Ascension

For the next few days Izadora was quiet and was seen touching her necklace abstractedly. Calista could not help but worry, but Hagar insisted that they give her time. She continued to work at the smithy, she did her chores, and she did everything she was supposed to do, but she seemed withdrawn. One morning a few weeks later a stranger walked out of Izadora’s bedroom and went to the kitchen to have breakfast. Calista nearly dropped the bowl of hot porridge she had been holding when she saw her. She was Izadora obviously, but her elvish heritage was clear. Large blue eyes framed in dark lashes, shiny black curls cascaded down her back, her features were less rounded than before, and her ears were delicately pointed. She just stared at them quietly until Calista asked breathlessly, “What have you done? Where is your necklace?”

Izadora shrugged, “I thought it was time to take it off and see who I really am”

Hagar cleared his throat, “child you are who you have always been. Your outward appearance does not change that.”

Izadora looked at her uncle. “Why should I have to lie to myself about who and what I am?”

“You know the truth about your heritage yes, but it is dangerous to be as an elf here and to be all alone. There is no army to protect you, no huntsmen. Only your aunt and I and we cannot be everywhere at once. Please, put the necklace on. If you want to take it off sometimes, we understand, but please put it back on now. Don’t walk out the door without it.”

Izadora looked at them through cool blue eyes. Calista almost shivered at how cold they looked in that moment. Then she remembered this was Izadora her beloved niece and she spoke once more, “please love, for us if not for yourself. Not only would it tear us apart if something happened to you the town would turn on us too.”

That information startled Izadora for a moment. After a moments consideration she pulled the necklace from her pocket and put it on. Her features blurred momentarily, and she was again the “human” Izadora they were familiar with. Calista felt that when she looked at her true form it was easy to forget who she was, and she was afraid; not of her, but for her.

***

Kiera and 9-year-old Izadora sat at the dinner table finishing their supper when there came shouts and raucous calling. Izadora joined her mother in their front garden and watched listening to the tales and boasts coming from the men dragging the battered carcass of the green beast that had poached the ram and killed Gareth Anderton and their prized cow. The two of them stood in silence watching as they all paraded past. Izadora felt a strange chill run down her spine. Seeing the dragon like that was terrible. It pulled at something deep within her. She remembered her mother saying they were sacred. Perhaps that was what it was, or maybe it was just sadness at seeing such an amazing creature dead. Kiera ushered Izadora back inside and started clearing the table. She needed to get Izadora to sleep, but. It would be hard for her to sleep with the celebration and bonfire for those returned from hunting the dragon.

Izadora climbed into bed and got comfortable so that Kiera could tuck her in. As she lay there looking at her mother, she wondered about what she had seen. “Mama, why did those men kill the dragon? You said it was sacred.”

Kiera brushed her daughter’s unruly curls away from her face and smiled sadly. “Some humans don’t understand the way of nature and of life and death. They seek to control it for themselves and so they end the life of something that should have lived and sometimes they let something bad live because they are too busy chasing the innocent.”

Izadora looked up at her mother with troubled blue eyes. Kiera smiled and kissed her forehead. “Get some sleep love, we can talk about it more later.” Izadora wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck and snuggled in. She loved the smell of her, flowery and sweet. After a few minutes she laid back and wished her mother a good night. Kiera left the room and went out to the kitchen to make herself a special cup of tea. She searched in the back of her cupboard for a small box. Within the box sat a piece of dried root. She scraped a small amount off into the herbs used for the tea. After drinking she went to lay down. By the time she had reached her bed she felt like she might pass out. Suddenly she was soaring across the sea, at least her mind was. She traveled through the forest and entered the dreams of her mother. Her mother Kivanaari was shocked to see her daughter in her dreams. She wondered what trick her mind was playing on her. Kiera looked drawn and felt so tired. She sighed heavily and then spoke “Mother, be prepared. The people where I live killed a dragon. A young greenback, and I worry for the repercussions”. Her mother waived that concern away as if it were not of utmost importance. She wrapped her arms around Kiera and cried. Kierra fidgeted uncomfortably and shrugged to dislodge her mother. She felt uncomfortable with the affection. Her mother had not seen her since that fateful day they had fought, and Kiera had ridden off in a temper. The words spoken that day were harsh and demanding. That was the last memory of her mother, not this woman clinging to her with tears glistening in bright green eyes.

