A dragon was lying on a pillow in the grand hall. Her paws folded under her body to keep them warm and her green slitted eyes observed the queue of local farmers lined up with offerings of food and wealth. Years of training had prepared her for this moment, the blessing of a new season. She could not help but to feel her heart pounding in the chest as the moments of offering came closer and closer. Her eyes gazed beyond the crowd and at the rising sun. The bell sounded when the first rays of sunlight broke.

The queue moved on cue, moving towards her. She could see the fear in the people's eyes. For many, this would be the one and only chance to get their blessing. The first tribute given to her was by a couple of what looked to be a young man and women, perhaps freshly married by the look of the single silver ring they both wore on their ring finger.

“Great goddess Noxirique." the man spoke, kneeling to the ground with his wife. Hearing her name used with the same prefix as she heard people used to describe her mother, send unwelcome shivers down her back.

“We have been married yesterday and we hope you bless us with a child this season. Take this offering as payment for this blessing. This is the first harvest of strawberries of the season."

The women raised a ceramic plate filled to the brim with strawberries. Noxirique sniffed the air to get the scent of the fresh fruit. This must have been their whole harvest of strawberries. Swallowing, she signalled for the women to approach her. She steeled herself to hide the shiver in her voice and the doubt while she spoke.

“Come, child of the earth" She spoke in a growling twisted tongue of human. Even with magic helping her to speak the human tongue, it did not quite suit her maw to speak the tongue of the humans. The women did as she was told and while continuing to bow and hold the plate forwards, she approached Noxirique. The dragoness took the plate of strawberries to ease the burden of the women.

“Lift your shirt and bare your belly." She spoke. The women got wide eyes from surprise and slowly raised her shirt. Noxirique gazed along the queue. If everyone was slow like this, she might only get a quarter of all those who came to see her. Next less ceremony is required to speed it along, but everyone saw him do this, and now expect her to do so. Dammit, the first offering and she already made mistakes that would leave many people disappointed.

Noxirique crushed a claw full of strawberries so the red fruit pulp ran over her claws. She put the pulp in a shallow bowl and added other powders to it to turn it into a red paint like substance. She dipped her claw into the bowl and reached forward to the women's belly. Slowly and steadily she drew a V-shape on her belly, roughly where her womb would be. Followed by three dots on each side and a half cycle below it. With a swirl, she signalled a baby in the womb. Withdrawing her claw, Noxirique could see how the shiver in her body had translated to lines that were not quite straight. She had done so much better in her training, but she simply could not do it again. There was no time.

“I bless you with a healthy child,"

Both the man and the women threw themselves on the ground and spoke of their thanks before finally the guards on each side of her had enough and ushered them away to make space for the next blessing. Noxirique washed her claw before listening to the next blessing. It was going to be a long, long day.

What made the day rather easy was that most blessings were the same: couples who want a healthy first child, farmers who want fertile lands for seasons to come. The queue moved along at a slow pace. Every single blessing was took their time with their offering and their request.

By the time the sun was highest in the sky, Noxirique stretched her legs by standing up and looking past the opening of her temple to see how far the queue progressed. Still, she could not see the end of the queue. What she is seeing is a litter moving past the queue and straight to her temple. The little was made of luxurious wood and adorned with golden symbols of the crown. Noxirique gave a glance at the lonely boy in front of her and then back with the litter that was arriving.

“Goddess, the king has arrived," One of her guards said, standing at attention.

“Tell the king he can wait. I have to finish the blessing of one child of the land." Noxirique said with a huff before returning to the boy.

“But, Ma'am, the king would not..." he could not finish his sentence.

“I have vowed to give any of the children of the land my time. A vow I will not break because of the wealth of a single individual. The king is a child of the land, just like his subjects. When he enters my temple, he must accept that he is equal to his subjects."

She returned to the boy in front of her, who was now nervous. “So tell me, child, what is it you want to be blessed for?"

The nervousness in the boy's voice caught Noxirique off-guard. She thought she herself was nervous. Yet the boy was visually trembling all over. He looked back to the litter, whispered them to her.

“Perhaps I should wait after the king." he whispered.

“Nonsense, you heard what I said. Now tell me." She reached her head closer to hear the boy better. She could smell the scent of fear on his hide through the floral scent of some perfume.

“Well, I can't offer much." He took a few golden coins from his pocket. “I have not a lot to give, but my father, he is sick and dying. I wish for your blessing in his recovery."

Noxirique frowned at this request. “Little one, I am but a demigod. I can't interfere in the cycle of life and death. If I give you my blessing for his recovery, it would mean as little as you giving one yourself."

Her heart sank when she saw the hurt in the boy's eyes. Looking down. “I am sorry, he spoke" He softly spoke. “I should have realised, and now I ruined my opportunity."

