Based on characters from Fablehaven© by Brandon Mull. The original characters and plot details are my property. No copyright infringement intended.
Leander was exhausted – again.
Seth was already in bed and Leander was sitting at the table, thinking. The whole day had been a trial and now his mother was here in the house. Dinner, at least, was unstressed. Maeve and Unleea had eaten in their room on the first floor.
I am going to have to learn about control when it comes to food, he thought. His stomach grumbled not because he was hungry but because he had eaten so much he ached. As a dragon, he stuffed himself but he only ate occasionally, now he ate three times a day. He couldn't continue to eat this way as a human but the food tasted so good and he felt starved every time he came to the table.
He wasn't ready to sleep even though he could barely keep his eyes open.
"Seth, what am I going to be doing now that I'm not really looking for anyone?" he asked.
"They still think you're looking for Raxtus so you need to appear to be doing that. Wander around the sanctuary and take in the sights. We will still have to find out why that happened to her. We have to keep searching so we can find the 'dead dragon' and bring back the evidence of her death."
"I knew that," he shook his head. He was tired and not thinking, obviously. "Thanks for reminding me. I'm just tired and bothered about the whole thing. I mean, I never thought I'd ever see her. Who would have thought after all this time she was alive? She is magnificent, isn't she?" he said proudly and sat thinking for a moment and slowly his sadness came back.
"But … I can't stand to be around her. If she knew what I was like as a dragon she would be just as horrified as my father was the first time he saw me. I don't want her or anyone else beside you guys to know who I am," he said sadly.
He was certain Raxtus didn't want to go through that humiliation. His battered dragon ego had had enough.
"If you are uncomfortable around her, just stay away from the house until it's time to go to sleep. We can hang out in the cabin until Bracken comes up with a plan to get in to see Celebrant with the evidence. It won't be long. You'll see.
"If you want something to do we can get Mendingo and Hugo to help us put the cabin back onto its foundations that would make Warren happy, not to mention my parents and grandparents.
"You need to hang around because your invisibility will come in handy at some point," Seth said yawning.
"Yes, we need to repair the cabin," he said sleepily. "But Raxtus can stay gone forever as far as I'm concerned. If I have to show up as Raxtus then I am going to say the spell didn't work - OK? I don't want there to be an association between the two of us," Leander added, his weariness agitating him. He was beginning to think of the dragon as a whole different being, a damaged and miserable creature, someone he wanted to avoid. He thought of him as separate from himself, the normal person he was now.
"Go to sleep – you're tired and not making sense," Seth said snuggling down in his covers; it was cool in the attic that evening.
"Ok," Leander agreed easily yawning in response to Seth's yawn. He crawled under the covers of his bed. Seth turned out the light.
Leander dreamed again.
"Don't cry," he said. He wrapped his arms around her; feeling the warmth of her body against his. They rocked together soothing each other.
"I know its old news to us but she just learned that she's lost three children and her only son is missing." Kendra sobbed into his shoulder. "That has to be hard enough but she now knows someone wanted her and her children dead."
"We will figure it out. She will be safe." Leander said confidently as a lump formed in his throat and tears welled in his eyes.
Kendra looked up at him and smiled sadly through her tears.
"Look. I've got you crying too. Sorry." she said as she reached up to wipe the tears from his face.
"Every day is something new!" he shrugged and grinned back enjoying the feel of her warm fingers on his face, her warm body next to him. He was enjoying the feelings too much, Kendra was only a friend.
Her fingers caressed his face, followed the contour of his cheek and traced across his lips. The feeling was so exquisite Leander looked longingly at her. She moved her face closer to his. She was Kendra and yet she was not somehow as her lips traced across his cheek and found his. The tender kiss stirred unfamiliar hormones….
"Gahhh!" Leander cried out as he awoke in a sweat, trembling.
"Bad dream?" Seth asked from the dark.
"Not exactly," Leander muttered not knowing what had just happened. Waking up startled was one thing but this was quite another.
"How can dreams affect you so …uh…ah… so physically?" he stuttered, he was still shaky from the effects of the dream.
