Dragon's Khu'meir

Chapter TwentyThree

"Hathier, Hathos. It is wonderful you came by," Nakiirn said as he sat up more in bed. Orion didn't answer as he was far too busy cooing at the babies that had tackled him. Dakoya moved to sit next to Orion so that he could offer the plate of food to our children. It took little coaxing for each hungry mouth to start eating. Orion even assisted as he took a piece or cooked meat between his fingers and handed them out to each baby.

I watched in awe as each baby sat perfectly still on their hunches awaiting their turn for a morsel of meat from Orion. Since hatching, it was the most calm I'd seen them -when they weren't sleeping anyway. Though even that seemed to have it's own adventures as I recalled saving Narien from falling off the bed.

Natirien came over to stand next to Nakiirn and gave his son a smile. "I didn't think this day would come." Nakiirn huffed but didn't say anything in return. And did I just see him rolling his eyes? Must be my imagination. Natirien gave a soft laugh and continued. "Please forgive me for not coming sooner. I wish I could have seen the eggs. Though, Orion told me they were beautiful. Unfortunately, I was kept by war meetings."

"War?" Nakiirn asked, looking up at his draconic father. Alarm pulsed through him, and thus- through me.

"Nothing to worry yourself over too much, my son. But, eventually we will need to speak of these matters. For now, the group of dragon's I've sent to deal with the upstarts will be enough," Natirien concluded. Nakiirn didn't seem convinced as I could still feel his uncertainty. At least it wasn't as strong though.

All the while I had been watching our little ones eat, I had also been listening. And Nakiirn's uncertainty had me worried. Of course, I didn't know much about it all, but it did still have me worried regardless. Though my worry was probably more for what would happen if the palace got attacked than if an actual war were to break out. I tried not to think about it however as not to let my worry get to Nakiirn, I didn't want him to feel it through me. Not when he already felt uneasy about what Natirien had said.

"Is it getting worse?" I asked as I looked to where Natirien stood with Nakiirn still sitting on the bed.

Natirien frowned, his gaze shifting away from me to focus on the baby dragons that were still enjoying their meal. He gave a very slight nod just before he answered. "It is. Those that oppose the decree I set in motion many years ago have grown in number and they're taking bolder steps against us. Sometimes I wonder..."

Silence fell as Natirien's words trailed off and he shook his head. Nakiirn frowned as he looked at his father and I looked between them. "What is it, Hathos?"

Natirien looked to his son then sighed heavily. Running a hand through his long black hair he closed his eyes as he answered. "I wonder if I made a mistake in issuing that decree. Cutting us off from our true forms."

"You made the right choice," Orion said as he gave another piece of meat to Namor. "Had you not done so, the war would have continued drastically with the other races and there would be none left. All dragons would have been in danger and considered tyrants. Those pushed into a corner are the ones to be wary of. They would have come up with something far more devastating than your god-like powers."

"Hatheir is right, Hathos," Nakiirn said.

Natirien simply shook his head. "Maybe. But it still feels like I missed something along the way."

"Well, by the sound of it you did the right thing. I know that I'm not very knowledgeable on the subject, but I'm sure that there wouldn't be much left of this world had you not done it." I said as I smiled up at Natirien. Looking back at our babies as they fought over the little bits left on the plate, I added. "If I may, you are only one person, and mistakes always happen. So even if you missed something, it definitely wasn't your fault... Namor!" I called his name as I caught him snatching a piece of meat away from Nasaika.