Noxirique's mind was racing to think of something. She looked at the litter being placed down and the doors opening. She did not want to have the king's wrath be pushed onto the boy just because he was nervous.

“Child of the earth," she said while taking the golden coins. “I bless you with something different, with a fruitful and happy life. We all will feel heart ship, but keep ongoing and you find that life will reward you."

She hoped the boy would show some happiness about the blessing, but he gave a soft thank you, trying to oppress this sorrow, and he hurried along before the king stood in all his glory before Noxirique. she gazed between the king and the next in queue to receive their blessing. They already where slower than she should be, let alone that the king now disturbed her, trough being in the kingdom, it might not be the best to anger the king. Her mother is going to be disapointed

The king broke her dilemma himself by walking in front of the queue and speak to her. “Great Goddess, I came here to request a blessing for my kingdom, to have a fruitful year and I offer this temple, constructed with my materials and labour. May my kingdom outshine all the other kingdoms in its glory."

Noxirique straightened her back a bit, feeling betrayed as the king announced his wish in front of all these people. Many from his kingdom and some from other kingdoms.

“We have discussed this." She spoke sourly. “I will bless any land. My temple being here is already more than enough of a privilege for your people. I will bless your lands as I bless the lands of the other kingdoms. Now, if you want to request a personal blessing, speak. Else I have to attend to my duties, I have many children of the land today."

She saw the king's lips wrinkle up with anger. For a moment, he remained silent as he collected himself. When he spoke again, his voice was calm but monotone. “Very well, if that is your infinite wisdom, I shall leave you to it, Goddess Noxirique." He turned around and left in his litter with an assortment of guards on his heel.

Noxirique felt a pit in her stomach forming, a dreaded feeling that what she just did something that she would regret the rest of her lives. What did her mother say about speaking again?

“Careful with your words, Young one, the words of a god can bless and topple kingdom. A suggestion could mean war or peace for hundreds of years."

How did mother did all this? She could feel the weight of each word that she spoke to the king weight her down. With her gaze following back to the crowd, she realised she could not wait and contemplate any more. She had to continue without end.

I did not matter how hard she tried; when the last rays of light died off and the last blessing was given, there was still a large queue outside her temple. She could do nothing but to look at disappointing faces when the temple doors closed. She was left alone in the temple, with no guards, no people to help her. Just her, a meal, and the large stash of wealth collected through the offerings.

“Mother, I could use some help here," she whispered to herself. “Tired of talking to myself here. I know you don't listen to prayers, but I am your daughter. I need guidance."

Silence fell when the words where spoke but she heard no answer. She gazed at the offerings of food and gold. It filled her with disdain.

“Am I really a goddess?" She took a golden plate from the stash to look at herself, her black scales and green markings that ran down her back. “I just look like any other dragon. I am not qualified to be sanctified. If my mother did not tell me I am a goddess, I would call myself a sham."

Her words echoed on the walls of the grand temple. No one responded. Again, it would be a lonely night for her. What would tomorrow bring? More children of the land seeking blessings. More people to disappoint when the doors closed before they had their chance. Was she even a god if she could not help all? Was this her whole life? answering blessings to any who came to her temple, being locked up all by herself with no one to talk to.

She looked up through the sunroof in the temple roof, looking at the stars above. Trying to get a meaning from the stars, any meaning. In the end, well, she found none. Non wisdoms that her mother could see from the stars, no meanings or reasons. Just shimmering bright dots in the sky among the web of the heavens above.

The second day of the festival brought more distress, whereas on the first day those who came to worship and offer were excited. Today everyone was just more dulled down. The queue that had formed walked with bowed down heads and spoke in mumblings. They still wished the same as blessing, they still offered the same. Yet their thanks were quick. It made the queue move along quickly, but she found no pleasure in helping. Constantly on edge if she did something wrong.

With one woman, she nearly messed up the fertility symbol. A well-practiced symbol and she nearly messed it up. An older man who came to her wished his son a healthy wife, again a wish she couldn't fulfil. Again another who walked away disappointed. The end of the day just drained her, and when the temple doors closed, she flopped down on her pillow. She couldn't keep going like this. She wanted to scream and yell, but a goddess should maintain her stature.

“Perhaps mother has advice," she thought while looking through her skylight. “No one would miss me in the dead of night, anyway. "

Spreading her wings in what felt like for the first time in forever, she slipped through the skylight and out of her temple unseen by guards and people below, her black scales helping her to hide from prying eyes. This early in the season, the air was still chilly. The cold air made her shiver and her muscles ache. Even for a dragon like her, flying to her mother's temple took most of the night, no matter how fast she tried to fly. She did not want to think of what anyone would say when they discovered her 'throne' empty the following morning. At least she did not have the see the disappointed faces.

