Julia

  The eldest, Franz, was not in their group. But Julia saw his daughter Ilse, as well as little Cudia. Leo was chatting with two of his friends, Sofia and Collin. Two nephews of the eldest were also part of their group: Elias and Emil. Julia saw a handful of children with their parents or other adults who were now taking care of them. Julia didn't know any of them personally a she was infinitely sad. After some time, two more humans joiheir group, who had lived with the elder and had escaped the soldiers: Ge and Hans. Two brothers.

  Hanno and Flora took over the leadership of the group and together they set off. On foot, it was a long way to the steppe. Several days.

  Julia could only hope that no more soldiers would follow them. Even though she was in the elveory, on fast horses the castle town and the castle were not far away. It was an even shorter way to the academy. Leo had told her that in the meantime.

  After two hours, they had to take a break as the childreired and a few of them were g from exhaustion or even having a tantrum. However, some wao go further. For fear that more soldiers could soon arrive, especially the mothers of the children insisted on a break. Within a very short time, a quarrel broke out, which was ended by a very annoyed Flora. They had to take a break, there was no other way. Fiete also called for a break. In the worst case, he wao drive the soldiers away, should they enter any. However, he asked that someone pay attention to his niece. He was met with an unmistakable silence. Most did not want to pay attention to a dragon child. Especially not on a bck dragon. But Hanno and Flora immediately promised to take care of Josefine.

  Josefine had calmed down in the meantime and walked o her uncle, atg Peter with i. Peter apparently didn’t notice. The group found a pce to rest, hidden behind tall bushes, and they made themselves fortable on the damp earth and moss. Marko curled up o a tree. He had carried Finn the whole time. Yawning, he closed his eyes. Finn sat o him and stroked his boyfriend's fur just as tiredly. Julia, Leo, aer sat down with them. Finn immediately leaned against Julia and closed his eyes as well.

  "At least two sleep!", murmured Peter.

  "They are wolves. Wolves always sleep." Leo ughed softly. He sat behind Julia and leaned against the tree. "And everywhere."

  Julia watched as Hanno and Flora phe rest of the way with some others. They didn't have a map. Iween, therefore, an elf flew over the treetops for orientation. Josefine and her u a little apart from the group. The reason was clear. Most were afraid of the twons that apahem.

  Again and again, Fiete's gaze wao Peter.

  Fiete

  "Uncle?" Josefine looked at him with her big, childlike eyes. "I'm sorry. I smelled the blood and then... I hardly remember what happehen."

  "No, I'm sorry." He stroked her e hair. She looked very much like his sister. Only the eyes, were different. "I tried to prevent it, but we left too te. You 't help it. You followed your instinct, little one."

  "I didn't want that."

  "I know."

  "But... I remember that you forced me to turn into a human being. How did you do that? And then there was... Julia's brother. He was injured... He almost died.... Uncle? Did you share your life with him?"

  "Older dragons cause younger oo take a different form when they bee a dao others. But only with the same species. I wasn't sure if I would be able to do that with you. But luckily there's also some white dragon in you."

  Josefine gave him a fleeting smile. "Aer? What about Peter? Did you?", she urged.

  "Otherwise he would have died. And... I didn't want that. I do not know... His sister? Julia? She smells, what shall I call, like a queen? And she couldn't lose her brother. I could smell that too. She needs him by her side. Besides, I like them."

  "Mom said that white dragons smell the future. That you reize important people by smell. People who will make a big difference. I 't do this. I didn't i any of that. She reminds me of Mom. She smells simir. But when you share your life with someone... Mom said you only do that with a parthat it is a marriage vow. Your smell is now attached to him."

  Fiete blushed. "That's right, yes."

  "So you're married to him now?" Josefine looked at him skeptically.

  "No." Fiete shook his head. "Or... heless. I do not know. We are not among dragons, little o doesn't have to mean I'm married to him."

  "But you are! Every dragon smell it on him. And you smell a bit like him too!" She crossed her arms. "Does he know that?"

  Fiete rubbed his head and looked over at the small group. He immediately noticed the young witch, her servants, the bonding spells, and the man with whom he now shared his life. Peter. He would live as long as he would. And no le. How old eter? Twenty-one? He would forever look like he does now. Dragons, like elves, witches, and wizards, lived forever. Uhey were killed or died of the disease. His gaze wao Josefine. His sister got only three hundred years old. She had died very early from the disease. How long would Josefine live?

