Lady Naravie Greyson

  The sky was darkening to sunset when we finally approached the ruined castle. It was an impressive sight, even in ruins and half buried in sand. The Castle had been positioned on a small mountain foothill with the city surrounding it. Many of the buildings were still somewhat standing and it looked like it had been grandiose in its day. As we approached the outskirts Xaranta made to land and I joined him.

  “This is as far as Odessa and I can go. I set runes around this place when I sealed it after Ereneya’s departure. Only one of my Sister’s Bloodline may enter. We shall wait here for you to finish conversing.” He growled as he used his tail to sweep away the sand around us.

  I glanced to Odessa and she nodded while making a motion for me to move. I let her climb down before I started walking into the city.

  “The courtyard before the Castle is your goal. It is there she rests.” Xaranta called after me.

  I wound my way through the city and admired how beautiful many of the buildings still were, nearly a thousand years later and weathered by the elements the city had a charm to it. Gentle sweeping curves of the wood and some still inlaid with gold. It took me some time to reach the castle courtyard where I found Grandmother.

  She was massive, not as big as Xaranata but still well larger than Mother or Heskari. Blue Scales trimmed with black coated her body and the ballistae bolts that had been her end still stuck out from her body. She had been moved to appear as if she were merely sleeping, curled up on herself but seeing her head was enough to know the truth. Her eyes were empty black pits. It was admittedly unsettling seeing someone who looked so much like me in that state. I steadied myself and reached out with my mind.

  “Callira Brightscale?” I called to no one in particular.

  There was no response for a few moments before I felt a presence grip my mind with Iron Claws.

  “Who enters here? How have you entered here?” A voice hissed in my mind.

  I was forced into my mindscape where I found myself pinned by a slightly more mature version of mother. She had the same dirty blonde as we did but hers was longer and pulled back into a braid, a pair of large black horns rising from her forehead. She had the same tanned skin and muscular physique Mother did but she was draped in a gentle dress. Her eyes still burned with that same Golden Glow though.

  “I-I am Naravie Greyson! I’m Ereneya’s daughter!” I stammered.

  She blinked and gave me a curious look as she released her grip and rose to her feet. I stood up as she studied me and I felt… uncomfortable wasn't the right word. Her gaze was intense and I felt like a child who had done something wrong as she stared.

  “You do have Eren's likeness. A bit on the scrawny side for her daughter though… or has she sacrificed her brawn?” Callira asked as I sputtered to respond.

  She tapped her clawed nails against her cheek before the stoic mask on her face broke into a giddy smile.

  “Apologies Dear, I often wondered how I might speak to Ereneya if she returned here but I failed to account for a child of hers to arrive. I suppose Xaranta guided you here?” She asked, her entire body relaxing and her gaze becoming far less intense.

  “He did.”

  “And is Eren with you? I don't sense her mind.” She asked with concern written plain across her face.

  “She is… having difficulties. But she is here in the desert.” I said, trying to be helpful as I tried to pick apart what was an act or not.

  “Difficulties of what nature? Is she hurt? Is she… worse?” She asked.

  “Not Injured but she… I think she was panicking and I tried to pursue her and calm her but someone else interfered and she grew frantic and… she attacked me and flew off.” I said as I pulled up my shirt to reveal the still healing wound.

  “Eren did that? My Eren? She has changed, hasn’t she?” Callira asked, looking crestfallen as she slumped where she stood.

  “I don’t know. I’ve known her for less than a year and she hasn’t been the most forward with information. I know she cares, she's shown me that in spades. But since we started our trip here she's been anxious and scared. I love her and I want to help her.” I said, rambling my thoughts as they entered my head.

  She gave me an incredulous look before she spoke again.

  “A Year?! You’ve known her for only that long? How did you end up meeting that she would turn you so quickly?”

  “Well I… I was trying to get stronger to defend my home and one of the priests told me of a legend that anyone who drank Dragon’s Blood would have the strength to defend us. So I went searching and I… stabbed her in the hip, drank a small bit of blood and ran away. Or tried to.” I explained, bracing all the while for an outburst.

  Instead she stared at me like I was mad before doubling over laughing.

  “So you ended up as her daughter by accident?! Oh she would have that kind of luck.” She said between breaths.

  “What do you mean?”

  “It is similar to how we met. We met because she missed a deer she was hunting and hit me by accident. And when she tried to help me by pulling the arrow free she accidentally tasted my blood and well, you know what happens then.” She explained with a shrug.

  “That's not… she told me much different.”

  “She was always an excellent Liar.”

  I was still mulling that over when she approached me.

