Welcome To Your New Home

Three days had passed and nothing the town witches tried could rouse the wildfire from her sleep. Everyone was getting worried that if she didn't wake up soon she'd die of starvation. The child was nothing but skin and bone as it was. As a collective, they decided it was best to fly her home to the north. There, the best of the Earth dragons could attend to her as a collective. He hated having to expose Jamie like this and being down another guard, but the child was fading fast. He didn't like traveling in the open where everyone could see his coming and goings. That's why he opted for riding everywhere instead of flying. A man in black on a black horse was a little less obvious than a massive spiky black dragon. He could hide as a man with no coat of arms, but he couldn't as a dragon. Everyone knew his dragon as King, but as a man, not everyone knew his face.

Laying the little girl into the massive green clawed hand he nodded at Jamie. Bouncing a couple of times Jamie took off into the air caring with him a part of the group. "I hope he makes it to your healers in time Lord Pendragon. I hate that you have to leave so soon. It has been a pleasure being your host. I took the liberty of having my aids stock your wagon. You should be set for your long voyage home. Please send a plight to your gracious king for aid. Our Kings here could use the help in learning to work together before this evil gets too big of a toe hold and we're all in trouble."

Nodding his head Michael replied, "I will speak with him, but I seriously doubt he will help. There is a compact between him and the four Kings of the south that he will not interfere in the business south of the White Woods. I'm afraid he will not violate that compact."

"Here's hoping different," replied the town's Lord with a grim look on his face. "May the old Gods guide you, young Lord."

"Same to you," replied Michael as he turned his team and began his long trek home.

Two months later, covered in dust, and bone-tired Michael walked through the doors of his castle. "Welcome home Your Majesty," said Shelby one of his top and most trusted advisers as well as a member of the High Council.

"It's good to be to home," greeted Michael laying a hand on his shoulder as he passed.

"I've heard you had an interesting trip," said Shelby turning to walk with his King.

"Interesting is an understatement, where is Jamie," asked Michael heading toward the medical wing.

"He's currently chasing this hellcat of a child around the living quarters," replied Shelby as a loud clatter and shouting erupted out of the dining hall as they passed.

Watching the dinning hall door fly open Michael saw a streaking child with white blonde hair darting through them with a hand full of cookies. Not bothering with watching where she was going the spitfire ran smack into him. Bouncing off the child back-peddled a couple of steps before falling. "Why you," growled Shelby toward the spitfire. "How dare you assault your King! Jamie, I warned you to keep a tighter leash on this hellcat! An for the sake of the gods! Why is she naked again!"

Jumping to her feet quickly the child offered Michael what was left of the smashed cookies in her hand. When Shelby went to stop the wildfire from getting closer Michael's dragon roared to the surface. He'd been so quiet the last two months the sudden outburst took him by surprise. "Your Majesty," choked Shelby as Michael grabbed his arm and took a knee in pain.

Michael hadn't even noticed he'd grabbed Shelby's arm and his grip was almost to the point of breaking the man's arm. Releasing him quickly his dragon growled, "Don't touch her."

"My apologies My King, please forgive me," begged Shelbie cradling his arm and bowing low.

"Cookie," said the child shoving the food into Michael's face now that she was free to move.

"Did she just say cookie," exclaimed Eli taking the offered food out of her hand.

Smiling at him the wildfire threw her arms around his neck in a hug before turning her attention to his pants. "What the hell," snapped Jamie finally joining them in the hallway just as the wild child undid Eli's pants.

"Hey," shouted Eli trying to keep his pants up and stop her hands. Grabbing his shirt the child ducked her head under it. "Get out of there," snapped Eli pulling his shirt up quickly as his pants fell.

"What is going on here," shouted the castles matriarch who was in charge of female affairs within the castle.

Her job was to see to the maids, the mating retinals, as well as the rearing of any female dragons who were orphaned. Females needed to be treasured and protected. As well as they were to be educated on dragon customs and culture. Females were keepers of knowledge as males were the swords to protect it. "Sky Ann Luna! get out of that man's pants," scolded the Matriarch.

"Sky Ann Luna," asked Michael turning to see the spitfire patting Eli's scar across his stomach.

"That's what we named her," said Jamie shoving a shirt over the name child's head. "The castle had a hand in it, saying she needed a proper name and not just the one name of Sky."

Wrangling her arms into tiny shirt holes Sky jabbered in a strange lounge and went back to trying to get at Eli's stomach. "Oh yeah that's right," said Eli pulling his shirt back up again. "You haven't seen your handy work huh." Getting down onto her level Eli held his clothes out of the way so she could get a close look.

"What happened to you," asked Shelby aghast. "Is that a scar? There's no way! That goes from one side to the other. You should be…,"

Shelby let the dead part fall off and didn't finish the sentence as Jamie wrangled a pair of underwear and pants on the spitfire. "So why the last name of Luna," asked Eli tucking his shirt back into his pants.

Pulling more cookies out of her apron the Matriarch said, "The court has taken to calling her Luna because of how pale she is, and Jamie has been calling her Ann because of how beautiful she is. We have postponed the naming ceremony until you returned Your Majesty. Jamie said it was only right for us to wait until the group returned. Hey, Sky you want a cookie?" Instantly the girl was dancing around the Matriarch. "If you'll excuse me, your Majesty. I have to teach a wild animal to be a civilized dragon."

With that, the Matriarch handed over the cookie and pulled a second out of her apron. Turning she trudged down the hallway hostage in hand as the Sky skipped after her. "The head healer would like to see that belly of yours," said Jamie gesturing.

"You told them," growled Michael enraged that Jamie spoke out of turn about matters he shouldn't have.

No one needed to know the full truth of what happened in that village. Miracles don't happen and things needed to stay that way. If anything for her safety because was she did defy logic and people would hunt her for control of power like that. "I didn't just tell anyone, Your Majesty. I just told my mother so that she could help me with Sky and I'm glad I did. She would like to talk to you as well," informed Jamie with a slight bow.

