Leila Simmons

Leila Cara Simmons is a Dragon Witch and the daughter of Queen Narcissa Simmons and King Malicus Simmons. When she was just a newborn, Leila was taken from Draconia Castle and almost killed in the other world by Bella and Trixell Blackstar. Twelve years had past before Leila was reunited with her parents. Four years later, she would meet Kai Evanston, a boy who is about seven months older than her, and a Dragon Wizard.

Early Life/Return to Gondra
The night Leila was born, she was kidnapped from her crib by the Blackstar twins, Bella and  Trixell. The twins were under orders to dispose of the child because she posed a threat to the Demon Slayers.

However, because Bella was so hesitant to kill her, the Icicle Pack found them, and protected the infant from harm. Once the Blackstar twins were out of sight, the wolves knew that it would be too dangerous to take Leila back home. Instead, a couple who had witnessed the incident between the Blackstar twins and the wolves, took the babe in (after a slight scuffle with the wolves) and raised her as their own.

Leila lived for twelve years as a Sapien; when miraculously, wings started to sprout from her back. Unfortunately the kids at school noticed something was up, and tore off her backpack, revealing her wings. The kids chased her to the cave, that coincidentally led to Gondra, where the Icicle Pack rescued her, led by their new leader, Isis.

The wolves then walked through the cave, Isis, turning and indicating that Leila should follow. When they reached the other side, the wolves continued on into their own territory, leaving Leila alone to enjoy the scenery.

However, this was interrupted when two hags came out of nowhere and started to attack her. Dracona Stargazer and Curtis Coordal rescued her, and immediately took her to Draconia Castle when Dracona saw the locket that Leila was wearing.

Once in the castle, Leila was introduced to the Queen, who automatically recognized the locket that she had given her newborn.

New person in town
Four years later, Leila has grown in her magic and has learned to use a wand, but her siblings, Draco and  Clarissa, are better at it than she is. Leila is still attending Sapien school, and therefore lives a double life in two worlds. During the fall of her Junior year, she met Kai Evanston, and automatically recognized that he was a Draco Sapien.

After a fight broke out between Kai and Adam Rodriguez, Leila and one of her best friends, Stephanie Clearwater, a Dragon Faerie, caused a distraction to evacuate the school, then Leila brought Kai to Gondra.

Fight at the Gorge
Leila was with Kai when he went to go find his Dragon Bond. She witnessed every dragon he tried until he finally reached Blizzard, who turned out to be Kai's true Dragon Bond.

However, they were interrupted when the Demon Slayers showed up. Leila had been cornered by the Blackstar twins, and jumped off a cliff, only to be rescued by her own Dragon Bond, Christina. They reported the incident to the Queen, who was not at all happy about it, and the King, who became fearful of the situation, and also became the overprotective father.

Eventually, Narcissa explained who Abraxes is, then tells Leila to go ahead and wash-up for dinner, Leila convincing her parents to let Kai stay the night.

Ambush
The next day, as Leila was taking Kai home, the two were ambushed by the Demon Slayers. Leila told Kai to use her Firesword to try and injure the oncoming dragons, while she used her archery weapons against them. Eventually, she was snatched off of Christina's back by none other than Abraxes himself. Out of anger she called him a "demon snake" to which he responded by smiling and then dropping her.

Her mother was able to slow her descent, therefore not receiving any injury from the fall, but she was still very shaken.

Intrusion
That night, Narcissa comforted her daughter through the ordeal she had, and then she went to her own bedroom. However, she was attacked; Leila being the first one to sense her mother's distress, and grabbing her bow and arrows. She met up with her father, Draco, and Kai at the doors, and was able to injure Damus. After briefly taunting the Blackstar twins, the Demon Slayers left as the bond-dragons came out and started to chase the Demon slayers away.

Walk through the gardens
Leila and Kai strolled through the gardens where she reveals to him how she found out she was a Princess. Draco interrupts them, by throwing Body Remedy at Leila, but instead it lands on Kai.

Afterward, Leila has a discussion with her mother about Kai and her going to school and about Kai's rank, and who would be training him.

Training
Leila trained Kai in Dragon Combat and a little bit of hand-to-hand, showing him how to control his metamorphosis when it came to his claws. After the session came to a close, Narcissa and Dracona flew by on their Dragon Bond Pearl to tell the children that the village had been attacked.

Once in the Village, Leila meets up with her friends Reese Goldsberg, Rosemary Clipton, and Annamarie Clipton. Annamarie, a deaf Dragon Faerie, explains through her daughter, Rosemary, what happened. After this, Leila's marks appear, and she covers them up; her mother isn't fooled, however, but she ignores it as she turns back to the people of Gondra to make a speech, which Leila takes over. It was then that Leila created the Angel Hawks.

Christmas Party
Over the next couple of months, Kai and Leila seem to grow a little closer, but their feelings for each other are not expressed. During the Party, a band of Vampires show, creating chaos. Leila and Kai escape by using the secret passage by the throne.

During their escape, they run into the Demonslayers and another group of Vampires, becoming trapped. A group of werewolves come to their rescue, and the two escape on Christina.

During their flight, Leila sees her little sister, Clarissa and hurries to catch her. The two sisters get into a fight, and Clarissa breaks free, nearly falling off a cliff. After rescuing her sister from her fall, the rogue dragon, Ice Shadow appears.

Physical appearance
Leila's appearance is based off of the author's appearance. She is tall with chestnut hair (which is known to be confused with brown or black, and even changes color depending on the season to brown), tan skin, and does not look like she's sixteen. Her eyes are hazel. Her hair is slightly curly, but is known to get very frizzy and curly in the heat.

Etymology
Leila is Arabic meaning Dark Beauty. Her middle name, Cara, is Latin, meaning Dearest; Put it together and you roughly get Dearest Dark Beauty (or Dark Beauty Dearest, if you put it in the correct order.)

Other variations of Leila in Arabic are: Dark as the night; Night Beauty. It's also Persian, meaning Dark-haired Beauty.

Other variation meanings for Cara include Irish Gaelic, Cornish, and Celtic origins: a friend; love; beloved one.

Appearances
Dragon Witch: Awakening

Notes and references