Exton

Ryan puts down his sandwich and gazes at the dragon gargoyle where he lies on a stone bench. He chews slowly, listening to the others chatter away. Gracie watches as he stands and walks over to examine the stone creature. Pandora looks up from her book and smiles at the little boy. His hands begin to move in a dance of motion, moving faster than Pandora can follow.

 "Ryan, you are going too fast for me. Can you slow down?"

He nods, thinking a moment. He turns and looks at the group still sitting on the blanket. Gracie is watching them, her sandwich forgotten. She smiles broadly and runs across the grass to join her friend and aunt.

"Tante Pandy, I can tell you what Ry says."

The boy nods emphatically. His hands begin to dance again and Gracie watches them closely.

"He is askin if Chloe's papan is awake in there, or is he sleeping. Why isn't Oncle Ob waking up? Oncle Tannr has been out of bed. Why are his horns broken? Did that happen in his fight with the scorpionman? Why hasn't he healed himself?" Gracie pauses, putting her hands over Ryan's to stop his questions.

"What do you mean Ry? Oncle Ob can't heal himself." Her eyes turned to Pandora. "Can he?"

 Ob is suddenly aware of the touch of the little ones. Pandora is also there. Every one of them has the same thought.

Ryan pulls his hands away from Gracie's. They begin to move again. Gracie translates for her aunt. "Ry's maman told him a story. It was about a stone dragon who came to their homeland to hunt an Unseelie Sidhe. She did some bad things... broke the Queens' laws, came to this world to steal children, hurt lots of people. There was a big battle. Many warriors became heroes. Many warriors were dying. Then the stone dragon brought his sword of light and song among those hurt. He sang a song of comfort. The notes danced among the moans and screams of pain, pulling them into the song. Those he touched with the light began to heal.Those about to die got better. He didn't completely heal them. He gave them a chance."

Her lips purse and Gracie shrugs at Ryan. "He says his maman told him that Oncle Ob is the stone dragon in the story. She told him that Lord Keon is the Dark Sidhe the story talks about. Is it true Tante Pandy?"

Before Pandora can respond, Ob touches the little one's thoughts. It wasn't that glorious. It was... Yes, I did help heal the people in the hospital. His mind touches the children, finding he can reach Mera, Ryan, and Ru through his kin. Bruha... I have not felt the sword pulling at me, but... Sing with me?

The words roll through his mind, touching Pandora's. She begins to sing, echoing his undulating notes. The children listen, soon singing along. Ryan's hands dance, mimicking the rise and fall of the music. Magic begins to gather, flowing between Pandora and her daughter, Teri reaches upwards. tracing the magic with his little hands. Ru croons softly The others raise their voices, singing to the trees and sunshine.

A warmth builds in Ob's chest, pulsing in time with the music. It grows, absorbing the magic that Pandora directs toward it. a soft gleam shines between Ob and the bench. The soft light ripples, growing brighter as it moves through Ob's stone form. The jewel like flecks in Ob's stone form glow from within, glittering in the sunlight. Dust shifts from his wings as they moves slowly. They unfurl to their full length, then slowly close, settling evenly over his scaled back.

The magical light reverses, creeping back along Ob's stone form until it settles in his chest. The song drifts away on an errant breeze. Ob sighs softly, as the glow ebbs. Pandora caresses his mind, her fingers stroking over his broken horns. Chloe's hand slips into hers. Ob's mind is somnolent, drifting without the constant background pain.

"Is Pa'pa better?"

Pandora smiles at her daughter, gives her smile to the other children. "We will see if he wakes tonight."