Dragon Song (Part 3)

Anaias looked on with eyes wide as her daughter, Mirassah, lifted the latch to the trunk that had not been opened in more than twenty years. The seal cracked open, and a hissing of escaping air could be heard, like a breath long held. Mirassah looked back at her mother, who nodded excitedly. The girl lifted the trunk lid slowly, revealing a large, smooth, grey object. "A boulder?" Anaias said, jumping up to walk over and look closer, "No wonder it was so heavy she said, it's a giant rock."

"No…" Mirassah whispered, her eyes closed and tears streaming down her face as every hair on her body stood on end. Anaias looked down, clamped her hands over her mouth, tears welling up in her own eyes as the girl slowly reached her hands out to the object. At the moment the girl's hands touched it, a gold light erupted from her hands, so sudden and so bright, that it threw Anaias back. She stumbled and fell, groping around for her chair as her eyes tried to adjust.

Finally, she reached her chair and squinted back at her daughter, golden light swirled around her like a mist. The light spread from her hands across both the girl and the object. In jagged lines is cracked across the item and coated Mirassah's arms moving slowly across her until it moved up to her hair. As Anaias watched, her mouth fell open. Mirassah's short black hair gradually lightened and changed into a deep teal, and in seconds had flowed down to her shoulders and spilled down her back to her waist, thick and full, but Anaias' attention was torn from her daughter as a loud snap like the splitting of rock echoed through the cottage.

Anaias ventured to stand once more and come closer as Mirassah's eyes opened once more to reveal her dark eyes had changed entirely as well, to the same color as her hair. The girl looked down with the tenderness of a mother holding her sleeping babe. The stone-like object in the trunk had cracked all over with golden light, and one large chunk was being lifted away from underneath. Mirassah reached down and removed the slate-like piece, revealing underneath small teal scales, the same shade as Mirassah's eyes and hair. She gently removed the pieces one by one, revealing a sleeping dragon baby about as large as a medium-sized dog.

"It was a dragon egg…" Anaias whispered through her hands as tears continued to stain her face.

"His name is Alyon," Mirassah responded as she stroked the dragon's long neck. At last, the dragon stretched, pushing the rest of the shell away, causing more of the snapping sound of broken rock. Alyon lifted his horned head and stretched as he stood on his four legs in the trunk, stretching out small wings and stretching like a dog would. At last, he opened his eyes and locked one with Mirassah, who gently cupped his head in her hands and kissed his head. In unison, they looked up at Anaias, who squeaked.

"Your eyes, " she said in astonishment, her hands falling slightly but remaining at the ready to cover her mouth again. They are identical." Mirassah's eyes grew wide, then her brow furrowed. She got up quickly and went to her room to take up a small mirror her father had made for her, sitting on a nightstand by the table. Anaias waited as Alyon awkwardly climbed out of the trunk to try to follow Mirassah. The girl screamed and then rushed back out. It was true, every part of her eye looked identical to Alyon's, but that is not why she cried out.

"What is this?" She demanded as she held up a handful of her deep teal hair, still holding the small mirror in the other hand.

Anaias laughed gently, "My dear." She crossed the room to take her daughter by the shoulders, "You knew the stories, how dragon and keeper look alike, so that there was no denying they belonged to each other."

Alyon nuzzled against Mirassah's leg as he sat at her feet, his long tail swishing back and forth in a snake-like manner. She looked down at him, "Yes, but…" then bent down to take his face. "I guess I just didn't think about the color, but you are so beautiful."

"And so are you," Anaias added.

Mirassah looked up at her with a bright smile and even brighter eyes, but then a look of puzzlement clouded her expression. "Wait, why was he in Father's trunk?" The question hung in the air between the women a moment before being interrupted by a squawking sound from Alyon. “He’s hungry,” Mirassah stated.

“Well, we’d better get him something to eat.” Anaias replied, “But as to your other question. This makes so many more things clear to me that your father had once told me, but I never quite understood.” She stared off into the distance momentarily, her eyes misting again. Alyon scratched at the stone, and Marissah nodded down at him. He ran out the open door. Anaias stirred, “He’s—”

Marissah cut her off, “He’s fine. I told him could hunt. There’s plenty of rodents out in the fields to keep him busy. He won’t run off.” Anaias’ mouth hung open as her eyes grew wide. “You were saying…” her daughter prodded.

Anaias gathered herself, “Oh, yes.” She cleared her throat. “Your father’s story…” She went and sat back by the hearth. “It begins with his Attunement, mind you, many years before I was born, some fifty years ago now, I believe.” She adjusted herself in the chair, “Mind you, I’m no dragon keeper, so this is not my story, but his, and…” She looked at the open trunk, “…and yours.” She looked back at her daughter and gestured to another chair. “You had better sit down.”