As soon as the wedding celebrations were over and everyone was yawning tiredly, she got up and left for the coast, without even saying goodbye. He was expecting it and he wasn't particularly upset over her abrupt departure. Meeting again with her after so many years had stirred up memories from the past that he'd rather not think about.
It was a long journey back to the Plains. He was in no hurry, though, knowing his shop would be safe. As he rode his horse down the scraggly, dusty road with the sun beating down on his shoulders, he found himself lost in memories. He remembered three, skinny, pale children running barefoot through the dirt, laughing and jumping and wrestling around in the stark wilderness of the Plains. How people would remark with wonder at how alike the children were with their wide smiles and mischievous eyes.
He remembered his little sister crying to him when his brother had yet again beaten her in one of his trickery games. He remembered their mother with her shawls and beads and knowing smile.
He walked his tired horse past his locked up shop and down the road. He walked for what seemed forever, lost in his thoughts. He walked until he reached the river which had a vast empty space where Hira once stood not that long ago. He sat at the bank of the river as his horse gratefully drank its fill.
When his brother was a teenager he had sat on the banks of the river, his eyes closed and his thin lips moving slowly as if someone was talking to him.
Sometimes late at night he had dreams of rotting hands and bright red hair and tortured screams begging for mercy.
It was then he remembered the broad smile and the dark hair and the mischievous pranks. He remembered the three with their hands entwined, dancing and dancing until the sky turned pale pink with the first dim streaks of dawn.
It was that he wished desperately to himself that it hadn't gone so horribly wrong.
The small chubby child stared with scared wonder at her mother who sat cross-legged in the grass opposite her. Her big green eyes darted to the black bird on her mother's shoulder and the little grey bundle of fur in her hand.
"Do not be afraid," she said and beckoned for the little girl to move closer. The toddler warily scooted forward across the grass. Her mother smiled through her long sheet of tangled black hair.
"This is Filli. He may seem small but don't underestimate him," she whispered and put her hand out to her daughter. The little ball of fur crawled over into her chubby palm and she squeaked with surprise. It nibbled at her fingers affectionately and she giggled.
"And this is Kree," her mother continued, and she looked at the watchful black bird sitting on her shoulder. It looked at her with its beady black eyes. It squawked suddenly and she jumped a little in surprise.
"He will always watch over you wherever you may be," she said and the bird jumped down from her shoulder and hopped across the grass towards her. The girl blinked and reached over to cautiously stroke it feathers. The bird stared solemnly at her and a wide smile crossed her face.
"They will always be there for you. They will always protect you," said her mother, reaching over to caress her hair lovingly. The little girl's eyes were bright with bubbling excitement.
"Always?" She squeaked as she looked into her warm, green eyes. She looked at the bundle of grey fur in her palm and the black bird standing next to her in the grass. Her mother nodded slowly.
"Yes, little one. Forever and always."
Bone by bone, she had transported the skeleton of the mother she had never known away from the place which had taken her life away. She took her remains to the lonely, wild place where Dragonfriend's grave stood. Veritas left her alone as she scratched and dug away at the dirt making as deep a hole as she could. It seemed to take forever but finally she was done, sweating and panting, her little claws aching.
Bone by bone was placed carefully at the bottom of the grave. Rib by rib. Tooth by tooth. Finally she flew up and refilled the hole with dirt, silently and solemnly. Veritas helped her scratch the words onto the grave stone.
In memory of Forta,
Fearless dragon, beloved Mother.
May you fly through the skies for eternity.
The two stood in silence with only the sounds of the wet waves splashing against the rocks to keep them company.
"Will they be angry?" The little dragon whispered. "Will they be angry for her being buried near Dragonfriend?"
Veritas' giant, leathery wings swayed gently in the sea-breeze.
"No Forta. They would know that Dragonfriend would have been honored to be buried near a dragon as great as your mother.
Once a year they would come one after the other, lighting up the sky with rainbow colours. Each one would sit alone next to his grave, lost in their own thoughts and memories. Then they would gather in an awkward circle on the shore. There would be a long, strange silence.
Then…a little voice would pipe up, "Tell me a story about him. I want to know everything about him."
And the old, tired scaly faces would light up and they forgot everything but the little dragon's eager face and the cherished memories from long ago.
