I really love a lot of Sephiran's battle dialog, but the one that sticks with me most is his with Kurthnaga. It's so cute, and I just had to do this.
In Goldoa, land of the dragons, there resided someone unique. And someone unknown to most of the population. He was kept in seclusion, only interacting with the dragon king, Dheginsea, and his retainers, Gareth and Nasir. As of late, he had sat quietly in solitude, lost in his own thoughts and anguish.
But for several nights, and during the day as well, a familiar noise had broken his peace and quiet. It piqued his curiosity. One evening, as Nasir brought him his meal, Lehran spoke for the first time in weeks.
"Who is crying, Nasir?"
Nasir looked confused before he realized what Lehran meant. "I did not realize you were able to hear Prince Kurthnaga. I'm sorry, I'll ask King Dheginsea to move you if it disturbs you."
"No... it's no disturbance."
Nasir lingered for a moment, waiting to make sure Lehran would eat. After his latest attempt at taking his own life, he and Gareth were on high alert. But he seemed calm and serene, as a heron should be. Lehran ate, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
"Is he a restless child?"
"Difficult to get to sleep," Nasir admitted. "His Grace is at a loss. His older siblings were not this lively when it came time to rest."
The shadow of a smile flickered across Lehran's face. He finished his meal in silence and returned to the seat he had become used to by the high window.
The distant crying stayed on Lehran's mind often. It was, to him, a welcome distraction. For some reason, he felt comforted by the fact that there was a tiny dragon prince living and breathing in the palace. He had known of the older children, Rajaion he had even glimpsed on occasion, but this was different. He could not understand why.
One night, as moonlight filled his room, he was awoken from his slumber by the infant's crying. He shook his head, groggy with sleep. For a moment, he had forgotten where he was, but he remembered. He stretched and came to a decision. He quietly slid out of bed and to the door. In his heart, he was positive it was locked. It had been for months, and he knew why. He had no interest in seeing anyone, it was just easier to keep an eye on him that way.
Perhaps the goddess smiled upon him that night, for the door was unlocked. He stared for a minute, his heart in his throat. Nasir or Gareth was bound to get in trouble for this, he knew. The thought of slipping back into bed to keep one of them from being punished crossed his mind, but the wail that reached his ears reminded him why he was awake in the first place.
He had to follow the cry, as he did not know the castle that well. He was surprised to learn his room was so close to Prince Kurthnaga's nursery. Surely there was constant visits to the young prince?
He did not travel far, and did not come across anyone else until he reached his destination. He had cut a corner, and quickly ducked back in the shadows. A young woman, perhaps the nursemaid, with waist length white hair, stuck her head out of the door in the middle of another hall. She sighed heavily and stepped into the hall. In her arms, she held the wailing dragon prince.
Lehran felt disheartened. Of course no one would leave the baby unattended. But he had come this far. He slipped from his hiding place and forced a weak smile for the maid. "May I?"
She jumped, her skin turning almost as pale as her hair. "Who - who are you?"
"A... friend of the king's." Lehran's attention was not on her. He looked at Kurthnaga, who had spotted him over the woman's shoulders. Tears spilled from his big, red eyes, but his screams had become small sobs and the occasional hiccup.
Both of them had taken notice. "I don't know," she whispered weakly. She stepped back into the nursery. Her movement caused the prince to lose sight of Lehran. He began to sob louder. Shocked, she returned to the hall. Lehran reached out and touched the soft hair. A tiny hand reached for his.
Lehran allowed the baby to take hold of his finger. Emboldened, he began to sing softly to him. He sniffled and whimpered, but the tears stopped falling.
The maid looked as though she was going to collapse from shock. Gently, Lehran took the baby from her. It had been so long since he had held a child. Kurthnaga settled in his arms and stared raptly at him. He carefully wiped the tears from the prince's face with his thumb. The girl, he was not surprised to realize, had hurried down the hall, no doubt to find the king.
"Let's try to fall asleep before then, hmm?" Lehran asked the prince as he carried him into the nursery. Kurthnaga whimpered feebly as Lehran sat down. As Lehran began his song again, Kurthnaga yawned. His eyes began to droop and his breathing became deep and even.
He was fast asleep by the time the woman returned with an irate king behind her. "How - "
Lehran raised a finger to his lips and quickly shushed the king as Kurthnaga stirred in his lap. Thankfully, he did not wake. There was a moment of shocked silence, then Dheginsea realized that his youngest child was fast asleep and, more importantly, not crying.
"How did you do that?" the woman whispered, surprise and thanks in her voice.
"I just thought... perhaps I did overstep my bounds, Dheginsea, but I thought my songs would soothe him."
She took Kurthnaga from Lehran and placed him in his cradle. Then she sank, her knees shaking, on the bed beside it. Dheginsea and Lehran left her to nap as the prince slept.
"Who let you out of your room?" Dheginsea demanded as he walked Lehran back to his room. The question was harsh, but the king was angry.
"My door was unlocked," Lehran admitted. "I had no intentions of harming him. Or myself."
"You scared Taeya half to death, me as well when she came to me."
"What should matter is not that someone saw me, but that Kurthnaga is calm and asleep. Good night, Dheginsea." He slipped back in his room and waited to hear the click of the lock. Some would see it as a prison, but he did not mind it most of the time. He had longed to die, and they longed to keep him alive, but thanks to the placement of his room, he found a small sense of peace in baby Kurthnaga.
And also someone who needed him, as King Dheginsea soon found himself allowing Lehran to sing lullabies to the prince so everyone in the palace could get some rest.