Exodus(Journal Of Baobab Of Pantala)

Exodus-Journal 4:Entry 4:Lycaena

6,232 A.S. Mid Spring
After our one long year out in the Eastern Reaches—achieving peace with the dwarves and dragons—we were finally going home to Jack and Viserra.
   Oak flew fast and hardly took a break as we traveled across the vast plains towards Du Weldenvarden.
   I gave Oak as much energy as I could to keep Oak flying till night. Then I would repeat the next day.
   After five days of doing this, we finally made it to the fringes of Du Weldenvarden.
   Telling Gilderien of our arrival, we entered the massive forest, and headed for Sílthrim.
   The vast green sea flew by us as Oak soared over them.
   Before long Oak had spotted the landing clearing for Sílthrim, and headed down for it.
Landing heavily, Oak bent down so I could climb off his massive back.
Upon stepping on the ground, I heard a shout.
I looked up to see Viserra running towards me. A large smile plastered on her face.
"Papa!" She screamed happily, her turquoise eyes shinning with glee.
"There's my little flower." I told her as I picked her up, and gave her a hug.
   "Papa, did you have fun out in the reachees?" She asked, her dirty blonde hair falling into her face.
   "Reaches," I corrected her, "and yes, I did. I had an enjoyably time out there."
   "Did you make any friends?"
   "I did." I told her, reflecting on all of whom I met out in the reaches.
   "Are they going to come over to play?"
   "Maybe." I responded.
"I missed you, papa." She said, wrapping her small arms around my neck.
"I did too, my little flower. Every day." I responded. "Now, let's go see mommy."
"Okay." She said, letting go of my neck, and squirmed till I put her down, and she ran off.
Walking after her, I followed Viserra as she headed for our family home.
Viserra ran up the steps to the large treehouse, and disappeared inside.
I smiled as I heard Jack's sweet voice.
A gust of wind hit me as Oak took off into the sky, and up to the little landing spot on the treehouse.
I started up the stairs, and made my way into the treehouse.
"Raegel!" Jack cried, and enveloped me in a bone crushing hug.
"Jacquelyn." I responded, smiling as she glared at me for using her real name. But that quickly melted back into a smile.
"I'm so happy you're back. I was so worried about you." She told me.
"I'm happy I'm back too. Sometimes I thought I was never going to make my way back to you but I did in the end." I told her the truth.
   "Thank goodness you never gave up." She said, and kissed me on my lips, the touch was warm and sweet.
   "Ewwwwwww! That's gross!" Viserra yelled.
   Jack and I laughed. Every little kid thought that until they grew up, and fell in love just like Jack and I did.

That night was joyous as we sat down to eat dinner. Just the three of us.
   Jack was going of invite Markus and Parakeet, but I told her no. I just wanted to be alone with my family for a little bit before jumping back in with other people; being alone with just Oak for an entire year really gives you a lot of alone time, maybe too much.
   After dinner was finished, I decided to give Viserra a gift.
   "Hey, I got a gift for you, my little flower." I told her, getting a shriek of excitement out of her.
   "Raegel, what did you get Viserra?" Jack asked, looking at me with a serious face.
    "You'll see." I told her, unable to wipe the smile from my face.
   "Now I'm afraid it's something bad."
   "Oh, it's not." I assured her.
   "That doesn't reassure me."
   I chuckled as I dug around in Oak's saddlebags for Viserra's little surprise.
   Finding it, I turned around with the surprise behind my back.
   Waking back over to the table, I placed the copper-brown egg on the table in front of Viserra.
   Viserra's face was full of surprise and jubilation.
   Jack's was full of shock and slight anger and disappointment.
   "Thank you, Papa!"
   "I can't believe this."
   Viserra and Jack said at the same time.
   "Viserra, don't touch the egg. Raegel, the other room. Now." Jack told us seriously.
   I followed Jack into the other room to face her wrath.
   "I can't believe you got her a dragon egg! Are you insane! She's only three!" Jack scolded me.
   "Jack, this was the only egg I managed to save from the BeetleWing hatchery."
   "What?"
   I sighed, and explained the whole story to her.
Once I was done, she understood the importance of the egg and why I decided to give it to Viserra.
"Raegel, you were so brave for doing what you did."
"I did what I had to. But even despite my honorable intentions, I still couldn't save any of the eggs except for the one sitting on the table."
"You still saved lives."
"How?" I asked, still feeling horrible for all the innocent dragonets I couldn't save.
"All the dwarves that we're with you and Dellingr, and all the ones that didn't follow Brokkr to their deaths, and all the potential ones if the BeetleWings had attacked the Beor Mountains in vengeance. Even if you didn't save all the eggs you still saved plenty of lives." She told me, caressing my cheek with her hand.
I was about to responded when something loud fell to the floor.
We both rushed into the main room to find Viserra unconscious on the ground, and the egg in fragments.
"Viserra!" Jack cried, rushing to her daughter's side, shaking her shoulder gently.
I joined her, checking her over. She was perfectly fine, expect for the gedwey ignasia slowly forming on her hand.
Jack saw it too, and looked almost like she was about to cry.
"Jack, there's nothing to cry about. She's going to be okay."
"I know. I—I just never wanted a Rider's life for her. All those dangerous things out in the world."
"That's why she has a dragon by her side."
"Still, it doesn't feel like enough. I just wanted her to have a normal life. One where she could live peacefully in Du Weldenvarden. Settle down with a nice man or elf or whatever, and live a sound life. Not a life full of constant dangers, like what we had to deal with, what your father had to deal with. I just wanted the best for her." Jack vented, tears threatening to roll down her cheeks.
"And she'll have the best. I'll make sure she knows how to defend herself with and without magic and weapons, and that she will know how to get along with all the races. I'll make sure of it." I promised her, and it was a promise I would keep for the rest of my life.
"You would really do all of that for her?" Jack asked like she couldn't believe what I said.
"I would. I would do anything for her, even give my own life to ensure that she would have a happy one forever."
"Thank you, Raegel." Jack said, wrapping her arms around my neck as she squeezed me tight.
A tiny roar caught our attention, and Jack let go, as we looked down at the copper-brown BeetleWing sniffing at Viserra.
Things were going to be okay.
"Lycaena." I muttered, looking closely at the a BeetleWing's warm scales.
"What?" Jack asked.
I looked at her.
"Lycaena."
"As in the genus of the copper butterfly?"
"Yes. It's the perfect name for her."
"Have fun getting Viserra to accept that. She'll want to name her something crazy and silly."
"Piece of cake." I told her.
"Ya, right. We'll see who wins in the end when she wakes up." Jack said, getting up, and going about cleaning up the kitchen.
I chuckled.
It was very easy to persuade Viserra into accepting Lycaena after I explained what it meant about a dozen times.
But in the end we were all happy as could be.