I woke to the Alarm in the morning and got out of bed and went to feed the babies. I was feeling surprisingly good for all I went though the night before. I looked at Skya who was watching over the kids and said "How are you this fine morning Skya?" I spoke to her in the crystalline language.

Skya said "No shadow has entered this room while I have stood watch Your Majesty. The small ones slept quietly all the time." I smiled at that. I checked their diapers changed both of them and picked up Belle to feed her when Ben came in. He leaned on a dresser and smiled at me.

He said "It looks like your feeling better. What the heck happened last night? When the shields went down and we could get out you were laying on the ground with the Dragons around you. You had a smile on your face a mile wide. Cryss said you had done what was necessary at great cost. She would say no more. She would not say why the Dragons or her were there. The Dragons flew off in several directions as soon as I arrived. Cryss looked like she had been through a storm so I did not press her right then. So I want to know now, What happened?"

I said "It seemed I was on the edge of letting out my Elemental self. That would have been very bad. Cryss had a plan where we could defeat the Dragon woman without me using the elemental power. Where she got the spell or how she knew to use it, I don't know. I know it worked and the Dragon woman was banished. I am going to ask Cryss a few direct questions when I am done feeding the kids. I think she has been keeping secrets. Other than that I got a gift after we defeated the Dragon woman. I was given a new form. A form of the Queen of the Crystal Dragons." I put down Belle and picked up John so he could feed.

Ben said "What do you mean the form of? I don't understand?"

I shrugged and said "I can take the form of a large beautiful Crystal Dragon that all Dragons know as the Queen of the Crystal Dragons. I will show you after I have finished feeding the twins."

Skya said "Mother now Queen of all Crystal Dragons."

Ben looked at her and sighed "Another Title. Where will it all end. Next you will be running for God!"

I smiled "Goddess Dear. That would be Goddess." Then he just shook his head and walked out of the room. I smiled at his remark.

After I finished with John, Tasha came in and took over for awhile. I went in and got dressed. I had to readjust my clothes for perfect fit. If I didn't know better I would say I am even smaller than I was before I got pregnant. When dressed I checked Cryss room and she was not there. So I headed down to breakfast.

When I hit the first floor I heard some talking in the living room so went to see what was up. As I entered I seen the 6 Dragons from last night waiting. Cryss was translating for them. Ben and Grandmother were asking Questions. They looked over and bowed their heads one at a time to me. I nodded my head back to them each time. Grandmother looked at me "You know these Dragons? I thought the only Dragons you knew were Crystal Dragons?"

I smiled "I met these Dragons last night when they gave me the gift. They are the Queens of their Dragon Races. I am one of them now. Let me show you." I shifted to the Queen of the Crystal Dragon form. Grandmother's hand went to her mouth to stifle a expletive. Bens eye's narrowed. I had surprised both of them.

Cryss said "I would like to introduce My Mothers true form as Queen Ember of the Crystal Dragon Race. She will be in this form part of the time from now on. She is part of the Dragon 7, the ruling body of all Dragons. She will have duties with them once a month. No outside Dragon can enter Sanctuary without her permission. No Dragon would break Dragon law or be a outcast. The one she defeated last night was a outcast. She believed that Queen Ember was an usurper and the spot on the 7 should have been hers. The outcast was leader of a bunch of half-breed Dragons that thought themselves a Race. This is not so by Dragon law. I as Princess of the Crystal Dragons have been studying Dragon Law and Magic by dream every night for the last month. That is where I learned the spell that helped Her Majesty win the fight last night. I am sorry Mother for not telling you or Father but I was warned not to."

One of the Dragons said "Move on" in her language.

Cryss said "The 7 have gathered here to give a Blessing and a Warning. First the Blessing is this." One of the Dragons pushed a large Gem forward. "On the Naming Day of the twins have both hold on to this Gem. Then the Blessing will be given to them. Now the Warning, Do not let the Shadow claim the Queens Children or there will be all out war. We must go now our work is else where." The other dragons touched foreheads with me then left.

After the last Dragon had left Ben said "Please change back now. I want to talk to my wife not a Queen I don't know!"

I slowly changed back and looked at him "We are the same being just in a deferent form. I don't know why you are so mad? I am always changing it is who I am. Do you want me to go against my nature?"