"Oh, one of those," Seth laughed. "Welcome to puberty. Go take a shower it will help," he said as he rolled over to go back to sleep.
"What? Does this happen often?" Leander asked worriedly.
"Not really but it is a normal male reaction to certain dreams. Don't freak out and whatever you do don't talk about it," Seth laughed again.
"This only happens when you sleep?" Leander asked for clarification.
"Um, well not exactly… uh… sometimes you have to… uh… watch your daydreams too," Seth admitted honestly.
"You're kidding me," he groaned.
"Don't young dragons have similar dreams?" he asked curiously.
"Not like this," Leander sighed, got out of bed and headed out the door. By the time he reached the bathroom the content of the dream had already faded and fairly quickly its effect on him also faded. After his shower, he felt much better but his stomach grumbled so he crept to the kitchen and made his own midnight raid on the refrigerator. He crawled back into the bed a half hour later. As he pulled the covers over him he felt content, warm and his stomach was full again. The dream forgotten he fell asleep immediately.
He woke in the morning and felt very hungry again. He dressed quickly and quietly leaving Seth sleeping undisturbed. He rushed down the stairs to see what was available for breakfast. The smells coming from the lower floor were mouthwatering.
"What's for breakfast?" he asked cheerfully as he walked into the kitchen. He stopped immediately inside the door at an unexpected sight.
Sitting at the large kitchen table was Maeve, Scott, Mrs. Larsen, Kendra, Unleea and Stan. Ruth and Marla were bustling around the kitchen making various breakfast dishes. Dale and Hank Larsen were not in the room.
"You're hungry Leander? I thought you ate enough last night to last you a week," Stan said laughing.
"Stan don't tease the boy you know how much it takes to fuel a growing body," Ruth fussed at her husband good naturedly. "Sit down, Leander. I think I have a pancake or two with your name on it in this bowl of batter," She smiled at him.
"Thanks Mrs. Sorenson," he smiled back at her, his stomach grumbled but quietly for a change.
Leander sat at the farthest seat from Maeve as he could on the same side of the table as a result he couldn't see her unless he tried. He quietly watched Ruth flip pancakes on the other side of the kitchen.
Stan and Scott were trying to figure how long the troll had them trapped. Leander noticed that Maeve gave them very ambiguous information making their job very difficult. Her 'faked' poor language skills were rapidly catching up to modern pronunciations and they didn't need Bracken for translation now.
Ruth and Marla started plating up the feast they were cooking. Everyone at the other end of the table got their food. The sounds of eating filled the room, mostly forks on plates but Unleea was an especially noisy eater.
No one attempted to teach her manners even Kendra was silent. I wonder why? Leander thought.
He sat uncomfortably staring at the wood grain in the table for a few minutes waiting for his pancakes. Ruth sat a glass of milk in front of him so he had something to do. He sipped on his milk making it last.
There was a knock at the kitchen door and everyone looked up. Marla opened the door and let Bracken in.
"Hi everyone," he greeted them cheerfully as he walked in and sat across from Leander.
"Hi," Leander smiled at Bracken hoping that he had good news but knowing he would have to wait to hear it. There were many greetings in return.
Kendra smiled at him. Surrounded by family she couldn't get up to sit by to him without being rude. She continued to eat her breakfast but a little more quickly.
The sounds of eating resumed except for Unleea's noisy chewing. Leander looked down the table at the quiet little girl. Unleea was leaned over her plate blatantly staring down the table at Bracken, a rapt expression on her face.
"Finish your breakfast, Unleea," Maeve called her attention back to her food.
"Yes 'um," she answered. She resumed her noisy eating while surreptitiously stealing glances at Bracken.
Leander was glad she wasn't staring at him like that. He looked across at Bracken and saw him roll his eyes and smile. He had to stifle a laugh. Bracken was in a good mood, he hoped he also had good news.
Ruth sat a large stack of pancakes and bacon in front of Leander.
"Here you go. Don't let their teasing keep you from eating all you want. I know I make the best pancakes," she said smiling.
