Harper

  Nina was asleep. Lou had left his bed to her.

  The mood between the two siblings was strange. As if they had met for the first time today. I looked over at my sleeping siblings. How would it feel to hardly know them? I couldn't imagine that. When I was little, Ross often teased me. Sally pyed tag with me, Connie protected me from Ross's silly pranks, and I often slept under Max's wings. But Lou? He had never had the opportunity to annoy or protect his little sister.

  I y in dragon form next to the bed in which Nina slept restlessly. Vivi was lying under one of my wings and snuggled up to my body. In his sleep, he smiled a little.

  At st, he smiled.

  It had taken a long time.

  Slowly Lou seemed to be getting better. He entered into conversations, told us his will, and dared to leave the cave to look at the ndscape. But Lou remained as thin as a tiny twig. He hardly ate. Often we had to persuade him to eat more than just a few fruits, usually figs, or some bread. He was pale and powerless.

  How could I help him?

  And then there were all his worries. Nina, his parents, Louise, Remy, Narcisse... Had something happened to Louise? Was Remy still alive? With so many worries, I probably wouldn't have an appetite either.

  "Hm.... No..." Lou moaned softly. "No. I... I'm sorry!"

  I quickly looked at him, I thought he had woken up, but Lou spoke in his sleep. "Please, no. Not... I'm jumping."

  Jump? Slowly I tilted my head towards him and gently nudged him. "Hm!" I nudged him again until Lou opened his eyes. "What?" Blinking in shock, Lou stared at me. Or rather, the darkness. He stretched out his hands until he found my muzzle. "Harper. I..."

  Carefully, I rolled myself even tighter around him and wrapped him in my warmth. Lou stroked my nose and leaned against my body. "Is Nina sleeping?"

  I snorted in response.

  "Do you think the Wise Men have Louise?"

  I snorted again. But this time annoyed. If they had Louise, I would free her. Easy.

  "Do you think they would trade her for me?"

  Now it became absurd. Immediately I let out a soft rumble. Lou was startled for a moment, but then he stroked my scales with one hand. "If they have Louise, if they hold her against her will, then I'll swap pces. My life against hers. I dreamed that the Wise locked her up in the dungeon I was in. She was there all alone in the darkness." Lou sighed. "But it was just a bad dream, wasn't it?"

  I snorted again. My voice would be too loud and wake Nina, so I didn't answer with words. And if I spoke to Lou in my mind, I would hurt him. I couldn’t do that. Never.

  Lou wasn't done with his thoughts. He drew circles on my scales with his finger, invisible lines, and continued, "You say the Wise Men aren’t good. You say it was all a lie. I'm not cursed, yet they want my life? Do they believe in the curse? Did my family suffer because the Wise succumbed to a false belief? It's not fair. And it's silly. None of this had to happen. It's not fair."

  It really wasn't.

  "Louise is a priestess. But her magic is very weak. Nevertheless, she must serve the Gods. And Nina? She could have grown up rich if I had never been born. Just her and Louise. Mom is no longer allowed to work as a healer. Officially. She helps where she can, but she doesn't get much money. If at all! My family is starving. But who can I bme if there is no curse? And if the Wise believe in the curse? They see themselves in the right. They don't see any crime. No one in the city does. I am nothing. And with nothing they can do what they want. Back then I should’ve..." Then he shook his head and sighed.

  The Wise! The city! I wanted to avenge Lou, but he wouldn't have liked that.

  Lou yawned. "The world is much more tragically than I have always believed. Harper? Thank you." Then he snuggled up to me and closed his eyes. But it took him a while to fall asleep. And I also fell asleep just before sunrise.

  --- BONUS ---