  “I imagine Eren has told you a great many things she either intended to keep buried or to cover for the gaps in her knowledge. Despite staying with me for the better part of a Decade, there was much I failed to teach her before my passing. I would love the opportunity to help either of you now from beyond the grave.” She said, a sad smile on her face.

  “You aren't exactly mobile, I'm not sure how we would get you to Mother, or even where she is.” I said, picturing myself trying to move her body.

  “I believe I know exactly where she would flee too and I can travel along with you. I've stored a great amount of power over the years and the range my mind can reach is quite vast. Were I to travel along with you… well I could offer advice and aid you in corralling your Mother. And perhaps I might be able to calm her myself.” She grinned. “And as far as me being imobile, You would technically only require my skull. That is where the magic allowing me to retain my mind after death is. But even without that being moved, I can simply ride along in your mind. It might make things a bit awkward for the time being if you find a lover. I can imagine you wouldn’t want an audience.”

  I blushed and she let out a laugh. My thoughts drifted to where Odessa was waiting outside with Xaranta and Callira gave me a brief frown.

  “I didn’t realize you had had one accompany you. I apologize for the joke then, We can sever my head and Xaranta can carry me back.” She said, looking a little flustered.

  “No, no. I can carry you in my mind. It won’t be permanent will it?””

  “No dear, but if either of us severs the connection then you would have to journey back here to resume the connection. Will your lover be okay with that arrangement?” She asked.

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  “I think she will understand. She might be upset at first but I think she will understand. Do you really think you know where Mother went?”

  “I do. Anytime she got herself into trouble after we met she went to the same place.”

  “Where?”

  “Home.”

  Princess Ereneya Vaesern

  I dragged myself out of my bed and tumbled to the ground like a ton of bricks. My body felt so sore. Everything felt like I had just run around the Castle a dozen times and tried to fly off with Callax’s wagon again. Ow. My stomach hurt like I was starving and I looked at the door to my room.

  I eventually managed to drag myself to my feet using the doorway and it was slow going as I wandered down the halls. Eventually I reached the Garden and grabbed one of the gourds there. I didn’t bother heading to the kitchen, I just ripped it open with my teeth and tore into it. And another. And another. And another. Eventually I felt a bit better and I managed to head to the kitchen. Mom was out, probably off to visit her brother, and that meant if I wanted to have something not from the garden I would have to catch it myself.

  I hoped Cal and Masai weren’t going to worry too much about me. They usually expected me to be gone for a week or two when I came back home. Dad wouldn’t even notice I was gone. He didn’t care what I did as long as Callax’s Dad paid the dowry. Greedy old Bastard.

  I grabbed a few more veggies from the garden and some of the spices from the kitchen cabinets, they had a nice layer of dust on them and I had to scoff. Mom certainly didn’t like to cook but not using her spices in this long? Criminal. The enchantments on the jars kept them good indefinitely but she had never figured out a self cleaning enchantment. Maybe that was something we could work on when she got back.

  I used my tail to dice the veggies and I finally noticed the blood stain on the bladed tip and the dried blood on my claws. My memory was all foggy right now, I must have gone hunting and got a little more into it than I had intended. Anyway a bit of cleaning later and I was frying up some veggies, seasoned to perfection. Cooking was my favorite. Dad always hated when I did it.

  It was always ‘We have servants for that’ or ‘That's a woman’s duty’. Well surprise surprise old man. I was a woman. He didn’t even notice when I became a dragon. He thought it was an illusion. Callax did, I think. We had always been friends but after I changed he… Well we hadn’t ever shared a bed before I changed. And Masai… She was my best friend. A court mage at the age of 12 and she had been my "Assistant" ever since. She had liked me before I changed, She had been the only one who liked me before. Because she knew how to make me feel right. And now that I had changed she had been even more into it. Resting between the both of them had become one of my favorite activities.

  Cal still made sure I knew how to use a blade properly and Masai was teaching me magic now that I could wield it. I snacked on my veggies and let out a groan at the thought of hunting. Mom’s home was right on the coast so it was going to take me all day to go find something that could feed me. Oh well, early start I guess. I dressed myself and left the Den to take off towards the forests.

  It was gonna be a long few days waiting for mom to come home.

  Lady Naravie Greyson

  I slumped against one of Xaranta’s spikes as Odessa continued her rant. She had been going off on me for at least twenty minutes since I came back and explained the situation to the two of them. Xaranta had found it amusing but Odessa was concerned, not only for intimacy’s sake but also that I just let someone into my mind. So now she was listing all the ways that she knew of that could have backfired. It was quite an extensive list.

