Chapter Twenty Seven: The Legend Takes Flight

“Good morning, my darlings.  Happy birthday.”  Cherna swept into the room and scooped Leona out of bed.

            “Wake up! Wake up!  Link!”  They both jumped on the bed, snapping it into little pieces as they jumped up and down.

            “msadfnhiuthgejhvb”  Link said from under a pillow.  OK, Ok, I’m awake!”  he said with a smiles he whipped his tail around and swept both Leona and his mother off their feet.  They landed in a pile of  purple , clapping and giggling.

            “Nice move.”  Cherna said.  Link was learning martial arts and he had the perfect sparring partner with his mother.  Anyone else could get seriously hurt.

            “Happy birthday sweethearts.  Come get up we have a party to go to”  Cherna said.  The festivities had been planned for month’s now and Glenna had the whole Castle decked out for the party.  The entire Clan Saber were invited…all three hundred or so  dragons.

            Bella and Stone were not left out with their birth-day being one month on each side.  But today was for Link, Leona, Mara and Missy. Reaching your second birth-day was a great accomplishment.  There are so many ways a yearling or hatchlings could be lost.  Saber’s Clan had been through almost all of them.  Everyone agreed that a prayer to the Gods was in order for Paolo and Marta.  They would be missed today.

            Everyone was to be at the Castle at noon.  The Castle courtyard was packed with Dragons, selling sweet pies, fruit, meat and more.  A large tent had been set up for eating and shade. A stage was set up for traveling players and musicians to entertain everyone.

            “You’ve done a great job, darling.”  Ryoch kissed her.  “The girls will be thrilled “  they watched down below and found Stone and Mara walking side by side.

            “Do you think what I think?”  Glenna asked her mate.

            “Yea I think so too.” Ryoch replied.  “But they are both so young.”  Glenna said.

            “We knew at that age  too Glenna”  Ryoch reminded her.

            “It was just not acted upon until we were older.” Said Glenna.

            “Remember sneaking around because Queen Dana didn’t approve?“  Ryoch remembered.

            “Your right, although sneaking around was fun sometimes..” Glenna said with a smile.  “Let’s not do that to our girls, ok?”

            “Their hatchlings could inherit the combined magic from both of them..”  Ryoch said a little uneasy.

            “Wouldn’t that be a sight to behold? “  asked Glenna.

            Ryoch ‘s mouth dried up and he gulped loudly, ‘It would be something  all right.”

            “Hey you two, aren’t you joining in the party?”  Saber called to them.

            “We’ll be right down!”  Ryoch yelled.

            The whole family entered the courtyard together, walking from one booth to the next.  With their plates piled high, they went to sit in the shade below the tent.

            “Where’s Torch?  I see Stone, but not Torch.”   Glenna asked the group.

            “He came over early to see to the fireworks.. You know those came all the way from the Orient and two Chinese Dragons will be doing the show.”  Cherna said to everyone.

            “How’s he doing? The eggs are what two weeks old now? ‘Glenna asked Cherna.

            “Actually, I haven’t seen him much since the execution.  Darna says the eggs are perfect and she’s in grandmother Hal’lu’ah” Cherna added.

            “Well Stone is over here a lot lately and I’ve seen him with Alred a lot.  I think Alred has taken on a new student and this is one of his family.”  Ryoch told everyone. 

            “Have you noticed----”  Glenna nodded towards the two.

            “Yea , it’s the same  at the Lair.  Their heads together, talking quietly, that sort of thing.”  Saber said. “Does Torch know?”

            “I don’t know, we should probably find out”  Glenna said with a smile.  “First love can be wonderful, and sometimes it sticks for life.”  Glenna said smiling at Ryoch.

 

            “Grandmother, how do you tell the difference between love and lust?”  Bella asked.

            “If you have to ask, it’s not love, my beauty.”  C’lest answered her.

            “How so?” Bella wondered.

            “Because love comes unexpectedly and knocks you on your tail.  Lust is something you can control  You can want to mate with someone, but you can decide not to.“  C’lest answered.

            “Why are you asking me all of these things and not your mother?”