  He himself had just turhirty. Too young to care for a dragon child. Too young to get married. Dragons took this step if they wao, only from the age of one huh. Only very rarely did both occur early in the past.

  "He doesn't know, I think", Fiete finally replied. "But I'm not sure. Maybe he heard about it, maybe he hasn't."

  "You should tell him."

  Peter had noticed by now that he was being watched. "No. It doesn't have to be marriage. He is not a dragon."

  "But you just 'married' him!" Josefine snorted. "Do you like him? I saw you watg him. Unlike Julia. You always look at her as if you want to adopt her. But Peter? The fact that you saved him isn't just because Julia needs her brother, is it?"

  "Josefine!", he protested. "I hardly know him!"

  "Who do you hardly know?" Peter had e over to them and looked at them curiously.

  "Um." Fiete blinked. "You?"

  "Me? That's true. So..." Peter rubbed his arms. Was he cold? Or was he embarrassed? "I wao say thank you. For saving my life. Thank you."

  "You don't have to say thank you for that." Fiete wao leave it at that, but he had not reed with Josefine's stubbornness.

  "He saved you, but you're married now!", she announced solemnly. "gratutions! Or not. If you don’t like it. But! You are now husband... and husband! Surprise!"

  Peter looked at the girl irritated. It seemed to Fiete as if the entire forest had fallen silent with him. Fiete didn't say anythiher. He couldn't say anything. What could he say? They just stared at each other. Josefine snorted and rolled her eyes. Julia and her boyfriend, the elf, had noticed their strange silence by now and came over to them. Fiete felt himself blushing. Why had Josefine said that? He wao keep it to himself... Or tell Peter a bit ter what sharing life among drago. If they knew each other better. Wheer was ready for the truth. But not now. No. It was too early.

  "Is everything alright?", asked Julia. She leaned against the elf and looked at them worriedly.

  "I'm married", Peter murmured, without taking his eyes off Fiete.

  "What?" Julia crossed her arms. "Married? Why? You fled your wedding, didn't you?"

  The elf ughed softly. "Did we not notiething?"

  "Dragons only share their lives when they want to spend their lives together!", snorted Josefine impatiently. "And my uncle shared his life with Peter. They are now married aer lives as long as my uncle. And that’s it."

  "Is that so?" Peter blinked and looked at his sister. "I'm married. Julia!"

  His sister also seemed speechless, only the elf was having a great time. He ughed softly.

  "It doesn't have to be a wedding. Only drago that way. And we are not human... It was the only way to save you!", he expio Peter. "And I didn't mind saving your life that way. I was cast out of the desert, so which dragon should I marry? Josefine and I are the only dragons here."

  Peter now tugged at his sister's arm. "Julia! I'm married! With a very rge reptile."

  Fiete groaned.

  Cleo

  She arrived at the camp. Some soldiers had stayed behind to take care of the children, who soon got to know their new home and their new masters and mistresses. Some noble families were looking for new servants and servants were always in demand iies. The children were currently tied with a temporary spell to some of the soldiers, who would soon take them to the cities and the noble families. Those who were too youo find temporary aodation in children's homes until they were old enough to serve in a family.

  Exhausted, she just kept herself on the horse that carried her to the tents. From some came the anxious voices of children and also a handful infants who got fed goat's milk. Cleo had insisted that all children be well taken care of. The horse stopped in the middle of the camp. Some soldiers had noticed her in the meantime and came running towards her. Among them was her best friend Charlotte, who had apanied her to supervise the taking care of the children.

  "Cleo!", she shouted as a few soldiers took the princess off her horse. "What happened?"

  "Dragons!", murmured Cleo. "Dragons came. Only I survived. Me and this horse."

  A healer came running and demahat the princess be brought into his tent so that he could take care of her.

  "Dragon? Here? And your siblings?", asked Charlotte. She was not deterred by the hustle and bustle and supported Cleo, who could not stand on her feet alone.

  "I failed. She is gone. Both are gone. We need more soldiers if we want t them back... If they have not long since bee dragon fodder. If the dragons are still around, we have no ce to look for her. We are too few... And then there are the children."

  "You o rest now", Charlotte interrupted her. "I'm gd you're alive. Cleo! What would I do without you?"

  "If you didn't follow me all the time, you might have been married long ago!", joked Cleo and, with Charlotte's help, followed the healer to his tent. "What was the name of the good man your parents had chosen for you?"

  "That old man?" Charlotte pressed a kiss to her hair. "No, thank you. I threateo move to the snd if they tried to marry me to him! e ohe healer take care of your aches and pains!"