Three months passed. Taeyeon had convinced Sooyeon's parents to go to stay with Count Kwon in Shidroleen, for he did not want Sooyeon to have even more to worry about. They had reluctantly gone, not wanting to leave their daughter when they knew what they had been dreaming of for so long was going to come true soon. Soojin sent letters at least once a week to her daughter to tell her all the things they had been doing. It sounded like Count Kwon was keeping them well-entertained during their stay. They also really seemed to love the valley – partly because they were getting a bit milder of a winter than Oshlay.

Sooyeon was not very comfortable having to stay at home by herself. She always feared that the blue dragons might come at any moment, for so many of her dreams up to that point had dealt with her at home alone. She would often go up to stay with Taeyeon, which she was doing nearly every night now since the weather had gotten warmer the closer spring got. Other nights she was staying with Hyoyeon in the little home she had above her shop.

It had turned warm. The last snow of the winter had been nearly a month before. Most people in town were glad, especially Sooyeon and Taeyeon. Sooyeon wanted to be out in the flower field drawing but she was still at work, sitting at the front counter in her usual spot. She was currently drawing a new outfit for Taeyeon, which she wanted him to wear on the Day of Offering, when he was going to take her away. She thought it was going to look so wonderful on him. She had even asked Hyoyeon to enlist her dwarven friend to craft a belt and circlet to go along with the outfit, which she had designed as well. There was only about three weeks to get everything finished, though. It was going to be a complete surprise.

After a moment of trying to figure out how to trim the sleeves, she pulled out another picture. She had finished this second one about a week before. It was very similar to the layette she had often been seeing on in her dream. She touched her stomach. She had gotten pregnant not long after her parents had gone south when she started staying more with Taeyeon. She ran her hand over the drawing. She had already begun to make it and it was turning out wonderfully. But this was a sure sign the time for the attack was drawing nearer. She still did not want it to be true.

Every week now for the past two months, there was a report of a new town that had been attacked. The path of destruction seemed to be headed southeast, closer and closer to their town. There had been nearly fifteen towns attacked now, not just the half dozen she often dreamt it had been. There were numerous deaths and massive destruction wrought by the dragons. Everyone was uneasy. Many people had fled the towns that were in the apparent path of the blue dragons.

The queen did not know how to deal with the problem, though she had rallied many sorcerers to her aid. The Dracocian Council was in chaos, trying even harder than the royal family to alleviate the issue. Neither seemed to be having any luck, and neither knew why all their efforts were failing. Three blue dragons did not seem like they should be that major of a threat yet they were prevailing over every attempt to stop them. The Council was apparently thinking of sending in the five diamond dragons. There was very little that could win in a battle against all five.

Oshlay feared an attack would be imminent for them. The latest report she had heard was that Thiron had been attacked. Three large towns were near Thiron – Naltae, Prox, and Oshlay. It was uncertain which would be the next target, but everyone knew it would not be Naltae, for they did not have a dragon guardian. Only towns and cities that had a dragon protecting them had been targeted. The blue dragons were said to make a show of this by circling around the towns without a dragon for a while then flying off to their next target. Due to this, some towns had forced their guardians out. She was glad Oshlay had not done so to Taeyeon.

Sooyeon stood, her drawing pad in hand, and walked to the back room. Because of the attacks in the region, there was little work for them lately. Hyoyeon just shrugged off the threat of the dragons, though. She refused to leave, unlike some of the other people in town. She was taking the time to work on some things she said were for some friends of hers, though she always hid them when Sooyeon came near. The elf, though, was currently working on a new dress for herself at the moment.

The seamstress looked up from the fabric she was cutting. "Still quiet up front, huh?"

"You think we'd have a customer?" Sooyeon set down her papers. "It's as quiet out there as it has been for the past three weeks."

"Pity. I think I'm going to end up getting bored." She watched her employee pick up the gown she had begun to make for her unborn child. Sooyeon had already finished with half of the vines and really only needed to add the yellow flowers and the silver t to the neck, sleeves, and bottom hem. "I think Taeyeon will love it."

"So do I." The young woman smiled as she looked at the gown, then she set it aside and showed the elf the drawing of Taeyeon's outfit. "Though I'm hoping he'll love this even more."

"I don't think that dragon has ever not liked a single thing you've given him." She smiled as she went back to her work but suddenly looked back up. "Oh! I received word back from Eunhyuk. He said he'll be here at the end of the week with the belt and circlet for Taeyeon."

Sooyeon looked down. "I do hope I'll have enough to pay him for them..."

"If not, I'll make up the difference and I'll just take it out of your pay," she said with a wink.

The young woman laughed slightly. She could not believe how lighthearted Hyoyeon still was, even though the elf knew what was coming just as plainly as she and Taeyeon did. She held the little gown to her chest and sighed softly. She was afraid – for her life, for her dragon's life, for their child's life, for the entire town. She had been working hard lately to try to get her mind off of her nightmare. So she would do the same now.

Picking up the threaded needle she had been working with the day before, she set to work on finishing the intricate vine pattern that went from the bottom hem to the left sleeve. There was not much left to do on it, though, so she was soon finished with it and rethreading her needle to start on the first of the leaves. Her mind was wholly set on the task and was nearly done with the third leaf of the eight she had planned when she stopped. She had heard Taeyeon's voice in her mind for a split second. It had sounded like he was calling her name.

Uneasiness started to fill her. She set aside her needlework and stood, heading to the front of the shop. She opened the door and looked north, the way the street lead. She saw what she had feared would be there. Her heart started pounding wildly in her chest and she tried to scream but all that came out was a squeak. She slammed the door, leaning against it as she took several deep breaths to try to calm herself, though she knew she would not be able to. She closed her eyes for a moment then reopened them, seeing the elf looking at her from the archway that led into the sewing room.

"The blue dragons are here," she said, rather than asked. She had told Sooyeon before that she was ready for them.

The artist could only muster a nod.

The two women turned to the window when they heard terrified screams coming from the townspeople. A shadow passed over the ground and then there was a thud that shook the building. One of the dragons had landed. Another thud came a moment later that was closer to them that was accompanied with a great hiss. The rancid smell of the dragons suddenly filled the shop and Sooyeon put her hand over her nose, though that did not help much. A blue head craned down to look into the window and a solid black eye was looking in at them unblinkingly.

As Sooyeon slowly backed away from the window, Hyoyeon whispered: "Out the back, Sooyeon. Hurry!"

Hyoyeon did not have to tell her again. She sprinted passed the elf and through the sewing room to the back door. She could hear the dragon growl. The dragon was already after her. He had known exactly where she was, just like in the dream. She knew the beast would come after her. That would mean at least Hyoyeon would be safe for the moment. But she also knew that this was the one that would try to kill her. The dragon could very well succeed. She had to run to Taeyeon, as she always had in her dreams. She knew he would expect her to be there, even though they both knew what the outcome of that would be. She would be caught. Taeyeon would come to try to save her. They would severely injure him. But what was going to happen after that? Neither had had the dream continue passed that point.

Taeyeon had sensed the dragons as they crossed the mountains into his territory. He had tried to warm Sooyeon telepathically, but something kept his mind from reaching her. His mind seemed jumbled and he shook his head to try to clear it. For the longest time he had not kno