The Dragon's Tear

Taken - Chapter 5

"So old Anabella was there when Grandpa Labien and Aunt Leila were born?"

"Yes, Jacob."

"Was she there when you and I were born too?"

"Yes, she was. Anabella has been there with our family, through everything we've gone through. The good times and the bad."

"What do you mean the bad times?"

"You don't remember me telling you? Well Anabella was there the night Granpa Labien and Aunt Leila went missing! It was a few nights after they were born, and my grandparents had just thrown a party in celebration of their birth..."

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It was mid-day when people started to arrive for the party. First to show up was family, wanting to get some time with the twins before the other guests started to arrive.

Of course everyone brought the new babes gifts of gold and silver as that is the custom of royal parties. Younger cousins, who's parents ha brought simply a chest of money, would give the infants their childhood play things to keep them entertained, though Annabella once told me that cousin Marge of the southern region, who was but six when Grandpa Labien was born, was very reluctant to give up her favorite blanket to young Leila. Annabella said she found young Marge crying in a cupboard no less than 10 minutes after her mother had forced her to give it up.

The other royal guest showed up later, all showing their love and admiration for the royal infants and their parents. After all their guests had arrived the King stood.

"Now it seems that I am the only one left who has yet to give my children a gift." The hall erupted with laughter. When his guests settled down the King continued, "So I guess we shall have to make due." The king waved to someone across the great hall and the grand doors opened once again. A squire entered the hall with a pillow, upon it rested a necklace composed of a string of gold rope, and beside it, a matching gold bracelet. Both had the etchings of Fey blessings. They fey the King had gone to had said that once the children wore the jewelry, only they could take them off so then no would would be able to take the royal jewels, and that they would grow with size of the prince and princess. 

"I wish to thank you all for coming to celebrate my children's birth. Knowing that I have such loyal family and friends means the world to me. I know that all of you will be as loyal and kind to my children as you are to me." The King raised his golden chalice and everyone raised their cups in a toast with him. "To my children."

"To your children!" Everyone drank and cheered.

"Now go and be merry!" The music began again as everyone cheered.

The festivities lasted long into the night and the children were taken to bed soon after the Queen took them to be breast fed.

Anabella tucked the infants into their cribs and sat down in the rocking chair to watch over them. Soon after Joana came and told Annabella that the Queen had requested her presence and that she would look after the infants. The noise roused the prince and princess so Joana soothed the infants back to sleep while Anabella went to speak with the Queen. Joana had settled into the chair between Leila's crib and the bedroom door and, as fate would have it, fell asleep soon after.

When Anabella returned to the room she shrieked. A man was standing on the window seal, with his hand on the frame, staring at Anabella. He was standing just so that Anabella could see the prince and princess latched to his body in two makeshift baby slings.  Her scream woke Joana and they both watched as the man jumped from the window.

Joana screamed as they rushed forward, reaching the window just as a figure passed in front of them. The man had landed with the infants safely on the back of a giant red dragon.