"Come, we're all going into town," Lanni announced, her voice bright and commanding, cutting through the cool evening air. It was the Day of Jubilation, one of the two sacred days on Torthoc, when the usual bus-tle of life gave way to reverence and joy. The other holy day, the Day of Contemplation in the spring, was quieter, devoted to reflection, remembrance, and gratitude for those lost. But the Day of Jubilation, celebrated in the fall, was a time for reveling in the bonds of the living—family, friends, and community. Across the kingdom, no one dared violate the sanctity of these days. Stories of those who had—facing fates so ghastly they became legends—served as a deterrent for anyone tempted by mischief. "Where are we going?" Zan asked, a spark of excitement in his eyes. "Sunset Roc Inn," Lanni replied with a grin. "It's tradition. All the servants and guards from the nobles' houses gather there. I'm buying three rounds and dinner this year.” "The kitchen's open?" Shan asked, skeptical. "No, but the food is prepared and preserved. As long as Jahree doesn't touch it, it should stay warm all night," Lanni said, giving a teasing glance to Jahree. "I'll have cold food?" Jahree frowned. Lanni rolled her eyes. "No, it’ll cool at a normal rate. You’ll survive.” She noticed Jahan lingering at the edge of the group, his arms crossed, his face turned away from the growing anticipation. "Jahan," Lanni called gently. "Come on. I’m not cooking tonight." "I’m not really in the mood," Jahan murmured, his voice low. "I’ll observe here." "He misses his wife," Marn whispered to her. "He hasn’t seen her since we left for this posting.” "It’s been three years since I’ve seen Nalli,” Jahan admitted quietly. Lanni softened. "Join us for a little while at least," she urged. "It’s not a night to be alone. At least come for the ceremony.” Jahan hesitated, then sighed and gave a reluctant nod. At the Sunset Roc Inn, the lively chatter of preparations filled the air. Servants and sol-diers alike bustled about, setting up tables and arranging the ceremonial space. Lanni seized the moment to slip out unnoticed and transport away. She made her way through the dimly lit village. She stopped at a modest door, knocking firmly. When it opened, a woman with cautious eyes and a weary expression greeted her. "Are you Nalli, Jahan’s wife?" Lanni asked. Nalli's eyes widened with worry. "Why? Did something happen to him?" "No, no," Lanni reassured her quickly. "But he misses you. The Day of Jubilation is hard to celebrate when you’re apart from loved ones. He couldn’t make it down, so I came to bring you to him.” Nalli’s brow furrowed in suspicion. "Who are you?" Lanni smiled. "I’m Annlonna Va Darina, but most people call me Lanni. I work for the prince-general and am stationed with Jahan. Would you like to come?” Nalli hesitated, torn. "I can’t leave our son." "Your son?" Lanni asked, surprised. "He’s welcome to come too. I’m sure Jahan misses him just as much.” Nalli shook her head. "He’s too little to transport." "How old is he?" “He’s three.” Lanni’s smile widened. "That’s no trouble at all. I’m not using a charm; I’m a mage. I can transport children as young as a few months.” Nalli’s face lit with hope. "You’d really take us to him?" "Of course," Lanni said warmly. “Let me get Gallen.” A moment later, Nalli returned with a small boy clinging to her hand. Lanni extended hers, and with a pulse of magic, they appeared at the inn. The boy’s eyes lit up as he scanned the room. "Daddy!" he shouted, running on unsteady legs toward Jahan. Jahan’s head snapped up. "Gallin?" He scooped his son into a fierce hug, his face alight with joy. Nalli followed close behind, and Jahan embraced her just as tightly, his relief palpable. "Come to Aunt Lanni," Lanni said softly and took the boy so his parents could greet each other freely. She noticed he wore braces on his legs. Gallin studied her with curiosity. "You’re not my aunt." Lanni chuckled. "I’m a dragon. I’m everybody’s aunt." It wasn’t far from the truth. With her sprawling, interwoven family of her birth family and adoptive one and centuries of connections, Lanni had long since stopped keeping track of all her relations. Caring for family—whether by blood or bond—was in her na-ture. Jahree appeared beside her, his voice soft. "That was kind of you." Lanni shrugged, her gaze on the joyful reunion. "The whole kingdom is my shepol. You take care of shepol.” "You do," he agreed, pressing a kiss to her cheek. Gallin returned to his parents for the ceremony, sitting contentedly on Jahan's lap with his father’s protective arm wrapped around both him and Nalli. Jahan barely let go of his wife the entire time, as though afraid she might vanish if he loosened his grip. When the ceremony concluded and the celebration began, Gallin's energy surged. No longer content to sit still, he wriggled free and wandered the inn’s dining hall, wide-eyed with wonder. The boy quickly found playmates