Black blood seeped from it sluggishly, pooling on the ground and contrasting sharply with the pure snow. The wound was too large and too deep for normal poultices to work. Even healing by magic would not have helped since the wound was so far progressed and even if it would; only fire-mages had healing powers and Astarra was too weak and Tavia was too young. Healing powers usually didn�t develop until their tenth year. Already death dimmed the yellow-eyed gaze of the fire-lady and made her breath come short in already tired lungs.
Seeing her aunt and uncle�s dismal looks, Tavia turned her attention back to her mother, touching the bloody hole gingerly. With the contact, gold light flared then died as her healing powers tired and failed to make a difference. Tears gathered at the corners of the girl-child�s yellow eyes, making twin pools of starlight.
Lora registered this display of power with a surprise that was muted by her sorrow at watching her dearest friend die before her eyes.
�Oh, Tavi-child, please don�t cry. Everything will be alright.� Astarra whispered, her dimmed eyes focusing on her daughter�s tear-bright ones.
�How can you say that? You�re��
�Hush now, child. I must talk to Lora and Marius.�
Tavia�s jaw clenched as her mother turned her sweat-drenched head to the two dragons by her side.
�What happened, Astarra?� murmured Lora, barely audible.
�A mage came to the town that Rolan and I were living in, and, as luck would have it, he was of the Order of the Dove. We tried to avoid him as best we could, but eventually he sensed our presence in the town. Once that happened, he rallied the townspeople to come after us and they attacked us while we slept this night. Rolan�� here she paused and shut her eyes tightly, �he tried to protect us but it was no use. They overran him and killed him. Tavia and I barely made it out with our lives. They burned the house.� Astarra chuckled weakly at the ironic use of fire to destroy the belongings and bodies of the evil �fire-users� who were immune to that element in life, but not once dead, �We were flying here and had barely left the ground when the mage spelled an arrow and sent it at us. I dodged it but it came back and kept harrying me until I couldn�t dodge it anymore and it hit.� She motioned to the wound in her side, �I couldn�t land in order to heal it or even have Tavia heal it to conserve my energy. There was no way to stay motionless long enough for the healing to work. So, I did what I thought was best and just flew here as fast as I could and prayed.� The fire-mage closed her eyes again and took several deep breathes, �I�m dying, my friends. Anyone can see that. So I have a request to make of you. You are the only relatives that I know of that my daughter has, at least the only ones that I can find and know are in a safe place. You have always been good to my husband and me and now I need you to do one more favor and take care of our daughter. At least do it until she is 17 and can make the pilgrimage to the temple of Simione and go make her own way. Now she is helpless and has no one else. Please say you�ll do it.� Astarra�s eyes filled with desperation and pleading as she begged without moving a muscle.
A glance between the mated pair of dragons was all that was needed to reach a decision. �Of course we�ll do it, Astarra. You should know that we love Tavia like our own and would be happy to take her in.� Marius responded for both of them, since Lora was too overcome with sobs to speak.
�Thank you. Both of you.� The dying woman�s eyes moved to lock with her daughter�s once more, �Tavi, my darling, I want you to take my locket from me now. Go on. Unclasp it.�
The girl�s fingers numbly moved to the golden chain around her mother�s neck and undid the catch at the back. She gazed at the gold heart-shaped charm that spun at the end of the chain, casting moonlight onto the snow, �But momma, I�m not supposed to have this until I�m 17. I�m still only 7.�
�I know, Tavia, I know. But for now we�ll break the rules a little and you can wear it, but just not open it until your 17th birthday, alright?�
�Alright.�
�Good girl. You know that I love you, right?�
Tavia nodded mutely, eyes filled with still unshed tears, �I love you too, momma.�
�Good. You remember something for me, alright?�
�What is it?�
�You remember that getting revenge or hurting others never helped solve anything, you understand. Promise me that you will never hurt any human out of maliciousness or anger. Promise me, Tavia.�
�But momma, they killed poppa and they�hurt you.�
�I know, and they were wrong to do that. But don�t you go about adding to their crimes and then making them your own, all right? Promise me.� Astarra�s eyes bore into Tavia�s fiercely, a renewed life shining in them, �Promise.�
�Alright, momma. I promise.�
�Good girl. The answers are in the heart, child, just listen to it and everything will be alright.� Astarra�s hand reached up to grasp Tavia�s tightly and the light left her eyes, �Good-bye, my darling.�
�Good-bye, momma.� Tears poured unchecked down the young fire-girl�s cheeks as her mother�s hand loosened its grip and then fell down onto the white snow, her pale skin barely making a contrast.
Snowflakes clung to the wet trails left behind on Tavia�s cheeks as though the snow itself was trying to dry the girl�s tears. Leaning over her mother�s motionless body, she rocked and sobbed painfully until Marius, who had remained the calmest throughout the whole thing despite the pain that shone diamond-bright in his eyes, came behind her and lifted her effortlessly onto his back. There she lay crying until exhaustion overcame her and forced her to sleep. Then the newly made father walked back into Shavasta, careful not to dislodge his precious burden, and the dragons still standing in the gates� shadows moved aside for him to pass.
Lora stayed behind, staring at her dear friend�s lifeless body with tear-blurred vision. Shaking her head sadly, she lifted the body onto her back the same way Marius had lifted the girl and brought it inside to be buried properly. The work of only one night had lost two lives and made an orphan of the third.