The small redheaded girl with the missing front teeth and big green eyes looked up at her mother.
"Mommy. Why-come do the other kids make fun of Zakarriah?" Her mother, tall and blond with sparkly blue eyes, grimaced.
"Caylynn, Zak is not like you. He is different. Remember what I told you about being different?" The little girl stood straighter and recited what she had heard a million times before:
"'Different is not bad. Everyone is different. People who make fun of or hurt other people do it because they are jealous of our differentness.' Like, they make fun of my hair 'cause they wish they had bright red hair too!" Caylynn broke into a giant grin. Her mother couldn't help but smile. Caylynn ran off to join her eight brothers and sisters, leaving her mother time to think. Gika watched her nine redheaded children playing together in the sun and the grass. One small boy, smaller than the rest, was trying to keep up with his siblings. It broke Gika's heart to see her child, her baby, her flesh and blood struggle as he did. Zak had been born unable to hear, unable to see, and with a horribly twisted leg. He attempted to speak, but unable to hear, he could only utter sounds. Gika knew that the middle child, Caylynn, felt stongly for her younger brother. She was very protective of him. Nobody could tease him when Caylynn was around. They best not even try. Although she was small for her age of only five turns, Caylynn had a fiery temper, as most redheads do, and had already shown it. A young boy who pushed the confused Zak over and made him cry had gotten Caylynn's tiny fist once in the stomach, and once in the jaw. Gika watched the small girl pick her brother up from the ground, and her heart filled with pride that such a loving, caring little girl was all her own.
"Come on, Zak. Follow me. Come on. I have a surprise for you." Caylynn, a few days later, was pulling her brother by the hand across the grass. He followed his sister, not knowing what she was saying but trusting her fully and loving her with all his heart. Zak had, of course, never seen his sister with his eyes. But he saw her in his own way: he felt her hair, soft and curly, and her skin, smooth and healthy-warm. He knew her handsas soon as he felt them, slipping softly around his own, holding him firmly but softly, knowing that she wouldn't let go. Caylynn led her brother to his surprise. She seated him gently on the grass, and he sat with his bad leg stretched out at an odd angle. Caylynn disappeared for only a second before returning again. She opened his small hand and placed inside it a childhood treasure. It was a stone, polished by water and wind into a perfect sphere. The coloring, which meant a lot to Caylynn but would never matter to her brother, was a brilliant shade of red. Zak's small hands explored the surface of the stone, and traced the childish carvings. He traced the letters- he had no idea what they spelled, or what they meant, but it was reassuring knowing that Caylynn had made something for him. Caylynn bent down to his ear- he could feel her presense, and smell her smell of cookies and dirt. She whispered into his ear, fully believing that he could hear her in his heart, and said quietly:
"It says, 'I Love You.'"
Several sevendays later, Gika and her mate Ceph awoke in the middle of the darkest hour of the night to the wailing of their daughter Caylynn. Gika pulled on a cloak, and padded into her daughter's chamber. This was the fourth time this sevenday that Caylynn had woken up screaming.
"Shhh...Shhh...What's the matter, baby? What's the matter?" Gika held Caylynn's head in her arms, and Caylynn wrapped her tiny arms around Gika's stomach.
"Mommy! I had a dream... A big green thing came to take me away! It wanted to take me away from Zak an' you an' Da an' ev'ryone else! An' I WENT! 'Cause the thing was so perty, an' the lady was nice, an' I want a thing too!" Gika looked at her daughter with concern.
"What was the 'thing'? What did it look like?" Gika saw Caylynn's jaw begin to tremble, and her big green eyes fill up with tears.
"I don't remember!" Gika hugged her daughter.
"Well, don't worry baby. Nobody's gonna take you away from me. We love you too much." And with that, Gika sang her daughter to sleep.
A Few Years Later...
Caylynn stood on the rocks, her waist-length curly red hair flying in the wind. She shielded her eyes as a dragon landed. When the wind died down, she opened her eyes and looked at the dragon. It was large and green, with a woman atop it. Caylynn smiled, and sauntered up to the dragon. She peered up at the woman, squinting from the sun.