among the children of the servants and townsfolk. De-spite his braces, Gallin moved with determination, his uneven gait doing nothing to dim his enthusiasm. Every soldier in the room kept a watchful eye on him, subtly ensuring he stayed safe. Whenever he needed help, he instinctively sought out someone from Jahan's squad—familiar faces he trusted. Many of the soldiers had spoken to Nalli and Gallin throughout the evening, drawn to the quiet warmth of their small family. After the meal, the dancing began. Lanni watched the scene with delight. In Menthanla, only nobles danced, the custom steeped in rigid formality. But here, everyone joined in. Soldiers, servants, townsfolk—it didn’t matter. The camaraderie was infectious, and Lan-ni loved every bit of it. She admired how the soldiers had adapted to the tradition, learn-ing to dance to blend in with the locals. Zan approached Jahan and Nalli with a grin. “Why don’t I watch Gallin for a while so you two can dance?” The boy, fascinated by Zan's earrings, reached up to touch them. “Shiny,” he said with a giggle. Jahan and Nalli exchanged a look, then smiled. “Thank you,” Jahan said, placing a hand on Zan’s shoulder before leading Nalli to the dance floor. As the music swirled, Jahree appeared beside Lanni, extending his hand. “Would you like to dance?” he asked, his tone hopeful. “I was wondering when you’d ask,” Lanni replied with a smile, slipping her hand into his. Jahree led her to the floor, and the two moved gracefully in sync. Lanni had danced all her life, learning every style she encountered, and Jahree was more than capable of keep-ing up. As they twirled, Lanni found herself gazing into his eyes. There was something in his expression—an intensity, a tenderness—that puzzled her. It felt like he was falling in love, but she couldn’t tell if it was genuine or some clever act to win her favor. She hated how her own emotions muddied her ability to read others, especially those she cared about. When the dance ended, Jahree leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. The touch was so soft it barely registered, but it sent a ripple through her. Somewhere deep within, Drepal stirred, craving the gentleness she so rarely experienced. But the other part of her quickly settled, unwilling to ruin the moment. As they returned to their seats, Lanni noticed Marn chatting animatedly with a local woman. She recognized the woman from around town and smiled. They seemed like a good match. Nearby, Gallin had fallen asleep in Zan's lap, Sifa’s cloak tucked snugly around him. Lanni's heart warmed at the sight. Sifa would make an excellent mother if she and Lamen ever succeeded in having children. Shan leaned toward Jahan. “Chances are Marn won’t be coming back with us. Why don’t Nalli and Gallin stay the night?” “Yeah, you barely get to see them,” Jahree added. “If Marn does come back, he can stay in our room. It’s not like we’ll be sleeping.” Jahan hesitated. “We’re not supposed to have women in our quarters.” Lanni raised an eyebrow. “She’s your wife. It’s not like there’s married housing here.” Jahan looked away, his voice soft. “She’s not my wife—she’s my pledged. When we found out she was pregnant, we also learned Gallin had narlin. I enlisted to afford his treatments. There was no magistrate in our village, and the nearest one was too far for us to reach before I had to report for duty. The one time I had enough leave, Gallin had a relapse and couldn’t travel.” Lanni’s expression softened. “Do you want to be married?” “Yes,” they both said, their voices firm. “Nalli, can you stay the night?” Lanni asked. “I guess. Why?” “I’m a noble. I can marry you,” Lanni said matter-of-factly. “You are?” Nalli asked, her eyes wide. “She’s the Shimmering Princess,” Jahan explained. Nalli turned back to Lanni. “You are? You’d marry us tonight?” Lanni shook her head. “Not tonight. Marriages can’t happen on holy days. But I can do it an hour after midnight.” “You’d really do that? We just met,” Nalli said, her voice tinged with disbelief. “You’re family,” Lanni said simply. “We are?” Lanni shrugged. “Maybe. Better safe than sorry.” Nalli laughed, and Jahan smiled for the first time in a long while. “If we’re getting mar-ried, let’s celebrate with a dance,” he said, offering his hand to Nalli. She accepted, and they moved to the dance floor, their faces glowing with happiness. Meanwhile, the nurse who cared for Rantar’s children approached Zan and asked him to dance. He hesitated, glancing at Gallin asleep in his lap. “I’ll take him,” Jahree offered. Zan nodded and carefully passed the boy over, then stood to join the nurse on the floor. “I was hoping to dance again,” Lanni said wistfully. “I’ll dance with you,” Tellic offered, standing eagerly. Lanni hesitated. Tellic was kind, but she struggled to find a way to decline without hurt-ing his feelings. Tellic noticed her pause and smiled. “I know. Troll,” he said knowingly. “Not exactly,” Lanni replied, her