boys asks as Seti pulls the covers back on each of the beds while the boys change into their bedclothes.

"A story? I would think you would be tired of them already since you ask me to tell you one every night," Seti says, smiling at her husband, Turibius, who is standing in the doorway to the boys' room. The room was just big enough to allow room for the two beds and a little area for playing, but the boys seemed content with the size of their room even though Turibius offered to make it bigger.

"We will never tire of your stories, ma," Cenric, the oldest twin answers as he climbs into bed.

"What story should I tell tonight? Who wants to pick out a story?" Seti asks, sitting on the rocking chair by the room window, which also happens to be right where a small shelf is filled with different-sized books.

"I want to hear the story about Him," Cenric says, causing Seti to stiffen up.

"Cenric, you know you are not supposed to mention Him," Fulco says as Turibius moves to stand behind Seti, placing his hands on her shoulders. He tightens his grip when he feels the slight shake in her shoulders as she stares out the window, seeming lost in her mind.

"I did not mean to upset, momma," Cenric says, hugging his blanket to his chest as he sits at the head of his bed.

"We know you did not. I promise, your mom is not upset with you. She just tends to get lost in memories whenever He is brought up," Turibius says, leaning over so he can wrap his arms around Seti and keep both boys in his line of sight.

"You can just read us one of our books, ma," Cenric says as Fulco climbs out of his bed and into bed with him. Seti seems to break out of her thoughts and slowly turns to look at her two boys, cuddled up in bed together. Seeing her two boys upset, makes Seti lean back into her husband as much as she can while she is sitting in the chair. Turibius plants a soft kiss on the top of her head as he gently rubs her arm where his hand is sitting. He can feel the bottom edge of one of Seti's many scars, and his heart hurts as it always does when he thinks of what she had to go through over the years of the Great War.