Marquette pulled up her long, white hair into a ponytail, trying to cool herself down. She opened the door and stared out into the sun. Evan came up behind her, kissing her neck gently as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She smiled at the touch of her husband, leaning back into him.
"It's finished. Call her in," he whispered.
She nodded. "Kearney, honey, it's done!"
Kearney, her red hair pinned up out of her face, came sliding out from the side of their house. Their neighbor and Kearney's boyfriend, Aidrian, followed behind her. "Is Dad finally finished with the cake?"
"Hey!" Evan called out, mock hurt. "Perfection takes time."
Kearney laughed. "Okay, Dad."
The four walked inside. Evan came out of the kitchen with the cake, fifteen candles burning on top. Marquette, Evan, and Aidrian all sung 'Happy Birthday' to the delighted Kearney.
Marq smiled to herself. She had promised long ago that she and Kearney would be together again. She just hadn't realized at the time that she would become her daughter with Evan! Or that her former mate would be the boy next door.
Later on that night, Marquette and Kearney sat out on the porch while the boys had gone out.
Kearney looked at her mother. "So, Mom, you drove the children away to be alone with me." She grinned. "What do you have to give me?"
Marquette laughed softly, lifting her face to the full moon, her gray eyes bright. Even though she was 36 now, she still remember her time as a Daughter, despite her choice of forgetting. Being also a Daughter of Anubis allowed that. "Once, I knew this girl who was so much like you. She was my best friend, my sister."
Kearney leaned forward, rapt with interest. She knew all of her mother's friends and had heard all of the stories, but she had never heard of this girl. "What was her name?"
"Kearney. Her name was Kearney."
"So, you named me after her?"
"Yes. She died on her sixteenth birthday. When you were born, you reminded me of her so much. That's why I'm giving you these…"
Marquette pulled a box over to her. 18 years before, she realized she just couldn't wear them anymore; the pain was just too powerful. She handed the box to her daughter, who opened it and found only a lone dragon medallion. She didn't want Kearney to wear the moon amulet, fearing that a Follower would mistake her for a daughter. She watched with immense pride as she put the medallion on, admiring it. She was the dragon now.
"I have a story that goes along with that necklace. Would you like to hear it?"
Kearney looked confused for a moment. "Of course, Marq. Of course."
Well, that's it. That's the end of CotN. I hope you all enjoyed reading the stories of Marquette and Kearney as much as I had writing about them.
