The Dragon’s Song

Chapter Sixteen

Timothy was with several other younger children running around playing a game with a couple of the other dragons that had come along with her mother. They had scrounged around and had found a ball from somewhere, taking turns passing each other the ball to attempt to make a goal guarded by the dragons. It did my heart good that they could find the time to have some fun after such a travesty. Many of them will be split among the other villages, either being adopted by families or starting apprenticeships in a new place. To me, that sounds kind of scary, but the truth of the matter is is that this village is no longer viable with so many adults either killed or captured.

I wait until there is a break in the game and call Timothy over. He eagerly walks over and strokes Lilasia's smooth lavender scales in hello before turning to me.

"Hey, Timothy. The elders tell me that your father was a leather maker when he was killed. That you were on track to start your apprenticeship in a couple of months." I start, not sure how to broach the subject to the young boy.

"I was." Timothy says with sadness in his eyes. In the distance, I spot Solvon coming in for a landing with two riders on his back. Father was on his way.

"Well, my father was just promoted to Master of the Leather Makers Guild. He is on his way here to help with the recovery and might be interested in taking on an apprentice, if you are interested." I tell him with aplomb. Hoping to give him a new life with my parents is the only thing I can give him. "My father will be here in a few minutes, but I want to verify if your parents had any siblings or even a grandparent in a nearby village."

"My parents never mentioned having siblings and as far as I know, their parents passed away before I was born." He replied. "Your father is really wanting to take me on as his apprentice? I know some of the basics that Papa taught me as I got older. He always told me I would learn more as I got older."

"As all apprentices learn the basics as they get older and stronger. That will be nothing new for my Pa. He has developed a new process that he is hoping to teach the next generation. Unfortunately, I am an only child and have been chosen as a dragon warrior. It is my hope that you and my father will get along and he will agree to take you on." I say in a gentle voice. "I know my parents will never replace the ones you lost, but in the short time that I have known you, you feel like the little brother I never got to have."

"Well said my dear.," Solvon said to me as he craned his long neck over to meet the potential new addition to the family. Solvon has always had a big heart for the youngsters in and around our village. For a fierce dragon, he had a kind heart.

"Timothy, this is Bellisama's mate and Lilasia's father, Solvon. I have known him my whole life." I said with pride in my voice. "Solvon, this is Timothy, the young lad that Bellisama has told you about." Once again, Timothy was all manners and politeness when greeting the newly arrived dragon.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Timothy. If everything goes as I think it will, we will have many years to get to know each other." Solvon replied. "The tall, blond man with the crazy mustache is my partner Jerold. The man walking and talking with him is Mark Berkshire, Missy's father."

"You said that Mark and Julie are married, correct?" He asked innocently. I nodded. "And that Sir Solvon and Lady Bellisama are mates. Shouldn't that mean that Jerold and your mom should be married and not Mark?"

"That is quite the astute question young man." Solvon answered with a smokey laugh. "I guess the easiest answer to that is it is not a requirement for a dragon warrior to marry or for two dragon warriors to marry each other if their partners are mates. I actually didn't partner with Jerold until after Julie and Mark were married. When I met Jerold, it was fate. I had just come out of mourning for my previous partner and was in the village of Susana to talk with Bellisama and meet her new partner and her husband. Jerold had come around to help Mark set up his workshop when a bear was reported to be getting too close to the village for comfort. Jerold and I ended up hunting that bear to ground before anything dangerous happened. We got along fabulously and from there we became a team. At the time, he was already married, but that had never stopped a dragon before. We believe the more the merrier."

"That's an amazing story, Sir Solvon." Timothy replied with awe in his little voice.

"My best friend is Penny, who happens to be Patrick's daughter. Our two families have always been very close, spending many a holiday together." I add. "Dragons who enter a partnership with humans gain a lot of extended family and are a part of everyday life. I grew up helping my mother with Bellisama's care and was there the day Lilasia hatched from her egg inside our barn. I call the dragons Ma and Pa, for they both had a major part in raising me and I couldn't be prouder."

"And on the other hand, Lilasia has considered our partners and their spouses as a set of secondary parents, and their children, her siblings." Bellisama added as she came over to lounge next to her mate. "Missy and Lilasia were always two peas in a pod growing up."

I walked over with Timothy and make the introductions to Jerold and Pa. By the look on his face, my father has already made up his mind to take Timothy on as his apprentice. The interview would only be a formality. In my heart I knew my father would not turn him away.

The interview was short but full of meaning. Pa instructed me to accompany Timothy back to his home to help him gather anything he may want to bring with him. It would be easier on him if he could bring some mementos of his lost parents and older sister no matter how small. Lilasia decided to go with us as well and would wait outside while we were on our quest, a silent protector for who was now her little brother, she told me privately.