Xiome

Morning

“Xiome! Grab the herbs you gathered this morning, this nice young dragon needs a sleeping potion!”

Xiome sighed as she begrudgingly followed her mother’s orders. The market was full to the brim with dragons and stalls that were ready for exploring, but she was stuck in the hot, cluttered stand that her family used for everything.

The dark, heavy cloth that hung around the wooden frame of the stall absorbed and trapped heat, which added to the humidity of the Gladeveins. The space was small and cramped, filled with things that Xiome was supposed to be organizing, but never got around to doing. She always ended up daydreaming about life as a normal dragon, one that didn’t spend 90% of her days hidden in a storage area.

Market days were the worst. She would have to sit in the dark, nestled among the dusty urns and herbs that her mother hoarded and never sold, and bring up herbs and products for the customers. Xiome’s mother always said that she would get a chance to practice her craft or sell goods eventually, but it was constantly put off too, “Maybe next market day honey, I really need your help to bring the herbs up to sell!”

Xiome’s brother never got this treatment. He never had to sit listening to the happy crows outside, while sneezing on the dust of long forgotten possessions. He always got to make his own recipes, to practice their sacred craft and pray in the best spots out in the forest.

“Xiome! I hope you’re not sleeping back there, this very valued customer needs you to bring him those herbs!”

“I’m coming Mother!” Xiome shouted back. She squinted against the light as she stepped into the open air part of their stall. Spying her mother, she silently handed off the herbs and looked around in wonder at the marketplace. It never seemed to get old, especially when in contrast with the horrible storage area.

Without a word, her mother took the herbs and handed them to the customer, making sure to put on her best smile and cheerful voice. Taking this as her cue to leave, Xiome slowly walked back into the direction of her prison to wait for nightfall, and with it, liberation.

Midnight

Xiome cautiously shifted the curtain of the stall, peering out into the darkness, trying to find any dragons still up and about in the middle of the night. When she was sure no one was out there, she carefully slid out of the storage area and dashed for the cover of trees, all too aware that her white scales would shine in the moonlight.

Once she was safe, Xiome let out a long breath. Her mother was out celebrating a birthday and most likely wouldn’t be home until the morning, as tradition. It had been a long time since she was able to sneak out like this, and was grateful to be able to do her evening prayers by the secret waterfall she had found a few moons earlier.

Soon, she arrived at her sanctuary, and was greeted by the wonderful smell of the summer flowers and leaves that filled her with joy. She hopped into the sky and began to do slow, lazy loops around her oasis, marveling with how it felt to be free from the suffocating dark of storage.

“Hello there!” Xiome nearly fell out of the sky as she whipped around in surprise, terrified that she’d been caught by her mother and would be sent back to the stall. Instead, there sat a dark green and purple nocturne with veins of gold running through her body, cheerfully looking up at her and waving.

“H-Hi?” Xiome replied, incredibly flustered by the stranger who had found her hidden place.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you, I found this place a few nights ago and thought it would be the perfect place to relax in peace and quiet.”

“It’s okay, you just startled me. I’ve been cooped up inside all day and this is the best place I know where I can be alone.” With that, Xiome flew down to the side of the small pond where the stranger was sitting, and coiled up next to her. “So… what’s your name?”

“It’s Ophelia, may I ask yours?”

“Of course, my name is Xiome.”

“Well, nice to meet you Xiome.”

Hours Later

“Well, I should probably get going,” Xiome told Ophelia, “My mother hates it when I’m gone too long, sometimes I truly hate living with her.” The spiral started to unwind from the coil she had made, and began to stretch out her sore muscles.

“But why do you have to go? Your mother sounds truly dreadful, and I already said that you’d get so many opportunities if you just came with me to my lair. You’d never have to go in the stall again!”

“Ophelia, I told you. I can’t disobey my mother. If I just left, she would find me and I’d be punished severely,” Xiome stated, slightly exasperated with the whole situation.

“Just give me a chance to show you the rest of the world. Please. You deserve to know more than just what’s in a flying distance from your mother.”

“You know what? Fine. It’ll just be for a day, but I’ll visit your lair.”

“Really? That’s great! Just follow me!” And with that, the pair jumped into the sky together, and Xiome knew that she made the right choice.