Six years didn't seem like such a long time. At least when you were a child. Children measured time far differently than adults. While most would find a single year would go by in a flash, others would find it sloughing on as it attempted to turn the calendar to the following year. For Raya, six years had been an eternity. The day the Druun returned and consumed her kingdom, trapping everyone unlucky enough to escape into a stone-encased hell. That hell spread throughout Kumandra, claiming the lives of anyone within their path. The Druun were relentless like that.
During those long years of fending for herself, Raya had seen many horrors. The Druun didn't discriminate, any human was prey. During the moments she was alone with her thoughts, she wondered if the Druun were truly mindless. The way they targeted people was too coordinated. It was as if they knew exactly who to go after. But, she supposed they were simply drawn to the despair their victims felt.
Hot days and cold nights greeted her, barely scraping by. She had eaten so much jackfruit jerky that even though her home wasn't restored, she still partook in it. She knew it tasted terrible even if she didn't want to admit it. Within all that trial, one thing kept her hopeful: the prospect of finding Sisu, the last dragon in Kumandra.
Sisu had been the one goal that had kept her driven. Hopeless as her situation had been, she kept telling herself all she had to do was find Sisu's resting place, restore her, and reforge the Dragon Gem. Only then would Kumandra and the loved ones they lost would be restored.
Eventually, she reached that goal. However, in the end, it wasn't Sisu who saved the day, but a joining of the various tribes. Even Fang, despite the treachery their princess had bestowed all those years ago. Kumandra was restored, and that included the dragons.
At long last, after five hundred years, Kumandra had dragons back at last. It was like living a dream. All the tribes had come together to celebrate their victory. Bonds of trust were slow to mend, but in time they would be just like in days of old.
Yet, it seemed that life had more surprises in store.
When Raya learned Sisu was getting married, she was ecstatic for her best friend. The marriage itself wasn't the shocking part. (though the idea of Sisu being someone's bride wasn't something she envisioned).
The groom however was a surprise. A little over a year ago, give or take a few months, a group of thieves had broken into Heart and stolen a relic. Most assumed the relic was simply sentimental, but apparently, its monetary value was great. At least that's what they assumed the thieves believed. Raya had encountered one of them, and it was that very thief who wasn't Sisu's husband.
By sheer chance, the relic had contained the essence of an ancient dragon. (or so Sisu's eldest brother Pengu claimed), and when that essence somehow entwined itself with the essence of the thief Jarek, he transformed into a dragon. By now, all had been forgiven, but Raya supposed it was appropriate Sisu married the first human to become a dragon. It was a wonderful wedding, and Raya even helped Sisu get over her pre-wedding jitters. At the end of the ceremony, Jarek and Sisu were husband and wife.
But, as the old saying goes "First comes love, then comes marriage", and the last bit involves a certain carriage.
Raya stared at the purple oval-shaped object in front of her. Slowly she placed her hands around it. She was gentle with her touch, daring not to crack the delicate shell.
"Pretty impressive isn't it?" Sisu asked proudly.
Raya rubbed the shelled object. This wasn't just any oval, but an egg, a dragon egg to be precise. It was more than that, for it was the egg of Jarek and Sisu.
Yes, Sisudatu, her goal, her hero, her friend, was going to be a mother.
"Yeah," Raya muttered with awe, "I just can't believe it...you're really having a baby!"
Lowering herself to eye her unhatched child, Sisu gently patted it, "I know, this is the greatest accomplishment in my life."
That alone told Raya how much Sisu's child meant to her. One would think that Sisu utilizing the Dragon Gem to wipe out the Druun, was the crowning achievement of her life. No, it was the laying of her egg and the subsequent hatching of it. At least, when it finally does hatch. Like any eggs, dragon ones needed time to incubate. Although it didn't look like much, inside a great life was brewing.
"Even more than booming away the Druun?" Raya asked, but she already knew the answer.
"A million times better!" Sisu declared, "I mean it, this has to be the happiest moment in my life."
Sisu's eyes grew wide and brimming as she stared up into the sky, "Look at me, I'm not the best dragon but I have a loving husband, and a baby on the way."
"Oh, my little snuggly noodle!"
Smiling at the voice, Sisu added, "Speaking of which."
The familiar lithe and black form of Jarek hurried out of the entrance to the dragon home, and in his palms he carried a steaming bowl of wouldn't you know it-
"Ta-Da! I have some noodles for my sweet little noodle!" Jarek gently placed the bowl of noodles in Sisu's claws.
Sisu eyed the noodle bowl hungrily, more so than Raya could picture. Her best friend's eyes grew huge and a trickle of drool seeped out of the corner of her mouth, "Oh Jar-Bear, you shouldn't have!"
Taking the chopsticks, Sisu wasted no time in scarfing down the food. Loud slurps accompanied her feast as Raya could see there were more than noodles in there. Soup was probably the better word, as warm broth dribbled down Sisu's chin, with tiny bits of meat, egg, and vegetables stuck to her mouth, at least before Sisu licked them up.
