The False Titan

The Blessed Mother

The smell of death and rot had become familiar enough that Evita could walk with her nose unguarded.

It was quiet now, the guard had beaten back the Qabari invaders from the main island and freed the temple grounds from their grasp. The wounded were taken to shelters and the dead were to be gathered.

Towers of white smoke decorated the island's skyline and a golden dragon danced in the air between them and the smoking ruins of a half-destroyed grand temple.

Evita wiped the sweat from her brow, she did not know where Andreah was or the clergy but she had the Aran guard and the surviving priestesses. Most importantly she had her Gabriel.

Half of the black-armored guardsmen she had left marched in patrols through the villages and along the beaches the other half assisted her and the faithful in the clean-up.

"On three," Evita said, squatting low and wrapping her hands around the ankles of a fallen clergy soldier.

"Yes Mother," said the young priestess, grabbing the dead man by the arms.

The women hoisted him up and staggered, carrying his body to the makeshift mortuary in the shade given by what remained of the grand Temple.

When the two lowered the corpse to the ground Evita's dress tore again. sweaty, disheveled, burned, and caked in dried blood she wouldn't even let her mind wonder what she must have looked like.

"Perhaps you would like a break mother? I can patch your dress, or I could-"

"Those bodies over there," Evita said, pointing to the pile of dead Qabari soldiers the townsfolk were piling up. "Tell them to strip them of their weapons and armor. The people can keep what they find among the dead invaders so long as they distribute it fairly."

"Yes Mother," the young priestess said with a curtsey before she turned and made for the townsfolk.

A shrill shriek cut through the air. Evita looked up to see the sand-gold winged serpent bank hard and dive toward her.

What do you want from me?

The priestesses nearby screamed and ran as they did each time the beast flew low or landed near Evita. The townspeople stopped and gawked, whispering among themselves at the scaled wonder.

The dragon circled twice before it landed at her side, chirping and chuffing.

In the first few days, Evita tried to ignore the creature or shoo it away, but the little gold and red dragon always came back to her.

It stared up at her with shimmering green eyes. It almost seemed to smile.

It would be easier if you weren't so cute, she thought.

The creature huffed and nudged against her calf and Evita knew what that meant.

"Hungry are you?" Evita asked the little dragon.

The creature closed its eyes and gently bumped its head against her calf.

Evita turned to one of the priestesses, "You. Please bring me some smoked fish, four ought to do it."

"R-right away Mother," the girl said, not taking her eyes off the dragon.

When the food was brought to them Evita carried the fish in her hands and the dragon atop her shoulders. The creature was light but sturdy.

The two of them found a nice spot up the beach and away from the distraction of gawking onlookers. A small meadow of pink flowers and low green grass that sat below swaying palms would serve as their picnic ground.