Laila's Lament

Fragility.

That was the thought that always came to mind whilst Laila roamed the forests when the leaves turned to colors of gold and crimson. Every leaf, branch, and bark would crumble beneath her weight, becoming nothing but dust whenever she deigned to move. The forest itself seemed to shudder beneath her body, every movement causing leaves to detach from their branches, encircling her frame as if they were drawn to her very presence. So often would they blanket her dark blue scales that she would sometimes feel as if she was one with the forest, becoming nothing more than a mirage of morning colors that blended into the background, isolated from the gazes of the living.

Laila came to the forest only when the incessant groans of her stomach grew too painful to bear and her base instincts demanded food for survival, leaving no room for peace. The woods were tranquil when the leaves began to fall, as all creatures prepared for hibernation to wait out the bitter cold’s bite. She would oftentimes fully immerse herself into the fallen leaves and join with the forest for the few moments she stayed awake, before returning to her cavern until the seasons changed once again.

It was a simple, silent way of living, one of contentment and survival.

Laila’s life maintained this course for years untold, and perhaps she would have continued to survive like this until the end of time. However, just as fate can be cruel, it can also be kind.

As Laila roamed the forests one day, a strange and unfamiliar cry pierced the serenity of the silent forest. It did not match the call of any creature that she’d known to call these lands their own and did not relent in its cries, screaming for hours on end despite Laila’s attempts to ignore the strange sounds. Creatures that were normally careless now frantically darted to-and-fro, alarmed by the alien shriek in the distance.

Unable to bear such sounds any longer, Laila outstretched her scaled wings and took flight, causing the carefully placed leaves that had fallen upon her back to scatter. It took naught but moments until the dragon’s azure eyes focused upon a small clearing near the edge of the forest, where a strange shape waddled about. Manipulating the winds with both her wings and her Will, Laila brought herself toward the opening, navigating the skies with familiarity as acres of forest passed her by in mere moments. As the clearing grew closer, Laila dove toward the forest’s top before pulling back her wings and bringing her momentum to an instant halt with a thunderous snap from the wind, slowly descending onto the grey grass below.

As she approached the scene, she noticed a black-haired woman clad in an embroidered silken tunic laid upon the ground before her, the golden hues of her clothing stained with darkened shades of red as three arrows protruded from her back. Her features were fair with pale blue eyes, lips sharing the same color, showing she had been laying there dead for some time. It was clear that the screeching had not come from the woman, although strangely when Laila had approached the scene, the cries that had been so persistent moments before had now silenced. Turning her head to the side, the dragon soon saw the shout’s source as a pair of poorly concealed feet quickly drew themselves behind a small rock.

As Laila approached, a soft but clear whimpering grew louder with each step that she took. Craning her neck so that she could look upon whatever was hiding from her gaze, Laila’s eyes widened in surprise as the creature behind the screaming was revealed. It was a small thing, tufts of messy black hair and ragged clothes concealing much of its appearance as its head was buried into its knees, curled up into a ball as it rocked back and forth in fear. Slowly, it raised its head to look upon Laila, its two pale blue eyes filled with nothing but fright as it recognized the dragon’s presence.

A human child, not quite a babe but a youngling had hidden behind the rock, its features like that of the dead woman’s. A slimy mixture of snot and tears ran down its face, eyes red and whimpers hoarse from wailing for so long. It seemed to be struck by a combination of fear and awe at the dragon’s appearance, frozen in motion much like a deer about to be trampled.

Laila could not fathom what sort of beast would leave a child of its kind to die after leaving it helpless in the wild, but she knew the ways of man were nonsensical and cruel. Nevertheless, it was not her concern what became of the child, and she soon prepared to take flight and leave the scene to return to her hunt.

However, even as Laila turned around and walked away to fly once again, she felt the gaze of the child following her every moment. Its head peeked over the rock that it had hidden behind, and every time she turned to look back, it would quickly hide once again. As the dragon’s wings rose and the winds began to gather beneath her body, she once again caught the child out of the corner of her eye stepping out from behind the rock and staring at her.

Every instinct in Laila’s mind commanded her to leave the child behind, it was no concern of hers, and that cruelties such as this were commonplace in the world. However, something deep within her psyche could not relinquish the thought of how it would soon die if not taken care of. It’s appearance so pitiful and frail, that a part of her very essence she had long thought dead began to stir. If she left now, she would return to her cycle of hunting and slumber without worry or care, but the child would die, if not due to the elements or starvation, then by the hand of a creature looking for easy prey. She could not sense any other human for miles, and even if there was, they might very well be the same human that shot the woman lying dead in the grass.