            “Because Mother has only loved one Dragon her entire life.  Mother has no concept of love and lust.”  Bella answered.

            “So why do you question all this?”  C’lest asked pleased to be helping Bella.

            “There was a spark, a tingly feeling, a tension we couldn’t break, didn’t want to break.  The static in the air grew, but we made no move to leave or follow through.  This silence and electricity lasted several minutes, it felt like  and was finally broken by Missy coming into the room.”  Bella told her everything.

            “Is this something you wish to experience again?  Does it alarm you? Is it forbidden?”  C’lest asked all at once. 

            “Forbidden?”  Bella asked.

            “Yes dear, a male already life mated.  Someone your parents would disapprove of, or someone you would keep a secret.”

            “He is a lot older then I am, that might be an issue.  There are family ties between us, but I think they are far enough apart.  Besides I can’t life mate.  And I don’t want to have a hatchling right now.  If it is just lust, I see no reason to make it public.  The Realm  probably would frown on a Queen taking a lover so soon after my second birth-day, Bella noted.

            “This sounds like lust, dear.  You are setting boundaries about it right now. “  C’lest said.

            “So, are you going to follow up on it?  See if it happens again?” C’lest loved the feeling of first lust. The tingling, sigh’s daydreaming of them until you see them again.

            “I think I should, at least let him know my boundaries, right?  Thank you Grandmother” as Bella skipped out if the room.

 

            “So, what happens now that I’m two years old”  Missy asked .

            “Oh sweetheart, “  Glenna said reaching for Missy and settling her on her lap.

            “No darling, you are a Miniature Dragon and you have always know that.  We never pretended different.  You are two years old now and you have reached your full size.”

            “Yea I know, can’t magic make me bigger?”  Missy asked with a pout.

            “I don’t know , maybe it would, but then you wouldn’t be you anymore.”  Glenna tried to explain.  “You are perfect just as the Gods made you and if you tried magic to change you it just wouldn’t work out, you wouldn‘t be Missy.  The Gods chose for you to be a Miniature Dragon for a purpose, it just hasn’t come to you yet.”  Glenna finished.

            “ Ok Mom, but how am I ever going to be like you?  A mother?”  Missy asked.

            “One day the Gods will show you, you just have to be patient.”  Glenna said.  Missy climbed down and bounced away with a wave and a smile. 

            The group grew as Dana, Torch, Ryan and Raven joined them under the tent.  Everyone had plates of food and they settled in to eat.  Musicians were taking the stage just as Bella and C’lest arrived as well.  The music  was good and the family clapped as Stone and Mara danced to it.         

            Ryoch looked at Torch and busted out laughing at his expression.  He was VERY green around the gills, his mouth hung open and his eye’s bugged out.  Apparently he had just realized what was happening between Mara and Stone.

            “You ok there, Torch?”  Ryan asked, poking Torch in the ribs.  Torches mouth snapped shut and he looked at Ryoch with confusion and disbelief.

            “Yea, kinda hit me that way too”  Ryoch said with sympathy. 

            With a big gulp, Torch finally said, “When did this happen?  They couldn’t stand each other on the trek home from the North Lands.”  Torch was stunned.

            “You really didn’t see this coming?  It’s been brewing for about a week or so.”  Ryoch replied.

            “I’ve been busy, give me a break!”  Torch said grumpily .

            “Well maybe it’s just puppy love and you and I can pick up the pieces of their broken hearts when it happens.”  Ryoch teased Torch.

            “They’re too young, barley at their majority…cant we stop this?”  Torch asked.

            “Yea we could nip it in the bud, but do you really want to do that?  Deny them their first love?”  Ryoch asked.

            “You’re right, crap, I hate it when that happens!”  Torch pouted.

            Ryan laughed  and clapped Torch on the back. 

            “Has anyone seen Link and Leona?”  Raven asked.

            “They’re on their way.  They were practicing flying in the valley.”  Glenna said.

            “When are they leaving?”  Glenna asked  with concern.

            “Tomorrow morning.”  Cherna said with tears in her eyes.

            “Oh Cherna don’t cry, this is their destiny. This is why they were born.  We’ve just had the privilege to raise them and love and be loved in return.”  Saber comforted her.

