Day 3 of EvilCharming Week: Magical Creatures

The tires of the battered truck screeched as the vehicle came to a halt in front of the elegant mansion David Nolan called home. He had received a panic call from his wife exactly five minutes ago. If there is one thing he had learned over his two years of marriage to Regina is that the mayor of Storybrooke did not panic easily. He killed the engine off and ran inside the elegant home. "Regina!" He yelled.

"In the kitchen."

Her voice was calm and strong and David allowed himself one instant to release his breath in pure relief before starting toward the kitchen. "What's so important that I had to come home…" David's eyes widened when he saw the object of their problem on the island. "...immediately." David pointed toward it. "What?... How? Why? Is that what I think it is?"

Regina crossed her arms over her chest and smirked. "Very eloquent, dear." David rolled his eyes, a habit he had acquired after living with Regina for so long. "And if you're thinking dragon egg, you would be right."

David looked at her incredulously; she seemed completely unphased by the presence of fire-breathing creature in their home. "Regina, honey, why is there a dragon egg in our kitchen?"

Regina averted her eyes. "I may have accidently summoned it."

David closed his eyes, taking a long, steadying breath. There was no point in getting angry; it would not solve their immediate problem. "Accidentally? How does one accidentally summon a dragon?"

Regina sighed in exasperation. "I was trying a new spell… to help with our current food crisis." Over the five years since the curse had broken, the town had grown at an alarming rate. Since Storybrooke was never designed to allow for much of a population growth, their situation had rapidly become critical. "As you know opening a portal is complicated magic." After the many portals he had fallen through over the past five years, David seriously doubted the veracity of that statement but he let Regina continue. "But I thought I could try using the Dark Wand to open a small one and allow a few people to come in and out… so we could grow food in the Enchanted Forest."

David sighed, knowing perfectly what Regina had meant. It would be a one-way portal. They needed to decide who would stay and who would leave Storybrooke. The suggestion had been brought up three months ago at the last town meeting and had been negatively received to say the least. But Regina had reminded them not to argue until they found a way to open said portal. "So send it back!"

Regina frowned in annoyance. "Don't you think that's the first thing I've tried?" She groaned. "I can't reopen the portal. And even if I could, I don't want to bring his little brother or sister here along with him."

David frowned. "How do you know it's a him?"

Regina pointed at the veins of the eggshell. "See these lines… definitely male. Females have much more concentrated ones." David looked at her in shock of her knowledge about dragons. Regina provided a quick explanation. "Maleficent."

David nodded in understanding. "Ok. So how long do we have to send the baby back?"

"That's the bad news." David closed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief: a dragon in his kitchen was not enough bad news already? But Regina ignored him. "See the rhythmic pulsing? He is about to come out of his shell."

"WHAT?" David yelled.

"I would say a couple of hours at the most." David moved toward the egg but Regina stopped him. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting it to the mines… down below. We can detonate at the surface and trap it inside."

"You want to kill him? You can't do that. He won't be able to survive down there, he is too young!"

"Yes, Regina. Before it kills all of us in one single breath."

"He won't be able to do so until he's fully mature… in about ten years. But he needs care to grow…"

"Regina, this is not a lost puppy…"

"He won't be a danger to any of us until he's fully grown. That gives us some time to get him back home… but we can't kill him. I didn't call you to get rid of him… I called you to help me take care of me once he's born!" Tears were flowing down her cheeks.

David pulled her into his embrace and rocked her gently. Ever since she had found out she was pregnant a few weeks ago, her emotions had been all over the place. He also suspected that her irrational protectiveness of the baby dragon was coming from her developing maternal instinct. "Ok… I'll help you. We'll take care of it."

"Him."

David sighed. "Him."

EC

Elliot was born exactly two hours and twelve minutes later. As soon as he broke through his shell with his claw, Regina and David helped him out of his protective pod. Even though David would never admit it aloud, the creature was truly magnificent. He was all black, scales glistening in the afternoon sun. His ridge extended all the way to the point of his tail and formed some sort of a crown on his head. His nose was large and flat with big inquisitive black eyes set on each side on his head.

Elliot shivered slightly in Regina's arms. He was looking around his new home his curious eyes that examined every detail. He nuzzled against Regina and starting purring, or at least David could swear he was. The couple swaddled the newborn dragon in blankets, putting hot water bottles against him. Elliot could not properly regulate his temperature by himself; after the birth, the mother would gently roast the baby to keep him warm. David had jokingly suggested they could set him to sleep inside the oven but Regina had proposed using water bottles and blankets instead so he could be held.

Elliot yawned and David gasped slightly at the sharp teeth. "Regina…"

"They will fall off eventually like babies'." David did not want to think about the replacement, at least not yet. Regina repositioned the sleepy creature against her. "I think he is hungry."

"What… what does he need?"

"Like all babies… milk. Baby formula will have to do." Regina summoned a can of the condensed version and a baby bottle from the convenience store. "I think you can go past the recommended temperature on the box."

David rolled his eyes but started on his task nonetheless. Ten minutes later, Regina was sitting in their living room, bottle-feeding a very content dragon. "I think he likes the baby formula."

David grabbed his keys. "I'll go to the convenience store…. And the pet store."

"The pet store?"

" To get him a bed, or a crate… and a collar and a leash."

Regina laughed softly. "I don't think you'll need the collar and leash."

David shrugged. "I'm also stopping by the library. Maybe Belle had a book on 'how to become dragon parents'".

Regina laughed more heartedly. "Maleficent will be back in town in a couple of weeks. I think she'll be more capable of taking care of our little friend here." Elliot burped in contentment. He repositioned himself on Regina's lap and fell into a deep, restful sleep. David watched the creature in silence, knowing that Elliot was not leaving their household in a couple of weeks.