Private Tales Of Sand & Dragonfire

[Seteta]

"I might find scales on a man disconcerting, yes," Seteta said wryly, "but not on a dragon. And I am a mammal, so I see no reason to pretend that I am anything else."

Then she scowled at Puli, and stuck a leg out. "I'm not hairy," Seteta said indignantly. And she was right. Only by the strictest standards could she be considered hairy, as in... there was some hair present. But it was very fine and soft, bleached by the sun to a subtle, nearly invisible brown against her skin. "I'll compromise and let you do whatever it is to my underarms if you leave everything else alone. But if anyone other than Chaceledon is close enough to my legs to be bothered by that hair, then they're too close."

She was a little disconcerted by the way they seemed to be grooming her to be pleasing to Cassius, though. For the most part, though, the things they selected--especially the makeup--seemed more in line with the things she would naturally gravitate toward herself, and so she didn't make any comments.

When Chaceledon finally appeared, though, she gave a relieved sigh, but frowned slightly at the headscarf.

“Sorry, I trust they weren’t too overbearing…” he apologized sheepishly. “My mother accepted an invitation for us. I’d have liked a bit more time to recover but…I also want you to meet my brother.”

"It's fine, sehejib," she murmured. "But you're going to get an infection with that scarf on your face. I wasn't allowed to wear one for a while either, remember, when my face was healing."

Fortunately, the scars from Rheinhard's bite were barely noticeable now. Just small divots of lightly colored skin below her eyes.

"We still have that troll ointment, from the doctor in Pedeo," she said. "I think it's in the bathroom."

 

[Chaceledon]

The girls were a bit upset, but consented to simply waxing under her arms. The wax was thick and warm, nearly to the point of discomfort, and linen strips were laid along the cooling globs. Faltha let them sit, then violently yanked any hair she had out by the roots. They massaged her, coordinated her outfit, and laid it out to be washed and prepared for her. Thankfully, she was expected to be barefoot, but there were bangles and rings available around her ankles and toes.

Chaceledon reluctantly pulled the scarf down. “I remember. It’s just such an awful wound, and there isn’t enough time for it to heal until tomorrow.” He fingered the cloth, and went into the bathroom. The ointment stank, and he gingerly dabbed it around the wounds. “Ye gods. Smells like feet and mold.” He said in disgust. He was looking forward to a long rest with her, back in his bed where they belonged.

The morning was anything but peaceful. Dragon celebrations were a lengthy affair and they were expected to depart early. Peridot departed at dawn with the sun, and Chaceledon was too nervous to eat breakfast. He put all of his energy into an earthy plum outfit, simple kohl around his eyes, and nervous pacing while Seteta got ready.

Cassius’ estate was deep in the mountains overlooking the desert. The formidable weather forced Chaceledon to land, the wind threatening to whip his long body into the jagged sandstone formations. This was partially by design. With narrow, if well-maintained streets, high altitude, and what amounted to wind tunnels of rock and sand, Cassius restricted other dragons to the ground. Chaceledon was forced to carry Seteta on his back, and walk awkwardly up the mountain. It was only a few miles to the estate, but Chaceledon couldn’t resist sighing in relief as they crossed a granite gate. The wind died down, and Chaceledon feared for a moment he’d gone deaf from the gale. His ears adjusted, and he shifted back to paw his hair back into place.

The courtyard was broad and bowl shaped, carved directly into the mountain. The sandstone was streaked through with bands of crimson, pale yellow and rich umber, creating a natural pattern leading toward the estate’s front door.

Music and voices soon filled the gap left by the wind; by the sound of it the estate was filled with people. Chaceledon could hear the rushed footsteps of servants and the clinking of dishes being served, and the quiet hum of conversation in draconian. He took a deep breath. Cassius’ estate was tucked away but not small by any means. It was merely more spread out to accommodate the natural shape of the mountain. There were at least three stories and ten buildings, all constructed from rich white quartz.

The doorframe leading into the estate was black marble, painstakingly carved to imitate wood screens. They looked so delicate, shyly guarding a pair of massive ironwood doors flung wide toward the courtyard.

Beyond the main house was a set of water gardens, stables, a library, and a separate study. Much like Chaceledon’s own house, there were wide areas set aside for dragons to land upon. Chaceledon frowned at it; was that supposed to be funny? Even he couldn’t fly in that windstorm let alone land on a platform in it!

“Chaceledon!” A familiar voice boomed.

Cassius strode across the courtyard toward him. His brother sported every inch of height Chaceledon had, but his physique was miles different from Hokkaido, Peridot, or even Nica. He was muscular, with broad shoulders and a wide barrel chest. His hands and feet had darkened skin, similar to the points of a Siamese cat, that also brushed the tips of his ears and nose. His white hair was cut short, reminiscent of a modern human style. Chaceledon sucked in a breath; those bright blue eyes were reminiscent of a Volker more than anything.

His dress was anything but traditional; a loose-fitting linen shirt that exposed a pair of tattooed dragons on his chest, a long royal blue coat, and plain riding pants that had Chaceledon’s jaw tightening a little. His brother put so little effort into appearance! Peridot and Hokkaido must have been dying from embarrassment.

He embraced Chaceledon tightly, lifting his far skinnier brother off the ground effortlessly. “Come to dinner! You’re going to waste away like that! What are you, turning into Mother?”

“Just because I don’t stuff my gullet…!” Chaceledon snarled indignantly.

“Hush, or I’ll make you eat a cheese plate.” Cassius snickered, and his eyes fell on Seteta. “I thought we agreed no pets?”

 

[Seteta]

This was a bad idea, Seteta thought, squirming on the bed, as the hot wax was smeared under her arms. It felt almost deceptively soothing but when they finally tore the wax away she swore words that would've made muti scrub her mouth out with sand.

"Never again," she hissed once they were done, fuming silently as they did the rest of their work. It was difficult to relax for the rest of the time, with her underarms smarting fiercely, and she was very relieved eventually when she could slip into a loose nightgown and curl up with Chaceledon in bed.

She slipped into the Well, but only long enough to let Nestor and the others know that she and Chaceledon had safely returned to his estate, and what the immediate plans were the next day. Then with a quiet apology and a promise to come back for a proper lesson after the party with Cassius was over, she vanished out of the Well and snuggled a little closer into Chaceledon's arms as she drifted off to sleep.