"Lead on," growled Michael trying to keep his angry dragon in check.

Michael didn't miss the concerned look on Shelby's face or the fact that he snagged Tanner in there passing. It was too bad Tanner wouldn't have any more answers than he did to his dragons sudden mood swings.

Making their way into the medical wing everyone bowed at him as he passed. That was one thing he didn't miss on the road was the bowing. Some loved not being King for those small times, and his closest friends and guards didn't bow to him like everyone else. On the road, he was Michael Pendragon the Lord, not Michael Fafnir the King of the North. "Your Majesty it's an honor for you to visit me," gushed Jamie's mom as she moved out from behind the desk in which she sat. "Jamie says you had quite an adventure. Please sit my King everyone else, leave us."

Clapping her hands the room emptied out leaving only her and her highest lady-in-waiting. Once everyone was gone she turned to Eli. "Remove your shirt son and let me look at you."

"Lady Silvanus, what brings you here to my wonderful Castle. Did your Lord and husband travel with you," asked Michael curious about what would bring the queen of the east wood here?

"Hocus pocus," laughed Jamie's Mom examining Eli's stomach. A light green glow surrounded her fingers as she ran them along the scar that ran from hip to hip. "This is beyond logical. Everything was kitted together so perfectly. All the nerves, every blood vessel, and I even see the marble is now gone as well. All of this was done by the child?"

Everyone turned to Michael knowing not to speak a word unless he authorized it. "Hocus pocus you say," stated Michael crossing his arms and kicking his feet out as his dragons colored his eyes.

"Mable, if you wouldn't mind," said the Lady Silvanus. "This does not leave his room."

Everyone watched as Mable walked forward and pulled a neckless over her head. Watching in awe the woman's brown hair turned to a sliver blonde and her eyes went from a dark brown color to a silver-blue. Sitting up straighter Michael looked very unkindly with his mouth agape at his shock. "I am one of the last of the silver dragons left in the world and a soothsayer from the south."

"I thought your kind was all dead," gaped Michael still not believing his eyes.

Nodding her head sadly the woman turned are grim expression toward the window. "The world is dying, and none of us know why," said the woman looking back at Michael. "We slivers once lived and ruled from the Emrel Islands until the God Orcus arrived and slaughtered our race. My queen sent her daughter and only heir to the Sliver clan through a portal to another world. With the passing of our royal bloodline and the heir no longer being present in this world my people began dying. No sliver babies have been born in hundreds of years. Not even to a normal elemental dragon. The mother of us all has said this is how it should be until the Princess returns to us and the prophecy has been fulfilled."

Prophecy thought Michael thinking back on the zombies and their questions. "The Zombies asked me about some prophecy, but I can't remember exactly what they asked," said Michael straining to bring up the fuzzy details.

"That wouldn't surprise me," said Mable. "It's because of that prophecy that I'm here, and why we are standing in your castle currently. It's how we knew the white child would need healing beyond the scope of just one earth dragon."

"So what is this prophecy," asked Michael still unsure if he wanted to believe in hocus pocus.

"I won't go through the entire thing, but I will say that your little white child plays a big role in defeating Orcus and his dead army. She is the world's heart and the world's hope. If she dies then we all will perish with her. As long as she lives this world will live. The silver queen will return and bring with her the heart of the world she was raised on. Through the other heart, our world will learn to fight and grow like never before. The queen with unite the south under her rule and push the dead army back, but to defeat it she will need your aid. When she comes calling please young King answer her call for the good of this world and all in it. This blight is killing this world and this foreign virus needs to be sent back from once it came."

"The heart of another world," asked Eli confused by what Mable had said. "So is this heart a person, magic, or an object? You said Sky was the heart of this world, so will it be someone like her?"

"I don't know," said Mable shaking her head. "All I can tell you is what is written, everyone will know who she is as soon as they see her. The prophecy said that all will want to fall at her feet wishing to be close to her, but the death that surrounds her makes people tremble in fear. Fear not the death that loves her but fear more her wrath, because if she deems fit she will euthanize this world and everything on it."

"I don't like the sound of that at all," stated Michael, "this heart from another world can just stay there, and the south can keep it's problems in the south."

"I'm sorry my Kings, but the White Forest is linked to this world and the longer the God Orcus infests her lands the sicker she becomes. One day the White Woods will fall and you will have no choice but to join the fight or die," said Mable bowing low.

"If all of this is all true," said Jamie looking thoughtful as he paced the floor. "Why bring all of this up now? Why hide who you are? We grew up with you telling us stories and being our nanny. So why all the secrecy? Why not tell us this story as children as well? Not that we aren't grateful for you saving Sky's life, but still."

"What was wrong with the child," asked Tanner eyeing Mable suspiciously.

It was Jamie's mother that answered their questions laying a comforting hand on Mabels shoulder. "Mable came to me more moons than I can remember. As far back to the time when I first bore the mark of your father Jamie. I found her in the temples begging the Goddess for help in talking to the Earth Queen. She didn't know that our kingdom was only ruled by a single King and that our Kings never took mates. So when she went asking about town no one knew what she was talking about and called her touched because of her ramblings. Even I had heard the rumors of the insane silver dragon foretelling the ending of the world. When I looked at her I could see that she was not insane. I am gifted with the sight of the earth mooring lines and can see if one is good or bad. I could see that this young scared woman believed if she didn't talk to this earth queen then we would all die. It is the job of all the Lords and Ladies to protect our people, and I saw no harm in speaking to her. What could it hurt and so I did. I thought it was nonsense until I had a dream given to me from the Mother. I listened to that dream and went and collated Mable off the street and here we are today. And I get to tell your daddy he needs to make good on his promise," laughed Lady Silvanus.

"And what promise is that," asked Jami looking at his mom quizzically.

