Private Tales Of Sand & Dragonfire

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
Aetes shook his head. "I don't know where you pointed. Rheinhard and I were in his tent, and it's smaller than what the Inizae use. I could only see... maybe a dozen of the Volkers. From what I saw the one time Rheinhard brought me into the Well, there are hundreds of you. Maybe even a thousand."

He cringed as he remembered the sight of the Volkers... dying. "Yes, they were mortal wounds." Even being an Inizae, he'd not seen deaths like some of those before. Then he gave Tianau a wry look. "Even if you might be a pretty corpse, you're a... bit to gangly for my tastes."

If they looked up in the distance a short while later, Ausar and Rehema would be visible entering an adjacent wing of the Temple.


"A bath?" Mesi laughed. "There's the oasis. You can take a quick dip in it if you'd like. I'm sure there's a spare comb in my things. And we use oils for our skin and hair care. You're welcome to try any of them that you'd like."

Her smile was teasing as she led the twins past a few tents to her own, and showed them where they would sleep, as well as the small wooden chest where she kept her bathing supplies. The healer, though, warned Ataire against trying to swim with his injured knee.


"She's alive, at least," Ausar sighed with relief as he briefly embraced Rehema outside Nebit's tent. "She's alive."

"She is," Rehema affirmed, snuggling into his chest as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I've never felt that much magic at one time before. Let alone pouring out of one person. She must be reeling still, even an entire day later."

"Do you want me or the healer to come with you to Dahn Hedoni?" he asked, kissing her forehead as he pulled away. Ausar wound his fingers through hers and they began the walk back to the temple at a leisurely pace.

"If Tianau goes, then you probably should as well," she sighed. "If there's something going on with the Volkers' Well then I'm sure it would help for the... Volker to be nearby."

Ausar gave a quiet hum of agreement, lifting her hand to kiss the back of it. "I will go, then," he said. "But we'll need to leave behind the location of this Dahn Hedoni for Supti. My mut and yours have already agreed to help with Seteta's challenge. I'm sure Keket will want to be present, and Hassani follows her around like a puppy. And of course Kahi and Anai will go as well."

It was a good amount of people. If Keket and Hassani were able to wield even a small amount of magic to help with whatever Seteta's performance would be, there would be ten Inizae, including Seteta. It would be a strong team.

"Trust Seteta to find the most difficult family to have to win over," Rehema chuckled. "It probably would have been easier on the poor girl if she'd fallen for Keket."

"It would have," Ausar laughed. "But she looks at Chaceledon the way I look at you."

Rehema blushed and lightly elbowed him. The temple was before them now, and she looked at it with a weary sigh. "Come and hold me till I fall asleep?" she asked quietly, leaning against his arm.

"Of course, meruv."
 
“Then they went back the same way they came in. Explains the blood. If you didn’t have a replacement waiting in the wings, Oor tore out your heart after you made the next generation. If there were a thousand Volker’s and only half of them died of natural causes…that’s a lot of blood in a very small area. Not even counting the deaths like mine. Of course, I had a replacement…he was deathly afraid of any disabilities you know. All he’d need is to get uppity and kill one of us with a half-formed, sterile monster in the womb and that would be the end of our family.” he smirked, and leaned back against the bank. “He loved going to bed with me, but my weak eyes did me in.”

“What’s my descendant like anyway? Rheinhard? If I’m not your type what’s his deal?” He listened quietly to Aetes.

It was late when he finally slunk into Ausar’s tent and curled up on the man’s bed.

____________________________


The twins took advantage of bathing in the oasis, though it was brief due to the cold nature of the water. They were happy to curl up next to one another and sleep. In the morning, they set to work on the hammock. They used spare cloth to rig a seat that could be cradled in Aitare’s claws or dangle freely. Fosse was elected to test it, being only slightly larger than Rehema. He insisted on packing a bloodstained melon under his robe for authenticity in his role as a pregnant mammal, laying back in the hammock.

Ataire took flight, clutching the hammock’s ropes in his claws.

“Be careful with me now, I’m pregnant.”

She’s not that far along, you idiot!

Aitare flew in a circle around the camp, staying low to the ground. He had to be at least fifteen feet off the surface to be effective at flying, and clearly flying lower was more difficult. There was less space to maneuver and he had to be consistently aware of the ‘pregnant woman’ dangling in his care.

“I’m feeling stressed!”

From what?

“You’re flying too high! I’m getting altitude sickness!”

We’re twenty feet off the ground!

“Watch the tone, you’ll upset the baby.”

Babies can’t hear!

“Yes he can, and he’s insulted. Fly better.”

Ataire bumped him on the ground, spraying sand in all directions. Fosse yelped and grabbed the ropes. “You did that on purpose you ass!”

Stop making me nervous! I don’t want to mess this up!

Ataire gained a little height, taking the second circle at fifty, then a hundred feet. Fosse leaned back in the chair and bounced experimentally.

“What if I have to go to the girls room?”

You’ll hold it.

“I can’t hold it, I’ve got a baby sitting on it.”

Is the height alright? Stop bouncing, you’ll rip it!

“It’s a stress test, can’t have her falling ass first.”

Ataire huffed angrily and flew up a bit higher. Two hundred feet. Should be out of arrow range.

“You’ve got the easy job. I’m toting the maniac and that ancient piece of crap. Practice landing, and be careful with my baby!”

Ataire flew lower, trying to drop altitude without moving too quickly. He slowed, and his back feet caught on the ground. He couldn’t land naturally, and accidentally dumped Fosse out of the hammock and sprawling through camp. The other twin groaned and flipped over, pulling pieces of broken melon out from under his shirt.

“See? You do need more practice; you murdered the baby.”

Ataire sighed and looked at the hammock. It’s going to take some practice landing…get back in the hammock.

“I need a new baby. You killed this one.” Fosse held up a piece of melon. He cleaned himself off and rushed over to grab a pot, tucking it under his shirt. Fosse sat back in the hammock, cradling the pot.

