Chapter 1

Zara sat on the special chair that Mar had made especially for her and watched Mar and Bartolow trying to figure out what they had done wrong with the experiment they were trying. The workroom was a mess, from the last little explosion, she listened to Mar muttering and chuckled, Mar turned around asking if she had her latin translation done, Zara nodded "yes, I'm all done." Mar frowned and came over to look, handing her a book of Italian he told her to translate pages one through ten and went back to the work table. Zara sighed "I thought we were going to work on Russian translations today?" Mar glanced over his shoulder "we'll work on those tomorrow" then went back to his formula. Angry, Zara flew over to the work table picked up the pen Bartolow had just set down, turning Mar's paper over she wrote a formula down, set the pen back in its holder and went back to her chair and the Italian book. Mar frowned "I would have figured it out shortly, no need to get snippy and prove me wrong." Zara smiled "you just like blowing up the workroom that's all." Neither Mar or Bartolow smiled back as they started to try the formula Zara wrote down, quickly finishing the translation, she handed it to Mar "it's time for me to go home, bye Mar, bye Bartolow" then left the lair. Mar raised an eyeridge "that's the first time I've heard her call you anything other than Barto Bear." Bartolow nodded feeling very saddened.

Zara played out in the garden with Hellhound, wrapping her small arms around his neck she sighed "what's wrong with everyone these days Hell, mama is upset because now that Connor is captaining his own Flying Dragon ship he isn't home very often, Miranda is so busy with Christopher and the unicorns she rarely comes around anymore, and never seems to have time to even say hi. Mar gets grouchier and grouchier every day, and just shoves stuff at me to learn, he never talks to me anymore. No one has time for me anymore Hell but I don't know why." Hellhound licked Zara's little cheek and went off howling at a rabbit that he had spotted in the bushes. A short time later Zara sent Hellhound home to Raimi and Revanche and went inside to wash for dinner. Alex smiled at Zara "you have a good day Puffball?" Zara shrugged "it was ok, nothing special." Laurel chuckled "I gather Mar didn't blow the wall out of the lair today." Zara shook her head "not today." Alex turned to Laurel asking her if Virlane had found out yet who had purchased the property west of The Keep, last he had heard no one had found out the name yet and it was driving Virlane to distraction. Laurel shook her head "I talked to Kat this morning and so far they had not been able to find out anything, she told me whoever bought the property is building a castle complete with turrets, gables, and towers, she said it looks like a fortress and whoever it is, is using magic to build it which really has Virlane concerned." Zara listened to her parents talking as she ate her dinner, after she finished she excused herself and went upstairs, she opened the door to Miranda's room and just looked for a moment then went to Connors room, then went to her own room. Laurel tapped on Zara's door and quietly went in, sitting on a chair by her bed Laurel asked "what's the matter Zara?" Zara nibbled on her tiny talon, shrugging Zara said she was just bored and tired with translating texts, Laurel offered to talk to Mar and see if they couldn't work out some new course but Zara shook her head saying she would talk to Mar tomorrow. Laurel gave Zara a hug "if you need help with anything sweetie all you have to do is let us know." Zara nodded "I know mama." Laurel kissed Zara on the cheek and tucked her blankets around her telling Zara to sleep tight. Zara wrapped her small arms around bear and lay thinking for a long time.

Zara got up the next morning, quickly ate her breakfast, told her mother and father that she was going to go see Raimi then go to Mar's. Giggling to herself Zara sat talking to Raimi who was so huge she couldn't get out of the chair in the living room without help. Zara put a big glass of lemon water on the table next to Raimi along with a plate of fruit. Zara smiled "do you need anything else Raimi?" Raimi chuckled "you could do my breakfast dishes and my laundry." Zara giggled "all done." Raimi laughed "you're the perfect helper, now tell me why your here and not with Mar studying." Zara frowned "he gets annoyed with me all the time it seems like, I'll go over later but not right now. Raimi do you still like me?" Raimi looked at Zara in surprise "what a question to ask, of course I like you Zara, I love you very dearly, what made you say something like that?" Zara shrugged "I don't think anyone likes me anymore Raimi, no one has any time for me, they're all so busy, I feel like an after thought." Raimi picked Zara up and set her on her huge tummy giving her a hug "awww Zara don't ever think things like that, everyone loves you so much, you'll always be special to all of us, see feel the baby he's kicking away telling you the same thing." Zara giggled purring and nuzzling Raimi's tummy "I think he is just in a hurry to come say hi to everyone." Raimi chuckled "the sooner the better, then maybe I won't look like a stuffed duck." Zara laughed gave Raimi a hug saying she had to go talk to Mar, reminding Raimi that if she needed anything just to call to her.

