Malena

"There weren't always dragons in the valley," said a voice wisened with age.

"Weren't there? I don't recall the valley ever being dragonless," a much younger but still adult voice responded.

"It was well before your time, love," another elderly voice chimed in. "Come, make us some tea and we'll tell you."

A spark flared as the tinder caught, and for a second the dark room was well lit. The quick eye could have seen a pile of rugs on the floor under a wooden table and chairs, all laden with dishes and books and other, less commonly identifiable apparati. A large stone fireplace was set in the western wall, with a big black kettle in it. Even the quickest of eyes would not have caught a glimpse of the denizens of the room, for they clung to the shadows as though their very lives depended on it.

The crackle of the fire under the kettle was the only sound for a while, until the rich, herbal smell of tea filled the room. Then the fire went out and there was the sound of tea being poured. Only when the tea was done being poured did the conversation resume.

"Long ago," said the first voice.

"Before you were even a twinkle in your parents' eyes," said the second.

"There was blood," they both said.

"Blood?" asked the younger voice, in a voice that suggested that she knew the other two enjoyed being dramatic and wished they would get to the point.

"Yes, blood. Well, not just blood, of course. There was still rocks and trees and dirt and suchlike."

"So, much like now?" the younger voice asked.

"Sort of. Look, if you ain't gonna listen, we doesn't have to tell the story!"

"I'm listening. I just want to make sure I understand."

"Ah. Bah! Understanding's for later. Just listen now."

"More tea."

The kettle clinked and clanked again, and the voices once again settled in for a story.

"What do you recall of your parents, love?" the first voice asked.

"They were…. young. And poor. But very much in love," the younger voice said distantly. "But… what's that to do with anything?"

"All in good time, love. Now, as we were saying. The time of blood. Someone angered someone else..."

"Someone got the lesser nobility involved," said the second voice, with some disdain.

"The lesser nobility inflated the whole affair to make themselves feel important."

"And then the greater nobles got involved," the second voice said, as though reciting the biggest blunder in history.

"Of course, once the greater nobles get involved, there must be one thing," said the first voice.

"Blood," all three said together.

"How did you know?" the second voice accused.

"It was a safe guess. You'd already said there was a time of blood, and whenever you talk about nobility there's a significant level of disdain in your voices," the younger voice said.

The first voice sighed. "Look, Malena, if you're going to keep jumping in like this, we're not going to get anywhere. Can you be a good girl and just sit and listen?"

"Yes, Rowan. Sorry."

"Good. Now, where were we? Let's see, time of blood, small spat, escalated up to greater nobility, ah yes!"

"More tea?"

"Oh hush Willow! Honestly, you're as bad as the sapling!"

"But me throat's parched, Rowan."

"How can it be parched? You've already had two cups of tea!"

"Yes, but the biscuits are rather dry."

"Biscuits? Where did you find biscuits? We've been out of biscuits for days!"

"I keep some in my pockets for when I need a little something. We were telling the story, so I thought it was a good time for biscuits."

Malena's ears perked up at it being called "the story". It sounded important, and if she ever wanted to hear it, she'd need to get the old girls back on track. She poured more tea for Willow and prompted, "So this time of blood?"

"What? Oh, yes," Rowan said, her voice settling in for a night of storytelling, "It was a bloody good time, wasn't it Willow?"

"Mmhmm," Willow said, her mouth overflowing with biscuit.

"That was the last time our services were… rendered… until we were called upon to take you in, of course."

"Our sweet little babe," Willow sighed with fond remembrance. "You was such a sweet lil thing."

"I was fourteen."

"As I said."

"Okay, so there was a fight-" Malena started.

"Spat," Rowan corrected.

"Spat, then. And it escalated."

"Through the ranks of nobility."

"And there was blood."

"Lots of it."

"And then what happened?"

"If I do recall, nothin'."

"Nothing?"

"Right. Nothin'."

"So that's it, then? That's the story?"

"Oh, no, lass! That's just the beginning."

"Still needs a middle and an end, a proper denouement."