The Fall of Dragon Haven - A Dragonkeeper Fanfiction

Purple Rain

Ever have purple coneflowers grown over the humble graves of the Dragon Keepers. Now, it would grow over the grave of Huan Gao Zi.

The dew on the leaves from the overnight rain sparkled in the sunrise. It was a stunningly beautiful morning. It felt a cruel joke on the Haven to break the rain on the day of Gao's death. Lu Yu cried out into the night for her beloved companion of 70 years. Gao Zi had been her first and only Dragon Keeper. He was Lao Longzi's only brother. And Anh's only friend.

The world lost its colour after Gao's death. After they buried him, the Haven emptied its cellars for one last toast to Gao's memory. Each dragon and keeper shared fond memories of him. They would miss his laugh, his silly jokes, and the way he always knew how to cheer others up. As the days wore on after, Anh would find the most odd of things would trigger him to tell Gao Zi, only to remember he was no longer there. He missed their long conversations about nothing in particular. He missed having a friend around.

The Haven moved on in time. Lao Longzi spent several days in solitude before returning to sort some of his brothers few possessions. He found a few shirts, a painting of a pretty lady on bamboo, and a pair of boots. He kept the boots, hung the painting and stored the shirts away for the summer. Minh Huyn, also of Gao's kin, prayed each day for his souls to find their way to Heaven. After the seven days of prayer, he stopped and never spoke of Gao again.

Anh found it hard to move on. Anh had felt grief before – when he came to the Haven. But that was a disenfranchised grief, one he never allowed himself to feel in its entirety. His mother was still alive, after all. His father, though he never met him, most likely was too. But this was different. It felt like a never-ending ache that seeped into every corner of his being. He wasn't alone in this feeling, either - Lu Yu had taken Gao's death hard and spent a great deal of time now in solitude.

Autumn had come to the Haven with fire in her belly. Well, that's the phrase Minh Huyn used, anyway. It felt to Anh like piercing ice. He was from the south after all – it never got this cold in Hmong, nor The Winter Haven. The irony, he thought one afternoon after waking from a nap. Outside the window he could see rain blitzing the Haven from all directions. The wind had picked up in the late afternoon and its howls woke him.

Not quite finished with his dream where he, Hei Lei, Gao Zi and Lu Yu had found an undiscovered cave, Anh drew his blankets closer to his chin. He began to count backwards but with the wind brought a chill that seeped through the cracks in the hut. His blankets were useless against this cold! He needed new ones if he was ever going to sleep again.

There were linens still on Gao's bed. They looked warm. Anh couldn't bring himself to take them though. The grief was still too near. Instead, he searched every corner of the hut. There were small cellars and cupboards hidden around the hut that only the keepers could fit into. They were designed that way to keep the dragons out when they were after a midnight snack.

His search was fruitless. He decided to try the cave. It was a bitter day in the Haven with wind carrying the rain from all directions and stinging his face. He was soaked when he reached the cave where the dragons were napping lazily about. Lao and Bong were there too, playing a game of chess.

Incredible! Anh heard Hei Lei stir. My eyesight must be worsening. I thought you were a wet dog when you walked in.

Ha ha, you're so funny Hei Lei. Anh grumbled as he walked in shivering.

Cripes, you smell like a wet dog. Bong groaned.

Lao spun around. Hey Anh – What kind of dog loves to bathe?

Anh rolled his eyes. A shampoodle. Hey Lao, the Zhou Dynasty wrote. They want their joke back.

Lao waved his hands crossways. Now, now! Here's another. What kind of dog should take a bath?