Giles' Keeper

I wonder what all they can do. It’s been a few weary days since I’ve woken up here. Even now I spend most of my time staring in wonder at all that is in the castle. The grounds are beautiful. Sat out in the garden I admire colors so vibrant and colorful I feel as if my eyes are betraying me. “How are you Nesta?” Lennon asks with a gentle smile as she sits down, adjusting her purple gown elegantly.

“I’m well- I think anyway. Still a bit shocked.” I admit to her with a shy smile of my own. Subconsciously I adjust my own gown, the soft pale pink gown, smoothing over the silky fabric. It’s so soft, I’m terrified I’ll ruin it with a spill.

“It took me some time to reconcile with the changes as well.” Lennon offers as she admires the garden with a loving and gentle smile. “Corban takes pride in his garden- if you ever need to find him for some reason, this is the first place to look.”

“He likes to garden?” I ask, watching as she laughs and nods.

“He loves it- has an affinity for gardening, nature really. He’s a gentle soul compared to his siblings. Couldn’t harm a fly without the needed reason.” She sighs softly, her hand reaches out to caress a delicate blue petal.

“Affinity? His element is nature. I take it?” His warm brown eyes with small green moss colored flecks looked normal comparatively.

“Yes, Corban harnesses the element of nature. He loves animals and plants, the earth and everything it has to offer. He’s gifted, all of them are- just in different ways.” Lennon turns towards me with a slight teasing laugh. “I’m a bit biased though.”

“From what little I’ve heard- I’d have to agree with you.” I mean, not everyone can shift to a dragon or wield magic elements. Giles has been open with the kingdom and his abilities, hearing them has been a shock. Like everything else. The feeling of inadequacy only grows the more I’m surrounded by him and his family- it’s clear they are meant for great. And I’m an orphaned peasant.

A feeling of warmth blankets my chest, a soothing awareness of Giles. How does he do that? He’s been very open about something he called mind-link, but has yet to use it. Granted he said he wanted to wait until I’ve settled to explore our bond in depth and enjoy our journey as he called it. “Are your quarters to your taste?” She questions bringing me back to the present as I nod.

“Oh, far more than I ever could’ve imagined. It’s a far cry from my home.” I offer sadly, my heart is heavy again. The castle has been quite the distraction, always something new and exciting to see, or even do. Yet at night, I’m left to my thoughts. Giles is never far, sleeping on the couch, being the gentleman that he always is.

“How are you handling the transition from home to here?” She asks gently, hands clasped elegantly in her lap before she crosses her ankles in a ladylike manner.

“I’m still trying to process it all.” I speak up, wiping my palms on my skirt. “It’s hard- Papa was my everything and to see him die-” Tears prick my eyes making me heave a sigh. “It hurts, I’ve never seen Papa like that.” Deep down, I know he wasn’t the best father out there- but he was all I ever had. I could depend on him.

“You’ve only mentioned your father, did you mother pass away?” Lennon asks in a soft and gentle way that makes it difficult to fight tears of pain and anger.

“She ran away when I was still a child. Father was summoned to court to fight with the King’s men, she was seduced or seduced my ‘uncle Sebastian’.” I scoff, rubbing at my eyes to fight the continual pain.

“Oh my.” She murmurs with a frown, shaking her head as she grasps my hand in hers tenderly. “Was it just you and your Papa?” I nod fighting tears at her gentle tone.

“Yes, after mother left us, it was just us, one of our neighbors helped Papa raise me through my womanly hardships. Mrs. Gingham, a sweet woman.” I wonder what happened to her.

“You adore her, I take it?” She asks and I nod with a sad smile.

“Yes- very much. More so than my own mother Mrs. Gingham taught me how to care for the house and Papa- even through my womanly time. She was there for me when my own had neglected me. I think she even fancied Papa a bit herself.” Lennon smiled slightly at that and nodded.

“I think you’d be correct in that assumption.” She agrees with a smile before she lets go of my hand with a small pat.

“Did you get to go back to see your family after you… moved?” I ask her after a time of silence watching as she starts to shake her head slowly.

“No- I’m afraid once you leave home, you can’t return. It’s for the safety of the kingdom and the dragon race.” She acknowledges as she watches over the garden reminiscing in a way.

“Do you miss home?” I find myself asking, she shrugs taking a moment longer to look over the scenery before she turns her wise gaze back to me.

“Some- but not as much as one might think. I’m afraid my home life was hard, we were starving, withering away. Another desolate winter would’ve been the death of me. As is my family had bargained my hand for a loveless marriage to save the family farm.” Lennon offers honestly as she stares at her lap, my heart pangs for her.

“I take it you weren’t very happy at home?”

