Can't Shred Our Love - Ripnami

Chapter 32

A few months later...

I walk into the new, specially constructed Royal Hatchery specially for my eggs, my heart pounding with excitement and nerves. Riptide walks beside me, grinning widely.

It's been a few months after the incident with Typhoon. For most of it, I'd spent my time in the JMA dealing with obnoxious dragonets. But at least it was better than being forced by my own mother to plan a wedding with a psychopathic blueberry who believed in revival. 

Ah yes, Mother. She'd changed so much since I told her about Riptide. She even agreed to let Auklet off the harness! She'd almost completely become the ideal Mother of dreams and stories, from the scroll of the Missing Princess, gracious and forgiving and gentle. Almost. Well, perhaps not so gentle.

A gentle and kind mother; that was what I wanted to be. Like...like Sapphire's mother. But then again...I had a school to run. How long would I truly be able to spend with my child? Would she live in JMA or with Riptide? Or with my Mother?

"Are you ready for this?" Riptide asks, glancing over at me with a worried expression and interrupting my thoughts. I forced an eye roll that I really wasn't feeling; give me a break, I'd never looked after a dragonet before! And if the brats at JMA were any indication...well, not all of them were that bad. Only a few certain dragonets cough Peril and Winter especially cough were...quite a bother, 

"Of course I'm ready," I say, trying to sound confident. "I'm not nervous! I'm not afraid of anything."

"Right," Riptide says, unconvinced. "I'm sure the eggs won't mind that you're a little bit nervous."

I glare at him. "I'm not nervous," I snap. "I'm excited. There's a difference."

Riptide just chuckles and shakes his head. "Sure, sure," he says, theatrically winking at me. "I believe you."

I smacked him with my tail. "Shut up, squid brain."

Riptide winks at me again in his obnoxious manner. 

"Ugh! I hate you." I growled. No, not really. Riptide winks at me again and I give up.

We reach the entrance to the hatchery, and I push open the door, stepping inside. The hatchery is a large, circular room. A seaweed nest lay in the middle, surrounded by Hydrothermal vents. 

We make our way to our own nest, and I carefully lower myself onto the sand, peering down at the five eggs that lay nestled within. I reach out a claw and gently touch the largest one, feeling the warm, smooth shell beneath my talons.

"I can't believe they're almost ready to hatch," I say, my voice filled with awe. "It seems like just yesterday that we were worrying about whether or not they would even..."

"I know," Riptide says, settling down next to me. "It's amazing how fast they grow. I can't wait to see what they look like."

We pause in silence for a moment, watching the silent pulsing of the eggs.

"Which one are you hoping for?" Riptide breaks the silence. "Boy or girl, I mean.

"I don't know...I think both are fine for me." I swallow as one of the eggs tremble.

"I'd like a girl. A little girl with your dark, royal blue scales and my horns."

"I feel upset for any girl with your uncouth horns." I smirked, awaiting the indignant outburst. 3...2...1...

"Hey! My horns are perfectly fine!" Riptide complains. I quietly grin to myself and Riptide sighs.

"I take it back, I don't care what they look like, as long as they aren't so...insulting like you. One of you is already as much as I can handle, but two of you? Three moons, I'm getting nightmares from thinking about it," he groans.

My face turns serious again. "I don't care what they look like or what their personalities are like," I say softly. "As long as they're healthy and happy, that's all that matters to me."

Riptide looks at me and smiles softly. "I know. I agree."

We sit for a few more moments in companiable silence, watching the eggs.

Just then, one of the eggs begins to tremble and crack, and Riptide and I watch in amazement as a tiny dragonet emerges from the shell, its wings still damp and sticky with egg goop.

"It's a girl!" I exclaim, my eyes shining with joy. I reach out and carefully scoop up the dragonet, cradling it in my arms. The dragonet looks up at me with curious, golden eyes, and I feel my heart swell with love.

"She's beautiful," Riptide says, gazing at the dragonet in awe. "What should we name her?"

I think about it for a moment, and then make my decision.

"Sapphire."

Riptide is shocked. His mouth immediately forms a perfect O and stays there for a straight three seconds before he recovers.

"But...but, Tsunami!"

"I know, I'll be naming her after a murderer and your ex. But still."

"Tsunami, the first Sapphire had her claws removed and went insane. The second Sapphire, as you've told me, was executed in Whirlpool's father's plot. The third Sapphire...well, I don't even need to mention her. Naming our daughter Sapphire...that's just bad luck."

I thought for a moment. "No. Definitely Sapphire."

"Why?"

I thought again. "I don't know. It just seems right. But either way..."

The first Sapphire was caught unaware in an animus attack; something beyond her control; a pitiful story.

The second Sapphire was gentle and idyllic, a perfect mother. She was sweet and kind, and also had a tragic end.

The third Sapphire lost due to what was beyond her control, and used all her power and determination to achieve her goals. Perhaps misguided, but her character was strong.

A sapphire; representative of royalty and holiness, of wisdom and virtue, of greatness. 
Of good fortune.

"It won't be like that for her." I promised. "I'll make sure of it. It's a fitting homage to them anyway. It's what they'd deserve."

Riptide sighs. "Okay, fine. I'm sure you have your reasons in being adamant on this name. Although I'm not sure why, I don't believe in superstition that much anyway so... But whenever she's with you, keep her safe, okay? Make sure nothing ever harms our daughter."

I look down at the dragonet in my arms, with beautiful royal blue scales and sapphire eyes. She laughs and gurgles with joy, kicking her legs.

"I will."

I will protect. This time, it was my own daughter.

My daughter; the one who'd break the cycle of the tragedy of the prior Sapphires because I'd make sure of it; the fourth Sapphire.

idk how long it takes for a dragon egg to hatch so uh...correct me if i'm wrong ig

So...whadya think of me naming their daughters Sapphire? Ik kinda sounds like a recepie for disaster but it kinda seemed fitting to me so i just went with it.

just the epilogue after this! and then maybe...book 2?

anyway bai, hope you enjoyed :)