Tianau listened to their antics from the Kreneides. He wore the ilgaak to protect his eyes, and layers of clothing to protect his pale skin. He’d rigged up canvas as a shade as well, so he could get to work cleaning and repairing what he could before takeoff. He rolled his eyes at the dragons. Hopefully they’d be more careful with Kreneides. If they dropped his ballista he was going to kill them.

He sat back in the seat he’d repaired, arms folded across his chest and watching the third, fourth and fifth descent. They were breaking a pot each time, and at Tianau’s angry suggestion began replacing them with glass pots made from hastily-heated sand.

The first successful landing produced a chorus of loud cheers from both boys. Fosse lifted the slag glass orb above his head triumphantly. “Perfect landing! The baby is alive!”

He lives!

“Our son is safe!” Fosse crowed, racing about in a circle with the orb held above his head. Ataire shifted back and disentangled himself from the hammock to grab Fosse about the waist, lifting him up for a short victory lap.

Tianau shook his head and continued mixing the sand and palm sap he had in a bowl next to him. The mixture would stabilize the wounded parts of the ballista for transport, at least until he ripped out the bad wood. He had to make sure the material was strong, but with a little give.
 
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"What's been done to your family is an abomination of the worst kind," Aetes muttered. "Rheinhard went through Abtatu's Cleansing to enter the temple. Perhaps some of the oddities you've experienced with the Well are part of that, not just... what Seteta did. I doubt she... turned the Well inside out on purpose. She hasn't controlled it long. She probably didn't even know something like that was possible."

Aetes smiled, though it was slight, for the first time since everything had happened. He told Tianau about Rheinhard. His resourcefulness. The odd mother that raised him. How desperately lonely Rheinhard was, and that he wanted to see him come out of the quiet shell he'd erected around himself and become confident in more than just his skills as a human weapon. His looks didn't hurt, either, with his muscular body--Aetes loved the way Rheinhard would wrap his thighs around him--and vivid blue eyes.

Somehow, they talked into the late hours of the night, but Aetes heart was eased considerably by the time they parted and he crawled into the empty bed in his stone house by the oasis.


"You're going to die," Ausar murmured, scrubbing his face with his hands as they watched the twins... practice. "You're going to die and our baby's going to die and then I'm going to kill them. Tianau's killed a dragon before, I'm sure he'll help me."

"I'm sure I can figure out how to poison them," the healer told him.

Rehema just dissolved into a fit of giggles where she sat on the sand between them, soaking up the morning sunlight. They weren't too far from where Tianau was working on mending his... Kreneides.

"You go start mending all those broken pots, sehejib," she told Ausar, using his shoulder to steady herself as she stood. "I have an idea.

"Ataire!" she called out as she approached the twins. "What if you carry the sling in your mouth, instead of your paws? Then you'll be able to land on all fours."

Rehema thought it looked like he'd be able to hold the sling up from the ground while he landed, if his neck was strong enough.
 
Ataire dropped his brother sharply on the sand when Rehema called his name. Fosse yelped and held the glass orb to his chest protectively. He managed to get to his feet fast enough to copy Ataire’s bow.

“I mean, we can certainly try. I’m better with all four paws on the ground.” Ataire agreed. He shifted again, and Fosse shifted the glass orb to one hand so he could lift up the rope for Ataire. His brother grabbed it and hefted it in his mouth, and Fosse took his seat.

“Wait wait, I’ve got to unbirth the baby.” Fosse tucked the glass back under his robe. “Pregnant and ready for take off.”

Ataire slowly rose above the sand, lifting his neck up a bit higher and tucking it back against his shoulders like a heron in flight, bracing Fosse against his chest.

Tianau helped Ausar pick up all the broken pottery pieces. “It’s going to be a wonder if anyone makes it in one piece at all.” he grumbled. He leaned in and pulled down the cloth covering his mouth, kissing Ausar’s ear. “Though I’ve heard dragons have big estates…and I so desperately want to get fucked in a bathtub again.” He smirked cheekily at the other man, then returned to his ballista and began checking it over again. He collapsed the arms to the sides to prepare for flight, and used the iron shields to brace the wheels and underside. His sword he wore on his hip by way of a ragged cloth belt.

Ataire made three sweeps around the camp, and landed carefully. His neck extended a bit and his head tilted up, like a horse ready to jump. He was smart enough to brace most of the impact on his lower back and hocks, with a short hop of his paws hitting the ground. Fosse hovered just three feet above the sand, and held up the orb triumphantly.

“It’s a boy! Or girl. I’ve got no idea what you’re carrying. But it’s alive!”
 
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"Bathtub?" Ausar asked curiously, catching Tianau's chin and kissing his lips before he hid his face and skin from the sun again. "I don't know that I've ever seen one, let alone fucked in one."

He gathered up the shards of pottery, and began to sort which ones belong with which pot while keeping one eye on the sky. He breathed a little easier as Ataire managed a landing that didn't end in some sort of crash. It took just a few minutes for him to fuse the broken pots back together with his magic.

Rehema just covered her mouth and laughed. The healer came up beside her, relief evident on the woman's face.

"It is alive," she said, bemusement sparkling in her eyes. "Why don't you practice a few more times, and then we'll see if we can head out by late morning?"

"How is your knee?" the healer asked Ataire before they launched into the air again. "Any soreness or stiffness?"

Rehema stepped away and returned to Ausar, bending down to retrieve some of the pots. He scowled at her, and plucked the pots out of her hand. "I can carry things!" she protested. "They're not full of water!"

"You are very nearly on bed rest already, and you're not even fourteen weeks along yet," Ausar scolded. "The only thing you're allowed to pick up is your food from your plate."