"Oh my gosh, so yummy! So good!" Sisu said as she swallowed, then went right back to eating.
"Only the best for you hon, do you think you'll want seconds?" Jarek asked, but like with Raya, he knew the answer.
"Heck yes, I want seconds!" Sisu declared, "I'll go for thirds, maybe even fourths!"
Chuckling to himself, Jarek slithered back inside, "Call me if you need me, babe!"
"You got it hon!" Sisu finished off the bowl, before setting it down with a burp, "Jarek?"
Right on cue, Jarek dashed back outside, grabbed the bowl, then took it inside to refill it.
Raya wasn't quite sure what she had just seen. Sisu had finished off that bowl like it was nothing. She had heard her childhood hero enjoyed noodles, but to see her eat them with such gluttonous zeal was jaw-dropping.
"Wow, you sure do love noodles," Raya remarked.
"Oh Raya my girl you don't know how deep my love for them goes," Sisu took a quick slurp and swallowed, "I once had a dream I swam in an entire swimming pool full of them," Sisu's eyes glazed over as she recalled that oh so wonderful dream, "But love aside, I'm eating for two so I need to woof them down."
Confusion crossed Raya's face, "Eating for two? But...you laid an egg.,"
"Oh sorry, I mean I need food to make my milk!" Sisu clarified.
"Wait? Dragons make milk?"
"Well, it's more like nectar, but yeah, dragon mothers use their "nectar" to nourish their babies," Sisu explained.
Disbelief before acceptance flashed across Raya's face. It seemed there was still a lot about dragons she didn't know. For a moment, it made her regret calling herself a dragon nerd. But, she assumed the past five hundred year dragon absence could qualify as an excuse.
Sisu finished off the soup before calling for her husband again. Just like before, Jarek showed up to refill the bowl, which Sisu promptly ate. The dragoness released a satisfied burp as she patted her belly.
"So very delicious!"
A pause followed after her third helping. Raya wasn't sure if Sisu was finally full, or if she was simply resting her stomach. Then again, if being full didn't stop Jarek from gorging himself on sweets, Raya doubted Sisu was any different. The pair were made for each other it seemed. For a moment, it made her wonder if Jarek and Sisu's child would inherit their parent's food obsession.
"So, is there any way to tell if you're going to have a boy or a girl?" Raya inquired.
"No clue," Sisu shook with a hiccup, and then another which prompted her to beat her chest, "We won't know until the egg hatches."
"Have you thought about any names?"
Sisu's satisfied expression transferred to one of bewilderment as her face spread out, and her eyes grew wide but not in the dream-like euphoria from before.
"I-I-I never...thought of that."
An uncomfortable coating covered Sisu's face. It was clear to Raya that Sisu had indeed not considered naming her child. If she had to guess, she supposed she and Jarek were simply going to wait until their baby hatched. Those thoughts remained with Sisu, even as Jarek refilled her bowl for a fourth time. However, Sisu didn't touch it.
"Honey, is everything alright?" Jarek's former chipper expression faded as he noticed his wife's demeanor.
Sisu shook her head before realizing her bowl was full, "Huh? Oh yes hon, I just-"
"She's just… overwhelmed by it all, being a mother and everything," Raya mused.
Jarek eyed the two girls before shrugging, "Alright, I think this might be it for refills though, even your stomach could give out," Jarek playfully nudged Sisu.
"Oh? Is that a challenge?" Sisu dared.
Jarek smirked, "Give me a plate of cakes and you a bowl of noodles, and we'll see my love."
Hurrying back inside, Jarek left the pair alone for some more girl time.
"I didn't want him to worry about you," Raya explained, "Sorry about mentioning names."
"It's alright Raya," Sisu waved her claw, "Besides, I know when he worries, that just shows he loves me."
Grinning, Raya stared into the mouth of the entrance, "I still can't believe you're married and with a kid on the way. I mean Sisu is a mother!"
Any worries Sisu held over naming her child disappeared into the aether, "I know what you mean."
"I spent six years looking for you, and here I am holding your egg!" Raya couldn't hide the fact she was nerding out.
"Yeah, I can hardly believe it myself," Sisu slightly laughed, "Raya, can I ask you something?"
Sisu paused her breath before she spoke, "I know this kid isn't going to be short on family, but if anything happened to me, Jarek, or our brothers and sisters, would you consider taking the baby in?"
Raya stood up abruptly, "Wait? You mean like a guardian?"
"Why not? I mean you were being trained as a guardian of the dragon gem, so what better than being a backup guardian for the one who used it?"
Guarding the Dragon Gem had been her family's sacred duty, back when such a title was needed. The gem was no more and Raya was never officially anointed as a guardian, but she and her family had a connection to Sisu through it. This was something far more than being a guardian, this was potentially safeguarding Sisu's child if the worst came to pass.
Raya could only say one thing, "I would be honored," As she spoke, she gave a bow, one that Sisu returned.
Sisu knew for certain that if anything, Raya would safeguard her and Jarek's child.
A/N: This chapter is special as it was edited by my friend Pugetseal. Thanks man.