He said "Last night You went into a fight after locking me in the living room. You knew you might loose yet you made it imposable to be with you! That is why I am mad!"

I said "It was a magical fight so I was the logical one to go. By locking you in at least our Children would have one Parent if something should go wrong. Please understand I was doing what I thought was best for the kids."

He said "Is that why you took Cryss into battle with you? Putting our eldest and all the Dragons in Grave Danger? You are a poor Mother!" The Dagger in my heart twisted at those words!

I said slowly "Get out, go to work, I don't want to see you right now!" I moved past him to go in for Breakfast. I wasn't hungry but I knew I needed the food for making milk for the Babies. Ben left and the others came in for Breakfast. There was still a while before class started. Nobody spoke we just ate. A line was crossed but who crossed it?

After Breakfast I went up to sit with the twins for awhile. Those words just kept bouncing around in my head like a demented super ball. I could see the depression coming on and there was nothing I could do about it. Would this end my marriage? Here come the thoughts I keep pushing down. The shadows that try to engulf me and destroy my light. But now I have 3 lights to keep me from the shadow. I straitened up and headed down stairs to get some work done. I sat in my study and made kids toys till the feed alarm went off. I went up and fed and changed the kids. I went and played with them for a bit then they wanted to sleep. So I decided to sleep as well. I took a nap till my alarm woke me. I had missed lunch, oh well. I fed the kids and changed them again. After they were sleeping I went to do some more work. I made a lot of kids clothes. A knock came at the door. I said "Enter." In came Grandmother.

She sat down and looked at the pile of kids clothes "You going to eat dinner tonight? You did not eat lunch." I had not stopped doing what I was doing. I did not even glance her way.

I said "You know he is right. If I did not have Cryss and the twins to worry about I would just pick up and go away. Things are just getting so out of hand. I am just 16 now I have three lives depending on me. Who am I to think I can raise kids I am just a kid myself. Ben is right I am a poor mother." Grandmother stood and slapped me so hard I came off the chair and hit my head on the desk and went out.

When I came to I was on the floor and Janis was there. Grandmother was berating herself. Dixie was trying to calm Grandmother down. Something was wrong with my right side. Janis said quietly how do you feel?"

I said just as quietly "My right side it is all pins and needles when I try to move."

She said "I was afraid of that. Looks like it is your neck this time. I will put a brace on it after I realign it. You wont be able to turn your head but it should relieve the pressure. Two or three days and you should be fine provided you don't get slapped again."

Grandmother had calmed down and was watching as Janis worked on my neck. Then she placed a stone at the base of my neck. The stone was enchanted to form a brace so my neck was held still. It was a pain to sit up. I was still getting some pins and needles on my right side.

I looked at the alarm and it was going to go off in a few moments. So I said "I'm going up stairs to feed the babies after that please have Sue bring me a late dinner in my room. I am done for the night." Grandmother looked like she wanted to say something but I was just not in the mood to listen so I turned and went out the door. The trip up the stairs was a experience in pain.

Feeding the kids was difficult because I could not look down. After an eternity I was finished feeding them. I let Tasha change them. I went into my bedroom and pushed the pillows around till I can do a sitting position. Sue bought in my dinner and withdrew. I ate not really paying any attention to what it was. I put the tray on the night table and got ready for bed.

I dreamed again. I was flying though the mountains somewhere just for fun and came across a wounded Dragon. I did what I could but the Dragon still died. I was sad I brought a lot of rocks and built a mound over the dead Dragon. I sat for awhile after I was done wishing I could have done more. Then I flew up and headed for home the flight no longer fun.

I woke up in the night to feed the kids. It was hard to get up without moving my neck but I did it. The tray was gone so I must have slept through Sue coming to get it. I fed the kids and went back to bed. I missed Ben. I cried myself to sleep.

The next morning Janis was there before breakfast to check on me. I let her do her thing and asked "If shifting would hurt the recovery process?"

She said she did not know. She would stay and see if it helps or hurts. So I made sure I had fed the kids so I had some time to think. I shifted into Queen of Crystal Dragons. Janis was impressed. I tried to move my neck but could not. Janis removed the stone and I could move normally. No pain at all. I had just shifted back and was checking to see if there was any pain and there was not. Ben came in he was not looking good, looks like he had a bad night. I said "I will let you clean up before work." I walked out and down stairs. I took my seat for Breakfast. Janis stayed for the meal then got ready to go.