Rehema gave an exasperated sigh, but walked with Ausar as he made sure the pots were returned to their respective owners. When the last was back where it belonged, Ausar took her hand and led her back to the tents. "You should rest while you can, meruv," he told her as they ducked inside Mesi's tent. "I'll help our mothers finish the packing."

They wouldn't need more than a few days worth of food. Clothing would make up the bulk of their bags, as well as whatever medicine the healer sent for Rehema.
 
By late morning, they were ready. Tianau had wrapped up the Kreneides, and taken Fosse through several drills on weight distribution, taking off and landing. Ataire insisted on practicing several more times carrying Rehema. The general consensus was that they would move slowly and deliberately toward Dahn Hedoni. They would pass over the old ruins and Pedeo, if only to settle Tianau’s stomach, and rest frequently as needed for Rehema’s comfort.

Tianau made last minute adjustments to the Kreinedes, making sure the canvas wrapping would hold and the seal was dry. He climbed up on Fossa’s back, wrapping his hand firmly in the other’s orange mane. Fossa winced; Tianau was holding on like the dragon meant to buck him. He sighed and pushed into the air, grabbing the handholds for the Kreneides. To distribute the weight, he was holding the heavier front half in his fire paws, and one hind paw slipped into a foothold in the rear just behind the seat.

Ataire looked nervous just holding Rehema, and letting the others climb aboard. By the time they lifted off, the dragons were heavily laden down with supplies, one war machine, and several people. They kept their altitude low, though Ataire reckoned they couldn’t have gone higher than two hundred feet this laden down if they tried.

Ataire kept worriedly looking down at Rehema, and checked her seat every so often with a paw. Flying this long with a weight in his jaws was already hurting. By early afternoon, the ruins were in sight.

Tianau looked down, daring to lean over. It was all mostly buried; only columns and rooftops remained. Sandstorms had blasted most of it under deep sand, just like Kreneides had been. They touched down in the shade of a broken statue to let Rehema down.

Tianau hopped down and drew his sword. “You sure no one comes here?” he called back to Ataire, who was rubbing his mouth after being temporarily freed of the sling. Fosse was wringing his paws out similarly.

Don’t know really, first time we’d been here. Ataire said hesitantly.

I mean who would want to come here? Fosse chimed in.

“So you don’t know? Great.” Tianau growled under his breath, standing watch. He kept his eyes peeled among the broken walls and peaks of half-destroyed roof. A hand emerged from the sand, nearly fifteen feet of sandstone. It might have been flung back carelessly in a gesture of joy or carelessness once; now it just served as a reminder of the statue under the sands. Tianau made note of the landmark. “I’m going on patrol. Establish a perimeter.” he called back.
 
The hammock was comfortable enough that Rehema managed to doze for part of the flight, though when they finally landed she was grateful for the chance to stretch her legs.

She looked around curiously. There were few places in the desert the Inizae did not wander, but the winds and time always changed its appearance. They could have walked right over this place a thousand times and never known until the winds uncovered it.

Ausar stayed close to her, and handed her a water skin. She drank from it, grimacing a little as the warm water hit her tongue. A cool spring would be welcome if there was one to be found.

Chaceledon said:
“I’m going on patrol. Establish a perimeter.” he called back.
Click to expand...

"Hang on," Ausar called, and jogged over to Tianau before he was too far away. Then he crouched down on the sand and pressed his hand to the ground. Rehema, and possibly the twins, would feel the magic ripple outward from him.

"Rehema and I will know if anyone approaches on foot now," he said when he stood. "There's only animals out here so far. But you'll have to watch the skies still."

Rehema looked at the giant sandstone hand in awe.

"Does your family have any stories of this place?" she asked Fosse and Ataire, cautiously reaching to lay her hand against the sandstone.

It was warm from the sun, and without a single chisel mark. Truly, it didn't even seem to have degraded at all, the lines if the fingers so crisp and clear that it seemed almost as if it was a giant who'd been turned to stone mere moments before.

It was Inizae craft, if Rehema had ever seen it before.
 
Tianau nodded, and sheathed his sword. He could keep an eye on the skies if they kept an eye on the ground. The twins set down the supplies, and shifted back to look around at the stonework. Fosse approached the statue, settling his hand against it.

“It’s perfect… I’ve never seen anything like this.” Fosse said quietly. It was beautiful. Ataire looked up at it, blinking.

“Mutit just told us to stay away from this place.” Ataire muttered, walking in a circle around the strange stone giant.

Tianau joined them, with a fond smile. “This was the seat of Inizae power. See how there aren’t any chisel marks? No seams? The Inizae used to be able to make art just by forming the earth to their will.” he sighed and put a hand on the statue. “You should have seen it in it’s prime. The ruins are pretty but the city was a work of art. Your people didn’t always scrounge around in the dirt for oases. You were once masters of the desert, equal to dragons. Looks like neither of your people fared well.”

“Our people have fared just fine.” Fosse snapped.

“Really? I haven’t seen one of your kind floating in the wind in days. Used to at least spot one or two of you in the mornings from a distance. How many of you are there? Less than ten families? I’m right, arent I?”

The twins glared at him.

“Ever think the Inizae will be kings of the sand again?” Tianau asked Rehema.
 
Rehema smiled softly as Tianau spoke. Ausar laid out a blanket for her and helped her to sit, passing out camel jerky, cheese, and dried fruit to share.

"We can still shape the earth to our will," Rehema said, scooping up a pile of sand in her hand and extending it out for the others to see. In a mere moment, it shaped itself into a perfect replica of the sandstone hand that shaded them. "However, it takes quite a lot of talent and strength to bind the magic to make the earth retain its shape. Especially grains of sand."

She set the sand replica on the blanket, but as soon as she lost physical contact with it, it fell back into just a pile of sand. "Stone will retain its shape much easier, because it wants to stay in a shape. Sand is like... making hundreds of tiny stones adhere to your will."