The quartet of grownups stood huddled around the cot, looking down at the peacefully sleeping newborn. The two proud parents beamed at the younger couple, happiness lighting up their faces.
"Do you know what her name shall be yet?" The young king asked softly, putting an arm around his wild-haired wife's waist.
"We haven't really thought of one yet," the loving father replied, taking another look at his new daughter.
"It will have to be a good strong name. A good strong name for a good strong girl," Lindal said firmly, grinning wide. The baby spread her tiny fingers wide in her sleep then clenched them softly shut again.
"What about Lindal Junior," Jasmine teased as the baby yawned. Barda winced.
"One Lindal is enough," he replied gruffly and his wife gave him a playful punch on the shoulder.
Suddenly the baby's eyes opened wide, blue eyes looking curiously at the bundle of adults surrounding her. She gurgled quietly and flexed her tiny fingers. The quartet let out an adoring sigh.
"Min," Barda said suddenly. The all glanced at him as he reached down to gently stroke the baby's downy head. His eyes were sparkling bright.
"I want to call her Min," he whispered and they all looked as the child gripped her father's fingers tightly in her fist.
There was a silence where Lindal took a step closer to her husband and slipped her hand into his.
"Then Min she shall be."
When he wandering across the land with a big empty space where his memory should have been he had half-wished and half-feared the little glimpses of memory that had stolen uninvited into his mind. He would see glimpses of rainbow colours and a single arrow flying up towards a towering wall. He would see the face of a beautiful woman smiling lovingly at him and being surrounded by dark green trees with twisted trunks. He saw a flash of a small chubby face with a mop of tangled black hair laughing up at him. Then green scales and a gaping red mouth with needle sharp teeth and claws racing towards him.
Then he was back trying desperately to make sense of these memories before they disappeared again and he was left with that gaping emptiness in his mind.
When it all came back to him…Endon…the Forests of Silence…Anna and Jasmine…the Shadowlands…he couldn't help but wish that he could be left with the empty space again rather than remember the pain…
"Doom! Jarred broke the bow that I made all by myself! It took me all afternoon and he broke it!" The little boy ran, eyes streaming, face red with fury to his side, making the man jump. He tried to hide a smirk as the little boy shook the broken bow under his nose.
He looked at his grandson and smiled. He had his father's bright blue eyes and his mother's untamable black hair. Of course it didn't take very long for the two brothers to forget their argument and become best friends again.
"Doom," said little Jarred, tugging at his sleeve and looking up at him.
"Can you tell us a story? A story about the dragons and monsters and Mummy, Daddy and Barda?" He begged even though he knew the stories would keep him up all night with bad dreams.
The man couldn't help but grin. It had all been worth it. All the pain was worth it just to see the two care-free children eagerly awaiting a story from their grandfather.
No more snide, hissing voice taunting him in his mind. No more feelings of fear and dread. No more life-threatening quest to embark upon and no more tricks and traps to figure out.
He had forgotten what the simple pleasures of life had been like. He had forgotten what it was like to sit and laugh with friends without the little voice at the back of his head fretting about shadows and fiery red eyes.
He hadn't noticed how much he had missed his carefree life before as a blacksmith's son running through the streets of Del. Just to crush on pretty girls in the streets and to play games with his friends.
He hadn't noticed how much he loathed having that constant pressure, having that constant shadowy threat looming over his head, swing closer and closer like a guillotine.
Now he felt like he was soaring, racing higher than any dragon could ever fly, over the clouds over the sky, reaching as high as the stars.
Now he could just enjoy the simple beautiful things, like her happy content smile and her soft hair and skin.
He knew the shadows would not be gone forever. He knew one day it might start scheming and planning once more.
But he knew his people would stand strong again and face every problem thrown their way. He knew they would never give up. He knew that if they could tear themselves away from its web once they could do it again and again.
For now they were safe from webs and traps and scheming.
Now they were all truly free.
A/N Probably one of the most flufftastic stories I've ever written. Also probably one of the only ones that have canon couples in it. I hardly ever write about canon couples.
Well...hope you like it...Deltora Quest was part of my childhood...and I always loved the more spiritual aspects of it, like Tom, Ava and Jack, Steven and Nevets and the dragons. ^^