Chapter 68 – Morning After.
[This ‘side’ arc takes place directly after chapter 54 (Summons).]
Had it all been a dream?
Thoughts floated lazily around her mind, drifting in and out of realisation, taunting her with memories that were vivid one moment and lucid the next. Ancients, aspects of life itself. The Outerlands, what lay beyond the storms that most didn’t even realise existed. Forms, hiding the truth underneath. Powerful, alluring people, lying oh so naked on a bed, as mana surged around them. Voices, foreign yet familiar. Her body on fire as power surged through it, changing it. Changing her. The Daughter of Pyre.
The realm of dreams and imagination, fabrications of the mind. And yet, they weren’t, were they.
Ueana opened her eyes, the world around her coming into focus. She was lying on a comfortable feather mattress, still dressed in her Skeon, Fleur snuggled close in beside her, similarly clothed. Fleur’s mouth was slightly open, gentle warm breaths tickling her neck, her arms and legs draped over Ueana. The way that they had occasionally woken, though most of their trysts had been in secluded locations. While almost all of the brood at the nest knew about them, they had still tried to keep it to themselves. After all, Fleur had only been with them a short time. Real relationships took a lot more time, and Ueana didn’t really think about her in that way. They were friends, and that was about it. Close friends, friends with benefits, but still just that. At least to her, at the moment.
Fleur was pretty in her own way, her features soft and perhaps a little chubby in places. Her nose was cute, and her eyes had a depth to them that could draw you in. Her body was athletic and toned, like most riders, both of them at about the same level of fitness. Ueana was just a little bit faster and stronger, usually able to best her in spars, though Fleur was skilled in her own way. It was always a strange match up, Fleur’s aspected weapon being a greatsword. At a glance you wouldn’t have thought that she’d be able to fight with such a large and bulky armament, yet there was hidden strength in her body, and coupled with her reinforcement magic she was surprisingly competent. Fleur was at her best when fighting alongside someone else, such as Ueana, a companion able to shore up her weaknesses, but even still she wasn’t someone that you’d want to underestimate. Mind you, that applied to Riders as a whole, and out of their nest, they were still amongst some of the weaker combatants. The only real odd thing was that most riders who wielded such bulky weapons usually had greater covering with their armour than what Fleur had.
Ueana hadn’t quite settled on a weapon yet. Usually what you wielded with was dictated by ones magic, it’s form coming naturally when you summoned the weapon. It matched what you were most talented with, what resonated with your soul. Hence what appeared to be an odd choice for Fleur wasn’t even blinked at. It was what apparently suited her. Ueana on the other hand had to mentally decide what she was trying to form, the weapons never looking quite the same each time that she did so, their quality average at best.
It even puzzled her mentors somewhat, and had earned her some scorn from the older riders that saw themselves as better than her. Ueana didn’t let that bother her much. It hurt, granted, but it didn’t mean that she was a lesser rider because of it. She still fought well enough, and currently she had some versatility that they lacked, resulting in her learning, rather well, a number of different fighting styles. She had tried longswords, pole arms, daggers, chain scythes, maces, double ended swords, and axes, but she always felt like she was missing something with them all. They weren’t her. She’d find the right weapon eventually, and for now she had settled on a pair of tanto, small short swords that worked will with her speed and agility.
Ueana lazily ran her hand along Fleur’s back, gliding along the smooth and glossy material, the enchantment magic just perceptible to her senses. A stray ray of sunlight danced along their bodies as the wind played with the loose curtain that was unsuccessfully trying to cover the open window. She was pretty sure that this wasn’t how she’d fallen to sleep last night. Yes, she’d been sleeping in her bed to start with, but then she’d sneaked out into the palace gardens for some quality time with herself and the thoughts of Crystal and Rachael. Fleur had joined her there, under the blanket of the stars.
Oh. That’s right. She’d felt them move again. The Ancients, they’d been called. She had known where it was all coming from, and who had been involved, and had gone to investigate. To see them again. The Deep Dragons. One last time. For reasons. Their forms, just like she and Fleur were now, albeit naked, oh so hot and desirable, and with mana flowing densely around them. She had been the only one of the delegation to make it up there to see them, and then she’d fallen asleep. Up in the palace. Not here.
She went hot with embarrassment. She’d fallen asleep right in front of Queen Alysia and Myne.
‘The Queen was the one who brought you back down too. Fleur was panicking with worry about you, and wouldn’t leave your side.’
Ueana bolted upright, dislodging Fleur who tumbled off the bed, taking all of the sheets that had been lying around their feet with her.
“Callisto?” she murmured quietly. It had been her familiars voice, of that she was certain. Soft, warm and comforting. But familiars couldn’t talk. Everyone knew that. Those that were close to their familiars could sense impressions from them, and even understand them to a degree, but that was the extent of it.
