Dragon Vow
Part Two: In which Katie’s fearlessness worries her parents considerably.
“You won’t allow it?” Millicent cried. “Why are you so against Katie joining the Dragon Guard?”
As Sky started to list all of the dangers that he faced on a regular basis in the guard, Millicent felt faint. For a moment she was inclined to agree with her husband. Then she caught sight of Katie; at home upon Azrael’s back and smiling.
No. Forbidding Katie isn’t the answer. If her dream is to fly and protect dragons then I refuse to clip her wings.
To lessen Sky’s fears (and her own) Millicent reminded Sky that, while dragons could be fierce when provoked or scared, most of them were peaceful and protective of their friends. The dragons in the Serenity Plains adored Sky, for he was kind, had a sweet singing voice, and was brave enough to step up as their champion whenever there was danger. Millicent was certain that, if Katie did decide to join the Guard, that the dragons would adore Katie too, and do anything to keep her out of harm’s way.
“I’m still against her joining the Dragon Guard,” Sky said. Millicent wasn’t upset. Clearly Sky was frightened. His overprotectiveness was proof of how much he loved his little girl. Instead, Millicent decided the best way forward was to distract Sky with some common sense.
“It’s possible that we are working ourselves into a panic over nothing, you know? Katie is only two years old after all. For all we know her obsession with dragons is just a phase and…are you even listening to me?”
Sky didn’t reply. His pointed ears were tilted skyward and his attention was clearly elsewhere.
Azrael, what’s happened? Millicent thought, certain that he was silently communicating with his rider. As a pathogie, a dragon empath, she was one of the few elves in the Serenity Plains who could understand dragon’s hearts and communicate with them without establishing a bond first.
Suddenly, Azrael’s excitement washed over her.
Visitors! Azrael exclaimed, wagging his tail. Our sisters are here!
Our sisters? Millicent wasn’t aware of Azrael having any sisters. She glanced upwards and saw a giant, sapphire blue dragon belly. Now Millicent understood. Above them was Saffy and her dragon rider Nettle, also members of the Dragon Guard. Serving together in Phoenix Patrol with Sky and Azrael, Nettle and Saffy were family.
“Katie, come here,” Sky called, knowing that Saffy would be landing in their garden at any moment. He wanted the piece of mind that knowing she was next to him, safe. Obediently Katie wiggled her way down off Azrael’s neck, shimmied down and ran towards her parents. Sky held out his hand to grab her, but his daughter never reached his grasp. Katie’s ears twitched. Filled with curiosity, her eyes darted around the garden. At last she caught sight of Saffy.
Most kids Katie’s age would have screamed. They had the good sense to know that dragons were bigger than they were and could breathe fire. Until the scales on their skin hardened when they grew up, drakes were as vulnerable as lambs against the anger of a dragon. As Sky wasn’t beginning to realise, Katie wasn’t like the other drakes. Like he had been as a child, Katie was fearless.
“Dragon!” Katie squealed. She turned her back on her parents and started to run towards the descending sapphire dragon.
“Katie, get back here!” Sky hollered.
Instead of listening, Katie giggled and ran faster.
“Dragon! Dragon! Dragon!”
Katie started weaving and being tricky in order to tire Sky out. She was getting to meet a giant, blue dragon and play with daddy. This was the best day ever!
Seeing that Sky wasn’t close to catching up to their cheeky toddler, Millicent took charge of the situation. She focused her fear upon the sky and focussed upon Saffy.
Be careful when you land, Saffy. My baby is running around down there!
As Saffy stopped her decent and examined the ground, Millicent let out a sigh of relief.
She’s just as precious as I imagined. Fear not, Millicent. I’ve got my eyes on her.
Saffy held in her fire and made a conscious effort to land at the opposite end of the garden. Katie didn’t mind that she had to catch up to her. Grinning from ear to ear, she squealed her way towards her next dragon playmate. Just like she did with Azrael, Katie greeted Saffy by vaulting onto her neck and then cuddling into her hair. Saffy, the self appointed mother in the Dragon Guard, was delighted. Willingly she opened her heart to the newest hatchling in her life and purred contentedly. Nettle, on the other hand, wasn’t impressed.