After Breakfast Ben asked "Can I speak to you alone?"

I wanted to tell him to go to hell but then I was a Queen now so I should at least hear his side. "Very well my study. Janis held off leaving just in case. Grandmother put the class on Independent Study so she could stay out here just in case there was trouble.

The trouble started as soon as the door was closed. He got right in my face and started yelling incoherently. I counted to 20 then hit him with a lightning bolt. Down he went. I looked at him laying on the floor. That's when I spotted the bottle. I stuck my head out and waved for the two to come in. They did and Janis looked him over and found the bottle. She handed it to Grandmother and asked "What is this?"

Grandmother smelled it and frowned "It is Dark Water it is a drug that enhances a persons bodies strength. The magical version of steroids! They have the same side affects only faster. Uncontrolled Rage being the main side effect."

Janis said "What did you hit him with he is almost Dead?"

I said "Close range lightning bolt. It should only knock him out."

Grandmother said "It is the Dark Water it lowers the bodies defenses to shocks. This bottle is almost empty if he took all this he is in trouble a thimble at a time is all that's is to be taken."

Janis sighed "Help me get him into a bed looks like I'll be here for awhile." I used my new Dragon strength to take him upstairs. I walked by our bedroom to one of the spares. I put him in bed. Janis started working on him again. "He is declining can you do anything?"

I sighed "I don't know enough about Dark Water. I will have to find out more before I could even try." Grandmother came in with one of her books. She passed it to me as she tried a few things. It bought him a little time. I kept reading on the treatment till I came across a passage that might give him a chance. I shifted and looked into him. I created an image to work with I pushed the image into him. Slowly he shifted into a male Crystal Dragon. I created a whole new ability and fused it with his body. Then I gave him a bit of magic. Just enough to shift now and then. The spark started to flutter then flamed up. He was a new person, a part time Dragon. The first Male Dragon of this race. Damn I did it now to tell him.

He slept for 13 hours in his Dragon form. Then he shifted in his sleep and I smiled. He slept for 2 more hours. I checked for Dark Water and found none. The shifting got rid of it. Ben is part Dragon now just like me.

When he woke I was sitting at his bedside in human form. I said "Well your the one taking the long nap now. We need to talk. More I'll talk and you will listen. Dark Water almost killed you. I had to do something rather extreme to save you. You are no longer totally human. You are part Dragon. You will be able to shift back and forth every once and awhile. You Dragon form Is the only Male Crystal Dragon there is. The Drug will not effect you any longer so don't even try. You are on thin ice with me. I love you very much but after what you did I am not sure I like you right now. I am going to teach you to use what I have given you and we will see how it goes.

The rest of the week was retraining him to think of the Dragon as part of him. He liked the strength and the dragon skin that he can pull just under the surface. It was not till Friday that he went full Dragon. He was clumsy at first but soon learned. The first flight with him was quite fun.

By Saturday I had forgiven him. At least for what he said. It would take a lot more time to forgive him for the foolishness with Dark Water. I tried to talk to him why he took the Dark Water but he just would not talk. That made it harder to forgive him.

Summer was passing and now I have the twins to take care of and I am now a Queen with responsibilities to Dragon kind. Instead of getting easier It was just getting more complicated. I still need to talk to the Headmaster about the fall quarters classes. At least I have help now. With Vickie and Quin I have a little relief. The twins are acting real good and sleeping though most of the night. I was told that would not happen for awhile but it is. But then the twins never do things the way others do. I just hope they keep being relatively easy to care for.

Ben and I were playing tag in the sky when my feeding alarm went off. I told Ben to keep practicing and I headed in to feed the twins. I always felt so mellow after feeding the twins. I was thinking of forgiving Ben and letting him back into our bedroom when Grandmother came in steamed about something. I said "Something wrong Grandmother?"

She said "I just talked to Janis We have 3 more cases of Dark Water Poisoning. They all 3 point back to Ben! He has seemed to talked several young Guardsmen to take the Drug! I can't believe he would do that but all the evidence points strait at him." Well so much for mellow and forgiveness. I finished feeding the twins,

I asked "Who gathered the evidence? Was it Byron? Some things don't add up here. When was this done? Can it be verified?"

