Chapter 15

Zara swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked back the tears as she watched Tabby walk into the ballroom on her Grandfather’s arm, her little Tabby looked so grown up, a beautiful young woman, her dark eye’s so like her father’s shining with excitement. Tabby’s long silver hair was piled on top of her head, tied up with a green ribbon, long wispy tendrils floating down her back and down the sides of her face, worn around her throat was a wide band of velvet with a cameo in the center, she wore a dress of mint green with dark green dragons flirting through the material, her dimples flashed as she smiled at her mama, Tabby didn’t walk next to her Grandfather she danced along next to him, her every step filled with eagerness, Alex patted her hand and whispered “muffin, can you tone down your boredom a little bit, your fingernails are shooting little sparks into my arm” Tabby looked up at her Grandfather and burst out laughing, every young male heart in the room sighed hearing her laugh like silver bells whispering in the wind. Mal smiled down at Tee tucking her arm around his “you look so beautiful tonight, my Tee” her long shining black hair was pulled back away from her face, pinned back with two gold hair pins in the shape of dragons, hanging down from each pin was a green ribbon, she was dressed in white with green and gold dragons embroidered around the neck, hem and cuffs of her long sleeves. TeeLinn smiled up at Mal “almost as beautiful as you, my Mal” Mal laughed his dimples showing on his strong masculine face, his long black hair was tied back with a green ribbon, he wore a jacket of crushed white velvet, embroidered on the lapels green and gold dragons that matched Tee’s dress. the lace of his shirt showed around the cuffs of his jacket, hanging around his neck an old monocle, and from his watch fob a small gold whistle, a gold earring glinted in the candle light, his breeches snug black, his shoes had tiny gold dragons on the heels. Mal walked into the ballroom with his Tee on his arm, his hand over hers, pride in his Tee shining from his eye’s.

Crispin stood in the doorway to the ballroom and winked at Ruckle and Riley “you ain’t seen nothing yet” Ruckle coughed “might that be, we haven’t seen anything yet, Master Crispin” Crispin grinned “you just might be right Ruckle” Ruckle and Riley smiled at the young man standing so tall and firm before them, he was dressed in a dark green brocade Jacket that seemed to stretch tautly across his broad shoulders, he breeches of black velvet, black knee high boots, his tawny hair tied back with a green ribbon. His hand resting on top of the head of Hellhound who wore a wide green ribbon around his neck as he walked into the ballroom, Crispin winked at Tabby.

“And lo there be dragons upon the land and the mighty wept in fear and the weak rejoiced, look to the skies came the cries of the multitudes, hear the sound of dragons wings and the roar of their voices that cry out for justice in all things. Deep within the forests of the lands, the children find fairies and elves dancing in moonbeams and once again know magic and clap their tiny hands in delight, ohhhhhh for the world to have forgotten such magic, is it lost my friend? never cried the dragon and the unicorn.”

A deep baritone voice rang out from the door of the ballroom, every eye turned to the giant man with the huge mustache, dressed in traditional Cossack clothing, an old green ribbon tied around his shirt button.

Allora put a trembling hand over her mouth and whispered “Sava.”

Connor smiled softly and gave her a little push, Allora went running across the ballroom, Savas’s booming laugh was heard as he picked her up and swung her around.

Ruckle and Riley glanced up at the stairs hearing little muffled giggles and smiled at Holly, Heather and Alana who were tucked against the upper banister with Trink, watching everything. Lexi sighed and looked down at Priss and Cadence, she wished Tommy could be here but understood, he had said last night that he would try and make it after he finished up at the docks, she glanced at Ruckle and Riley “not a word about this dress, Tabby and Tee absolutely, positively insisted I wear it and they wouldn’t let me see their gowns” Riley smiled “you look delightful Miss Lexi” Lexi’s long hair was brushed out until it floated with a life of it’s own, around her head was a gold circlet hanging from the back of the gold band was a green ribbon, to go with the dress which was in the style of a hundred years earlier, it was of gold brocade with tiny green dragons embroidered all through out the skirt, at the top of the low cut bodice were two entwined green embroidered dragons. A hush feel over the room as the woman with the two wild cats, each with a green bow around their necks walked into the ballroom, Tabby hugged Lexi “you look fabulous, we knew you would” Lexi smiled at Tabby “I believe your father is waiting to give the belle of the ball her first waltz” with a look of surprise Tabby turned to see her father standing holding out his hand to her, she blinked back a tear seeing the look of pride on his face, she danced over smiling softly at her papa “I think this is my dance” DeClan said a catch in his voice.