Brimstone

Dragon Funeral

I woke up to a bang as my uncle slammed the door to the loft open wide. Startled I jumped from the covers smacking my head on the wood ceiling.

"Oww s**t!"

"You planning on getting out of bed sometime today? I have better things to do then wait on some hatchling to grace me with her presence." He boomed before disappearing back down.

I grumbled under my breath as I jumped down from the loft. Packing my things back in the chest I noticed a package on the table wrapped in an iridescent paper with a blue ribbon. Edan picked it up and awkwardly handed it to me.

"Happy Birthday Eileen." He said gruffly.

I smiled softly at him as I began to open the large package to find a beautiful outfit and boots better suited for the cold weather of the winter mountains. Large dark grey boots lined with white fur, thick matching dark grey pants and top, and a beautiful white fur coat with red lines underneath the white tuffs of fur sewn in lines. It was form fitting for better movement if needed. My smile broadened and I quickly left to change.

As I reappeared I swear I could see a slight twinkle in his eyes as he took the sight of me in the new outfit in. He handed me a second box.

"This was your grandmother's Eirlys Vetle, Eira and my mother's, Lady of the Winter Mountains. She'd want you to have it." He spoke softly.

Slowly opening the smaller box I gasped to see it's contents. A necklace of a large dragon's breath fire opal held by an intricate silver dragon. I delicately touched the stone as if it couldn't be real.

"It is protected by magic and elven made. It will never break and will be safe to shift in."

"Thank you," I whispered as I looked up at him in awe.

Even though he was a family member I have never had anyone beside my mother give me a present. Especially ones so beautiful and thoughtful. He nodded and helped me put the necklace on. It stood out against the white fur of the coat.

"Come we have some unfinished business with your mother."

I followed him out of the cottage to see he had been hard at work creating a large funeral pyre where he had laid my mother in her flowing cotton white dress that whipped around her legs in the light breeze. He had placed the blue phlox in her hands, and made a beautiful wildflower crown placed on her head. My mother's letter had been right about him. He was a big softy.

Tears built up in my eyes as I took on the beauty of my mother's death before me. Suddenly there was a shift behind me, and as I turned there was no longer the bulky figure of my uncle there. A huge snow white dragon studied me with his crystal blue eyes. He was magnificent and beyond beautiful. My tears were set free down my cheeks as I looked up upon him.

It didn't seem real or of this world as I watched this giant snow dragon encircle my mother on the pyre before he sudden released what could only be described as an utter cry of sadness and pain at his loss that rippled through the sky. Then blue light shot from his mouth as he lit the pyre on fire in a eerie blue flame engulfing what was left of the woman who raised me. It had a sad beautiful sight to it as I watched the flames and ashes rise up to the heavens above releasing her into the here after.

I stood firm in that spot until there was nothing left, but the scorched earth before me and dying ashes floating on the wind. The large white dragon nudged me softly to gain my attention.

"I am Zelos, Edan's dragon. I lost my twin soul as well, Frysta, your mother's dragon. Though in the pain of loss we must continue on. We have to let the dead go."

I nodded as I continued to stare forward. He nudged my arm with his snout and leaned down for me to climb up on his back as he held tightly to my father's black chest. I clung to his neck burying my face in his scales. The wind whipped my red hair around like a wild flame in it's grasp as he gained altitude.

Soon all that was around me was soft clouds and light. I stretched my arm out and sifted cloud fluff through my fingers. It felt like I was in a dream. Nothing felt real to me anymore, but I would take a beautiful dream over the reality of my life right now. I couldn't handle the harsh reality of the moment. Best to be lulled into fantasy of this dream like encounter then let my grief consume me.