The sounds of sword hitting against sword and sword hitting against shield woke her up. Heart in her throat, she reached to wake her husband up but he wasn't beside her. Her daughters' whimpering grabbed her attention and she quickly reached over to cradle them.

“Hush my babies, mama's here and everything is going to be ok. I will die before I let anything happen to you, my little flowers.”

She looked at her daughters, her life and worried about them; She wondered what was going on out there. She knew she had to get ready for whatever was going to happen so she quickly got dressed and  strapped on her armour. She didn't need any weapons because she had her magic but she hoped and prayed that it would be enough.

“Come my darlings lets get you dressed. Mommy won't let anything happen to you.” She crooned

Two pairs of emerald green eyes followed  her around the room as she grabbed the little armours that her husband had made for them. A gift of sweat and blood enhanced by magic to ensure that they would always fit no matter how much the girls grew.

“Now you are ready my darlings. I love you very much.”

She quickly grabbed their things and placed them next to the secret door.Tamar twisted and crouched in front of her daughters as she heard the door open and felt her lips form into a smile.

“David!” She shouted as she raced to his side, “I was so worried about you. Thank goodness you are ok, tell me what's going on.”

“Tamar, my love, we are surrounded you have to take the girls and leave now.”

“You have to come with us. I can't leave you.” She felt her heart break as she stared into the green eyes that she loved more than herself.

He brushed aside a strand of her hair. “No, my love, I have to stay and defend my kingdom, even if it leads to my death.”

Tears fell down her cheeks as he pushed her towards her daughters and their survival and he stood resolute, knowing that the fight to come would most likely result in his death or imprisonment.

“Well,well isn't this a touching scene, like a badly written, too sweet romance.”

“Brother, thank goodness you are here, we could really use your help." David said as he turned and met the outstretched sword of his brother.

David stared down, in shock, at the sword that was in his chest.

"Why brother?" he croaked as blood leaked from his mouth and choked him.

"You know why brother." Juda snarled as he pushed the sword even deeper into his brother. “You took what was mine, the one thing I wanted more than anything and now I will take it back, goodbye Brother.”

" No!" Tamar screamed fighting against the instinct to run to her husband, she knew she had to protect her daughters." How could you? He was your brother, you are a monster." Tamar crouched down and was discreetly trying to open the secret door.

"Come now darling Tamar,you never used to be so dramatic in fact if I remember correctly you never used to think that I was a monster before my darling brother stole you from me."

" Something can only be stolen if it belonged to you, I.never.did." Tamar offered a silent prayer that the door would open. She was running out of time.

"Come now Tamar, don't hurt my feelings," Juda said as he sauntered towards Tamar “How can you say that when you kneel before me at this very moment."

Tamar's heart started beating rapidly and fear coursed through her as she watched him get closer and she was no closer to opening the door.

"I do not kneel out of respect , but rather the pain of losing my husband, my one true love, has drained my strength."

"How dare you talk of loving him?” Juda screamed

"It is the only thing that I can talk about,  for love him I did and until I die, love him I will!" Tamar said defiantly.

Juda's eyes flashed "Silence! I am here and I am the one you will love."

Relief flooded through Tamar as she felt the door open, she silently pushed one basket towards the door and as she tried to move it closer to the door her daughter whimpered.

Juda stilled, "What was that?"

Fear clamped Tamar's heart like a vice, "Nothing except the sound of your delusions."

Just then her daughters started whimpering again.

"You had a child with him?" Juda roared

Tamar knew that she had to act fast, unfortunately because of her fear for her daughters and pain she couldn't just summon from her thoughts she had to utter the words of the spells for them to work, and she had to be careful she had to cast the right spells at the right moment or all would be lost. She had to decide between casting the protection spells over her daughters first or attacking Juda.

"Answer me Tamar" Juda hissed

Tamar could see the feverish light of madness in his eyes and knew without a doubt that he would kill her if she stayed any longer.

" He was my husband and my lover what do you think?" Tamar threw the words at him while she worked to cut her palm.

Her fear for her children was making it harder for her to focus but she knew that she was their last hope. She mentally heaved a sigh of relief when she felt the sting of pain and felt the blood flow from her palm. She dropped a bit of her blood into each of the babies' baskets and murmured the words for the incantation,

"By my blood protect, now and forever more. I Tamar your mother seal this spell with my love and life."

Juda stopped pacing and looked at her, "What are you doing?"

Tamar's heart felt like it was about to jump out of her chest, "Nothing" She whispered.

She was almost there , she could feel the door right behind her.

"Liar! I heard something" Juda hissed as he stalked towards Tamar.

Tamar knew that if she didn't move she was dead. She quickly magicked the door grabbed her daughter's baskets and let herself fall through the door but she wasn't fast enough Juda grabbed one of the baskets. Tamar let go of the basket she had and quickly spelled it to float to safety. She was not leaving her daughter behind.

" You betrayed me Tamar, now I will take your life." Juda sneered at her.

