Welcome back, Dear Readers. When we left our story last time, Brand was about to submit to the process of becoming one of Ember’s human family. I shall repeat just a bit of the last installment to help get things rolling again. – The Scrivener

BRAND MEETS A DRAGON (the conclusion)

Ember put her hand softly onto his head, her talons curving down onto his forehead. “You will see something strange and far away, like a dream. Nothing there can reach you or hurt you. When you see that you're there, call out my name.”

Another deep breath and Brand replied, “I'm ready.”

The hand on his head warmed. The flickering orange of the firelight inside his eyelids darkened and it seemed to him that he was standing in the dim, great cavern his mother had once described. Dragons turned to regard him. Thinking it wise to show he was harmless, he raised his right hand and held it palm open toward them. The nearest dragon raised a great claw and held it out open in return. Dragon voices rumbled. Dragon eyes glanced from him to each other and back again.

“I am Brand”, he said.

“Call me”, Ember's voice seemed to come from behind him.

“Oh, uh... goodbye everyone. Ember!”

Wavering orange light replaced the cavern image. He opened his eyes and found that he was staring into the black irises of Ember just inches away. A shiver ran through him but he refused to drop his gaze.

Very softly Ember said, “You acted bravely. They were impressed. I'm impressed.”

Suddenly his face flushed and he had to look down at his hands. Ember's hand stroked through his hair, pointed talons tickling scalp as she slowly removed it from his head and he felt another shiver run from head to toe. He wondered, was this magic or something else?

“You know what this means, yes? I will hear you if you call me, no matter the distance, and if you call twice, I will come to you. But, I'm sure you understand, you must not ever use that power foolishly.”

“Of course! I’m not a little kid.”

“No, I believe you are not, Brand. Will you both stay for my vigil, Ignis?”

“I'm sorry but we can't. Brand has chores and school tomorrow and he’ll be nigh impossible to pry out of bed as it is already. Besides, at his age he may not be comfortable with long introspection.”

“I want to stay, Mom!”

“Much as I would have you both stay, you have duties, young Brand. You said your mother was wise, so accept her wisdom now. We will meet again.”

“But it’ll be a whole year! Mom!!”

Ember placed a hand on his head and stroked his hair again and he felt tingles running down his spine. “Brand. I am asking you to go. Will you do that for me?”

“……Yes, Miss Ember.”

“Thank you, Brand. You remind me of your grandfather. Young men change so quickly; perhaps I should come more often. Would that be acceptable to you, Ignis?”

“You’re always welcome to me, and in my home if you would stay a while.” At this, Brand beamed at his mother with adoration.

“Then I shall arrange it.”

Brand reluctantly left Ember’s side and with his mother began making their way down the hill, leaving Ember to her reflections. Ember noticed that Brand often looked back. When they were halfway home, Ignis said, “You were afraid of her at first, weren't you?”

“Yes, a little, but when I was sitting by her I wasn't as afraid anymore and I started liking her more and more. Mom, was she using magic on me?”

“Well, to make you one of her own,” Brand’s scalp tingled again to that description, “there was magic at work next to you but… I think maybe your heart made some of it's own magic for her. Don’t you?”

Brand felt slightly embarrassed and didn’t answer. They walked on for a little before Ignis spoke again.

“Brand… there's something you should know. Long, long ago before people and dragons learned not to fight all the time, the shape that she takes also had power to beguile men, so they were more easily killed. Ember has said the spell has been changed so it doesn't do that now but... if there's just a tiny bit of the effect left, you were awfully close and it might have affected you. Your great-grandfather was drawn to her that way. Mind your feelings, Brand.”

Brand thought to himself that if Ember’s magic had made him feel protected and cared for when he sat by her, then he was happy it had happened and he might even like some more of it.

“There's another thing to know… the old magic worked two ways. It could also slowly make a dragon become intrigued with their intended victim if they didn’t eat him first. But it was supposed to take longer for that to happen. I’m sure your teacher has told you how, in life, there are risks to take and prices to pay for power over others.”

Brand wondered if that was why Ember had been staring into his face so closely or why she had so slowly drawn her hand and talons over his head. As if he were being petted. He thought it would be somehow both frightening and terribly exciting to think they might be drawn to each other that way.

“You’ve never talked about that before, Mom. Why are you telling me all that now?”

“You remind people of my grandfather. I think she may feel that, too. She cared a great deal for my grandfather and when he died, I think it broke her heart a little. If her spell causes her to begin to love you like she did him, then one day when you die, it will break her heart again. Once the spell takes hold of her, she won’t be able to stop it. I don’t want you or her to be hurt. I know this is a lot to place on your young shoulders but… mind your own feelings and be careful with her. That’s all.”

“Mom, she’s a dragon!”

“Son, even dragons have vulnerabilities… and she will let you inside her defenses. Understand?”

“….Yeah, Mom… that’s a little scary. But I’ll try to be wise, like you.”

“I know you will. That’s why I told you these things, so you know more about her. Without knowledge there can’t be wisdom. I trust you, son. She will, too.”

Upon the hilltop, in time, Ember stirred from her memories and prepared to depart. Looking at the weird monument, she said, “I will not make the same mistake with him, my old and only Knight. You are still teaching me, old man. I won’t hide my feelings as though they were a weakness. I will not again grow to regret things unsaid when he is gone from me. He’s so much like you, already. I wonder if he, too, will bumble?”