"When I told your father about the prophecy he told me it was a load of malarkey but he'd allow Mable to stay as my Lady In Waiting as long as we hid who she was. No one wanted the crazy sliver dragon running around the castle. I was so mad at him that he promised that if it was ever to come to pass I would get to decorate the castle as I see fit. An first thing first that god awful painting of your great grandfather that sits in the dining hall is going away. I've always hated that thing," grumbled Lady Silvanus.

"So why wait until now to arrive. It wasn't like my going to the White Woods was a secret. Everyone knew I was going even if not exactly what day," stated Michael finding flaws in their story.

"Because I didn't know when the day was that we would be needed. As soon as the mother graced me with a dream was the day we let," said Mable. "An not a day too soon either."

"True," agreed Lady Silvanus. "We were just climbing off our horses when Jamie landed on the bailey packing a little white haired child."

"We knew right then that the prophecy was real my King. We do not jest with you," pleaded Mable hoping he would find her words true.

"So what was wrong with the child," asked Michael not offering any hint that he believed any of this, but then again he didn't believe in supernatural stuff like prophecy, mystics, or unicorns.

"Everything birthed to the mother has four moors that bind them to the mother. Like an umbilical cord for a human child that binds it to his mother. When a dragon uses its power it pulls magic from the mother through these moors and then sets it free in the world. Sky has six moors but whatever magic she cast was far too advanced for her little body. Like when you lift too much and you tear a muscle she tore her moors. Because of the damage, her body couldn't heal like it should have. She was like a village that sat below a dam that burst and destroyed everything in its wake. We had to fix the moors before she died. If we had been a day late or Jamie had not got her here when he did she would have died," informed Mable.

"So what now? Where do you go from here now that your so-called prophecy has come to fruition," asked Michael raising an eyebrow at the silver dragon.

"Back home I guess," stated Mable with a thoughtful look on her face. "I have done the one thing I was meant to do. The rest is in your hands, my King."

"Go home to where? Castle Silvanus? The kingdoms to the south," asked Michael wondering if maybe the house of Silvanus has harbored as a spy all these years.

"Home with Lady Silvanus of course. I am her Lady In Waiting and my dearest of friends. I wouldn't dream of going home to the south with the heart of the world residing here. What if she gets hurt? What if she needs us again," said Mable aghast at the thought.

"So why not take her with you then," stated Michael coldly causing all of his guards to rise to their feet in protest.

"Simply because she chose you. She could have followed any traveling group out of that forest, but she never did. For the last three years rumors have blossomed of a white-haired wild child in the White Woods, but no one was able to capture her or tame her. Yet now she runs wild in your castle. She was destined to be here with you," said Mable as if everything was so obvious.

Hearing this the group seemed to relax a little as Michael grumbled about having to deal with the small annoyance. "Is there anything else I should know," asked Michael as he rose from his seat.

"Only that she might be a dragon, but she is far from it," said Mable with a low bow. "Please my King keep safe the heart of the world."

Rolling his eyes Michael left the office to pick up the mantel he had shucked for his small adventure. He had mounds of paperwork to scour through, and legal debates to sit through. Not to mention the reviewing of the guards and the finances to review. When lunch came he was beyond relieved to sit at the dinner table free of chores. Unfortunately, he had political guests seeking favors of one type or another. He hated having to humor these people. Some were tolerable and some made him want to fall on his own sword. His kingdom was ruled by the upper class and their families. His kingdom was broken up into four regions. The wind clans of the north with the earth clans to the south. Fire ruled the west and water to the east. His castle sat in the middle of it all. Each region had a High Lord that took care of most of the business for their region and then an abundance of lesser lords that ruled their own set of towns. The problems they couldn't solve were brought to the castle. Say if a town Lord asked their High Lord for more money, to raise the lands taxes, or needed more troops and he said no. Then that Lord could come to petition the King for a favor. Of course, Michael didn't have to say yes, and normally he didn't without just cause. There was no cause to step on his Hight Lords toes. He appointed the Hight Lords and had no choice but trust their judgment without causing a coo. He didn't need any undo tensions between the houses.

It was the High Lord's job to appoint the lesser Lords and make sure everyone in their lands was happy, and if they weren't he'd hear about it one way or the other. Of course, not all the Lords or Ladies were good people. Some were cruel, and some were corrupt, and others would never leave his castles alive. Of course, those Lords never turned up dead. They just never turned up at all. Currently to his right was one of those men teetering on the never turning up at all categories. The intel on this man was bad, bad, and worse, but he just hadn't had a reason to kill him yet. His latest report on him said that he was trying to usurp him. Of course, the only way to do that was to kill him and this pathetic excuse for a dragon didn't possess the strength or the skill to do that. On top of that, should he ever die another black dragon would be born and take his place. It's not like just anyone can sit upon the throne. So killing him would be pointless unless you got your hands on the child and raised him to be cruel and violent. Even then there were safeguards against that. Should he die suddenly the kingdom became a democracy. The four houses would come together to rule and raise the welp until the new dragon King became of age.

Even with this, it didn't stop the assassination attempts, he was just lucky he was a good king and most attempts where foiled before they began. On average someone tried to kill him twice a decade and that's just within the castle. That doesn't include the little skirmishes from bandits, rogues, or human war parties that he has to deal with. Humans were most of his problems and one would think they'd learn not to fight a dragon that could burn their village to ash if he wanted to. Unfortunately, humans never learned and one always thinks they are better and smarter than the last one that fell at his feet.