Rehema looked back at the city, and even mostly buried as it was, she could almost see it in her mind like it was still bustling with Inizae. But more than that... it didn't feel fully like a city of ghosts.

"Don't wander into the city," she told them. "There is magic still alive in it. It may or may not be Inizae magic."

Chaceledon said:
“Ever think the Inizae will be kings of the sand again?” Tianau asked Rehema.
Click to expand...

"Yes," she answered. "I've been certain of it since Seteta's birth. Whether she will rules the sands, though, or simply pave the way for the next ruler, is not quite certain yet."
 
The twins watched Rehema closely. They knew quite a bit about their own magic, mostly geared toward music and ambience. Inizae magic was a kind all of its own; it filled the earth and left little echoes in the broken buildings all around them. Dragon magic was no less alive, but it felt more utilitarian. Less…romantic.

“Regardless of what she is, it’s our duty to help her fulfill it. I wonder what would happen if we brought her here?” Tianau mused aloud.

They rested for a little while. Tianau checked Kreneides and ate a little fruit, while the twins tested his patience by wandering into the city. Tianau could understand; they were attracted by the magic of the place. Who wouldn’t be? The romantic idea of an ancient people who had flown too close to the sun and been sharply rebuffed by the gods was enchanting. Even Tianau found himself a little humbled by the passage of time. However, with the twins it was like herding cats. When Fosse was ready to go, Ataire was nowhere to be found. By the time Ataire had been found Fosse was distracted.

Tianau eventually cuffed one of the younger dragons upside the head, and bullied the pair of them off exploring. He reinforced his opinion with blows, whether from the flat of his sword or a well-practiced backhand. Clearly he was used to this sort of distracted, youngling behavior.

Fosse grumbled and helped Ausar pack up, rubbing a red cheek. Ataire had already shifted and was arranging the hammock in his mouth. They lifted off again, Tianau and Fosse leading the way.

That’s Pedeo there. Ataire pointed out as they flew past. They weren’t too close to the city, but close enough to see it over the dunes.

Tianau stared. The squat disc of iron marring the desert surface wasn’t something he could destroy, not even if he had years to repair the ballista! He wasn’t even sure a dragon could get past that strange ceiling. The design made for a hideous visage, but Tianau immediately ruled out a frontal assault. However….that tin can had to get air somehow. Perhaps blocking the air would suffocate the slavers inside? He scowled.

“It’s not going to be easy to crack, that’s for certain.” Tianau muttered.
 
"If she is meant to come here, Abtatu will lead her," Rehema told Tianau. "Just because we ruled the sands once, and are destined to do so again, doesn't mean the Inizae Empire of old will be resurrected. There were reasons why it had to die."

After eating, she walked around with Ausar for a little while, but made sure not to wander far from where they'd landed. She sighed and rolled her eyes as Fosse and Ataire challenged her advice to not explore the city carelessly. Tianau seemed to find a purpose in corralling them, though.

"They are boys," Ausar chuckled as they walked hand in hand. "If they didn't directly contradict someone's advice on a daily basis, I think they would stop breathing."

"Very true," Rehema laughed, but she grew thoughtful as they walked past buried rooftops and sunken roads filled with sand. "As far as I can tell, any dangerous magic is deeply buried. But it still doesn't hurt to use caution. There is... something within the city that calls to me, though. Do you feel it?"

"Yes," Ausar answered, his footsteps pausing as he looked over the city, eyes drawn almost instinctively to a point deep within it, long buried. "Almost familial."

Rehema hummed in agreement. "I'd be interested to find out if all the Inizae feel it," she said. "Or just those of Nailah's bloodline."

They turned back then, and Rehema napped for a little while in the shade as Ausar packed the food back up. He settled beside her afterward, and kept the biting insects away. Once the twins had refocused on the task at hand, Ausar roused her and he and Tianau finished repacking things. Rehema settled into the hammock again, and they were on their way once more.

Ausar spotted Pedeo as soon as it was visible on the horizon. He knew Seteta had been there recently, and this was not the first time he'd seen it himself, but he'd never been within it. Most Inizae did their best to avoid it, though many of the caravan guides had no choice but to enter it. Supti had been within its walls many times, his magic and lineage meticulously hidden, and Ausar shuddered just remembering some of the stories his cousin had brought back.

His relief when the city fell out of view was enough to make him sag on Ataire's back.

They finally landed for the night just before sundown. Ausar tasked Tianau with hunting some game for dinner, and helped to get a makeshift camp situated. They'd opted to forgo carrying tents with them--in short supply back at the temple now, and also quite heavy to haul--and Ausar erected sand domes instead. One for himself, Tianau, and Rehema. A second for the dragon twins.

He had a fire roaring by the time Tianau returned from hunting.
 
Tianau was glad to be given a job. He was sure most of the game had been frightened off by the dragons, but he was going to try anyway. The dragon twins occupied their time with sand baths, wriggling into the sand and rubbing their scales against it. While they were having fun, it was instinctual and healthy. It soon turned into play, with each twin bursting out of the sand to tackle the other in a storm of seething coils and flapping tails. They chittered like otters or birds, and Tianau was thoroughly disgusted with the spectacle when he returned.

He had two snakes coiled in his hand like rope, a desert iguana, and a small bag of large sand fleas. The little crustaceans were around the size of a thumb, and vicious parasites, but Tianau had always found them to taste a bit like shrimp when cooked. He was chewing on a gecko he’d found, crunching the creature up whole as he approached the camp.

He didn’t appreciate being showered in sand by rowdy dragons.

“Quit it before I give that knee a reason to swell again!” He snarled viciously at them.

Fosse poked out of the sand and tugged one of the snakes out of his hand with a sharp yank, bounding away with his prize. Ataire gave chase with an excited squeal, snapping at it. They didn’t seem to realize it was food, having more fun playing keep away with the rope like object. Tianau secured the bag of sand fleas with an angrily tied knot and went to go get the snake back. He may have been able to rout them as humans, but as dragons they found it laughably easy to just shower him in sand, knock him off his feet by rolling a coil under his shoes, and slap him with a tail.

