Lanni had arranged for Gallin to sleep comfortably on a plush cushion in the kitchen while she attended to preparing breakfast. As the aroma of food began to fill the room, Shri entered, her stomach dictating her pursuit. In her quest for an early meal, she inadvertently woke Gallin, but any disturbance was soon forgotten as the two youngsters immediately struck up a camaraderie, pleased to make a new acquaintance. Intrigued by Gallin’s braces, Shri couldn’t resist asking him about their purpose. Gallin patiently explained that they were aids to help him walk properly because of his condition, known as Narlin, which made his bones curve unnaturally. Narlin was a genetic disorder that caused the afflicted individual’s bones to curve and twist. In the worst sce-narios, it necessitated multiple surgical interventions where the bones had to be broken and reset to allow them to straighten. Less severe manifestations of the condition, like those Gallin experienced, could be managed with corrective braces, particularly effective while a child was still growing. Despite the condition affecting his legs, Gallin remained spirited and undaunted, energetically zipping around the kitchen in playful chase with Shri. Lanni, not one to inhibit harmless fun, told the nurses through the guards that Shri was safe and in good company. Meanwhile, the rambunctious activities in the kitchen did not go unnoticed by Lady Barta, who, upon investigating the source of the commotion, was met with an improvised parade—Gallin and Shri joyously creating music with pots and singing at the top of their voices. “It’s a parade, Mommy. He’s a stilt walker,” declared Shri, injecting her creative reasoning into the noise. Lady Barta surveyed Gallin’s braces with a scrutinizing gaze. “Who is this?” she asked her tone a blend of curiosity and caution. “He’s my friend, Gabbin,” Shri promptly responded, mispronouncing his name. “Gallin,” the boy politely corrected, putting emphasis on the correct pronuncia-tion. “He’s Jahan’s son,” Lanni interjected, recognizing the need to provide more clari-ty. “They came for yesterday’s ceremony.” “And who is Jahan?” queried Lady Barta, her memory failing to place the name. With a hint of expectation that she should know, Gallin replied, “He’s my dad.” Lanni stepped in to clarify further. “The day guard stationed outside,” she said, facilitating the connection for Lady Barta. “At least it’s not that troll,” Lady Barta muttered dismissively, hinting at a deeper distaste for someone not currently present. In response to her remark, Lanni unexpectedly growled, a deep guttural sound that surprised even her. Such a reaction was unusual, given that expressing such animalis-tic traits in human form was difficult, especially without intent. She quickly covered her mouth, as astonished by the involuntary response as anyone in the room. “Was that your tummy?” Gallin inquired, his child’s innocence interpreting the growl as a sign of hunger. “You need to eat,” Shri declared with authoritative concern, heading towards Lanni’s hidden cache of treats. “Shri, breakfast is almost ready. I can wait until then,” Lanni reassured the thoughtful girl, appreciating her concern while redirecting her attention to the imminent meal. “Well, I never,” Barta huffed, displaying a mixture of disbelief and annoyance. “That’s because you’re human,” Lanni responded with a nonchalant shrug. “I’m not human. I’m immortal,” Shri announced confidently, eager to share her unique nature. “Really? How old are you?” Gallin asked, his curiosity piqued. “Three,” Shri replied simply. “Me too! Can you do magic?” Gallin’s face lit up with excitement at the possibil-ity of sharing a magical bond. “No, she cannot,” Lady Barta interjected firmly, wanting to put an end to such fanciful ideas. “Maybe when she’s older,” Lanni suggested optimistically, trying to keep the con-versation light. “I don’t think so,” Barta said, her frown deepening as she expressed her skepti-cism. “I’m still human too, Mommy,” Shri assured her mother, trying to alleviate her concerns. “Loka said.” Shri then turned her attention to Gallin, “She’s immortal too. She’s billions of years old.” “Wow!” Gallin exclaimed, thoroughly impressed by the grand age attributed to Loka. “Not billions, but she’s been around awhile,” Lanni laughed it off, dismissing the exaggeration with good humor. “Enough of this. The girl is human. I won’t have you filling her head with this nonsense. And you animals are certainly not people too. Do you hear me?” Barta made her stance clear. “Lanni’s not an animal,” Shri insisted, defending her friend against the harsh cate-gorization. “Yeah, she’s a person,” Gallin nodded in agreement. “She doesn’t even have pointy ears or a tail. She’s just like us, like all people.” “Some people have curly bones, and some have funny feet,” Shri added thought-fully, recognizing the diversity among individuals and embracing the differences that all people exhibit. “Funny feet?” Lanni inquired with a raised eyebrow. “One of the soldiers. He has two toes,” she explained, gesturing to her own feet to indicate two toes on each foot. “When did you have the chance to see someone’s feet?” Barta demanded, her tone sharp with curiosity. “In the healing room. I was playing hide and seek with Brallet. I found a good spot and was hiding. He didn’t see me,” the young girl explained with a hint of pride in her voice. “Which soldier was it?” Lanni pressed, trying to piece together the information. Shri shrugged nonchalantly. "I only saw his feet. Not Tellic. He was human col-ored.” “It’s likely Trema. He’s the only one who’s been injured in battle. The injuries could have resulted in the loss of his toes,” Lanni conjectured, putting her analytical mind to work. “Not lost,” Shri insisted with a frown. “They growed that way, like claws.” “Another dragon?” Barta mused aloud, the crease on her forehead deepening. Lanni shook her head. “No, that’s not possible. I’m the only dragon here, and if he had flesh-colored feet, they would have looked human. It’s probably a birth defect.” She briefly gestured towards Gallin, who was listening intently to the conversation. Barta nodded, her thoughts aligning with Lanni’s and for once showing tact. “Nevertheless, the soldiers should not be loitering in the house off duty.” “If he was in the healing rooms, he likely needed healing. Still, I shall have a word with Trema about this,” Lanni offered, ready to take the initiative. “Do that,” Barta nodded before turning to leave. As she walked out, she unex-pectedly collided with Jahan and Nalli, who were just entering. “Oh, excuse us!” Jahan exclaimed, deftly stepping aside and gently pulling his wife along with him. Lady Barta’s expression remained stern as she continued on her way, escorting Shri by her side. “Daddy! Mommy!” Gallin’s voice filled the room as he ran to his parents. Jahan scooped him up into his arms. “Thank you for looking after him,” Jahan said to Lanni, his voice carrying a deep gratitude. “It was my pleasure,” Lanni replied with a warm smile. “We can’t thank you enough for everything,” Nalli added, her eyes shining with appreciation. “Don’t mention it,” Lanni assured them. “When you’re ready to depart, just let me know, and I’ll take you back.” “How did you manage to find her?” Jahan inquired, his curiosity piqued. “You didn’t send her?” Nalli chimed in, baffled. Lanni produced a ring from her pocket. “These scrying charms are basic and not too difficult to trace.” “How did…" Jahan patted his pocket surprised to find the ring missing. "When you're been around a while, you learn things. It was getting weak, so I re-cast the spell. No one can trace it now.” “How will we ever express our gratitude?” Nalli asked, still wondering about the magic involved. “A simple ‘thank you’ usually does the trick,” Lanni quipped with a playful grin. “Now off you go. I’ll be bringing out the meal shortly.” “Thank you, truly,” Nalli said with heartfelt sincerity as she, Jahan, and Gallin made their way out, comforted and relieved by Lanni’s help. #fantasy, #magic, #dragons, #hiddenlands