————————-Azazel’s POV——————————

“Let’s go play at the lake Tas’Theragoma,” I said as I put my rock friend back into my pocket.

“Azazel, just call me shard, and you know that you need another person to go with you to the lake and it can’t be Ryan.” Shard said in the same tone that Aunt Lilith uses when she reminds me of the rules.

“You’re a person, so you can take me,” I said patting my pocket.

“No Azazel, I’m sure your daddy would get mad if I take you to the lake as it would be very hard for me to watch you as I don’t have eyes. How about we play a game that both your daddy and uncle Therin like to play?” shard said, making me wonder what kind of game.

“What sort of game?” I asked.

“It’s called Chess,” Shard replied, “so let’s get a few of my crystal friends from the pile and I can set up the board and we can play.”

“Yes, I like new games! But I don’t know how to chest…” I said worried that we wouldn’t be able to play.

“Don’t worry, I can teach you. I have taught many other Crystallins.” Shard replied still in my pocket.

“Ok,” I headed over to the large pile of crystals, which I made, and picked the rocks that shard told me to.

“Now how about we go over to your hoard so you can sit down and I can make the pieces.” Shard said. I pulled my shiny rock friend from my pocket and walked over to my fluffy hoard and set shard down in front of his crystal friends. I then jumped into my soft blanket hoard and wiggled my way until I poofed out of the pile.

“Wow” I said as I watched shard’s crystal friends start to fall apart. Forming little pieces that look horses and towers, and funny hats there was even two that were shaped like daddy, which look very important.

“Ok Azazel, let’s play chess.”

—————————————————Fafnir POV——————————————

“Thank God, Tanis is gone.” I sighed; right after she vanished.

“I have never seen mom so scary,” Aesthyra said as she rubbed her tail, “ I almost prefer aunt Tenabrexa, while she’s crazy she’s not as scary as mom.”

“I feel bad for you as I not even related to her, you must have it ten times worse.” I shuttered as I tried to forget the screams.

“We have two weeks to set up the wards to prevent her from coming back to our lair,” Aesthyra stated with a determined look in her eye, “we must be able to fend her off, my tail can’t take another one of her… reeducations”

“Agreed,” I said wondering if we can somehow get Alexandarax to help us dragon proof our lair.

“We will start first thing tomorrow morning; I promised Azazel that I would take her to the lake today.” I suggested; heading towards the main cavern.

“Why can’t you have Ryan take her, we really need to get started as I don’t want to be caught rolling in my hoard,” Aesthyra said; following me. “Didn’t you clear all the trees in front of the lair for this very reason? I mean why else would you go through the hassle of all that tree removal you have been doing.” Aesthyra suggested as she followed me.

“Are we talking about the same Ryan?” I asked, thinking back to earlier this morning.

“Your brother is getting better.” Aesthyra sheepishly replied, “I mean he can now do some magic and he should be more than capable of watching Azazel.”

“The same Ryan, who screams almost every night when he hears some new sound from the forest?” I asked.

“Come on give the guy a chance, we really need to get these wards up,” Aesthyra urged.

“No, not yet, when Ryan has killed something bigger than a fly, I might consider it, but right now he is too much of a wimp for me to trust him with that.” I replied as we finally entered the main cavern.

“Fine, I will start working while you take Azazel, just be quick!” Aesthyra snapped. She then turned around huffed as she walked back down the tunnel.

Deciding not to chase an angry dragon, I walked over to Azazel’s cavern.

“Azazel, what are you doing?” I asked, looking over the rather nice looking crystal chess set, that I don’t ever remember owning.

“I am playing with Shard! She taught me how to play chess.” She replied as she moved what looked like a knight.

“Who is Shard?” I asked wondering who she was talking about.

“My rock friend,” she replied, before pausing, “I’m sorry crystal friend.”

“Well, it nice you found a friend, why don’t you introduce me to her?” I asked, playing along with Azazel’s little game.

“Ok!” she replied as she jumped out of her blanket hoard. She gently grabbed the large blue crystal which was sitting across from her, “Daddy, this is Nar’ferathoma but you can call her Shard. She said that she is not allowed to talk to you because the Shardlord would get mad, and she doesn’t want the Shardlord to be mad at her.”

“Well, nice to meet you, Mrs. Shard, thank you for keeping Azazel company while I was busy meeting with Tanixathera. Where you two playing chess?” I asked playing along.

“Yes, Shard taught me how to play.” she replied with a large smile.

“Oh, who is winning?” I asked.

“Well Shard won the first two games,” she replied as she placed Shard back where it was sitting, “but I won two games after the first two and I am about to win this game.” She replied as she moved what look like a king. “Check.”

“Well, I am glad that you were having fun, why don’t you tell your friend that you have to go now.” I replied smiling at how cute she’s being.

“We can play later, after the lake. Don’t move any of the pieces while I am gone.” Azazel said to the rock and ran to put on her makeshift swimsuit.

“I really need to find her a friend,” I grumbled while eying the chess board.