The trek up the mountain to Cassius' manor the next day was somewhat miserable. Fortunately Seteta had the foresight to take a coat. The daylight was warm enough with the sand to soak it up, but this late in winter all heat would be lost at a higher elevation. But she hadn't known about the wind just trying to get to the manor. Her headscarf fortunately kept her hair from getting disheveled, but she was still rather chilled by the time Chaceledon crawled into the courtyard.

She slid off his back, shivering lightly. She knew the cold affected him in a different way, but he'd had the advantage of mass as they traveled to the manor. Her own smaller body had a harder time keeping up with the heat it needed to produce while the wind whipped it away just as quickly as she made it.

Her hands fumbled as she took off her coat and headscarf and draped them over her arm, then she shook out her hair to put some volume back in it. Chaceledon was just straightening his own hair when she turned back to him. She smiled softly as he surveyed the area around them.

She almost blended in with the mountain around them in a sleeveless satin gown, with a v-neck that barely dipped between her breasts and a skirt that fell to the floor, that matched the crimson streaks in the sandstone. She didn't wear much jewelry--just the gold hoops for her piercings that she always wore, and some gold bangles at her wrists and ankles, and her engagement ring. Her feet were cold, but she could still feel the quiet thrum of magic through the earth and it settled softly in her bones and let the tension bleed out of her shoulders.

“Chaceledon!” A familiar voice boomed.

Seteta watched, a smile curling the corners of her mouth, as the one who was clearly Cassius greeted her lover. She doubted there was anyone else in existence who would haul him off his feet like that. She winced at the comment about eating, though. It was going to be a long, hard road with that...

“Hush, or I’ll make you eat a cheese plate.” Cassius snickered, and his eyes fell on Seteta. “I thought we agreed no pets?”

At that, she rolled her eyes.

"I know you dragons are... having some problems with your breeding," she said with an arched brow, "but are you all going blind? Do you see a collar or scales under my chin?"

 

[Chaceledon]

Cassius laughed, a hearty and deep sound. “Perhaps I just thought a being as luminous as yourself had to have been planned by a mad genius.” he replied. “You speak draconian very well for someone who isn’t born to it!”

Chaceledon took Seteta’s hand in his own and kissed the back of it, making sure Cassius could see the ring on her finger. The great dragon stepped forward and swept Seteta up into his arms, whirling her about and setting her on the steps to the estate. “And family too! Tell me, did Mother try and kill you in your sleep or just slice at you with that tongue of hers?”

Chaceledon cleared his throat. “Well, I’m glad you’re back, anyway.”

“Please. Killing rodents who can’t fly is a speciality of mine. But I should be saying that to you, little brother. Running off with a zombie…and mother thinks I’m the morbid one. Glad to see you came to your senses. I’ll see you inside…and you,” he nodded to Seteta. “…should meet me in the water gardens so we can gossip.”

Cassius reached out and ruffled Chaceledon’s hair, winked at Seteta, and turned on his heel to go back inside. Chaceledon sputtered angrily, producing a comb from his pocket to try and repair the damage. When he was sufficiently convinced not a hair was out of place, they stepped inside.

There were dragons of all stripes. The remaining ten dahns had come together to greet the prospective heir to Dahn Peridot…and make their case to the dragons’ most eligible bachelor. The outfits chosen were clearly meant to flatter Cassius’ gift with granite; the great hall was a storm of greys, browns, rich silver speckles, and mica accents. Peridot and Hokkaido seemed to be the only exception; both were dressed in bright tones. Peridot in a shimmering green, Hokkaido in deep purples that flashed magenta defiantly when he moved.

Though the hall was simply constructed, there was skill in it. The floor was no mere dead granite; it had been cleansed and purified. Chaceledon could feel his brother’s magic, the resonant voice of the mountains, in every step. The columns had hints of geodes interrupting the pattern; normally Chaceledon would have cut them out to preserve the granite texture. Here, Cassius had made a showcase of them.

Even the long tables to either end of the hall were polished red marble, but without notice of any cracks or imperfections. The tables simply were. Cassius had let the stones dictate the shapes, not imposed his own will on them. Chaceledon settled his hand on a table. It was seen as tacky by everyone in attendance; his brother was known for having no taste. Chaceledon could appreciate his brother’s respect for stones most overlooked.

As predicted, food overflowed. Gigantic roasts teeming with butter and rosemary, whole roasted turkeys and pheasants stuffed in saffron-infused breads. There were mountains of rice in basins big enough to bathe an Inizae child in, all studded with peppers or turmeric. Potatoes broiled in broth steamed welcomingly alongside plates of dumplings, vegetables, and great casques of wine. On the other end of the hall there was a fountain of chocolate that had bits of fruit to be dipped in it. There were little round balls of marzipan, small cakes, and fluffy rounds of angels food. The food had, in grand dragon tradition, been roundly ignored. It would all be thrown away by the end of the night.

Chaceledon found himself frowning at it. This could feed the Inizae for months. The Volker’s would have already made off with the chickens. It seemed so…wasteful, considering that others struggled to survive.

He spotted a few dragons politely carrying small plates, each with perhaps a single dumpling or ounce of rice. That would be the meal for the entire night. The rest would be filled with wine. As a member of the welcoming family, Chaceledon was expected to restrain himself from such frivolities. He caught Peridot eyeing him, and moved away from the dinner table.

Chaceledon could see some of the sparring matches taking place. The dragons vying for Cassius hand were ignoring him, posing strategically around the room to catch the best light, sneaking extra dumplings on the plates of their enemies, and chatting up Peridot. Peridot practically had to shove them aside to come and embrace Chaceledon.

“Now don’t you embarrass your brother. I’m trying to get him married tonight, but without a nehmaji I fear it’s hopeless. Their offers are so low. Can you believe Dahn Hedoni only offered fifteen hundred slaves? What am I to do with that? Dahn Agrys is trying but that daughter of theirs is so fat I don’t know how they haven’t quietly shoved her on the market wagon with the pigs. Speaking of which, dear, you’re carrying in the face again. Lemon water only, unless you want another chin.” Peridot groused, with a scathing look at the aforementioned fat daughter. Chaceledon felt a twinge of anger; she was skinnier than Seteta was!

Peridot looked at Seteta, and gave a reluctant nod of the head. “You look…acceptable.” she said snidely, and swept past them to speak to a tall dragon in slate grey.

Chaceledon blinked. Had that been a compliment?

 

[Seteta]

Seteta rolled her eyes again though with a fond smile as Chaceledon kissed her hand and not-so-subtly showed off her ring. She gave a little yelp, though, when Cassius grabbed her and whirled her about.

