Dragon's life in college

Family leaves

Nigel and his young siblings, who had also insisted on remaining with him instead of going with Mother, had found themselves a private spot in one of the college's gardens. This point overlooked the land below them and gave them a stunning view of the entire countryside. Comet had immediately started dreaming about drawing it and Nigel had handed his brother a sheet of fire-proofed paper, Comet was still too young to use metal, and a charcoal stick with which to sketch the area.

Dragonfly and Firefly had first wrestled together a bit, and now were sitting down discussing what classes they were going to take while they made jewelry out of plants.

Ember, who had finally climbed off of Nigel's head, had plunked himself down next to Nigel and was intermittently asking Nigel questions, reassuring Nigel with pats from his wing, or observing the incoming dragons. And there were a lot of incoming dragons.

Nigel, despite his fear of dragons, found it oddly satisfying to watch various dragons arrive. Above all he enjoyed watching the water dragons as they gracefully swept in. Nigel had only ever seen other fire dragons like himself, and seeing water dragons for the first time was quite an experience.

The college, like most, was open for dragons of both kingdoms. And due to its high prestige, many dragons from high-ranking families on both sides attended here. Nigel had known this, but he still wasn't prepared for the amount of water dragons he had seen. With the college being set high up in the mountains, he had assumed that only a few high-ranking water dragons would attend. But he had seen hundreds of dragons from all social levels arrive, many of them water dragons. The college boasted a huge above and underground lake for the water dragons to use, and many of them made a beeline for it as soon as they had finished registering and moving in.

The water dragons were so different than the fire dragons, longer, slimmer and more graceful in their movements. Nigel had been surprised to see that they had wings, all the pictures showed them without wings. Then he remembered that their wings could also function as fins when they were in the water, or could be folded back against their skin like a second covering. It seemed interesting to him, and he had been momentarily distracted wondering at what angle the wings would have to be set at to act in both ways, when Ember tugged on the edge of his wing.

"Mother is coming," he said.

Looking up, Nigel could see that his Mother was indeed approaching. Quickly, Comet, Dragonfly, and Firefly stopped their play and lined up next to Nigel.

Nigel could see that his Mother was alone and he wondered where his father had gone.

"That's all taken care of," Mother said as she approached. She glanced at the sun. "We only have a few hours before we have to leave," she said, her tone softening. She looked at Nigel. "I'll miss you, son."

Nigel blinked, realizing suddenly that the day was almost over and soon he would be completely alone. Yes, his older brothers and sisters would be here but he knew they would have nothing to do with him the moment Mother left and couldn't scold them anymore. And Ember would be leaving. He looked down at his younger brother.

Ember patted his leg again. "Nigel will do fine in college. Nigel will have fun and be home soon. Ember knows."

"Yes, he will be," Mother said, scooping Comet up and placing him on her back. "Come on, Nigel. I want to do some things with my children before I leave them here."

Nigel followed her, his stomach twisting itself into knots as he considered that he would soon be here alone. Yes, he had been thinking about it all day but now that the time of departure was only hours away, it felt very real and very terrible. He looked down at Ember who was walking beside him. How could he survive without the constant support and protection from his mother and brother?

When the time finally came for Nigel's parents and youngest siblings to leave, he did his best not to break down into tears. But even the knowledge of his father's disapproval wasn't enough to keep some tears from leaking out.

His mother insisted that they all come together for one last family good-bye, and she had a piece of advice for each sibling staying. Nigel stood as she worked her way down, hugging each child as she admonished them to remember to do this or that or to behave in a certain way. Finally, she reached him.

"Remember, Nigel," she said, looking into his eyes. "I always love you. And you are always enough just the way you are. Learn how to become the best dragon you were meant to be, and not the dragon others want you to be." She wrapped her wings about him as Nigel struggled hard. His father followed after, and managed a half-wing hug before quickly stepping back. Nigel noticed the small frown that crossed his mother's face.

Then came the hardest part as he said goodbye to his youngest siblings. He watched with slight amusement as they hurried through goodbyes with his other siblings, and then all tackled him with hugs and reminders to write to them and that they would write to him. But eventually, they made their way over to Mother. Only Ember lingered on for a moment longer.

"Nigel will do well in college," he repeated again. "Nigel will always have Ember." Then, after one last hug, he hurried next to mother.

"Goodbye, children," Mother said. "We will see you for the winter break." And with that, they were gone.