There is are hot embers in the fire ring, and it only takes a few minutes for Kayla to get the fire going. Grey keeps offering to help, but she has obviously done this many times. I stand motionless, still reeling in disbelief. I am with my mother.
My mom invites us to sit with her around the fire, and tells us her story. “I fell in love with your father the moment I met him,” she began. “I knew I had to stay human in order to be with him and that he could never know I was a DragonBorne. You see, after age 20, a DragonBorne can choose whether or not to keep permanent human form, but it is not as easy a decision as you might think. Dragon’s live for hundreds of years, but DragonBorne humans don’t live beyond the age of 40. I had just turned 20, and I knew I would rather have 20 years with your father, than hundreds of years without him.
“Eventually, your father proposed, and we were married a few months later. When I found I was pregnant with you, I was in shock. I wasn’t prepared for what it might mean to bring a new life into the world. I hadn’t considered what it would really mean, as a DragonBorne. I was young and in love, I wasn’t thinking things through. But your father and I were delighted, ready to start a family, and I just believed somehow it would be okay.” She says all of this with a smile, gazing into the crackling fire.
Then her face becomes grim, “Only 6 months after you were born, I was laying you down to sleep, when a representative from the “Golden Claws” came and paid me a visit. He informed me that me staying a human was upsetting the natural balance of the DragonBorne, and that I needed to return to my other form. I was told I was needed as a dragon. Of course I refused, not wanting to leave my newborn or my husband. But the “Golden Claw” forced me into my dragon form. Your father heard my cries and rushed in to find a dragon in the room where I once was. He assumed, of course, that I had been eaten by this dragon, and I was forced to flee.” she said sadly.
“But he said that you were kidnapped?” I say, confused.
“Yes, he believed afterwards, that because there was no evidence of a struggle, that I must have been “taken”. He has been chasing dragon’s ever since.”
The cave is silent and sleep pulls at my conciousness. I want to ask more questions, but exhaustion overtakes me and I lean into Grey, resting my head on his chest. Sleep gets a firm hold, and pulls me under.
∞∆∞
I wake to an unwelcome blanket of cold, and see that last night’s fire has gone out. Shivering, I curl tighter into Grey, who had his arm wrapped around me protectively and he unconsciously holds me tighter. I begin to fall back to sleep when I feel a ray of warmth touch my face, and I realize the sun must be rising.
‘But I don’t want to go,’ I say, sounding like a spoiled child.
‘Relax little one. This one will be quicker and not quite as painful,’ she explains, trying to sooth me. Pain shoots up my spine again, and I am forced to leave Grey’s arms, as the transformation begins. The scales poke through my skin, the pain is not as intense as before, but it hurts all the same and I whimper. My wings push through my back, and I hold back a scream as they tear apart my skin. The pain becomes too much and I let out a cry, which wakens Grey from sleep.
“Elora?” he asks sleepily. Then realization slaps him in the face, “You’re changing back.” I scream again, doubling over in agony, answering his question. “Is there anything I can do?” he asks, and I lift my head to look in his eyes. He looks sad and scared.
‘He cares greatly for you little one,’ Kayla explains. Soon the pain subsides and I lay huddled on the cave floor, breathing heavily and going over in my mind what my mother had just told me.
“El?” Grey asks my hunched form, “Are you okay? Is it over?” I uncurl my sore body, and stand.
“Yeah, my transformation is done.” I reply, shaking out my stiff bones. “Kayla says the transformations will become less and less painful the more I transform,” He just smiles sadly,
“I hope so, because it was very hard to watch you in so much pain, and not be able to do anything about it.”
“Why would you have to do something about it even if you could?” I ask, cocking my head to the side and gazing into his blue eyes questioningly. A blush creeps out from under his collar, and he avoids my gaze.
“Uh- Well, I-”
“Morning,” my mother says as she enters her cave. She stops abruptly, “Oh, am I interrupting something?” she asks, looking between us. The silence stretches on, before I finally break it.
“Should we go and tell Jacob that you’re alive?” I ask, trying to break the tension. “He can get word to Dad and Uncle Richie.”
“Yes, you should,” she says encouragingly. “But be prepared that telling them will be more difficult that you might hope,” she says. “It will be hard for them to understand and accept.” she explains, her voice trailing off.
“I’m sure they will believe it when you transform for them.” I reassure her.
“You’re probably right little one, but I’m still nervous all the same.” She says.
“Well if we want to make it back for breakfast we had better get going.” I say, and lower my head for Grey to climb on. Grey swiftly swings himself up and onto my back. He tells my mom that everything is going to be okay. And with that, we are off, my mother and I flying side-by-side.
A/N: Only one more entry till I end it all!!!! Just pray I don't kill everyone off >:) TOODLES!