Mar frowned at Zara "your late" Zara nodded "I stopped to see Raimi." Zara said hello to Bartolow, distracted Bartolow said good morning and went back to his papers. "What are you trying to do this morning?" Zara asked. Mar telling Zara to sit down, set some papers in front of her telling her that they were papers he wanted her to translate from English into Russian, nothing major just a few small spells to start with. Zara shrugged and did as Mar asked her, then sat listening to him and Bartolow talking about an illuminating globe that would make it easier to read when the light was poor or dark. Zara almost laughed out loud watching the two as they kept casting spells making these little balls but the clear balls would suddenly with a pop break apart, "I can help" Zara told them. Mar turned with a raised eyeridge "this is a bit more advanced than making a flame that won't burn, are you done all ready?" Zara sighed "yes Mar I'm all done." Mar padded over and looked at the papers, when Zara saw him reaching for another Italian book she got up from her small chair "I would like the small gold box you've been holding for me Mar." Mar froze then turned slowly "I'll find it for you later, it's here somewhere." Zara shook her head "it belongs to me Mar, I would like it now." Mar looked at Zara intently "why don't you let me keep it for awhile longer, besides it might take me some time to find it, I stuck it away years ago." Zara looked at Mar in surprise "you don't want to give it to me, do you? Just because you don't like DeClan, what difference does that make, you don't like me anymore either, you think I don't know where it is? I've always known where it was, I would never misplace DeClan's heart." The small gold box appeared in Zara's tiny paw. Zara looked sadly at Mar "I didn't think you would do that to me Mar, I'm sorry I've been such a pest for so many years, goodbye Mar" Zara vanished leaving behind a large globe inside a bright white light glowed softly under it a scroll with the spell telling how to make it work. Mar roared Zara's name.

DeClan stood next to the bed his face showed no emotion as he watched his mother take another harsh rattling breath. Tabitha reached out a frail hand "it is finished my son, finally I can go in peace, you are a man full grown, I know you have stayed all these years to protect me and I have stayed all these years trying to make sure you were safe, you still have a spark of kindness and gentleness in you please don't let it die with me." DeClan held his mothers frail thin hand in his own "I won't Mother, be at peace now, there is no more either of us can do to save the other, the thread that has bound us here will break tonight then we both shall be free." Tabitha tried to take another breath "I love you my son" then she closed her eyes and with a smile on her lips died. DeClan turned to the old woman standing back away from the bed "prepare her body for burial" then strode out of the room. Leander looked up with a snarl as DeClan walked into the study "you disturb my train of thought, leave!" DeClan snarled back "she is dead" Leander nodded but said not a word just went back to his books, DeClan turned on his heels and left the room.

The old woman stood in the doorway looking out into the garden, the only place of color and life in this old ruin she thought, her eyes went to the man standing so rigid and tall next to a rose bush. She had washed the birthing blood from his body, fed him when his mother could not, she had watched him grow into a tall, vibrant man, but the harsh years had taken their toll, at 24 his long jet black hair that he wore in a braid at the nape of his neck had streaks of gray at the temples, his muscular body was always tense as if expecting an attack from any dark corner, which many times had been the case, his dark black eyes were always ice cold never showing emotion, she knew for him to show any emotion was to invite attack on an emotional level, he had learned quickly not to show his feelings, he had also learned over the years to retaliate in the same cruel vicious manner. "It is done" she told DeClan, he nodded "I leave on the morrow, if you choose you may join me, Mother would not want you to suffer any longer here, there is a place of safety if you want it Lynn." She nodded tiredly "I will go with you, there is nothing to keep me here now, I came with your Mother, I will leave with her passing." DeClan looked down at the old woman who had many times when he was a small child wiped his tears and soothed his pains "be ready, it shall be swift and final." For a moment he felt a warmth over his heart and a small smile touched his lips, Zara had put the ruby heart on again, "it is not time yet little one, you have not finished growing up but the day will come soon, doubt not one day I shall come for you," DeClan whispered into the breeze.

