Private Tales Of Sand & Dragonfire

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon frowned at her, pulling his hair over his shoulder and taking a defiant sip of coffee. “Fine.” he mumbled. Rheinhard took that as his cue to remove some of the leftover rice from the day before and begin boiling it down with sugar and milk to make porridge. He added a few freshly sliced fruits, making sure to keep the portion within what Chaceledon would willingly eat.

Chaceledon picked at the food and Rheinhard wolfed his down, plunking a bowl in front of Seteta. “Water, milk, sugar, and starches. It will stick with you.” He said, setting his bowl in the sink.

Carnelia made a face. “I’m having eggs and bacon when you leave.” she snickered. “I’ll miss you, baby brother. I know it’s not exactly…done…but I’d love for you to come see us near Floiland one of these days. I know I’m hedahn, and I’ll understand if you don’t. It’s odd for you right now being, well, both dead and alive. So I understand. But I hope you’ll break with tradition.”

Chaceledon leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I promise you, we’ll come see you soon. I just found you again. I’m not letting your lack of social status get in the way of that.”

Carnelia threw her arms around him and squeezed him, then got up and pulled Seteta into an embrace. She held Seteta’s cheeks in her hands. “You continue and bully him to eat.” she grinned, and turned to Rheinhard, who made a swift escape into the hallway.

Seteta

 

[Seteta]

Seteta grinned when Chaceledon agreed, leaning down to kiss his cheek again before settling in a seat next to him. She sent a quiet note of gratitude to Rheinhard through the bond as he started cooking. As they waited, Seteta asked about the remaining arrangements that needed to be made, asked about acquiring a fighting knife to replace the Telling steel one she'd lost in Witherhold, and suggested that they stop back in Annuakat on the way north to retrieve the things they'd left behind at the inn. It had only been a few days, after all. With the amount Chaceledon had paid them, surely they'd be holding onto the items still.

She smiled when Rheinhard set the bowls of porridge in front of her and Chaceledon. "It smells delicious!" she said, then dug in, her appetite voracious.

When Carnelia swept her up into an embrace, Seteta gladly returned it. "I promise," she whispered. "Next time you see him he won't be a toothpick. And I'll make sure you're invited to the wedding. If not the draconian one, then the Inizae one."

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

“I’m not a toothpick! I’m slender.” Chaceledon sniffed. Toothpick. She wasn’t complaining with her legs wrapped around said toothpick. He did begrudgingly agree to stop by Annuakat; they needed the gold and supplies. The knife he would have to think about; she’d lost a damn good weapon and she needed something equally good to replace it. He had a forge in his estate, better suited to his needs and her needs. Perhaps something there?

Heading out of Pedeo was a chaotic mess. There were thousands of people trying to leave after an evening celebrating Auction, and herding a bunch of hungover rich people through one of the busiest economic centers in the city wasn’t an easy task. Hassani proved to be their savior in that regard. As someone who had grown up in the city, he easily slid through smaller gaps meant for servants and supplies, and a managed to get them around the worst of the crowd.

When the time came to finally step outside he hesitated, his bare feet hovering on the steel step leading down to the desert. Rheinhard took one look at the crowd behind them, scruffed the elf, and plunked him down onto the sand. Hassani stared. It was so soft…how did one not sink down entirely? All he’d felt was metal, tile, wood and glass under his feet. The earth was a chasm under his feet, something he couldn’t see but knew it went down further than anyone could imagine.

Chaceledon disrobed, folding his clothing and handing them to Rheinhard to pack away. He had to admit, he’d missed the sun. It was only when the dragon cleared a cavernous, reptilian throat did Hassani realize he’d been staring at the sand under his toes.

Flight was a new matter as well. Though he tried to hide it, Rheinhard clung to Chaceledon’s back like a kitten on a branch. Hassani did much the same. The only person who seemed to be completely at home was the pet, who stayed on her feet most of the time as though Chaceledon was still grounded. Hassani tried to study the way she cushioned her ankles and knees to absorb the dragon’s movements, but it was clear that was borne of experience. He hesitantly sat up, squinting against the buffeting wind.

As Seteta had predicted, the inn in Annuakat had indeed kept their things. Hassani gaped at the city. Who knew one could build under the open sky like this? Wind in the streets? Sunlight on the rooftops? He couldn’t stop staring. Seeing paintings wasn’t the same as actually hearing bells tolling from halfway across the city or the snatching scent of fresh bread from a bakery they flew over.

On their way out, the draconian pet stepped over Rheinhard, Seteta, and Hassani to climb Chaceledon’s neck. Hassani was a bit incensed until he realized the reason. No matter how Chaceledon’s body undulated….his head was steady as a rock. Like a falcon in flight, it only moved when he wanted it to. The girl knelt on his head, and whispered into his ear. Chaceledon slowly shifted northwest, following the directions of the girl. He may not have remembered where his estate was, but she did.

The closer they got, the stranger the air felt. Thick with magic and heat, Hassani felt as though he were breathing in clouds of it. The pet soon turned to Seteta and smiled, holding out a hand. “Come here, asayi. You should be seated where I am. He knows the way from here.” She said, offering her help up the sinuous neck to perch on Chaceledon’s forehead.

The estate came into view.

Estate was, perhaps, a childishly modest word.

It was a sprawling area with at least a dozen buildings, arranged in a neat circle and all of them with odd, hayloft-style constructions near their top floors. Bays, Hassani realized, for the dragons to change their forms and get dressed. Their giant size necessitated hangars. Chaceledon’s buildings were all encrusted with panels of rose quartz, shimmering pale pink in the sun. There was a larger main hall that Hassani assumed were actual living quarters, a wraparound greenhouse at its base. There were gardens with plentiful water features, an observatory on a high ledge of sandstone, a library, kitchens that occupied their own separate building, what appeared to be a forge, and several others Hassani couldn’t identify at a glance.

Centralized was a sparkling Dias of rose quartz shot through with inlays of amethyst. Chaceledon made for it, easily touching down on the landing platform. The pet immediately leapt from his back, and scurried to his front, where she knelt at his nose with her arms straight in front of her in a bow.