Yawning Michael turned his attention to the spit fire that sat between Eli and Kyle stuffing her face full of food. Besides she was bare foot at least she had clothes on even if she was eating everything with her hands. Her glowing blue scanned everyone as she ate and he wondered what she saw when she looked through her dragon eyes. Honestly, it was strange any that her dragon skills had manifested already. Females were born defenseless with their dragons being dormant within her. Males, on the other hand, were born baby dragons and would shift to their human form about the age of 5. For females as they aged their dragon skills become known at curtain ages. typically at about 50 years old, they began to be able to use their dragon eyes. Somewhere between 100 and 150, they learned to shift their hands into claws and even scale out parts of their body for protection. This is sometimes pretty interesting as well because sometimes their scale color is all wonky. From 200 to 250 they learn their elemental powers and their scale color changed and becomes more linear around whatever element they control. Then somewhere from 300 to 350 they reach breading age. Once their mating mark shows up and she chooses her mate then the cool part begins. With the help of her mate, her dragon comes into herself and pushes out through the skin. It's the first time her dragon is seen by the world and everyone sees her true color.

Michael vague wondered what her dragon would look like when the time came. She was so light-skinned that she might be a sliver guessing from what was told about them from fairy tails or a wind dragon. They tended to be light-skinned compared to the fire dragons that tended to be on the darker and red end of the spectrum. Water dragons leaned toward olive to yellow depending on where their clans are from. Earth dragons tended to range all over the entire medium spectrum so they were a crap shoot. Lost in his own thought, Michael vaguely heard Lord Angus asking if he'd like to try some of the wine. Responding automatically Michael continued down his current path of thinking. Even if she was wind, her mate choice could shift her dragon's color. He had seen some spectacular colors from off mated elements. He'd met this one beautiful female dragon who was a royal blue with deep red fringes to her scales causing an almost roan kind of effect. She was wind and her mate was fire causing that spectacular coloring.

Just for fun, he wondered what a mate of his would look like. Would they have black tingled scales? Or would just like the tips of their wings be black. Of course, Michael knew he'd never have a mate because that's just how it was to be the King. That still didn't stop him from fantasizing. He was a male after all and certainly not a eunuch. Raising his wine glass to his lips Michael swore when something upended it into his lap. Clambering to his feet quickly, he growled at the spitfire who snatched the cup out of his hands and threw it at Lord Angus. "What is wrong with you," snarled Lord Angus barely moving in time to avoid getting a glass to the face.

Snarling out a string of words the spitfire screamed at Lord Angus as Eli hauled her off of the table.

Beside himself in anger Lord Angus growled back at Sky. "The nerve of that monster! My King someone should teach her manners. I have dogs more behaved than that. Here let me fix you another glass of wine while I have a servant fetch you some towels."

Looking down at his wine-soaked clothes Michael growled, "Eli get her out of here."

Michael had seen the spitfire kill, and kill with ease, but never had she acted aggressively toward anyone. Taking the second glass of wine from Angus he watched as the hell fire fought for all of her might in Eli's arms as they approached the dining hall doors. Seconds later Eli screamed out and reflexively dropped the child who blinked out of existence before her feet even touched the ground. Before Michael even had time for the glass to touch his lips she popped back into the world right in front of him. Smacking the glass out of his hands the metal goblet clattered to the floor at the same time a wine bottle was busted across Lord Angus's head. "What have you done," roared Michael yanking the spitfire off of the table by her shirt dragging plates of food along with her.

"Michael no," shouted Eli stumbling his way back toward him as if he was drunk.

"Eli," shouted Alivia rushing over to him as he fell to the ground. "What's wrong? You're bleeding. Jamie!"

Rushing over to them Jamie shot a worried look toward Michael as Eli struggled to stand up. "Eli you need to sit down. Your nose and bleeding and you've got subconjunctival hemorrhaging in both eyes," urged Jamie trying to get Eli to stop.

"No this isn't her fault," growled Eli making his way toward Michael and the little girl that dangled from his grip inches off the floor.

"I beg to differ," snarled Michael looking at Eli's blood-filled eyes. "Your eyes and nose weren't bleeding three seconds ago."

"Okay that's her fault, but she didn't mean to," stated Eli losing his footing again.

"It doesn't mater whether that was an accident or not, by the looks the oopsy almost pooped your head like a cheery, because your ears are blooding too," snapped Jamie helping Eli to his feet again.

"Yea well my brain feels like scrambled eggs with the amount of information she just forced into it. Now put her down!"

"Information? Like what," asked Michael still dangling the disgruntled spitfire off of the floor and remembering when she spoke to him in the city. "Like she spoke to you inside your head?"

"They weren't words, but more like pictures placed in a sentence like order. They were flashes of memories that were my own and flashes of memories that were not mine at all. I remember the events, but not from that angle. Does that make since," asked Eli finally managing it to stand in front of Michael.

Using his free hand Michael shoved a chair at him as he said, "Sit down before you fall down and make it quick. You and her better have a good excuse for this."

"She should be punished My King! Such a wild animal should be taught her place," roared Lord Angus as an Earth dragon attended to the gaping wound on his head where she'd cracked his scull with the bottle.

Rubbing his head with the heals of his hand Eli groaned in pain. "ugg my head feels like it's coming apart and lot of the pictures are fuzzy. She showed me apples, lots of red apples, but only eaten ones. There are also pictures of cherries, and apricots, as well as what looks like almonds. All of them half-eaten. There was a flash of Aunt Monica warning us that we had to make sure we cooked the almonds before we eat them. Then she showed me the day you lost your temper at Sky and she played in the middle of the dying grass. She showed me memories of fall and the leaves falling from trees. The day we had to put your old dog down. I know it doesn't make any since, and I'm sorry, but I know she's trying to tell me something. I just- I just. My head hurts so bad."

Michael turned and looked at the worried expression on Lord Angus's face. Mush brains might not be able to string it all together, but he could. Setting the spitfire down Michael turned her around and glared at her. "That is one hell of an accusation since you broke the bottle can you prove it?"

Raising her hands Sky went to put her hands on Michael's face but Jamie snatched them away. "We don't need him looking like Eli right now," said Jamie quickly.

