Lady of A Dragon's Heart

After a little while of walking, we come to a large oak tree and Garren raps his knuckles on the trunk. A ladder drops down and he smiles. "After you," he says, holding out his hand to help me up the ladder. I smile and climb up, Dristan looking up at me worriedly. At the top, I gasp in wonder. I am standing in front of a large tree house, modest, but homey and inviting. Lian climbs up behind me and opens the door for me in a very gentlemanly manner. "After you madam," he grins cheekily. "Why thank you, sir," I smile back, bobbing a small curtsy. Garren and Dristan come up behind me, and we enter the tree house. Inside, it looks like any ordinary cottage, with rugs on the floorboards, little paintings on the walls and beautiful furniture, carved by hand. "Astra?" Garren calls. A lady of about thirty comes out of the kitchen, her blonde hair in a messy bun and a little girl is hanging onto her skirt. "Garren? You're home early? And you have visitors! Welcome to our home," she smiles, and wiping her wet hands on her apron, she offers it to Dristan, who shakes it with a smile. Astra comes to me, and gives me a pretty smile, offering her hand. I also shake it, giving a shy, "Pleased to meet you." "This is Lata," Astra smiles, gently pulling the little girl forward. Lata squeaks and mumbles a very shy hello. I kneel beside her. "Hello Lata, what a pretty name. Will you also tell me how old you are, or are you too shy?" I ask, using a coaxing tone. "I'm five," she whispers. "You're five? Almost as old as me," I grin, holding my hand out to shake. Lata shakes it, gives me a sweet smile, then runs back to her mother, and I get up. "You have a wonderful way with children. Lata does not speak to visitors so quickly," Astra smiles. "This is Avona," Dristan says, and I realise I haven't introduced myself. "Dristan, I think we should go to your uncle. But if you want, Avona can stay here with Astra," Garren says. Dristan nods, and Astra bids goodbye to her spouse, while I quickly kiss Dristan's cheek. After they leave, Astra suddenly remembers the soup she has been cooking, and I offer to help her. While the men are gone, me and Astra prepare dinner, while Lian chatters nineteen to the dozen, and Lata follows after him. The men come back, looking happy, and I smile. "My uncle, Chief Tarkin has offered us the old tree house of my father," Dristan explains. I clap my hands happily, then blush as I realise what I'm doing, but Astra, Garren and Dristan just smile. We stay with Garren's family overnight but move into the old tree house the next day. It's in excellent condition, just needs a touch of dusting, and I get to that straight away. Soon, the tree house becomes a home, and we are happy in the beautiful forest. Dristan explains to me that these are his father's people, that they are all part dragon, and that he’s hoping that they can help with my curse. Astra and a couple of other women and girls from the village begin teaching me how to transform. I make good progress and soon, I can turn some of my body into dragon features and grow wings. Two years pass like water down a waterfall, and we barely notice. "I'm proud of you darling," Dristan tells me one day, pulling me into a warm embrace. Suddenly, a rumbling in the sky startles us from our little moment. We rush outside and see a huge dragon with lava-coloured scales fly above our heads. Garren runs out behind us. "That is Storm Beast... He is our greatest enemy and he has already killed many other people, but no one has the strength to defeat him," he explains sadly. "That worm killed my father," Dristan growls. "I'm going to find him and kill him," he vows. "Then I'm coming with you," I tell him softly.