Unable to silence the feelings of pitiful sympathy that grew with every moment, Laila looked upon the child. She could no longer resist her feelings. Turning once more toward the child who was no longer hiding behind the rock, Laila dipped her head forward and gazed directly into its eyes, studying them with intensity. Deep within the pale blues, she saw the immense fear and sadness which had first greeted her, but there was something else that lurked beyond those two emotions: a dormant strength that stirred as the child stared back into Laila.

After a few moments of complete silence, when the very fabric of time itself seemed to have stilled, Laila used her teeth to gently grab onto the child’s garb and lift it from the blood-stained grass. Although frightened with tears welling in its eyes, no protest was made from the child as Laila outstretched both of her wings and rose into the sky once more. Before beginning the journey back to her cave, Laila briefly focused upon the dead grasses surrounding the woman and Willed them to envelop her body so that she could rest beneath the earth, rather than being left out to rot.

Riding the winds until a half-moon rose, Laila soon approached a small mountain nestled within the center of the forest encircled by a thin river of water. Tilting downward, she glided into a small opening at the mountain’s top, entering the mouth of the cavern within. Lowering her head to the ground and releasing the child onto the floor who had been weakened from the long journey, suffering from the cold and starvation. Unsure of how long she would last without proper care, Laila began to search her chamber for a warmer place to keep the child. Her cave was desolate and barren, holding only a few treasures she had brought along when she first found the sanctuary.

Scouring the cave for a warmer spot to huddle into, a covered crevice caught her attention, a place that she had forsaken long ago. Wishing she could forget that spot, and suppressing ill memories creeping forth, she moved to help the child. She pulled upon the fabric covering the spot, casting it aside and revealing a small, yet vibrant, yellow egg-shaped crystal. It emitted a constant warm glow surrounded by animal furs, hidden beneath. It had been centuries since Laila had last seen this area, and even though a part of her implored to conceal it once again, she quickly lifted the child and placed it next to the crystal, so the chill that threatened to claim it would be driven away.

By daylight as the child roused from their restful slumber, a bounty of food brought from the forest had been laid by its side. Although initially hesitant and staring at the food in silence whilst occasionally eyeing Laila, hunger eventually bested its caution, and the child began to feast. Once the apples were reduced to their cores and hare devoured to the bone, Laila began to move closer to the child, causing it to quickly scurry into the corner of the cavern.

“Do not run, child.”

Laila’s voice echoed within the cavern, commanding a sense of dominance with every word spoken. The child’s pale grey eyes fixed upon Laila, and her frantic movements of fear ceased almost instantly as she heeded the dragon’s words. “So you understand. Good.” Laila arched her back, allowing her full height to take effect as she towered above the child, emphasizing their massive difference in size. “What is your name?”

At this question, the small child froze and remained in silence for a moment, as if contemplating the answer before giving a response. “Sel-” the small being stuttered as they spoke, its high-pitched voice still hoarse after screaming for so long the previous day. “Selene.”

“Well then, Selene,” Laila responded, tilting her head and lowering her tone to bring as much comfort as she could. “The one who brought you here is no more, and as such I shall offer you a choice. I can bring you to the edge of the forest where the human villages lie, and you can take your chances in finding companionship with those of your kind.” The dragon spoke with slight disgust at the thought of the humans who would occasionally intrude into the forest, however she would not force the child to stay away from others like her. “Or, you can stay here, with me. It is your decision.”

For a moment, Selene remained silent as she thought about her answer, closing her eyes and focusing upon her dilemma. Then, as if to answer wordlessly, she moved away from the corner of the cavern where and moved closer to Laila until she was only a few feet away, sitting down and crossing her legs. “Very well then.” Laila said, lowering her head so that she could come at eye level with the child “Welcome home, Selene.”

From then on, Laila’s eyes were kept squarely upon Selene, never once straying for fear of losing track of the small thing. To a creature who experienced the passing of seasons in mere moments, the growth of a child was explosive, every second needing to be cherished for fear of blinking and seeing another year go by instantly.

By the first season’s rotation, Selene had grown accustomed to Laila’s presence and would oftentimes find comfort in remaining close to her. By the second, she would occasionally curl into the dragon’s chest when attempting to sleep, finding the scaled skin of her stomach to offer more warmth than the heating crystal. By the fifth, Laila was known only as ‘mother’ by Selene, and although the dragon would never dignify such names with a response, she would also never refute Selene whenever she was called that.