"Just her tongue... so far," Seteta answered. "But I think the fact that I was the one who brought Chaceledon home will keep her from actually trying to kill me."

She made no promise other than a curious glance when Cassius told her to meet him in the water gardens. It was clear that Chaceledon felt intimidated by his brother, and while their relationship was not necessarily on quite as stable footing after the incident with Rheinhard, she didn't want to violate some unspoken rule of dragon culture.

Seteta couldn't help biting back a laugh as Cassius ruffled Chaceledon's hair, though. She helped him straighten his hair, then slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow as they entered the manor side-by-side.

She stayed quiet as she looked around the hall, letting Chaceledon guide her through the place. An attendant took her coat and she thanked them quietly. She quickly spotted Peridot and Hokkaido, but made no move to approach them on her own. If she was lucky, Hokkaido would ignore her existence tonight.

If she weren't surrounded by a multitude of dragons-who-didn't-look-like-dragons, it would be easy to sink into the inherent magic of the place, and she wondered if anyone besides Chaceledon could guess that leaving her barefoot in a place like this would be their downfall if anyone actually tried to harm her. Or him. She didn't even have to think of the magic to have it plucking at her senses.

But if her magical senses were bursting, her physical senses were practically assaulted by the food. Her mouth watered at the scents, though half of the stuff she didn't even recognize. But it was certainly enough food to feed her tribe for half a year... if not more.

If a feast like this was laid out before the Inizae, it was certain to be consumed, down to the last crumb, before dawn.

When Peridot made her way over, Seteta slipped her hand from Chaceledon's arm and let them embrace. The Dahn matriarch was clearly not speaking to her, but she still listened closely, especially when Dahn Agrys was mentioned, glancing subtly over to see the daughter, and perhaps any other members of the dahn lingering nearby. They were the ones she would have to impress in just under three months, after all.

She couldn't help but feel the weight of Peridot's gaze on her a moment later, though, and Seteta quietly met her eyes then bowed her head deeply. "Thank you," she murmured, a quiet smile flickering at the corners of her mouth, though Peridot had already turned away and moved on.

"Let's get some food, sehejib," Seteta said softly, tugging on his sleeve to pull him out of his stupor. "I'm a greedy mammal, so you can sneak things off my plate if you're hungry."

As she picked up a plate and looked over the food offerings, she kept quietly scanning the crowd of dragons. She unashamedly filled her plate, and was surprised at one point when a fair-skinned dragon with teal eyes and hair as dark as her own smiled quietly at her from across the room.

"Do you know who she is?" Seteta asked Chaceledon, gesturing toward the dragon with delicate hitch of her chin. "She doesn't seem as... stoic as the others."

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon saw her looking, and quietly touched Seteta on the back. “I wouldn’t touch the food.” he said quietly. He wanted to help her fit in. The dragons were already giving her strange looks for being among them with no collar, and now she was actually eating? Filling her plate no less! Chaceledon spotted a few of the dragons watching her with interest. One Seteta pointed out with a chin wag that had his stomach drop.

It was rude to gesture at someone. “I’m not sure. Mother would know. She’s someone far younger…” he whispered, unsure. Gods, had he been out of social circles for that long? Peridot was chatting up every eligible woman in the room, spurning others by pretending they didn’t exist. Others were communicating their worth to Peridot by turning away when she came to initiate conversation. By initiating on their footing and not hers, it showed she needed to prove herself.

He pulled his eyes away from the teal-eyed dragon and caught his mother looking at him. Yes, Peridot wanted her for Cassius, and she’d be damned if the youngest son with the elf fixation caught her eyes first. Thankfully, Chaceledon had no interest in that. A conversation, yes. Getting entangled in draconian marriage negotiations? Absolutely not.

Cassius was talking animatedly with other male dragons, though he outsized most if not all of them. Chaceledon leaned in to kiss Seteta’s cheek. “Now remember. Don’t be too sassy. This is your first time in society. Everything sends a message.” he whispered, and drew away temporarily. He had to help Peridot break the ice to some of these women, and he was well aware of his beauty. He strode up to the teal-eyed woman Seteta had pointed out, and proceeded to ignore her, engaging another in conversation. Hopefully he’d pull her in.

“Cassius tells me you speak Draconian very well.” A voice came from Seteta’s left. He was a sterner, older dragon whose hair was swiftly going white. Though dragons weren’t given to wrinkles, his skin wasn’t as vibrant and scales poked through along his cheeks and jaw. His transformations were clearly becoming less…neat. He smiled, nodding to the food on the table. “I’m glad to see someone appreciates the efforts of Dahn Agrys. Harrier, Dahnesh of Dahn Agrys.”

 

[Seteta]

"I'm not going to pretend to be something I'm not," Seteta told Chaceledon quietly but firmly as she scooped a third dumpling onto her plate.

She wouldn't crudely shove food into her mouth in front of them all, but she wasn't going to hide the fact that she needed to eat either.

"Hmm," she murmured curiously when Chaceledon admitted he didn't know the other dragoness, but anything else she was going to say was quickly forgotten as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"I'll be polite," she promised before he stepped away.

Her eyes lingered on Chaceledon as he began his social game, but she didn't want stare for too long. Fortunately, a diversion arrived quickly.

“Cassius tells me you speak Draconian very well.” A voice came from Seteta’s left.

She turned toward the speaker with a smile, eyes widening for just a moment at his obvious age. None of the Inizae ever grew that old in appearance... Amphetrion was the oldest she'd seen. And she'd become so used to the dragons appearing as ageless as the fae that it was... surprising.

He smiled, nodding to the food on the table. “I’m glad to see someone appreciates the efforts of Dahn Agrys. Harrier, Dahnesh of Dahn Agrys.”

"Cassius has had the pleasure of hearing me speak two entire sentences," Seteta replied, "and I am a very new student. So if I make a grave error, please forgive me."

Gesturing toward the platters of food with her free hand, she said, "It all smells and looks incredible. I'm sure it will taste just as delicious.

"I hope it is not rude to ask... but should I address you by your name, or as Dahnesh? Will you do me the honor of telling me about the different dishes that your dahn prepared for tonight?"

---

Hyssop snorted softly as Chaceledon--everyone knew who he was, especially her own mother--made as if to come speak with her and then diverted another way. She knew Draconian social ploys and despised them. But her father was around somewhere, as well as her older brother, and so she wouldn't shun the unspoken rules so early on.

She'd heard there was an elf too. One that Peridot was less than pleased about, especially since it seemed there was some sort of debt that Peridot owed her.