“I’ll skin you alive!” Tianau roared in rage, tearing the sword out of his belt. Fosse chirruped and dove down, Ataire following his lead under the sand. They knocked him flat with a fluffy tail tip, and burst free a dozen feet away to resume the keep away game with the now (very much shredded) snake.
 
Rehema sat by the fire sipping at a warm cup of awful-tasting tea that the healer had packed for her. She gave Ausar's backside more than a few appreciative glances as he built the fire, but eventually the dragon twins playing drew her attention.

"Do you think Seteta's children will play like that?" she laughed softly when Ausar came over. He sat behind her, legs bracketed around her hips, and gently tugged her back to lay against his chest. "Flying and diving into the sand?"

"Probably," Ausar mused, playing with her hair. "She practically did as a child, even without being a dragon."

"Hmm, true." Rehema took another sip of her medicinal tea with a grimace. "Oh, it's so awful."

"I'll make sure you have plenty of sweets to make up for it once we reach Hedoni," Ausar laughed into her neck, kissing and nipping. But his hand slipped down to softly caress her belly. There was no swell to it yet, but her body was beginning to soften in ways he'd forgotten it would. Fifty years between pregnancies was... a long time.

They sat quietly together until Tianau reappeared, though they both shook with laughter when the dragons stole one of the snakes and teased the young Volker. Eventually Ausar kissed Rehema softly, then stood and went to intervene before all of the game was battered and ruined.

He offered a hand to Tianau when he was knocked on his butt. "You're not going to win against them so long as they're in those forms," he chuckled. "You'll need to convince them to shift back for some reason."

When Tianau was on his feet again, Ausar took the iguana and the bag of sand fleas. He dug a small hole next to the fire, scooped some hot coals into it, and dumped the sand fleas before covering it back up with more coals and then a thick layer of sand over top.

While the crustaceans cooked, he cleaned the iguana and got it arranged on a spit over the fire, leaving the non-shredded snake to Tianau. He made sure Rehema was still comfortable, then plopped down next to Tianau with a smirk.

"You know, eating snake flesh is considered an aphrodisiac among the Inizae."
 
Tianau scrambled to his feet, ignoring Ausar’s hand, and ripped the ilgaak from his eyes. It was twilight now, and he didn’t need them as much. He glared at the dragons, and followed Ausar back to the fire to help gut and clean game. He didn’t mind eating most of the offal raw, and Volkers didn’t like waste. Livers and hearts he skewered and set to roast over the fire. He was cleaning and preparing the snake when Ausar came to sit next to him.

The albino smirked wryly at him. “Then I’d better share.” he teased, offering Ausar one of the snake hearts hot from the fire.

Eventually, Fosse and Ataire tired of their game and came to plop next to them. Ataire looked between Ausar and Tianau, a grin on his face. “You two going to fuck? Can I watch?”

Fosse cringed. “Ataire, don’t.” he reached for one of the skewers and Tianau moved swiftly. One of Rheinhard’s knives cracked across his knuckles, and Fosse yanked the injured hand back with a curse.

“You two stole your dinner.” Tianau nodded to the mangled snake on the sand. It was little more than a head and a ragged bit of spine after all the play.

“That’s not fair! We were only joking. You’ve plenty..” Ataire complained.

“And you didn’t help catch or cook it so far as I’m concerned you can pick off scraps of skin and think about what you’ve done.” Tianau said archly.

“We could contribute in other ways…” Ataire grinned, resting his chin on Ausar’s shoulder.

“Not without nehmaji you don’t. I’ll tell Mutit and she’ll take it out of your skin. Or give your nehmaji to someone really embarassing like Harrier.” Fosse warned. “Maybe we can go hunt our own.”

“You two scared off all the game for a hundred meters. You’ll be lucky to find a lizard.” Tianau cuddled into Ausar’s side triumphantly, settling a hand on the man’s thigh.
 
Ausar took the snake heart and popped it into his mouth. He rolled it on his tongue, then bit the heart in half. He leaned over and wrapped his hand around the back of Tianau's neck, pulling him in for a kiss and sliding one half of the snake heart onto the albino's tongue. Then he sat back, chewing and swallowing his own half with a grin.

When the twins joined them, Ausar raised a brow. "No, you can't watch or contribute," he answered, reaching up to flick Ataire's nose lightly as the dragon's chin settled on his shoulder. "You are not Inizae and going through the nazr'im. And if your nehmaji requires you to be celibate beforehand, I won't help you compromise that."

Rehema cleared her throat from behind them, and Ausar looked back to see her standing there with a mischievous grin, and a blanket wrapped around her shoulders as the night air grew chilled. She shooed Ataire away and settled at Ausar's side opposite Tianau.

"For once, I agree with Tianau," she said. "It's fine to sometimes play with your food, but he worked to find it, and a creature gave up its life for your sustenance. You wasted a perfectly good meal, and disrespected its sacrifice."
 
Ataire sighed and pulled away, rubbing his nose as he was flicked. “He’s not Inizae either.” he grumbled. Tianau picked up a small bowl and offered it to Ataire. Ataire grabbed it eagerly, and frowned down at the contents. “Bloody-looking rice noodles…?”

“Intestines, gonads. I’d down them all in one go if I were you. They’re edible but they don’t exactly taste good. Don’t worry, I cleaned them.” Tianau offered the majority of the iguana to Rehema. Maybe she wasn’t so bad. She at least understood the need to conserve resources and not to waste. The sand fleas they could eat by popping off the shells and tearing the animal out with their teeth. It wasn’t a bad amount of food, and Tianau was pleased he was able to provide.

Fosse and Ataire had divvied the offal in half, and were staring at it. “You said you cleaned them?” Fosse called to Tianau. The albino waved an arm dismissively.