Her appearance seemed to shift every time Laila looked away even for a moment, her hair growing longer or height slightly taller, as if she shifted into a new body every time the seasons changed. It only furthered Laila’s desire to preserve her moments with Selene, collecting and storing various objects tied to the memories that she shared with the girl. Hoards of gold and silver were soon replaced by mountains of discarded clothes and forgotten toys, all of which were treated as treasures.

Collections became decorations, and the cave which once served as a place of cold and quiet, transformed into something entirely different. Darkened corners now illuminated, and stone floors now covered in carpet, ancient tomes and stories once carelessly tossed into piles now placed upon tall shelves. Closets filled with clothes, chests stuffed with toys, desks to read upon and chairs to relax within began to fill the empty cavern to the point where it seemed to radiate warmth, no longer a place of silent slumber but instead of comfort and rest.

To best care for the child, Laila spent her days exploring the forest with Selene and allowing her curiosity to blossom, answering every question she was asked. It appeared that the more the girl learned, the more questions she wanted to ask, insatiable in her desire for knowledge and understanding. Laila taught her how to speak in the languages of man, beast, and dragon. She told her tales of great human heroes and dragons, which had told to her by her mother during her years as a youngling. She took her to see the most wondrous sights of the forest, from fireflies dancing in the moonlight to serene lakes whose waters would glow whenever it was dark. Everything Laila knew and understood about the world, she would impart unto Selene, finding immense pride the in smallest of things, like seeing the child learn and absorb the words she spoke.

The hardest and most important lesson was that of Wills, which Laila taught to Selene after her tenth rotation of seasons spent under the dragon’s care. “Do you feel it?” Laila asked, bringing Selene to the densest part of the forest during the season when life began anew. “Everything that lives has its own Will, the ability to affect oneself and the world around them.” Laila motioned to the smallest blade of grass in the grove, “If you can respect the Wills of other beings, you can learn to exert your own and get them to obey your desires.” Laila then Willed the grass to grow, until the single blade broke through the forest’s canopy. “Humans who learn of controlling these Wills are known as Will-Bearers, yet their strength lies only in verbal incantations, as it is easier to control than it is to command. A true master of their own Will need only to think of what they desire for it to be so.”

Laila then motioned to Selene, guiding her movements so that she focused upon a small seedling of a flower that had yet to bloom, stunted in growth and shrunken in size. “A dragon’s Will is so strong that it can cause mountains to shatter with only a word, but a properly trained Will-Bearer is nothing to scoff at either. You, Selene, have the chance to walk the line of both, armed with the knowledge of dragons and skills of a human; anything is possible for you. However, it all depends on whether your Will is strong enough to command what lay ahead, rather than letting your surroundings control you instead.” Motioning for the girl to begin, Selene concentrated upon the seedling and closed her pale blue eyes, the winds swirling around her as she stretched out her arm and attempted to Will the grass into growing.

A light burst of breeze was all that resulted from Selene’s first attempt to will the seed, leaving not even a single inch altered. She tried until the sun slept for something to happen, her eyes inaudibly begging the seed to grow only to be met with no change. It was only when Laila would lift Selene and return her to the cave for rest that she would relent, the dragon offering only “Do not surrender yet. Try again tomorrow.” They would then return to the same area the very next day, Selene desperately attempting to bring the grass up from its roots for hours on end, only to fail and return to the cave defeated. Laila remained unmoving in her push for Selene to continue trying, seemingly stoic, yet after every failed attempt an extra serving of Selene’s favorite desserts would be silently placed beside her dinner. It was only until every branch turned barren and the first snow of the season fell, that the small seedling that refused to grow twisted its shape before the girl and bloomed into a delicate yet beautiful flower.

Selene’s Will would only be further trained and tested by Laila, her skills growing at a rapid rate as the girl learned to manipulate greater things. As she grew stronger, her desire for exploration and independence emboldened, and she would soon try to sneak off in hopes of seeing what lay beyond the forest. Initially, Laila allowed Selene to leave without protest, believing it to be her time to spread her wings and fly on her own, but when she returned, small scrapes and scars would cover her body, as Selene was still human. Sickness, infection, and monsters were just a few of the dangers that she faced, and if Laila was not there in time to protect her, she could be gone forever. With each passing day Selene grew more similar in appearance to the slain woman in the woods, and Laila could not help but imagine her being left to die in some distant corner by humans who would wish her harm. Humanity had already taken so much from the dragon, and she could not bear the thought of losing something she had grown so attached to, as she feared would cause her very soul to collapse from grief.

