Chapter Text
Zam had her own opinions on children.
They were smelly, gross and annoying. She did not like them at all, which is why she refused to interact with the children of her empire. Once they had grown out of that disgusting stage, she was more than happy to politely greet them in passing, as she would with any of her subjects.
Zam didn't know if it was just a dragon thing, but Wemmbu wasn't like the children of her empire. In his tiny state, Wemmbu was his most serene. He seemed happy to just lay in her arms and stare up at her with wide and blank purple eyes, thoughts attempting to reach the baby's mind but failing.
Wemmbu let out a big yawn, stretching in Zam's hold. His tiny arms reached up and waved, a little giggle escaping his lips as Zam readjusted her hold on him. He laid his head on her shoulder in triumph, his fists clutching her dirty and torn shirt as his wings and tail wiggled a little. He easily drifted off as the adults around him continued their journey.
(Mane wants that baby. Just let him hold the baby for a little bit, he won't run off with him! Mane swears!
Flame sighed, keeping a tight grip on his older brothers arm as the lion kept drifting towards the duo leading the way. The next - however long this transformation stuff lasts - was going to be a big test on Flame's ability to keep track of Mane.)
After what seemed like forever, they had finally made it to the gates of the eastern entrance to the Empire. Guards greeted them, some running off to inform the palace servants of the situation while others began to guide their ruler towards the prepared carriage.
Zam let herself be guided into the golden carriage, sighing as she could finally rest her aching feet. She lowered Wemmbu's sleeping body to be cradled in her left arm and using her right arm to pull the curtains closed, hiding them from her nosy subjects.
As the cart began to move, Wemmbu stirred in her hold. His little fist rubbed at his scrunched up eyes before he finally blinked up at her with a tiny smile and a giggle. Zam verbally 'aww'ed at the baby, unable to resist the cuteness.
"How could you possibly grow up to be so annoying?" Zam asked, pulling the baby to sit in her lap.
Wemmbu - clearly not understanding what she was saying - grasped on of the golden ringlets of hair that dangled over Zam's shoulder, tugging it into his mouth.
Zam winced, "No, no, Wemmbu. Not only is that very gross, my hair has blood and dust in it. You're going to make yourself sick."
The baby dragon glared up at her as she pulled her hair from his mouth, huffing as she chuckled at his face. She poked the cranky boy in his nose, watching as he went cross eyed trying to follow her finger.
Looking through the crack in the curtains, Zam thought to herself as the gentle rocking slowly put Wemmbu back to sleep. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, all she had to do was to keep Wemmbu safe until both he and Egg were back to normal. As long as they stayed in the palace, they would be in pretty much the safest place on the entire server!
She'd need to figure out what to do when Wemmbu was back to normal. She knew now that she was wrong about him before and she needed to make it up to him somehow.
Her pride be damned.
~
(Mane whined mournfully as his view of the baby was taken from him, his ears down turned as Flame patted his back sympathetically with a firm hand, "Come on, bro. You'll see him later."
Mane wants the baby!)
~
They finally reached the palace, a guard reaching out a hand to help the monarch down from the carriage. Zam stepped down, her heeled boots clicking on the stone beneath her. She waited for no one, walking off as servants surrounded her.
A bath was ready in her private bathroom and she sighed happily as she sat in the large pool-like tub. One of her maids began to was her hair as another bathed Wemmbu in a separate basin still in the rulers sight. Zam could hear the baby giggle in the water and the maids laugh as he splashed water by kicking his feet.
Soon enough, they were clean and sitting in Zam's private living room. A maid stood behind the elaborate couch, brushing through Zam's now dried curls. Wemmbu laid cradled in her arms, greedily drinking down a bottle of baby formula. His tail, wings and even his ears wiggled happily as he took big gulps.
The maids giggled as the baby let out a satisfied burp before quickly falling asleep in Zam's arms, leaving the monarch to finally have her own meal. She placed Wemmbu carefully into the cradle that had just come in.
It was made from solid gold, the outside carved with intricate details a decorated with precious jewels. The inside was cushioned carefully to replicate a dragons nest, something that Zam remembered reading about a while ago, when she was curious about Wemmbu's species.
Wemmbu seemed to like it, letting out a large satisfied sighed as soon as he was lowered into the cradle. Zam smiled and began to enjoy her own meal as her maids filled her in on anything that happened while she was away.
Hopefully, her paperwork hadn't piled up during that time.
~
(Flame tackled his brother to the ground, dragging the ridiculously tall man back into his room, "We can't keep doing this, bro. You gotta let the kid go."
"Baby!" Mane - still very deep in his instincts - whined, "Want the cub!"
"You can't have him, Mane!" Flame hissed, "Come on, bro! You stink! Get in the damn shower!"
After a few more minutes of tug-of-war, Flame successfully managed to trap Mane in the bathroom. Locking the door, Flame prepared himself to be babied all night in place of Wemmbu's baby form.
Wemmbu owed him when he was back to normal!)