The hollowed out dirt looked like a monster ready to swallow its prisoner whole. The rain funneled into it, turning the earth to a soggy mush. "I don't want him to be in there. It's dark and scary,"Lilli thought, grimacing.
Lightning cracked and the sky screamed. Lilli gasped and gripped her umbrella tighter, knuckles turning white. Of course, today of all days, there was a thunderstorm. At this rate, the burial would have to be canceled.
The servants were trying to dig out the mud that kept sinking into the hole. The rain was going faster and harder, and the wind began to howl. The sky lit a deep purple, as the yellow tree branches came from the sky.
"We can't bury 'em! The hole is filling too quickly!"
The Duke clenched his jaw. "Fine then. Take him inside."
Lilli followed to the main entrance, where the stairs stood some feet in front of them. The servants layed down the coffin. Lilli heard some cursing coming from both the servants, and surprisingly, from the Grand Duchess. Lilli bit her tongue, frustrated, but not one to say such crass words.
The Duke placed his hand on the lid of the coffin. He ran his fingers along the dark wood surface. Then he grabbed the side.
" Dane? What are you doing?"
"I'm just checking to make sure no rain got in, Veria. To make sure our son hasn't been dirtied."
With a little effort, the lid gave way with a thud. The interior had, in fact, gotten a little rain inside. Small pools were at the edges. The body, however, was dry. Thank the gods no rain got in his wou-
It was gone. The gaping nothing where Prince Adder's heart should be… was sealed by new skin. One might even say it looks like it only grew a moment ago. The clothing around it looked strangely… burnt.
Duchess Veria fell to her knees. "H-how…?"
The Duke just stood there silently, too stunned to react.
Lilli felt something strange. Like a tingling sensation, starting from her fingers, going to her brain, and then all throughout her body. Then, she felt almost possessed, like her body wasn't hers. She found herself right by Adder's side without realizing it. She lifted up her hand, and touched his cheek.
Reddish crystal eyes opened slowly, eyelashes fluttering. They were enchanting, and felt more mesmerizing than before his death. Then Lilli fell backwards. It wasn't that she was shocked by his awakening-she was indeed shocked, though- It was what she saw in his eyes. Two black pupils, slitted, like a cat's. Or maybe a dragon's.
He rose out of his coffin, slowly and awkwardly, like he was not used to moving after so long. His black hair fell in his eyes, and he brushed it away with a trembling hand. He came to sit on the edge of the wooden casket.
"What… happened?" He said, voice the same as it always had been, except there was a strange sound behind it, sounding like a growl.
"Uh… Er…"Lilli felt a strange conflict within herself. On one hand, she was afraid of the strangeness within her friend, who had somehow come back from the dead. On the other, she felt immense joy and relief. She wanted partly to run away, and partly to throw herself into an embracing hug.
She chose the latter, in a moment of impulse. He was so warm, so comforting. For the past few days Lilli had experienced only cold, wind and rain. Fires hadn't been enough to abate the chill. Adder felt like a human heater. Lilli nuzzled her face into his shoulder. He returned the affection by patting her head.
"I'm so glad you're here," He said softly. He sounded exhausted
"That's what I was going to say…"
Adder turned to his parents, who were both in tears. He smiled warmly at them. They quickly embraced him, smushing Lilli.
"I can't… breathe," Lilli wheezed with a chuckle.
"Sorry dear!" The duchess pulled away with a laugh.
The duke then looked down at his son, and into his eyes. He flinched and pulled away quickly. Then he hung his head.
"I can't believe it… It saved his life, but might as well have ruined it," Grand Duke Dane said breathlessly.
"It?" Lilli turned her head curiously.
The Duke pointed to the necklace dangling from Adder's neck, the gem noticeably not present.
"Oh! You knew about the necklace?" Lilli asked.
"Yes, the Queen-my cousin-in-law- told me about it. It was filled with-"
"Ah. Dragon blood," Lilli finished with a gasp. "That's why his eyes…"
The duke balled his fists. "It won't just be his eyes… his whole body will change."
"He'll become a dragon?!" The Duchess exclaimed.
"No, not completely. A half-breed. Which is almost worse. You see, a dragon is a revered creature, seen as awesome and brilliant. But a half-dragon is seen as a perversion of nature, sacrilege to some, even. Usually it is the result of a human drinking dragon's blood, greedily yearning for power. So the world shuns them. I'm afraid they'll do the same to our son."
"But… why? How does a dragon's blood do that?" Lilli asked quietly.
"The dragon's soul is contained within its blood. Well, that's just a theory the scholars came up with. But in truth, we don't really know."
Lilli turned to Adder warily. He jumped.
"I-I'm not human anymore? I don't know what this means…" His face twisted into an anguished expression. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes. "I don't want…things to change." He gripped himself, and collapsed onto his knees. He began to weep.
Lilli was about to go comfort her friend, but his expression changed again. It was no longer sadness, but agony.
"Ahh… Ha.." He seethed in pain. "It hurts. It hurts! IT HURTS!" He began to scream. Something was horribly wrong with him.
It started, hardly noticeable at first, but his body was transforming. A large bump appeared on the left side of his forehead, and it was moving, growing, slowly.
The Duke grabbed Lilli and his wife and threw them behind him. He placed his hand on the scabbard of the sword that hung at his hip.