NOVPUB"Yes. I mean, no. I mean-" Faluel tried to defend her position, but she knew Lith could probably see the Dragon greed in her eyes. "Okay. My intentions might not be pure, but try to understand my position.
"I have nothing against Valeron, but he's still the son of the Mob Queen! He… Seriously?"
"No badmouthing his mother!" Salaark's roar sent the two Lesser Divine Beasts kneeling.
"Okay." Faluel said, struggling to get up. "Did you really have to bring Elysia along?"
"Yes, and if you keep acting like this, I'm not afraid to take the Hush off!" Solus grunted.
"As Faluel was saying, put yourself in our shoes, Lith." Ajatar stepped in. "Thrud took Phloria from you, but she took dozens of friends, siblings, and relatives from us. We've lost many more people than you in the War of the Griffons.
"I don't hate Valeron, but I can't forget what his mother has done. The thought that she got her final wish while good Drakes are being turned into equipment makes my blood boil."
"It wasn't her wish but Jormun's." Lith countered soberly.
"It changes nothing." Ajatar had a hard time keeping the disgust he felt hearing the Emerald Dragon's name from twisting his face. "To me, Jormun was a traitor as well. He never gave an order, nor did he step on the battlefield, but he still sided with Thrud.
"As far as I'm concerned, he's just as guilty."
"All the more reason to keep Valeron from the likes of you." Lith replied. "I won't risk your glares or words to make him doubt himself. Even worse, he could start asking questions whose answers would bring him unnecessary pain.
"Valeron is not just the son of Thrud and Jormun, he's also my child. His life is already messed up as it is, and the only thing that protects him from the truth is his innocence.
"I won't let anyone take it away from him, Faluel, not even you. It will come a day when Valeron has to learn about the crimes of his parents and face the hatred of their victims, but I'm going to delay that day for as long as I can.
"My only priority is to protect Valeron and help him make many good childhood memories. With a bit of luck, they will give him the strength to face what's next and not resent the entire Mogar for what happened to his parents.
"When you write the story of a monster, Faluel, you'd better make sure you're not in it too, playing the role of the one who creates him."
The Hydra stared blankly for a while, battling between her pride and the shame of being lectured by one of her former apprentices.
"You are right, Lith." She said after a while. "I've avoided Valeron and treated him unfairly. Yet I'm not asking you to forgive me or entrust his life to me. I just need a bit of Life Maelstrom for my experiments.
"Once I have it, I won't bother you two further."
"You seem to have missed my point." Lith held the baby boy close. "I'm trying to give Valeron a happy childhood and break the cycle created by his grandfather, Arthan. Thrud wasn't born a monster.
"She became one after being chased all her life for the crimes of her father. With no other role model, she ended up idolizing Arthan and justifying his actions just to give sense to her suffering.
"I don't want Valeron to end up like her, while you just seem not to care. You are talking about him as if he's just a cow and you need a cup of milk. He is my son. He's worth more than his bloodline abilities.
"He owes you nothing, and I won't force him to help you just because we are friends. I won't exploit Valeron's love for me. Even if the rest of Mogar is against him, I want Valeron to know there are people he can trust."
"Spoken like a true papa Dragon." Ajatar nodded in respect. "I apologize as well, but I still have to ask. Is this a hard no, or is there anything we can do to get Valeron to help us?"
"It was never a hard no." Lith replied. "I know how important the research for Dragonhood is to you guys. I just wanted you to understand how important Valeron is to me. Of course, you can get his help.
"You just have to earn it. You can start by stopping talking about him and talking to him instead." He removed the Hush spell, and the sudden noise after the prolonged silence startled the baby.
Valeron clung to Lith, using the Dragon Scales to reassure himself that everything was okay.
"Valeron, I want to introduce you to one of my dearest friends, Faluel the Hydra. Also, to Ajatar the Drake. Faluel, Ajatar, this is Valeron Verhen, my son." Lith emphasized the last two words.
"Nice introduction." Ajatar snorted as the baby boy studied him with suspicion.
"Hello, Valeron." Faluel said. "I'm a friend of your dad, and I'd like to be your new auntie. Can I be your new auntie?"
"No." Elysia glared at the Hydra. "Baba! Baba!"
"She's saying you are a terrible person." Solus translated, and Elysia nodded. "That she's angry because you disappeared from her life ever since Valeron entered our house."
"How can you understand all that from three words?" Faluel was flabbergasted.
"Unlike you, I spend a lot of time with Elysia." Solus kept her voice soothing, but her eyes were anything but. "In the first months, she missed you dearly and often asked about you. Now she's angry that you have returned and is afraid you're going to disappear again."
"I'm sorry, Elysia, I really am." The Hydra gave the baby girl a deep bow, but Elysia looked unconvinced. "Please, believe me. I would use my Hydra scales, but we both know they don't work."
"Ba." Elysia pouted.
"And I'm Ajatar." The Drake offered his scaly hand, and Valeron shook it. "I'm a good friend of Uncle Morok, while Faluel is a friend of your Aunt Friya."
Drake scales didn't work either, so Valeron turned to Lith, who nodded.
"He's telling the truth. Uncle Morok owes him a lot, while Faluel helped Aunt Friya to recover from a bad owie. You can tell because now Friya smells more like us."
Valeron felt safe in Lith's arms and loved his many relatives a lot. Uncle Morok was funny, and Aunt Friya always let him play with her hair.
"We need your help, Valeron." Ajatar continued. "We need a bit of Life Maelstrom for our research. Can you please give us some like you did for Aunt Quylla?"
Valeron turned to Lith again, but this time, he just shrugged.
"It's your choice, son. You don't have to like them just because I like them. Do what you think is right." Lith used the Dragon Scales to help Valeron understand Ajatar's request and ensure the baby boy wouldn't feel pressured to agree.
Valeron could feel through the Scales that Lith was unconcerned about the matter.
The baby boy looked at the Drake, then at the Hydra, and lastly at Elysia.
"Ba!" She grunted, crossing her little arms.