“Welcome home, asayani Chaceledon and Seteta.” She said simply.

Wind blew around them, and Rheinhard dismounted. He frowned. The place was empty. The gardens unattended, the dias unswept with sand under his feet. Where was everyone?

Seteta

 

[Seteta]

Seteta couldn't help her wistful smile as she watched Hassani's face the first time the soles of his feet touched the sand outside Pedeo. She didn't interrupt him, though, as he felt the earth for the first time, and while Chaceledon disrobed to shift into his dragon form, she stepped aside and knelt, pressing her hands into the sand. As the magic began to flow through her again, for the first time in days other than the small bits from stone and crystal within the city, it felt like her lungs were filling with a deep breath of fresh air after holding her breath for a very long time.

For a moment, she just crouched there, enjoying the feel of the earth and its magic again. Then, she began to gather the magic to her, and a breath later she sent it back out, coursing through the earth with a signature on it that would catch the attention of any Inizae between there and the Baal-Duru river. Each Inizae that felt the summons would replicate it, until it had spread across all of Amol-Kalit. Hassani would feel it beneath his feet, but not know what it was.

Then, reluctantly, she broke her connection to the earth, and climbed onto Chaceledon's back now that he was in his dragon form, once again burying her hands in his mane.

She couldn't help but gape as much as Hassani did at how easily the pet stood on Chaceledon's back while they were in flight. Seteta doubted she would ever be that comfortable. She liked her feet firmly on the ground and being this high up on the air was very, very far away from the earth.

Their stop in Annuakat was brief, but Hassani's awe was palpable. She was glad, though, that they didn't run into Oor before they departed. It felt like a lifetime since they'd escaped the city after rescuing Rheinhard, but she tried not to drop her guard despite that. She doubted that the wraith was just going to forgive and forget.

When the pet climbed over them to remind Chaceledon of his estate's location--the desert had surely changed its layout, more than once, in the time that he'd been gone--Seteta's heart pounded, worried that the girl or one of them would slip off and plummet to the ground. But when the pet reached for her to bring her up, Seteta's stomach churned until she was settled on Chaceledon's brow, lightly but firmly clutching to the long tufts of his eyebrows.

Fortunately, she didn't torment his eyebrows for too long. Even though it wasn't magic she could use, she could still feel it in the air around them and she wondered if it was to keep prying eyes away. Before long, the sight of the estate blossomed on the sand below them, while Seteta had been expecting multiple buildings, it was easily at least twice the size of what she'd envisioned.

But she still breathed a sigh of relief when Chaceledon landed, and as the pet scurried down and bowed, welcoming them home, Seteta smiled.

She slipped down off of Chaceledon's head, and pressed a kiss to his muzzle. "Welcome home, sehejib," she murmured, then caught sight of Rheinhard's frown as he looked around the place. She ruffled her hand through Chaceledon's mane affectionately, then stepped aside to stand next to Rheinhard.

"It's not too surprising that there's no one here," she said. "If his father was getting ready to sell the place. But Chaceledon will need to let them know he's here to reclaim it as soon as possible."

She looked over the estate from the edge of the landing platform. Now that they were not moving through the air, it was easy to see the signs of lack of life here. The gardens were overgrown, and while the water features were still in place, some of them were becoming stagnant and drying up. The pathways were filled with sand drifts, and it was quiet. Very, very quiet.

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon looked around the Dias. No other pets? They were all sold? I would have thought at least the groundskeeper would have been kept. he said softly. This showed enormous disrespect for the work he had done cultivating this place. Was his father so furious with him he would have sold it with twisting vines over growing algae-ridden pools and sandy walkways? This didn’t bode well. He flicked his tail back and forth, ignoring Hassani’s attempt to dismount until the poor man almost fell to the stone. He helped him down.

“I am sorry, asayani. I didn’t mean for your great house to become like this.” The pet said tearfully, sitting back on her heels. This was her home too, in many ways.

We can worry about staffing later. Where would I find my father…if he’s here, anyway.

“Master Hokkaido has been conducting business from the library.” The pet pointed.

Hassani? Would you mind going with her? This is a family matter. We’ll come find you later.

Hassani ran his foot through a small pile of sand, nodding. He hadn’t touched so much earth. It felt as though blood were pounding in his ears. He followed the pet off the Dias, and onto a path covered in thick layers of sand. He’d felt something, just outside of Pedeo. A call of some kind. He was still trying to puzzle out the feeling of magic reaching toward him from the very core of the earth.

Chaceledon shifted back, and Rheinhard tugged out his clothing to help him dress. The dragon looked nervous, more so than he had in a very long time. His skin was practically grey. “You will be fine. This is your father.” Rheinhard said by way of reassurance.

“That’s what I’m worried about. I’d go see if there was anything in the closets but by now it would be so old fashioned…” Chaceledon toyed with his hair. “Seteta? Are you alright with this? We don’t have to go find him immediately…”

Seteta

 

[Seteta]

Seteta turned back as Chaceledon and the pet spoke, frowning as she listened. She was desperately hoping that the letter Oor had shown her in Witherhold had been forged, but she was beginning to think there was the slightest chance that... it might not have been. Hopefully, if it wasn't, Chaceledon would never learn of its existence.

As Chaceledon began to dress, Seteta grabbed Hassani's attention before he departed with the pet. "Don't try to reach into the earth's magic yet," she cautioned him. "Take time getting used to the feel of it. I'll help you more a little later. You don't want to have a blowback and hurt yourself."

She turned her attention back to Chaceledon as Rheinhard helped him don the last pieces of his clothing.

“You will be fine. This is your father.” Rheinhard said by way of reassurance.

“That’s what I’m worried about. I’d go see if there was anything in the closets but by now it would be so old fashioned…” Chaceledon toyed with his hair. “Seteta? Are you alright with this? We don’t have to go find him immediately…”

Walking back to his side, she took hold of his hand to stop him from messing with his hair, thumb rubbing over his knuckles soothingly. "We should take care of it now," she answered. "Then you'll have the answers you want instead of fretting the rest of the day away."

