Chapter 58

(A/N: "If you steal from one author it's plagiarism; if you steal from many it's research." In short, many characters and storylines may seem familiar in the next chapters as I am inspired by my favorite shows. Like "Where's Waldo?" I wonder how much you will recognize as "inspired by _________"?)

Day 264 - First Day of Winter

As our first morning in our new home dawned, it occurred to me that I felt safe and content here in Dragon Valley. I didn't understand how I could feel this way in my heart, given our unwelcome beginning and our intentions to move on as soon as possible.

I'm not sure Colby was so keen on the farmer part of our temporary life, but I was thrilled to have a large open home again. I took pleasure in making a pancake breakfast for Sean's breakfast.

Seam was nervous about taking the LLAMA system to school, but he didn't want his mom or dad tagging along to embarrass him. We didn't have horses or cart yet, but the LLAMA system was extensive and one could easily get around in this village that forbade motorized vehicles.

Out the window it was verdant green, I wondered if that was what the winters were like here in Dragon Valley. After breakfast, Colby decided to practice a little archery before setting up the tavern for business.

I tackled a bit of potty training with the twins before settling them down to play. I took advantage of their preoccupation with toys to slip into the greenhouse to tackle the neglected plants.

Colby walked next door to the tavern to make a few repairs before setting up for business.

Sean came come from school and completed his homework before beginning to play. I worked on skills with the twins until it was time to prepare dinner.

Before Colby could get home my hopes for a mild winter were dashed as the snow began to fall heavily.

Colby arrived home for dinner as Sean and I were finishing up. He was frustrated, feeling as if no one in town would share any information with him. He suggested maybe I could visit a few shops tomorrow to see if the villagers would be more forthcoming with me. After dinner he retreated to the rocker by the fire and poured over the "Book of Whispers" again.

Day 265

When Colby and I awakened for the day we were both inexplicably in a elated mood. It would seem contrary to our wishes to be so happy here.

The snow was still coming down heavily and school was canceled. But it was not dangerous to be out and about so I bundled up and headed into town per our agreement yesterday to see what I could discover. I took the LLAMA into the heart of town and started walking toward the diner to get a bite to eat for my breakfast. As I walked along, I was startled to see a man race past me in a hurry!

This was not a human! I recognized that he was a Sontaran from the planet Sontar. I gasped for two reasons, one being this was the first alien I had come face to face with since arriving on Earth. The other reason was fearful as Sontarans were not a peaceful creature although considered tentative allies with Xicanopia in the first and second great wars. I sensed a flash of recognition in his eyes as he raced past. I half turned wanting to call out to him but he was down the road before I could do so.

Distracted I soldiered on through the snow until stopping to talk to a familiar looking gentleman.

I didn't catch his name but he was friendly and helpful. It seemed the old lady's prophecy was well known now and he suggested that help would be more readily available to us if I had the blessing of Mr. Tricavi, the owner of the elixir and consignment shop. I resolved to grab a bite to eat and then introduce myself to Mr. Tricavi.

Link

After my tasty breakfast I walked across the snow covered street to hopefully make headway in our quest for dragons.

"Ah, Mrs. Brooks, I was wondering how long it would take for you to grace me with your presence." Mr. Tricavi spoke with the smooth ease of a used car salesman, "How may I be of assistance?"

I cautiously replied, "Mr. Tricavi, please call me Charlotte. May I assume that you know why I am in your fair village?"

"You may assume that, Princess Zipharynia, all that I know and the secrets I keep would boggle your mind."

I stopped short, stunned. There was a long pause before I found my voice again, "What do you know of my people?"

"Only that your breathtaking planet was destroyed by the Duthalorians. There was a myth that that Princess Zipharynia escaped before it fell. But I see here that myths are inspired by truth, are they not?"

"How do you know of my planet? I saw a Sontarian this morning. Are there other aliens here?"

"Perhaps, but that is not what you are really seeking is it? Tell me, Princess Zipharynia, what is your heart's greatest desire?"

"Why should I confess something so personal to you? And don't you already know the answer? I seek a way back to the Low World with my husband and children."

"I'm not talking about goals, dearie, I'm talking about the deepest desire of your heart."

I countered annoyed, "And if I tell you mine, you'll tell me yours?"

"Since you are reluctant to share I'll go first, dearie. My heart's desire is twofold. I grow old and weary as the years pass me by. All that I am and all my responsibilities weigh me down. My hearts desire is to have an child so that I might live on and be a part of the future. I wish to hand over the reigns of my duties to another."

I sensed his honesty in sharing this. I felt as if there were much I could not trust about this man, but these things he earnestly wanted. I hesitated before sharing my own heart's desire, not out of fear but confusion. What I truly wished for was impossible. "I wish that none of these horrid things in the past happened. My heart longs to be at home on the unspoiled Xicanopia surrounded with love and my family, looking forward to a bright, happy future."

"In other words, you wish you could turn back time and be a teen again?"