She flew over mountains and forests, over the borders that connected two kingdoms together. She could feel the magic the instantly she entered the forest that surrounded her mother's temple. The energy that pulsed through the trees, even in the morning's dawn, was making her worried ebb away. She forgot how much she missed this, and now it was with her again. She did not know if she could leave it behind again.

The first sign of her mother's temple where rows of torches that light up the stairs of the stone pyramid that was the goddess's grand temple. Several other pyramids were spread around. Home sick, she looked at the pyramid temple to the right of the grand temple, the one that used to be her home for most of her life until last season. Now it was left empty, standing as a monument to what she was born into.

Rows and rows of people of all parts of life were littered across the temple stairs and down in the forest. All waiting even through the sun had still not even made its appearance known. Noxirique looked east to judge how long the sun would take to fully rise and the temple doors to open. Even from this high up, the first rays of the sun were still not visible. That should be long enough, she hoped.

She spans down in large circles to the top of the temple where the main room of the temple was and her mother would receive worshippers. Surprise caught the guards when Noxirique roared to let her presence known. Worshippers among the stairs jumped awake when she landed with a heavy thud on the stone plateau that formed the top of the temple.

“Miss, get back in line if you want to see the goddess, dragon or no dragon," said the guard at the door in a loud voice. Noxirique did not recognise any of the guards. They were all young and no doubt new. not unusual to have the inexperienced guards spend the night while the more experienced guard rested.

“I will not stand in line to see my mother." Noxirique said, stepping into the light and receiving a collective gasp not just from the guards but also the worshippers who dared to look at that the commotions was this early in the morning.

The guards bowed instantly. “Apologise goddess," the guard spoke again. “It was hard to recognise you without the light."

Noxirique grimaced at the guards for a moment. “Apology accepted. Now open the door. I am on important business. "

It only took a moment for the guards to open the doors and Noxirique to slip inside of the grand temple walls. The hall was made of marble, laid in with emerald veins and golden swirls. On the opposite of the door was a large thrown like pillow where her mother was normally laying, yet at this time of the day the throne was empty. Moments after she entered the throne room, the large doors slammed shut again with a loud thumb, preventing anyone from following her.

“Who is there?" A deep, rumbly voice called from beyond the throne. Soon, a large green dragoness appeared with golden glowing eyes. Golden spiral markings down her body and forwards, facing horns.

“Good morning, mother." Noxirique spoke in draconic. Relieved that she could finally could speak her natural draconic tone.

Her mother went wide eyed with surprise when she looked at the shape of her daughter. “Noxirique!? What are you doing here? During the fertility festival none the less."

Noxirique finally allowed her resolve to break and her face became an open book of pain and despair for her mother to read.

Her mother rushed to her and embraced her with a single wing. “Daughter, what is the matter?"

Noxirique pushed her face against her mother's scale, seeking comfort in the warmth and magical energy she radiated from her body. “I am not a goddess. I will just ruin your reputation."

“Nonsense. I would know if one of my children is or isn't a god. Now, come follow me and tell me what happened," her mother cooed to her.

At that moment, one guard opened the door to enter the main hall of the temple. The green dragoness snapped her head around to gaze at the intruder. “Leave. Now." She said with force.

“My goddess Yerana. The people we have to prepare." The guard spoke with fear in his voice.

“They can wait. I have more important business to attent too." Her voice did not lose any of the force and commanding tone.

The guard bowed and blurted. “yes of course. Forgive me, mistress,"

“Now," Yerana continued to her daughter. “Where were we?" She pulled Noxirique along with her, to behind the throne and the tunnels down into the temple.

Noxirique spoke of the king and what she said to him and the scowl, and those who visited the temple. Her mother listened to her while they walked through the magically lit halls. Their destination was Yerana's chamber, where she placed herself on a gigantic bed with her daughter to her flank. She nuzzled her daughter softly.

“My dear, I would have done the same with the king."

“but what if he hates us now?"

Yerana snickered softly. “Oh, don't worry about that. King or no king, he is mortal like any of the other children of the land. If he wishes to lead a crusade against us, he will only find death."

Noxirique looked even more worried at her mother. “And what if he destroys the temple?"

“Our power does not come from temples and worship, it comes from the planet and the surrounding ether. I thought I have taught you this?"

Noxirique looked down, not daring to look her mother in the eyes. “Yes, you did, but. What If I am not a goddess? I did everything you told me, and I disappointed them. They all looked so yesterday. I just couldn't continue. And now disappoint them even more by not being there for them." She blurred her head under her paws. “I thought I was ready! But this is all so hard. I don't know what to do!"

Her mother took in her distressed state for a moment. “You should not fret about the disappointment of mortals. Their plight is often selfish and narrowminded, it is hardly their fault. They don't see beyond their life, only a few of them do. If they did, they would not have waged wars and mistreat others."

“But then what should I do?" Noxirique asked, popping her head out to finally looking at her mother with pleading eyes.

