Through the day she played more pranks on him with her tarragon, including covering the handle of his wood ax with coal dust so when he went to chop wood it would cover his sweating hands. Then she stuffed the unused, raw chicken eggs from the day in the hay dummies that he practiced his fighting on in his free time so that they would splatter on him when he attacked them. While he was away from the stable she took a needle to his shirt and left a spool of thread inside and bit the thread from the needle. When he went to pull the stray thread the spool unwound and he went mad as the tiny string turned into feet of thread before he realized what she had done. She finished by putting a layer of broken egg yolk on the door handle to the stable so that when he grabbed it, it would squish between his fingers.

Late into the night, Elric was tired and paranoid that another prank would be waiting around each corner. Mae was notorious for leaving tricks for the staff, Elric being no exception to her devious acts through the years. He had to admit these ones were more relentless than usual. Typically it was once every few weeks. They were, however, all harmless tricks from the mischievous girl.

Elric was tidying up the lower level of the stable when the left stable door opened just enough for Sottises to trot in with the princess close behind him. She grinned at Elric as he looked back at her. She carefully closed the stable door behind her and pulled the cap from her head, allowing her long hair to fall down her shoulders in a twisted mess.

“Ah, the jest herself.” He stated as he wiped dust from the table below his loft.

She laughed as she neared him, she stood beside the table, placed his hat down, and shifted her weight onto one foot letting her hip pop to one side. He turned to her and wiped his hands with the rag and smiled. He watched her look down sadly at the cap he had let her wear through the day, and noticed how upset her eyes seemed when she had placed it on the table.

“How’s your day been.” She asked with a jovial smile.

“You truly want to leave me with such a sour taste your last night?” He laughed. She shook her head and gave him an unusually fervent smile.

“Of course not.” She said softly then she stepped up to him, used her finger to beckon him to lean down to her. As he did she shifted to the side and pecked his cheek with her plump lips. Elric blushed brightly as she stepped away from him and placed shaking fingers to his cheek in place of her lips. “Elric.” She began as she stepped back from him and looked over to Sabina, who had Sottises gently pinned beneath her heavy paw. The tarragon squirmed under her, trying to nip her legs. “I greatly appreciate all the work you’ve put toward my Sottises. He has grown into such a well rounded dragon, all with your diligent training and care.”

Elric nodded and swallowed the lump forming in his throat. It’s been 5 years, he’s grown up with the princess and Sottises by his side. Though he wasn’t the closest to the princess, her daily shenanigans and common pranks made him feel thought of and not as lonely. She was one of few in the palace who acknowledged him on a regular basis, and began to think of her as a friend in the years he had been there.

It was unfortunately his job to stay with the new dragon almost constantly until almost 10 years of age, the first few years of a keepers career with a dragon were long, strenuous, and oftentimes, solitary. While he and his father visited often and he saw his mother and siblings in the village when he was free he still felt alone more than frequently. He didn’t have the time to build a relationship with someone to grow his own family as most of his time at the palace was taken up by Sottises’ care and training.

The idea of her leaving made his heart ache and for a moment, he felt he understood what it meant for Mae to be leaving. But now that he was face to face with her, he realized he was saying goodbye to a major part of a good portion of his life as a child.

“How long will you be gone?” He suddenly asked, wanting to know the length of time when she’d be away was a new feeling for him.

“At least 3 summers, I should return in the autumn after I turn 19…”

“Three years…” Elric recited quietly, “And you will not return in that time?”

She shook her head, “Perhaps not, the studies will be so rigorous that they do not want me wasting so many days traveling. It’s a 7 days journey one way… and then I would want to stay so that would leave almost a month of time if I wanted to spend enough time here…”

“How will you go three years without your Sottises?” Elric asked, looking to the juvenile who playfully romped around its mother.

Mae smiled up to Elric warmly and then placed her hands gently on his chest. Elric froze, stunned by her sudden advance “I know he will be in good hands with you, Elric.” She said thankfully, casting her golden eyes up to him with a sad gaze, “You will care for him well in my absence won’t you?”

“Of course, Your Grace.”

“Will you read to him as I did in the mornings please? So he does not feel so lonely without me?” She sniffled, “He is such a gentle hearted boy… will you keep him safe...?”

“Yes, your Grace.” He responded while placing his hands over hers on his chest. He squeezed her hands gently and leaned into her, “My job, and my duty is to serve you and your wishes, Princess Maëlle. I promise, so long as I may serve you, that you and Sottises are my only priority. The safety and happiness of you and Sottises is the only thing I care about...”

She smiled, a small tear forming on her cheek that she swiped away. She raised up to him again and placed another kiss on his cheek before stepping away.

“Farewell Elric.” She said with a sad smile.

“Farewell Princess…” he responded breathlessly to her. He looked down from her and saw his cap sat there “Princess…” he called and she turned back. He picked the hat up and stepped to her, placing the cap back over her head. “This looks much better on you…” he said as he pushed hair from around her face.

She smiled “You think so?”

“Why don’t you keep it? As a momento until you return.”

“Thank you, Elric…”

Then she pulled away from him and walked to Sottises and pulled his face to hers. She kissed his nose gently and they pressed their foreheads to one another’s. “Farewell my mischievous Tarragon.” She whispered, “Please be good to our keeper while I am gone, he is a talented man who cares deeply for you and your growth. You must respect him. Or you will be in big trouble when I return home.” The dragon crooned softly as if he understood the sad goodbye and dropped his head, giving sorrowful eyes to his humans as she wiped more tears from her cheeks. She kissed him again then straightened her back and sniffled before turning back to Elric. She gave a small wave to him and then turned out of the stable.

She tried to conceal her tears as she stepped outside, she huffed and her breath stuttered as she tried to console herself. But hearing the saddening whistle of her dragon as he called after her behind the door caused her to sob uncontrollably as she returned to her room for a few short hours of sleep before she left that next day…

Need help With easy pronunciation? Lost on who is who? Wondering what a word is meant to mean? (No New words or characters have been introduced this chapter, however a new idea in the world of Keepers has been introduced)

When a keeper agrees to take on a tarragon they are expected to stay with that tarragon until one of three things happen: The tarragon passes, The Keeper passes, or the rightful owner of the tarragon denounces the Keepers duty to the family or tarragon. Keepers typically sign agreements with a family to care for a tarragon, or are signed on by a legal guardian to become a Young Keeper. It is traditionally considered extremely shameful for a keeper to leave or abandon a tarragon unannounced. In some cases of royal families tarragon or tarragon used for war it can even be considered as treasonous.  A keeper is expected to come to an agreement with the owner of the tarragon to be released from the agreement. In some cases, abandonment of a tarragon may cause difficulties in the future for a Keeper to become a keeper for another family as word spreads quickly from gossiping travelers. For Young Keepers their training may be considered by the Council as forfeit if done before the 10 year mark.