Dragon's Fire

Twenty

    The last three weeks were frozen in time for me, so much has happened that I have no idea about. My stomach has grown out to the point I am showing, part of me is depressed that I didn’t get to watch it grow. When I look down at my stomach I can see the baby bulging, my pants no longer fit. Everyday I feel like I’m getting bigger and bigger. 

    It takes me a week to get back to a normal routine, things have been strange around the castle. Tyler has been following me everywhere, it’s getting on my nerves. I turn a corner and book it down the hallway, hoping to lose him for a few minutes. I slip inside an old room, closing the door tightly behind me. The room is dusty and full of old furniture, my fingers linger on the white sheet covering the old wooden cabinets and the large looking couch in the middle of the room. I pull it back and sit down on the couch, catching my breath. I look around the room and feel like it’s not as abandoned as it seems. 

    There is one shelf on the far wall that is not covered up like everything else. I walk over to it and see a framed photo of my mother and Maggie, there is a young man in the photo with them. They all look so happy and carefree. I take the photo and tuck it under my arm. Something else on the shelf catches my eye, a necklace with a locket, it’s engraved. I pick it up and inspect it closer, 

“Remember me always. T” 

Whose was it, maybe my mothers? 

Who is T? 

I place it back down on the shelf and keep looking at the rest of the items, there are books on various subjects, a fairytale book sticks out amongst the books. It seems out of pace and worn. 

    'Classic fairy tales of the old world' the title reads. It looks to be at least 100 years old, the pages are browned and weathered. The spine is broken and needing desperate repairs but there is something so familiar about it. I tuck it beside the photo under my arm and sneak out of the room. I manage to get back to my bedroom without Tyler noticing me, he may have finally given up on finding me. I sit in the rocking chair by the patio and c***k open the book starting to read to the baby. 

    The stories are not watered down versions but the original stories. The little mermaid turns to foam at the end instead of getting the prince. I feel like this book was read to me when I was a child but I’ll never know for sure.  

“There you are.. Tyler has been looking for you for over an hour. You have to stay near him. It is so important right now to keep you safe!” Kayden bursts through the door and practically yells at me. 

“I just needed to get away, I’m sick of being followed around!” I snap back at him. 

“I know babe.. I’m sorry it has to be this way for now. If anything were to happen to you I don’t know what I would do… you and the baby are everything to me. I have to keep you safe” He gets down on his knees in front of me and puts his head in  my lap and he hugs me around the waist. 

“I’m sorry Kai” I whisper, not realizing how upset he was until now. I place my hand on his head and stroke his hair. He pulls his head back up after a few minutes and whispers he loves me. 

I go lay down for a nap, the baby has been taking a lot out of me lately. I wake up with a stomach cramp, I head to the kitchen to make some tea. I find the kitchen empty except for Maggie, Tyler is trailing close behind me. 

“Good evening dear” Maggie says when she sees me. 

“Evening.. I was just coming for some tea, would you like to join me?” I ask as I head over to the stove. ”Oh let me.. Have a seat” She says as she gently pushes me into a chair. I nod and thank her. 

“So what are you doing at this hour? You missed supper.. Did you want a snack?” 

“Oh.. I didn’t really realize what time it was.. I had a stomach cramp” I tell her, she moves closer to me and places her hand on my stomach, feeling around for a moment before she nods.

 ”The baby is kicking. He is strong, like his father”  

“Kicking? It can do that so early?” I ask as my hands instinctively go back to my stomach, I feel it now, little flutter kicks inside me. 

“You’re what, sixteen weeks along now?” She asks 

“That’s what Theodora says but I remember having my period nearly three weeks before she told me I was pregnant..” 

“Well you remember that your cycle is different from a normal human like myself. For some unknown reason the female Dragons had irregular cycles, it was always thought that it gave you a better window of conceiving. Dragon’s have always been a dangerous breed when it comes to pregnancies. Periods can happen even in your early months I've heard. It's like a sick joke if you ask me, making you think your not pregnant and then when you find out it's too late to do anything...I was worried when I had Kayden, being human I was not strong enough. It has been known that  the mother rarely made it out of the delivery room, that’s why there are so few of them left. I was too scared to have another child after him. Never forget you are not human, your body is just different.. but don't worry, you shouldn't have any issues, with you not being human you will be able to handle the strain of a baby.” She says flatly. Her eyes are glued to my stomach, making me feel slightly uncomfortable. I know she is my auntie and mother in law but she gives me a weird vibe when she stares at me like that. 

    The kettle starts to whistle, Maggie finally peels her eyes off me and goes to pour our teas. Tyler walks over to her and inspects the tea as she makes it. She turns slightly away from him. 