The gossip mills were churning already, and it hadn't even been a month since the presumed-dead son's return. If she was stuck at this gods-forsaken party, then at least it would be interesting.

It was fascinating, though. Cassius and this elf seemed to be the healthiest creatures in the room. She would almost be willing to wed Cassius if she wasn't certain he had a lover on the side somewhere.

As Harrier approached the elf, Hyssop turned, the skirts of her gray-blue robes swishing against the stone floor.

"Try harder," she murmured to Chaceledon as she walked past him and headed toward the chocolate fountain. She wanted some of that marzipan.

 

[Chaceledon]

Harrier chuckled. “Feel free to call me Harrier. Knowing this language, two entire sentences is indeed impressive. You’re doing well. Don’t be surprised if the others speak to you in Common.” he nodded to the table. “Dahn Agrys has raised and grown everything here. And don’t worry…” he leaned in conspiratorially. “I have everything given to the servants and pigs.” He didn’t touch the food himself. Though he admired and appreciated it, he was just as underweight as the rest of them. Perhaps more so due to his age.

“There are dumplings made with our rice flour and pork, with generous amounts of jara peppers. Dragons enjoy feeding the fire within; our food can be quite inhospitable to mammals. Rice can aid in quenching the fires. The wine is from our mulberry orchards, aged quite a few decades. The cocoa for the chocolate was fairly tricky…I had to have a few Sunlanders show me the secrets of roasting and milling it. What better intersection of the earth, water and fire than cooking?”

Harrier pointed out each dish. The turkeys from his own private breeding line. The ducks from his estate. Chickens he had bred for fine bone structure and muscle. Harrier was clearly proud of every single bit of it, though he touched not a crumb.

“I hear you’re performing for my granddaughter’s ceremony to welcome our new little one.” He began, settling a small assortment of spiced curry buns on her plate. They were barely the length of a thumb, clearly in entreaty to the diets of the dragons there, but had been untouched.

_____________________________

Chaceledon didn’t give any indication he’d heard her, but he followed her with his ears as she went to the dessert table. Dessert! Even getting near the table to sniff the sugar was seen as some sort of desire to be overweight. The women in particular avoided it like there was a manure wagon in the room.

Peridot approached her son and fussed over his hair a moment. “She’s not a very social creature. You may have to be a bit more direct with her. Just…for the gods’ sake don’t touch that dessert table.” she whispered.

Chaceledon quietly approached Hyssop, looking over the table. It seemed such an utter waste. Not a person here would touch such things…would they? “Some things certainly haven’t changed.” he muttered, and popped a sugared cherry in his mouth. Damn it all.

He could practically feel his mother staring.

 

[Seteta]

"I am under strict instruction from my tutor to speak Draconian only," Seteta sighed. "Even if the others greet me in Common, I will reply in Draconian, unless I am at a complete loss for words."

She did her best to match Harrier's pace as he practically gave her a tour of the dishes. A quiet, delighted laugh escaped her when he confided that the leftovers were given a second chance and not tossed in the refuse.

"You are a good man," she said with a wink.

When he mentioned the jara peppers, she couldn't help but smile a little secretly, remembering that morning traveling through Falwood when she'd kissed the dried peppers off Chaceledon's tongue.

"I think you'll find me as much a creature of the desert as any dragon is," Seteta said. "My people use a fair amount of heat in their dishes as well. Rice can help cut the spice, but so does something sweet. We have a fondness for a strong black tea steeped with warming spices and served with milk and honey.

"I am unfamiliar with this... cocoa and chocolate, though." Seteta confessed looking around curiously to see which things they might be. It was difficult to tell.

“I hear you’re performing for my granddaughter’s ceremony to welcome our new little one.” He began, settling a small assortment of spiced curry buns on her plate.

"I am," Seteta confirmed. "It is... the challenge Hokkaido issued me for Chaceledon's hand." She looked down at the tiny buns Harrier had added to her plate, and curiously picked one up.

"I do not wish to... usurp the celebration with my challenge though," Seteta continued. "And... forgive me, it was hard to tell, is the little one your granddaughter, or your granddaughter's child? Will you tell me about them?"

As she waited for Harrier to speak, Seteta turned her face aside and carefully took a bite of the curry bun, thoughtfully chewing it.

"It's very good!" she exclaimed after she swallowed.

---

Hyssop could see her father scowling from across the room as she selected a piece of marzipan and delicately dipped it into the chocolate fountain. Chaceledon followed her over and had just arrived when she pulled the sweet out and popped it in her mouth.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as Chaceledon looked over the desserts, before finally selecting a cherry for himself.

Hyssop subtly glanced back at Peridot.

"If looks could kill, I believe your mother just murdered you."

 

[Chaceledon]

“Well I might just be an old reptile, but we were cut from the same cloth once, you and I. To have an Inizae in these halls again…the stones must sing to you as they do for Cassius.” Harrier said with a fond smile. “Come, we must rectify the absence of chocolate in your life. Cocoa and chilies have turned out to have quite the blissful marriage. It’s a bit bitter, but I’m experimenting with cutting it with milk and sugarcane. A change that might offend the Sunlanders; they take it bitter.”

The old dragon gestured with a hand for her to follow him toward the dessert tables. He walked slowly, purposefully. He wasn’t as strong as Cassius or even Chaceledon anymore, but he carried himself well. “Ah, so Hokkaido is trying to cut you loose. You’ll have to be clever to make such music, but if anyone could do it, it would be an Inizae. My granddaughter has birthed a daughter, a pretty little thing with golden hair and grey eyes. Icleer is the father, and the man I intend to hand my Dahn to. Come, chocolate first.”

Harrier delicately swept a small square of shortbread into a napkin, and set her plate in a bare spot on the table. He offered her the sweet, and gestured to the chocolate fountain. “Please.”

_____________________

It worked, at the cost of a very high calorie treat. Chaceledon smiled tolerantly at Hyssop. “Your father and my mother would make such a pair. You think their faces will stick like that?” he asked. He could see Agrys’ Dahnesh speaking with Seteta; the old man had taken a liking to her.

That also meant Icleer was looking at her as though planning exactly where to stick a blade. Harrier was slowly being pushed out of society; the invites would soon trickle away and his name would be quietly forgotten. Icleer would replace him, without ceremony, and that would be that.

Much how Cassius would eventually destroy Hokkaido and Peridot.

