Sanctuary II

Summer was in full swing, as Roisin's 24th Birthday finally arrived. Atlas and Dex planned a party for her in the verdant fields that now surrounded Sanctuary. Several gazebos and seating areas were place around a large tree, where everyone was gathered.

Roisin and Ruby had climbed the tree, and were sitting on a branch looking at the walls of Sanctuary in the distance. Ruby had grown slightly over the last few months, but wasn't noticeably bigger yet.

"Sanctuary looks beautiful from here" Roisin smiled, as she drank from a glass of wine, that Ruby had flown up to her.

"It is home" Ruby nodded.

"That's right" Roisin nodded in agreement, as she petted Ruby's head.

"What is outside of home?" Ruby asked, curiously.

"There's a whole world out there, Rubes. You can see it all, one day" Roisin smiled.

"I want to go to Is-tal" Ruby said, as she gave Roisin puppy dog eyes. Roisin laughed and took another sip of her wine.

"Tell you what, next time I go, you can come with me" Roisin nodded.

"Is it where Rosheen was born?" Ruby asked, slightly mispronouncing Roisin's name.

"Yep" Roisin beamed. "Did you know, me and Keegan were born at the same time?" She asked.

"Waaaaw! How did that happen?" Ruby cheered.

"We're twins" Roisin smiled.

"Twins..." Ruby pondered.

Down in the party below, Dex and Syl were singing a karaoke cover of a love song, Roisin and Ruby laughed as they sang the lyrics all wrong. Ruby looked over at Keegan, who was sharing a piece of cake with Amber. She then gazed over at Atlas, who was smiling as he and Lotte rested their heads against each others.

"Everybody looks happy" Ruby smiled, but let out a small sigh. Roisin turned to Ruby, concerned and stroked her.

"What's up, Rubes?" Roisin asked.

"They all are in love..." Ruby sighed. "I never seen a dragin, will I ever be in love?" She asked, resting her head on Roisin's leg.

"I reckon so Rubes" Roisin smiled. "Your father, Arranthian was an ancient and majestic dragon, he lived a very long life, and I imagine you will too" She continued. "Don't worry about stuff like that, just live your life how you want it" Roisin said, as she kissed Ruby's small head. Ruby looked up at Roisin and smiled.

"I want to stay with you, until the end... not like in love..." Ruby giggled. Roisin chuckled.

"I know what you mean, Rubes, and I would love that" Roisin smiled as she gazed into the distance. "Until the end" She sighed. Ruby looked at Roisin's face, she wasn't smiling now. Ruby stood on her two feet and climbed onto Roisin's legs and extended her wings around Roisin in a hug.

"I don't like it when you aren't happy" Ruby sighed. "What is wrong?" She asked, as she looked Roisin in the eyes. Roisin and sighed.

"I... I don't know how long I have left, to be honest, Rubes..." Roisin frowned at Ruby.

"Why?!" Ruby frowned too.

"The powers I have... they might take their toll, when I fight... the bad guys" Roisin explained, sensitively.

"I won't let that happen, Ro...Ro...Roisin" Ruby hugged Roisin tighter with her small wings. "I'll find a way to save you" She smiled, as she retracted her wings, and smiled, the poked Roisin's face with her tiny hands. "So be happy! It's your birthday!" Ruby squeaked happily as she fluttered her wings. Roisin smiled at Ruby.

"Okay, I will" She nodded.

"Good... and..." Ruby pondered for a second. "Promise you won't die anytime soon" She said, in a new, serious tone, that took Roisin by surprise.

"I..." Roisin began, but stopped and looked at the sun. "I promise that I will do my very best. I don't want to leave you alone in this world. I know what it is like, to lose a mother" She sighed.

"A mother..." Ruby thought, and rubbed her small head with her tiny hands. "You are my mother?" She asked.

"I like to think of myself as being so" Roisin nodded. "I hope that is okay?" She asked.

"It is, I would love for you to be my mother, Rossy" Ruby had a huge grin plastered on her face. Roisin smiled and looked at Syl and Keegan.

"You know, your name... it was my Mother's" Roisin said, as Ruby sat back down on the branch.

"You named me after your Mummy?" Ruby asked.

"I did" Roisin smiled. "I reckon she'd like a Dragon being named after her" She chuckled. Ruby giggled too. The birds tweeted away in the trees above, Ruby felt their song warm her heart even more, she knew that this would be a day that would forever live on in her long, long life to come.