Guardian Dragons by Catherine L Vickers Page B

about the gardens, he
watched as three small charming birds busily nested in a nearby
flowery bush. Chattering with excitement at every tiny twig they
had managed to forage and then quickly disappearing to their nests
before their neighbours should suspect their magnificent find. He
considered listening-in to the bird banter but concluded that the
height of their conversation would be on the lines of who had the
fattest worms and the warmest nests. A Head Mage should not have
time to listen to such tittle-tattle. Still it could not hurt for
just a minute. Closing his eyes, he altered his language abilities
to enable him to listen in on the tiny birds. But, alas no, this
was simply not to be. Disturbing those peaceful moments, his ear
drums were almost ruptured with the loud voices wailing through the
still warm air, they were obviously in search of him, only the
women could shrill that high. The voices intensified to abruptly
cease and conclude with a pretty head peering around the thick
bushy hedge, where he had discreetly placed a garden chair and
table, in hiding.
    ‘Papa, papa,’ Heather screeched
hysterically at finding the head that she had hunted so noisily. ‘I
simply could not wait for you to emerge from your den. I just had
to disturb you papa. Guess what ... I did it. I
Changed.’
    ‘Yes, I had a feeling that you
might. I suppose that’s why I was thinking of you,’ he calmly
greeted her. ‘So, dear daughter, despite the fact that you should
not experiment with the magic without an elder by your side, you
still went ahead and trifled into the unknown. What am I to do with
you if you refuse to live by rules?’
    ‘I’m truly sorry about that papa
but when Leon said he had a very good friend who is a huphin, I
simply had to do it.’
    ‘Hmph,’ he exclaimed in faked
displeasure, ‘the young Prince Leon also has a part to play in this
rebellious behaviour has he?’
    ‘No, no papa, it was all my
doing,’ she babbled, non-stoppable. ‘Please, please let me tell you
how I swam with the dolphins and I even saved a huphin Princess.’
She could no more stop her voice from extricating her entire
escapade than she could stop her mind from sinking deeper into the
astonishing memories. ‘I twirled in the seas, brushing the waves
over my head. I dived deep into the waters and saw a whole new
world of wonderful and beautiful creatures.
    Little bright yellow fishes with
orange dots on. I even battled with sharks. From a distance of
course. Anyway, Prince Gadon dealt with them. You know that he
would not have let any harm come to me. He is my new friend and he
said he’d take me again whenever I wish to go. What do you think
papa, is this not the most exciting adventure I have ever reported
to you yet?’
    ‘Whoa, my little one,’ her father
needed a moment for the words to sink into his addled brain.
‘Sharks you say. I will hear more of this. You can only be
referring to Princess Bryley. What have you been doing? I am indeed
lucky daughter that you tell me all, whether I like to hear of it
or not.
    ‘Ohh pappa, it was so exciting.’
Seating herself on the opposite chair, so she could better see his
reactions, the words would not come out fast enough. ‘Poor Leon,
he’s gone home with a drip white face. He simply cannot accept that
I helped to save the Princess from deadly sharks. Well, actually
pappa, I swam to the surface and showed the poor little Princess
the escape route while Prince Gadon and the other male huphins and
dolphins dealt with the sharks. Did you know that the dolphins are
so very fond of the huphins? And of course, the other way around.
They are our very closest allies.’
    ‘Slow down little Heather. You
speak your words so fast I can hardly comprehend the tale you
tell,’ her father chuckled. Secretly he was very pleased she had
managed to get through her first Change in one piece, let alone
save a Princess. He would no doubt receive news from Prince Gadon
as to the true event that