Zara sat in Miranda's and her mama's lair for a long time ignoring Mar's silent calls for her to return so they could talk, when her papa called to her with a worried tone in his voice, Zara wiped the tears off her cheeks touched the ruby heart now hanging around her neck one more time and went home. Zara appeared in the parlor, she could of screamed seeing Mar, her mama and papa and Marti'en all waiting for her. Alex frowned at Zara "what's going on Zara?" Zara looked at her father "there's nothing going on, Mar had something that belonged to me, I wanted it back, that's all." Alex saw Zara start to nibble on a tiny talon "there's more to it than that, why don't you tell us what it is." Nedra purred softly to Alex and Laurel "carefully my sweet poppets, Zara is filled with confusion, her human is close to finally being ready to appear, she is filled with turmoil, our ohhh sooo little delight is frightened by these internal mutterings and seeks loving reassurance but finds only busy family and friends." Everyone blinked and pulled back as Zara roared and a flame shot across the room, she pointed a tiny talon at Mar "he treats me like I'm a baby nitwit, he gets busy with Bartolow blowing up the workroom and then remembers I'm there like an afterthought and tosses a few translations at me, he doesn't want me there and I know it." Zara almost screaming roared "I went to see Miranda and she tells me not to be so noisy and clumsy I might startle the unicorns, papa, you and mama went to London to see Connor's new ship launched but I had to stay behind because you were afraid someone might see me and not understand about dragons, I wanted to see the ship too, I could of watched from the carriage or something. Why did you leave me behind? Did you ever look at Miranda's old room or Connor's then look at mine, why don't you some day!" Zara touched the ruby heart and hissed "nobody else may want me but DeClan does." Zara stood her tiny chest heaving tears pouring down her face. Alex took Zara in his arms and hugged her to his chest "ohh puffball, you should have told us you felt this way, not want you? Your mama and I have wanted you and loved you even before you were born, I remember the first time you and Mar saw each other, it was love at first sight, everyone gets busy from time to time Zara but that doesn't mean they've stopped loving someone, just that they need a poke now and then that they have had their nose stuck in a book or a spell to long. I'll speak to Miranda about coming out of her unicorn forest more often, now what's this about rooms?" Alex handed Zara a handkerchief as she sniffled "Miranda's room is all pretty with lacy flowered curtains and things, Connor's room has all sorts of things in it like the small boats he used to build, it's bright and sunny, look at my room, it's just there, no pretty wallpaper, no pretty curtains, just bear, a little silver bell on a ribbon and the crystal bowl Nedra left once filled with fruit." Laurel smiled gently brushing her fingers along Zara's neck "Connor and Miranda enjoyed spending time in their rooms when they were little, you were always so busy hanging from chandeliers, gnawing on peoples ankles and playing with Mar and Hellhound you never paid any attention to your room, you never seemed interested in what it looked like, we can fix it up any way you want sweetie, we're sorry you felt left out about Connor's ship, your papa and I did what we thought best at the time." Zara sniffled and nodded then looked at a very sad unhappy Mar. "I'm sorry for the things I said Mar, I was afraid I had lost my very best friend, that you didn't like me anymore." Mar sniffled and wiped his eyes "I wasn't trying to keep the box from you Zara just worried about you, because you had not mentioned it in so many years, I know I get wrapped up in my workroom and my little experiments, you'll just have to puff at me more often." Alex tipped Zara's small chin up "as to DeClan, your mother and I don't know the boy, but honestly Zara from what we've heard he is not a good person." Zara frowned "that's not fair papa, he isn't bad, he's just had to be that way to survive." Seeing that Alex was about to say more on the subject of DeClan, Laurel said soothingly "perhaps at the next gathering we will have a chance to get to know the boy better, for now let's not worry about it. Zara why don't you and I go see what changes you'd like to make to your room." Marti'en sighed softly as Laurel and Zara left the room "I always hope that the teen years will be kind but it rarely happens, you were lucky with Miranda and Connor, Alex but I'm afraid you're not going to be so lucky with our little Zara." Alex nodded with a sigh of his own "it will be interesting that's for sure, from what Nedra just told me Zara's human is finally thinking about making an appearance, let's hope she just thinks about it during the next few years, that was a hell of a flame she shot across the room, I don't think I can handle a raging hormonal little dragoness and her human at the same time." Marti'en laughed, Mar chuckled "life has not been dull since Zara was born, why expect it change now."