One My Try

Cotton filled my head and mouth as I started to wake. I felt so warm, and as my vision started to clear, it was much brighter than my room.

“Oh, the little one wakes, sister.” A face swam into my field of vision; his nose was small, and almost flat, while his cheekbones were high and sharp. With pointed ears and teeth, it should have been more terrifying, but the smile and a very disorganized mop of wine red hair softened the alien features and I couldn't help but smile back. The shine that came into those red eyes when I did made me chuckle.

“And she seems to find my face amusing. A wonderful reaction in a human, wouldn't you think?”

Another face came into focus over the man's shoulder. A woman with the same features and the same kind of disorganized mop, only hers reached down to her back and it struck me as a little out of place on her.

“I agree. Let's get her out of here. I think smoke is damaging for human lungs.”

I tried to sit up only to realize that I was several feet off the ground and currently in the man's arms. He held me a bit closer to his chest and smiled disarmingly at me.

“It is. Please do not move, little one. You are very very weak and more than a little burned. Let us take care of you.”

“Are you the Red Twins?”

“We have been called that before...but not in many years. Do you know of us?”

My sigh of relief triggered a coughing fit that had him hold me very close. “The Mother of all Chaos said that I could trust you.” I smiled at him and closed my eyes. The sight of the piles of ash hinted at what had happened.

“Then we will do what we can to help you, little one. We owe other Tiamat more than a few favors at this point.”

I nodded softly and rested my head against his chest. “What...happened?”

“I am not sure. We were nearby when we saw the smoke. Perhaps it was bandits. We are not sure. I am surprised to see that you are alive.”

“I'm bad luck. I keep coming back.”

“That is pretty bad luck if you come back after being crushed by a burning building.”

“Meh...that's....nothing.”

The man smiled once more and wrapped a thick wool blanket around me. “Sleep little one. You'll be safe with us.” As the blissful darkness pulled me under, I heard a female chuckle and resisted the urge to make a rude gesture to the Mother of All Chaos as she stood beyond us. Gods are stupid.

The next time I awoke, I was wrapped up in a warm blanket on a very soft bed roll. A small fire danced not too far away and I felt suspiciously clean. Someone had given me a bath while I was out cold. I was distracted from that thought when the man touched my forehead gently.

“Ah wonderful, your fever has gone down. I was not sure at what temperature most humans function at.”

“Neither am I.” My stomach interrupted with a loud grumble and he laughed.

“Well then, do you have a preference for sustenance or will anything do?”

“Anything at this point.”

“I have some wonderful plains grubs. They have a delightful texture when baked.” Behind him I could see his twin trying very hard not to smile and I had to laugh.

“That sounds fantastic. Why don't you show me how to eat these...delightful treats.”

An eyebrow crept up into his hairline and he smiled widely as he gave a small bow. “I yield. In truth, I have a beef stew that will help you heal, but it seems you are having little issue recovering.”

“I think I have a bit of help in that area.”

“Tiamat?”

“Yes.”

“I am surprised that such an old Goddess is taking so close an interest in you.”

“Let's just say I am granting her a boon and she needs me in as close to perfect working order as she can get me.”

“Ooooooh. She's tapped you then. We were wondering who she would pick. We thought her avatar bloodline had died out a few years ago. Then again...you do look like the last one a good bit.”

My heart did a few twists at the mention of that. “Hold up for a moment. Avatar bloodline?”

He nodded and touched my cheek lightly. “Yes. Among all her children, Tiamat had a special bloodline of Dragon that she could directly give her power to. They spoke for her in mortal and semi-mortal matters and were acknowledged as the closest thing to a ruler Dragons can have. A rather contrary race we are.” He said with a tiny chuckle. “You look much like the last avatar. But we thought she had died fifty-odd years ago. Just up and vanished.”

“What was her name?”

“Marianne. I think... it was before our time.”

The breath left me in a single moment. It was my mother...but how could she have died thirty years before my birth? “Um...the avatar bloodline...how long do they live?”