She winked at him and he grinned in return.
"Thanks," he replied.
"Breakfast? Bracken," she asked turning her attention to him.
"No thanks," he replied as he reached down the table, snagged the syrup bottle and sat it next to Leander's plate of pancakes.
"Thanks," Leander said and poured a small amount of syrup on the stack. He cut into them and put a large forkful into his mouth.
Bracken watched him fill his mouth with food. "You got any other leads for looking for Raxtus today?" he asked him just as he started chewing. Holding back a laugh he watched Leander's face as he struggled with his immediate reaction to answer and Kendra's lesson on manners.
Leander looked up at him and saw the mischief in Bracken's eyes. He nodded still chewing.
"A few," he finally answered after swallowing his mouthful of food.
"Good! I thought I would join you and Seth today," he said warmly. He was enjoying this new side of his old friend. He was still concerned about him so he wanted to keep an eye on him for a little longer.
"Can I go too?" Kendra asked.
For some reason, Leander didn't feel comfortable thinking of her coming with them today. Besides, if they were going to repair the cabin she wouldn't be much help.
"I don't think that would be a good idea. This lead is in the swamp," Leander answered quickly before he took another bite. Kendra looked upset and he worried that he had hurt her feelings.
"Not your thing I'm afraid," her dad consoled her. "Maeve and Unleea will need all our help for a while. The guys can handle the search for Raxtus."
"What about Raxtus?" Seth mumbled as he entered the kitchen in rumpled sweatpants and large t-shirt, looking like he had rolled out of bed and was sleepwalking.
"We are going swamp diving today, looking for clues. Want to join us?" Bracken asked happily.
Kendra groaned, frustrated that Seth was going and she couldn't.
"Sure," Seth growled unhappily, as he sat down. "Can't wait. Milk and Pancakes?"
"Coming up!" his mother answered as she sat a glass of milk in front of him and ruffled his already messy hair. Even she was in a good mood.
Leander and Bracken went out on the front porch to wait for Seth to join them. He had gone upstairs to change into his 'swamp diving' clothes and retrieve his survival kit. Kendra was still in the kitchen helping with the finishing touches of after breakfast cleanup.
Some thought tickled the back of his mind and since Seth and Kendra were otherwise occupied he thought he would ask Bracken a touchy question.
"Bracken, I was just wondering why we have human avatars. Why is the human form normal for our avatars to take on?" He blurted out the question.
Bracken looked at him surprised at the question. "A long time ago Mother explained that we do it for protection. Since we can shape-shift we mingle unsuspected among them. We have spread rumors and squashed a few. It is easier if we can talk to them face to face – to calm nervous people. Since we have to share this world with them is makes sense to be able to communicate on their level at the very least. We scare them in our real forms and so it is better to keep hidden," Bracken told him some of what his mother told him and what he had figured out on his own.
"It makes sense but does that mean I will never be able to have children if I give up my dragon form?" Leander got to the real question. The opportunity to ask another dragon or wizard never came up. Besides no female dragon wanted to mate with the runt Raxtus, it was too laughable. Even the potential of having offspring was something he never considered until now. That fleeting dream kiss got him thinking in a whole new direction. Was he human enough, normal enough to have that kind of life too?
"I don't think it is a problem. In this form, you are human, with a few tweaks, like long life and ability to cast spells. But you are genetically compatible," Bracken answered, wondering if Leander had those tweaks since he seemed to be too human. "You're not giving up your dragon form?" he said negatively. He didn't want him doing anything permanent so soon.
"No, just thinking about it and just curious, long life thing you know. Who knows what will happen in the future?" Leander said evasively but liking the answer Bracken had given him. His future just became an amazing array of possibilities.
"Speaking of spells and the future have you felt any magical abilities yet?" Bracken asked curiously.
"No. I don't know what to feel for. I am used to invoking and becoming invisible but I can't honestly say I feel anything different or unusual. The strangest thing for Raxtus is not feeling the fairy magic. I don't know what either feels like, since I was invoked without any active magic," Leander said and hefted his pack to his back as he saw Seth open the door.
