Nabaz did not answer. But his eyes told her that she was wrong.
But now was not the time for such an argument.
When they had finished greeting her, they moved to him, bowing, and many stayed bowed before him, greeting him as father.
He looked upon them and smiled. "hello my dear ones. You have grown strong...." He looked toward empty places between them. There were so many, but they had positioned themselves in such a way that they had made neat rows, which made the empty places in the rows all the more apparent. His eyes focused on these places for some time, especially on several nearest him.
Mother Scale thrummed, then began to sing. This song was not the happy song of greeting, but one of great loss and hurt.
Then unbidden Tirana experienced another vision. This was of Nabaz himself. He was flying with young Dragons that simply had to be his. No others would dare be so wild and playful with him. And he was laughing.
Until suddenly darkened creatures, tainted members of his own race had set upon them. The battle had been furious and Nabaz had fought like one possessed, but the numbers were endless. Finally he was laid low, badly hurt, and chained to the earth by hundreds of hellchains, that dug and tore into his flesh without mercy.
And as he was chained, his children were brought before him, savaged, raped, and all but four were murdered. He nearly drowned in the blood of his own children that day. In fact it seemed he had, and his tormentors had been dancing on his corpse, taunting his four beaten and raped daughters, who were screaming as they tried to seek shelter under their great father.
Then Nabaz had awakened. He had torn the chains loose, wrecking incredible damage to himself, and slaughtered his foes while guarding his daughters.
The vision ended as the same four daughters came forward and took their places. They were large and beautiful females now, built like their father, and leading long lines of grandchildren and great grandchildren and so on. Each was strong, powerful, and well respected by all Dragons, but Nabaz turned his head away from them.
Not in shame of them. But of himself.
As one they nuzzled his head and turned him back, to greet his descendants, including his latest batch of great grandchildren. He smiled at this. "Greetings dear ones. You honor this old scalebeast far too much."
They giggled. "We honor you in paltry sums for all you have done Great Father."
Nabaz smiled then nodded toward Tirana. "Go greet and honor our newcomer dear ones. A truly Great Dragon and Mother."
The females erupted at the news, though the four she had seen in the vision looked at their father, then moved closer to her, speaking solely to her mind. "Come dear lady. You must rest. You have been through the greatest trial any Dragon can endure."
Nabaz caught her eye. I did not mean to downplay what you endured little one. But you did survive. And you will have your revenge. This I swear to you. You will have the witch's blood in recompense. And anything else you wish. This time he was entirely unaware of the vision she had been granted, and of course no one was going to tell her the truth they assumed she did not know.
The four moved her to a little bowl in the snow. "Will you sup with us?" The Dragons were still singing the song of loss, and the four informed her they would for some time. Their children brought out massive slabs of meat, and stared at Tirana in awe.
One very brash young fellow got caught sniffing her tail very near her rump and his mother and aunts swatted him with their wings.
Nabaz looked over from his snowbank, where he was speaking with his other children, and the other elders of the Thunder. His daughters smiled and waved. He huffed smoke, then turned as one of the other grandchildren caught his attention with a hunting story. He listened attentively and patiently, even encouraging the tale happily.
The four, their names were Athis, Xuri, Gela, and Pota did not pester Tirana about how she felt, but instead were busy trying to feed her and keep her comfortable. They did clearly know what she had endured, as they never mentioned it, or the life growing within her.
Mother Scale herself finished the song, and drew the golden along with her as she went among the others. her children were innumerable. Graggle was kept near her, but he was greeted warmly and openly by the others, who nuzzled him and welcomed him home as brother and friend. She did deftly keep him on away from Tirana by sending some of her sons to fetch him food.
She was easily the largest Dragon present. And many were even larger than Nabaz himself, including the four daughters that were tending to Tirana. Mother Scale was larger than even the four of them combined. Her head was larger than Tirana's whole form multiplied as many as ten times.
Her scales were a soft earthen brown, and her eyes filled with maternal love. She nuzzled Tirana's neck softly as she spoke. "You have been greatly wounded dear one. Would you rest? or join us in the planning of justice and revenge?"
Nabaz stayed entirely out of this.
Mother Scale smiled her eyes flashing now with the dangerous side of maternal love. "Will you let them make you nothing more than a victim dear one?" Her eyes grew bright with the rage and her scales shifted to a more golden brown, as if she was clay that had been fired. "Shall they fear the name Tirana and regret ever daring to even speak it?"
She growled low and dangerous. "Come Sister Dragon. Shall we war?"
Nabaz was watching now. He remained silent, and would not even let Tirana speak to his mind for the moment. This was a place that he would not interfere. She had been the victim. She had been betrayed and used. Her future was her decision. She was a Dragon. The very epitome of freedom.
He did hope though. Hoped that she would burn forth. He knew it was within her. Would she free it?
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