My feet land on the soft grass, and I bend my head forward so Grey can easily slide off. My mother lands gracefully beside us.
"Please talk to your father first, explain things before bringing him out here." I remind him, "We will be waiting for you." He gives me a quick hug around my neck before taking off across the lawn. I watch him walk to his front door, swing it open, and disappear inside. I sigh, I am afraid of what might happen next.
"It will be okay little one," my mother coo's. "Everything will work out as it should."
"I just can't help but worry that things won't work out in my favor." I explain to her, "Cause it's not often that things do."
"Never loose faith," she whispers, draping her wing over my shoulders, "Just believe." I lean into her and wait patiently for Grey to bring Jacob outside.
Grey emerges from the house, after nearly an hour, a smile on his face.
"Jacob and your dad are both coming out," he states. I draw in a breath.
"My dad is here?" We didn't plan for that.
"They are a bit skeptical, but I think you can make them believe." Grey says, and turns back to the house. "You have to." I nod my head in acknowledgment, and turn to my mom. We share a moment of fear, the fear of rejection, before dismissing it and facing our family.
Grey steps out of the house again, with dad, Jacob, Marrie and Spring behind him.
"Grey," Jacob growls, "Why did you bring these beasts to our home? I thought you said it was Kayla and Elora!"
Jacob and my father both pull out their swords, and push Marrie and Spring behind them protectively.
"It is Elora and Kayla," he says frowning at their disbelief. "Really, it is."
Jacob ignores his son's pleading and begins his deadly advance. I cower in fear, and my mother steps in front of me, baring her fangs and hissing loudly. My father follows Jacob's example and walks towards my mother.
"Dad," I cry, "why won't you see!?" he just glares in my direction.
"You stole my daughter's voice!" he screams at me, "I will not fall for your deadly tricks." he spits.
Just as I am certain this is the end, I feel a small body wrap around one of my legs. I look down in surprise at Spring as she clings to me, with tears in her eyes.
"E-Elora." she squeaks, and everyone stops in their tracks.
"Honey," coo's Marrie softly. "That's not Elora. That's a mean dragon who is pretending to be her, please come back to mommy." Marrie's voice is unstable as she reaches, terrified, for her baby girl. I nudge her,
"Spring," I lay leaning my head down to talk to her. "You need to go back to mommy, she is very worried about you being near me." The little girl just shakes her head, her amber curls bouncing.
"Elora." she says stubbornly, and laces her fingers together, holding my leg tighter.
"That is not Elora," says Jacob, in shock that his daughter is speaking. "Please darling, go back to mommy."
"Elora." she says again, this time holding out her hand and pointing at the palm. "Dragon. Scales. Purple." No one else knows what she is talking about.
"No one will understand," I say with a sigh. "But thank you for trying to help me Spring."
"I understand!" Marrie shouts. My head snaps up, my eyes wide in surprise. "I saw your hand at dinner. There was a purple bruise and the outline of scales overlapping that. I thought it was a very odd bruise, but never had the chance to ask you about it." She turns to Jacob and my dad, "It is her. It is Elora."
"Dad," I say, "this is mom."
"John, it is me. Thank you for never giving up hope!" Kayla says, moving slowly and carefully towards my father.
Dad backs away, still hesitant, then my mom leans forward and whispers something in his ear. He smiles hesitantly, then wraps his arms around my dragon mother. We are family again.