Seteta glanced over at Rheinhard then. "Is it... possible to have Nestor available to translate Draconic through the bond? In case we need him to, that is?"

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

“Please no. There is only so much room for ego in one building.” Chaceledon chewed at his lips, but let Seteta stop his hands from fiddling.

“I speak it well enough.” Volker reassured her.

Chaceledon clung to her hand as they descended the steps of the Dias, down to the walkways. Volker dropped behind them to watch for anyone wandering the gardens. Chaceledon appreciated the over abundance of caution, but no spider nor bandit would dare crawl anywhere that might embarrass his father. He squeezed Seteta’s hand. “Do you remember the way the pet bowed? Knees together, arms straight in front, head bowed? That is how we must greet my father.” he said in hushed tones, as though the man could hear him. “We ought not speak until he acknowledges us. My father is a very traditional sort of man. Gods, I should have gone over this with you sooner..”

The path to the library wound around gardens of gigantic aloe and agave, with coconut palms that had held up surprisingly well over the years. It was quite overgrown, and they had to navigate a short portion where the path was narrowed by cactus overgrowth. Chaceledon barely noticed his pant leg getting snagged; his eyes were ahead and he was clearly struggling with not tearing the glass off his nails with his teeth.

The library was a glass fronted building, nearly smothered by coconut palms that had once been ornamental. The doors were solid quartz, and opened at a quiet touch from Chaceledon. The inside was just as he remembered it; open, airy, with plentiful couches and aisles upon aisles of books. Most of them were on the subjects of crystals, jewelry making, geology, or weaponry, but there were a fair few with blue imagery on the cover that made Rheinhard blush and look down.

A brass clock ticked away above a roaring fireplace that housed an angry black-purple flame. His father’s fire. He could feel the heat wafting around the ceiling like a living thing. Oppressive. Looking down on him with a scowl.

Hokkaido sat in a large chair next to the fireplace. It was a huge bowl-shaped affair with a cushioned back meant for a couple to cuddle together and read. Chaceledon had welded the brass for it when he was much younger. Hokkaido laid on it now, legs elegantly gathered to one side and his elbow propped up on the arm rest. He was a stern-looking patriarch; beautiful and terrible all at once. He had slightly less feminine features than Chaceledon, his lips might have been pleasing if they weren’t hardened in a line, and dark purple, nearly black eyes were scanning the pages of a book. Long black hair draped over the back of the chair and trailed on the floor like a cape, with tiny diamonds woven through its silken sheet. He was dressed simply, for a dragon, in a silken shirt and harem pants that clasped his ankles as though they feared their owner.

Chaceledon could see him flip a page, but he didn’t look up. He dropped to his knees in a bow, and Rheinhard followed behind him.

“So.” Hokkaido licked his thumb and turned another page. “What have you learned?”

Chaceledon’s throat worked, and he opened his mouth several times to start a sentence. Volker quietly translated over the bond. Hokkaido’s voice was calm, and thunderous. The voice of an emperor.

Seteta

 

[Seteta]

"All right," Seteta nodded to Rheinhard, and kept hold of Chaceledon's hand as he led them through the estate to the library. She nodded as he instructed her on what his father would expect, squeezing his hand gently. "I'll be all right," she said. "I remember."

It was a testament to the state of his nerves at the moment, though, when he didn't even flinch when the cactus spines snagged his pant leg.

She couldn't help the tiny gasp of awe that escaped her as they entered the library. She wanted to trail her fingers along the quartz doors, and she laughed softly at the blush that colored Rheinhard's face, wondering what exactly those books title's were. She could easily guess as to the contents.

As they walked deeper into the library, though, sweat beaded on her forehead. Only a dragon would have a fire burning in the middle of the desert in the day.

She didn't hide her perusal of Hokkaido as they approached the sitting area, and couldn't help but be a little disappointed. Her first impression of the dragon was not joy that a lost son had returned, but only harsh indifference.

Chaceledon and Rheinhard were quick to drop to their knees, arms extended and heads lowered.

Seteta took her time, settling into the position next to Chaceledon as Hokkaido flipped the page in his book. She would show the respect that Chaceledon asked of her, but she would not debase herself.

“So.” Hokkaido licked his thumb and turned another page. “What have you learned?”

When Rheinhard translated the question for her over the bond, Seteta's mouth tightened, her eyes flickering up to the older dragon. She glanced over at Chaceledon, saw his hesitation, and reached over to settle her hand over his wrist for a moment with a reassuring squeeze.

She wished that she could speak with him like she could speak with Rheinhard.

She thought Hokkaido's question was inappropriate, but she knew that Chaceledon did not want to be hedahn, and there was too much going on here with cultural and familial expectations that she didn't know yet. So she released Chaceledon's wrist after a short moment, and returned to her position.

How long do we wait for Chaceledon to speak? she asked Rheinhard silently, keeping her eyes on the younger dragon.

She was concerned that Chaceledon might freeze entirely, and she was certain he'd be mortified if she needed to snap him out of it in front of his father, but neither was she going to leave her lover there, terrified, with spiraling thoughts as he relived his life with Oor.

If his father thought that had been a lesson, then Seteta was going to have more than a few choice words for him.

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

Do not move. Rheinhard cautioned her. We wait as long as we need to. Patience is a virtue among dragons. To Chaceledon, this man may as well be a god. He didnt move an inch, even though the position was uncomfortable by its very nature. The fingertips of each hand rested lightly on the ground, but one leaned too far forward to settle on one’s heels properly, making it physically taxing. Rheinhard had always suspected this was done on purpose.

Chaceledon looked up hesitantly. “Learned?”

“Yes. Learned.” Hokkaido shut the book with a snap, and settled it into his lap. “I hope you’ve learned that by now, I don’t play childish games with you, Chaceledon. You lacked humility, dignity. You were a vulgar, spoilt brat, and I dare say we’ve benefitted from your absence. So I’ll ask you again. What did the wraith teach you?”

“I..” Chaceledon stared. What had Oor taught him? His mind swirled. All the pain, the mourning. The humiliation, and defeat. Had Hokkaido known? He was acting as though he’d just returned from a guzheng lesson! Tears gathered in his eyes, and his heart sank. Hokkaido was watching him now, shaking like a leaf on the floor. The elder dragon unfurled his legs from the couch as elegantly as a swan settling its wings, and sat up properly to look at him.

