Eromaug's face darkened suddenly as he rose abruptly from his position at her side and straightened to his full height. He towered above her, an imposing sight even from this distance and glared down at her with a look of displeasure etched across his brow.
"I am not discussing this again Lexi." He snapped irritably.
"Yeah, I know." Little Lexi rolled her eyes dramatically, "When I'm older."
She stomped across to where Bella was investigating a hollow between some tree roots and squatted next to her sullenly.
"One day Uncle, I'm going to be old and you'll still be telling me that I won't understand, and by then…it will be too late to tell me whatever it is that is so important to you now because I won't care."
"You have a cruel tongue Lexi," Eromaug warned, but little Lexi was unperturbed.
"I'm not cruel, I'm just being honest. You'll happily gift me a dragon but not tell me the truth…" Little Lexi snorted, "Ironic that one of those things could kill me, and the other one wouldn't."
Lexi could see Eromaug wrestle with something internally before his shoulders sagged in defeat and his face fell. For a moment, Lexi almost felt sorry for him, until she remembered the face of the boy that he had killed just for taking her first ever kiss. Her hands balled into fists at her side.
"You're right. It wouldn't kill you to tell you the truth of my words but, I can't. It's not right for me to do so. All I can say is this Lexi…we're fated to be together…always."
"Well duh!" Little Lexi snorted with a second dramatic eye roll, "We're family aren't we? Family is always together."
Lexi scoffed loudly but the two figures below her didn't flinch as she knew they wouldn't…this was just a memory after all. She had such a simplistic view of the world back then and honestly, she didn't remember ever being this naive, yet here it was, in black and white.
"You're right Lexi. Family is always together." Eromaug smiled, "Even if we're separated, I'll always find you. You won't ever have to worry about being alone and I will always protect you…always."
Lexi blinked in bewilderment as without warning, her vision seemed to darken and the scene she had been watching play out began to fade.
"No! Wait…I want to see what else happens!" Lexi yelled furiously as their voices began to fade, leaving only the image of their lips moving as they chatted to each other but no sound was reaching her.
She flailed wildly in the air, trying desperately to get closer to the two figures so that she could hear what was being said but if anything, they were getting further away.
With a final scream of frustration Lexi was swallowed by the void once more, the last image of the scene that was burned into her mind was that of her younger self wrapped in Eromaug's arms as he smiled down at her with an expression of contentment.
When she came around again, wherever she was this time, she found herself still completely engulfed in darkness.
"If this is another fucking dream..." She muttered furiously as her senses began to slowly return to her.
The lingering unease that coiled itself tightly in her core from the memory gripped her for only a moment before the dull thud in her chest gradually increased in intensity, until the pain became almost unbearable.
She gasped for air, curling onto her side and feeling the cool yet rough surface of the floor against her cheek. It was a stark contrast to the white hot heat that raged in her chest and she couldn't stop the sob that tore from her lips, nor the anguished wail that followed.
A faint shuffling sound came from somewhere to her right as the memories of what Narcissa had inflicted upon her came rushing back and she was instantly struck with fear. It was an unfamiliar feeling and she didn't quite know how to react.
"Who is it?!" She demanded in a voice that shook and she swore internally as she fought the wave of pain that coaxed rivulets of sweat from her burning skin.
The last thing she wanted to do now was show weakness, especially as the shuffling noise was coming closer.
"Who's there?! Show yourself!" She yelled again as she sensed someone, or something squat down next to her and after a few moments she felt herself being lifted gently, and a body settling behind her, pulling her back to rest against what she could only assume was it's chest.
"Please…" Lexi's voice faltered as a sob caught in her throat but her sentence was lost when she was answered by a series of soft little chirrups.
Her heart raced as she felt the rough skin of the creature stroking her arms gently, pulling her closer and chirruping in an apologetic tone as it gathered her closer to its body, encasing her completely in its arms as it began to rock her gently.
"Listen... I don't know what you want…" Lexi began, licking her lips nervously but the words died in her throat as the creature began to hum.
There were no words, just a lilting, haunting melody that seemed to reach into Lexi's heart and pull every emotion that had been hidden deep inside of her and lay it bare before her. The notes seemed to weave themselves into her emotions, soothing her fears and erasing all worries that she had and gifting her a sense of peace that she hadn't felt for a long time.
"What…what is this? What are you doing?" She murmured as its hands stroked along her skin, a cooling wave following behind the slow passage of its hands as it traveled gently across her body.
There was nothing erotic, or sexual in its touch, and Lexi did not feel threatened…rather she felt reassured and safe. It's little chirrups between melody's gave her the impression that this creature was attempting to talk to her.
"I'm sorry…I can't understand you.." Lexi said stifling a yawn, "I know this wasn't your fault. Narcissa is a bitch. She even murdered her own daughter you know? Who even does that?!"
The creature chirruped angrily in response and Lexi snorted sleepily.
"I don't know what you just said but given your tone, I'm going to agree with it…I think you made…made me..s.leepy…" She murmured as she felt her eyes droop uncontrollably.
A little chirrup followed as Lexi's eyes closed and she felt a pressure inside of her head before a kindly female voice intruded into her mind, the sound filling her with a sense of warmth and relief.
"My son has done well, I hope he eased your pain somewhat. Rest now, Lexi. Welcome home."