  Inside my head Callira was sitting, watching out through my eyes. It was a strange feeling, I was both outside of my body and in my mindscape at the same time and it was leaving me feeling like I was floating.

  ‘She has quite the list.’ Callira said.

  ‘Indeed.’ I replied.

  ‘Do you think she will run out soon?’

  ‘Considering she has brought up Demons twice now, I think she is spiraling a bit.’

  ‘True. Oh and she mentioned fairies at least three times.’

  ‘That is reasonable, fairies are quite scary. Very fearsome mental magics.’

  I directed my attention back to Odessa as she folded her arms and stared at me.

  “So what do you have to say for yourself?” She growled.

  “I’m sorry?”

  “A good start.”

  “I thought I was helping.”

  “You could have come back and asked Xaranta to confirm what she said.”

  “I didn’t want to keep you waiting.”

  “I wouldn’t mind waiting if it meant I knew you were safe.”

  I mumbled my way through an apology and she half walked, half stumbled her way over next to me. It was hard to walk on Xaranta’s back when he was in flight and she plopped down next to me.

  “I just don’t want you to get more hurt.”

  “I know.”

  “I’m sorry I was nagging you.”

  “It's fine, it just means you care.” I replied and she rested her head against my shoulder.

  “So are we going to find your Mother tonight?” Odessa asked.

  ‘Most Likely not, it would take several hours to reach my old home and Eren will probably still be recovering from her panic attack. Set out in the morning?’ Callira offered in my head and I relayed what she was saying to Odessa.

  “So we have tonight…” Odessa said.

  “If you don’t mind an audience.”

  “Can’t she just… not watch?”

  “Unfortunately, no.”

  “Ugh… Will you be able to sleep?”

  ‘You should have no problems sleeping. I am not a particularly noisy person when someone is trying to rest.’ Callira offered.

  “She says I should be fine to sleep.”

  “Well that's good.” Odessa said with a smile and I watched as her six eyes blinked… Six?

  “Uh… your eyes…” I said, and she brought three hands up to her face.

  “No! Mother said it was good for another few months!”

  The rest of the changes unfolded over the time that it took us to return to Xaranta’s Mountain. By the time he landed she was back to her full Demi Human form and she was crying. Despite my efforts to comfort her she was still upset. Callira seemed surprised that she was a Demi Human but Xaranta was anything but. We had introduced Odessa to him as a Weaver…

  Dinner was quiet and by the time Xaranta showed us to our room Odessa had mostly calmed down. She curled up her lower body next to the bed to have her upper body rest across my chest as she gave me a sad stare.

  “I suppose you will have to go find your mother alone then.”

  “I can carry y-” She pressed a finger to my lips.

  “No, you can’t not in this body. And I can only remain in my human body for an hour without the potion. I’ll stay here. You go get her and see what you can do to help her. But stay safe, please.”

  I nodded and she pulled her hand back.

  “I can stay with Xaranta, see what Irand and Alvina are up to. Maybe the old Dragon can even answer some of my questions…”

  “Questions?”

  “I want to try and gain a more human body permanently. He might know a way I could do that or he might have heard of someone who could. I just…”

  “You want your body to be yours. I understand. I don’t think I would have before I drank my mother's blood but… I understand.” I said softly and she moved closer until her breath was against my face.

  “Have I ever mentioned how much I love you?” She asked.

  “Once or twice.” I smiled.

  “If you didn’t have a passenger…” She purred as she ran a hand along my face.

  I suddenly regretted my deal with Callira much more as my chest tightened under her touch. I heard Callira laughing in the back of my mind and I focused inward slightly to look at her.

  “Something funny?” I asked.

  “I just have never understood physical affection. I’ve never had a partner and it is… interesting to watch the two of you.”

  “You’ve never… In the how many years you were alive you never laid with anyone?” I stammered.

  “Never. No one ever caught my eye. And I was never one for romance anyway. I much preferred to garden or bake or simply enjoy the scenery.” She said, a reminiscent look in her eye.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Oh don’t be. There were several times I could have had lovers and I simply had no desire to be with them. Now go, your woman is waiting. I will do my best to ignore any happenings.” Callira said and I was pushed out back into the waking world.

  Odessa was running a lazy hand along my neck and her eyes were half closed already.

  “I think you need some sleep.” I said, brushing the hair out of her face.

  “Mmmnot tire.” She mumbled.

  “Get some sleep. I’ll be here in the morning. I love you.” I said softly, giving her a small kiss.

  “Love you…” She trailed off as her eyes drooped shut.

  “Good night love.” I whispered and shut my eyes.