She was woken by the click of something cool around her wrist. She struggled to open her eyes and in her field of view was a large smiling face. Gleaming yellow eyes twinkled with mischief at her as the humming girl, her glossy black hair shining in the morning sun and her scaly tail slowly swaying behind her eagerly wrapped her up in a warm blanket and picked her up, talking as she sat down in a rocking chair with her.
The familiar voice speaking to her brought her back from the distracting sound of running water in the adjacent room.
"Hello, Inoua. I am your big sister Malkia. I'm so happy that you have hatched. You picked quite a time. There is a lot of official business that needs to be taken care of so it may take a while for mother to get away and come."
Her eyes, busy staring around at the dark blue bracelet on her wrist with gold flashing through it, paused. The familiar soothing voice continued.
"But, good news, I have a day off from my teacher just to spend with you. My teacher is much older than me and wisely seems to know everything." She paused as she looked furtively around and whispered, "Don't let her catch you calling her old."
"She told me to take three days off. I have never had any days off because she is rigorous and demanding of my studies. I was planning to go riding today but that can wait for later. First, we are going to get you ready for breakfast."
As if on cue the door was pushed open and a maid with two round black and brown furry ears and skin walked out of the bathroom with a large basin of steaming water. Inoua keenly noticed the slight pause and the tremble in her hands as she placed the basin on the stand by the sunlit window and hastily walked out. As the large door closed behind her she heard the hushed whispers of the maids gathered just outside.
"It really is true. The dead egg hatched. The young lady was right in her persistence."
"Her eyes are such a strange colour. She is so much smaller than any hatchlings I've ever seen."
"Do you think she is really a cursed-"
"Shhhh! Don't let the young miss say such ominous words."
"But she hatched on such an auspicious day. And without a secondary form. How could she be…"
The silent swish of the door cut off any further bits of conversation, leaving her the privacy to be bathed and dressed in a yellow dress and white stocking with matching yellow flats. Malkia did her curly hair in one single braid down to her shoulders with a large yellow bow at the end.
Once all the preparations were done, Malkia picked her up and headed out the door. A gaggle of maids, startled at being face to face with the topic of their discussion, stammered out excuses and slunk off under the dark gaze of her big sister.
Malkia turned back to her, the same radiant smile back on her face.
"Come on little sister, let us go down for breakfast."
As they walked, Malkia introduced the rooms as they whizzed past them. "This is the household wing of the Vata Estate. The estate has seven wings in total but you don't need to care about the others for now. We just left your room which you can have renovated to your taste later. This is a guest room. This is the study room. Opposite is the library. Up that stairwell is the music and arts room. Down that stairway is the main kitchen—"
"Where is your room?" she asked.
Malkia smiled, her eyes gently squinting with the movement, "Opposite your room."
Inoua finally managed to crack a smile at her vibrant big sister. The longing to meet her eased as she relaxed into the gentle embrace, ignoring the increasing number of servants passing them by and gossiping in hushed whispers out of earshot.
Vata Luika was already sitting at the head of the dining table when they arrived. She was a tall woman, perfectly coiffed hair, and two large horns curled by the side of her head. Her lean build was wrapped in a silky burgundy high collar dress with black hemming. Her icy yellow eyes were the colour of glass beads caught in dying sunlight, her dark ebony skin glowing with a similar silvery sheen to Inoua's in the sunlight.
When their eyes met Inoua felt a faint reverberation of their bond and the joy and expectation of reunion sprouted wildly in her heart
Out of the corner of her eye she caught the slight falter in Malkia's smile as she walked silently to the high chair placed to the left of Vata Luika and put her in it before taking her place on her right. The large room was silent as the maids came forward and placed the first course on their plates. A light soup and thin flat bread. The silent clink of cutlery was broken by Malkia.
"Good morning Mother," she said.
"Hmm."
"Little sister finally hatched. Just like I told you she would."
"Eat first."
"Yes, mother."
Inoua silently watched this exchange with rapidly cooling excitement at seeing her mom for the first time. Luika refused to look at her beyond the measured once over. Through the bond she could vaguely sense the cold assessment of her worth and finding her lacking.
This was not the mother who had held her while crying in pain. This was not the loving embrace she remembered so fondly. This was Vata Luika, the chimaera leader who fought her way to the top and for whom value outshone affection.
The lingering taste of soup turned bitter in her mouth.
"I told you she doesn't love you. Not any more." The voice let out a cackle of glee that cut through her brave front.
She lowered her head, willing back the tears that threatened to fall and took a bite of the steak placed in front of her, her sharp little teeth cutting through the flavourful buttery meat with ease.