The Cursed Mother

One

Raising a child is both just as difficult yet easier than she had expected. Of course, there was the matter that she couldn't leave him alone until he was entirely grown, carrying him with her near constantly. Not to mention his disdain for being separated if she ever found a safe spot to hide him for a moment.

Still, she did her best to keep him healthy, and soon he was able to walk and talk all he pleased.

Achilles had grown into an energetic five-year-old child, always willing to run when they settled down for a time. Always willing to help talk her patients through, to distract them, when she had to perform more focus-necessary operations. Of course, he still grew tired easier than she did, and was more than willing to slumber in his sling over her back as she continued to walk. She had to stop and eat far more often, and keep more long-lasting food on her at all times.

Casandera had never thought she'd have a family again, let alone being the mother of a young son.

Achilles, while she didn't know what he looked like, was still someone she could pick out from a crowd. From his heartbeat, to the feel of his young magical core, to the smell of her medicinal herbs that constantly permeated them both– not even to mention the fact that he was always at her side.

The boy had decided he wanted to be a healer, after seeing her grind the herbs and store them. She had agreed, of course, to teach him the ways she knew of healing, as well as to get healing magic books for him to learn further.

Today, they are walking up a mountain, smooth edged despite all the rocks– deep, old marks left in the stone by something large.

"Mama," her boy tugs lightly on the end of her clothes, whispering, "Mama, something's coming..."

She pauses, hand coming to rest on the boys hair as she reaches out with her magic– and relaxes.

"Do not be afraid, Achilles." she tells him, "An old friend of mine has come to meet us."

She feels the heavy magical aura approaching, familiar and warm, before a gust of wind shifts her clothes as the dragon lands– Achilles holding tighter to her. She smiles down in his general direction, before looking up at what her magic senses say is her friends face.

"Acnologia," she greets, "What has brought you to me, today?"

"I have heard rumors, Prophet." the deep voice rumbles in a familiar tongue, "That you have taken on a new charge."

"Indeed, a child that I am teaching to heal," she says, not yet moving to let the dragon see her child, "He is quite shy, my friend, forgive him for not greeting you."

"That is alright," the air shifts as the dragon moves, lowering his head to be further eye level with the two humans, "But I have heard constant motion is bad for young humans..." Casandera tilts her head, "I am unsure if it is true, but other dragons have said their human charges prefer sticking to one place for the first few years..."

"I have never stayed in place for long," she muses, "I wouldn't even know where to go, with the Dragons in the West as they are...I have never enjoyed the company of a town or the peacefulness that leads to devastation."

She feels Achilles peaking out from behind her, and hears Acnologia rumble, pleased.

"There is a city, Prophet, hidden in the mountains. Those who are unaware of it are unable to reach it, dragons included." she feels the dragons' eye on her, "I can take you there, ask them to treat you well– they will listen to me."

Casandera tilts her head down at the boy next to her, "Achilles?" she asks, his opinion being the deciding factor.

The boy pokes out a little more, seeming to eye the dragon carefully is she read his magic core correctly.

"We'll have a home?" he asks her, "We won't have to leave every time?"

She nods.

"I wanna go!" the boys anxiety leaves as he further steps out from his hiding spot, "Thank you, Mr.Acnologia!"

The dragon rumbles again, pleased once more.

"You are welcome, Young Doctor."

—————————————————————————

Transitioning into the Hidden City was not as difficult as she had believed. Sure, she did often grow restless, but there was an entire mountain range for her to traverse should she feel the call.

Achilles acclimated well enough, far too happy to have children his own age to run around with.

Acnologia had flown them here, and had spoken to the City leaders– and she accepted it. She has no idea what he had told them, but her home was akin to something of a religious temple. Her and her son's bedrooms were closer to the back, near the library and her workrooms. He still preferred to sleep at her side, but she knew he would migrate to his room as he grew older.

The room the large doors opened into was massive, made of cool, textured stone, with large terrace shelves– it seems they know more about visions than most, it was far easier to show her visions to others with a special kind of smoke. The type of smoke made by specific candles, candles that worked best when sat on a terrace.

She doesn't know what any of it looks like, but Achilles told her that it looked bare, so she gave him free reign to decide what it needs.

If Casandera were to be the Hidden City's prophet and main doctor, then she would need to make sure everyone who came in was comfortable. Soft rugs for her meditation, for her visitors to kneel on as they ask for a vision, beds in the extra rooms for patients she needs to keep a closer eye on.

She hasn't had to call upon visions about specific people in a long, long time.

They're not as difficult to call upon as she remembers. Then again, last time she did so, she could barely stretch her magic to tell her what was around her.

She...enjoyed it.

She enjoyed the people that would come by out of curiosity, not for a vision or assistance. She enjoyed the people that helped her navigate the new area until her magic could guide her, she enjoyed the children that her son would bring by and call his friends. She enjoyed having proper meals instead of whatever they could find.

...

Oh, that damn dragon was never going to let her live it down!