“Together?”

“Together.”

The pair downed their respective bowls and swallowed thickly.

“Most of them. I’d double check.” Tianau grinned. Fosse went pale and covered his mouth. Ataire gave his bowl a disgusted look.

“Ass!” The dragon snarled.

Tianau laughed, rising and heading to his sand dome. He winked at Ausar playfully, stripping off his extra layers now that the sun was down. All he had to do now was wait.
 
"He's not Inizae and going through the nazr'im," Ausar further clarified. "Additionally, he was a ranking officer in his country's army. Even if he is young, he is an adult. Neither of you, by your behavior, are considered adults within your culture."

As Tianau offered the offal to the dragons, Ausar scooted out from between him and Rehema and dug up the cooked sand fleas, tossing them into a pile in front of the fire. He smiled to see Tianau offering Rehema the roasted iguana meat, and he set a few of the sand fleas in her hand as well. He sat down between the two of them again just in time to see Fosse and Ataire turn green.

He and Rehema finished off most of the remaining food, but left some sand fleas for the dragon twins. Then Ausar banked the fire for the night, swept Rehema up into his arms, and carried her into the sand dome.

"Sorry," he told Tianau as he settled Rehema into a pile of cushions and blankets. "But three of us in here will keep it warmer, and either way I don't trust Fosse and Ataire to be much use if she actually needs help with anything."

He sat beside Rehema, holding her hand and stroking her hair, humming a quiet lullaby until she fell asleep. It didn't take long. The day had exhausted her, and she was still catching up on missed sleep from the other night. Ausar softly kissed her forehead and tucked the blankets around her shoulders, before turning to Tianau with a gleam in his eye.

"We'll have to be quiet," he teased, coming over to kiss him deeply. "If you wake her I'll have to punish you."


Seteta hated being bedridden. But every time she tried to get up, tried to do more than relieve herself and change her clothes and walk out the door of the room... her head spun and her sternum ached, and Seikilos or Chaceledon or Persian--often, Abtatu forbid--would find her pale and leaning against the wall to not fall over. Her stomach was often queasy, but she hadn't vomited again, thankfully.

She hadn't dared to go back into the Well again either, though. She did check in with Nestor and Rheinhard, but she simply didn't have the mental strength to step into it. Not with the dreams.

It wasn't as hard anymore to sort dreams from reality, but she had become certain of one thing: they weren't just dreams. They were memories, but she didn't want to think about why she was dreaming of those memories. Not before she got to speak with her mother. Then... after that, she would talk with Seikilos.

But she would often wake from those memories and find that she'd been channeling the earth's magic again, in quantities larger than she could ever recall except for, well... the incident that had put her here, bedridden.

It had become effortless, though. She didn't even have to think about using the magic. It responded to her whim, reaching out whenever it felt her desire, so long as some part of her was in contact with the earth. Stone. Crystal. Even certain metals, and she'd never had an affinity for metal before.

The only thing that kept her dreams at bay, the only thing that allowed her to truly rest, was when Chaceledon would lie beside her and sing his lullabies.
 
Tianau looked at the dragons triumphantly. Gods, it was nice having Ausar acknowledge his rank, even if it didn’t mean anything anymore. He didn’t even mind when Rehema was curled up in the sand dome with them, much to his own surprise. He was feeling less and less at odds with her. He watched Ausar comfort her, thinking. How things might have been different if he had been born much later, or if he hadn’t been a Volker.

His time here was limited. He could feel Rheinhard growing stronger, and beginning to push through that strange barrier that kept him in charge. In a way it was like dying again, but he could feel it happening in tiny moments instead of all at once.

He welcomed Ausar into his arms with a fond kiss. “Oh I am very good at being quiet…comes from fucking with a pile of people around you.” he whispered in Ausar’s ear.

_____________________________

Chaceledon was getting more and more worried about Seteta. Seikilos helped to redirect her power around the house, distributing it instead of fighting it, and the entire estate was awash in her power. It crackled in the very air like static, and made the hairs on everyone’s neck stand on end.

Persian had taken over the majority of her care, helping her nausea as much as he could. He found her wandering more often than not, and kept strict notes about her condition and daily happenings. Seikilos was less happy about the letters coming in daily from Pedeo, but as Persian pointed out…he did still have a city to run.

Chaceledon stayed by her side as often as he could. He repaid Hedoni’s kindness with work, aiding Seikilos in setting up the Nameday ceremony.

Persian sat by Seteta’s bedside, putting a cool cloth on her forehead and taking his measurements of her heart rate and condition for the day. “I do wish you’d let me take a blood sample.” He sighed. “I feel as if I’m out of my depth here, managing your symptoms instead of truly helping. Whatever this transformation is…I don’t know what will happen when you emerge from the other side. I wanted your consent for something. I want to examine Rheinhard when he returns. Mainly, get a piece of the opal on his sternum.”
 
Rehema woke before dawn. She smiled and shook her head bemusedly at the sight of Ausar and Tianau tangled up together in the other pile of blankets. She straightened her garments and combed her hair, then quietly shook Ausar to alertness. She knew he'd stayed conscience all night to keep the sand domes up.

"I'll be outside to greet the dawn," she told him with a quiet kiss. "I'll stay within sight of camp."

"I'll keep the boundary up," he murmured, blinking sleepily. "So you can focus on your ritual."

Rehema arched a brow. "You've been maintaining three spells all night? You need to have some strength left when we reach Seteta. We don't know what she'll need from us."

"I'll be fine," Ausar grumbled. "I'll sleep while we fly. Now go, before you miss the sunrise."

Rehema's mouth tightened momentarily, but she nodded and rose, stepping out of the dome. She paused for a moment to stoke the fire, adding fresh fuel. Then she walked east of the camp, until she found a spot in the sand where her magic almost sang.

Rehema, High Priestess of Abtatu, knelt on the earth and bowed low, forehead pressed to the sand, and let the power of the earth flow through her.

