Seraphine and Grog

There weren't always dragons in the Valley. Seraphine had discovered the dull orange smooth rock on a mountain many eons ago when she was but a child. She had taken it home with her, where her own mother Lara had examined it closely, and looked up at her daughter in awe. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” she said. “As it wanted you to find it it’s yours. Keep it safe, I have a feeling that it will change your life.”

Seraphine stored the egg under her mattress in the nursery. She would take it out each night when all the other girls were asleep and hold it. It seemed to her to glow from the warmth of her hands. She spoke to it every night, singing songs her mother had sung to her, telling stories she had heard around the palace. And it seemed to her that the egg grew brighter each night.

On her twelfth birthday she was awakened from sleep by a knocking sound. Sitting up in her bed she rubbed her eyes trying to discern the source of the sound. The rock had begun to glow, and cracks were appearing on its smooth surface. Seraphine took it up and then dropped it as it was hot to touch. The egg dropped to the hard stone floor and started to roll toward the fire in the hearth. At the hearth it stopped as if waiting. Intuitively Seraphine knew what she must do. She picked up the egg using her night shift to protect her hands and threw it into the heart of the flames. There the rock glowed a bright fiery orange for a second, then sparks and smoke erupted from the fire. Seraphine backed away fascinated and horrified at the same time as the egg grew until it had taken over the fireplace. Then with a loud crack it split in two. The fire died and all was still. When the smoke cleared Seraphine found a small worm like creature curled up in the shards of the orange shell that had been the rock.

Afraid at first she watched it from afar, then something drew her to the creature, and she extended her hand to it. The creature uncurled itself and climbed onto her out stretch hand. Seraphine was too fascinated to flinch, but the creature was not hot, but like a cool rough rock. It fit perfectly in the palm of her hand where it stood on its four small feet and shook itself, unfurling two gossamer wings iridescent with rainbow colors like light refracted on rain drops on a warm summer day. When it lifted its eyes and looked at her she felt an immediate bond. It's emerald, green eyes locked with her amber ones, and she noticed that it had black slits for pupils. The creature spoke without a sound. “Don’t be afraid, girl child. I mean you no harm. My name is Grog, what is yours?” “Seraphine” she said with her mind.

“Seraphine, our lives are bound together and from now on we travel together as companions.” Gorg said and bowed its head. Seraphine instinctively bowed hers.

“So, it hatched,” Lara voice behind her made her spin and Grog fluttered its wings and flew to her shoulder.

“Mother, this is Grog. My friend.” Seraphine said. Grog bowed its head.

Lara stared at the pair for a moment before inclining her own head. “You will need to be trained.” She said including them both with her statement. “But first let’s find you some food.”

“Mother Lara, Thank you. For one hundred years I have been in the egg, and I am famished.” Seraphine heard the creature say with some formality. Grog fluttered onto Lara’ shoulder and, with Seraphine following, they made their way to the kitchens. Lara made a mash of fresh, fruit and milk him and Seraphine watched in delight and Grog lapped it all up with tiny, forked tongue licked up the last drops.

‘Soon he will grow and will need his own space but for tonight he can stay with you.” Lara said as she walked them back to the nursery. At the door she dropped a kiss on Seraphine’s head and then after a pause also kissed Grog. Seraphine could feel the dragon’s happiness as he curled up near her feet before she went to sleep. Tomorrow we can play games, and explore the castle, and the gardens, and the orchards, and the forest and,…, she fell asleep with a smile. She woke up to a loud crash and sat up in alarm only to discover that her room was on fire.