Taking up the spitfire's hands Michael yanked her toward him and smashed her tiny hands to his cheeks. He excepted pain to the likes of what had Eli crying out, and he expected memories and pictures like he had described. All he got was a tiny child-like voice that rang out like wind chimes as she said, "He's got it in his room. I show you!"

With that Michael let go of her hands and rose as he pointed toward the door. "Then show me."

Pulling free of Jamie as a drop of blood fell from his nose Michael handed him a napkin. "That really hurt," croaked Jamie.

"So you heard her," asked Michael looking at his friend's pained expression.

"No just pictures of a bedroom and a dog following some kind of game trail," replied Jamie groaning and rubbing his head before he too sat down.

"My lord what's going on," asked Lord Angus as the dining room looked from the little girl waving at the door then back to Michael.

"She says that you're trying to poison me and that she can prove it, because the poison is in your room," stated Michael flatly before heading in the wild fire's direction.

"That is ridiculous," scoffed Lord Angus getting to his feet quickly and shoving the earth dragon out of his way. "I would never dream of doing a thing like that to my King. I am your most loyal servant. My family has served the Kings for generations!"

Without hesitation or wavering the little spitfire led him to a room and pushed the door open. Upon entering the room the smell of Angus let Michael know she had led them straight to his room, which was odd. There were thousands of room within the castle, how is it she knew exactly which room he as staying. Hell, he couldn't even tell you where anyone's rooms were outside the King's quarters and he's lived here his entire life. "This is reticules," said Lord Angus quickly shoving his way into the room. "Please tear the place part! I have nothing to hide! Here I'll help," said Angus rushing over to a writing desk and upending the drawer spilling his contents across the top.

He could care less what Angus did or said, all of Michael's attention was on the spitfire. Sky knew she had to prove that the poison was in here. She'd seen it within the snakes that lived inside the bad man. She'd seen him hide the bottle of pale-blue liquid in the floor. The snakes inside the body never lie and they see all, thought Sky looking at the floor boards closely. The pretty man was very angry with her and said she had to prove it. If she proved it maybe he wouldn't be angry with her anymore. She really didn't like it when he was angry with her.

Finding the exact board she was looking for Sky dug her fingernails into the cracks between that board and its neighbor. Prying it up she found the bottle with what was left of the pale-blue liquid as something wet splattered all over her. Ignoring the wetness or the screams of some lady she looked up at the pretty man and presented him the bottle. When the pretty man didn't look down at her she turned to see what had his dragon's attention. She knew it was his dragon because his horns were out and his arms were covered in black scales, and he was super angry. Thinking he was supper anger with her Sky stood up and tried to hand him the bottle again. "No, no child," said the woman who was mother to the man in green. "You hand me that bottle of hydrocyanic acid before it gets broken or it gets on you okay," said the woman with a forced smile.

Plucking the bottle from Sky's hand she handed it off before pulling Sky with her. Considering Sky liked the older woman she went with her and even happier when Kyle picked her up. "Let's go take a bath," said Kyle. "I hear you like warm baths."

"Yeah," squealed Sky happy about getting to play in the warm pond again.

She wasn't sure why they wanted her to play in the warm pound again so soon after the last time, but she didn't care. She love playing in water and the warmer the better! Watching over Kyles shoulder as the pretty man pulled the bad mans heart out of his chest she thought that maybe he should take a bath too. She watched him eat it as the body hit the floor in a sickening thud, and then the door closed.

Cleaned, scrubbed, and forced into a new set of clothes Sky was racing through the castle on her next adventure with her newest friend. The black cat named Thomas swung limply in her arms as they wondered the halls. Finding a pretty scrap of fabric on the floor Sky sat her new friend down to pick up the brightly colored material. Turning it over in her hands Sky tucked it in her pocket before turning back to the cat, but he already scurried off down the hallway. Deciding to follow the cat their adventure took her everywhere. They traveled the rafters in the throne room and watched the pretty man looking pained as people spoke to him in their weird language. From there they got chased out of the kitchen, and into the kitchen garden. Climbing the walls they ventured into another garden full of flowers and shrubs. The smell of lavender was thick in the air and Sky couldn't help but stop and breathe in the nice scent. The pretty man smelled like this flower and she decided it was her new favorite flower.

From there Thomas the cat leads her to many new undiscovered places. One of the discoveries was a room full of treasures that was high on a castle tower. The room was encircled by windows and everything was covered in dust. Trying all of the windows Sky managed to pry one open and crawled in. There were all kinds of treasures that jingled and rattled and looked like little dragons and animals. There was even a wooden horse that Sky could sit on and rock. Playing to her heart's content, Sky yawned and looked around the room for Thomas. Finding him on a dust-covered bed sleeping, Sky decided to join him. Awaking to a loud banging sound Sky sat up straight as the door to the room flew off it's hinges and slid across the floor. Scooping Thomas up, Sky inched her way toward the open window as the pretty man stepped into the room. His dragon was in his eyes again and he looked very angry. Thinking she'd made him angry again she inched closer to the window. The last person to make him angry he ate his heart. "What is this," asked Jamie as he ventured into the room. Spying the his cat in her arms he smiled really big. "Thomas! That's where you've been. I've been looking for you all day!"

Making his way around Michael, Jamie hurried over to Sky. Closing her one escape root he then plucked the purring cat out of her arms. "What is this place," asked Eli making his way into the room. "Wow look at all of the toys," he exclaimed with a long whistle.

Squatting down Eli pushed a wheeled carriage across the floor. Giggling as the carriage came to a stop in front of her Sky pushed it back at him before turning a worried expression toward Michael. "Put your dragon away Michael. I think she thinks she's in trouble."

"She is in trouble! We've been tearing the castle apart for the last two hours trying to find her," snarled Michael.

"And your dragon found her sleeping on a bed, not bleeding and dead somewhere," stated Eli pushing the carnage back to Sky so she could return it again.