Tamar ignored him and sent out a mental call for help to the only other person she trusted; she really hoped that he was still alive,  he was the only one who could find her daughter and protect her. She was so focused on the basket with her baby that she didn't see him cast his spell, she only realised it when she felt her legs break and twist. In that moment she looked at him and watched him take her daughter as he pushed her out of the door into nothing.Juda chuckled to himself as he heard her heart wrenching cries while he walked away cradling the baby in his bloodstained hands. Tamar cast a floating spell around herself as she fell and hoped her guardian would find them both before Juda did, she sent out a last call as she drifted off into unconsciousness.

Dahlia opened her eyes and  felt a jolt of excitement, today was her birthday and not only that, but today was the day George was going to ask her to marry her. She  could feel it.She jumped out of bed and quickly got ready, she couldn’t wait to get to work so that it could be over and she could get to spend time with George. She padded towards the kitchen and stopped when she heard her name.

“ Fiona we have to tell Dahlia the truth its time.”

“I know Byron, I just don’t know how to tell her. I worry so much about them. Every day I think about Rose with Juda and I feel my heart shrivel up and die. I need her strong first, how has her training been going?” Fiona sighed as she drank her coffee.

“ She is doing great and her mind is quite strong, but I’m still going to need a little time with her after her rebirth.” Byron replied.

Dahlia couldn’t take it anymore and stormed into the kitchen, “ What are you guys talking about? Who is Rose? Who is Juda? What rebirth?” 

Dahlia was so angry she couldn’t stop shaking, she watched as Byron as and her mother traded glances.

“ Dahlia, my little flower come here.” Her mother extended her hands

Dahlia knelt next to her mother’s wheelchair and she couldn’t stop angry tears from running down her cheeks,  “Mother, please tell me what you were talking about.” She begged

Fiona felt her heart hurt as she watched her eldest daughter cry, she wondered how she could make the story she had to tell as painless as possible.

“ Dahlia my daughter, it pains me to see you like this please forgive me.” Fiona said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“ Don’t cry mom,please, just tell me what’s going on. Please I need to know.” Dahlia begged as she wiped away her mother’s tears.

Byron walked over and put his hand on Fiona’s shoulder in a silent show of support.

 Fiona felt like the rug was being pulled from under her feet or her wheelchair, she wished she had more time, she wished for a better way and yet maybe it was time the truth finally came out. But Fiona truly hated having to burden her daughter with all the sorrow of their past.

“ Dahlia my darling, you are very important and very special. There is so much that you need to know but I don’t think that right now is the time to tell you. All you need to know is that Rose and Juda are people who are very important both in our past and our future and that tonight is a very important night so I need you home no later than eleven. Do you understand?”

“ Mom why are you being so secretive? And you know that tonight is very important, I was planning on staying out the whole night. You know that George is going to propose right?” Dahlia wiggled her eyebrows in an effort to lighten up the mood and erase the worry from her mother’s face. No matter how upset she became, she did not like to see her mother worrying or upset.

Fiona sighed heavily, “ I know baby, but please promise me you’ll be back tonight before eleven. It’s very important please Dahlia, promise me.”

Dahlia felt torn between her boyfriend and her mother, she loved both of the and now she had to let one down.

“ Ok mom. I’ll come back home early. I really want to know all about what you were talking about. If I come back early will you tell me?” Dahlia asked.

“ Yes. Byron and I will tell you what you need to know.” Fiona reluctantly agreed

“ Ok, that settles it. I’ll be here really early.” Dahlia said as she got up and walked towards the kitchen table to grab some breakfast.

Breakfast was a somber affair, everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Dahlia wondered what it was that her mother and Byron were so reluctant to share with her and she also wondered why she felt like she had a chunk of lead at the bottom of her stomach filling her with unease. Fiona wondered how Dahlia was going to receive the news that she had to share, she had raised her in this little town close to the sea because she knew that because of what they were it would be the last place anyone would look for them, she worried  whether or not she had done Dahlia any good by keeping this away from her as much as they had. And Byron worried about what their future would hold after tonight. He knew that things would change, he worried about Fiona and Dahlia and his ability to keep them safe after the rebirth.

Dahlia finished her food and got up, “ Bye guys. See you tonight. I gotta go or I’ll be late.” She said as she kissed her mother’s  cheek.

 Fiona smiled “ Bye Dahlia. Be safe and remember you are the daughter of…”

“ …A dragon” Dahlia answered somehow comforted by the game she and her mother had played since she was old enough to talk.

Byron moved from the table so fast it was almost a blur and threw a punch towards Dahlia, Dahlia followed her instincts and ducked as she threw all her weight into a punch directed at his stomach and as it connected she danced out of reach.

“ Good move kid.” Byron grinned as he  straightened “but it would have been better for you to move out of reach and kick behind my knees since you are so much smaller and not as strong as I am.”

Dahlia laughed as she rushed out the door, “ Yes sir! But I totally got you with that one. See you later.”

Byron and Fiona watched her leave and then exchanged glances, one wondered at the effect this would have on her life and the other one wondered if she was strong enough. 