A rift soon formed between Selene and Laila, as the dragon would do everything in her power to prevent her from leaving the cavern unattended, frantically searching the forests whenever the girl left the cavern and always bringing her back before dark. Selene grew agitated towards Laila, constantly going against the dragon’s commands as she began to frequent the outside more and more, demanding to be set free from the cave which she now called a prison. Laila begged her to understand her fragility, and that if something were to attack her there was nothing that the dragon could do to stop it. However, the girl persisted in her efforts to find freedom, her Will strengthening beyond Laila’s training as she used magic and trickery in attempts to hide, always returning but taking longer to do so every time.

Upon the eve of Selene’s fifteenth cycle under Laila’s care, she could no longer bear the constant struggle for freedom and stood her ground. Willing the trees of the forest to grow, tendrils of oak and root lifted her so that she could reach the towering height of Laila’s standing frame, in complete defiance of their difference in size as she met her mother’s eyes. In a voice stronger than stone, Selene demanded “Why do cage me within this cave!? What have I done to deserve such punishment!?” The girl’s eyes burned with passion as her Will began to shake the foundations of the mountain. “Please, let me understand why you’ve done this to me- why you fear me leaving the forest! When I first came to this place you offered to return me to its edge, yet now you act as though there is nothing else to this world besides it!”

Selene’s outburst was a mixture of anger and sorrow, as it was clear she had become miserable in the captured care of her guardian. To this, Laila could not maintain her composure, feeling the immeasurable anguish within the girl’s voice and seeing how much keeping her within the forest had harmed her spirit. Rather than shout back, Laila lowered her head so that she lay beneath Selene, submitting to her presence as her Will could not match with that of her daughter’s.

At first, Selene was dumbfounded by this sudden action, having never imagined her mother to bow beneath her, quickly descending from her tower of timber as she moved to meet the dragon’s gaze once again upon the floor. “Do you remember the place where I nursed you to health when I first claimed you as my own?” Laila motioned towards the corner of the cavern where the heating crystal lay “Did you never find it strange I had such a location when I lived alone?”

Selene could not respond, having always wondered about the small corner of the cavern that was never spoken of yet always present. “In truth, that place was not constructed for you, but for my kin, so that they would always be filled with warmth whilst they prepared to hatch.” The dragon’s azure eyes shut as she recalled the eggs with the wicked memory of a dragon’s brain, never allowed to forget the sight, scent, and feelings that her eggs gave her whilst she nursed them in younger years. “There were three eggs, each with brilliantly blue shells to match my scales.” The dragon’s eyes opened, and all that Selene saw from within was nothing more than the purest sensation of sorrow. In all her years, Laila had been a sort of mythical figure, a towering creature that surpassed all other beings and knew the answers to the very secrets of life itself. Yet now she saw her for what she truly was; A mortal being, no greater than herself.

She was speechless, every word that formulated in her mind unspoken as she felt she had witnessed the mirage of something great now reduced to a vulnerable, fragile thing. All she could muster was a soft-spoken “How?” to Laila, awaiting her answer as her throat dried and eyes watered from seeing the guardian that had protected her for so long reduced to such a state. In response, the dragon rose and trudged towards the warming crystal, as if to move closer to the eggs that were no longer there. She motioned towards the cavern’s mouth; her eyes worn as if she had relieved the memories she spoke of a thousand times over.

“They’d heard tales of the hoards dragons kept and tried to engorge themselves upon wealth by sneaking in while I was away, becoming so engrossed in gold that they did not even realize my return.” A wrathful tone soon overtook Laila’s story as she detailed the intruders with a vengeful glare in her eyes “I could not contain myself once I saw them, painting the walls crimson with their filth as I tore each one that I found into shreds. Their pitiful attempts to try and fight back only fueled my anger further as I ripped them apart, finding that only the finest of agonies would fit their hollow hearts.” For a moment, Selene saw the scorn that filled her mother’s soul, and the terrifying monster she had briefly become in the story she described. “By the time I was finished and the feeble few that had dared to fight back were nothing more than stains upon the cavern’s wall, I saw a sight which would forever haunt my soul.”

