Merryweather

When Merryweather and his brothers hatched, their mother, Misha, loved them to bits instantly. She knew she would be leaving them to be raised by the clan in a short time, so she decided to give them "large" names to show them how proud she was of them. This is how Merryweather, Nathaniel and Ollivander were named.

As hatchlings Merry, Nate and Ollie (as they were generally called) were quite mischievous. They were always together and always plotting or causing trouble. Their pranks were generally harmless and most of the adults of the clan would smile fondly at them as they bounded through the lair.

Alifax and Adelina, as leaders of the clan, tried to keep the three pranksters in line. However, like everyone else, they were enamored with the rambunctious hatchlings. As a result, their punishments for the pranks were so light that the troublemakers weren't discouraged even a little.

As time went on, nature took its normal course with Nate and Ollie. They got steadily larger and less rowdy. This was not the case for Merry though. It became quite obvious when the hatchlings were about 5 months old that Merry was not growing like his brothers. At first no one was concerned. Everyone just figured he'd be a "late-bloomer". However, when he and his brothers were a year old and Merry still looked, and acted, like he did as a hatchling, Alifax and Adelina knew something was wrong.

In an effort to determine what was wrong with Merry and if it could be corrected, Alifax sent Delix and Melia to the nearby Sunbeam Ruins. Alifax hoped that the scholarly dragons that resided there would be able to help Merry.

After three days, Delix and Melia returned. They seemed pleased with the information they had acquired. Delix explained to Alifax and Adelina that there was, in fact, nothing wrong with Merry. The reason for his condition was still a mystery, but according to the Light dragons they had spoken with, approximately one in every hundred-thousand dragons, or so, never grows up.

Alifax asked in a very confused tone of voice "Never grows up? How long do they live?"

"Apparently, they usually live for the normal lifespan of their breed. So, in Merry's case, for a very long time indeed." replied Delix.

Adelina looked thoughfully at Merry then asked the question which she deemed to be the most impotant "So he's never going to grow up physically. What about mentally and emotionally? Will he remain hatchling-like for his whole life?"

Melia laughed and responded "That was my first question as well. We were warned that the best part and hardest part of dealing with the "eternally youthful" dragons is that they never grow up, in any sense."

Merry knew this conversation was about him, so he'd been listening closely the whole time. He didn't understand a lot of what was said, but he thought he had the general gist of things. "So, I'm gonna stay just like I am now, forever?"

"So it seems, dear." replied Melia with a fond smile.

"Yippie! I didn't want to grow up! It seems so much more fun to be a hatchling!" shouted Merry as he bounced around the adults.