Chapter 18:Gatekeeper?
Elize couldn't believe that Dawn had proposed her name for the Captain's position after all she had done. There was a tingling in her chest as she felt excited about becoming the Captain. She was full of gratitude towards Dawn. But was also confused. Why didn't she accept the position?
At the same time Niall began crying like a baby. "I am sorry sir. It was Cire who hated Dawn right from the beginning. She was the one who filled my ears."
"What?" Cire eyes became as wide as a football field. "You liar!" she said as she charged at Niall and slapped her hard across the face. "It was you who wanted Dawn out."
Taking advantage of the situation, Niall started wailing all the more loudly. The Coach had to stand up and intervene.
"Stop it!" The Dean yelled. "Get out, all of you."
Seeing how angry he was, the Coach dragged the two of them out of the office.
The Dean looked at Dawn and said, "Very unfortunate event has happened in our Campus. I am really sorry. However, I hope things become better in the future." He handed her the phone. The Dean was afraid that Dawn might expose this matter to the media because she had the recording, so he took a decision that was best for everyone. He had no issues with Dawn for he knew that she was a good student whose parents had died in a car crash. That's what Arawn had told him.
Dawn deleted the recording in front of him. She walked out of the office along with Elize. When they reached out, Elize clasped her hands. Her face was red with shame. She said, "I am so sorry, Dawn. I—"
Dawn interrupted her. "It's fine Elize. Let's just focus on our games." Saying that she walked away.
Elize nodded and kept staring at her until she faded from her vision.
In the next few days, the Dean took out the order. Cire was suspended from the college for three months because she was responsible for the team's conduct and Niall was allowed to stay in the college but removed from the golf team. Dawn's driver was replaced with a better one – Callaway Maverick, which was latest in the line and very expensive. Two new girls joined the team. The story about Cire's suspension became popular. Niall stayed low to avoid shame.
The month passed without any trouble. At home Dawn would look at her anklet and wonder whether it would even come back to life. She would stroke it, tickle it or simply try to remove it, but it remained in that position.
Cole had started making fun of her anklet. She had cooked up the story that it was presented to her by her team.
"I think it's a cheap one from the market, sister. Since when have you started wearing that kind of stuff?" he mocked her.
She pursed her lips. "They really want me to wear it. I can't break their hearts."
Cole smirked and looked out of the widow. His gaze fixed at the tall, hefty old man coming towards their house. "Did you call Uncle Arawn?"
"Yes," Dawn said excitedly. She had so many questions about her dragon and hoped that he knew about them. He had been a resident of this place for so long. "Is he here?" she asked with a gleam in her eyes.
"Mnn," Cole replied lazily.
Dawn ran to open the door for him.
"Hello Dawn!" came Arawn's throaty voice. "You sounded so desperate to see me. Everything okay?"
Dawn looked at Cole and then said, "My bathroom's faucet is having issues. Could you please come and take a look?"
"Sure," he replied and straightaway went to her room.
Cole became bored and went to his room.
Dawn followed Arawn and closed the door behind them.
"What is Dawn?" Arawn asked, amused at her behavior. He was going to the bathroom when she stopped him.
"Arawn, my bathroom's faucet is fine. There is another emergency situation, I would like to talk about."
Arawn turned to look at her with furrowed eyes. "What is it?"
Dawn lifted her pants. Her anklet revealed itself in all its glory. She put her foot up on the bed and said, "I acquired this when I had accidently gone beyond that hut in the meadows."
Arawn's eyes bulged. He came near her foot and brushed his finger lightly over the piece of jewelry. A sparkle passed through it in a wave. His mouth dropped. He looked up at Dawn with a heavy breath. "Do you know what this is? And why did you go there?"
Dawn bit her lip. "This is a baby dragon." She narrated her story to him.
Arawn said in a heavy voice, "For long have we heard the stories of dragon eggs in that area but none have ventured. Those lands are mystical, dark and very dangerous. It is a matter of luck that you came back alive." He stared at her and continued, "Think of this as a gift from those lands. Always remember that this is a magical beast. It will come to life only when it is in its magical field, or when someone, like you, from the mythical world is around. Such creatures will become dormant outside their enchanted world. Dragon's nature is to protect a treasure. So it must have sensed something in you. Otherwise, what are the chances of a dragon egg being hatched and coming to you?"
Dawn listened to him with rapt attention. "What do I do?" She trembled a little. "And how do you know so much about it?"
Arawn rubbed his eyebrow and got up to walk to the window. He pulled the curtain aside and pointed outside. "Those meadows that you see—I am the gatekeeper of those mystical lands." He looked at Dawn trying to scramble his thoughts to understand. "This is what destiny had in mind, else why would your parents have chosen this particular cottage to purchase so many years back."
Dawn gasped and lifted her eyebrows in amazement. "Gatekeeper?" she croaked.
"Yes," he answered. "I was not in town when this event occurred. Had I seen you venturing that side, I would have never allowed it." His gaze shifted back to the meadows. "This is a very special gift you have received. Do not misuse it."
"Okay…"
"Have you formed the connection?"
With the same amazed expression, Dawn took out the skin-colored glove that she had started to wear to hide the tattoo and showed it to him. "I think so."
Arawn smiled. "You are so lucky," he said.
"I— But how do you—" she was about to say something when Arawn walked through the wall and stepped out of the house. The centaur turned to look at her, he winked and galloped away. Arawn, the centaur, was the Gatekeeper of the mythical meadows.
Dawn's stomach roiled with horror. She watched him fade in distance and then slumped on her bed. She held her head on both sides. What else was left? And if the dragon should come to life amongst magical people, why didn't he now? Thousands of questions bounced around her head. And Arawn?
For the next few days, she couldn't make contact with him. His phone was switched off. Also in the University a handsome brown-haired, brown-eyed boy was showing increased interest in her.
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One day she came home early from class because Coach had given them the week off. As soon as she entered home, she went to take a bath. She came out with a towel wrapped and as usual sat down on her bed with the right leg up. She stared at the anklet and stroked it. "When will you come back to life? I feel guilty about you. Have I crystalized you?" Suddenly the scales of the jewelry poked out.