‘Yes?’ There was suddenly worry in his voice, like he’d done something wrong. Like last night, just before she’d fallen asleep.
“You can talk!?” That was said a bit louder, astonishment in her voice.
‘Whatever this actually is, yes?’ There was an aspect of confusion to his response to his reply. After all, he was an aspect of her magic, part of her. If she didn’t know, how was he meant to. Or something. She really didn’t understand at all what was going on.
“How? Since when? Where are you?” Not that that was going to stop her asking questions.
‘Since last night. When the Ancient touched you. I’m just outside.’ The curtain billowed off to the side as Callisto beat his wings, the room on the first floor, the glinting red scales of his wing visible through the window.
Ueana sat there stunned.
“What’s going on?” Fleur asked groggily, sitting up on the floor and looking at Ueana.
“Callisto’s talking!” Ueana replied, before she had a chance to actually think about the intelligence of actually mentioning it.
“You must be day dreaming,” Fleur replied, rubbing her eyes. “Dragons can’t talk.”
“He is!”
“Sure, sure,” Fleur said as she lifted herself back on the bed, laying down on her back beside Ueana, stretching herself out and looking up at her. “You alright? What happened up there?” There was still concern on her face.
Ueana pouted, annoyed.
“He said that the Queen personally brought me back down.”
Fleur looked a little surprised. “She did...” she started, then looked contemplative. She then shrugged, which looked a little odd on the bed, before she reached out and touched Ueana. “What happened?”
“I don’t know. I saw them. Crystal and Rachael, lying naked in their bed, surrounded by a flood of mana, with Myne and the Queen standing nearby. Then I feel asleep.” Ueana blushed at the memory.
“You fell asleep in front of the Queen!?”
“Yes.” Ueana sighed. “Please don’t tell anyone else. I couldn’t help it. Extenuating circumstances.”
Fleur giggled, then looked serious and a little ashamed. “I was worried about you, you know. I could feel it too, but I was scared, and I was finding it hard to move. I’m glad you’re okay.”
‘None of the others came at all. I don’t know if they even felt the movements. All of the their dragons were still asleep when we got back here. They’re only starting to rouse now.’
“Me too. It was... an experience.” Ueana didn’t think that it would be wise to mention anything else that happened. Not to mention that Fleur was being rather inviting. She could feel the desire rising within her. Intense. Burning. Ueana straddled her, and leaned in close.
“Shall we continue from where we were interrupted last night?” she asked.
Fleur gave her a grin, pulling her down on top of her. “Let’s.”
Ueana lay beside Fleur once they were done, sweating but content, staring up at the ceiling of the room, a gentle breeze now coming in through the open window. The curtains were still open, due to Callisto, but she wasn’t worried at all about that. The window was too high for anyone to look in, and too low for a Rider to fly past, not to mention that Callisto was below it anyway.
“That was the best ever!” Fleur exclaimed, Ueana nodding in agreement. For some reason it had been. She did feel hotter than normal as well. Ah well. It was totally worth it though, given that they’d probably have to get up soon, and there was a chance that she might have some explaining to do, not that she actually wanted to. Just an inkling in the back of her mind.
What had that voice in the palace been though. It had carried power, and weight, and she knew it had been speaking the truth. Had it been an Ancient, given that she had felt their movements? It was possible, though she didn’t want to think to heavily on that. It carried too many additional questions, like why did it talk to her in the first place. She was rather insignificant compared to all of the others who were present at that moment. But if it wasn’t, then what was it, and again why. And what about the changes that it had mentioned. Was Callisto talking one of those?
More importantly, what had it meant by Daughter of Pyre?
“What do you mean they have left?” The Senator was red in the face, furious, while the Queen was lazily sitting on her throne, one leg draped over the other, completely at ease.
“Exactly that, Senator Carrot. They left a number of hours ago.”
“But...”
“But what?” Queen Alysia had an amused smile on her face. “They are beholden to none of us, with their own schedule to keep. They were summoned urgently, and so they departed. Consider yourself lucky that you got to meet them in the first place.”
It was exactly as Ueana had sensed last night. If she hadn’t gone, she wouldn’t have seen them again. But something didn’t quite fit in all of it. What had the Ancients been up to, and why had there been all of that mana present. Shortly after they had gotten up they had been summoned to the throne room by the queen for an important announcement, the queen wasting no time in telling them that Myne and the Deep Dragons were no longer in the kingdom. Lady Knight Starlight seemed unconcerned, as did Lady Knight Asher and the Prince, the latter who just nodded and scratched the overnight growth on his face. Senator Carlos on the other hand was acting as if it was a personal slight against him.
“Given who we are, it would have been polite of them to let us know of their leaving. Not to mention the promise of the primes.”
