Hollow

I've fallen in love with Guardian dragons and the concept of them having "charges." This leaves the door open for AWESOME storylines! Some of these are based on the assumption Guardian dragons can't choose their charges, it's predestined.

-A guardian realizing their charge is a dragon they absolutely HATE.
-Two guardians making each other their charges, and one dies protecting the other.
-The villain realizing their charge is the hero/protagonist.
-A female Guardian never able to find her Charge, until she has eggs and realizes one of her children is her charge.
-A guardian's charge is a piece of jewellery/belonging of their dead loved one. And someone decides to steal it.
-A guardian has no charge and is shunned by other guardians.
-A guardian going through four, five, six charges and losing every single one. This has the opportunity to be either really funny or really sad.
-A guardian's charge is the most annoying little Fae who constantly gets into trouble/danger. Said guardian has many nervous breakdowns.
-A guardian who is awful at being a guardian.

- A Guardian whose Charge is toxic, painful or otherwise bad for their physical health (I may have one of these)

- A Guardian who resents their Charge, as it restricts them somehow (their movements/ability to travel, ability to choose a mate, prevents them achieving an ambition etc). Or vice versa.

- A Guardian whose charge is immortal - or one whose Charge lives for only a day (like a mayfly, or some species of flower)

Imagine a dragon falling in love and having a nest with a Guardian only for the Guardian to leave due to... vague Charge related issues I haven't thought out... and so the remaining parent is really soured on the whole deal of charges... and then when their kids hatch and one's a little Guardian the parent goes crazy trying to somehow prevent their child from having or finding a charge. Any toy they play with too long or love just a little bit more than the others is snatched away from them. Any friend they enjoy hanging out with they are forbidden from seeing. Maybe the parent even tries to save up money to buy a breed-change scroll for their kid.

I'm sure that wouldn't end terribly at all.

I think that it's possible to think something is worthy at the same time as not particularly liking that thing. Meaningful is not the same thing as worthy. A Guardian's Charge could be an object or individual that has worth to someone else, for example.

Oooh imagine that, a Guardian breed-changing to be better equipped to defend their charge, only to find they suddenly lost their drive to defend it at all.