            “I’ll try not to be a baby.” Cherna smiled as she bent down to  accept Sabers kiss.

 

 

            They’d never flown.  Leona was terrified and Link thought it was great fun.

            “You have to do it without magic Link.”  Leona warned him.

            “Yea yea …I know, I know.”  Link said back as he got ready to go.

            There was a slight breeze perfect for a soft landing.  Link went first.  He unfurled his wings and looked them over.  Every feather in its place.  Links wing span was a little over twelve feet across.  Leona’s only eight.  This was due to the difference in their sizes.

            Link stood up on his toes and flapped his wings forward.  A small lift happened, then stopped.  Link flapped them again, keeping it up.  He slowly lifted.  Link put more muscle into it and soared straight up. He changed the angle of his wings and moved forward in a perfect arc.

            “Come on Leona, you can do it!”  Link hollered at her.

            Leona matched Links position and opened her wings.  She flapped her wings with all the strength she had and with that first flap, off she went.  She quickly adjusted her wings  to go forward.  As she got the hang of it, she flew circles around Link.

            “Good job, feathers work differently than normal dragon wings.”  Raven said, flying beside her.  “It took me a week of practice to get used to them.”

            “Why a week? I don’t understand.” Leona asked.

            “I wasn’t born with feathers.  I had black dragons wings.  These wings are a curse from the Chicken Clan.  Personally, I kinda like them.”  Raven said. 

            “Why’d they curse you?”  Leona got right to the point.

            “I denied their request.” Raven said.  “So you’re leaving tomorrow, huh?”

            “Don’t even try it, Raven.  What was their request?”  Leona asked again.

            “Try what?  I’m immensely interested in when you plan to leave.”  Raven tried again.

            “WHY!?”  Leona said firmly.

            “They wanted their chosen female to mate with me to see if they could make a larger chicken Dragon.”  Raven said embarrassed. 

            Leona laughed so hard she almost fell from the sky. 

            “So these are chicken wings, huh?  And that sent her off laughing again.  When she calmed down she looked at Ravens face and tried, really tried , not to laugh anymore.

            “Are you finished?  These are not chicken wings, they are ravens wings”  He said loudly.

            “Ok, no more jokes, I’m sure you’ve heard everyone.”  Leona glided on the air current.

            “Thank you.” Raven joined her on the current.  His wings were the same size as Leona’s.

             “So really, when are you leaving?” Raven asked.    

            “Tomorrow at dawn.  The first stop is the Duck Bill’s and the Chickens war.” Leona said.

            “Have you given any thought about my proposal?”  Raven asked quietly.

            “That was a proposal?  It sounded like an order.  You were serious, huh?”  Leona asked.

            “Yes, I could have done better with my words, atmosphere, and maybe flowers, but it still is a proposal.”  Raven said quietly, all serious.

            “Well it seems I have given it thought.  We would be a good match, magically.  You are the strongest sorcerer I know, besides Link that is.  He blows you out of the water by the way.”  Leona says with a smile .

            “A very good reason, and yes I know I’m not quite the sorcerer Link is, but to be fair, he was born a Master and I’m just playing catch up.”  Raven explained.

            “Exactly what I said, too.  Back to my list.”  Leona went on.

            “List?  What list?”  Raven asked.

            “Oh I’ve had a list of ‘my reasons to mate’ for over a year now .  I will get everything on my list or I will not mate.” Leona said.

            “Uh, huh, and where do I fall on this list?” Raven asked.

            ‘You meet several of the necessary ideals and a few of the nonessential ones as well.”  Leona said to Raven.

            “ Can I know where I stand on this list?  What categories I should work on?  I’m sure I can overcome them.”  This was fun, this was why he wanted her for his life mate.

            “Well a few of the categories are not relevant yet---” Leona embarrassed herself and blushed prettily.  “ But one of the big ones is you waiting for me to return.  Once my Destiny is fulfilled.  If you can’t meet that requirement, then there is no need to go any farther.”  Leona said.