 

[Seteta]

"A... great-granddaughter, then," Seteta mused, momentarily switching to Common. She hadn't learned all the terms for familial relations yet. Then she switched back to Draconian. "What a blessing for you. There are not many of my people who live to see their grandchildren's children."

She was happy to walk leisurely at Harrier's side, and the dessert tables smelled sweet and heady as they neared. Her eyes twinkled for a moment when she saw Chaceledon nearby, but she wasn't going to interrupt his... manueverings.

When Harrier set her plate aside and handed her the... something, then gestured toward the fountain, she mimicked what she'd seen the dragoness do a few moments ago and stuck the bit of bread into the strange brown syrup flowing from the fountain. A bit got on her finger tips, and it was warm and slick.

With a smile at Harrier, she brought the chocolate-coated shortbread to her lips, and carefully bit into it.

The taste exploded on her tongue. The shortbread was delicate and tasted like butter, but the chocolate... She had no words to describe it. Rich and silky, she eagerly chewed and swallowed and then sucked the bits of chocolate off her fingertips.

"It's amazing," she breathed. "But I can see what you mean about the bitterness. It's not overpowering though."

They should definitely step away from the chocolate fountain though or she would violate several rules of Draconian decorum.

She retrieved her plate and, with a quick smile at Chaceledon, stepped back to Harrier's side. "You mentioned Inizae in this halls before," she spoke, curious. "Did they help to build this place?"

She was dying to ask about expectations for the Nameday Dance... but she didn't want to give Hokkaido grounds to think she was attempting to cheat, either.

But there was something else she was curious about too.

"Do you... remember?" She asked hesitantly. "When my people were still rulers? We've lost a lot of our history over the millennia. I would treasure anything that you recall."

---

"Your mother's certainly will," Hyssop giggled, though she was watching the sand elf at the same time, in what was clearly the female's first encounter with chocolate. "My father, though, will forgive me as soon as I kiss him on the cheek and ask about his patients of the day."

Hyssop turned a scrutinizing eye on Chaceledon then.

"Speaking of patients, whatever could have happened to your nose?"

 

[Chaceledon]

Harrier chuckled at her reaction. “The Inizae didn’t build this place. When young dragons grow older, parents help them with their first estate. Cassius and Peridot built this together. The estate expands over the years, and will be given to his children when and if he has them. I wouldn’t put Peridot above drugging him and marrying him off; he’s been as infamously hard to control as Chaceledon.” he smiled knowingly. He looked wistful, thoughtful.

“Oh yes. I remember your people well. Agrys is one of the oldest Dahns next to Hedoni and Oolong. I remember your cities used to sprawl as greatly as ours. Most of it reclaimed by the sand and wind. I still go there at times to pray…these young things think me a silly old fool. All of us, really. Seikilos, Dahna of Hedoni, does as well. I think we will be the last to do so.” Harrier shook his head a bit. “Abtatu just waits for us to return home.”

Cassius disentangled himself from a small mob of well-wishers, and waved to Seteta. “Committing social suicide early?” he teased, with a nod toward Harrier. The older dragon returned the nod, and took his cue to leave. Cassius offered her an arm. “I thought I’d rescue you from the old man, and myself from any marriage proposals.”

_________________________

Chaceledon pursed his lips, and lifted his chin. He knew he should have worn a face covering with this dreadful nose! “I don’t quite know what you’re referring to.” he said lightly. “How do you know my brother? Or did my mother invite you with the rest of the vultures?” he eyed a few of the girls glaring daggers at Seteta.

 

[Seteta]

"I did not know there were any dragons who every prayed to Abtatu," Seteta murmured, her footsteps stilling for a moment. "Let alone any that still do. My mother will be coming in a few weeks, to help me with the Nameday preparations. She is High Priestess. Would you like to meet her?"

Seteta was a little dismayed, though, when Cassius... interrupted, though she did her best not to let it show.

"Go in peace, amit," she bid farewell to Harrier quietly in Inizae, using an ancient blessing and honorific. If he remembered her people's height of glory in the sands, he would likely have some familiarity with the words.

"I hardly need rescuing," Seteta sniffed lightly, though her smile was teasing as she accepted Cassius' arm. "If giving an elder due respect makes me an outcast, then I will happily endure it."

She eyed the room warily. "Somehow, though, I think being seen in your company is the greater... social suicide," she said wryly. The angered looks of jealousy were ridiculous. "Didn't they see me come in on your brother's arm?"

---

Hyssop sighed. She'd hoped that since he'd been away for... so long, and was apparently fancying marriage to a sand elf, of all things, that Chaceledon was above the ridiculous Draconian social games. But apparently not.

"You're favoring your left foot too," Hyssop observed, though she kept her voice quiet. "I hardly think it's nothing."

When he asked about Cassius, she just shrugged. "I know him in passing. He's a bit too airheaded for my preferences, but at least he's physically healthy. If Peridot had failed to invite us, though, my mother would have made sure she never got her hands on decent china or glassware again."

 

[Chaceledon]

Harrier smiled. “It’s an old religion, even to us, and sometimes I’m not sure if the god even hears us anymore. Just three old serpents praying to a silent god. I’d very much like to meet your mother, but I’m afraid it will have to be after the Nameday. I can’t be handing Hokkaido an excuse. Have a good evening, Seteta.” He watched her for a moment as Cassius swept her away, then returned to his daughter. Peridot was eyeing the poor girl. It was nice not to feel…mad. Dragons didnt pray anymore. They didn’t sink their toes into the sand or play in the moonlight. They were so concerned with who had done what that week. He sighed; Seteta was a refreshing breath of air. He made a mental note to pray for her success. She wouldn’t have an easy road.


Cassius chuckled. “I know. But you don’t want to damage your reputation so soon. Your reputation is Chaceledon’s reputation, and when you found a Dahn together it’s always preferred to work with the dahna, even if she is of another race. You’re stuck with us.“ he teased. “Trust me, all anyone can talk about is the idea that an elf is performing in a dragon Nameday. That strange old religion Harrier is bound to is got to be the reason they’re letting you. Its all anyone can talk about other than wild speculations about me strangling Hokkaido in his sleep.”

He winked and waved at the women as he walked with Seteta. The looks flipped from glaring daggers at her to flirtatiously posing so swiftly that Cassius had to bite back a grin. “I come back from fighting my father’s little wars and Mother is already trying to frogmarch me into having grandchildren. I see she’s already roped your fiancé into helping.”