"I suppose the answer to that is yes, but you cannot turn back time can you?"

"I most certainly cannot. I think what your deepest heart's desire is to feel as you did back then as a child. You want to raise a family peacefully, surrounded by love, peace and security?"

"Yes."

"And you think that obtaining dragon eggs and returning to the Low World will give you that?"

I faltered at his question. Truth be told, the answer to that was negative. I honestly felt more peaceful and at home here than I ever had since leaving my home planet. I wasn't entirely certain I wanted to leave Dragon Valley, but I had given my word to my husband and so I answered aloud, "Yes."

Mr. Tricavi gave me a smile that caused unease to wash over me and he spoke softly, "Everything comes with a price, dearie." He motioned me to walk to the other side of the counter and he pulled out from underneath the store's register a dragon egg.

"What do I owe you for the egg, Mr. Tricavi?"

"I don't operate on a cash basis, Princess Zipharynia, I barter for goods. I'll just start you a line of credit and I'll stop by the tavern later and let your husband serve me some drinks. We'll settle up later."

I returned home with the dragon egg weighing heavily on me. Not so much heavy in pounds but heavy in my heart. Something about this felt off and I fretted about it. I returned to hear of how my family had spent their snow day.

Colby had prepared for dragon eggs according to folklore, he had built a fire ring in the cellar taking great care to create a nest of glowing coals. His eyes lit up with delight when he saw the dragon egg I procured from Mr. Tricavi and we went into the cellar together to place it on the fiery coals.

We settled in for the evening, Sean played chess as Colby and I worked on teaching the twins to talk.

We were quite unaware that once exposed to heat, a dragon egg will hatch rather quickly.

After our dinner Colby rushed downstairs to check on the egg and was delighted to discover we had a green baby dragon.

Enthusiastically he began to bond with the creature immediately.

When he came to bed that night, Colby was elated about how easy bonding with a dragon was. I was not as buoyant as he. My heart was filled with trepidation that this quest was turning out to be too easy.

Day 266

Winter had taken Dragon Valley by full force and school was called off again.

Colby resented this farming life foisted upon him as much as I loved living in this spacious home in the mystical Dragon Valley.

With the farm animals tended to, Colby eagerly rushed to attend the baby dragon before he even had his breakfast.

After breakfast, I was eager to work on the twins' toddler skills and Colby was eager to head out to obtain more dragon eggs. I did not approve of his next step. He had heard from talk at the tavern that the Weeping Fairy was the key to slipping into fairy realms here in Dragon Valley. And he was certain he would find dragon eggs amongst the treasures scattered about these realms. The Weeping Fairy lived on the edge of town with her vicious death dogs, dogs so named for their propensity to kill other living creatures that had the unfortunate fate of crossing their paths. I thought this was a household we should steer clear of, but Colby did not agree.

Colby would not tell details of his conversation with the Weeping Fairy later, only that she was "creepy". He did however obtain permission to enter the fairy realms to search for dragon eggs, so long as he took nothing else.

Link

Colby arrived home with two more dragon eggs to place on the fire before he went to the tavern to tend bar.

I wrapped up teaching the toddlers their skills before I served up dinner. I ate alone with Sean again as Colby was late into the night coming home.

Just before I snuggled down under the warm blankets for the night, I had to acknowledge the fact that I was expecting again.

 

Day 267 - Christmas Day

Christmas Day started out dark and bitterly cold with the deluge of snow that fell upon us daily now. Rather than jump into our Christmas celebration immediately, we decided to start the day focusing on the twins' birthdays.

Shannon grew into a beautiful girl with the new trait: Night Owl

Seamus grew into a handsome lad with the newest trait: Family Oriented.

We all enjoyed a treat of birthday cake before we decided to celebrate Christmas.

We did not have a big pile of presents this year. This was not a land that celebrated Christmas, instead they paid homage to the winter solstice. I was of the "when in Rome..." line of thought as I had been celebrating Christmas for years despite not growing up with this tradition, but Colby didn't want to miss out on his traditions. We decided to keep it low key and gift the children with one present. They sat eagerly on the couch waiting for it to be given to them. And they didn't have to wait long as Colby ran next door and brought home our new family pet.

They were thrilled and eager to make friends with Flynn, especially Sean who had been asking for a dog since we arrived in Dragon Valley.

After presenting the kids with their dog, Colby went down to the cellar to discover we had two new baby red dragons to care for. He was eager to spend as much time with them as he could while I wanted to avoid them.

The snow had stopped and the kids enthusiastically ran out to play.

The sun was setting early is it does in winter and I was taking out the trash when Colby told me he was off the search another fairy realm. 

I argued that it was Christmas day and we should spend it together as a family, he countered that the kids were having fun playing and allowed that the Weeping Fairy told him the Ataegina full moon would be this very next spring, years before we expected it.

I watched Colby retreat in the distance before going back inside.

I had not been inside long when visitors arrived.

The Sontaran had shown up and he was not alone. He had a Silurian woman and another woman that looked human, but I sensed was not.

