NIGHT – Ipola sits, her leg extended, by the fire.  The dragon snoozes nearby.  Emmon is holding a live coal in his hand, grinning.  

EMMON: Neat!!

LIRI: So – how long does it take?  Tula needed to go into a kind of trance …

IPOLA: From what she told me, she was fighting some bad inflammation and other problems.  Her wound was more complicated.  This was just a clean break.  All I need is a basic healing spell and with a night’s rest I should be good to travel. 

LIRI: Wow … that’s so impressive!

IPOLA: (smiling) It’s one of our better tricks, if I say so myself.   Actually I am very impressed with the two of – I should say the three of you.  

LIRI: Well, Emmon is-  Emmon!  Put that back in the fire! (“awww!”)  Emmon is only five.  He’s like us, as you see.  His family … 

IPOLA: I do see.  And so naturally you took him in.   I … Forgive me, I am still getting used to … Are we sure this dragon is … that it’s safe?

KELTAN: His name is Ara-Genach.

ARA-GENACH: ArrrahhccghenAAAACH!

KELTAN: Sorry.  Ara-GenNACH.  And no, he’s not a particularly “safe” person, your Majesty, strictly speaking – any more than you are. Like you, he’s extremely strong and powerful, but he’s not a bad guy.  He’s a dragon – not a monster. He was asleep for a very long time.  He says his mother told them that they were going to work with one of the Old Ones, but She didn’t say exactly why.  So after what I’ve told him about us and the Urtts,  he’s a bit confused.  He would like to go back and ask his mother what to do, and I think that is best.  But for now I’ve convinced him we’re not enemies or food, and that we won’t

 hurt him any more.(To Ara-Gennach)  Or let anyone else hurt him, eh?  That’s right! Good boy … 

IPOLA: Tula was right.  Everything we’ve known is going to change – including a lot that we only thought we knew.