The silence stretched out, exacerbated by the ticking of the clock. Chaceledon struggled to put it into words. Clinging to dead Volkers and mourning them. Witnessing each new generation, and watching them die, some of them sobbing for him at life’s end. Being led around like a prize, no muzzle on his face but just as imprisoned as Rheinhard by cold.

“…Shame. I learned shame.” He whispered thickly.

Hokkaido sighed. “Clearly. Your punishment has ended, though I would have appreciated a little more patience on your part. Seven hundred generations you were to serve. A hundred for each family of dragons you shamed, embarrassed, scammed, cheated, lied to, and set to ruin. Without your brother and mother, it might have been eight.” he stood and walked over to Chaceledon, sweeping a slippered foot in a line in front of Chaceledon’s fingers. The other dragon sat up shakily, and Hokkaido helped him to his feet.

“You knew. This entire time.” Chaceledon stumbled into Common speech, his mouth dry as the floor under his feet. Hokkaido patted his cheek.

“Of course I knew. As though any undead monster could surprise or outthink me. Now that you’ve learned not to cross me, won’t waste my gold or embarrass your mother, life can go on. Forget it ever happened.” Hokkaido brushed his thumb across each of Chaceledon’s eyes, rubbing away his tears. “You may have your estate back. Use it for good this time, or I’ll take it away from you again.”

Hokkaido looked past his shaking, shell shocked son to Rheinhard and Seteta. He raised an eyebrow, then approached her and swept his foot in front of her. “Speak. You don’t wear a collar, and I don’t see any scales on your neck. Why are you here?”

Seteta

 

[Seteta]

I don't care what Hokkaido thinks of my patience, Seteta thought back. I'm more concerned for Chaceledon's wellbeing.

Anger flared through her, though, at Rheinhard's statement that Hokkaido was like a god to Chaceledon. No one should hold that much sway over a child. A family. Whether their children were still under their care or not.

She took a deep steadying breath as she easily held the bow, grateful that her life on the sands had taught her patience, as well as honing her body into an instrument she could command with ease. Fortunately, Chaceledon spoke at last, though her rage only grew as Rheinhard silently translated for her.

“Learned?”

“Yes. Learned.” Hokkaido shut the book with a snap, and settled it into his lap. “I hope you’ve learned that by now, I don’t play childish games with you, Chaceledon. You lacked humility, dignity. You were a vulgar, spoilt brat, and I dare say we’ve benefitted from your absence. So I’ll ask you again. What did the wraith teach you?”

“I..”

Chaceledon may have needed to learn some lessons about life, and now Oor's arrogance when she'd confronted him in Witherhold made more sense, but knowing what she did now about her tribe's history... Hokkaido was the last person on earth who should have taken responsibility for teaching Chaceledon those things.

“…Shame. I learned shame.” He whispered thickly.

Hokkaido sighed. “Clearly. Your punishment has ended, though I would have appreciated a little more patience on your part. Seven hundred generations you were to serve. A hundred for each family of dragons you shamed, embarrassed, scammed, cheated, lied to, and set to ruin. Without your brother and mother, it might have been eight.” he stood and walked over to Chaceledon, sweeping a slippered foot in a line in front of Chaceledon’s fingers. The other dragon sat up shakily, and Hokkaido helped him to his feet.

Seteta nearly snorted at the hypocrisy. What Chaceledon had done was not right, but Hokkaido? He'd also played a major role in the near-destruction of the Inizae. And the only reason he had not been held accountable, as Chaceledon had been, was because his victims were Abtati. Not dragons.

“You knew. This entire time.” Chaceledon stumbled into Common speech, his mouth dry as the floor under his feet. Hokkaido patted his cheek.

“Of course I knew. As though any undead monster could surprise or outthink me. Now that you’ve learned not to cross me, won’t waste my gold or embarrass your mother, life can go on. Forget it ever happened.” Hokkaido brushed his thumb across each of Chaceledon’s eyes, rubbing away his tears. “You may have your estate back. Use it for good this time, or I’ll take it away from you again.”

Forget it ever happened?! Seteta screamed at Rheinhard through the bond. He forced his son to endure hundreds of thousands of years of rape and torture and he thinks Chaceledon can just forget?! Go on with only lessons learned, and not being nearly broken?

She resisted the urge to lunge to her feet with clenched fists and smash the older dragon's nose in. He wouldn't be expecting it and wouldn't see her coming.

Hokkaido looked past his shaking, shell shocked son to Rheinhard and Seteta. He raised an eyebrow, then approached her and swept his foot in front of her. “Speak. You don’t wear a collar, and I don’t see any scales on your neck. Why are you here?”

Seteta rose gracefully to her feet, carefully schooling her face so neither her rage nor disgust with Hokkaido showed. Her eyes, though, were bright and fierce.

"I am here because Chaceledon has asked me to stay by his side," she spoke softly, but confidently. "And there is no place else where I would rather be."

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

I know you are angry. But this is their culture. To change it, you must play the game for at least a little while. Rheinhard told her sternly. His eyes flicked to her when she rose. Knees! He hasn’t yet given you permission to rise!

Hokkaido’s eyes narrowed, and his eyebrow rose. She dared rise and look him in the eye like an equal? A mammal? In a dragon’s home? Clearly Chaceledon wasn’t the only one wanting for punishment. The heat in the room rose, pressing downward in a sheet of burning air hotter than any summer day in the sands. “Kneel when speaking to a superior.” he said coldly.

The heat seemed to pull Chaceledon from his reverie. “She is asayi of this household, and not of your dahn. She does as she pleases. You’re in her territory, not she in yours.” he said quietly. Hokkaido tilted his head ever so slightly back toward Chaceledon.

“Excuse me?” his tone was frigid, and one that said he really did not want that question answered. He looked back at Seteta. “And what, do you think, gives you the right to claim asayi of a dragon household? I have not given my consent to any such marriage.” He said in perfect, crystal clear Abtati.

