The Kliana Empire Series: Dragon Nymph

Chapter 2

With Commentary

Joss burst through the front door of his house and found Freya sitting in a chair wrapped in a blanket. She smiled at him.

Something here is missing... oh yeah, this is a first draft chapter. Chapter 1 is new-ish. So if it feels like there is a time skip... yeah... that happened. I lost the first draft of chapter 1. Anyway,

"Where were you?" she asked.

"At the healer's." Joss said crossing the floor to the fire. He filled the little teapot with water, tea leaves, and the herbs the healer gave him then set it on the stove.

"I thought I told you not to go for help!" she exclaimed. Joss sighed. Sometimes, no, most times his daughter reminded him of her mother.

"Yes. You did. But I am your father and I will not sit by and watch you suffer needlessly. I didn't tell her what was happening I just told her you were in pain and had a fever." Joss looked at his daughter who had the decency to look ashamed. "Which is true." he added. They sat in silence until the pot began to whistle loudly. Joss poured Freya a cup of the fragrant tea and handed it to her. She waited for it to cool before taking a sip and grimacing. The tea was strong and bitter.

"Ack! What did you put in this? Bitterroot?" She coughed.

"Yarrow and White Willow Bark." Joss said. Freya made a gagging noise.

"Well the yarrow explains why it's so bitter. Did you know yarrow makes cats throw up?"

Does it? idk. I do know that I have gone deep into the properties of a particular made-up plant that will make its debut at some point in the future. Gnarly stuff. 

"No I did not. And I'm not sure I want to know how you found that out."

"Nope!" Freya said giggling. Joss shook his head in disbelief but he was glad his daughter was feeling better.

"Hey, dad."

"Yes?"

"My leg is covered in scales."

"I know. I saw it this morning."

"Oh. Do you have any idea what's happening?" Freya asked looking up at him with wide eyes. Suddenly Joss wanted more than anything to be able to tell his daughter what was happening to her but he couldn't. She looked so frightened sitting in her chair wrapped in a blanket still in her nightdress.

"I don't know, Freya, I don't know. I wish I could tell you."

"It's okay." she said sniffing. A single tear fell from her eyes. She looked up at her father again. "I'm scared, dad."

"Freya," Joss breathed wrapping her in a warm hug. "Don't be. Do you remember the summer when we had a wolf running around eating our chickens?" he asked stroking her hair.

"Yeah. They deserved it."

100%

"Well, one day you went outside and your mother and I panicked because you were so young and the wolf was around. We looked everywhere for you but you were nowhere to be found. When we finally found you, you were sitting on the wolf bouncing on his stomach! You weren't a bit scared. Your mother saw you with the wolf and screamed. The wolf jumped up and ran away and for days afterward you were mad at your mother for scaring away your new friend."

"I remember that! I called him Grey because his fur was grey!"

"Yes, you did." Joss said chuckling. "You were more willing to make friends with animals than you were people."