The Mythical Secret

Part 4: The Purple Dragon

The squeaky stairs alerted the dragon of my presence. She turned her head around to face me from where she sat by the window. I sat down by her side and gazed at the stars.

"Why aren't you asleep, little one?" asked Syrax. "You need your rest."

"My mind will not turn off. Besides, I can't sleep knowing that you are in here all alone." I searched the window for a latch. Finding one, the large window swung outward into the cool, night breeze. We climbed onto the roof. Syrax followed as I lay on my back, gazing up at the stars. She sat next to me, her long, spiky tail wrapping around her feet.

"I have been alone for many years. You do not have to worry about me. Long before your parents were given my egg, my clan had been separated from me." She paused thinking back on her past.

"When I was a year old, a very old and wise dragon with dark purple scales visited me. He told me of my past and how The Traveler obtained my egg. He had found the lair of dragons several decades ago and was invited to stay and learned all about my species by the dragon riders."

"There were people who rode on dragons? Like in the movies?"

"Yes, and many of them started when they were around your age. Although I am not aware of what a movie is. Now, let me finish," she said, giving me a toothy grin. "He accepted the offer and stayed there for many moons. He would never tell his name, so they called him The Traveler. He was full of kindness and curiosity to learn. Until one day, he snuck into my mother's nest and stole my egg. They chased him down on dragons, but he disappeared. They never heard from him again until he had given me to your parents. The leader of our clan had decided to wait one year and then ask me to come back and live with them again."

"Did my mom know about the other dragon?"

"Jane had no knowledge of the meeting and I never wanted her to. She would have thought about the right thing to do; letting me go home to my clan. It was my dream to go home, but I chose to stay with her. She had become my family, this became my new home, and I wanted nothing more than that."

"Did the other dragon ever come back?"

She shook her head sadly. "I had chosen my side and he accepted that. However, he gave me a map so if I ever wanted to change my mind, I could find him."

"Where is the map?"

She laughed. "It is up there." Syrax nodded towards the sky. "The stars have been used for millennia to guide dragons. Each generation can read the Heavens by instinct. North, South, East, and West."

"Wow," I breathed. She would have to pay more attention to maps and astronomy. "How old are you?" She did not look very big for a dragon, but she spoke with the intelligence of an elderly human.

"You are naturally curious, little one." She laughed again but stopped when she noticed the ashamed look on my face. "Do not worry, Ruby. There is nothing wrong with having curiosity. The worst questions are the ones that go unasked. I am twenty-five in human years. I hatched three years before Jake was born. However, dragons have a very long lifespan, much longer than humans, so I am still considered a youngling."

Her eyes still gazed at the stars, full of sadness and longing. Dragons were creatures of intelligence, but they were not without unhappiness. "Why didn't you follow the map after you were left behind?"

Her eyes caught mine, unable to let go. "I always hoped that Jane would return for me. Of course, I understood why she had to leave. Yet, she often came back for visits and brought you and your brother. She called it a 'vacation.' However, she could never stay for more than a week and it was never enough for me. One time, she hadn't come back for three years. I tried not to assume the worst, but she had grown distant from me. Our relationship deteriorated. That was when I decided to go into hibernation. Dragons have to do this every five years, so I had been late in doing so. I always hoped that she would visit and wake me, but now I understand why she had not."

Tears formed in my eyes. My control slipped and they spilled out, running down my face. Syrax wrapped her wings around me like a warm blanket. It was surprisingly comfortable.

I leaned my head against her side and heard her heartbeat. Using my sleeve to dry my eyes, I asked Syrax to tell me more about dragons. She welcomed the distraction and told me all about her species and where she came from.

Aware of how it was becoming harder to keep my eyes open, Syrax allowed me to cushion myself against her warm body. Within moments, my eyes had grown too heavy and I fell into a deep sleep.