“That is something I can't tell you. I am sorry," Yerana brought her head down looked her daughter in those pleading eyes. “I only know being a god is difficult. But how do you be ready to be a god? When are you ready? Those are questions I have no answer to. You are the firstborn god. I do not know how your powers would develop, how you would grow." She raised a claw in the sky. “But what I know is that you are an intelligent dragoness and your companion extents beyond what I feel for mortals. I hoped that sending you away, get you a temple would help you in figuring it out."

“and yet I ran at the first challenge," Noxirique said dryly. “A veritable god would have succeeded."

She received a disappointed growl from her mother. A single claw pushed her head up to force and look at Yerana. “Noxirique. None of this. You are a goddess, doubting that would be to doubt that both me and your father are gods. Let me rephrase what I am trying to say; There is no way to know what a god would have done in your position because you are the first."

Noxirique just looked up at her mother with tears forming in her eyes. “My, my, there." Her mother cooed and whipped away the tears with the tip of her claws. “Perhaps we went this all about the wrong way. When mortals look at you, what do they see?"

“A dragon? A god?" Noxirique answered, unsure.

“Yes, but what they expect? They expect me and I predate life on this planet itself. So they match their expectations to the mother of all. So it disappointed them when you are not me. Tell me, do you think it's fair so say that you fail when success is someone who has created life itself?"

Noxirique shook her head, not wanting to speak. A lump had formed in her throat. She felt a little at ease with her mother's words. When she finally spoke, there was a tremble in her voice. “If they expect that, how would I ever be successful?"

Yerana ticked her muzzle to think. “Perhaps I have done this the wrong way around. "

“You have been wrong? But you are a goddess. How could you have been wrong?"

“Because, my dear, I no one raised a goddess before. I tried to raise you as a goddess before I raised you are a dragon. But how you raise a dragoness who is a goddess?" Yerana said, pondering.

“Shame that I can't be a just a dragoness," Noxirique said with a wry smile. Then her mother gazed at her with insight.

“But of course. An answer, in plane sight, yet hidden from view." Yerana spoke, looking at her daughter with a soft smile. “Of course you will never be not a goddess, but this might just work out fine."

Noxirique started with speaking, but was interrupted when she felt her Mother's magic flowing through the temple and soon enough Yerana's eyes and golden markets glowed. Soon after, golden tendrils appeared and latched onto Noxirique's body.

She gasped, alarmed, and stumbled back when her mother's magic worked into her scales. She could feel her body respond. Her black scales turned green. She could feel her body shift and move. Something inside of her was chancing, but she did not know what. Her stomach growled. When she looked in one mirror in the room, she could see an unremarkable green dragoness staring back at her. It took her a moment to realise that the green dragoness was herself.

“Mother!" she yelped. “What did you do?"

“I have made you as mortal as I can make you. No one will recognise you as a god, even trough you are still one. You now need to eat and your body can even die but do," the panicked voice of her daughter interrupted Yerana.

“I can die! Why? Why would you do such a cruel thing? I am sorry? I can be better," Noxirique spoke, tears forming in her eyes. Her mother shushed her before she could speak anymore.

“Noxirique honey, your body can die, but you can't. You are a goddess. Nothing I do can change it. But this way you can mature as a dragoness. But when you die or get killed, you be reborn from the ashes of your body."

“So what? I am supposed to roam the world until you are magically get more experience?" Noxirique said full of disbelieve. “And after that, come back here to get turned back into a god?"

Her mother shook her head at her. “No, but if you want a quest of some sort to give this all purpose. Search for your father. He can mentor you in other aspects of your abilities. Aspects I don't have."

“So what, you are going to discard me? toss me out?" Noxirique said with tears forming in her eyes again.

Yerana lowered her head to nuzzle her daughter, licking her tears away. “I will never discard you, but some lessons I can't teach you. I am looking forwards to see you soon. Now fly daughter of mine, fly far and fly wide. Fly to the ends of the world. You are going to do great. When we will find each other again, but I will not be here. I think I too want to explore the world again. I have been here for long enough."

Noxirique watched when her mother stood up and walked to the main entrance. Out of curiosity, she followed her mother. Yerana called to the guards to open the doors. Instead of the worshippers enter, she pushed outside of the hall and spread her wings. Taking off and disappearing into the sky.

Everyone gazed at the goddess leave in shock. Then all eyes turned to Noxirique in her green scaled. One guard gazed at her and anger contorted his face. “You! who are you and what did you say to insult our god!?"

“fuck" Noxirique swore and ran towards the door, avoiding the guards and jumping into the sky herself, leaving the crowd below her shouting and cursing her. Little they knew who she was. Her mother was no longer around, even her magic ebbed away.

“Mother," Noxirique whispered before turning to head to the nearest village. Not ready for what will become the toughest time in her short, godly life.