She said "Norton, no, It is not sure and I am not sure." She laughed "You sure poked holes in my anger. What do we do now?"

I said "I get Tasha up here and we go see Byron." I opened the door and there was Tasha on her way to the nursery. I smiled at her alertness. We were soon on our way. I glanced at where Ben was practicing and there he was. I smiled he was getting better. The Guardhouse was in the middle of Sanctuary so a quick flight and we were there. I walked in and found Angel demanding to see the file on Barbie so she could find out who was accusing her. I had a idea. A moment later I was proven right. I tapped Angel "Seems we have a problem with the same person. I was going to talk to Byron since Ben is on leave." That got a raised eyebrow. "Want to join.?" She nodded. I looked at the Guy at the desk and smiled "I will See Byron Now!"

A door opened "In here Ember, you too your Majesty. We need to talk." Byron said from the doorway. When we were inside He said "I wish it could be said it was nice to see you both but it is not. It means the rumor monger is really stepping up his game. Norton gets the filmiest allegations on the record and it ruins lives. I can't fire him because he is following the rules."

I said "Maybe if I roast him he will get the message. I don't like my husband accused of something that can't be proven."

Grandmother had came in with us "Ember be nice."

I said "I am, now when was this convincing troops to try Dark Water to have happened?"

Byron said "2:00 pm Yesterday. This has been confirmed."

I smiled "Not possible he was with me from noon to 7:00 pm. He was learning his new Dragon form with me."

Angel said "Dragon form? Since when did he have a Dragon form?"

I said "Long story, I'll tell you after we finish this. Now who confirmed this?

He said "Two entertainers seen them talking just before the buy was made. The Dealer said they said that it was recommended to them. That was good enough to put it on the record. No charges will be brought because it is too little evidence. Did anyone else see him with you?"

I said "Only half the house." I looked at Grandmother.

Grandmother Said "I watched them for a good part of the day. He did not leave."

Byron said "Either we have a doppelganger or the entertainers were lying. I tend to think they were lying. Since you can prove where he was I am going to call Norton in and see what he has to say for himself."

A few moments later a seedy Guardsman was standing before Byron's Desk. Byron said "I would like to speak to the two entertainers in this case. Have them brought in at once."

Norton said "I'm sorry sir they were traveling entertainers and they moved on."

Byron said "I have been given a iron clad alibi that contradicts what they said so I want to see them Now! You will remove their statement from the record or you will be busted down and out! Do you understand me? You damaged the character of a upstanding citizen on the word of traveling entertainers! You are in big trouble!"

Norton said "No sir I will not it is in the record if it is true or not it will stay there! No mater how many cover ups you try it is there!"

Byron spoke a little loader "What do you think Your Majesty? Or you Your Highness?"

We stepped from the other room. Angel said "He is fired for Gross disobedience and Insubordination and he no longer has the protection of being a guardsman. So my sister can challenge him."

I walked towards him "You have insulted my Husband and I challenge you to a duel!" I slapped him across the face with my gloves. The gloves were made of thick weave. He spun and fell to the floor. Do you accept?" When he did not answer I let Byron in to check him. He stuck his head out the door and said something then went back to waiting.

Byron said "What are those gloves made of?"

I smiled "Crystal weave made to imitate satin lined leather. They are quite comfortable."

Janis came in and skidded to a stop "I should have known you would have been involved. What happened?"

Grandmother said "Ember challenged him to a duel then slapped him with her gloves. It was quite the sight."

Janis looked him over and over. This man is on a enhancement drug called Grey Matter it lowers the resistance to physical strikes. A little harder and you would have killed him as it is he is in a coma. I'll take him back to my place and hope he makes it through the withdrawal."

Byron said "Remind me not to get you mad at me. Well as long as he lives through the coma then there is no problem even if he dies later from the drugs. I bet he invented those charges to cover his own drug dealing. We will have to look in to that. I will see that your husband is cleared and the record taken care of. Now what can I do for you Your Majesty?"

Angel said "One of my maids was accused of passing information about where to get drugs without any proof."

Byron said "I will look into it and clear it up. That ex-guardsman ruined a lot of lives. I will do what I can for as many of those people as I can."

I said "We should be going. I need to get back and feed the twins. See you Byron."

