Belea

There was a late arrival at the Traveler's Den. Though small for an Imperial, her grace and the shine of the sun off her smooth, soft colors still made heads turn and follow her up the beach. She reached her goal near the row of cabanas where many dragons lays scattered in the dappled shade of the bamboo.

"Belea! What brings you? Is there trouble at home?" Laellia had been napping with the hatchlings, but was instantly alert as only a mother can be.

"Oh, no, mother! Everything is fine at the cove! Only..." Belea touched noses with her dam, careful not to disturb her little brothers. "...the cove is so quiet and lonely with all of you here."

"Well, I am always glad of your company. Come and sit. Talk to me."

Belea settled herself and gazed around the beach. "Are ALL these dragons Dalas' kin?" Her voice was understandably incredulous.

"Oh yes!" was the reply. "But they're not YOUR kin, so...you might just find a special someone if you look hard enough..." Belea's mother nudged her wing. "Our cove is somewhat isolated. It wouldn't hurt you to get out and explore the world, you know? Why don't you take a walk around? There are always some lively goings-on over by the barbecue. Young folk are always hungry, it seems!"

Belea strolled along the beach, in awe of the bustle of busy dragons surrounding her. She was so busy staring she nearly bumped right into two Imperials about her age! Simera and her cousin Aida peered at the unfamilar dragon...

"Hi! Who are you here with?" questioned the elder cousin, Aida, not impolitely.

"Well, I came to see my mother," Belea said, suddenly shy, "but I'm not related to anyone else here!" "Come on, then! We'll introduce you!" Simera smiled, throwing an arm around Belea's shoulders. "Most of us younger dragons have been hanging out by the tidepools..."

Simera and Aida left no room for shyness. Grabbing food randomly off the barbecue, the cousins whisked Belea off to a bonfire near the tidepools at the furthest edge of the beach, where other young dragons were already gathered. There, Belea was able to relax and enjoy herself. She was amazed at some of the antics of the more daredevilish dragons, she gasped at the air acrobatics and was entertained by the water pranks by the shore. She laughed until she cried.

---

As darkeness fell, Belea thought of rejoining her mother to view the constellations, but Simera pulled her with a handful of the others up into the cliffs. When Belea protested, "...but the constellation viewing on the beach is starting..." Simera whispered, "The view is better up here. Trust me."

Where Simera took them all was up to the hot spring pools! The other guests had cleared out for the Great Feast, so there was plenty of room for the young dragons to spread out. Soaking in a pool near the rim, Belea had a beautiful view of the stars. When Simera padded up to see how she fared, Belea thanked her enthusiastically.

"...though I do sort of wish..." Belea hesitated.

"Go on, spit it out, girl!" Simera settled into the waters beside her new friend.

"I bet all the legends of the stars are wonderful to hear," she finished wistfully.

"Oh, we can do better!" Simera stretched out her neck to spy her cousin in the opposite pool. "Aida! Belea wants a story!"

There began a Round Robin of storytelling that jumped from pool to pool. There were tales of daring-doo as well as botched conspiracies that left Belea giggling. She noticed that not everyone took a turn, so she didn't feel awkward for her silence.

She felt the stars watching her from over her shoulder, winking their approval. The breeze made tiny wavelets across the hot springs and she was content.

With a sigh at the beauty of the dragondance, Laelia turned to her mate. "Dalas, have you seen Belea? I sent her off to explore with the other juveniles, but I haven't seen her since yesterday. Do you think she's alright?"

"She's fine, my love," Dalas nuzzled her shoulder. "She is a grown dragon. You're just looking for someone to mother, now that you know the twins are both to foster. Shhh. Enjoy the dancing and the sunset over the sea. We don't get these colors back home."

---

Belea stood on the edge of the massive crowd of dragons on shore watching Sunset and her family dance in the sun’s fading light. She had never seen anything so beautiful. Her head was filled music carried softly on the breeze and she vibrated with an eagerness to follow. She sighed.

