Chapter Twelve
It took mere days for Karina to lay Carmichael’s eggs and the process was quite laborious. Thankfully, with the curse now lifted, dozens of dragons had returned to the land.
“A den mother lies in her dragon from around the eggs in order to keep them warm,” Carmichael explained. The young dragon, Yzmalan, a water dragon that had been buried at the very bottom of the sea, circled around their eggs and breathed a small jet of flame on the stone ground around them.
Karina watched warily, but when the eggs didn’t appear harmed, a smile spread across her lips and she looked towards Yzmalan with gratitude. “Thank you, Yzmalan, for taking care of them,” she said, heart genuinely happy that someone more capable could care for her and Carmichael’s children until they hatched.
“Human Karina, it is little trouble. I have a brood of my own that’s been waiting to be laid since before the war,” Yzmalan insisted as she lifted her slender, pale blue head from the eggs just long enough to meet her new Queen’s gaze.
“You need rest and you won’t get that here worrying over these little ones. Go relax and get your sleep,” she commanded, just before returning to bathing the newly laid dragon eggs in her care with jets of blue toned fire.
Carmichael, as his magnificent golden dragon form and Karina, sitting on top of his scaled head, walked out of the egg den and up into the castle. It was still unfamiliar, and needed great care to once more return to its former glory. The Hall of Dragons was the real castle of the land, not Danasi’s human sized castle. It was almost as magnificent as the dragons themselves were. But then, anything large enough a full sized dragon could walk through would be impressive.
“How many broods and den mothers stay in the egg den at one time?” Karina asked as they walked, hand moving as if to run along an egg bump, but instead, it ran against her stomach. In some ways, she missed carrying the eggs herself.
Carmichael looked thoughtful for a brief moment and shrugged smiling. “We nested in an offseason, either spring or fall,” he explained, looking a little sheepish. “It would protect each brood from too much heat from the summers or too cold of winds from the winters.”
“I see. Is it bad we nested early?” Karina asked, anxiety fluttering in her heart. She didn’t want any hardship to befall her unhatched babies.
Carmichael laughed softly, the sound enormous and thunderous as it echoed through the massive stone hallway they walked through. “No. This was long ago, before human or even elf lived in the land, before the Hall of the Dragons and my reign as King. Give it a few months and allow more of the dragons to shake free from Danasi’s curse. There will be a dozen or so den mothers, all with broods of one to four. I wish you could have seen this place in the spring and summer before it had sat abandoned for over two hundred years,” he sighed. For a moment, his gaze was far away as he imagined what his home had been.
“The elves sang to the flowers and trees, until they bloomed so brightly and fully that the scent of flower permeated the air. Hatchlings would be around every corner, getting under feet and causing trouble. They were always cute and innocent though, unable to do any wrong.”
Karina smiled and closed her eyes, almost able to picture what Carmichael said.
“Someday, it will be that spectacular again,” she assured.
“Of course it will, some day,” Carmichael agreed. “One day, I’d like to go out and see if the elves are truly all gone. They were such a smart, gentle race... I wouldn’t be surprised if they managed to hide in the forests of the mountains all this time, just biding their time until it was safe to return.”
“Mmm...” Karina was unsure of how to respond. Like most humans, she knew little about the mysterious elves. Even less had been known of them than had been known about dragons.
Inevitably, though, her thoughts were drawn back towards her eggs. Her thoughts always seemed to be with her eggs. She sighed wistfully.
“How long will it take them to hatch?” she asked, to which another low bout of laughter rumbled up through Carmichael’s chest. “I miss them...”
“Patience, my dear,” he hummed, as he slowly unfurled his wings just beneath the opening to their quarters and leaped up into the air with Karina on his back.
Though the flight was over within seconds, Karina’s heart still pounded with blissful exhilaration. If she had things her way, she’d never be on the ground, but as King of a broken kingdom, Carmichael was busy enough that they’d only take a single flight per day.
“They’ll hatch soon and you’ll be able to meet them,” he promised, lowering his head so she could climb down from him and onto the bed.
“I know, I know. I was not gifted with patience,” Karina admitted, just as their room filled with a light golden glow as Carmichael’s massive dragon form shrank smaller and smaller, changing shape until he was fully human once again.
Slowly, he joined her on the bed, smiling as he pulled her up into his lap. “My dear, soon they will hatch and all will be well.”
“Of course it will,” Karina agreed with a sigh.
The pair relaxed on the bed. Humming, Karina crawled over to Carmichael so he could wind his arms around her and pull her close to his chest. Their breath mingled together as she stretched out against him, a contented smile on her lips.
“You know... I love you so much,” she whispered softly, pressing her lips against his neck.
Carmichael laughed a low, rumbling laugh and kissed the top of her head. “I love you too, my dear Karina, more than my life.”
Karina had never been happier and as they embraced together in bed, curled up in each other’s arms, she couldn’t help but smile at his affectionate words. How far away her jousting life seemed now. She was going to be a mother of two, was the Queen of all the land of Grizlenzadi and was mated to the long-lost Dragon King. A happiness flooded her long indifferent heart and for once, she looked forward to the future.
After all, she had a family now and she’d do anything to keep it.