The Dragon Queen

Day of Rest

A green forest and summer blue sky. Peace and quiet. The only sound was the whisper of leaves and grass, and the gentle twittering of birdsong that was greater than any orchestra. There was nothing and no one else for miles and miles, just a world of calm. Lucia could now understand why her sister loved flitting around the kingdom with only a dragon and a servant for company so much. It was an escape, a slice of a vibrant dream. Neither Lucia nor Thomas broke the beautiful easy silence as they sat, side by side, in the gorgeous pocket of nature. Thomas was reading as he usually did, Lucia was absently stroking a baby dragon that had approached her long ago and decided to use her lap as a pillow for the afternoon. If anyone else saw them, any nobles from court or common folk, they would probably have been scolded for wasting time, if anyone dared. The truth was both of them needed this as they never had before. They were as desperate for a moment to stop and be alive as those beggars had been for the warmth of Lucia's fire almost a year ago. The forests of Saltari were enchanted and hardly anyone dared venture into them for fear of being strangled by a man eating plant. It was the perfect place to forget that reality even existed. As the baby dragon gave a lazy yawn, the silence was at last broken by Lucia's quiet laugh and a smile that caused her lips to ache. Thomas' head shot from his book to her with a look of such bewilderment it was as if she had suddenly screamed. "Sana air osarais-inga. (You are smiling)" he observed incredulously, a smile tugging at his own lips.

"Vlar. (Yes)" Lucia agreed, a weight suddenly vanishing from constricting her heart "Vlar I una. (Yes I am)".