“There were good times and bad, towards the end there were admittedly more bad than there were good.” She releases a heavy sigh. “I miss my family, but I don’t think I’d want to go back. Living here has been a blessing. Never have my children suffered or wanted- they’ve never had to experience a hungry sleepless night. My babies have always had what they’ve wanted and needed.”

“Wasn’t it hard to adjust? One moment you were human and the next, you’re a Queen.” I still can’t grasp that knowledge. Every time I try to think about it, my belly flips and grows queasy.

“Some of it was hard- other parts were not.” She starts as Cora walks into the gardens, her head held high in an elegant and aristocratic manner. She looks so royal. Everyone in Giles’s family looks royal as if they are meant to be. Yet here I am the frump of the group. “While I was shocked, I knew I had the love of my life with me- he had all of my faith.”

“Wasn’t that a scary leap?” I ask as Cora settles on the swing regally, hands folded in her lap as she listens in on the conversation. Her mother gives her a warm and loving smile.

“Draven had such a way with words- he wooed me with his intelligence, his gentle yet protective nature.” Lennon gets this dreamy look in her gaze before she sighs. “To fully understand- when I first met him I had run out into the woods in an upset fit. I figured I was alone, until he asked why I shed tears.”

“I would imagine that’d give a bit of a fright.” I offer as she shakes her head.

“Not at all! His voice spoke to something deep in my soul, caressed the under nurtured side of me. I cried and wept at his home, sullen with my parents plans to save themselves and cast me aside.” Lennon sighs as Cora frowns, her nose twitching in displeasure.

“Didn’t you try to end it? The arranged marriage?” Lennon looks at her daughter with a sad frown.

“My dear, while you have the power of your voice here- humans view things much differently. A woman is a homemaker, nurtures the children, makes meals and cleans up, patch clothes up. My word back home meant little to my father- his decision was all that would matter.”

“Did you even know of the man you were to be married to?” I ask, intrigued by her story.

“He was a knight within the King’s men, I knew very little of him. I begged and pleaded with my father to not go through with it. The night I was to be married I ran to the forest in tears with a dagger. My feelings for Draven had grown- I couldn’t betray the love I had for him. He promised me a safe passage, that he’d keep my safe if I were to kill myself.” She answers quietly and I gasp watching as Cora shakes her head.

“You killed yourself?” Cora huffs with a frown.

“Humans can be so silly.” She mutters as if she’s unsure of the fact herself.

“I did, I refused to be bedded by another man when I had such feelings for Draven. I remember it so vividly. The numbness that blossomed, the energy and power that coursed through my veins gave me a rush of- life I had never felt before. My eyes were closing as this large being stood above me glowing he called a prayer to his ancestors towards the skies and I rose- flew through the air.”

Her dreamy smile returns even as Cora frowns slightly at her. “You never told me this.” Lennon smiles slightly to her daughter as she continues, I find myself leaning forward in wonder.

“When I woke up it was to the feeling of such luxury I thought I was in heaven. The warmth I was surrounded by was so foreign, it felt like the safest of hugs.” She sighs, wiping off dust on her skirts. “I was shocked to see Draven as a human, unsure if I was mad with the being that stood above me.”

“I know the feeling- it still doesn’t feel real.” I offer quietly watching as she gives me a nod.

“Draven made me feel safe- he gave me a blessing, saving me from my family. He gave me the world and more. None of my kids have ever had to suffer the hardships I had- it’s a blessing I’m thankful for every morning and night.” Is she trying to say Giles’ will do the same for me?

“I believe hardships are a necessity- it builds someone’s character. Granted I never wish for a child’s belly to know starvation, to go to bed hungry.” I murmur lost in thought as Cora stares between us with her own frown.

“Is it common to go to bed hungry?” Lennon nodded.

“Often, I went to bed hungry more than I went to bed with a warm meal- or even a snack. There’s few nights you’ll go to bed satisfied.” She explains, eager to express her hardships. I think she’d be horrified to know Giles had gone periods without food.

“What about you Nesta?” She questions with a curious frown, I feel Lennon stare at her daughter with a small frown of her own.

“To be honest, Papa tried his best. We’d hunt, and forage for berries together, we’d eat- but it was scarce most evenings.” I say truthfully as Lennon offers a sigh.

“Cora- the human world is not something you need to burden yourself with. You’ll have a mate before you are even burdened with your dragon. You won’t need to leave the safety of the Kingdom.” Lennon leans forward grabbing her daughter’s hand to reassure her. I watch as Cora’s eyes shift and she tenses at her mother’s words.

“Mother, the human world is something the boys get to experience, why can’t I?” She questions and Lennon offers a gentle sigh, shaking her head.

“My dear, you are far too precious to risk out in the human realm- your father and I only with for you to have the best life possible- and that’s here.” I watch as Cora’s eyes go blank and she looks away with a stiff nod, ending the conversation.