            “Why can’t I go with you and record everything for generations to come.  They would read it and know what the two of you have done for the Dragon Race.”  Ravens idea was pretty good, better than their plan to verbally tell it to a scribe along the way after the events happened.

            “ Link!” Leona called for him.

            “Is he bothering you, Leona?”  Link asked with ice in his voice.

            “Not at all, but thank you.  What is the conflict here boys?  Remember I could just look, so keep it honest” Leona demanded.

            Link hung his head and said quietly,” I’m jealous of him Leona.  He also asked to mate with you when you were still a yearling, that’s not cool.” 

            “Your jealous of me?  What for?  You are the strongest sorcerer in L’Arne,  Link.  I couldn’t hold a candle to you, and I agreed to wait for Leona until she is ready.  But just so you know, she will one day be my Life-mate.”  Raven said in a quiet, serious voice. 

            “Ok, enough of that, tell him your plan, Raven.  I’m going to the party.”  With that, she flew away in the direction of the Castle.          

 

            “Oh my Leona, your wings are beautiful!”  Glenna said as Leona came in for a landing. 

            “Yea they’re pretty cool, huh?“  Leona said.  “So what’s to eat?” she asked.

            “Go get a plate, all the food merchants have been paid, so just pick out what you want.”  Cherna told Leona.

Link and Raven arrived right after Leona went in search of lunch.

            “Raven here will be traveling with us and recording events and other stuff as we travel.  We had originally thought we could use scribes along the way and recount what was happening.  But this will be much easier.”  Link told the family.

            “Do I need to throw you off another mountain, Raven?”  Cherna asked in a firm voice.

            “No Madam, once was quite enough.” Raven said , stepping behind Link.

            “Leona is a grown female now, but I will always be her mother.”   Cherna said .     “Mother, quit scaring Raven.  He already received a warning from Link, and anyways, I’m grown now and can take care of myself in these matters.”  Leona said as she sat down to eat.

            “Alright, I will refrain from killing him for now.”  Cherna smiled a grim smile.

 

            “Hey, did you eat already?”  Bella asked Torch.  He had been looking over the food carts when Bella came up to him.

            “Just getting some now.” Torch replied.

            “About last week”. They said in unison and laughed together.

            “You first” Torch said nervously.

            “Ok----um, what actually happened?” Bella  asked.  “What was it?  Was it just some fluke?”  Bella fired off questions as fast as she could.  Her cheeks were blushed and her mouth dry.

            Torch was reminded how innocent Bella was and silently groaned.

            “Well, I’ve thought about it and I’ve come up with two solutions.  You tell me which one you like.”  Torch offered.

            “It was a moment of grief and you comforted me.  The rest was just nature letting me know I’m still a grown male and I appreciate beauty when I see it.” Torch said.

            “What was the second solution?“  Bella wasn’t sure she agreed with the first.

            “It wasn’t so nice.”  Torch replied.

            “You’re my best friend’s daughter.  If anything were to happen between us, I don’t think I could look him in the eye anymore.”  Torch tried to explain.

            “Well, that’s the second solution?  To do nothing?  Because of my Father?  Huh.  Okay----- That’s a lame solution Torch.”  Bella sulked.  This was not going the way she thought it should.

            “Yea, it may be, but it’s also true.”  Torch defended it.   “Besides, you’re barely two years old.  Do you know how old I am?  I’m in my sixth century.”

            “So you should know a lot about love and lust, right?”  Bella challenged him.

            “Yea, I know a little, why?”  Torch asked warily.

            “Was that, moment, as you call it, lust?”  Bella asked.

            Torch was getting into dangerous waters here.  A beautiful, grown dragon was wanting to know if he lusted after her.  Her innocents was very quickly turning into seduction.  Did she even realize it?  He doubted she knew anything at all about real lust and precious love.

            “Well?”  she asked.

            “It could have developed into lust”  Torch admitted.

            “It was just one of those things that happen sometimes when two healthy dragons of the opposite sex, spark at each other.”  Torch tried in vain to explain it.

            “This happens a lot?”  Bella asked.

              “Sometimes when the moment is right.” Torch said.

            “So let me understand.  It was almost lust and the spark I felt was a common occurrence between male and female dragons when the moment is right.”  Bella summarized.

