Bird felt excitement stir in her belly as she watched the egg rock and twitch. Adwin hovered over it murmuring soft words. He waved Bird over to the rocking egg. She looked nervously at Lore who stood behind her. He shooed her with his hands and she glared at him. She stuck out her tongue then went to join Adwin by the egg.

“When I say, we need to both blow flames over the egg. Do you understand?”

Bird nodded. She had been practicing the ritual since they had returned to Uler. Her palms had begun to sweat and she wiped them on her dress.

Adwin held up his fingers and did a count down. When they reached one Adwin blew flames from his mouth. Bird summoned fire into her hands and sent small tendrils to caress the shell of the egg. Cracks began to form in the dark shell and she could feel new excitement growing.

Suddenly the egg split in two revealing a white membrane with a barely visible shape within. Adwin carefully cut open the membrane spilling clear liquid all over the blanket on the dresser top. Bird gasped in wonder as a small baby uncurled from a tight ball and began to shriek.

Instinctively Bird scooped up the baby and held it close to her chest. The cries softened then Bird felt unexpected pain on her breast. She looked down to see that the baby had latched onto her breast through the fabric of her shirt. Startled she pulled the baby away from her chest and tucked the small head into her neck.

“Congratulations Adwin, it’s a girl,” Lore said as Bird gently bounced the fussy infant. Adwin reached out for her and the baby exchanged hands.

“Hello Star, I’m Papa,” Adwin cooed. The baby hiccupped and squirmed in his arms. Bird handed him a cloth and he began to clean the baby of mucus and blood.

While he cleaned the baby Bird grabbed a bottle of goat’s milk that had been prepared prior to the birth. She returned with it warm in her hand and offered it to Adwin. He tucked the baby into his arm and then ran the nipple over Star’s mouth until she latched on and began to suck strongly.

Bird stood back with her hands pressed over her heart. Lore hugged her from behind and kissed her forehead. “You smell of baby,” he said. “I find it calming.”

“She’s so tiny. I didn’t know people could be that small,” Bird said. Lore chuckled and kissed her again.

Hours later Adwin lay asleep in his room while Bird sat in his living room feeding Star. She admired the soft brown curls that crowned the infant’s head and the pudgy delicate cheeks. Shyly she kissed the tiny forehead and smelled the sweet smell specific to infants.

Lore came into the room with a tray topped with a small teapot and two mugs, cream and sugar. “I thought you might like some tea,” he whispered. He set the tray down then carefully leaned over the baby to plant a kiss on Bird’s lips.

He knelt at her feet and rested his head on her knees. “What are you doing?” Bird asked nervously. She did not trust the smile on the dragon’s face.

“You look so beautiful sitting there holding Star. I can’t help but love you.”

“Oh, so you mean you didn’t love me before?”

Lore caught the teasing tone in Bird’s voice and lifted his head. “Dear Lady, at every turn it seems you seek to wound me. Can’t you let my heart rest?”

Bird wrinkled her nose and smiled. “Why should I? You’re so shameless.”

“Then would you take this shameless heart of mine and marry it?”

Bird’s breath caught in her throat. She swallowed hard as he heart fluttered wildly in her chest. Her stomach flipped and warmth rose in her cheeks.

“Yes.”