| Secrets are sometimes more harmful if they are not told. -Dragon�s Words; vol. 3, pg. 21 Part 51 � He stole my name!� � By the---! Zidane, he had it first!� � . . . Oh . . . right . . . Then did---� � The name was on your blanket!� I explained, exasperated. � I just gave you a dragon name closest to your own!� He lifted his arms as if to ward me off. � Okay! Geez!� *~~* [The picture of domesticity.] I lifted my head briefly to watch Tiovex lay nearby. He watched the clutch of six htachlings--three emperors, three empresses--get their daily requirement of milk. [You shut up. I remember quite clearly telling you that this room was off limits while I was feeding the children.] [Oh, come on. What�s the big deal anyway?] [I�m open and vulnerable and I don�t like it!] [Look at it this way, sweets. As long as I�m here, nothing can get you.] I snorted. [If anything did get me, we�d have to up security!] [Are you always so negative?] [Only when I don�t get my way.] . . . I knew I was awake, but I still felt something suckling. Did Vanel inch over while she was asleep and--- ?! [What are you doing?!] I hissed. He cracked open one eye just a little bit. �I had a bad dream.� [So that means you can just come over here and attach yourself to me like that?!] �If you don�t quiet down, the whole castle�ll be after us.� [I don�t care! I want to know what the hell you think you�re doing!] �I had a bad dream,� he repeated. �I didn�t want to wake you up, so I did something that comforted me.� He paused. �Did you change your diet? It tastes ever so slightly different. Not bad, but just different.� [I hope it burns your throat up.] �If it hasn�t yet, I don�t think it will. It is a little spicier though; cleanses the palette.� [Oh, aren�t you so clever, using such words.] �I know.� He grinned. �Aren�t I?� The situation finally got to me. The familiarity of his suckling--even if he was four d-age and quite old enough to go out on his own--was too much and I felt myself drifting off. I forced myself awake to glare at him some more. �Relax, Mother. I�m not going to slice your stomach open and eat your insides.� [Oh, what a lovely picture to go to sleep with.] However, I lifted my hand and pet him as I had when he had been a baby. That put him to sleep and his head rolled to the side, freeing me. I laid my head back on the floor and closed my eyes. The feeling was just too familiar to keep me on my guard. He was still there in the morning and Garnet was sitting nearby, stroking his head as I had been doing the night before. She was humming some human song that he, even asleep, appeared to enjoy. � How long have you been awake?� She jumped, turning to me in surprise. Sighing, she placed her free hand over her collarbone. � Oh, you scared me!� � Sorry.� � It�s all right. Actually, I just woke up a moment ago. He wasn�t in his bed and I figured he was up already, but then I saw him down here and decided to wait until one of you woke up.� The dull hum of our voices roused Zidane from sleep and he stretched where he lay, yawning widely. He finally opened his eyes, pulling back in surprise at how close Garnet was. � Is there something on my face?� � Your tongue is white and your eyes are . . . green.� He seemed to be scraping his teeth over his tongue. When he finally quit, he answered, � My eyes are usually green.� � No, I mean they are green. Green green, like the grass here.� � Really?� [How much did you have last night?!] He smirked in his �I-did-something-that-I-know-is-bad-and-no-punishment- will-keep-me-from-doing-it-again� way (he has a lot of facial expressions and such that apply only to him so you have to actually give them their own name since you see them so often). � Oh, I don�t know. However much I could get in three hours� time.� [Three hours?! You�re going to poison yourself!] � But it tasted good! I couldn�t help it!� [You can always �help it�, you little monster!] � What are you two talking about?� Garnet asked. He shrugged. � Nothing much. I couldn�t sleep last night and Kiti�s having fits.� � Having fits?! �Fits� is an awful description of what I�m going through! I�m furious! You take what I need to care for any broods I may have and dare to say that I�m having fits for no reason?!� � Okay!� he shouted, lifting his hands in surrender. � I�m sorry!� I got up and headed for the door. � I will be in the library if anyone should need me.� As I opened the door I heard a snarl. Pausing, I waited for it again. It came and I stepped back into the room. � What now?� Zidane asked with a hint of anger in his voice. Ignoring him, I slid over to the window and placed my ear against the wall right under it. Vibrations of someone climbing the outer wall reached me. Then a form leapt into the room, landing on me and tumbling me over. I hissed and got to my feet, lunging at the recovering emperor who had trespassed. We rolled over and over, striking at each other. � Hit his nose!� Zidane called. I refused to do so. The emperor�s crime wasn�t that great. He threw me to the side and went for Zidane, who stood protectively in front of Garnet. She peeked over his shoulder, watching the dragon with intense curiosity and extreme respect. <--Part 50 Part 52--> |