            “Yea, you got it.”  Torch said with a smile, pleased Bella understood.

            “That is the biggest pile of dragon s**t I have ever heard!!”  Bella said, not innocent now.

            “Hey you guys, “  Leona said in a faked happy voice.  “You two need to cool it.  The parents are getting a vibe off of you two.  The tension is so  tight it’s gonna snap and then everyone will know your issues.” Leona warned them.

            Bella gave Torch  one last look.  “This is NOT finished.”  She said with a snarl.

            Torch let out his breath and wiped his brow.  That could have gone better, but at least he explained it to her.  The last thing he needed right now was an affair with his best friend’s daughter, the Queen.  Oh crap!.  Would she tell him out of spite?  No, that wasn’t her character.  But she would pout and be angry at him for a while.

            “You handled that like an amateur.”  Ryan stepped out of the shadows.  “So do I need to throw you into the dungeon for seducing the Queen?”   Ryan asked.

            “Not even close.”  Torch replied nervously. “ I’ve never touched her and never will as you obviously heard.  She’s good and pissed off at me right now and it may stay that way a long while”  Torch said.

            “Your little speech needs a little work, but I did like solution two.  Ryoch would string you up before you knew what hit you.”  Ryan replied.

            “So how bad was it? Do you think she’ll get over it?” Torch asked, worried.

            “It was a little harsh since she came down here with a plan to begin an affair.  Yes, a plan.  She talked it all over with C’lest, had boundaries that the affair couldn’t cross, all sorts of rules and such. “  Ryan shook his head.  “If that girl ever falls in love, she is going to be totally knocked over.  Without a clue.”  Ryan said.

            “Rules?  What the hell did C’lest do?” Torch asked.

            “That part was all Bella.  C’lest just helped her with the difference between love and lust.  C’lest told her, after listening to Bella’s reaction to you, that it sounded like lust”  Ryan smiled at Torch.

            “She lusts after me?  Oh, by the Gods, Why?  I’m so much older than she is.”  Torch told him.

            “That’s a pro to her, you’re experienced.”

            “I have a son her age, almost.”

            “That’s a con to her, doesn’t want anyone to know.”

            “I’m still in mourning for Paolo and Marta.”

            “That’s a pro, she wants to help you.”

            “I have three hatchlings I don’t know what to do with yet.”

            “That’s a con, she doesn’t want to raise another females hatchlings.

            “Ok, let’s stop this.”  Torch said.  “I’m not in lust with Bella.  Could it get that way?  Sure, I’m a male and well, you know.  I’m just going to let her pout and be angry at me for a while.”  Torch finished.

            “Yea I would too, if I were in your place.  But if you want to remain friends, you gotta let her know how you feel.  Oh, and flowers really help, I’m told.”  Ryan said as he walked away.

 

            “It’s all gone so fast Saber.  I don’t know how to let go.”  Cherna said softly.  It had been a wonderful party for everyone.  Cherna and Saber and the Twins came home at dark.  Closed up in their rooms, Cherna could finally let go and cry for missing her hatchlings already.

            “Oh Cherna, sweetheart.  It’s going to be fine.  We will be in constant contact w/ them through Leona.  Raven is going with them and that makes three Master Sorcerers all together.  I really don’t think anything could happen to a group like that.  Besides it’s their Destiny.”  Saber finished.

            “Yes I know all these things, but it doesn’t make it any less worrying and missing them.”  Cherna said.

            “Ok let’s make a plan to go visit them every time they are in a secured area of L’Arne.  I won’t take you into a war zone.”  Suggested  Saber.

            “Really?”  Cherna looked down at him and hugged him with love.  “Thank you, Saber.”

 

            “Are we going to the lair to see the twins leave?”  Missy asked

            “I don’t know what everyone else is doing, but you and I are.”  Mara told her.

            “I want to give Leona information about our army”  Mara continued.  “The easiest way to do that is for her to just look at my memories.”  She said.

            “Wont that be a little invasive?  And kinda creepy too.” Missy remarked.

            “If it weren’t Leona I’d say NO WAY, but Leona already knows everything, everywhere, so why bother with feeling icky  about it.”  Mara explained.