Did Chaceledon tell you about draconian marriages? Volker asked.

Hokkaido took in a deep, measured breath. “You do know you don’t belong here. You are Abtati. You roam the sands and commune with the earth. What could you possibly want with a draconian household? With me? What gives you the right to ask for one of my children, and to found a house of your own?”

Seteta

 

[Seteta]

I am not a dragon, and I need no one's permission to rise, she hissed back silently to Rheinhard's warning, and continued to meet Hokkaido's gaze steadily, not even wavering as the heat in the room intensified. She opened her mouth to answer his demand, but Chaceledon spoke up instead.

Seteta held back of a huff of annoyance as Hokkaido once again turned the conversation to Chaceledon, but when the elder dragon finally looked back to her, her gaze hadn't wavered.

“Excuse me?” his tone was frigid, and one that said he really did not want that question answered. He looked back at Seteta. “And what, do you think, gives you the right to claim asayi of a dragon household? I have not given my consent to any such marriage.” He said in perfect, crystal clear Abtati.

Did Chaceledon tell you about draconian marriages? Volker asked.

Hokkaido took in a deep, measured breath. “You do know you don’t belong here. You are Abtati. You roam the sands and commune with the earth. What could you possibly want with a draconian household? With me? What gives you the right to ask for one of my children, and to found a house of your own?”

Very little, she answered Rheinhard. But enough that I know I may never gain Hokkaido's approval, even if I were to bow and scrape as he demands. I love Chaceledon, but I also love myself, and I will not lower my dignity just to gain his family's approval.

"I have never claimed the title of asayi," she answered. "So far, it has been given to me by others. As for belonging here..."

Seteta shrugged, a smile teasing at the corners of her mouth. "One might dare to say that it is you who do not belong here. My people ruled these sands--all of Amol-Kalit--generations ago, after all. The dragons have always been too busy fighting with each other to unite the desert. When I call, the very earth answers my commands. I could bury this estate in sand, demand that every rock and crystal and stone crumble into dust, and no one would ever find it again.

"What right do I have to ask for Chaceledon's hand? At the least, the right I earned by burning his and Oor's marriage robes with my own hands. But most of all, the fact that he loves me, and I love him."

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

Hokkaido laughed. It was a cruel, uncomfortable, arrogant noise. “Oh little girl. You’re barely out of napkins even for an Abtati, aren’t you?” he smiled mirthlessly. “I should think Chaceledon would have told you that I issue the challenge for his hand. Not life. Not the gods. Not Chaceledon. Me. I do not care if you love him. As is tradition, you will submit to my task, or he will be branded hedahn. You may care so little for this place and our culture…but does your fiancé share those feelings?”

Chaceledon looked grayer, if that were possible. No. He couldn’t be separated from dragon kind. His sister could, she had always been so ferociously independent. But he had dreamed so long of having his family again. Being himself again with a place amongst his dahn. Everyone in the room knew it.

Hokkaido relaxed a bit, looking her over. At the very least she was strong, if not full of disrespect. She reminded him a lot of Chaceledon when he was younger, and in turn of himself. Of course, he’d had to have that attitude beaten out of him by his own father as he’d done to his son. He’d do the same to her.
“A fitting challenge then, because you place so much pride in the earth. You’ll participate and lead a nameday dance. If you impress the other dahn and prove yourself capable of holding that wild tongue…you may have my son’s hand in marriage. You have three months to prepare. And if you embarrass me, or Dahn Agrys, I will make Chaceledon hedahn and you two can conduct yourselves as you see fit…but never as dragons.”

Chaceledon swallowed thickly, and bowed. “Thank you, Father, for giving her a chance.”

“Im curious to see what you value so much.” Hokkaido sighed. “Clean yourself, and this hovel, up. Your mother and I will return within the week.” He set a brass key on the mantle, and nearly stepped on Rheinhard attempting to exit the room. He removed his foot from the man’s fingers. “And this?” He indicated the prone assassin.

“Oor had me raise assassins for him. He chose to come with us…I raised him.” Chaceledon’s voice sounded small and hollow to his ears.

“Did you now? Well, he has at least a scrap more respect than the woman you’ve chosen as a wife.” Hokkaido stepped over Rheinhard, and swept out of the library. Chaceledon collapsed heavily into the chair Hokkaido had abdicated, and Rheinhard sat up to rub his hands.

Seteta

 

[Seteta]

Seteta didn't react to Hokkaido's laughter. Abtati were used to being mocked, and Inizae even more so. She did mentally kick herself as the challenge was mentioned. Chaceledon had mentioned it, though only in passing, when they were in Maraan. But that was over a fortnight ago now, and in that time she'd nursed Chaceledon back to health, given extravagant performance, helped rescue Rheinhard, become the steward of the Well, and had some... rather surprising history revealed in Pedeo. So the challenge had... slipped her mind.

As for caring little for this place or this culture... perhaps she'd had a slip of the tongue, but she knew better than to try and contradict Hokkaido now. He'd clearly already made up his mind, and she glanced briefly at Chaceledon with apology in her eyes.

She listened quietly as Hokkaido made his proposition.

“A fitting challenge then, because you place so much pride in the earth. You’ll participate and lead a nameday dance. If you impress the other dahn and prove yourself capable of holding that wild tongue…you may have my son’s hand in marriage. You have three months to prepare. And if you embarrass me, or Dahn Agrys, I will make Chaceledon hedahn and you two can conduct yourselves as you see fit…but never as dragons.”

Chaceledon swallowed thickly, and bowed. “Thank you, Father, for giving her a chance.”

"I will accept the challenge with one more stipulation," Seteta spoke up. "If I win his hand, then Dahn Peridot must also recognize all of our children--regardless of their physical traits--as Chaceledon's legitimate offspring, with no favoritism, without pitting them against each other or me, and without criticism of how I choose to rear them."

She did not bow when Hokkaido left, only nodding her head politely and stepping aside. Her mouth tightened as he stepped on Rheinhard, and when Chaceledon simply called him an assassin he'd raised and not his son. And Hokkaido had the gall to make a jab at her about respect. But if he considered Rheinhard's utter silence and remaining in that bow to be only a scrap more respect, then she wasn't going to regret her actions.

