A Pet for the Dragons

Epilogue

ARIKA

...years later...

A small cry made my eyes snap open. I realised that I had drifted deep into sleep. My daughter was awake and crying, but before I could reach her, Zorge was already on her side, taking her in his arms to calm her down.

"I think she's hungry," I spoke, feeling my nipples tingle with sensitivity at the sound of her crying. Soon, I was leaking milk for her. I winced, feeling the tightness in my breasts from all the milk I was producing for her. It was a very alien feeling. I'd need some time to get used to it— especially with the soreness that lingered after nursing.

"Is that so?" Zorge cooed at the bundle of blankets in his arms. "Are you hungry again? Are there gargoyles in your tummy, little one?" He asked, bringing her to me. She cried louder in response. The whole castle seemed to echo with her cries.

As much as I was grateful for this, it scared me. I undid my blouse and held her against my nipple. She quickly latched onto it. Her eyes closed gently as she began nursing.

I couldn't help but watch her small, serene face. She was so small. I still couldn't believe that she was here. I still couldn't believe I had a baby and had become a mother. It always felt like a far-off dream— something that I wouldn't be able to achieve in this lifetime yet... I was holding my littlest bundle of joy.

I felt like I was born again.

I watched her nursing. She had most of my features, but she was still a dragon. Her skin was reddish. She was most likely Radrox's, but Zorge and Ivret treated her like their own.

"Because she is," Zorge reminded me. I'd forgotten that he could almost read my mind and that he was still in the room, resting beside me. He'd been the one to be with me the most. Ivret had exhausted all his mana into healing me after I'd given birth. It was why I didn't feel much pain or discomfort or have any wounds after birth. However, exhausting all his mana meant that he was deep asleep for days.

That left Zorge and Radrox with me. Zorge was the one helping me tend to the baby while Radrox went out to patrol and get other things I might need for the baby.

Everything had been fine until the day I gave birth. It was hardly a week ago, and since then, there had been some suspicious activities. It made the atmosphere heavy at the Gallow Castle.

Zorge and Radrox had reported seeing two different dragons. However, those dragons disappeared whenever they were pursued. This had been keeping all of us on our toes. It made me even more anxious when I was giving birth.

We were aware of why those dragons were in our territory and who had sent them. But I didn't want to acknowledge it. Their thought made me hold my daughter closer to my chest. I would never give her away. She was mine, and no one would be able to take her from me. No matter what.

I wouldn't let it happen... no matter what.

"Stop," Zorge told me before my thoughts could spiral further. Even though he was as tired and sleepless as I was, he looked serious when he told me, "Our daughter isn't going anywhere. You don't have to think about that."

"I just..." I sighed deeply, unable to voice my concerns anymore. I was simply tired and needed sleep. A lot of it, and I also needed some sunlight, the sea, and some fresh air.

Zorge grunted at me. He was still in my head, and I could feel that he was thinking the same thing. My dragons had grown to love the sea and the sun while sailing with me. We hadn't sailed since I fell pregnant with our daughter. I couldn't wait to show her the sea.

"How's Ivret? Did we wake up?" I asked, running my fingers through Zorge's hair that was growing longer than how he usually kept it. Zorge rested against the headboard beside me, looking defeated. He'd been up all night while I got some sleep. I needed to let him sleep soon.