"That's not the point and you know it," roared Michael causing Sky to jump and scurry away.

"Now look you scared her," stated Eli getting out of the floor to glare at Michael. "Yeah she's the reason you killed Lord Angus and some of his men might seek revenge. But you know, and I know she's not really a defenseless little girl. Not if what you said is true that happened in that town. Plus she's a little kid, and kids a meant to explore. I mean come on look at this nursery. Who know this was here?"

"Thomas, by the looks of it," laughed Jamie with a sleeping Thomas hung around his neck like a boa.

"I say we clean it up and make it her room," stated Kyle pulling a sheet off of a dresser. It's not like she uses the one she was given by the Matriarch. From what she said in the bath they have to go locate her sleeping in random places around the castle. Maybe she'll use this room and it's not too far from ours."

Rolling his eyes, Michael's dragon settled farther down inside him as he seceded to his loss. It seemed that these guards were always going to take the child's side. "Fine! I'll have someone come clean it tomorrow. It's past supper time so let's go eat. Eli bring your announce along with you."

Smiling Eli scooped Sky up making her laugh as he packed her from the room tickling her as they went. Supper went without a hitch and no one tried to kill him again. Of course, the lunch attempt was a new record. He hadn't even been home for 8 hours when Angus tried to poison him. Now all of his guards were being questioned and a message has been sent to the Lord of the fire realm to deal with appointing a new town Lord.

The next morning was business as usual. Michael had sent servants to go clean the room Sky had discovered and fix the door. He also arranged for tutors to come and maybe teach the spitfire to speak and act like a more civilized dragon. Of course, he felt bad for the Matriarch sense it all fell to her to rear the child. Which meant somehow she was going to have to make her sit and learn, and cookies didn't always help. Dressed and on his way to the training hall he passed the poor old matriarch looking tired and disheveled. Sky must have given her the slip again, thought Michael leaving the political side of the castle for the business side. In the court yard leading to the training hall Michael passed soldiers of all ages toiling away at the trade of war. Bowmen sent arrows down range, while others worked whatever magic they possessed. There were a lot of new and younger faces today than normal. It was like the training grounds had been taken over by fledglings and whelps.

Upon entering the training hall Michael could see Eli instructing a class of beginner water dragons. That's when it struck him. Everyone had asked to move the junior classes forward in the day. They believed it would be more beneficial in their training to start first thing in the morning. Seeing no conflict with it Michael had agreed, but until just now he'd forgotten he'd approved that. Of course, all of that happened right before he left for the south. Good thing he had his own practice area in the back of the training hall so he didn't have to deal with the children. Some times there were upsides too being King.

Pausing in their training everyone bowed to him as he passed and then watched him intently. All of the children eyes were round with excitement at seeing him and whispered amongst themselves. Opening the door to the back half Michael could see his personal guards hard at work. Tanner was already drenched in sweat while Jamie and Kyle lazily sparred in the corner. At least some things never change thought Michael shedding his outer layers, grabbing a wooden sword, before charging at Kyle.

Sky sat in the rafters eating her pilfered rolls and cookies as she watched all of the tiny dragons waving sticks around. Even the pretty man and his friends waved sticks around, and he smiled while doing it. It seemed he really liked this game, and she was going to learn to play it. Sky liked it when the pretty man smiled and he didn't do it often. If she could make him smile then maybe he wouldn't be mad at her anymore, and then she could be part of his family.

Setting her mind to it she sat in the rafters learning and watching what happened in the play room. Days turn to weeks and weeks turned to months and summer turned to fall, and then to winter.

Michael's dragon was jumping from shadow to shadow looking for the little spitfire. He had enough on his plate and he was furious that he had to drop everything to find his wayward charge. He had a kingdom to run and baby sitting was not his job. No, he paid people to do that and what was he paying them for? Nothing! On top of that Eli's father had sent him a letter requisition that his son hurries up and chooses a replacement guard for the one who was lost. Eli on the other hand was being bull headed about it and not wanting to do it. That left an open spot in the second ring of guards. Michael had four guards and those guards had two each to protect them and their King. Honestly Eli should have filled the hole as soon as he returned, but then again Eli was a procrastinator. Now he was stuck doing Eli's job and his servants. Honestly he should just appoint his dog as Eli's second and be done with it. He was king after all and his word was law. An plus it would be Eli's fault for making him do his job in the first place.

Thinking about jobs the spitfire had a job too. Her job was to learn how to be useful to society and learn how to talk for starters. Again she was skipping out on her schooling, and he was even more furious about that than doing everyone else's job. Come to find out she hadn't attended one lesson and no one knows where's she's been hiding the last four months. Here he had thought she had been because he only saw her at mealtimes and her governess had said she doesn't spend a lot of time in her room. Her governess has said the only time she's to be found in her room is on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Finding that a bit strange he hadn't thought much of it, as he walked out of the royal wing into the royal gardens. Even with the headache she's been, at least with the cold weather they didn't have to fight to keep clothes on her. She even kept her shoes on now that they stop trying to put girly shoes on her. Her current choice of footwear was little black boots that Eli had made to look like miniature versions of his. They were thigh-high boots made of black leather. They had a little pocket sown on the side for a little wooden dagger. The only difference between the two was his boots had his family crest embroidered on it and his boot knife was real. What Sky also didn't know was that there was a second dagger inside the boot but he didn't plan to tell her that. The little spitfire had even taken to dressing like him, but everyone had a hand in preventing that. Only the King wore black as each element normally stuck to their own colors. It was a tradition that all dragons participated in here at the castle. The styles of clothes varied greatly even if the colors did not. Everyone seemed to enjoy dressing the spitfire when they could keep clothes on her. Yesterday he had seen her in a dark purple top and black leggings. Since no one new what element she was she got to wear what ever color the governess put on her that day. Today the governess had said she was wearing emerald green pants and a black shirt so he tried to keep an eye out for that.

