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The day was beautiful. The sun shone brightly -- almost unusual in Barrowhill, the normal gloom of the outer circle didn't seem to be there. More shops seemed to be open, although fewer people seemed to be out and about.
Yet, this wasn’t unusual for Scott. He’d grown up in the mope and gloom of the outer circle of Barrowhill. Things were different there than the warmth and sun of Barrowhill’s inner circle.
His mother had once brought him out to the inner circle when she had to do a floral delivery. It was one of his favorite memories, following his mother around as he watched kids around him play and talk without hatred. He’d never once been invited to join them, but he didn’t mind it; he enjoyed playing with his parents and helping out at the shop.
He loved the shop just as much as he loved his home.
“What flower do you think we should add to the vase now, my little flower?” His mother's voice brought him out of his thoughts. Her voice had always calmed him down.
“Oh!” He smiled, “We could add the pink ones over here!”
“And what are these flowers called, dear?”
She would always try to test him whenever he helped out. She had once told him that she wanted him to take over the shop when he was of age. Yet, she knew she couldn’t quite die of old age.
It was like she knew something he didn’t
“Pink Carnations!”
“Wonderful.” Her smile was bright in the softest of ways. “And do you think they would go with the lilies and the baby breath?”
“Yes!”
He couldn’t remember the last time she had smiled like that within the past few weeks. It had seemed too long ago.
“Good, Good. I think so too.” Scott watched as she gathered some of the pink carnations, settling them into the vase with the lilies and baby's breath. “Tell me, my dear. What flowers do we have that are poisonous?”
He loved and hated when she asked this question. He had learned pretty quickly that most poisonous flowers didn’t affect him as a half-elf.
“Well… The lilies are poisonous, so are the lilies of the valleys.” Scott stood there for a moment as he thought, “Mountain Laurel, Nightshade, Lantana, Jimson weed… Autumn Crocus, and Angel Trumpet!”
As if right on cue, Scott’s mother smile turned softer.
“Very good, a lot of those are poisonous.”
“They are poisonous!”
His mother let out a little laugh. He and his father had always cherished her laugh. Even now, with her smiling, her laughter had also turned sparse.
“Yes, yes, they are.”
The two of them spent a while longer talking about flowers, random things, and what the future will be full of.
Then it happened.
One moment, it was just the quiet of Scott and his mother talking; the next, it was chaos.
The door was busted open. A man in full black holding a spear stood there.
Scott couldn’t hear anything but the ringing in his ears. He couldn’t feel anything but the gentle but rushed touch of his mother grabbing hold of his wrist as she pushed him into hiding.
The wardrobe cabinet he sat in was dark, the doors only closed enough to let in a tiny bit of light, and he could only see his mother’s back as she yelled something in Elvish.
He was too scared to speak; no, he couldn’t speak.
The ringing in his ears was too loud.
“Get ed-! Cin aren't allowed na n- in sí! Im forbid cin!”
Her voice was soothing, but something about it seemed wrong. So so wrong.
Scott watched as the man got closer to her. He wanted to scream.
He couldn’t scream.
“Get ed-!”
Scott watched as the spear went through her stomach.
“MAMA!”
His head was spinning as he watched as his mother dropped to the floor, blood starting to pool around her, the last of her magic disappearing like a drop of a pen.. Almost immediately Scott’s hand moved to his mouth as the figure with the spear started to walk over to the wardrobe cabinet.
As the doors to it were pushed open…
Nothing happened.
It was as if he was invisible.
Then he looked down, and he was in fact invisible. His body was just… out of sight.
It didn’t take much longer before the figure had disappeared away from the cabinet, then out the door.
He waited.
A second
Two.
Then he pushed himself up, running to his mothers body.
“MAMA! MAMA!!” He sobbed, pulling his mothers body into his already small lap. His hands shook.
The ringing in his ears hadn’t stopped.
It was starting to get annoying.
Wake up. Wake up!
He had no idea if he was telling himself to wake up, or his mother. Either way, he didn’t think he would ever be able to wake up after this.
He had no idea how long he sat there with his mother in his lap. He had no idea how long he sat there making sure no blood got her beloved cape. He had no idea he sat there sobbing.
Sobbing.
Sobbing.
He had no idea how long he sat there before people found their way over to help.
“Mama…”
His ears were still ringing.
“It’s time to let go, Scott.”
It wouldn’t stop playing, over and over.
He wanted her awake.
He wanted her alive.
“Mama…”
“Scott.”
He felt hands grab him.
“MAMA!!”
“I exist with you now, my little flower.”
“MAMA!!”
—
Scott woke up with a start, sweat beading on his forehead and tears streaming down his face.
He felt as though he couldn’t breathe.
His hands shook as he got up, pulled his cape — no his mothers cape — on.
He wasted no time running out of his house, finding himself rushing across the floating lilies to the bridge up to the castle.
Then he noticed Nom.
Nom who had his dragon features out. Nom, who was wearing only what he normally wore under his armor and a random shirt that Scott swore was one of his. Nom who was walking across the bridge.
Scott found himself in Noms arms in a matter of moments.
“Scott?” Nom’s was full of worry.
Scott could only sob into Nom’s arms.
“Scott?” Nom said again, moving a hand up into Scott’s hair. He could feel the half-elf shaking as she buried his face into his shoulder. “Scott, can you hear me?”
Scott didn’t answer. All that he was able to manage was a sob and pulling Nom closer by the back of the shirt that he was sure was actually his.
“My Dandelion..” Scott let out a whine at Nom pulling a bit away to get the other to look up at him. “Can you take a deep breath?”
Scott followed Nom’s words, taking in a deep breath that turned to another sob.
Nom didn’t sigh, he only gave a sad smile and moved the hand in Scott’s hair to her cheek. Then he slowly placed his forehead against Scotts.
“Put a hand over my heart and follow my breathing, Scott.”
Scott did as told. Shakily placing a hand over the dragon’s heart and slowly following his breathing.
He didn’t know how long they stood there together.
“Good job.. I’m proud of you.”
Nom’s words made Scott’s heart swell.
“T..thank you..” Scott’s voice was hoarse as he spoke. The dragon only nodded. “I.. I..”
“You don’t need to be thankful.. I’m here for you.. Always…”
They both ignored the creaking sounds that broke the surrounding silence between the two of them.
“I.. I..”
Nom smiled before pulling Scott into a proper hug. Only looking up when hearing footsteps coming out of the castle.
Graecie stood there with a slight look on her face.
She knew something wasn’t right.
“Is everything okay?” Her voice was soft, like his mothers.
“Yeah, Scott’s okay now. She’s fine.”
As Graecie nodded, Scott looked up at her, the crown shining bright on her head even though she wore pajamas.
“That’s good.”
Silence.
“Scott.. I.. Uhm..”
Scott blinked as small tears welled in Graecie's eyes.
“She’ll always be with you.” Scott felt like crying again, “Cín naneth, Scott, he rests within cin hi. Hen tithen elanor, polodren ah- perfect just i té ho na-.”
Perfect.
His mother thought he was perfect.
Oh how wrong she was.
“Thank you.”