            “Yea, I suppose.  One day you might take a mate or even a life-mate, and then it would be WAY creepy.  She doesn’t look at inappropriate times, does she?”  Missy asked.

            “Yea I agree, major ick feeling there.  No I don’t think she does, just because there are private moments dragons have and they should stay  private.” Mara told her.

            It was almost dawn and Link and Leona had been up for an hour or so, getting last minutes things done.  A caravan would follow as Link and Leona would be flying most of the time.  What to pack, where to camp the first night, how to find food and water on the trail.  Those questions bothered them as the clock moved.

            Raven entered the Great Hall with only a small back strap bag.  Leona looked at it  and wanted one for herself.  Much more practical then holding something as they flew.

            “Link..? Could you..?”  Leona didn’t want to really bother him, he was not in a good mood this morning.  Two back strap bags appeared at Leona’s feet.  One slightly smaller than the other.  As Leona packed Raven approached Link.

            “So, what’s the issue?”  Raven asked.

            “Nothing, just not in a good mood, is all.  Do I always have to be happy?”  Link asked.

            “You know if you keep this up, she’ll look for herself and as her twin you can’t block her.”  Raven told him.

            “When was the first time you left home?”  Link asked him.

            “I was about your age.  You know the old saying ‘when you turn two, out you go’  Well that’s how it was for me.  It was mostly ok, because I’d expected it, but it also sucked.  You know you’re not getting kicked out.  You are family here and always will be.” Raven said to him.

            “You’re right, I’m not being kicked out.  I’m leaving with my sister and you  to follow a Destiny larger then all of us combined.  Sometimes I wish I had no powers then I wouldn’t be a Twin of Destiny.”  Link said quietly.

            “Me too, sometimes, but  Link, we have a great adventure ahead of us and I wouldn’t want to be with anyone but you.”  Leona broke into the conversation.  “Now, go see Mom, she’s waiting for you.”  Leona added.

            “They’re very close and it’s hard on both of them.  Me?  I’m a Daddy’s girl, through and through.  Be right back.”  Leona said.

 

            “They’ve not left yet, have they?”  Darna and Dana came into the Great Hall.   “Oh I guess not, You’re still here too.  Good!”  Darna came toward Raven with her hand out.  “I want  you to keep these always around your necks.  They are protection amulets and will make sure you are safe.  They work mostly up close, when an adversary can see it.  But may help in other ways too.”  Darna said.  “Here I brought this.”  Handing Raven a large bag filled with food and water skins.

            “If you could increase your back strap bag size, it should fit just fine.”  Dana said. 

            Raven and the sisters laughed and talked as time came closer.  It helped Raven relax which is what the sisters wanted.

            Missy and Mara came in the Great Hall and squealed as they saw Raven.

            “They’re not gone yet!  Yea, we thought we would miss you!”  Missy said. 

            “Nope, just waiting on the twins.”  Raven said.

Torch, Ryoch and Glenna came in one doorway just as Link, Cherna, Saber and Leona came in the other.  The family all held hands in one large circle.

            “Raven!”  Torch said motioning him over.  Torch grabbed his hand as Bella ran into the Hall, almost too late.  She grabbed Raven’s other hand and placed her hand in Link’s as well.

            Saber started the families goodbyes.

            “Be safe and write often.”

            “Eat right and get good sleep.”

            “Remember to make time for you.”

            “Let us know where you are.”

            As the group all gave good advice, the circle ended with Stone.  Stone looked around at everyone and shook his head.

            “You guys sure know how to sugar coat this, don’t you?”  Stone asked the family.  “Here’s my advice: Don’t Die”  He said loudly.

            There was silence for a moment then Link jumped out of the circle , snatched up Stone and spun him around .  “Leave the best for last, huh?!”  Link said.  Everyone started laughing, and a few had tears in their eyes.

            “Are we ready?  Link asked.

            “Let’s do this!” Leona said

            “Right behind you!” Raven shouted.

 

            Dawn cracked and as the sun peeked over the mountain, three sets of bird wings carried the adventurers to their Destiny.