Chapter 2

Laurel watched Shelaw and Morpaw out in the garden, they were talking to Mar and Marti'en, the dragons curled up in the sun, Marti'en sitting in the shade of Mar's large body. Zara not far away giggling and laughing as she played with the butterflies fluttering around the flowers. Going into the music room Laurel sat down with her lute, softly she started to strum the strings, the magic flowing through her fingers, leaning her head against the chair back she closed her eyes and sang, her fingers skipped and danced over the strings of the lute. Zara hearing her mama singing snuggled up with Marti'en and Mar singsong crooning, Marti'en smiled stroking Zara's long tiny neck "when are you going to start singing with your mama Zara?" she asked. Zara her eyes wide looked up at Marti'en "no long long" said Zara, Mar glanced down at Zara "not for a long long time?" Zara nodded with a big smile. Marti'en asked Zara why it would be a long time before she sang with her mama, Zara thought and thought then with a tiny frown started to nibble on a tiny talon. Mar and Marti'en looked at each other, they had never seen Zara do that before. Zara snuggled closer to Mar "human no ready long long." Mar nuzzled Zara's cheek and purred soothingly feeling little shivers of agitation from her "it doesn't matter puffball when your human is ready, even if it is a long time, there's no rush." Zara gave Mar a big hatchling smile and crooned, slowly falling asleep in the afternoon sun listening to Mar's deep thrumming purrs and her mama's singing.

Shelaw smiled "the tiny young one seems content as she is." Marti'en nodded smiling lovingly at the old large dragon and the tiny hatchling all snuggled together sleeping. "I think our little Zara will always do things in her own time and her own way." Morpaw nodded then softly licked Shelaw's cheek "we had one such, always going his own way, many times stumbling down his own path only to move the rocks out of his way and go on again." Shelaw chuckled sadly "more times than not he either kicked them or threw the rocks out of his way, patience was not something he held onto for long, he too was our youngest." Marti'en who often late at night in her woman's heart ached for the children she never had could not imagine what a terrible heartbreak it must be to have children and lose them all.

Renlock sighed "how long are you going to sulk up in that tree Strut?" Strut who was perfectly blended with the trees bark snapped "until hell freezes over if I want, I may not have manners but there was no call for Raimi to try and drown me in that pitcher of milk." Renlock looked up into the tree "suit yourself Strut, stay up there till your old and rot if that pleases you, I'm not going to miss supper just to keep you company. You might consider how difficult this is for Raimi seeing these dragons changing into their human form at will, you've never had to worry about having another side of you that's had to be kept hidden at all times, how many times has she saved your touchy hide or given you her food when you had none or kept you warm under her wings when you were freezing." Turning Renlock walked off only to have Strut flying next to him a moment later "supper? is there more food?" Renlock chuckled "I understand they eat after dark here." Strut grinned widely. ' Raimi watched the men climbing around up in the rocks, Revanche and Connor having changed to dragon as they checked over the mountains and hills. "What are they looking for?" she asked Natalie, her paw stroking Pax's shoulder. Natalie glanced over her shoulder "they are looking for likely places for lair's, just in case you and your friends decide to stay and need a place of your own. Natalie saw a flicker of rage in Raimi's eyes, nibbling on a piece of grass Natalie sat down "you know Raimi no one says you have to live in a lair, you can live in a house, in a cottage or out in the open, that's up to you, over there in the trees there's a large clearing it would be perfect for a small house." Raimi had seen the clearing earlier, the thought of a cottage there was so very tempting. "I don't know anything about building, it would probably fall over if I tried to make a cottage" Raimi said not looking at Natalie. She didn't want this woman to see the longing and pain in her eyes or on her face. Natalie may not of seen it but she felt it "ohh that's no problem, we leave that sort of thing up to Virlane and Rav, they are the house makers, we just tell them what we want, like bathing pools and stables." Raimi wanted to rage at the skies, and lay crying in the soft grass, she had no way to pay these people, she was all ready beholden to them for the food and shelter she had been given. "There is never a question of payment, you and your friends kept Miranda alive, you gave her shelter, besides dragons and dragon kind stick together, it's one of the special things about this group, they look after each other, if you want a place all you have to do is let them know." Raimi stared at Natalie "do you read minds?" Natalie chuckled "I can if I need to but prefer not to, I do though feel a person's thoughts sometimes if they are very strong and intense like yours were just a moment ago." Connor came flying down with a grin "there are some pretty good spots around here, if I ever wanted a lair, this area is where I would come" glancing at Raimi, Connor asked what sort of lair the small dragons preferred, Raimi shrugged "I really don't know, we found Toledoes and Ailysh about two years ago. A wevril had him in its jaws and she was trying to beat on it to make it let go, she has never said anything about where they came from, you can tell from looking at them they are woodland dragons maybe they live in the trees. Strut, he came from hell just to make my life miserable." As they were joined by the other's Natalie took Revanche aside "I think Raimi wants a cottage out in that one clearing we saw, why don't you give her an idea of what can be done, I don't think she quite believed me when I told her." Revanche nodded, he walked over to Raimi asking her to show him the clearing. Raimi, not quite sure what was up, took Revanche to the clearing, with a smile he pointed to one spot "is this where you want a place?" Raimi blinked to see a large cottage right down to shutters on the windows standing where he had pointed. Holding out her paw she edged forward when her paw touched real wood and stone she cautiously peered in one of the windows. Revanche chuckled "it's not exactly large dragon size but more human size but it gives you an idea of what we can do." Raimi still fearful the cottage would vanish at any moment carefully opened the door, giving it a little push she stuck her head in the door way, her whole body seemed to sigh with wanting as she saw curtains, old comfortable chairs and sofas, small round rugs on the floor, a big fireplace that you could put a small tree in. Natalie said silently to Revanche she was pretty sure Raimi was half human but didn't want anyone to know for some reason she hadn't figured out yet. Revanche peeked in a window "it's pretty good if I don't say so myself, let me change it and make it more dragon size for you, add a few more extras." Raimi whirled around "no don't!, I mean no this is fine, just fine as it is, is there a bathing pool like at Laurel's house inside?" Revanche grinned "there is now, do you want the oil pool also." Raimi shook her head "no the one pool is just fine, is there a kitchen? it's been at least thirty years since I've been in one but I remember what they look like." Revanche changed to his human form and went in the door "why don't you come take a look inside, there's a kitchen but you might want it made larger or move things." He was shocked to see terror in her eyes as she backed away from the door shaking her head "not right now maybe later, it's going to be dark soon, we have to go." Before he could say anything she was all ready in the sky circling around waiting for everyone, Revanche once again changed to his dragon form and joined her "it's going to be a full moon tonight, plenty of light to see for the riders to return home, you seem upset, what's the problem?" Raimi took a deep breath, for a moment she had expected the mist to descend and the wevrils to come out, she shook her head "no problem, I just am not used to being out when it gets dark, I'll have to find some candles for the house or will it disappear now?" Revanche sensed there was more to what she was saying but let it go "there are lanterns and candles in the house, no it won't disappear it's there until you no longer want it." A short time later as they rode back to the Manor House, Raimi flying above them. Alex explained to Revanche and the others what he and Connor had seen when they went through the mirror to get Miranda. Revanche thought to himself, no wonder she didn't venture out after dark.