As quick as the flicker of terror came, it left, leaving only sorrow to fill the air as Laila recounted each moment with agonizing despair “During the fight, I was so consumed with rage that I had neglected my eggs, leaving them vulnerable. The humans had broken the shell of one of my eggs and severely damaged the other, the third stolen by one of the cowards who fled at my arrival. I wanted to go after them, to give chase and reclaim my egg, but the youngling within the scarred egg still lived and needed my full attention if it was to survive. Day and night, I did nothing but care for the youngling, offering every ounce of my strength and energy so that it could survive, but it was not enough. The winter’s chill took my babe with it, and by then it was too late for me to go after the stolen egg.”

Laila turned towards Selene, her gaze no longer distant as she returned from her mind into the present, raising her head slightly as she spoke so that she would be at the same level as the human woman. “You ask me why I wish for you to stay here with me, it is because here I can keep you safe, away from those who would wish you harm or to control you. I know everything within this forest and can control it to my Will, but once you step beyond its barriers whatever lays out there could claim you, just as it claimed my eggs and the mother who brought you into this forest in the first place.”

Laila once more raised herself, although now her height no longer seemed imposing as it once did, losing any semblance of the myth and mystery it once held. “If you wish to leave, I shall not stop you, but I cannot come with you either for your safety and mine, for my Will does not stretch beyond the boundaries of this forest. It is your choice, my daughter.”

Although the prospect of leaving her mother was terrifying, both Selene and Laila knew the answer even before the question was asked. The child, the girl, and the woman all at once wept silently as a single hand was placed upon Laila’s back, a soft-spoken promise of “I will return.” leaving her lips before she darted out of the cavern’s opening, running into the woods and until she disappeared from the dragon’s sight. Perhaps this goodbye was best, as something too drawn out would only serve to twist the knife in an already wounded soul. Turning towards her cave now bathed in moonlight, the dragon’s feet dragged as she moved into the depths of the cavern and curled into herself, drifting off into slumber.

The seasons, which Laila had once clung to so desperately now began to hasten their turning as they before Selene’s adoption. The warmth of her cavern slowly dulled as the winters came and went, her hope of her daughter’s return began to dwindle. Years melded into mere moments as the dragon drowned herself in sleep, every slumber lasting longer than before. Mementos once displayed and stored with pride began to lose their shine as dust collected upon them.

Silence returned to the forest, yet Laila found no peace within it.

After what seemed an eternity, Laila felt an unrecognizable intrusion within her sanctuary, that held a human scent. At once, the dragon felt an overwhelming sensation as she raced to the mouth of her home, warmth radiating within her heart as she looked out unto the grounds below. She imagined the tales she would tell; about how humanity had changed since she’d last seen them, and what she had been doing for all the while she had been away. How she would take her hunting in the forests, revisiting her favorite sites and reliving the memories they shared. How she would show her daughter all the trinkets she’d kept of her childhood, having never abandoned a single one.

The figure that stood outside Laila’s cavern was unfamiliar, even if its scent was similar to Selene’s. Its frail frame was hunched over, supported by a staff of wood held within a withered hand. Sparse silver hairs covered a wrinkled head that held two worn grey eyes focused upon the dragon. Consumed with anger that such a feeble thing caused her hopes to rise, Laila prepared to cast it away with her Will, gathering wicked winds beneath her wings so that she could crush the fragile thing. But before she unleashed her fury unto the unmoving woman, a flicker of something buried within her grey eyes caused Laila to instantly halt. The strength that had caused the dragon to carry Selene back with her so long ago was held within the woman’s eyes, and Laila realized that it was her daughter who had returned, twisted by time’s cruel grasp.

Laila’s very being was overcome with a flood of horrendous emotions, each more powerful than the last. How had it been so long that her daughter had transformed into this thing that now stood before her. What madness had driven Selene to remain away from her mother for so long, only returning when her life was nearing its end?

A flood of questions continued to pour from Laila’s mind, but she could only remain silent in anticipation, watching Selene’s movements with anticipation as she waited for her daughter to say the first word, to explain herself, to say… something, anything, at all. Instead, the worn hands of her daughter reached into the tattered cloak that covered her body, pulling forth a small leather satchel engraved with ornate designs. Orange leaves encircling the sanctuary as the winds began to turn, uncontrollable bursts of gale causing whirlwinds of color to dance around the duo as Selene carefully removed the single object that lay within her bag, outstretching her arms presenting it to Laila in silence.

The winds suddenly stilled in motion, leaves falling in unison as Laila looked upon a single egg in Selene’s hands, its shell brilliantly blue, perfectly matching the color of her scales.