It wasn't really a dream. More of a montage of images. None of them
pretty or comforting.

A child crying as a grey shadow enveloped it. An agonising scream.
Ash's face superimposed with one of those men, leering at her through
his  blood.
A crimson dragon splitting in two with wraiths emerging from it's
chest.
Hands. Her hands dripping in blood holding a grey eyed infant.
Ryan's face laughing at her as she held the child towards him. Then
darkness, she was running, but from what? She entered a red room and
the voices chased after her. Calling her name, and the name of her
child.
She tried to scream but her mouth remained frozen shut.

Tahlaya sat bolt upright in bed. Her body shivered as the cold sweat
evaporated from her skin. Her jaw ached as she realised she was
clenching her mouth closed.

In the dim light she searched the room with her eyes. Ash was not next
to her. She panicked. Her fears mounting within her body as she rose
from the bed and slipped on a robe. Following the breeze from the open
door, she stepped out onto the girl's ledge. 

"Ash? Ash? Where are you?"

She saw his silhouette, standing at the edge of the ledge.

 "Why are you out here?"

His silence continued and she wondered if he had heard her above the
wind.

Slowly he spoke, his shoulders relaxing as he turned to her.
She could see and understand his pain. It mirrored her own.

 "I had to be alone...to cry for our child."

"Ash," she saw the tears and the fears on his face. His past and
present haunting him. The thin white line upon his cheek glistened in
the pale light.

"Laya, I'm so sorry," he stumbled into her open arms, the wind tugging
the edges of her robe. "I didn't want this to happen... Why Solara?
Why?"

She held him tight and whispered,  "I... I... Ash it's not fair. She
was so beautiful. Why her and not me?"

The answers they both sought would not, could not be answered. There,
on the warm sand of their dragon's ledge, Ash'chenon and Tahlaya let
their grief flow undisturbed except for the playful wind that carried
the soul of Solara up into the stars.

**********

The Funeral.

They stood on the edge of the lake, a dove grey silken mist gently
teased the surface of the still water; almost like wisps of dragon
breath.

Tahlaya kissed the brow of the still bundle in her arms and gently
passed the sleeping child to Ash'chenon. He too placed his last kiss
upon her tiny forehead and then laying her in a woven reed basket,
tucking the white blanket around her small frame, he pushed the little
boat out onto the lake.

The water lapped gently around the sides, rocking it slowly as if
sending the child off to sleep.

"Sol, I send you Solara, my child. There is never enough time to know
ones' children. Blink and they have grown into adults. We had but one
day and within that day I loved her. Like with you, my friend, I never
had the chance to say  or do all the things that I wanted to do. Like
grow old together and watch our children grow and develop. Now I send
Solara to you. May she bring you the joy that she would have brought
us if she had lived. Take care of her for me," tears shamelessly fell
down his cheeks as Tahlaya squeezed his hand.

"Solaris, I never knew you, but our paths have been marked to be
crossed in this way. I send you my child, Solara. May she bring you
the joy I know she would have brought us. Let her play under your
wings and let them be her canopy when she tires. She will always be
within us. Her laughter will be in  the spring rains. Her smile will
be the sun upon the ripening corn in the fields. Her tears will be the
thunder in a storm and her love will be the stars.
Look after her well, my friend and protect her for us."

Wyndamenth, Sunburst and Eclipse rose from the edge of the lake and
swooped down upon the cradle, their flames licking around the tiny
basket, sending their rider's hatchling one her way to play under the
watchfulness of Solaris.