“Well...they are supposed to live forever baring sickness, poisonings, or being killed. But holding that much power in one body tends to wear it down quickly, so most do not live beyond a few hundred.”

“Is...that normal for a dragon?”

“Hmm....for the Lesser ones yes. The Dragons and High Dragoons can live upwards of a few thousand if we are careful.”

I sighed and rubbed my head slightly and my stomach growled again. The man had the grace to blush slightly when his twin brought over a bowl of the stew.

“Shame on you Kiron, babbling away while her stomach complains. Let her eat and you can chatter at each other all you want later. She needs to rest.”

Kiron mumbled something that was lost on me, but earned him a cuff from his sister. I smiled and sat up to eat. She placed a smock next to the roll and then took my empty bowl. “Change into this and I will see about getting you up and about. I am Talon, by the way.”

I nodded and slowly pulled it on. My fingers were oddly clumsy as I tried to tie it closed. Talon tittered softly and tied it for me. “You are healing well...do you have anywhere to go?”

“Well...if the entire town burned...then no.” I smiled wryly, “My mother, Marianne, was buried there. I have no other family.”

The sight of their eyes going wide made me smile. “So then, you carry her blood?”

“As much as I am aware of, yes. She was already carrying me when she came to my father. I understand he died not much later. My brother raised me from then on and, as I understand it, was poisoning me from that point on.”

I wasn't aware that I was crying until Talon wrapped her arms around me and I sobbed into her chest. “Oh, you poor thing. You will not have to worry about that any more. If you truly are of our blood, you will have a home with us.”

Kiron came over and smiled brightly. “For sure. The only issue is getting you home.”

I sniffed and sat up, “How so?”

“Well... the first time someone wants to enter the Dragon Lands they have to go over the mountains. Otherwise they are not allowed to find them. Part of the Barrier.”

Talon clicked her nails against her clothes, which brought my attention to them. Her nails were long and silver, almost like they were made of it. They both were dressed in tight fitting leather pants and jackets with fur lining the edges.

“Aren't you both hot in those leathers?”

Talon started and shook her head. “It is so much colder here than we are used to. It helps us stay warm. You'll need something like them to cross the pass... and we will need camping supplies.” She looked over to Kiron, “I will go and get what we need. You stay here with her and I will be back in a day or so. Try not to talk her ears off.”

Kiron laughed and did a mock salute. “Will do, sister dear. Have fun!”

A long suffering sigh escaped from Talon as she took a few steps from the fire into the tall grass and melted into the shape of a dainty crimson dragon the size of several houses, with two long horns spiraling from her head. With a loud snap, her wings unfolded and she gave a great leap into the sky.

I whistled softly at the sight. “If...I am a Dragon, will I be able to do something like that?”

Kiron rubbed his nose as he thought. “Well...how old are you by human standards?”

“I will have seen twenty winters this one”

“Twenty winters? Well, if you have been a human for this long with no showings... you should be having your first change soon.”

“First change?”

“Yes. High Dragoons like us are born with the appearances of humans and when we reach full maturity, we first get our wings.”

I felt like a child asking so many questions but...I had to know. “Wings?”

He smiled and reached around to his back. With a small snap from his back, two massive, red leather wings slowly unfolded. “Most of the time our clothes are designed to keep them suppressed. But this is a lot easier on us for small flights than a full change. A full change puts us under a good deal of stress and requires more energy than we can usually afford to spend. Once the wings have sprouted, the next big stress usually triggers a full change.”

Half of what he said went over my head and he laughed at my stunned expression. “I wouldn't worry about it. It will happen when it happens. You just worry about healing and making it over the pass. Talon and I will be with you so just rest.”

I chuckled softly and leaned back into the bedroll. “What will happen when we get through it?”

“Hmm... I am not sure.” A wicked smile crept across his face. “But what ever will happen will be fun. We all need a little more Chaos in our lives. Keeps us young.”