There is an old saying ‘You only know what you have had, once you have lost it.’. This had been how Rhiannon had felt in the last two weeks since Mero had left. She knew Miriam, Merlin and most of all Morgan felt the same, even though they’d never let it show. They steeled themselves against the loss unwilling to feel it hiding behind hurt pride and the fact he had betrayed them.

Miriam frantically drowned herself in administrative tasks and wedding preparations for Rhia and Morgan. Even though the big day would only happen in a few months, at very least. Morgan busied himself with investigating the possible security breaches his brother had left and Merlin either tortured her with lessons in ‘the art of ruling’ and ‘ley-lines and the interconnected planes’ as he called it or travelled to many of his scientist friends he hadn’t seen in years. He said he did it to look for the orders machinations. Whether they had broken other seals than the ones they were aware of.

All of these endeavours were important and necessary, that much Rhia admitted, but the way all of them avoided to even mention Mero’s name, was unhealthy. Her mother, who was a doctor at doctors beyond borders and looked mostly after their patients’ mental health, had told her that pushing pain away only makes it smoulder and fester. After some time, you either had to make a clean cut and sever the rotten part or you risked to have it break open on its own, after poisoning the whole surrounding and with unforeseeable consequences.

Thinking about her mother poked into one of her very own festering wounds. She still hadn’t talked to them about what had happened. Three quarters of a year had passed since that lifechanging evening, but she still couldn’t muster the inner strength to tell them. And every passing day only made it harder. She sighed. It wasn’t like she wasn’t happy with whom she was now, but she feared her parents would not understand her. Maybe despise the Long-Drake’s for what they had done to her.

Both of them had a stern and unforgiving streak to them, especially if it came to forcing people into anything. That was what made them such brilliant doctors in war zones. Hard enough to endure, soft enough to feel with the victims. Rhiannon had experienced their unforgiveness towards the culprits… especially her father, who treasured her as his little princess would at very least give the dragons a hard time. Even more so for poor Morgan, who was as his future son in law in for a thorough session of interrogations, weighing and measuring.

Right now, she should not be pondering about those things, but either do something about them, to get them off her palate or do what she had intended to do when she had entered the library. Studying. Her next exam period was drawing in and even though her enhanced dragon-mind helped her process things much faster, she still had an insane schedule that brought her to her limits.

Staring blankly at the page for the third time, she finally gave up and thought of something else to do. After a while she took out her mobile and dialled her mother’s number.

The familiar beep sounded like a menace in her ears and she gulped. Though she longed to talk to them about and quit avoiding the topic, like she had in their past calls, she still dreaded what was about to come. Listening to the beeps some tiny, frightened part of her even prayed for them not to answer. But after about 15 seconds her mother answered. ‘Hello mum. Is dad there, too?’

‘Hello, darling. Nice to hear your voice again. Is there anything bothering you? You sound agitated. Your dad is right next to me, by the way.’ Her mother answered in a worried tone. She had always known when Rhiannon had something to tell them. Rhia even guessed that both of them had sensed her keeping a secret since the first time they had talked. But both of them had seemingly decided to let her have her way.

‘Yes. I have something to tell both of you. Please make sure no one overhears our conversation and then activate the speaker for I am not sure about telling it twice.’ Rhiannon instructed. Her words were followed by some rustling noises and the screech of a closing tents entrance before her mother activated the speaker.

‘We are listening, dear. Shoot. No matter what you can always tell us, we have your back.’ Both of them confirmed. Rhiannon pictured them in their medical tent they always used when it was either to unsafe to use or if there was no suitable building where they were, both watching the phone attentively.

Rhiannon gulped. ‘Two news. Both of them evenly shocking. First the stranger or the happier one?’

‘The stranger one first.’ Her mother said.

‘I have become a dragon.’ Rhiannon answered fast, happy to be over with it.

‘You have what?’ her father asked, clearly flabbergasted.

‘I have become a DRAGON. My scales are midnight-blue by the way.’ She affirmed once more.

‘…Your scales…’ her father mumbled toneless. ‘So, you are a clan member, now?’ her mother asked at the same time seemingly faster recovered from the shock, moving on to more technical questions.

‘Yes, I belong to the Long-Drake clan. That leads me to my second piece of news. I am going to marry Morgan Long-Drake. The dragon-crown-prince.’ Rhiannon offered the next shocker.

‘Did you choose it?’ her father asked solemnly.

‘Well… no… I mean I have not chosen to become a dragon. I was at the brink of death at that time and my only chance to survive was transformation. But I definitely chose to accept Morgan’s proposal and I would like to invite you to participate at what I am planning to be the happiest day in my life.’ Rhiannon explained.

Her mother sighed in relief. ‘If it is like this, we are grateful, that you are this happy with your new life. We wish you the very best and will naturally participate at your wedding. Even more so since we are going to help you prepare it. Royal wedding or not. This will be a good opportunity to get to know the other half of the family. You are living with them, I guess?’ her mother asked.

‘Yes. I do. And I would certainly love to have you here. I will tell Miriam so she can give out instructions to prepare a guest suite for you, for she will certainly want you to live with us, too.’ Rhiannon smiled. And added in her mind ‘she will be just as curious as my parents, so will be Merlin. And they would never give up the strategical advantage of being the hosts. Nor would they ever let someone use my parents against us. We need to ensure their safety.’

‘Okay, let’s do it this way. We will now tell our boss that there are some personal issues at home, so that they can send for replacement. I guess we will be able to be with you next month.’ Her father affirmed and added ‘And Rhiannon, tell your Morgan, that dragon or not if he dares to break your heart we will be after him.’

Rhiannon smiled and sighed. ‘Thank you. You can’t imagine how hard it was to tell you.’

