Chapter 45
"Is everything okay, my lady?" Antonus asked.
"Everything is fine. I just need to take a minute." Lauren replied.
When they entered their home, Gerald, Tom, and Cartrell were already there. "What's wrong, Lauren? Gerald asked. "And don't say "nothing" because we can feel it through the bond. I've already called for my physicians and the healers."
"You men are really trying to take our job from us, aren't you?" Shirley and the other pixies came out of Lauren's skirts and stood in front of her with their hands on their hips while tapping their foot. "It is our job to watch out for the Lady's health and well-being. I tell you now that she is fine. Get it."
"We know, Shirley, but this is new to us. We are not trying to take your job." Antonus said.
"Lauren, dear. What is the matter?" Shirley turned and asked.
"I honestly don't know what it is. I am hot and dizzy. I feel like I need to close my eyes but my head hurts too much to sleep." Lauren walked over to the couch and sat down with her feet under her. Gerald moved closer to her and she instantly began to feel better. "Okay, so maybe it's a "carrying a Drakeon" thing because as soon as you moved close to me, It all went away." Gerald moved away again and the symptoms came back. "Gerald, come back over here, please." He picked Lauren up off the couch and placed her in his lap as he sat down. A look of relief and total bliss came over her face. "Okay, so, you can't leave me anymore. Where is our brood?"
"In my pouch of course. They never leave my side." He opened his pouch and the four baby dragons flew out right into Lauren's arms. "They miss you. I just told my chancellor that I will be here for the day but we do have to figure this out."
"I did the same. I want to be here for you, Lauren. Tell us what we can do for you." Cartrell said, his face scrunched up with worry.
"At least none of the citizens know about her feeling ill. She quickly called for a break and we brought her in here." Carlton said.
"I'm glad you were here for her." Gerald acknowledged. "Since it seems that I am the cure for her ailment, I will sit with her while you set everything up for the Council selections. She needs to play with her brood." They all watched Lauren as she played with the baby dragons. She was so happy.
Suddenly, Lauren began to glow and turn into her dragon form, only she was a small version of herself. "That's new. Dragons don't usually turn while they are pregnant. This has to be because of the Drakeon." Gerald took out their journal where they were recording everything about the Drakeons since they were a new species. I think she would be worse off if the twins hadn't brought a bit of the dragon realm in our home." Lauren looked into Gerald's eyes and spread her wings. "You want to fly?" He asked her. "For some reason our mental speech and emotional bonds are not open." Again Lauren flapped her wings. She gathered everyone in the room closer and created a magical bubble around them. "Lauren, What are you doing?"
Of course, Lauren couldn't answer verbally. She pushed closer to Gerald and flapped her wings hoping he would understand what she needed. He turned into his human dragon form and helped Lauren lift the bubble with their family in it to the dragon realm and to the crystal clear waterfall where they first made love. Lauren pushed the bubble under the waterfall and pulled Gerald under the water with her the bubble popped and everyone was drenched. The bonds reformed and opened up again, even Antonus and Carlton were added to the bond. Tom's energy seemed to calm as well.
"Well, it seems that a Drakeon mother has to choose to stay a dragon and to stay with her dragon if a Drakeon is to be born. Our bonds were almost severed. Lauren could feel the call of the ancients, that's what we call this waterfall."
"I did hear a small voice telling me I needed to come here with all of you if I wanted to save our bond and keep my dragon. Not only would the Drakeon have died but my dragon as well."
"I think it happened that way because you are human. Yes, you are a goddess, but you were raised human. The ancients wanted to make sure you were not being forced into this. Dragons are much more powerful than humans and there have been times when a dragon stole a princess or two throughout history."
"I'll buy that as an explanation," Carlton replied. "But why do I have all of you chatting in my head?"
"Because you and Antonus are a part of my family, my home. I brought you up here which started our bonding process. I hadn't really accepted the fact that I would have multiple mates, so I hadn't accepted you. But, over the past weeks, you have shown that you care for what I care for and want to help me make my dream come true. So I have now accepted you completely." Lauren gave Carlton a hug and then she hugged Antonus.
"I wonder if you two being tied in now helped to even out me," Tom said.
Lauren continued to play with the baby dragons then she glowed again and curled into a fetal position, holding her belly. She screamed and pulled her arms closer. Gerald came to her side and fed her his energy. The others followed suit. Lauren's body soaked up all of its energy and was hungry for more.
"Put her back under the waterfall. The ancients can give her power also." Jimi and Jani said together. Their eyes were white like they weren't even in their bodies. Gerald followed their instructions without hesitation. He held her and sat directly under the water. The water whirled around them and they disappeared.