The dragon led her toward the rear doors of the hall, and sighed in relief when he closed them behind them. He pulled off half the jewelry he’d worn for the occasion and tossed them on a side table, then took her arm again. “My woman and I both wanted to talk to you, anyway. About the wedding. And since you’re absolutely terrible at taking hints…I thought I’d let them sweat in there without anyone to impress.”

Cassius led her down the hallway and through a set of glass paned doors. They emerged not into bare stone, but a jungle. Thick loamy soil surrounded them, enriched and almost black. Glass above them kept the humidity high, and the tinkle of water from several fountains rushed through their ears.
Foliage was at every turn. Monstera crowded the ceiling closest to the house, showing off ripe fruit and soft yellow flowers. Vanilla pods clustered around the edges of the greenhouse; the vines were crowded and kept the curious from looking on. Orchids bloomed around the footpath and along specific branches planted for them.

Cassius shed the outer layer of his robe and, lacking anywhere clean to put it, threw it on the monstera’s vine. “Baylock! I brought her.” he called.

 

[Seteta]

Abtatu hears... Seteta couldn't help but watch Harrier as he walked away, and she wished she'd had the chance to say it where he could hear. I promise, Abtatu hears.

"There are too many rules," Seteta sulked when Cassius teased her. "Being polite and courteous to someone shouldn't be cause for becoming a social outcast. No wonder you lot have so many problems."

She couldn't help but giggle, though, when Cassius teased his... hopeful future spouses. "Careful with switching between your two faces, ladies," she murmured quietly as they passed. "You'll strain something."

She sighed when he mentioned Chaceledon. "I think he missed it, honestly," she said as she was led deeper into the manor. "Let him have his fun. But where are you taking me? It seems like they'll all talk about this just as much as Harrier, if not more."

She paused an arched a brow at Cassius. "Your woman? And what about the wedding? It's not even certain yet."

When they stepped through the glass doors, Seteta gaped in awe. "How is it wetter in here than it was in Falwood?" she gasped.

"Baylock?" she murmured, following Cassius.

 

[Chaceledon]

“Oh I’ve no doubt he missed it. Your fiancé was once the darling of dragon society and he sure hasn’t forgotten it.” Cassius shook his head. “I was never into all that. You know as well as I do when Chaceledon commits to something he does it whole heartedly. One way or another, it’ll happen.”

He chuckled when she pointed out the humidity and pointed at the glass ceiling. “Lets warmth in but keeps the water in as well.” he pointed out. There was a distinctive garden path, but it wasn’t separated from the earth. The earth had been carefully cultivated here, moss growing on the stones and earth piled onto the bare rock. Far beneath them, she could still feel the desert.

Cassius led them through the thick foliage, past rhododendrons and ferns, toward a deep pond. A woman was resting on a stone ledge overlooking the water. Female trolls were long of limb, and she was a good twelve feet tall if she was an inch. Though her face was still long and angular, as all trolls were, she had bright mossy eyes and a smile teasing at her lips. She was dressed simply, in linen robes held shut by a sash of green cloth.

“Baylock, this is Seteta. Seteta, Baylock. I told you the rumors were true about my brother.” Cassius introduced them, and smiled at the woman.

Baylock inclined her head toward Seteta. “It’s good to meet you, at last. I wasn’t sure Cassius would feel comfortable giving up such a deep secret, but I wanted to meet you.” She rose and stepped around the edge of the pond, embracing Cassius. She easily dwarfed the dragon, even as tall as he was.

“Please don’t tell my brother yet. He’d lose it. So would my mother.” Cassius sighed and leaned his head against Baylock’s chest.

_________________________

Chaceledon made a point of settling weight on his foot…even if it hurt to do so. “I assure you, I’m in good health. My brother may seem a bit airheaded but he’s a very good businessman. He’s kind, as well, if a bit full of himself.” he glanced around. Cassius had vanished, as had Seteta. He frowned a bit. He hoped his brother wasn’t intimidating her too much.

“I don’t think my mother invited you out of fear of losing glassware. You’re an ideal match for my brother. Your Dahn has decent social standing, you’re easy on the eyes and the right age…I’d expect your parents have gotten a few letters from Peridot already.”

 

[Seteta]

Seteta inhaled deeply as she followed Cassius. The air was thick and humid but it smelled earthy in a way the desert never could, and the fertile soil was soft beneath her bare feet.

She gawked at the glass roof he pointed out, but just a few moments later her jaw dropped open again at the sight of Baylock.

Seteta nodded in response to Baylock's greeting.

She's like Marahute, Seteta thought, but sighed and shook her head incredulously as Cassius asked her to keep the secret.

"I understand wanting to keep the secret from Peridot, I don't think Chaceledon will be as... bothered as you think he might be."

Then she smiled up at Baylock, who easily--literally--twice her height. "It's wonderful to meet you as well. Cassius said you wanted to discuss the wedding?"

---

Hyssop refrained from snorting incredulously. Barely. She saw Chaceledon hold in a wince as he settled his left foot on the ground.

He was so far from healthy it was ridiculous.

"I'd wager good money that your brother already has a lover," Hyssop said. "And I won't be second fiddle to anyone. My parents would agree to that as well. If Cassius were to pursue me of his own volition, I might consider a marriage, but right now it's not likely.

"And you are far from healthy. If you hope to have children with that elf of yours, you're going to have to stop listening to your mother and put on some weight. A lot of it. Otherwise your seed will be too weak to take, no matter how healthy she is."

Hyssop stuck another piece of marzipan into the chocolate fountain and popped it in her mouth.

"How's your temperature?" She asked after she swallowed. He probably had a hard time staying warm. And she was willing to bet, as well, that using magic exhausted him. "And your magic? Any dizzy spells?"

 

[Chaceledon]

Baylock smiled and shook her head a bit, brushing back a mane of thick black hair. “A pretty elf is one thing. Especially someone native here who understands the stones. A woman of the water not so much.” She pointed out.

Cassius pursed his lips. “I’d rather you not. My brother has changed in many ways, but I can’t help but think of how the Chaceledon of old would react and that man would have marched straight to Hokkaido to demand I be made hedahn.” he rubbed at the bridge of his nose. “There are other considerations.”

“You’re a much harder problem to get rid of. All they’d have to do is break the glass.” Baylock pointed out. “But enough of me. The wedding! How did you and Chaceledon meet? I met Cassius on the battlefield.”

“Clever girl used clay to knock me out of the sky and cool me down. By the time I hit the ground I was already losing strength. I admit, I was ready to kill her but there’s something about having that sort of courage that’s extremely attractive.” Cassius said with a wry grin.