"As the rising of the sun," she whispered in prayer as the sun broke over the horizon, "may your blessing cover the earth and the Inizae. As the sun feeds the plants of the earth, may your provision feed our spirits and our bodies.

"Please grant Seteta your favor," Rehema added at the end, "and your protection."

Rehema straightened, and bowed her head as the sun's rays kissed her face. She took a breath, and let the magic fill her as she inhaled. Then she exhaled, and released the magic, feeding it back to the earth.


Seteta shook her head, careful not to dislodge the cool cloth Persian laid there or exacerbate the dizziness that always seemed to be lying in wait.

"You do not have to know how it will all end," Seteta said, a weariness unusual for her in her voice. "I just need to live through it."

The magic would settle. Seteta felt that with a certainty that rested deep in her bones. Her body just needed to be strong enough for it.

"No blood," she told him. "I don't think it will give you any of these answers you're seeking."

When he asked about the opal, she grimaced. "No," she said again, though there was a bit more force than she intended. "It might permanently alter the spell to do so. I won't risk anything like that until I understand more of how it works."
 
Tianau slept in. He was used to sleeping in a puppy pile and was completely undisturbed by the movements of the camp, his limbs flung carelessly in a tangle. He did crack an eye open briefly, tugging Ausar back down. “Get some damn sleep.” he grumbled. “I wouldn’t trust those nitwits to catch you if you fall off mid-flight.”

The twins were up, having had fitful dreams their first night on the sands. They were clearly used to bedrooms, not sleeping under the stars, and had slept together for warmth. They followed Rehema at a respectful distance to watch her pray.

“It’ll be alright. Seteta is a strong woman.” Ataire said encouragingly.

_____________________________

Persian sighed heavily. “Perhaps you’re right. It’s the not knowing I can’t stand. I would like you to start documenting your sleeping trouble. When you wake, if possible, and before you lie down to sleep. It would help us keep track of what Sleep you are getting. At best it could help you keep your memories straight.” He patted her hand, and set a new tincture bottle on her nightstand. “More nausea medication. I’ve rebalanced it with more mint and something to try and help your vertigo.”
 
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"Can't," Ausar mumbled, burying his face in the side of Tianau's neck and nipping at it lightly. "If I sleep, I lose the magic, and the sand dome comes down and you burn to a crisp. I'll tie myself to Ataire's mane and sleep in the air."

He let himself rest, more in a state of meditation then sleep, for a little bit longer, though. Then he sighed and rose, kissing Tianau gently before he dressed and went to make breakfast.


"She will," Rehema said with a smile as she stood and dusted the sand off her skirt, turning back toward the camp. "But just because someone is strong doesn't mean they can't use some extra strength when they are challenged. Now, let's have some breakfast, and get packed back up. We should reach Hedoni by nightfall, yes?"


Seteta looked up at Persian quizzically. She desperately wanted to roll onto her side to rest, but had found the last couple nights that it aggravated her cracked sternum, sending shooting pain through her chest.

"What do you mean... when I lie down to sleep and when I wake?" she asked, brow furrowed. "I lie down for bed a little while after sundown, and wake in the morning. Like most people."

Perhaps some sort of journal would be helpful, though. To sort out her thoughts in the morning, and parse through which things were dreams and memories of times long past, and which were present day. If she could trust Persian not to snoop in it. If there was anyone outside the Inizae who could read their script and dialect, she suspected it would be him. And perhaps Seikilos.

"Thank you," she murmured as he showed her the new tincture. "I know I'm a bit... bristly at times, but I do appreciate the help."
 
Getting underway was less of a trial. Tianau helped them repack everything, and they were in the air after a scant breakfast of leftover sand fleas. They would hit Dahn Hedoni by evening, though the twins did worry what their mother would think. She thought they were bringing back two people, not a Volker with a ballista in tow, and a pregnant woman.

It was an odd mix that made its way across the sand. Tianau hunkered against Fosse’s back, ilgaak over his eyes and sneaking looks at Ausar to make sure he didn’t fall off. If the twins were right they would reach Dahn Hedoni by nightfall. They might take another rest for Rehema, but Tianau’s strength was flagging as well. He wasn’t doing well wearing so many layers in the heat.

____________________

Persian nodded. “Yes, when. I don’t suppose the Inizae put any value on day to day timekeeping, but it is a valuable skill to learn.” He dug around in his coat for a moment and produced a battered old journal and a long piece of graphite. “One of my spares,” he explained. “Simply sharpen the end of the graphite with a blade when it becomes dull and unwrap the leather when you run out of graphite. That knob of rubber there will erase the marks when you rub it on the paper.”

He set them by her bedside. “And this,” he held up a hand, and pulled a ring free from his pinky finger. “…is a timepiece. See that hole in the sun engraved there? It shines light onto the opposite surface, telling you approximately what time you’ve got. Now, it will work best on the sand but you’ve a window here and can just hold your hand up, like so.”

Persian got up briefly to open one of her windows, and lifted the ring to catch the light. A tiny pinhole shone a blade of light onto the chart along the inner side of the ring. “And just like that, it’s five o’clock, assuming twelve hours for day and twelve for night.” He offered her the ring. “It keeps track of seasons as well…see those other lines? I’ll teach you about those later. Now, for night it works best catching the light of the moon.”

He sighed and patted her shoulder. “I hope that one day you’ll realize I am a friend and ally. We may not see the world entirely the same, but you wouldn’t want friends who did.” Persian reasoned.
 
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Ausar, thankfully, did not fall off Ataire's back, but even though he slept off and on throughout the day, by the time they landed just outside the estate as the sun was setting, they were a weary ragged bunch. Unlike the day before when they'd stopped at the city ruins and observed Pedeo from a distance, there was only a vast expanse of desert to be crossed. The only long stop they made was midday for lunch, and occasionally stopping when bladders needed to be relieved and water replenished, and to give Ataire's mouth a break from holding the sling. At least being in the sky made spotting oases easy.

