| It is obvious to see what is there. What is not obvious to see is what is absent. -Dragon�s Teachings, pg.3 PART 2 I gleefully watched the others draw back in astonishment. I loved doing that. Humans were so easy to surprise. Zidane snorted and grumbled under his breath, � You liar.� I cackled evilly. � It�s not far from the truth.� � Far enough!� The princess blinked. � I . . . I�m sorry, but you two don�t look anything alike.� Zidane snorted again. � Actually,� I said finally, � I�m stretching the truth a bit. I am not Zidane�s mother by blood. However, I adopted him and raised him.� � It�s getting late,� Zidane put in quickly. � We should probably set camp.� � Why?� I asked. � Are the stars ugly?� � Some people want a tent,� Zidane said plainly, his tail pointing discreetly at the princess, the knight, and the mage. Night fell and I slept away from the campfire, close to the edge of the forest where I could rest easier. I was napping--listening to, smelling, and feeling the world around me--when footsteps approached. They stopped a short distance from me and I sensed eyes watching me. � Yes?� I inquired, opening the eye closest to him. � I figured you were awake.� � Is there something you want?� He laid down beside me, snuggling as close as he could. � Time to sleep.� I smiled softly and stretched my wing out over him as a blanket. � Then it is yours.� I watched his breathing slow and settle as sleep overtook him and curled around him. � I shall always protect you, Ziaden,� I whispered, using the dragonic name I had made up for him that was only a rearrangement of his real name. He let out a tiny, content sigh in answer. As I closed my eyes and set my head on the moss, I recalled an earlier conversation I�d had with Garnet . . . � Miss Kitiane . . .� � Just Kiti, Princess.� She growled and put her hands on her hips. � I won�t call you Kiti unless you promise to not call me Princess!� � Agreed.� She started walking again and I followed. � Kiti, you said you raised Zidane, correct?� � Correct.� � How did you meet?� I frowned as I picked a flower that secreted part of the formula for �potion�. � That is not my story to tell.� � I promise I won�t say anything.� � All promises to me have been empty save the ones from Zidane.� � What will it take for you to believe me?� I could tell she was being truthful. � I have been alive for many human centuries and have seen many a sad story. None have been as bad as mine and his.� She sat right down in the pathway. � What happened?� � I have almost always been alone. My parents died before I was born and my brothers and sisters died before hatching. I was forced to raise myself and was almost killed hundreds upon thousands of times. When I was about ten d-age, which is around one-hundred human years, I left the nesting area and headed out to meet others. Because of what I am, I did not fit in and was so chased and threatened. � A long time after that I found the dragons� homeland, Swiftwing. I was welcomed and I was able to find out my lineage and such. Despite the urgings from my kin, I left again and came here, to Evil Forest. I figured that with the reputation it has I would be left alone by all except those foolish, or strong, enough to get here. And I was, for a few centuries.� � What did you find out about yourself?� � Come now. I can see you, but you cannot see me?� She gasped. � You�re a princess too?!� I shook my head. � Not really. By talking with the servants at the palace, I found out some helpful gossip. The king and queen loved each other very much, but both decided, separately, that they needed some time off from the other. They each got involved with another dragon. I am the product of the king�s love fling.� � Then you�re a . . .� � Yes. I�m an illegitimate dragon.� � Kiti . . .� She suddenly seemed to think of something. � Wait . . . Who�s ruling Swiftwing? The queen?� I nodded. � Then she must not have liked you very much.� � To be honest, she was caring and treated me as though I were her own dragonling.� � If that�s the case, why did you leave?� � You think my father was the only one to have the evidence of a clutch against him?� � I suppose not.� � The queen also had a clutch. Unlike humans, it is almost impossible to tell that an empress is gravid until the last week. Only one of that clutch survived also. He is very bitter because of that fact and was always attacking and threatening me. I felt that he did not like me being around--feared that I would take the queen�s attention from him--and left.� � Have you gone back?� � Once. He met me at the East Gate to Swiftwing. I stayed for an hour, but he did not leave or speak. I finally returned to the ground and haven�t gone back since.� � What is that dragon�s name?� she demanded. � Tiovex.� She gasped again. � Why?� � Tiovex has been at Alexandria Castle for years! Oh, if I�d known what I do now I would�ve shown him whatfor . . .!� � Don�t lose sleep over it. He�s very strong. He almost killed me once. I worry what he would do to you.� |