Exton

My warm cloak hangs next to Magnus' in the common room. Heads turn as I ascend the stairs. A few know me, many here have only seen the Dragoness. I see Keon rise and kneel as I stride past. Although his head remains bent, his eyes follow.

My abaya flows in the breeze of my passing and when I stop to motion him to approach, it swings onward, then stills. He kisses the top of my hand, whispering a welcome. I smile, nodding, and watch him return to the table he shares with a striking couple. There is a scent of happiness, and passion. I control the urge to drink deep, knowing I will be sated later. It is good to be myself again. I sweep up the stairs in the soft chime of metal and susurrus of silks.

The bedroom door opens at my knock and I see Pandora bending over the cradle. Ob relaxes against the bed's headboard, fully supporting their sleeping child.

"Already you have Pandora dressing as one of Us?"

Pandora glances up and smiles a welcome.

"Your kaftan is lovely Pandora, It suits your coloring well."

The lavender silk drapes gracefully over her body, showing the lush curves of her breasts and hips. Ob's lust rises and I can taste the wonderful passion between them. I smile and he shifts to hand me their infant.

"I need my robes. Be back in a minute."

He slips from the room and I look down at the cherubic face. Ice pale eyes stare up at me. She reaches out, and I lean closer. Her hand tangles in my hair and she grips, tugging hard. I raise her higher and she bats her eyes at me.

There is a slight sheen to her skin and I feel the folds on her back through the blanket.

"Welcome to the world little deamon. What part of Our Peoples shall you take after? I see your father in you and I see the promise of your mother. Whose temper shall you hold?"

I let the baby play with my hair and turn to Pandora.

"Ob has birthing gifts for the two of you."

He laughs as he comes back, I have not seen him in traditional clothes in a long time. He does truly look as if he sprang from the desert. His robes are the dusky purple of twilight, embroidered in dawn's rising.

"Did you bring the CD?"

I nod and slip it from my pouch. Soon the sounds of desert rhythms softly fill the room.

Ob sets a box on the dresser and gently removes a pair of obsidian earrings. The dangling obsidian and silver glitter as he slips them into Pandora's ears. He takes her right wrist and kisses the pulse. A bracelet to match the earrings clasps shut around her fair skin. He hands Pandora two obsidian rings.

"These are for my ears, mi Bruha." He winces as the rings clip into long unused piercings.

"Cooza, if you will do the honors?"

Ob takes their daughter from my arms and lays her in Pandora's, gently untangling her tight grip. She pouts and he murmurs to her. He begins to speak the words of gifting as I sort for the smallest of needles.

Created by love
Born into love
Romanavich child
We honor thee.

My fingertips pinch her earlobes, numbing them for a few moments. The needles pierce quickly and the small black obsidian posts are set in place. Chloe's eyes are round, her fear and pain kept distant by Ob's control. It is a few moments before she whimpers and tries to reach for her ears. Ob catches her hands and kisses them gently.

"Nonono chica. They are signs of who you are. Let them be." She gazes up at him, eyes swimming with tears. I can feel how upset she is and hold out my hands for her. Ob nods to Pandora and she settles Chloe in my arms.

I begin to dance, crooning in Romanavich. There is still a feeling of upset to her and I reach out to touch as I would any of my Kin. There is a slap of power against my mind and I laugh. It is not yet strong, but I grin at Ob.

"You have bred true Cooza... We have an angry little dragonchild here." I nuzzle her nose with mine and she tugs my hair. "I am sorry *puchica, but it is a Romanavich thing. One day your beloved will gift you with his name in jewels, as your papa has just done your mamacita."


*small beauty