Makeeda opened her door, seeing all four Pevensie's. She closed the door behind her as she went out into the hallway.

"What can I do for you?" she asked them.
"We've been told you've been taking meat out of the cold room." Peter said.
"I have been, yes." Makeeda replied, having no wish to lie to them.
"Why?" Susan asked.

Makeeda hesitated to speak. She wanted to keep the dragon a secret, knowing Peter wouldn't take it lightly to have such a creature in the castle.

"I have… a problem." she said.
"What do you mean?" Edmund asked.
"I cannot tell you." Makeeda replied, shaking her head.
"Makeeda, although you are friend to us, we will not stand for you stealing from the castle. We need to know why." Susan said.

Makeeda nodded.

"I know you do… But it needs to stay between us."
"If it's a danger to Narnia-"
"It's not. I have control over the situation." Makeeda took a deep breath and let them into her room. The four of them stood shocked at the sight of the dragon. It cowered at the sight of them. Makeeda knelt down next to it. "The stone was an egg."

Lucy knelt down aswell, petting the dragon.

"He's cute." she smiled. "What's it's name?"
"I haven't named it." Makeeda told her.
"You plan to keep it?" Peter asked.
"Would you rather me set it loose?"
"It will grow, it cannot stay in here."
"I am not abandoning a helpless animal."
"It's not an animal, it's a dragon. It can protect itself."
"I am not going to do that. I am not leaving it alone somewhere." Makeeda protested.
"What do you know about dragons?"
"They were worshipped by elves."
"Is that it?"
"Yes."
"It has to go."
"If you make it leave, I go to."
"Stop." Susan said. "Makeeda, you don't need to leave, we can work this out."

Makeeda and Peter looked at her.

"What do we do then?" he asked.
"Let her raise it, if it becomes a problem we go from there."

Peter looked at Edmund.

"It's not going to hurt anyone. Look at it." he said.

They watched the dragon lick at Lucy's face playfully. Makeeda smiled.

"Fine. It can stay, but if it gets out of hand… It goes."

Makeeda nodded.

"Thank you." she said.

Makeeda sat reading through a book of Dalish lore. She would come across names occasionally, reading them aloud for the dragon to hear. It didn't seem to pay much attention, though, sleeping on her desk as she read.

"Jura…" she said. She shook her head as the dragon continued to snooze silently. "Galzra… Greteim… Roslarb…. Shruikan."

The dragon's head lifted, looking at her intently. She looked up at it.

"Shruikan?" she repeated. It blinked at her. "Shruikan…"

The small dragon hummed at her as she stood and looked out the window. It over-looked the town and she loved it. She suddenly thought of Brom, turning to grab her bow and quiver. She told Shruikan to stay put, and left the room promptly.

Makeeda knocked on a wooden door, waiting a short moment for Brom to answer it. He stared at her, clearly surprised at her arrival.

"My lady… I am sorry, but I haven't any time at the moment-"
"Please, Brom, spare me the lies. You know why I am here." He let her inside, sitting down with her at the table. She noticed him shifting his weight uncomfortably in his chair. "Do not be intimidated by me, I will not hurt you."
"I know, my Lady."
"Why didn't you tell me it was an egg?" she asked. "Why didn't you tell me it was a dragon?"
"I did not know-"
"Stop lying-"
"I am not lying."
"Then why is it you wear a necklace with a symbol that matches the one that is now burned into my palm?!"

He looked up at her.

"I have had the egg since it was laid."
"Where did you get it?"
"My dragon."
"You had a dragon?"
"Yes." he said, taking off his glove and holding out his own palm to show the same mark she had on hers.
"Where is she now?"
"Dead."
"How?"
"She was killed."

Makeeda felt sympathy for him.

"Why me?" she asked. "Why would you give a random person an egg from your own dragon?"
"A dragon will only hatch when it is in the presence of it's Rider. I felt there was a good chance it would be you."
"Why?"
"You are an elf. Dragons used to protect the lands, and elves were their companions. You are a sorceress, a protector." Makeeda sighed, unsure that he had just cause for giving her such a pet, though she knew it was too late to argue who got to keep it. "Is it a male or female?"
"Male… His name is Shruikan." Brom seemed to smile, nodding in approval. "You should come see him sometime."
"I would like that very much." he replied.

As time passed, Shruikan grew older and older. He grew into his own personality, never wanting to leave Makeeda's side. Their bond was a strong one, gaining a mental connection only they could hear. He had his own voice and his own thoughts. Makeeda had held an announcement after Shruikan was too big to stay in her room, to tell the townspeople that he was a friendly and trustworthy beast. They had no objections to having a dragon for an ally, although he didn't wander into town often. Edmund had grown to like Shruikan aswell, a strong friendship between the three of them present after he got older. Peter had come around aswell, trusting Shruikan as Makeeda's friend and a protector. All was right for the time being, except Makeeda's own self-confidence issues. She had been encouraged by Shruikan to tell Edmund how she felt, but had yet to do so, not wanting to ruin anything that they had as friends. It was difficult for her and she was growing quite irritated with herself.

It would remain to be an issue though, until Makeeda could dig deep inside of herself to tell him how she felt.