The human looking woman introduced herself as a Carpixian. She and the Santorian had been sent to Earth as part of embassy to search for the fabled Silurians. Their spaceship had arrived on planet Earth in 1947 and had horrifically crashed into a desert in New Mexico. They were the only two occupants that survived. Eluding the authorities as they searched for and discovered the only remaining Silurian on earth. The three being pursued by human governments managed to befriend one of the few remaining supernatural creatures in the Low World. Their new friend helped them pass through into the Shadowlands where as the undead plague began to rise they found passage to Dragon Valley where they have happily resided since.

They were eager to hear of any news I could share, having greatly missed their ability to be part of the universe as a whole. They were saddened to hear of my losses and understood my feeling so alone in the world. It comforted me knowing that at last I had found others that understood the depth of my pain. When I told them of our plan to return to the Low World they were appalled. How could I consider leaving this sanctuary to return to such a hostile place?

I had just began to explain our reasons for wanting to leave Dragon Valley when I realized Colby had walked in. He was furious.

He railed at my guests, "How dare you come into my home and try to cast some spell over my wife! We are leaving Dragon Valley and getting back to our world!"

Then he very rudely asked them to leave his house. I was stunned, this was not the man I married. Why was he acting like this?!?

Colby escorted the Sontarian and the Silurian to the door before heading down to the cellar with his dragons. He completely overlooked the Carpixian, perhaps since she looked as human as I did. I apologized to her the moment I thought he was out of earshot, "I don't know what to say. This isn't how my husband normally acts!"

"It is because he is bonding with the dragons. They are consuming the man he was."

"How can stop this and get him back?"

"That is not a question I know the answer to." With that she turned and left our home. I crept softly down the ladder to peer at this man that was slipping away from me.

The dragons came toddling to him adoringly. They were vying for his attention and I noticed there were now two more eggs in the fire.

I left the cellar without drawing his attention and checked on the children reminding them to bathe and get to bed before slipping into a warm bath pondering how I was going to deal with this latest turn of events.

Day 268

I suppose Colby had slept in bed with me but by the time I stirred, his side of the bed was already empty and cool. He was downstairs bonding with his two newest dragons, both purple.

It was Saturday and the kids woke up in a happy mood. The weather was bright and sunny with just a gentle snowfall. It was starting to warm up for the upcoming spring. I sent the kids into town to enjoy the last day of the winter festival. They were all eager to learn how to ice skate.

Colby announced that he planned to take advantage of the last day of winter and slip into the deep and desolate caves searching for a dragon's nest as dragons are cold blooded and would be inert for just a while longer. I was anxious and didn't want him taking such a risk, but I could see it in his eyes... there would be no stopping him. I distracted myself by playing the piano. I fondly reminisced of those days back in Winter Wonderland where I first felt hope at having a family and living happily ever after here on earth. It would seem that happily ever after wasn't in my cards. I hope that once we returned to the Low World, we find it.

The morning slipped away and then Colby returned exhilarated and eager to share his tale of poaching seven dragon eggs right from the sleeping momma dragon.

He was beyond thrilled and I just wanted to smash all those damn eggs. He spirited the eggs down to the fire while I returned to my melancholic piano playing.

The kids returned home from the festival to play outdoors. They had been cooped up for so much of the winter, I could not blame them. Colby puttered around our house spending almost every spare moment down in the cellar checking on the eggs.

Soon I could hear Colby's whoops of joy as the eggs began to hatch...

He rushed upstairs eager to share his joy of now having all four types over dragons twice over with me. I tried to put on a happy face for him...

But I couldn't hold it in any longer, "Colby, these dragons have taken hold of you! It's like you are under a spell! All of your waking moments are consumed by these beasts! You scarcely even notice me or the kids anymore. You've changed! Why can't we consider staying here in Dragon Valley? We can get rid of the dragons and just stay here. I feel safe, peaceful and at home in this place!"

Colby's reaction was a mix of anger and disappointment.

"Charlotte, you are the one under a spell! You are wanting to renege on all our decisions we made before committing to marriage and starting our family! This village has taken your heart against all reason. How can you think it's me under a spell when I'm not trying to change our planned future, you are?"

Who was right? Was he under a spell or was I? What if we both were?

"Charlotte, I love you. I love our kids. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I just want us to go home together."

Colby gave me a warm, loving hug trying to reassure me. Next he called the kids in for dinner and bath time and I returned to my obsessive piano playing. All I could think of was, "Your home, Colby, but it's not mine."

Late that evening as I was preparing for my bath, I was gripped by sudden, intense labor.

I labored alone as quietly as I could without disturbing the sleeping household and just after midnight gave birth to a son that I named Rory.

(A/N: These chapters in Dragon Valley could not be possible without the amazing creations of other simmers. I try to link the content others create when I can find them among my jumbled bookmarks. I want to give a special thanks to Queenie08 for helping me fine tune the creation of the "death dogs" as inspired by one of my fave movies "Willow".)