“Ah yes. The alpha-primes. You seem to have a fascination with them. You saw them yesterday. They were right in front of you, both of them. That they never took their full forms again in your presence is of little consequence.”
“What do you mean?” There was a look of disbelief on his face.
“Exactly what I said. I’m sorry that you weren’t able to see the truth in front of you, unlike some of the others present. Nether the less, it is what it is. They have left, at the behest of the Dawn Angel. Farewells were had, but only to those that were deemed important enough for such, and at such short notice. The delegation wasn’t excluded from that, just most of you were unaware.”
That got a look of surprise from the two Lady Knights. Obviously they had no clue as to what had happened last night. Ueana was surprised, given the intensity of the movements that she and Fleur had felt, but yet, by the looks of it, they had been the only two had actually noticed. She tried keeping a poker face, unsure if she should actually say something at all. The senator looked like he was about to say something more, but he held his tongue.
“The Ancients were moving again last night,” Fleur stated quietly, possibly in part because she didn’t want to be heard, but probably feeling that she should mention it.
“They were?” Fleur suddenly had the attention of both Lady Knights, shrinking back, her hand grasping Ueana’s. Ueana felt a sudden pang of fear. It wasn’t going to sit well if they found out that she’d actually managed to see them before they left, and there was no way she wanted to talk about what else had happened at the moment. Given that Fleur didn’t really believe that Callisto could now talk, the reaction of the Lady Knights would be far worse. Why had Fleur even mentioned it.
“Why did you not tell us?” Lady Knight Asher asked.
“I couldn’t get close, and then it was all over...” Fleur answered carefully. “But we both felt it.”
Ueana nodded in agreement. Not quite the truth, but enough of it. “We had though that you’d have felt it, given the strength of the movements, and the proximity,” she added. “There just wasn’t a lot of time.”
“Ancient’s were indeed involved last night,” Queen Alysia confirmed. “Mana was also being pulled from the leylines under the capital, their density such that most people would not be able to walk in it. I must admit though, I was surprised at the near lack of awareness from you all, hence the early morning summons.”
“Hmm. Interesting.” Lady Knight Starlight looked thoughtful. Queen Alysia was indeed telling the truth, as she had said that she did, but just like any politician she wasn’t telling the full truth. She had seen Ueana there, and brought her back down, she was just omitting that fact, for which Ueana was grateful.
“Perhaps it was for the best though. Regardless, because of their presence yesterday, you have learned what you came seeking. You are of course welcome to stay as long as you see fit, within reason, but I don’t think there will be anything more on the matter forthcoming. I’m sure your councils or rulers will be eager to hear what you have to report.”
Prince Nasquith gave the queen a bow. “We thank you for your hospitality and cooperation. It has been a pleasure, and we look forward to continued relations between our countries. As you say, the king will indeed be anxious for our reports, and we should probably depart while the weather is favourable.”
Queen Alysia gave him a bow back. “The pleasure is mine. Let me add one piece of advice, though you are welcome to take it however you want. It is highly likely, nay almost certain that the Outerlands will also be effected by the changes taking place, given that is where they have returned to. So I see it as being very unlikely that the two sides will remain separated for much longer. Change is coming to us all.”
“Indeed. Change is in the wind. And if you ever think of marrying, even if only for political purposes, do think of me.” The prince gave her a cheeky grin.
Queen Alysia rolled her eyes, and gave him a smile back.
“Curious that you should say that,” Lady Knight Asher said, folding her arms, and shaking her head at the prince. “But you are indeed correct. If what we have learned is all true, there is much afoot. We too shall report back to the council. We appreciate your cooperation, and if we learn anything about the location of Katherine we will let you know.
“Thank you.”
Ueana breathed a quiet sigh of relief. No more questions at this stage, but she doubted that Asher wouldn’t ask any more on it. Letting go of Fleur’s hand, she turned to make her way out of the throne room as the rest of the delegation also did so, finding Sister Kyril standing right in front of her. The morbid sister made her feel uneasy in the best of circumstances, and that she was staring right at her, a faint glow in her eyes, wasn’t changing that at all.
“Yes?” she asked nervously.
“They’re cute,” Kyril suddenly stated, before she turned and walked after Lady Knight Starlight.
Ueana stared at her, completely confused. Those were the last words that she had expected out of her, from the short time that she had known her, and she had no idea what Kyril was talking about.
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Hehe, I sense Ueana has some new features she doesn't know about yet😜
That she may... that she may ^^
I wonder who is on the volume two cover ^^
@mogust where would I find that cover as I only see the current one?
@mogust nevermind, found it in the glossary
@Murbellass They are also all on the discord server as well. Royal Road has a volume option, so all of the covers are on display there, and finally, the books are on amazon, so all the covers are there too.