"Hello. Where are you from?" asked Caylynn. The woman looked taken aback.
"I...Rinmara's Lair. This is different. Usually I'm the one asking questions. What's your name? And how old are you?" Caylynn stepped back and looked at the dragon. Many, many dragons had stopped at her home. The riders always talked to her, and she always admired the dragons. She had always been fascinated by them, for as long as she could remember. The way they move, the way they speak, the way they look. They were so majesic, so different from her, and yet she felt a huge connection with them.
"I'm Caylynn. I am fifteen turns. I live over there." She reached out and pointed without looking. The dragon was looking at her with one intelligent eye. The woman dragonrider looked towards the house.
"Is that your brother?" Caylynn then tore her eyes from the dragon to look. Sure enough, Zak was walking slowly, hands outstretched, feeling the wind in his hair with his head tilted back. Caylynn smiled and ran to meet her brother. She brought him over to the dragon, whispering into his ear. The woman on top of the dragon looked down at the boy in surprise.
"Can he see? He's not looking at the dragon." Caylynn's eyes flashed with hurt and anger for a split second.
"No ma'am, he cannot see. He was born unable to speak or hear, and as I'm sure your sharp eyes have noticed, he has a badly deformed leg. But he is my brother, and I love him. May he touch your dragon?" The rider nodded, amazed at the little girl's protection for her brother. Caylynn gently placed the boy's hand on the dragon's flesh. They boy's light blue eyes widened and moved around. He brought forth his other hand and began to feel the dragon's side, smiling all the while. Caylyn stroked the dragon's neck absently, watching her Zak's happiness. When he turned away, Caylynn took his hand.
"Thank you for letting him see your dragon." Caylynn noticed the rider's eyebrows twitch at the word 'see'. But she was only jealous because he could see with his hand and his heart, and she couldn't.
"He appreciates it a lot, I know he does. I hope you come by soon...Oh, here." Caylynn took a binded book from the rock she had been standing on. She opened it and took out a small charcoal drawing. She handed it to the rider, who looked at it in amazement. For a fifteen-turn girl, she had amazing skills. When she looked up to thank the girl, she was already walking away.
"Cay...Caylynn! Would you like to come with me, to impress a dragon of your own?" Caylynn turned slowly, and looked at the rider. She shook her head.
"No. I want a dragon, but for now it would be impossible. I have my duties here. And I have only fifteen turns- I shall grow, and I have plenty of time to try my luck. And you are not the first to ask me. Thank you for offering though." The girl turned with her brother and walked with him home. But the woman could not let the amazing little girl go just like that. She followed her.
"Excuse me, miss-"
"Gika."
"Miss Gi-"
"Please, just Gika. I am not used to formalities."
"Okay. Gika. Your daughter is simply amazing!"
"Which daughter?"
"I...what?"
"I have nine children. Five are girls. Which daughter? Do you know her name?" Gika leaned against a chair, silently enjoying the woman's obvious confusion.
"Caylynn. But Gika! She really should try to impress a dragon. She would make a wonderful rider...So caring! She is such a sweet girl..." Gika sighed.
"Yes she is sweet. And I have known all her life that she should try her luck at a dragon. But she will hear none of it. I have suggested before that she apply. But she won't. But I suppose it will do no wrong to ask again. Caylynn!" Caylynn came several seconds later. She saw the dragonrider and smiled slightly.
"Yes, mother?"
"Caylynn. You have always wanted a dragon. I know. I can see inside you. Why don't you apply? Do not worry about Zak. He is fine with his family. We can take care of him- I am his mother, you know." Caylynn looked torn. She looked back at her brother. He sensed he was being watched, and looked up unseeing. He got up and walked off. Caylynn looked at her mother, and the rider.
"Well...Yes. I would love to. Please, let me say goodbye to Zak." Caylynn walked off to find her brother. She found him sitting on a couch, holding something in his hand. She smiled, and hugged him. She told him she loved him, and would be back soon. He followed her out to the dragon, and held her hand as she climbed on its back. He reached up and handed her something before she left. Caylynn looked to see what it was. A small red rock, a perfect cirlce, with the barely legible words: I Love You.