Chosen Dragon: Prologue

The Chosen Dragon

Prologue

Birth of a Dragon





Catryana lay exhausted, her body covered in sweat, she had been pushing for hours. She knew she was not going to live past the birth of her child. Cat prayed she could hang on long enough to see and name the child herself. It was hard to believe only a few months ago the whole family was happy and celebrating the pending new addition to the family. The whole OT, Otherworld, was eager for the arrival of the third generation of the Chosen Dragon. They were the guardians of their realm, the ultimate warriors to stand against all evil. The ones chosen long ago by the most powerful creatures of all magic kind, the dragons. The dark mage Normandis had finally come up with a way to wipe out most of the race of dragons. He created a virus that weakened them, making them easy for him and his men to capture for experimentation before he killed them. The dragons who managed to evade capture endured slow painful deaths. No cure was found in time, but the virus was quick to die once airborne so the few dragons who had been deep within the earth in hibernation were not effected. The Dragon Council made up of the leader of each race of dragons decided to bestow their powers on one man. A great warrior whose family had been loyal to the dragons for many centuries. Giving the warrior and his descendents the task of using all the strength, power and knowledge they bestowed upon them to become the defenders against evil. Guardians against the dark. That man, the first of the line of the chosen dragon was Valerius Draco Regillia, the father of Catryana’s husband Gudrun and grandfather of the child she was now giving birth to. But all the joy and celebration ended abruptly when the dark mage Normandis had struck again. He had kidnapped Catryana. Normandis wanted her child’s powers and if he couldn’t manage to find a way to gain them he was going to kill her baby before it became old enough to become a threat. Many had died to save Catryana and her unborn child including her husband Gudrun, her father-in-law Valerius, his wife Frior, and Catryana had also lost her own father Aeden, a high elf. Many of Valerius and Gudrun’s warriors died as well. The only good to come of it all was the final demise of the dark mage Normandis and his closest followers. A great long standing evil had been destroyed during the battle but so had the greatest defenders against evil. Many were celebrating the death of Normandis as they mourned the loss of the Chosen Dragon line.

Catryana was brought out of her memories as another contraction hit. Her mother Maerwynn told Cat to push as her sister Laural was behind her for support helping Catryana push. Maerwynn saw the head and told Catryana to push again. There was a blinding pain like fire and then Maerwynn told Cat to stop and just breathe, the baby's head was out. Maerwynn and the midwife were working together to clear out the baby's nose and throat. All the while Maerwynn was reassuring Catryana. "Just one more push and you can see your baby." the midwife stated, she was a brownie who had been with Catryana since Cat was a child. With that hope Catryana bore down one more time and felt the enormous relief as the baby was fully delivered. Cat heard the loud crying of the babe immediately and her own tears started falling. Catryana was weak but she had to see her baby. Maerwynn held the baby up, "It's a girl, darling. A beautiful baby girl." She laid the baby across Catryana's chest and stomach. Cat wanted to hold her baby but she couldn't get her arms to move so Laural helped her by placing her arms around the baby along with Cat's own, helping her cradle the little girl against her as Maerwynn wiped off the baby girl's head and face.

"Oh she is so beautiful!" Catryana whispered. Catryana was so happy that a piece of the love that she and Gudrun had shared would live on beyond them. This one little girl would carry on the legacy of her family. Cat knew there was a rough road ahead for her child but she hoped and prayed that her daughter would be able to be happy.

Maerwynn cooed over the baby, "Oh look at that, she has flaming red hair already. She is going to be a handful, you can just tell darling." Cat used her fingers to stroke the babies back as she quieted down. Catryana tried to push as much love into her daughter as she could, she could feel herself fading and knew there was nothing to do to stop it. She was lucky to have made it this far. Catryana wanted to place a kiss on her daughter’s head but couldn't. Laurel must have read her mind for she helped raise the baby so that Cat could place one loving kiss on her child's head before laying the little girl back on her mother's chest.

Catryana looked up at her mother Maerwynn, "Mother make sure she gets to the Drake family, we have bound her powers as best we can. She needs to be raised as human, and the Drakes are also family and they know about our world. She will be raised as a mostly normal human child but will also learn about our world and receive training to help her defend herself and prepare her for when she comes into her full inheritance. Her new parents will know who she really is, but I do not want anyone else to know. It will be safer that way." Catryana took a few deep breaths and Maerwynn gave her a little water before she continued. "I know it will be hard on both of you but after she is delivered to her new family you must return here for your year of mourning, we cannot risk her link to you being discovered right now. After the year is up move close by to help watch over and teach her the things that will help her in the future. You must start slow and seemingly work your way into being close friends of the family. I love you mom and Laural."

Cat looked down at her baby, "I love you Hayden Oberian Regillia. Just know little one that your father, mother and grandparents will always be watching over you and when the time comes you will be able to visit with us in the spirit realm." Watching her daughter laying there on her stomach Cat spends the last of her remaining strength to give her baby girl a last brief hug and with tears streaming down her face, Catryana took her last breath and closed her eyes. Gone from this world, to join her husband and the rest of her family that has gone before her in the spirit realm.

Maerwynn leaned over and kissed her daughter goodbye and gently lifted her granddaughter into her arms holding her close. Laural also kissed her sister goodbye, as the little brownie midwife, with tears in her eyes, lightly clasped together over her stomach the hands of the woman she has watched over and served with honor for so many years.

Laural looked at her niece and ran her hand down the girl's little back telling the sleeping baby that her adventure was just beginning. Hugging her mother as they cried tears of joy for their gain and tears of sorrow for their loss. They all had a new life and adventure ahead of them.