Dragon Guide

Chapter 3: Written Legacy

Written Legacy

Nova

As I look down at the scroll in my hand, I see a perfect recording laid in front of me. Ten names, colours, and gender.

Guide: Rivia Haughton

Date: 31/10/2020

Location: Sligo Caves, Ireland

Males:

* Armin, The Warrior - golden scales, and neon blue eyes

* Arros, The Joy of the Heart - fire opal scales, bourbon brown eyes

* Gerald, The Fearless - silver scales, neon green eyes

* Carlisle, The Gentle - silver-blue scales, amethyst eyes

* Ladon, The Pure - white opal scales, evergreen eyes

* Ryuu, The Calm - fiery red scales, onyx eyes

Females:

* Andromeda, The Goddess - pearly white scales, neon blue eyes

* Raven, The Restless - onyx scales, ruby-red eyes

* Adelina, The Noble - rose-gold scales, hazel eyes

* Yuki, The Protector of Life - bronze scales, grey eyes

We walk briskly through the cavern, heading towards the exit. Looking back at Rivia laying comatose in my husband's arms I begin to wonder why exactly does she do this to herself. I mean yes, I know she is gifted and this is a very privileged position to hold. Despite all of that, look at her now and see the burnt skin on her face and the claw marks all over her body, with disheveled clothes barely covering her body... I just can't seem to fathom where the enjoyment for this comes from. I have been her loyal servant, gifted to her since the day I turned fifty years old. I have served by her side faithfully for the past fifty years and not once have I ever seen her this tattered from just a bonding ritual.

Of course, there have been a few times things got a little off track but this time... this time is different. Today, when I watched from the monitors in the chamber, I could tell that she seemed to be distracted, and that stunt with the golden whelp! Ha! I'll have to talk to her about that, I can't imagine what was going on through her head, but what's done is done. I will need to properly cover up that scene and keep it out of everyone's ears. If the Elders were to find out about it the little golden whelp may very well be slaughtered. Rivia would most definitely have a full-on rage fest if that were to happen!

Sigh... I really don't understand why she did it though, I mean she has never done that before! We even lost six whelps under the same circumstances before, naturally not all at once but over time that is our count. Through all of that, she has never broken protocol to help those ones, it's a written rule!

" Dragon Guides are not to interfere in the natural selection of life and death"

Luckily, I caught on quickly and pointed the camera in the opposite direction, and I just happened to catch the hatching of the other whelps at the same time! I can't imagine what would've happened if I didn't. Well actually I could, I once heard that they burned a mage over in England for interfering and that sent a pretty loud warning out to all the other Guides. Things have been so quiet since then that if even the slightest slip out of line were to happen it would be heard of all around the world!

I look again at Rivia and sigh, I am willing to die for her, but I really don't understand her sometimes. I shake my head and look forward. Gram is walking beside me and his eyes watch me curiously as I play through my internal monologue.

I shake my head and sigh another exasperated sigh."It's nothing Darling," I say and continue towards the exit of the cavern. As we arrive at the end of the path and step out from the shadows the blinding sunlight immediately engulfs our bodies and the sunshine blinds me momentarily. I press my palms to my eye sockets to ease the stitic image playing behind my lids. Once my eyes have adjust I turn to the left and place my hands on a touchpad where I punch in a code. This sets the sliding the metal doors into motion. They immerge from the rock walls that make up the cavern entrance, another safety feature built into this location. We quickly move forward and watch to ensure that the door is sealed tight before we move away. When I am far enough, I turn and use my powers to cloak the entrance creating the image of an untouched cavern, it's all just a mirage. When I think it is good enough, we make our way forward through the tall grass and into the woods that devour the view as far as the eyes can see.

We move in silence, taking light hurried steps until I see the little cabin ahead. It is well hidden among the trees and I've also added a repellent spell in the event humans ever get too close, they will unknowingly divert away. There really is nowhere that you can be completely secure anymore, humans seem to find their way into every sacred place there is. So much so that the Black Council's headquarter is located at the bottom of the Caribbean Sea!

As we get inside the cabin, I look at Gram. "Please put her in her room. I will go and get the poultice and some medication for the wounds", I tell Gram as we begin to busy ourselves with the preparations. He really doesn't speak much but after some time and many many struggles, we have overcome our great differences and now I cannot see life without him. He's been by my side for twenty years now, and stumbling upon him was my greatest surprise and my greatest blessing.

I wait as Gram walks towards the corridor and disappears from my sight before I begin to move. I pull some green bottles from shelves all around the kitchen and I check the medicine box for antibiotics, when I find everything that I need I prepare them neatly on a tray. It will be a full day at the latest for Rivia to wake up from this deep sleep. I need to have her body back to optimal conditions before then. She will need all her strength to deal with ten baby dragons, something even she has never done before. I head towards the room at the same time Gram is about to walk into the kitchen.

"Did you find everything you need baby?" he asks. I smile sweetly at him and nod as I walk past. He grabs my waist and gives me a sly smile, a promise. I blush beet red and give him an angry look.

"Really?! Is this really the time to be paying these tricks on me?!" I ask heatedly.

"No, I'm sorry baby", apologizes Gram as he laughs sheepishly and scratches the back of his head.

"Silly", I reply softly as I admonish him in embarrassment and turn towards the bedroom.

When I walk inside, I see that Gram has laid a plastic covering over the bed which he has graciously set Rivia atop of. She lays there covered by a thin sheet. I internally thank Gram for always being thorough in his tasks. I move forward and set the tray down on the bedside table and remove the sheet from her soiled body. Slowly and meticulously I take sheers and cut away the clothing from her body, slowly revealing pale, soft creamy skin. When all the fabric is gone, I cover her with another thin sheet and make my way to the adjoining bathroom. In there I retrieve a basin, a washcloth and some other essentials from under the sink. I fill the basin with warm water and take it to the bedside and I sowly and meticulously begin my work of cleaning and healing. I wipe her entire body from head to toe, cleaning under all her nails and thoroughly wash her hair. I apply medication to her wounds, I perform what healing magic I to hear burns to ensure that a scar does not form. I dress her in her purple mage's robe and tie her hair in a braided bun atop her head. When I felt satisfied with my work, I called Gram to help me get her off the plastic. We work great together, like a well-oiled machine. He lifts her and I quickly remove all the excess items from the bed leaving only a neat place to put her to rest. When she is back on the bed, I cover her with a knitted blanket. I tidy up the room and leave her in peace to rest. We'll have a told to do when she wakes up, let her rest while she can.