“What are you worried about? Me poisoning her? I’ve made her this tea since the first day she was here. Back off young man.. Do not forget I was once the Queen..” She snarls at Tyler. He stands his ground but takes a step back and lets her continue. He doesn’t take his eyes off her the entire time.

    She slams down her tea and slides mine over to me, “Honestly, I don’t see why you need to have a guard twenty four hours a day. It seems a bit much to me. Don’t you tire of it?” She sips her scalding tea and winces as it touches her tongue. 

I drink my own, the heat not bothering me at all. She watches me as I begin to answer her questions. 

“They are just trying to make sure nothing happens to me, it’s just Kayden being cautious” I shrug and have another sip. 

“Well, if I were you I’d tell him that I am a grown woman who can take care of myself”

“Well, thank you for the tea.. I think I’m going to go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning” I stand up and walk out of the room. My stomach feels a bit better, the baby has finally calmed down. I find Kayden in his office and tell Tyler I will stay with Kayden until we go to bed for the night. He nods and closes the door behind me as I go into the office. 

“Taryn? I thought you’d be asleep by now” Kayden looks up from his computer. 

“I was asleep but then I had a stomach ache and went to get some tea. I was with your mother. She said the baby was kicking” I say as I walk closer to him. 

    I take his hand and place it on the spot the bay was moving before, “Move for you daddy?” I ask the baby. Within seconds he is kicking up a storm, right into his daddy's hand. 

“She thinks it’s a boy” I tell him, he smiles. 

“Do you think it is too?” I ask 

“I had a hunch, but honestly I’ll be happy with either” 

“I wish we could have an ultrasound at least to make sure it’s okay” Theodora explained to me that Dragon offspring cannot be seen on an ultrasound, the womb prevents it. Modern day technology is useless for my baby and that scares me. Theodora said she has been keeping an eye on me and making sure everything is okay using her magic but I am still so uneasy with not being able to see my baby on the little screen. 

    I go to his couch and lay down, closing my eyes. I hear him get up from his desk and he comes to sit with me, picking my legs up and sitting with them on his lap. 

“You should go to bed.. I’ll be in shortly” He tells me as he rubs my foot, I moan as the pressure makes me feel so relaxed. 

“I can’t.. I sent Tyler home for the night besides I want to spend some time with you. I haven’t seen you in weeks.. Since I woke up you’ve been cooped up in here or out on patrol. I miss you” I pout slightly. 

“I know, I’m sorry. I need to get to the bottom of something and I think I’m close to it. Once I get it dealt with I promise you will have me at your beck and call” 

“What is it you're working on?” I ask as I yawn. 

“I can’t say just yet” He sighs in frustration, I pull my legs off him and stand up. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you.. It’s just very delicate right now. Only three of us are privileged to this information” He says as he grabs my hand. 

“I’m your wife, but if you don’t think you can trust me then I’ll just go. Goodnight Kayden” I pull my hand away and start walking to the door. I know I’m not being fair but I can't help it. I don’t like it when people keep secrets from me. 

“It’s my mother.” He says in a desperate attempt to keep me from leaving. 

“Your mother? What is going on?” I turn back to him, my curiosity getting the best of me. I sit back down beside him. 

“Theodora overheard her in the woods talking about my dad's death… saying that someone was going to pay for what they’ve done. Then you were mentioned.. And the baby… that’s why I’ve been extra cautious. Just to be safe. We don’t know what is going on yet so we have been keeping an eye on her” 

“But why would your mom be in the woods?” I ask confused. 

“I think she is in with the bandits that we’ve been dealing with lately. My dad told me many years ago that she had a lover before they got married and he was killed in a war my father led. She never forgave him for killing her lover.. I think she wants revenge”

“What is she planning on doing?” 

“I’m not sure yet.. That’s why it’s so important for you to stay with Tyler..”

I nod and tell him I will from now on. 

“Did your father ever tell you what her lover's name was?” I ask, remembering the photograph and the locket. 

“Not that I recall, why?” 

“I was in one of the rooms today and I found a picture of our moms with a young man, and then there was a locket with an engraving on it. I thought maybe it was from him. The initial on the locket  was T. I was just curious” 

I lay down and put my head in his lap, curling up beside him. “I’m just going to sleep here until you're ready for bed” I yawn and snuggle into his lap deeper. 

“How am I supposed to get any work done with you here?” He chuckles. 

“Mhmm.. that sounds like a you problem” 

He scoops me up into his arms and carries me over to his desk, keeping me in his lap. He sits in his chair and smiles at me. 

“Problem fixed” He kisses the top of my forehead as I place my cheek on his chest and close my eyes.