Miranda lay on the blanket in Christopher's arms, she sighed deeply with contentment listening to the sounds all around her, the birds singing, the insects buzzing, a slight warm breeze rustled the tall grass of the meadow where they were laying. Christopher without opening his eyes smiled as he ran his fingers up Miranda's bare back "so you like the idea of a house here in the valley, I'm glad, I think it will be a wonderful place to live, close to the main house but far enough away to give the feeling of our own private world, the unicorn forest is right over the hill, sometimes at night they like to come wandering through the meadow it's an amazing sight to see the little ones dancing and playing in the moonlight. Perhaps one day our little ones will be out dancing in the moonlight with them." Miranda smiled "can we dance with them too?" Christopher laughed rolling over, he smiled down at Miranda "my sweet Mandy we'll do more than dance with them, have I told you how much I love you today?" Miranda gently touched his lips with her fingertips "a dozen times." Christopher kissed her fingertips "good, I don't think I can ever say it enough, it won't take long at all for the house to be ready, I don't want anything huge where you can hear your own footsteps echoing when you walk down a hall, just big enough for us and at least half a dozen little ones running around gnawing on the furniture." Miranda giggled thinking of Zara. With a sigh Christopher stood up, reaching down he pulled Miranda to her feet, "it's getting late, time for you to be heading home, one day soon when I say that we'll just walk across the meadow and through the front doors." As Miranda dressed she smiled to herself, Christopher tipped up her face and gave her a quick kiss "care to tell." Miranda chuckled "I was remembering mama telling me about the old church and the priest that married she and papa, I wonder if he's still there." Christopher winked "we'll just have to find out."

Laurel chuckled as she walked into the parlor, "it must be a day for scheme's what are you two up too?" she asked, seeing Natalie and Bitsy with their heads together talking quietly but intently. Bitsy grinned "I wanted to talk to Natalie before she headed home" then whispered in Laurel's ear. Laurel grinned "ohh my, that should be fun to watch." Natalie grinned with a wicked little grin "oh won't it just, how about tomorrow morning?" Laurel almost giggled "sounds good, where would you suggest?" Bitsy grinned "I would suggest a bedroom." Alex walked in to see Natalie, Laurel and Bitsy all giggling and snickering wildly. Without saying a word Alex turned right around and left, telling Mar as he passed "you might not want to go in there, the females are snickering, never a good sign." Mar turned right around and followed Alex into the book room.

Izzie came out of the kitchen to find an odd looking small dragon pacing up and down the length of the dining room "if you're that hungry you could always just ask for something in the kitchen, my boy" Izzie said. Strut whirled hearing a horrid moaning sound come from behind a door. Izzie chuckled at the sounds Cook was making, pushing open the kitchen door Izzie chuckled at Cook "I don't think this one will set you on fire, just eat you out of the kitchen." Cook poked her head out of the kitchen door "do you puff lad?" Strut squinted his eyes at the woman "who are you calling a lad, I'll have you know I'm a full grown dragon and I have no idea what puffing is, so more than likely don't do it." Cook raised an eyebrow at Izzie "touchy isn't he." Izzie grinned "little packages you know." Cook holding her huge bosom laughed "speaking of which." Trink winked at Izzie "well now there yea be me purty, yea seen me boyo Connor?" Izzie put her hands on her hips saying to Cook who was holding the kitchen door open for Strut "that's all he thinks I'm good for, keeping track of his boyo." Trink winked at Izzie "now yea know that ain't true Izzie me girly, why yea tie a might fine bow yea do." With a chortle Trink all but pranced out of the dining room.