Ivana

When Ivana first met Chartres he said, "Wow you're beautiful!" She thought he was just brazen with his pick-up lines, but eventually learned the way he spoke was a curse. A curse that caused him to blurt out the first thing that came to mind.

When Chartres proposed it was equally unromantic. "We should get married." Ivana was okay with no fancy ceremony and they started sharing a den. Then the talk of kids began. He was convinced the apparent magical-boosting capabilities of her symbiotic fireflies could help negate his curse for future generations.

Ivana didn't think the fireflies really had any magical significance, but she also wanted children. While inspecting the two eggs she didn't see any firefly eggs on them. She could only hope that Chartres wasn't too disappointed.

Both children had the magical runes of their father. Chartres had to prop himself up against the wall when they were hatching, as if he was too exhausted to stand. He moved closer to them. His eyes looked a bit crazed as he said, "They're doomed... but we still have one more chance! We can try again!"

"What are you even talking about?" Ivana put herself between Chartres and the children.

"I have enough magic for one more nest." Chartres continued to sound crazed as he explained his curse wasn't just unfiltered speech, but the inability to hatch more than two nests without dying.

Ivana was horrified.

"My sacrifice could save future generations!" He concluded.

"You're insane! We don't have any evidence the fireflies can even help." She would not become a murderer for his self-destructive research. While he was still winded she scooped up the children and left.

Forgotten Poet's Tools Trinkets The abandoned tools of a traveling poet. The inkwell is empty, and the feather is wilting. 80 Owlcat Journal Trinkets Embossed with a colorful owlcat, this journal is filled with the hopes, dreams, and cookie recipes of a young dragon. 24 Scary Storybook Trinkets The foreword indicates that these are best told in the dark. The black and white illustrations throughout are crude, sketchy, and haunting. Don't read the one about the neck ribbon. 47

Ivana's Journal The First Entry It was quite a shock when I first came to Ladrian's home. Our home now I suppose, now that we're married. It's a nice enough place despite being a bit bare. Ladrian promised to fill it with fine things for me. He promised me a lot of things. The same kind of promises that Chartres promised me... When Ladrian first proposed to me, I accepted right away. I didn't know anything about him except what his mother and the matchmaker told me. I can only hope they were telling the truth about his qualities. It was a risk I needed to take so I could leave that horrid place I called home. Ladrian seems sweet enough. He showered me in jewelry and gifted me the sweetest little cat. It was quite a sight seeing him carry the jewelry box to the ceremony site. Whole thing must have weighed as much as he did. The matchmaker officiated the ceremony while his parent's bore witness. It was quite solemn, really. But when Ladrian looks at me... I see nothing but adoration, but he always looks away when I catch him. I've noticed that he can be a bit shy and quiet. The things I see in his eyes when he looks at me are making me believe that one day I will love him as much as he seems to love me.

I was so happy when our first eggs were laid. Everything was perfect. Ladrian's business is going well, our food stores are overflowing, and I've even started a garden to entertain myself while he was away. So happy, in fact, that what happened when our eggs hatched while he was traveling shook me to my core. I cannot stop the tears that flow freely down my face. It went something like this:

When our eggs hatched, the hatchlings turned on each other with such viciousness that their fight was over before I could react. Only one chick remained. He seemed quite proud of himself as his two siblings fled the nursery. I tried to follow them, to bring them back, but Klilament stopped me before I left our lair.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Oh Klilament, my babies had a terrible fight when they hatched. I need to go after them!"

Klilament's expression was puzzled. "Why?"

I stopped in my tracks, shocked as I was. "What do you mean 'why'?! They're my children!"

"Let them go, Ivana. The land is harsh here. Your chick won the nest. Everything you have goes to him while he is dependent on you. The other two will either survive or perish. That is their lot," Klilament said.

"Are you seriously telling me that you aren't surprised?" I was furious.

"Well, yes. How else are you supposed to know which chick is worth raising otherwise?" She replied, her tone genuinely puzzled.

"No one told me that this would happen!" I cried.

She looked at me. Her expression was inscrutable. After an agonizingly long moment, the spell was broken by a soft nose nudging my side. Klilament looked down at my chick, her hard expression softening for the briefest moment before she turned back to me.

"Tend to your chick, Ivana, and dry your tears. The lean times are coming upon us. You will be grateful that you only have one mouth to feed soon. I will see what I can do about the other two in the meantime."

I felt nothing but defeat. "Why did this happen?"

"It is how the magic of this land operates. I won the nest when I was born, Vahn won his; every one of our neighbors won theirs. All at the cost of our siblings. It is so natural to us that I suppose it didn't occur to us to tell you, and for that I am sorry that we neglected to tell you."