Dahlia walked slowly along the boardwalk on her way to work, she really didn’t like living next to the beach because water made her feel powerless and weak and she hated it. As she walked she couldn’t stop wondering what it was that her mother and Byron were hiding from her. She loved them both dearly and didn’t want to cause them any worry but she still felt that she had a right to know if it involved her and she had this feeling that she was right at the centre of whatever had them worried. Dahlia sighed, closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sky to bask in the warmth of the sun, the heat always made her feel better. She smiled and whispered to the wind,

“ Today is going to be a great day.”

She was startled into opening her eyes when she felt a warm caress on her cheek, she stopped and looked around but there was no one there. It was just her and the wind. Dahlia pulled her cardigan tighter around her and hurried off to work and by the time she got to work she had forgotten all about the weird experience and her thoughts were elsewhere. Tom watched her as she crossed the street, the sun glinting of her hair and felt his heart skip a beat. He had always had a crush on Dahlia but she never seemed to notice all the ways he tried to show her. As she opened the door the little bell rang,

“ Morning Dahlia.” Tom, her manager, called to her from behind the till. 

“ Morning Tom.” Dahlia responded absently.

“ Hey, are you ok? You seem a little off today” Tom queried wondering what could be wrong and if there was anything he could do.

“ I’m fine, don’t worry about it.” Dahlia replied offhandedly, “ I’ll just go and grab my uniform and I’ll get everything ready, you can make your morning banking run.”

“ That’s ok, let me finish helping you, after all the bank is just a block away.”

“ Thanks so much Tom.” Dahlia gave him a brilliant smile and he felt like he was walking on air.

Dahlia walked to her locker still thinking about what her mother and Byron had been talking about and found a card and a little box wrapped, she forgot everything that was bothering her and  excitedly reached for it thinking that George had given Tom something for her. Dahlia tore the wrapping paper and found a necklace with a sun shaped pendant. She was so happy that George remembered how much she loved the sun. She put the card into her locker without opening it and rushed to go and show Tom her necklace.

“ Look what George got for me for my birthday!” she exclaimed 

Tom’s jaw dropped, “ But dahlia_”

“ Isn’t it pretty? Its just perfect.” Dahlia gushed so excited that she didn’t see Tom’s face fall and his shoulders slump.

“ Um - eh-Dahlia_” Tom tried to explain

“ Please help me put it on.” Dahlia interrupted.

Dahlia gave Tom the necklace and turn around so that he could put it on for her. Tom heaved a sigh in disappointment and just helped her.

“ All done. You look nice Dahlia, anyway I’ve gotta go to the bank. See you later.” Tom mumbled as he grabbed his backpack and headed towards the door.

Dahlia frowned in confusion, “ Ok Tom, thanks for the help.” She wondered why he was suddenly in a rush to leave when he had said he would help her to get ready to open up. She quickly cleaned up and opened the shop so that people who were going to work could have their morning shots of coffee. Dahlia got so busy that by the time she finished handling the  morning rush all the worry about the secret that her mother and Byron were keeping from her had dissipated. Dahlia only realised that her phone wasn’t in her pocket when she stopped to take a break , so she quickly rushed to her locker to look for it and opened her  locker only to find the card that she hadn’t opened in the morning. As Dahlia read the card blood drained from her face and left her looking as pale as if she had seen a ghost.

“ Oh no,no,no what have I done?” she murmured. Her heart went out to Tom.”Oh  Tom my dear friend, what have I done?”

Dahlia dragged her feet as she went in search of Tom, her heart was beating erratically and she kept twisting a strand of hair wondering how she could apologise. Dahlia didn’t want to offend or hurt Tom for he had been there for her when she was still new at the cafe and now was her only friend.

“ Hey Tom could I talk to you for a minute?” Dahlia asked voice shaking from nerves.

Tom didn’t even bother to look up from the bench he was sitting on eating his sandwich as he replied, “ Can it wait?”

“I’m sure it can but by then I’d be dead from embarrassment” Dahlia mumbled as a flush crept up her face.

“ Ok. Sit and tell me whats wrong.” He replied 

Dahlia looked at him to try and gauge his feelings but his face was closed off, she swallowed reflexively, took a deep breath and decided to just jump in,

“I’msorryinowknowthatyouaretheonewhogavemethenecklacenotGeorge”she apologised without catching a breath.

Tom couldn’t help it, he laughed, “ Whoa! Dahlia I didn’t even hear anything that was way too fast.”

Dahlia blushed, “I’m sorry Tom, why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

“How could I?” He lifted an eyebrow and smirked.

Dahlia laughed, “ Yea I guess not, I guess I do have a tendency to railroad people huh?”

She saw his mouth twitching and knew that they were ok.

Her eyes searched his face, “ I really am sorry Tom. Thank you for the lovely necklace, it's a gift that I will always treasure.”

“ You are welcome Dahlia and don’t worry about that we are good. Come on lets go, the more we work, the faster the day will go by, I know  that you can’t wait to celebrate with George and your family.”

At the mention of her family Dahlia’s mood shifted and her smile faded, the worry and unease she had forgotten about came back in full force.

She forced a smile, “ Yea I can’t wait.”