“I saw you last night at the hot springs." A soft voice at her shoulder startled her. "I noticed that you didn’t talk, either.” She turned to see an autumn colored Skydancer. She recognized him, though they had never spoken. He spoke again now. “Why do you seem so sad? Don’t you like the dancing?” When she didn’t answer, he continued, “Why don’t you join them? I can see your wings twitching.”

“Oh, I am not of the family. It is my mother and stepfather…” She began.

“But if you dance with me, you will be with family.” He gave a small hop into the air and hovered before her, beckoning. “Come, dance with me. Please?"

The wind surprised her with a gust on her face and she laughed and leapt into the air, ascending in slow wide circles while he did spirals around her. He was a delightful partner and full of surprises, darting about like the syncopation to her melody. Well, she thought, she had a surprise or two up her own sleeve. She changed direction but continued turning slowly like a condor until they reached the airspace above the rest of the dancers, then she folded her wings and dove.

He dutifully followed her as she aimed for the far side of the cove, away from the hatchlings playing in the shallows. As she neared the water, she heard him call out behind her, but she knew what she was about. Not for nothing was she born and bred at Cliffside Cove. She began to corkscrew just before she hit the water.

The angle of her entry was shallow and caused a huge wall of water to rise up, wave-like, high into the sundrenched sky. Rainbows flew off the water droplets as it crested and began its descent back into the glass-like sea. Belea turned and floated on her back. The Skydancer came to rest gracefully beside her, his wings folded like a swan’s.

“You’re all wet,” she observed.

---

Most of the dragons were airborne, swirling and dancing, so only the low-flyers caught sight of the wave and ensuing rainbow shower. There were some “Ooo”s and “Aaah”s from the beach. Dalas and Laelia saw it from where they tended their napping young beside the cabanas.

“Hmmm. I think we’ve found your daughter,” Dalas said dryly.

---

"Well, yes, that's what water tends to do to our feathers" he flapped his wings a bit, uselessly trying to get them to dry fast, but gave up a few seconds later. As it was a nice, warm day he had no problem with being wet and he really enjoyed the company he was with.

The night before he had joined the other juveniles at the hot springs along with his half-sister. It was a blast, they had a lot of fun - Valyriane fit right in with Simera and Aida, laughing and chatting and boasting and telling stories. He felt a bit out of place, but had a good time watching the other attendees, this beautiful imperial in particular. So when he saw her at the dragondance, he had mustered all his courage. It was the last day of the festivities, shortly before he intented to leave - all the better to have a fast getaway if it went awry...!

But now...



It turned out that Woodshade had spent most of his time in the Library, Quell and LimuKai down in the Fishspine Reef, and of course Aster on the Scavenger Hunt, so everyone had had a varied and wonderful time. And of course, who knows where Belea was...

"Mother! Dalas!" All eyes turned as Belea and a young Skydancer emerged from the surf. Belea presented herself before them, dripping and breathless.


"Wonderful!" said her mother. "Well, besides your wetness, are you ready to go?" asked Dalas.

To everyone's wonder, Belea just stood there like she forgot what she was going to say, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. She shifted from foot to foot and then turned desperately to her partner in crime, who stepped admirably up to the plate.

"Greetings! We seem to be just in time for departure. I am Fabales of Tiesa. Your daughter (he nodded to Laelia) has been telling me of the amazing cherry trees that grow in your Arboretum and has been gracious enough (here, a nod to Belea) to invite me to see them. I hope it is not an inconvenience? (he turned to Dalas)"

Belea watched him calm her elders with relief and amazement. She tended toward self-reflection and worry (a trait shared with her mother), but with her new friend she felt like everything would always turn out alright.

Dalas seemed to think so, too. He greeted Fabales warmly and together everyone folded the cabana and made final preparations.

Fabales turned to Belea with a knowing smile. "So...Belea, is it? As in a denizen of the sun? It suits you."