"Are you all right?" Seteta asked quietly, stepping over to Rheinhard as Hokkaido left, offering him a hand up. When he was on his feet again, she walked over and sat next to Chaceledon.

"I'm sorry, sehejib," she murmured. "I didn't mean to seem callous about this place, or about your wishes."

She did need to find out the particulars of what this challenge meant--what a nameday dance was--but smoothing the more-than-ruffled feathers--scales? she mused to herself--of her dragon was more important at the moment.

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

Rheinhard slowly flexed his hand. “I count myself lucky dragons aren’t heavy creatures.” He muttered. He followed Seteta over to Chaceledon, who barely moved to allow the elf in. Rheinhard quietly pressed his forehead against Chaceledon’s, and the dragon lifted a hand to touch his cheek.

“I was afraid he’d kill you if I called you my son..” he said softly.

“He was looking for an excuse for violence.” Rheinhard agreed. “I do not blame you. You are my mother, regardless of what anyone says.”

Chaceledon kissed his cheek, and put his arm around Seteta. He was still trying to adjust. His father had planned it. All of it. Sending him to Oor had been the equivalent of sending young dragonlings to be ‘educated’. His stomach knotted. Was that what was meant by that turn of phrase? When his party friends would just vanish? Had he been too arrogant and drunk on riches to notice them missing? He rubbed his eyes, not seeming to care he was smudging his makeup beyond all belief.

“After all these years…all he had to do was come get me.” Chaceledon sniffled. He buried his face in the crook of Seteta’s neck and bawled like a child. Rheinhard nuzzled him reassuringly, and squeezed into the rather crowded seat to put his arms around Chaceledon.

We did suspect, a few times, that he was there on purpose. Oor was good at keeping secrets but even he would slip things. Rheinhard reached out to Seteta. He will be fine once he sleeps in his own bed. Even so, he wasn’t quite sure. Chaceledon had always believed his family missed him. Surely his mother couldn’t have been in on it too?

“I will take care of the grounds. We can hire most of your old servants back. The pets are likely lost.” Rheinhard reassured him. “We will have the house looking better, and you will feel at home. How many times have you told us about your bathtub?”

Seteta

 

[Seteta]

Seteta sighed. She was irritable and she knew it, and as Chaceledon expressed his fears over Rheinhard, she made herself push that bitterness away. As Chaceledon's arm settled around her, Seteta leaned into him, frowning when he reached up and rubbed his eyes, smearing his makeup without a thought.

“After all these years…all he had to do was come get me.” Chaceledon sniffled. He buried his face in the crook of Seteta’s neck and bawled like a child.

As he wept, Seteta reached up and gently stroked his hair, shifting over at one point and tugging Chaceledon with her to make at least a little room for Rheinhard on the seat. She did not know what to say that could possibly comfort him. She couldn't imagine the grief of thinking, for millennia, that your family must be worried and frantic, only to find out at least one of them had known all along. Had planned it.

We did suspect, a few times, that he was there on purpose. Oor was good at keeping secrets but even he would slip things. Rheinhard reached out to Seteta. He will be fine once he sleeps in his own bed.

Oor tried to show me a letter, while he had me in Witherhold, she replied. Claiming that it was written by Hokkaido and I could see for myself. But even if it had been in a script that I could read, I didn't trust that it wasn't possibly forged. I hope it was. But... just in case, I never mentioned it to Chaceledon.

Seteta sighed, her eyes closing as she nuzzled the top of Chaceledon's head. I know Chaceledon was... a handful when he was young. But to knowingly send your child to be raped? Mutilated? He didn't need to learn shame, he needed to learn empathy. And that is not how you do it.

She doubted his mother knew. They'd heard, from several different people, that Peridot had been frantically searching for him. Seteta had hoped that Hokkaido would have some tenderness for his wife... but from what she'd seen today, she would not put it past him to send their son away and let his wife think he was dead for nearly twenty-thousand years.

When Rheinhard said he would take care of the grounds, Seteta gave him a grateful look.

"I have not heard about this bathtub," Seteta murmured, pressing a kiss to Chaceledon's ear.

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

“You’ve wanted your bathroom back for so long. You’ve streaked your makeup, and I know how much you need to reclaim your bedroom.” Rheinhard encouraged gently. “Why don’t we go and see if your things are still there?”

We must be careful with how we deal with things from now on. If we are not careful we can break this family apart with what we know. He told Seteta as he stood, running a hand down Chaceledon’s back. The dragon slowly uncurled from Seteta and kissed her cheek, rising off the couch.

Chaceledon took a deep breath, centering himself. “I’m sorry you had to see that.” he muttered, shaking out his hair and examining his chewed-on nails. He choked the fire in the fireplace with a clenched fist, and grasped Seteta’s hand. “Let me show you your new home.” he kissed her fingers, and led them out of the library.

When they hit the main house, it was abundantly clear Chaceledon’s expensive tastes were in full swing. A massive quartz chandelier dominated the foyer of rose quartz and chaceldony, with a large portrait of Chaceledon at the top of a sweeping staircase. He looked much younger, beautiful and arrogant, nude and dripping in chains of pink pearls.

“…Can that be the first thing to go?” Rheinhard asked, averting his eyes from the come-hither stare of the portrait.

Chaceledon snickered. “No! Carnelia painted that!” he cracked a smile at his embarrassed foster child, and ascended the stairs. The upstairs housed his tea room, closet, bedroom, bathroom, and playroom, which Rheinhard glanced into and shut the door so hard it thundered sound through the hallway.

“Hardy dear, there’s a guest bedroom down the hallway, to the right, fourth door on the left. That’ll be your room. I know you prefer East-facing rooms.” Chaceledon told him. Rheinhard gave him a curt nod.

“…You will be alright?” He asked.

“It’s my home. Of course I’ll be alright.” Chaceledon reassured him.