Following close behind him were Kendra and Marla. Unleea peeked out the door but stayed in the house.
"Be careful all of you," Kendra said as she lightly punched her brother's shoulder. She gave Leander a quick friendly hug.
Leander felt Kendra's warm arms unexpectedly wrap around him but did not return the hug. She didn't seem to notice in her hurry to get to Bracken. Marla followed with her own quick friendly hug. Marla didn't notice that Leander did not react. His confused smile froze on his face because he didn't know how to respond.
Though the hugs were brief, they were startling. He hadn't anticipated the friendly personal contact especially from Kendra's mother. He felt the blood rush to his face. The women couldn't hug his shoulders because of the pack on his back so they had wrapped their arms around his waist and pulled him close. Unexpected feelings and thoughts flooded his brain and his body responded in unexpected ways. Baffled by his reaction he backed up away from the family oriented farewell.
Kendra wrapped her arms around Bracken. She buried her face in his chest. "I wanted to go with you," she mumbled in a whisper. She didn't want to seem pouty but she was. She coveted every moment she could get with him. It wasn't fair that he was in Fablehaven and she couldn't be with him.
Bracken wrapped his arms around her, lowered his head and whispered back, "I know but not today, you have other work to do." He lifted her chin and kissed her.
Seth rolled his eyes at his sister's theatrics and turned his head away. He noticed Leander's retreat; his cheeks were red and his expression confirmed his embarrassment and confusion, he was backing off the porch. Seth felt sorry for him. He didn't know how to handle all of this. Touching, hugging, kissing even just innocent family stuff, and socially acceptable. It was all new to him.
Puberty was bad enough to go through, but not having a lifelong background of social ease, it had to suck even worse. He was totally at ease with his arm around his shapely mother's shoulder. This would probably drive Leander to distraction, he thought. He should try to help him out.
"Bye Mom," Seth kissed her cheek. "Bracken, Leander and I will meet you on the path when you are through smooching with all the ladies," he teased and laughed.
"Let's go," he said seriously, as he walked past Leander pulling on his arm.
Leander turned and followed him quickly.
"I don't know what or who got you going but it helps to think of something else," he said quietly as they walked across the wide lawn to the preserve walkway.
Leander's face flushed redder and his nervous glance back at the house let Seth know he was right. Damn hormones.
Leander looked at Seth as they quickly walked away from the house. Last night when he woke from the dream, Seth told him he knew what he was feeling. He had said it was normal. He wasn't expecting to find out about possible daytime experiences so soon though. He looked back at the women crowded around Bracken. Unleea had joined them now. He looked at Seth again and tried to smile but couldn't. This was normal?
"What do I do? How do I stop this feeling?" he asked bewildered.
The look of panic on his face almost made Seth laugh.
"Think about the hermit troll barfing up stinking slime. Remember the smell?" he suggested, using the memory himself to keep a smile off his face.
"Oh yeah, that was gross," Leander replied and shuddered at the memory of the foul odor. "That helps thanks." It helped for only a moment until he remembered that Kendra had sat with him, her warm arms around him while the stinking slime rotted a few feet in front of them.
Just then, Bracken caught up to them and thankfully derailed his runaway train of thought.
"Swamps? Really?" Seth complained as they headed into the woods. "Couldn't you have thought of somewhere else? Even if we don't actually go into a swamp, we will have to return looking like we went. Yuk." He shivered thinking of walking home wearing wet stinky swamp slime.
"Hugo will meet us at the cabin and Mendingo will be there as soon as he finishes a quick job with Dad. We will get that cabin back up on its foundations before the day is out," Seth said proudly, changing the subject. "I don't want Mom and Dad to stay mad at me for toppling the place but I'm glad we did it. Aren't you?"
"Yes, I am grateful we found her. My Dad will be very happy to see her," Leander admitted. "So how are we going to arrange to get them back together and still find the ones responsible for murder and attempted murder?"
"Well…" Bracken said as he led them toward the cabin, "I've been thinking…"