Leaving no stone unturned Michael had made his way to the back wall that separated the kitchen gardens from the royal one. Hearing a child like voice counting he stopped to listen to the angelic like sound. The child's voice sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place it, but it's not like he talked to children often. Figuring it had to be a servants child he began makings his way down the hedgerow but paused again when he heard a crash. Hearing someone complaining in an unknown language he knew instantly who the child was. Trudging quickly through the snow Michael made his way toward the sound of the spitfire counting in perfect Fafnirion. Had the Matriarch fibbed when she'd told him she hadn't attended any classes? It seemed that she could count just fine.

Making his way around a hedge of bushes Michael paused at the sight of the spitfire on top of the wall with a stick. As she said each number she took up the fighting pose that went with it. Watching as she continued to count up she had went through all of the basic welp positions and into the advanced maneuvers. Michael realized she must have spent a lot of time practicing those because she moved through those flawlessly. Making her way through the Fledgling basic's she got to eight that required a spinning kick followed up by a back handed sword strike. The kick was sloppy and she didn't make it all of the way around. Because of this, she couldn't follow through with the swing that sent her even father off kilter. Slipping on the icy wall the wildfire tumbled off onto his side of the wall. Hitting hard the little child snuffled a couple of times and rubbed the hip she fell on. Talking to herself the spitfire frowned down at her broken stick, and then suddenly froze. Turning slowly she looked at him with glowing blue eyes and a sheepish expression.

Michael knew right then where she'd been spending all of her time and how to fix all of his problems at once. Taking up the little girl's arm Michael pulled her out of the garden, through the castle, out the other side, and into the training hall. Michael knew at this time of day Eli would be doing his own training with Alivia. Females didn't train inside the training hall except for Alivia and she had a set time. It wasn't that females weren't trained to fight, on no they were, and they made great fighters. They were faster and more agile then a man could ever be, but where they had speed, and grace, they lacked in physical power. Now he wasn't saying they were weak, no, some women were as strong as men. But on average the women were the weaker sex when it came to brute strength. It had nothing to do with them, just plain genetics and how the body was made. For that they trained as a group with female trainers that could help them in more ways than a man could. Female trainers knew the female body, their capability, and their limitations. Females were taught more tactics and how to use a mans weight against him. Men touched on the same training but not as in-depth as females, because it took speed and a lower center of gravity to perform a lot of those moves. A lower center or gravity was one thing a man could not, and could never accomplish. That was just genetically impossible.

On top of that, the families were very protective of their females and never let them travel far unattended. There just wasn't enough females as it was and the death or maiming of a female was unthinkable. When you had a race who couldn't produce a lot of children in the first place the longevity of the race depended on them. For that reason the females training ground was in the middle of town. Close enough for everyone who wanted to attend could, and close enough to everything else that the family could conduct business without going too far. The market place surrounded the training grounds so that the parents could be within ear shot, but still do their buying, selling, or trading that they needed to do. Out side of the city, the families trained their daughters. Even as adults, women went to the training hall downtown. Nothing stopped them from coming to the men's if they wanted to. There wasn't a rule against it, but it would be useless. No one wanted to hurt a female so everyone took it easy on them, and that made for horrible training. You couldn't learn anything if you always won, thought Michael as he drug the wildfire throw the front section and then toward the back were Eli and Alivia should be in the royal guard's room.

Speaking of royal guards and Alivia, she was the first female guard in written history. Of course, she earned her position. When Eli came of age to choose the two protectors he chose the two best contenders in his age range. He'd grown up with Alivia since his oldest brothers guard was her older brother. She had come from a distinguished family who were all elite guards, and her father had raised her just like his two elder boys. On the day of the choosing there was a slight up roar, and just like the man Eli is now, the boy pushed off the problem until it escalated to the point Michaels father had to deal with it. To ensured all sides where satisfied his dad decreed that anyone who could best Alivia in a fair one on one could take her position as a guard. Needless to say, no one bested her and she still to this day reins supreme.

Pulling the door open to see Eli and Alivia waling on each other Michael drug the spitfire in. Jumping away from each other Eli and Alivia panted with their exertion as they looked at him. Raising his eye brow Eli slung the wooded sword behind his head and draped both of his arms over it. "Hello, Michael what did my announce do now," laughed Eli looking between him and Sky.

"She's practicing fighting maneuvers on the royal garden wall," informed Michael with a mischievous look on his face.

"Okay, there's nothing that says she can't do that. Is there another reason you drug her all the way here," asked Alivia.

"Yes, she hasn't learned to speak. She hasn't learned her letters, math, or history. She has taken it upon herself to sneak into here, I guess to learn to fight. From what I can tell she's pretty good at it already. On top of that, your father has requested that I fill the gap you yourself refuse to fill. For that reason you are now the annoyances tutor, trainer, and all-around Boss. Say hello to your new guardsmen. Good luck," stated Michael letting go of the spitfire.

"What," exclaimed Eli but Michael ignored him as he turned to leave. "You're joking right! Michael you're joking!"

Without a word, Michael walked out and closed the door behind him. Two problems solved and he no longer had to pay all of the tutors that hadn't done anything in months. Eli was already on the pay role so this was the best financial option. Honestly he should have thought about this sooner, it would have probably saved time and money. On top of that, the spitfire really liked Eli so maybe, just maybe she'd learn something.

Standing in the middle of the floor Sky wasn't sure what to do with herself. The pretty man had led her here and then he just left. She really hated how she couldn't see the snakes inside of him. Everyone else she could tell how they were feeling by what she saw within the silver snakes that live inside them. If they were happy it would show pictures of happy times for them. If they were sad, it would should sad things. Even when they talked in that weird language pictures would roll around inside them. But the pretty man was blank to her. She couldn't see those snakes so she couldn't figure him out. He seemed upset with her again, maybe because she fell, or that she failed that one move again. She kept messing that one up, and she didn't know why. She could see it perfectly in her head, and she tried to will her body to do it. Unfortunately, there was some kind miscommunication between her brain and her body that she couldn't seem to pull it off.