“Where have you been daughter? I thought you were dead… I have been mourning you for almost 11 years!” her mother sobbed, and Kiera hesitantly wrapped her arms around her. “Mother, we do not have time for this. Suffice it to say I have lived. I have a child, and I fear for all our safety here.”

That brought her mother up short, “A child… I have a grandchild?” Her eyes were wide and pleading. Kiera nodded once, “I have a child. It will be your choice if you claim her as your grandchild. I will only ask that if something happens to me, when she comes looking for our people you will welcome her and help her to learn who she is.”

Kivanaari looked puzzled. “How would she not know who she is?”

Kiera looked strained, “She has been raised as a human and does not know her elvish ancestry.” She raised a hand to stop her mother’s outrage at her only grandchild raised as human. “Mother I do not want to hear it. It is necessary for her survival and for mine, to appear human. Please, I cannot stay much longer. Will you give me your word to help her?” Kierra clutched her mother’s upper arms tightly, “Will you?!”

Kivanaari nodded, “Of course… of course. What is her name?”

Kiera smiled released her grip rubbing her mother’s arms in apology, “Her name is Izadora Kivanara Graylock. She has black curly hair and sky-blue eyes. I believe she will wear my face, or close enough to it that you would recognize me in her.” Kiera’s face distorted with pain. “Mother I cannot stay any longer. I love you and… I am sorry.”

With that Kiera faded from the dream and woke in a cold sweat her stomach churning. She lurched upright and ran to the privy spewing up the remnants of dinner. She knew it would happen, but it had been so long since she had used this blend to travel in spirit that it seemed particularly hard on her. She wrapped an arm around herself as the sun began to rise and she heard Izadora stirring. It was a new day, and she would have to figure out how to save the villagers from their folly.

***

As the days passed Izadora spent increased time in her true form when she was home. She kept her necklace always with her in case she would need to put it on quickly, but there was a definite change in her mood. She seemed more distant and infinitely sadder. When Calista tried to talk to her, she would simply smile and deny that there was anything wrong. She would answer with an “I’m fine” which infuriated Calista. In a moment of pique, she realized she had only herself to blame. Had she not modeled that exact behavior for the past 7 years?

Knocking on Izadora’s door softly Calista waited a moment then opened the door to peer inside. She found Izadora sitting at her desk staring into the mirror. She was so still. Calista walked up behind her quietly wanting to be seen in the mirror so as not to startle her. She laid a hand on Izadora’s shoulder gently. “Will you talk to me love? Tell me what is going on in your head?”

Izadora smiled wanly. “I cannot help but wonder if she would have told me the truth by now if she were still here. I wonder if she would have taken me to meet her people. I wonder if she was simply too ashamed of me to do so. I wonder what her life was before I came into it, before the king ruined her life and father saved her. You said she was a noble, do you know what her rank was?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know. It wasn’t something we spoke of often. She mostly seemed to want to forget about her past. I think the only way to know would be to talk to her people. The only thing I know is that there had been harsh words spoken and she had left to cool her head. She had gone further than she meant to and was caught unawares by the king and his men. I’m sorry I don’t know more.”

Izadora stared at her with haunted blue eyes, “It’s my fault she’s dead?”

Calista leaned down and squeezed her niece’s shoulders, “Ah no… that was not your fault darling. It was the fault of the men who tried to kill the razorback with which you were communing. You would have died had your mother jumped in front of you. Dragons were sacred to her and her people. Some of her people had a gift, she said they were called DragonSingers. They were gifted in communicating with dragons telepathically. It was a rare gift as I heard it. You seem to have that gift, even the talisman you wore couldn’t keep that magic from manifesting itself.”

***

Izadora had just celebrated her 10th birthday when the most amazing thing happened. Dragons had come in droves over Elmrock Forest. They came in different colors and breeds and she was in awe of what she saw. Her mother had gone pale when she saw the dragons, especially the great silver beast that stood on the mountain side and roared her displeasure. Kiera began muttering and Izadora could not understand her words. She watched as her mother began to frantically gather items and after looking at Izadora for a long while she packed a bag for her as well.