His bedroom was quite possibly bigger than the library’s main room. It was dominated by a bed so large one could feasibly set up camp on it, which the pet was frantically turning down as fast as she could. She fell into a bow when she saw them. “Asaya, asayi, your servant is working as fast as she can. We usually have two people…”

Chaceledon smiled, and took up the other side of the bed. He started tucking in the silk sheets, and fixing the duvet. “Now you’ve got two people.” he corrected. She hesitated, clearly torn between taking his assistance as a dereliction of duty and gratitude at his help.

“Asayi, Ive filled the tub for you. I didn’t know which scents you wanted, but when we shut up the house Hokkaido cast wards on everything. The florals should still be fresh.” She advised Seteta.

“I’ll join you in a minute. These pillows have been in mothballs a while…they need some fluffing.” Chaceledon fluffed a comically oversized pillow. The bed was adorned with huge white fluffy sheets, and a duvet cover of goose down. The bed was enchanted to stay cool, to help a dragon sleep.

The bathroom was through a doorway, into a tasteful amethyst-tiled room fitted with copper sinks. The bathtub was king here; carved from a massive chunk of amethyst, most of its terminal points had been left intact, making a crescendo of spiky pyramids rise around the rear of the tub. The front had been smoothed somewhat, and lips carved to hold jars of dried flowers. The water was still steaming.

Around the perimeter of the room, gigantic brass jars with amethyst lids crowded. Skin treatments, hair masks, cuticle oil, hair oil, things to open up ones pores and tighten them, smooth skin texture and scrub dead skin off. It was a dizzying array that looked more home to an apothecary shoppe than a bathroom. Likewise, there was an oval mirror and vanity containing a rotating carousel of makeups. There were drawers dedicated only to lip powder.

Seteta

 

[Seteta]

I have no desire to pit them each against each other, Seteta promised Rheinhard. But most of all I want Chaceledon to not give up the most important things he did learn away from here in an effort to fit in again. His family should accept him for who he is--who he has become--not force him to change to be accepted.

She was relieved when Chaceledon finally moved, and she stood as well, her hand resting lightly on his arm.

"There's no apology necessary, sehejib," she murmured as he kissed her fingers, lacing her fingers through his as the walked out of the library. "I do not want you to hide your heartache from me."

It was cooler outside than within the library after she'd inadvertently stoked the fire of Hokkaido's rage, and as Chaceledon led them up the pathway to the main house, she took several deep breaths, grateful for the scent of the desert again after the stuffiness of Pedeo.

She couldn't help the small gasp of awe that escaped her as they stepped inside. It was... extravagant, but the chandelier was stunning. However, her awe gave way to girlish giggles as she caught sight of the portrait at the top of the stairs.

She almost crumpled to the floor in a fit of laughter as Rheinhard's embarrassment swept over the bond.

Don't worry, she told him. I'll convince him to move it or orchestrate some sort of... unfortunate mishap.

She followed them both up the stairs, and peeking curiously in the doors that Rheinhard opened, though she wasn't able to catch sight of what was in the room that he furiously slammed the door back shut for.

When Rheinhard split off from them, she smiled and waved, then followed Chaceledon into the bedroom. At the sight of the pet scrambling around the room, then rapidly dropping into a bow, she hid a frown. Chaceledon, fortunately, immediately took up the slack.

"Please don't worry over it," Seteta told the pet. "I think we'll all have to do some things we normally wouldn't to get this place back in order."

She couldn't help but grin at the sight of Chaceledon straightening sheets though.

“Asayi, Ive filled the tub for you. I didn’t know which scents you wanted, but when we shut up the house Hokkaido cast wards on everything. The florals should still be fresh.” She advised Seteta.

“I’ll join you in a minute. These pillows have been in mothballs a while…they need some fluffing.” Chaceledon fluffed a comically oversized pillow.

"Thank you," Seteta smiled.

When she stepped into the bathroom, she briefly noted the sheer number of jars and vials and bottles, but the array was dizzying and she had no idea what to even make of most of them. The sight of the tub, though, quickly put the cosmetics and bath accessories out of her mind.

She was breathless as she took in the sight--the feel, because it was large enough and radiating enough of the magic that called to her very soul--of the amethyst tub.

Whenever Chaceledon made his way into the room, he would find Seteta still fully-clothed, standing next to the tub her hands caressing the smoothed edge.

"It doesn't even need water in it," she whispered to him. "I could just... sit in it, and soak up the magic. It's incredible."

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon quietly instructed the pet to get Hassani to help her with dinner. She seemed so harried, and surely the ex-pet would welcome some semblance of normalcy. He leaned against the bathroom doorway, watching his soon to be wife. She was enraptured by the amethyst he’d carved, and the pure joy she felt at its magic was palpable.

“That was called forth from the earth by my mother, Peridot.” he said softly. “It wasn’t torn out of its place, it was asked, called and cajoled to the surface. It’s here because it wants to be here…no shattering, no mining, very little shaping. I was so gentle with it, soothing it as it parted with pieces of itself.”

The dragon came and rested his hand on it. The magic that poured off of it was clear and clean, free of any influence. It was Arethil, resting quietly before them. “It’s one of my proudest pieces. My mother summoned and calmed it, I carved it. Curl up inside of it; close your eyes and feel. I designed this place to always have roots to the earth. There’s always a path through the stones here.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek.

Seteta

 

[Seteta]

Chaceledon's presence pulled her out of the reverie, but only slightly, and she smiled softly as he spoke of his mother, and the care they'd taken to harvest the amethyst. When he came and gently set his hand on the tub, Seteta leaned into him, and when he bent down to kiss her cheek, she turned instead to catch his lips with hers.

Her kiss was sweet and gentle, one of gratitude and affection. But she still shuddered a little as heat teased at her spine, and when she finally pulled away her cheeks were lightly flushed and eyes bright with want. Quietly, she reached up and started undoing the fastenings on his garments, kissing down his collarbone and chest as she bared his skin to her touch.

Eventually, she nudged him toward the tub, then stripped off her own clothes and sank into the water. It was barely steaming anymore, but she was more used to bathing in cool oases than hot water, so the warmth it still held was more than sufficient for her.

"Despite the... rough introductions earlier," she told him as she settled against him in the water, "I'm looking forward to meeting your mother. It seems like she and I will have a lot in common."