Watching as the man and woman in blue take up stances she new well she bounced across the floor when the man said, "One."

When Sky said, "two," along with them they both turned and looked at her with amazed expressions.

Standing up straight Alivia said, "Three," and watched as Sky took the correct position on her own and repeated the number. "Hang on," continued Alivia running out of the training room. Moments later she returned with a tiny wooden practice sword that the welp's use to train with. Handing it over to Sky, Alivia took her sword back up and faced Sky before saying four.

Watching them Eli asked Alivia to go back through the numbers and he tweaked Skys posture. Fifteen minutes in he was already ready to string her up. Each time he moved her into a better stance or sword position she would move it right back. With out being able to communicate fully, he was on a loss on how to correct the deficiency none verbally. Fighting with her footing Eli bowed his head in defeat. As he went to raise back up from his kneeling position a wooden sword whizzed passed his head. Moving quickly at the crack of the sticks hitting each other Sky went stumbling to the ground. Looking up he could see Kyle giving Sky a stern look. Helping her out of the floor Kyle she pushed her back in front of Eli. "Six, and fix her feet again," said Kyle raising his practice sword again.

Sliding Sky's feet into portions Eli was surprised that this time she kept them there. Gritting her teeth as Kyle swung his sword the impact didn't send her to the ground this time. Of course, due to the size difference, she was forced to take a couple steps, but those were more balanced steps. "Good, start with one," stated Kyle nodding at Alivia who took her leave.

Again Sky took the position and Eli fixed it. This time it was a sword position and when she returned it to where she had it Kyle swung. This time her sword came up and smacked her in the face busting her bottom lip. Whimpering in pain Sky sucked on the bleeding lip but returned to the position when Kyle said one. "Easy Kyle geez she's only like six," growled Eli fixing her sword position again.

"Yeah well, she's won't make the mistake her putting her sword in front of her face again,"stated Kyle as he struck her sword again.

This time when the sword came up she took a step backward and the sword missed her face. "She will learn to stay were you put her though demonstration on why her footing and placement need to be as you put them."

It took over an hour to go through the basic steps and Sky was covered in bruises. Surprisingly enough the kid practically pranced out of the training hall. From there Eli took her on a run with him and Tanner which was harder than one would have thought. The running wasn't hard because they just had to keep pace for a six-year-old. The hard part was trying to keep her going. So now not only was she black and blue with a busted lip, half of her clothes were singed now too. Poor kind was getting beat up every which way and Eli wasn't even sure if she even knew why. Of course, everyone said he was being too nice to her and that she was a guard now and needed to act like one. Jamie had even said she was smarter then he gave her credit for and even if she didn't know the langue she seemed to know what they were asking. Either way though he wasn't going to beat up on the pour child.

Michael sat at the head of the table talking armies and movements with his captain of the guards and the Regent Commander. Supper was just being served when he spotted Sky making her way in. The poor kid looked like she'd been sent throw the ringer and sporting a busted lip. A small growl escaped him at the sight of it and he glared at Eli. Eli tossed his hands up in defense and pointed his fork at Kyle. Kyle just shrugged and stated in this normal monotone voice, "She won't hold her sword in front of her face again."

Kyle was not one to cow easily and even if Michael growled at him again all he got out of the barn sized dragon was another shrug.

Crawling into the empty chair between Michael and Eli, Sky dug into her food with fervor. With the tiny little growls she was emitting she must have worked up quite a hunger. Turning back to his task at hand Michael continued to listen to their recommendations. It seemed that bandits were getting bad down by the southern boarder, which were probably because of the strife in the south. Keeping the roads clear of them and free for merchants was a priority to keep the country moving. Trade and commerce was the life bloods of all cities and the country capital was no different. Hearing a strange clink and a snuffle, Michael turned to see Sky's head jerk upright before she picked her fork back up out of her plate. With eyes, half shut they watched her scoop up some mashed potatoes and eat them. Glancing at the candle on the table he used as a timer he could see they'd only been there for maybe half an hour at minimum, but less than an hour. Suppers were to last an hour and a half so that he could pretend to be sociable. When the candle went out he left the dinner table whether his guest was done talking or not. Of course, that is if he wanted to leave. Some times he enjoyed his company and stayed longer, but as a rule of thumb, they all knew they had a time limit. If there was a guide line then no one got offended when one got up and left after the candle went out. A King had to walk a fine line of consistency. Of course, the candle thing was started before his father's reign so he just kept it going because it was convenient. Why change something if it isn't broken.

Rubbing her sleepy eyes Sky's head bobbed a little as she started chewing again. Michael was almost sure she'd forgotten she put food in her mouth. Watching her head bob a couple of times he was waiting for her to face plant in what was left of her dinner. The struggle was real for his little spitfire as she tried to stay awake and eat, but was just way too exhausted. She looked adorable in her failing attempts to stay awake that he couldn't help but smile. When the room grew quiet did he pull his attention away from the petering wildfire and glance down the table. Currently, everyone was staring at him, and the creepy part was that Kyle was smiling at him. Kyle never smiled, like he never talked, and Michael was worried that maybe he had a fever.

Glancing back over at the sound of a thunk Michael could see Sky rubbing the red spot on her forehead. "I'll take her to her room," said Eli pulling a piece of carrot out of her hair. "Come on Sky."

Rapping Sky's arms around his neck, Eli picked her up. With her head on his shoulder Michael watched as her eyes drifted close, and he was sure she was sound asleep before she even left the dining hall. "I think your new addition to the guards will be good for everyone. This is the first dinner I've attended and there hasn't been a single fight to break out," said his Regent Commander giving Michael a half smile.

"I'm not sure about that, she's been giving me a head ache," complained Michael before they all laughed.