Angel said as soon as we were outside "Oh no you don't sister dear you need to tell me about this Dragon form?" We walked over where the maids were waiting with the queens twins.

I smiled "Why don't you come over for dinner this is something that is better seen than just told. Grandmother can start the tale on the walk over. I need to fly back and feed the kids then We will do the show and tell thing. It is quite the tale and I don't want to rush it." I grew my wings, waved and I was off. I postponed things a bit But I know my sister will not be giving up till she knows it all. I flew fast and made it home in a quarter of an hour. I went inside and Ben was talking to Sam intensely so I just went up to feed the twins. A half hour later when I came down feeling quite mellow. Angel, grandmother and Angels twins were just getting there.

When Grandmother passed me she quietly said "Coward do your own dirty work." then she walked upstairs.

Angel said "She would not tell me anything. So you and I are going to Sit and talk right after I feed the kids Can I use your nursery?"

I said "Sure the twins wanted to sleep in the same crib again so there is a open crib and Tasha is a trained healer as well as nanny." Angel took the maids carrying her twins up to feed and lay them down. I went over to Ben who was looking at me.

Ben said "Time to tell her about your new title huh?"

I sighed "Among other things. She will want to see your Dragon form when we get that far in the tale."

He said "I still don't get how you changed me so much. I feel like a whole different person. Not like my old self at all."

I looked away "You died I caught you at the moment of death and forced a change into your personality that took over. You are a new person. I don't know how far that newness goes. There may be personality changes we have not seen yet. We will have to take it one day at a time."

He said "Died, You did not tell me this before. How can I still be walking around if I died? Is your magic that strong? You can bring someone back from the dead?"

I shook my head "Mine alone no, I tapped into the Dragon 7 and used their combined magic to Save the man I love! Changed but still here. I was asked about it and was given a warning about using the power without permission. I think they understood or it would have been worse."

He looked at me "That is a lot of magic!"

Angel came down and looked at me I could see the Dragon just below the surface. I said "Lets sit out on the porch." We walked out to the deep couch and settled in. I smiled and told her the whole tale. All of it from the fight with the outcast to Ben's transformation. I was quite tired when I was all done.

Angel said "So you are a Queen now and a member of the Dragon 7 the group that over sees all Dragons?" I nodded. "Then technically you out rank me! Well lets see this Queen of Crystal Dragons! Oh and I want to see Ben's Dragon form as well." Ben walked out almost as if he was waiting for her to say that. I stood up and looked at Ben and we changed together. Angel Gasped "Your Beautiful! Both of you!" She got up and looked us over. We gave her the full show even flying a little. Skya and Misty came by and dropped to the floor, wings out in a Dragon Curtsy. I nodded to them and they went back to what they were doing. once they were there Angel got a look at 4 out of the 5 sizes of dragons. I was the largest, then Ben, then Skya and then Misty. I was really getting tired so I shifted back and Ben was right behind me.

I said "Is your curiosity sated for a bit dinner should be called soon." Just then Sue stepped out on the porch and called dinner. We all filed in and had a good dinner.

After dinner Angel asked "Now that you are a Queen are you going to make yourself a palace and a Throne room?"

I said "No there is one that the Dragon 7 built a long time ago with a throne for me but I don't think I'll see it often."

She said "You should build a Throne room at least. Where will the masses go to see their Queen?"

I frowned Angel "My subjects total 15 and a good deal of them live in this house. But if you insist I will think about it."

Sue stepped in "A call for you Miss on the link mirror."

I said "Excuse me all." I walked into the hall to take the call. I answered "Yes." it was one of the 7.

She said "We have decided to give you a task. To watch over a Dragon hatchling from each of our races. This is new for us. We want to see if it could work. From our watchers you are the perfect one for this task. Expect them in the morning." She cut the link. Just what I need more Dragons. Not even the same race but one of each. I was still standing there when Angel came by.

She said "You look a little pale are you all right? What happened?" I told her. She burst out laughing and said "You are the Dragon Nanny!" Just what I needed. I went up to my room and tried to think things through. I will need more rooms that's for sure. What do they eat? When in my Dragon form I eat Crystal but what do the other types eat. Any special environment needed for them? This is going to be strange. Well tomorrow is going to be a long day.