Parent Love

It was night at the Stormspire as everyone was asleep. Soren and Corvus were sleeping in the rooms where the Dragonguard once slept. Zym was sleeping on his little nest, his head resting on a tart pillow. And Pyrrah was sleeping outside. However, not everyone was asleep.

Ezran was currently outside at another entrance of the Stormspire, where ArchDragons like Zubeia could enter. He had quite a few exhausting days. First they had to ask Domina Profundis about her knowledge on the Prison of Aaravos. Later, he went to ask a whole crowd of Dragons for help in finding Claudia and Viren before they could reach Aaravos' Prison.

Ezran was exhausted after his meeting with the Dragons, but there was a lot in his mind that he couldn't fall asleep.

Suddenly, he felt the ground tremble, and Ezran immediately knew who it was before he heard her voice.

Zubeia: What are you doing up so late, Ezran?

The ArchDragon stood in front of Ezran as the young King turned to her. Despite the huge size difference between them, Ezran was not afraid of her.

Ezran: Sorry, Zubeia. This whole thing with the Fallen Star, all the bad things that happened in the past because of him, it makes me worried and I have a lot of questions.

Zubeia understood as she sat close in front of him as Ezran sat as well.

Zubeia: I understand your worries, Ezran. Since Aaravos is a Startouch Elf, he possesses great Magic that even us ArchDragons can't compete with. He even mastered all Six Primal Sources of Magic… that includes Dark Magic as well.

Ezran: But, if he's so powerful, why did he do all those crises in the world? What is he trying to gain from all of this?

The Dragon Queen closed her eyes in thought.

Zubeia: I'm afraid I don't know, Ezran. Despite Aaravos being well known as one of the Great Ones, we don't know everything about them. For example, in the Sea of the Castout, there is a statue of Aaravos crying for 100 years, and his tears became the water of the inland sea, while another statue is of another Startouch Elf who showed him compassion. But nobody knows why Aaravos was crying.

Ezran was quiet as he took the story about Aaravos in, wondering why the Fallen Star was crying for over a century.

Ezran: You said that Aaravos was part of the Great Ones. Can you tell me about them?

Zubeia: Unfortunately, Ezran, The Great Ones, The First Elves, the information about them has become vague with only nothing but poems left to tell about them.

Everyone was quiet after that. Zubeia looked down at the young King, as she finally wanted to ask him something that's been heavy on her mind for a while.

Zubeia: Tell me, Ezran, when you were down at the Arkus Vault, did younfind… "it"?

Ezran became quiet as he knew what Zubeia was talking about.

Ezran: Yes… I found the arrow there…

Zubeia sighed when she heard that. She looked at the boy whose Father killed her Mate.

Zubeia: When I saw my dead Mate, petrified and broken, and when I believed that my egg was destroyed, I was consumed by rage and pain.

Ezran looked at Zubeia as he listened to her.

Zubeia: I wanted justice… justice for the death of Avizandum and Azymondias, so I sent Moonshadow Elves Assassins to kill you and Harrow.

Zubeia lowered her head as she shut her eyes tightly. Ezran knew that this was heavy for the Dragon Queen.

Zubeia: But now I realize that all I did was vengeance, and became part of a vicious cycle.

Zubeia opened her eyes and looked at the son of Harrow.

Zubeia: I would have never imagined that my egg survived and the children of the one who took Avizandum from me brought my Azymondias back. You, Ezran, even gave him a cute name.

Zubeia couldn't help but smile at that memory and Ezran joined in.

Zubeia: You and Zym were so happy together. Until a few days ago… I found the Shadowhawk arrow…

Zubeia and Ezran's smiles vanished as she recalled the moment she found the arrow with the message about Harrow being successful assassinated.

Zubeia: I did a terrible thing to you Ezran, and I…

Zubeia sighed as she closed her eyes in pain. Ezran was feeling many emotions inside, but he could see that Zubeia was truly sorry.

Ezran: I don't have any memory of my Mom.

Zubeia opened her eyes and looked at Ezran.

Ezran: When I was a baby, Duren was suffering from a famine for 7 years so the Queens of Duren asked my Dad for help. My Dad wanted to share the food of Katolis with them, but they knew it wasn't enough.

Ezran sighed as he continued.

Ezran: It is then Viren found a Spell that would revitalize the land of Duren. However, it needed the Heart of a Magma Titan.

Zubeia perked up when she heard that. She heard from Avizandum how the Humans slayed a Magma Titan, but never cared to know more about that.

Ezran: My Mom, however, didn't agree with the idea as she didn't like Dark Magic, and like me, she cared for other creatures.

Zubeia smiled when hearing Sarai's description.

Zubeia: She sounds like a very strong woman.

Ezran: Let out a laugh at that.

Ezran: Yeah. Aunt Amaya told me that Dad never could beat Mom in a fight.

Zubeia: (Laugh)...

Zubeia joined in the laugh as she started to like Sarai now.

Ezran: Despite now agreeing with the idea of slaying the Magma Titan, my Mom went to protect Dad. They defeated the Magma Titan and got the heart, but then Avizandum came.

Zubeia: gave a sorrowful look as knew what's going to happen.

Ezran: My Mom, along the Queens of Duren, lost their lives by Avizandum's attack.

Zubeia looked sadly at Ezran, knowing that her mate took away someone precious from him… as well from Harrow.

Ezran: With the heart, they succeeded in filling Duren with warmth and nature. Dad, to me, looked like he moved on since we had so much fun together… but it seems he didn't.

Ezran was referring when his Dad slayed Avizandum to avenge Sarai, something that Zubeia now understood.

Ezran: However, my Dad learned slaying Avizandum didn't bring him peace or happiness, but he did something unforgivable to you and became part of a vicious cycle.

Zubeia was surprised to hear that. Even if she didn't fall asleep from her grief, she knew that Harrow's death wouldn't bring her peace as well.

Ezran: In my Dad's message he left for us, he knew you would send Assassins to kill him. That's why… he accepted his faith.

Zubeia was once again surprised. Harrow regretted his actions… and he accepted to give his life at her Assassins?

She saw Ezran hugging her knees as he was crying out tears. Seeing this, her heart and couldn't take and her mind was set.

She brought her giant paw behind Ezran and carefully picked him up. Ezran wondered what she's doing until she gently hugged him to her chest. Her head lowered closelly near him as she let out tears.

Zubeia: You're Dad and I… we have something more encommon than I thought. We both lose something very precious to us. We both felt pain and anger. And we both did something that we should have never done.

Ezran was silent as he heard Zubeia speak from her heart.

Zubeia: I'm sorry, Ezran.

This was now too much for Ezran as he started to sob and cry while pressing his face on her scales.

Ezran: I forgive you, Zubeia.

With that, both Ezran and Zubeia let out their sorrows and had each other for comfort. After a while, while still holding, Ezran, separated as they looked at each other.

Zubeia: Let's keep our conversation between us.

Ezran silently nodded at her.

Zubeia: And if it's okay with you, I could be your honorary Mother.

Ezran was surprised to hear that.

Ezran: Huh? You… really mean it?

Zubeia: Zym sees you as a brother.

Hearing that, Ezran was happy to hear that as he nodded.

Ezran: Okay!

Feeling happy for this moment, Zubeia brought her head closer to Ezran and gave him a motherly lick to him.

Ezran: (Giggles)...!

Ezran laughed at feeling the large tongue sliding all over him. Zubeia was happy as she gave Ezran all the motherly affection he never had under the night sky.

Three stars blinked, as they were happy for them.

I was happy to hear that Zubeia sees Ezran as Zym's brother. This made me make this story. I hope that more short stories will appear.