Baylock waved a hand at him dismissively. “Go back to those skinny, short things lusting after your title.” She huffed playfully. She was indeed a far cry from the draconian women aiming to get Cassius’ attention. She was muscular and lean, but not skinny.

___________________

Chaceledon stared at Hyssop. The impudence! The nerve! The uncouthness of it all accusing him of not being able to father a clutch! He set his teeth. He was perfectly fine! What was with everyone’s obsession over getting him to gain weight?

“Are you being obscene on purpose?!” He hissed. “I am feeling just fine! Seteta has no complaints about my abilities let me reassure you.”

Dizzy spells? Yes. He had been having those as of late. Ever since they’d gotten off the road actually. Headaches and some stomach sourness. “Whether or not I get dizzy isnt the point. My point is you’ll have to match with someone eventually. If we can assure his loyalty would that pique your interest?”

 

[Seteta]

"If they were determined, they would just need to take me out with that fire of theirs," Seteta pointed out to Baylock as she searched out a comfy rock to settle on that wouldn't dirty her dress. "Or just swallow me whole. Hokkaido is already trying to get rid of me. I just... happen to have some leverage with Peridot."

She owes me for bringing Chaceledon back and she knows it, Seteta thought. And if I had to, though I hope I don't, I can always let it slip that Chaceledon going missing was planned by Hokkaido. I should have kept that blasted letter Oor tried to show me.

"I don't blame you for being cautious," Seteta told Cassius. "But I think you should get to know who your brother is now before making assumptions about where he stands on something. Because the Chaceledon I know happily embraced Carnelia and invited her and her husband to stay with us when we encountered them by chance in Pedeo, without a care that she is hedahn."

She couldn't help but smile at Baylock's and Cassius' brief story, though. "I think the males of Dahn Peridot simply have a thing for strong, independent women," she laughed quietly, crossing her legs on the rock. "I met Chaceledon in Falwood. I needed something more suitable to that climate than my desert linens, and he was selling some old clothes. We got to talking, and eventually he asked for help getting back to the sands.

"For some insane reason, I agreed to help."

---

Hyssop couldn't help but smile mischievously. "I am a physician," she stated with a shrug, "and there is nothing obscene about normal bodily functions. However, just because your little elf finds your virility satisfactory doesn't mean that your fertility is adequate. You should both come for an exam before your wedding. It's going to be challenging enough trying to breed with a mammal. You should make sure there's nothing else complicating things."

Then she arched a brow. "So you are having dizzy spells. Is it happening when you shift back and forth?"

She sighed and shrugged when Chaceledon mentioned Cassius again though. "Honestly, my parents still haven't decided if it will be Hickory--my brother--or myself inheriting Dahn Prunella yet. It seems a little counterproductive to throw in my lot to be the dahna of Dahn Peridot when I'm a physician by trade.

"Doesn't it seem strange to you," she said, changing the subject and gesturing at the tables of food. "That we are carnivores by nature, yet we're eating mostly nuts and grains and sweets?"

 

[Chaceledon]

“Oh they’ll try and do it quietly. Violence isn’t seen as something the well bred do in the open. As for eating you…too many calories. If you’ve seen them eating more than a rabbit’s worth of food in a day I’d be shocked.” Baylock huffed.

Cassius kissed Baylock’s cheek. “I have to eat to keep up with you.” he said playfully. “Just…keep it a secret, Seteta. Our sister is one thing. A troll might ruin not only my reputation, but Peridot might throw herself into the ocean. Just do me this one favor?”

Baylock looked the elf over. “Isn’t it odd? Dragons, I mean. I heard stories of big brutal lizards who would eat entire herds of cattle overnight.”

“If the old ones are to be believed there was once a time we were one of the most numerous creatures in the desert. But I’m not sure how true that is given their weird stories…” Cassius shrugged. “I’m glad you got my brother away from that creature, Seteta. I’ll never know what he was thinking.”

_____________________________

“Ah yes, I’d love to have my bits prodded at before my wedding night. I’m sorry, madam, but the only one touching me is Seteta or an aesthetician.” Chaceledon said indignantly. Well he had been a bit dizzy when changing forms…he hadn’t wanted to worry Seteta but he’d begun having small headaches. It wasn’t wholly unheard of among his people; he just needed to rest.

“Well, think of it this way…less chance of your sibling poisoning your tea to ensure he becomes dahnesh. You’d be surprised the way families intertwine. Navigation and minerals,” he nodded to his parents. “Medicine and mining. Who knows? Perhaps some of my brother’s mines in the deep jungles need some medicinal plants moved.”

He was desperate to get off the subject of himself and Seteta. He was worried about their children. Children came out hideously fat and Seteta did love to eat. But as long as they had her brains, he couldn’t complain.

 

[Seteta]

Seteta giggled, mostly to keep herself from huffing and grunting with frustration. "I've caught Chaceledon throwing up after a meal before. They would swallow me whole and just wait till I was dead to regurgitate me."

She sighed and shook her head, though, when Cassius pleaded once more for her to keep the secret. How could Peridot not be thrilled for either of her sons? She didn't understand it. "It's your secret to tell," she said. "I won't say anything. But I do think you should tell at least Chaceledon, sooner rather than later. I don't think he fully knows how to have a relationship with you, and it might help knowing that he's not the only one going against Draconian tradition."

Then she snorted. "Well, he did admit that he was really not thinking when he got involved with Oor like that but..."

Gods, should she tell Cassius? That Hokkaido handed Chaceledon to Oor on a silver platter. Was that sort of intervention actually permissible among their kind? Maybe saying something would just make her look naive and foolish.

Seteta bit her lip, winced as she caught the new piercing, and looked down at her lap.

"Well, he's home now," she said at last. "That's what matters, right?"

---

"We can work with that," Hyssop smirked. "Seteta can procure the... necessary sample."

She rolled her eyes when he mentioned poisoning, though. "I know we dragons are rather barbaric and ridiculous at times, but Dahn Prunella are physicians. I don't know what it was like when you lived among us regularly, but in the more recent millennia, we physicians take oaths to do no harm. Poisoning a sibling would be a way to ensure one never inherited Dahn Prunella.

"You need to eat more protein," Hyssop nodded back at the tables. Chaceledon was trying to keep his thoughts behind a poker face, but he had little hitches and tells whenever something she said hit the mark. "As I said, we're carnivores by nature. The amount of rice we eat is detrimental and can't sustain our inner fire."