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon returned her sweet kisses, though he was anything but lustful with his father’s revelation heavy on his heart. He still appreciated the intimacy, and nuzzled into her hair. She was so good to him. How could he see what his father couldn’t? How could Hokkaido not see how perfect she was for him? He saw her strength, her beauty, a bit of her intelligence…and he’d given her a challenge to match. As Chaceledon sank into the water and welcomed her into his arms, he rested against the crystal and thought.

What she was thinking about leading a dance wasn’t what was going to happen. Dragons never did anything so simply. He kissed her, and sighed in relief. “My mother is an…acquired taste. Peridot…put a lot of unfair expectations on my sister that led to her becoming hedahn. You’ve seen how Carnelia’s built. Peridot took it as a personal failure. She’s…a lot like I was when I was younger. Still, there is a reason the house was named for her and not for my father.” He muttered, relaxing against the warm stone. He brushed her hair with a beautiful sandstone comb, and braided it. The beautiful ripples that would come from it drying this way would be worth it. “Cass is the only one who took after my father. Me and Carnelia are like Peridot. I think I inherited more of her petty side, though.”

Chaceledon fussed with her braid a bit, and settled back into the water. “We’ll need her help with your challenge. I’m forbidden from helping you…but you’ll need help. If they throw you up there expecting layered music…it won’t come out right. I know one of the music houses. Their sons and daughters are all gifted in it. Depends on how lucky I am, and if they remember me.” he smirked.

Seteta

 

[Seteta]

Seteta grinned to herself. Chaceledon certainly liked to play with her hair, but she wasn't about to complain as his knuckles and fingers brushed over her shoulder blades and down her back as he braided.

As he spoke of Peridot, though, her expression settled into thoughtfulness. She had plenty of opinions about what she'd seen and heard of dragon culture so far, and their unrealistic expectations for physical bodies, but right now wasn't the time for that conversation.

"She's probably changed some over the years," Seteta murmured gently. "The pain of your absence has likely changed some of her priorities."

The pet had said in Maraan, after all, that Peridot had frantically searched for any hint of Chaceledon. But now, also recalling that Chaceledon had always disappeared before his mother could reach him, she suspected that Hokkaido had warned Oor to move his son.

Any small chance of her respecting Hokkaido was rapidly vanishing. She would be... as polite as she could bear, for Chaceledon's sake, but she would never be able to defer to someone who had sent his son off to be tortured as a form of punishment, and then lied to his wife about their child's whereabouts... no, she would never be able to respect someone like that.

She sighed, though, pushing that thought away for now as Chaceledon finished fidgeting with her braid and began to speak of the challenge. Seteta shifted in the water carefully, turning around to face him and straddle his thighs. She just looked at him for a moment, eyes soft and fond, before leaning in to gently kiss him. Her hands rested gently on his chest.

"What constitutes as helping?" she asked, fingertips tracing over his collarbone, not an effort to seduce, but just to enjoy. "Can you tell me what a nameday dance is? And what a nameday is? The basic expectations?"

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon hoped she was right. Peridot was a good woman but she was petty, hysterical, emotional, and manipulative. If she really had been looking for him, perhaps she had learned to manage some of those traits. His father seemed as cold and efficient as ever. He helped her settle in his lap, his arms loosely around her waist.

“Dragons think it’s bad luck to name a baby within a few weeks if it being born. We’re delicate, and most don’t survive. Once the baby passes a few weeks it’s chances drastically increase, and of course cause for celebration. So the child gets a name, and everyone the dahn deems important comes. One of the most important things is the music. Nameday dances are unique to the child and only performed once.”

He smirked and kissed her. “So needless to say, we can’t screw this up. That said, it’s not as easy as any other music. Magic itself makes a sound, and you’re channeling that sound through a medium of your choosing. Water, stone, flames, air, even things like blood. It’s theatrical. Sometimes the best explanation is just to experience it.” He said with a shrug. If Rheinhard had seen one, he would have used the Well to show her. This was going to be a new experience for both of them. “The Dahn you’re performing for specializes in agriculture, and you’re going to have to use stones. Already makes it complicated, but your task is supposed to be Herculean.”

Seteta

 

[Seteta]

"So it's a blessing," Seteta murmured thoughtfully, though her brow furrowed as she considered the musical aspect. She had an impeccable ear, and a lovely voice, but... composition was not her strength. "Would it be allowed for my mother to help me? She's more musically inclined than I am. Hassani might be a good... consultant, too."

As she considered everything Chaceledon had said, though, her fingers tapped nervously against his skin.

"If the nameday dance happens a few weeks after the child is born, and I have three months to prepare... then this child isn't even born yet, is it? What happens to the challenge if it dies before that?"

Would it count as an automatic fail? With Hokkaido's arrogance, that worried her most.

She sighed again, restlessly this time, and leaned in to rest her forehead against Chaceledon's shoulder.

"We're going to have to figure out a middle ground for our children, though," she said after a few moments. "The Inizae believe it's bad luck to not name a child right away. Because if it does die without a name, then its soul will wander without a way to find the afterlife."

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

“You’re performing for the entire clutch. It’s rare at least one doesn’t make it.” Chaceledon reassured her. “I can’t see why you wouldn’t be able to talk to your mother about it.” He smiled and reached out to touch a small blue crystal on the wall. It vibrated a bit, and the pet came into the room. “Do you happen to know if there are any performances happening soon?”

She bowed. “I believe there are two. One less formal gathering of young dragons, and one actual party. You haven’t received an invitation to the latter, but the former is on the table.” She said lightly.

Chaceledon nodded and waved his hand in dismissal. “Like I said, the easiest way would be to see one…but I understand if you’re not up for it tonight.” He kissed her cheek, and relaxed in the bath. He had missed this bathtub. His room. His own bed! Half of his belongings were missing, likely in storage or collapsed over thousands of years, but stone always stood strong. It meant a lot to him that it was still here, exactly the same as it had been the day he prepared for that fateful party.

Chaceledon chewed his lip in thought. “We still need to find your mother…”

Seteta