Ausar scrambled down from Ataire's back and gently helped Rehema out of the hammock, swinging her up into his arms. She tucked her head against his shoulder with a weary sigh, but she shivered a moment later.

"Do you feel the magic in the air?" she asked Ausar, though she doubted he couldn't. He was more skilled with earth magic than she was. The area must have been flooded with power for it to have permeated the very air, so that both of them could feel it without even reaching into the earth.

"I do," Ausar confirmed. "The question is whether the magic is here because of what Seteta did, or if its presence is responsible for what happened to Seteta."

"It might be both," Rehema murmured as they waited for the others, but her breath hitched a moment later. "It feels like the magic hidden within the city ruins."


"We live according to nature's cues," Seteta said with a shrug. "That's really the only way to survive in the depths of the sands."

She turned her head to watch as he put the journal and graphite down, nodding when he explained how to use the graphite. Some of the skilled tradesmen among the Inizae had used a similar tool to plot out things on parchment.

Her gaze followed him to the window, eyeing the... time device curiously as he showed her how it worked, then raised a brow. "Why on earth would anyone need something to tell them what season it is?" she asked incredulously as she took the ring, rotating it with her fingers to see all the etchings.

Chaceledon said:
He sighed and patted her shoulder. “I hope that one day you’ll realize I am a friend and ally. We may not see the world entirely the same, but you wouldn’t want friends who did.” Persian reasoned.
Click to expand...

Seteta at least didn't flinch away from his touch. "A friend, of a sort, perhaps," she conceded. "But so long as you only act in your self interest and the whims of your curiosity, I don't know that allies is something that is possible between you and my people. There is a difference between viewing the world differently and acting as if you have the right to subjugate others because you view yourself as superior."

Then she sighed wearily, relaxing back into the bed. She tired so easily these last few days.

"Will you send Chaceledon in?" she asked, effectively dismissing Persian, though she didn't realize the almost regal air with which she did so, simply expecting her wishes to be obeyed. "I think I would like to try and sleep for a few hours."
 
Tianau was getting more and more miserable the more they flew. He hated being wrapped up in fabric from head to toe, and even washing in the shade of a sand dome in an oasis had his skin burning. The sun reflected off the surface of the water and made bright pink patches on his flesh; he clearly was not built for the desert. The ilgaak saved his eyes, but even so, they were sweaty and by the time he got to remove them, there was a dirt patch where the wood had rested.

He flew with them without complaint. At every stop he would check on Kreneides, making sure the adhesive was holding. The ballista was doing well, though restoring it would be a project. It would give him something to do while the Inizae did whatever they needed to.

The twins were alarmingly unhelpful. While gentle and wanting to help, they were loud and undisciplined. Tianau had caught them messily chasing game on more than one occasion, and even a rabbit with a considerable head injury could outmaneuver a clumsy predator. If anything they spoiled game for miles around, especially when they got too excited and tackled the ground with loud squeaks and chirrups.

When they finally reached Dahn Hedoni, the twins set them down on the Dias approved for dragon use…causing a bit of panicked stir among the servants when they realized their lords were being used as beasts of burden. One of the pets burst into tears seeing Fosse with their bags of supplies over his hips.

“Young masters please! Your scales! You’ve nehmaji soon!” One of the pets said tearfully, rubbing at a rough spot on Ataire’s back. “Used like horses! I can’t imagine the humiliation! Wait until your mit and miv see this!”

“Hey!” Tianau snarled at them. “They’re fine, we have a pregnant woman here!”

They ignored him, fetching hot tea and blankets for their lords and bustling them away into the house. Fosse gave them an apologetic look. The trio were simply left on the Dias, their supplies in a heap, in the scorching sun and wind. Tianau glared at the house behind his ilgaak. “Let’s get you out of the sun.” He told Rehema kindly, grabbing her things and throwing them over a shoulder.

“You can’t blame them. Their duties are to their lords first, not lesser creatures. It was a fight to get paper out of them.” Persian stepped out of the glass-paned doors leading into the rest of the house. “The mistress of the house is indisposed working, I figured I would meet you here.” He pulled his glasses off his nose and rubbed them free of dirt, nodding to Rehema and Ausar.

Tianau eyed the fae suspiciously as he came to help with their bags, his hand on his sword. “And just exactly who are you, if not one of them?”

“Persian de Soto, Chief Engineer of Pedeo. Here, come with me. Chaceledon is with Seteta downstairs; we’ve all temporarily relocated down there until she recovers.” Persian introduced himself.

Tianau drew his blade with a hiss and put himself between Rehema and Persian, glaring.

“That was more the reception I was expecting.” Persian muttered wryly, and walked past them into the house. “Come on. There are baths and cold water waiting. I’ll try and get you something from the kitchens, but if you ask for anything larger than a cat’s bowl everyone starts tearing up and getting upset…”
 
"They sent for us, and then weep over the dragons they sent to bring us?" Ausar muttered in Rehema's ear as he held her, both of them watching the... fiasco with trepidation.

"From what little we've seen of Chaceledon," Rehema sighed with weary amusement, "we probably shouldn't have expected anything else."

She'd expected to see Persian, of course, but not that he would be the one to greet them. Ausar gave him a reluctant nod of acknowledgement.

"Tianau, it's fine," Rehema murmured, oddly touched by the young Volker's defense of her. Two days ago she would have sworn he'd happily murder her as she slept. It was good to see that Ausar had not lost his touch the last couple years.

Ausar readjusted his hold on Rehema, and followed Persian into the house, giving Tianau an anxious but somewhat reassuring smile as he passed him.

"I would like to see Seteta first," Rehema said. "Unless she's asleep. What can you tell me about what happened? I... mostly only know that I felt a very large surge of magic a few nights ago."
 
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