“Now listen my love, can you be very brave?” Kierra asked looking Izadora in the eye. “This is especially important. We need to go to the mountain to talk with the great silver dragon. She is the leader of this brood, and we must try to intervene, or the villagers and all that we love will die.”

Eyes wide, Izadora nodded slowly, “I can be brave, and I want to help.”

Kiera smiled warmly at her only daughter, “You are the joy of my heart Izadora. I am truly blessed to be your mother.” She hugged her tight then running a hand down her long curly hair she said, “Get your coat and mittens, it will be cold on the mountain.”

When they set off for the mountain and the large silver dragon Izadora was mostly excited. As they got closer and closer to the dragon, she became a bit scared. They passed several different dragons, and she could hear their hissing growls in her head. Cursing them for coming near their queen, for killing their kindred. Kiera spoke then, in a language Izadora did not understand. She didn’t know her mother could speak another language, let alone something so guttural. The dragons around them lifted their heads in surprise then nodded their heads. She heard them grant permission to move forward. As they neared the great silver dragon a red razorback stepped into their path to stop them getting any closer to their Queen. The razorback growled low and Kiera paused as if thinking how to respond. Then Izadora spoke up, “He wants to know why we are here.”

Kiera looked at her daughter with wide eyes full of surprise and delight. “You understand him?”

Izadora nodded. Kierra looked from her to the dragon and saw the dragon watching the little girl intently. “Will you tell him we’ve come to make peace with the queen?”

Izadora nods again and then looked without fear into the flashing red eyes of the dragon and spoke aloud in a lilting little girl voice, “We have come to make peace with your queen. What is her name? I’m Izadora and this is my mother, Kiera.”

The razorback rumbled low, and Izadora laughed, “Of course we can, I’m talking to you now! What’s your name?” The dragon rumbled again and turned its red gaze on Kiera. She responded to his look with that guttural language. He pulled his head up in surprise and then gave a brief nod. As he turned to indicate they could pass Kiera squeezed Izadora’s hand. “You are doing well my brave girl”

Izadora beamed at her mother. “He says his name is Jeldrenir and the Queen is Enantha”

“Thank you darling.”

As they approached the dragon queen, Kiera stared in awe. She was not a DragonSinger, but the man she had loved in her old life was. She had been close enough to dragons to not be completely terrified, but still she had a respectful fear. She thought her daughter would at least be safe no matter what else happened today. She felt sure the dragons would protect Izadora. As Kiera began to speak to the Queen in that guttural language Izadora turned back to Jeldrenir and started talking to him in her high childish voice. She laughed musically at something he had said, and then the red dragon roared and the Queen took flight. Kiera spun around just as Jeldrenir had turned to blaze fire on the ones that stood behind him attacking his flank. Moving faster than even she knew she could, Kiera jumped in front of Izadora to shield her, the fire lanced across her right side as the dragon turned. He had not meant to hit her or the child with his flame. He was frightened and in pain and had to defend his queen. Kiera slumped to the ground her eyes wide with shock. She looked at Izadora, her beautiful black-haired beauty and wondered if this was going to be her end. She had seen in a vision that she would die by fire, but she had not realized the source. Tears slid down her eyes as she clutched at Izadora with her unburned hand.

“Listen to me love. You need to hide, and you need to get down the mountain to your aunt and uncles house. They will help you. Tell them what happened.”

Izadora protested tears running from her eyes “I can’t leave you!” Kiera squeezed harder. “You can and you will. Do you understand. The only way to help me is to get there and be safe. You can come to get me when everything is done.”

Sniffling she nodded and then she turned and ran. She ran past the roaring dragons and the dying men. She didn’t know where they had come from, but she cursed them just the same as inventively as she could. She called out to the Queen, “Please spare my mother Enantha! We never meant harm I swear!”

The great silver queen had heard the little one as she ran through the forest and her violet eyes followed her every move. She watched as she ran into a home and came out again with a man and woman who turned to the mountainside with horror. The man picked her up and they all ran back inside. She could just hear the girl crying for her mother. She then ordered her dragons to attack the village. She also ordered that the house containing the DragonSinger girl be left unharmed.