cheeks flushing. She walked over to him and gestured for him to stand. When he did, she found herself staring at his belt buckle. “I don’t mind dancing with friends, no matter the race. But maybe a dance where we don’t stand so close?” She lowered her gaze slightly. “What do you think, Little Telli?” Tellic’s face turned a bright shade of blue. He sat down quickly, muttering apologies. Lanni chuckled, shaking her head. “The problem with being so short—I have to be careful where I stand with some people.” The warmth of the evening continued, filled with laughter, music, and the joy of togeth-erness. “Maybe you should take dragon form,” Jahree teased with a playful smile. “Then you’d be taller.” Lanni rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched in amusement. “Not by much. I’m small that way too. I’m not much bigger than a dragonling.” She grimaced at the admission. “Dragonling?” Sifa interjected, curiosity flickering in her eyes. Ever since she’d learned about Lanni’s draconic heritage, she had been doing her best to set aside her preconceived notions. Instead, she decided to learn all she could about dragons and often peppered Lanni with questions. “Baby or young child dragons,” Lanni explained. “They’re called dragonlings until they’re about a hundred years old. From a hundred to two hundred, we call them young ones. They’re like human teenagers. At two hundred, they’re considered full adults.” Sifa’s eyes widened. “So... did you have to wait until you were two hundred to be con-sidered an adult?” Lanni shook her head. “No, I was considered an adult at nineteen, just like humans. Most half-breeds mature like their faster-developing half. Although... some things might take longer. For example, dragon half-breeds take longer to be born than humans, but not near-ly as long as full dragons.” “How long is it for dragons?” Shan asked, his brow furrowed. Lanni hesitated, then smiled. “Two years.” “Two years?” Tellic exclaimed, his eyes nearly popping from his head. “And here I thought humans had it rough!” “How long is it for trolls?” Jahree asked, looking at Tellic with curiosity. “Five months,” Tellic replied with a shrug. “My brother was born after only five months,” Lanni said, holding her hands apart to il-lustrate a size. “He was only about this big.” Sifa’s frown deepened. “Oh, that’s so tiny.” “Did he survive?” Jahree asked. “Barely,” Lanni admitted, her voice softening. “He had a lot of problems early on, but he pulled through.” “This was a human brother, right? Not a dragon one?” Shan clarified. “Yes, human,” Lanni said with a nod. “A dragon wouldn’t survive being born that early. I don’t have any dragon brothers. My brothers are three humans and one half-elf.” Lamin, who had been quiet until now, leaned forward. “How big is your family?” “Which one?” Lanni asked with a laugh. “My adoptive family, my birth family, or my kids?” “You have kids?” Shan asked, his eyebrows shooting up. Lanni nodded. “Three of my own.” Lamin cleared his throat. “I meant your siblings. But... let’s go with both families. Do you have much contact with your birth family?” “In my adoptive family, I had three brothers and two sisters. In my birth family, I have two half-sisters and one adopted brother.” “And which one is Jahan related to?” Shan asked. Lanni tilted her head in confusion. “Jahan? None of them.” Shan frowned. “But you called yourself Gallin’s aunt.” “She means a dragon aunt,” Jahree explained with a grin. “It’s a shepol thing.” “Shepol?” Shan echoed, looking puzzled. “It’s a concept in dragon culture,” Jahree said. “Everyone is family, or at least treated like they could be. Didn’t your foster family teach you about it?” Shan shook his head. “My foster parents were humans. Their idea of family wasn’t so... inclusive.” “Where did you grow up?” Lanni asked. “Yotiuy,” Shan replied, his tone guarded. Lanni’s eyes lit up. “Mama Silva and Papa Mirtone? You and I are family. Mama Silva isn’t fully human.” Shan squinted at her. “She’s no dragon.” “She is, actually. Just a little,” Lanni said. “She’s a distant.” Shan stared at her for a long moment, then let out a soft laugh. “Figures. Family ties eve-rywhere.” *** As soon as the holy day restrictions lifted, Lanni performed the wedding ceremony for Jahan and Nalli. The moment was simple but heartfelt, with the stars as witnesses and their friends gathered close. When it was done, Trema gave Jahan the following day off to celebrate properly. “You don’t have to worry about Gallin,” Lanni offered, placing a reassuring hand on Nal-li’s shoulder. “I’ll watch him. You two deserve some time alone.” “Are you sure?” Nalli asked, her tone hesitant. “Positive,” Lanni said with a smile. “He’s family, remember?” As expected, Marn was nowhere to be found, likely off with the townswoman he’d been talking to earlier. Lanni couldn’t help but smile at the thought. For one night, it seemed, everything was as it should be. #fantasy, #magic, #dragons, #hiddenlands