Golden Braids and Dragon Blades: Steampunk Rapunzel

Chapter 24: The Song of Britannia

Estrid, Luna, and Wink sat gazing at the egg, which glimmered in the summer sunlight. Their nest, built from wildflowers, herbs, and oak twigs was ready, and so was I. The egg sat at the center.

I sat cross-legged in front of the nest. Ewan stood behind me.

Not far away, Lucy and William both waited.

It would work. It was going to work.

“Now, little one, you will wake,” I whispered, gently stroking the egg. The surface was warm but felt different, thinner than it had been.

I cleared my throat and then began humming the song the land had given me. Leaving the safety of Merlin’s cave had put all our lives at risk, but if Ewan had not found me, if Mother and I had not left, I never would have heard the voice of the realm. I never would have learned the song.

I hummed the first few bars I had heard on the wind then sang the lines the trees, the fields, the flowers, and the land had whispered to me.

I’ve been the shadow in the cave

I’ve been the farmer in the field

I’ve been the maiden of the lake

I’ve been the spinner at the wheel

I’m the watcher in the wind

I’m the king inside the hall

I’m the warrior on the field

I’m the spirit of them all

I’ll be the roses in the garden

I’ll be the leaves upon the trees

I’ll be the moonbeams on mushrooms

I’ll be the earth, bright and green.

I am.

I am.

I am.

I am.

Britannia.

The egg quaked. It shivered again and then a small crack split across it. Ewan’s grip on my shoulders tightened in excitement. William and Lucy crept closer.

The birds in the trees nearby chirped merrily, insects buzzed, the wind blew softly. Butterflies drew near once more. The entire field of them surrounded us. The girls began chirping and calling to the tiny dragon inside the egg. The egg shook once more, and then a tiny snout poked out a small hole at the top of the shell. The little nostrils breathed in the summer air, inhaling and exhaling deeply.

“Come out, little one. We’re waiting for you,” I called.

At that, the little nose retreated, and then the egg began to glimmer with bright golden light. The magic in the air around us hummed, the egg glowing blindingly bright until a moment later, there was a loud clap which made my ears ring. The shell pieces burst away from the egg and there, in a shimmer of white light, sat a newborn dragon.

Luna crept close to the newcomer.

I stared wide-eyed at the tiny dragon sitting in the nest. Its scales were ruby red, its eyes black as ebony. It had a white belly and gold-trimmed wings. And on its head, it had the stubs of two small horns.

“Are those horns?” Ewan whispered, echoing my own thoughts.

“Yes. It’s a male,” I said, astonished.

Ewan chuckled lightly. “It’s a boy,” he called to Lucy and Ewan.

The little dragon looked up at him, clicking to Ewan. Ewan knelt and reached out to touch the dragon. To my surprise, he permitted Ewan’s touch. Estrid pushed Ewan’s hand aside so she and the girls could get closer. Wink, Estrid, and Luna chirped at and rubbed on their newest family member. When the girls had thoroughly loved on the newcomer, Estrid guided the baby dragon with her snout toward me.

I opened my hand and placed it in front of him. “Hello, little one.”

The dragon crawled onto my palm and then clicked at me, his voice questioning.

I giggled. “Yes, I am the one who woke you.”

The little dragon purred then rubbed his head against me. I petted his scales. He was warm, much like Estrid.

“Now you need to name him,” Ewan told me. “I know. What about Arthur?”

I shook my head. “No. I always thought that if I had a son, I would name him Arthur.”

“Makes sense. We’ll save that name for our boy then. Any other ideas?”

“Wait, what did you just say?”

“Um. Nothing. So, another name then?”

“What about Merlin? After all, he is the last male dragon. Merlin saved his life. Maybe we should honor Merlin’s foresight.”

Ewan nodded. “I like it. Lucy, William, come meet Merlin.”

I looked down at the sweet little creature. “Welcome to the world, Merlin,” I said, then hugged him to my chest.