 

[Chaceledon]

“Perhaps. Perhaps this family really is cursed.” Cassius chuckled sourly. Baylock reached over and punched him in the shoulder. “Ow! Easy!” He rubbed at his arm, but there was more admiration than malice in the look he gave Baylock.

The troll might have been rambunctious but she didn’t miss a trick. “But…?” She trailed off, eyeing Seteta. There was something more to it than a dragon just running off with a member of the undead. Something Seteta wasn’t telling them.

“At least he’s home. I was hoping Mother would get off my back a bit but it looks like she’s more determined than ever to get grandchildren.” Cassius smirked. “Well…grandchildren she approves of. It’s good to have him back.”

“Given any thought to the ceremony? You know it’s tradition the man’s family pays for the wedding. In true draconian fashion…this is also when the funds of the other household are tested.” Baylock winked. “You could ask for anything. Anything. They’d have to fulfill it or admit they’re poor providers.”

“Hah! Mother wouldn’t stop telling us about her wedding when we were younger. She had Hokkaido’s Dahn make enormous desserts of spun sugar, rose petals everywhere, gemstones for wedding favors, and had everyone’s invitations delivered in an encrusted silver egg. Her mother in law was about to skin her for a rug.” Cassius laughed.

_____________________________

Chaceledon smiled thinly. “Of course, I’m sure you wouldn’t dream of such horrors.” Not believing a syllable of it, of course. What was a dragon without intrigue and a knife in the back? That would be like asking a human not to tinker or a gryphon to be humble. Some things would never leave them.

“Did you come here to diagnose everyone? Meat is fatty. There’s a bit in the dumplings but not everyone runs around horking down fistfuls of meat like a disobedient hatchling…or my brother.” Chaceledon attempted to steer the conversation yet again. Where the hell was Cassius? He could see Peridot scanning the hall. Where was Seteta for that matter?

“You and Cassius would get along. You’re both rather stubborn.” he muttered under his breath.

 

[Seteta]

"I honestly haven't thought much about the ceremony yet," Seteta confessed. "I figured I'd get through the Nameday dance first. But... Chaceledon has mentioned some things. And I think he expects to have a wedding that's completely Draconian. He hasn't asked about my people's customs at all."

She would speak up to him about it when the time grew closer. And they'd talked some about Inizae weddings, in passing. She just... wasn't sure how well meshing a Draconian wedding and an Inizae wedding would go.

She didn't want to bring down the mood, though... and they had been gone a while now.

"We should probably get back soon," she said to Cassius, "if you truly intend for Baylock to go undiscovered. Chaceledon is bound to come looking for us soon."

---

Hyssop just smiled sweetly. There were a thousand different ways to knock someone out of the running for the dahn without physically harming them. But she and Hickory were also still too focused on their own specialties right now to worry about that. It would be several thousand years yet before her father would be retiring, anyway.

"It's a bit of an occupational hazard," Hyssop confessed. "Sometimes... I do get out of hand. But you were actually willing to discuss some of it, so I pressed."

When he mentioned the dumplings, though, she sharply arched a brow and nodded toward the stuffed turkeys and pheasants. "Meat isn't inherently fatty, especially fowl. Eat a breast or a drumstick. It has far more nutrients for you than that candied cherry you ate earlier. You don't want to fall down the mountain carrying your bride-to-be after the party, after all."

She couldn't help but giggle when he compared her to Cassius, though.

"You're one to talk," she retorted. "You've definitely got a stubborn streak of your own."

 

[Chaceledon]

Baylock cocked an eyebrow. “We had two separate ceremonies. A very old dragon ceremony, in private, and a trollish ceremony with my family. Perhaps you could do the same..?” She suggested. She tugged Seteta into an embrace; she smelled slightly sweet and musty, like flowers on the edge of decomposing. “You’ll do fine. It was good to meet you, Seteta.” Baylock patted her, and Cassius nodded back toward the house.

Peridot practically rushed them the moment they came out of the hallway. “What are you doing?! Running off with your brother’s…” she eyed Seteta, not quite having a word to describe it. “…the ladies were waiting for you. And your brother is trying very hard to talk you up to Hyssop. The least you could do is not run off.”

Cassius folded his arms in a shrug. “I wanted to see who my brother was marrying. I can’t meet anyone properly with people breathing down my neck.” he leaned over and kissed Peridot’s forehead. “I’ll play nice.” He made for the gaggle of women doing their best to look disinterested.

“I do want grandchildren eventually.” Peridot hissed after him, then her gaze fell on Seteta again. “You smell like a fish pond. Fix that.”

Chaceledon looked relieved to see Seteta return, and in one piece. “I really am not hungry. Trust me, I’d sooner die than see she comes to harm. I’m not about to pass out.” he told Hyssop firmly. “At least…speak to my brother? For me? Peridot won’t stop hounding either of you until she sees you talk.”

Him? Eating chicken? Much less an entire drumstick? He had to admit it smelled good. Harrier had outdone himself ensuring Cassius had a good welcome home, and brought pride to Agrys. He couldn’t. He’d already eaten the cherry and Peridot looked ready to reach down his throat and fish for it.

Thankfully he did see a godsend. Small chalk tablets at the end of the table. He gratefully slid one into his mouth and downed it with a small amount of water. That would remove temptation at least for a little while.

 

[Seteta]

"I've suggested two ceremonies," Seteta said as Baylock embraced her. She... could hardly return it. Apparently being with a dragon meant being surrounded by creatures that would eternally dwarf her. "But so far he's seemed insistent on one ceremony."

She smiled as they parted. "I won't let any of them bowl me over, so don't worry about that. It's just frustrating."

She waved quietly to Baylock as they left, and in no time at all, Cassius was leading her back into the main house, and Peridot was fluttering around them.

Seteta hid a scowl behind a smile. "Lover will suffice," she said sweetly. "And if there is a bath somewhere I'd be happy to take care of the... scent. Are you sure it's coming from me, though?"

Hyssop could see as soon as Seteta was back within Chaceledon's sight. He visibly relaxed, even as he continued to scold her and argue about the food.

She swore to herself when she saw Chaceledon's. He grabbed one and swallowed it before she could intervene, but Hyssop stepped up beside him. If he thought this conversation was over, he was very, very wrong.

"Do not do that again," Hyssop said, grabbing the dish land tucking all of into a pocket. Her voice was grave. "If you are trying to suppress your hunger, just drink water. If you want any hope at all of fathering a healthy clutch one day, do not consume anymore chalk ever again.

"As for Cassius, I will speak with him. If you eat some meat. A large enough serving that fits in the palm of your hand."