“Miss Katie, you’re as reckless as your father. It is not okay to jump on dragons, especially ones that you haven’t met yet!”
Lost in dragon bliss, Katie showed no signs that she had heard Nettle’s rebuke. Ready to take this issue up with her parents, Nettle dismounted Saffy and walked over to the pair. At least they realised the severity of the situation. Both of them were frozen with fear.
“At least we can take a break from worrying whether Katie is going to join the Guard,” Millicent said at last. Until their daughter was old enough to develop a voice that resonated with dragons that was the least of their concerns. As Katie’s parents, it was their job to make sure that she didn’t run off and make friends with every, fearsome dragon in the Serenity Plains. While she meant well, they weren’t all as friendly and receptive to random displays of affection like Saffy.
Terror stricken Sky didn’t answer back.
“It’s alright,” Nettle said, rubbing his back in an attempt to get the colour back into his cheeks. “Katie is safe, and my Saffy is going to take beautiful care of her.”
Nettle grabbed Sky’s hand and sat him down. Though it took several minutes, she and Millicent were finally able to calm his nerves.
“Katie is safe,” he acknowledged with a weak smile. Sky wished that he could be comforted by that, but his memories from his childhood were torturing him.
I remember what it was like being Katie’s age, wanting to make friends with all of the dragons in the Plains and having no concept about how reckless I was being. Mum used to joke that keeping me in one piece was her full time job, and being in the Dragon Guard was just a hobby. I’m happy to take that on, watch her every second of the day if necessary, but what if that isn’t enough? I used to sneak out of the house and put myself in danger so many…”
Azrael silenced his rider with a wave of calm.
Hush, Sky. What’s yours is mine, remember. Bodies, minds, hearts and bonds.We swore it to each other, remember. I’ll be watching over our daughter as well. I would sooner lay down my life then let Katie come to harm.
“I appreciate that, my friend,” Sky said aloud. Though he didn’t mean to broadcast his true feelings to his dragon, they were so strong and bothersome that he couldn’t help it.
What if being careful isn’t enough? What we become so preoccupied with saving dragons that none of us are there to save our little girl?
Azrael let out a sigh and tried not to let his master’s anxiety overwhelm him too. Flopping down wearily on the grass he turned his amethyst gaze towards Saffy. With a dozen hatchlings of her own she had plenty of experience in raising babies and keeping them safe. Perhaps she had some advise she could pass along to the McPhee’s.
Saffy’s eyes widened as she leaned about Sky and Millicent’s fearing about their daughter’s safety. Wasn’t the answer to their problem obvious? She focussed upon Nettle and communicated her thoughts on the situation. After listening attentively, her dragon rider smiled.
“Saffy has just made a very good point,” Nettle announced. “It’s impossible for dragons to watch over their hatchlings every second of the day. As much as they want to stay in their nest sometimes they need to leave their babies unattended to hunt for food or to keep their territory safe. Saffy taught all of her hatchlings from a very young age not to squawk at any birds and beasts. She taught her babies how to keep themselves safe, by staying silent and burying their heads within their nest.”
“Saffy thinks that we need to teach Katie how to keep herself safe from dragons,” Sky deduced. Saffy shot Sky a toothy grin and nodded.
“That’s a great idea,” Millicent exclaimed. Sky wasn’t as sure.
“It is, assuming that she listens to us.”
While Katie was a good girl, her love of dragons was overpowering. Katie’s desire to play and love them was so strong that she couldn’t help disobeying her parents sometimes.
Nettle generously offered to sit Katie down for some safety lessons if the McPhees’ ran into trouble.
“Actually,” she added, her eyes bright with inspiration. “I know who would be the perfect teacher.”
As Nettle said the name, Sky’s eyes widened in horror. There was no way that he was going to allow Bryn to teach his daughter about dragon safety.
End of part 2.
https://medium.com/@daniellenolan/dragon-vow-de078342d611?sk=52ecd96d0c13e11a848beddd8164512a