‘But why, my dear? We will always have your back, even if it is sometimes scaly now.’ Her mother said and Rhia could hear the smile in her voice.

‘You will always be our baby girl.’ Her father added and Rhiannon felt like a load had been lifted. Tears of relief ran down her cheeks. The acceptance of her parents was like balm for her soul. Now she knew even if they hadn’t seen her dragon-form yet, that they would still accept for who she was and not despise her for what she was. After a little small talk, they ended the call and Rhiannon felt finally completely happy. Now with her parents backing her wedding would really be the best day of her life.

Rhiannon left the library and went over to Miriam’s study. The dragon-queen sat at her majestic desk of heavy, dark wood and had buried herself in something that looked like maps of the mountain.

‘Hi, what are you doing?’ she asked curiously. Miriam who had been in some kind of trance shook her head to get rid of the fog that had settled in her brain.

‘I have been looking at some old maps that Morgan discovered in Mero’s suite. They show the area around the ‘hall of bells. But what is it that leads you here?’ Miriam asked curiously. She felt that the younger dragoness was up to something. Something good judging from the sparkle in her eyes.

‘I told my parents and they are okay with it.’ Rhiannon blurted out the most important fact at once.

‘Great news!’ Miriam shouted and hugged her daughter-in-law, for she had felt the strain the girl had experienced upon not telling her parents about the huge changes in her life. She was really happy for her.

‘They want to come early, next month or so. Get to know you, helping out with the preparations and so on. Could they stay at the human quarters?’ Rhiannon asked.

‘Of course. They can stay as long as they want. I mean they will be part of our clan soon… since they are your parents and all.’ Miriam smiled and took her phone. ‘Maisy, would you please have the human royal suite prepared and fitted for a longer stay? And recharge the rune crystals at the short track portal towards the upper floors there. Rhiannon’s parents are coming. They are family.’ She ordered and Rhiannon couldn’t help but smile.

‘You said Mero was looking into the ‘Hall of bells’?’ Rhiannon changed the topic and the concerned look on Miriam’s face reappeared.

‘Yes, he was. I am sure you know how serious this could be.’ Miriam answered. Rhiannon nodded.

Mero himself had shown it to her and she remembered and treasured every moment of this memory. It had been some time after she had completed her Merging and started to truly accept her new identity as a dragon.

First Morgan had promised her to show the ‘Hall’ to her but then he had been called on a rescue mission and Mero had taken the initiative to show it to her.

Mero led her through the deeper parts of the dragon mountain. They crossed huge caverns with strange patterns at their walls and even stranger items filling them ‘Those are part of the mountain’s alert system. But let Merlin explain the details. He was the one to design them.’ Mero said and waved her questions off as he saw her questioning look. It was clear that the cave he intended to show her was much more impressive than those stunning halls they had passed before.

He was right, Rhiannon felt as they finally entered the ‘Hall of Bells’. Its sheer size was terrific. But that was not the first thing Rhiannon saw when she entered. The first thing she saw was the glow. Bells in all shapes, colours and sizes were hanging from the ceiling and each of them spread a dim shimmer. All of them hanging from thin threads ornated with a fine carved little dragon figures, one per bell. It felt gloomy and solemn at the same time.

Some were slowly swinging to and fro, others were completely still. But none sounded.

‘What is this place about?’ Rhiannon asked Mero.

‘This is the ‘Hall of Bells’ it’s the very heart of the mountain and a sacred place to our people. Our heart if you wilt. Every single one of them is connected to one of our own that lives on this planet at the moment. Golden ones are for royals, silver for knights, bronze one for the rest. The figurines show who it is. And the movement shows the state the dragon is in. The worse the faster they are moving.’ He explained and added ‘The bells of the younger ones are further up than those of the older ones. The threads of those in danger are the longest. Look there are Morgan’s and Claire’s. They are on a mission, that means their bells have descended quite a bit. They will rise again once the peril has passed.’

Mero said and pointed at a huge golden and a little smaller silver bell hanging at about ten meters of height. ‘That was the reason my brother came for me, when he found the both of us. My bell had started ringing, you see. Do you remember the post we have passed? He is in charge of protecting the ‘Hall’ and alarm us if there is someone who needs us. This position is very important, as you might guess.’

At that moment both Claire’s and Morgan’s bell started ringing slightly. Then a little faster, before calming down and rising up, again.

‘Ah it seems they had a little struggle, just now. The ‘Hall’ regards the mission as completed. They are bound to return soon.’ Mero explained.

Suddenly a massive ringing sounded right next to them a small bronze bell descended further and further in the process before suddenly snapping loose and bursting on the caves floor.

‘Oh, that’s a sad one. That was Marina’s bell. She has just given birth to her son. Sadly, little Ben now will never get to know his mother. She had had a severe case of pneumonia and it seems the birth now has given her the last push. Poor Georg will be devasted. She was the love of his life. Every time a dragon is born a new bell is created and every time one of us dies the corresponding bell falls. The circle of life in a nutshell.’ Mero said as he gathered the figure out of the shells. ‘Come on we have to take the figurine to my mother. She has to prepare the condolences.’

Soon they took off and left the ‘Hall of Bells’.

Now she was again in Miriam’s office and the topic was not less severe. Rhiannon could not imagine, how she would feel if some other clan took over the ‘Hall of Bells’. It would pose no real threat but it would feel like violation.

‘And you really think he would go as far as lead enemies into the ‘Hall’? That’s a serious topic, even for him.’ Rhiannon asked unbelieving.

‘I would have never thought he could betray us at all. Now, I know nothing. I have to re-evaluate every step he has taken. It would be dumb not to think that way.’ Miriam argued.

‘I guess you are right. Though I hate the thought of it.’ Rhia nodded sadly.

‘Me too, me too.’ Miriam sighed and continued working.