mogust

Soul Flames hit #9 on trending :) Really ecstatic about that, so here's the next chapter.

CW: Bullying and discrimination

Chapter 76 – Cost of Change.

Ueana sat against Callisto, her tails wrapped around her. Her familiar was warm and comforting, a stable and reassuring presence. The last rays of sunlight filtered in through the open doorway, ash blue clouds slowly engulfing the sky and threatening a cold and wet night. Neither which would be of concern to her. The chamber that she was in was actually fairly sizeable, large enough for three dragons around Callisto’s size to sit comfortable in, carved from the stone of the mountain. Probably by an earth aspected caster, or a team of lesser powered people. A fairly recent addition to the nest, and not one that she had been aware of. Understandable as they sat at the top of the complex, the spire of the summoning temple somewhere below them, but which she was rather grateful for. It was designed for both rider and familiar to reside in, but the amenities were rather spartan, and didn’t appear to be finished yet.

It was certainly her preference now. Riders and familiars usually slept in different areas of the nest, and while that had never quite felt right to her, now that Callisto was talking to her it felt completely wrong. They were of the same magic, the closest bond anything could have. Being together was just natural. Kitni gave a happy rumble in response as she patted him, the fox cub snuggled up in her lap.

Ueana sighed. There were so many bitches in the nest, one in particular worse than the rest. She hadn’t thought the other riders at the nest that bad, they all shared the same type of magic after all, sisters in the clan, but that had been before.

And as much as she tried to ignore it, it actually hurt. She wasn’t as strong in that area as she tried to portray.

Lady Knight Asher had seemed deep in thought again after she had announced her conclusion to them, Ueana both surprised and not. It had made sense after all, and they had already had all of that information in front of them. They’d just not connected the dots, but in their defence, some of the clues would have been much more prominent to the Lady Knight, as one in a position of responsibility. After walking some circles, Asher had then said that they needed to present the information to the rest of the Lady Knights who were current at Elmer’s Nest. On a matter such as that she couldn’t go and make the decision on their path of action by herself, as much as she wanted to. But that was all they had to report, Asher clearly stating that irrespective of the questions asked, they were under no obligation to answer about anything else to the other Lady Knights. It didn’t pass by Ueana that Asher had specifically said ‘other’ Lady Knights.

That meeting had not been overly pleasant. They had gone straight to the audience chamber in the complex, Asher summoning her peers along the way. Being around that many Lady Knights was intimidating at best, but they’d stared and stared, Lady Knight Leslie not even recognising at first who she was. Lady Knight Chloe was in a foul mood, quite possibly from Coorie and Fleur’s successful attempts earlier at getting Asher to come to them, and she kept demanding to know what had happened to Ueana. Ueana had refused to state more than that they’d had a run in with the magic of an Ancient, Asher having to intervene when Chloe wouldn’t let it go. Lady Knight Breeze had been the nicest of the lot, not pressuring her, and then backing up Asher, the needed influence to finally allow the trio to make their report on the demon and rider encounter. Of course there had been some disbelief from them about their report, though Asher did vouch for their word. Once they were done, they were told that if they didn’t have anything further to report on then they were dismissed, as the leading body of the nest needed to discuss their options. Chloe made no small pains in emphasising that they were to remain within the nest, in case they needed to be called upon. Not that they wouldn’t have left without direction anyway, given the circumstances, even if she was sorely tempted to do so after that interaction.

Unfortunately the tone of the lady knights wasn’t an isolated expression.

At first it was just looks of surprise and confusion from the other hatchlings. And a lot of stares. So much staring. Then the confrontation with hatchling Osis and her entourage of servants, who had taken it upon herself to tell her that ferals were not welcome in the nest. Osis was of course well aware that Ueana wasn’t a feral, Osis calling Ueana by her name proof enough that she knew who she was. Callisto landing beside her just cementing that she was still indeed a rider.

Then it was the catcalls, lewd remarks and comments about her being cursed. She really doubted that any of them truly had any idea about what a curse actually was, and how that rumour had started and travelled so fast was in itself a mystery. She was still wearing Coorie’s hoodie, even though it was damaged. Skeon left little to the imagination, so there wasn’t a lot of difference between wearing it and not in that respect, but there was something to the feeling of having that layer there. Ueana wasn’t actually sure if it was of concern to her, but she could do without any additional leverage for those who had taken an exception to the new her. Her sexual preference was probably additional fuel to that fire.

There weren’t even that many riders who resided in the nest in the first place, just shy of thirty, including herself, Coorie and Fleur, but excluding the lady knights. It was the kind of behaviour that could push someone to the absolute depths of despair and depression.

‘I think a lot of them are either confused, or jealous. Or both. Subconsciously, they may well detect the mark of the deep dragons on you, just as Coorie can, and even if they don’t recognise it, it may still be having an effect on them.’

‘Not that that is an excuse for their actions,’ Callisto then added.

At least Callisto seemed to have been spared any unwanted attention, not that there would have been much of an opportunity. What it did highlight though was the overall lack of appreciation and value a lot of riders put on their familiars and by extension others. Ueana had always been one to notice changes and growth in other riders dragons, but she knew that she was an exception.

The queen of bitches though was Madison Saltlands. Like Coorie, she was of a noble background, but unlike Coorie she was still deeply rooted to it, and proud of that. That she had a rather powerful gem, a blue diamond according to what she liked to proudly declare, didn’t help matters at all. She had a gaggle of other riders that clustered around her at all times, hanging off her every action, like a group of hormonal teens.

Declaring that Ueana looked like some common animal and completely lacking in shame was never a good way to start a conversation. Nor was stating that a lack of dragon bone armour just showed how weak she was, even if it was meant to just be an offhanded comment to her followers, meant to both be heard and not. But she’d heard it loud and clear, one of the advantages of her new form. Ueana refusing to answer how the changes happened, not that she would have even if she hadn’t been hostile to her at that point, of course didn’t go down well. Fleur had informed her that the knowledge about the Ancients hadn’t been passed down by the lady knights to the rest of those in the nest, a mistake on their part she felt, they’d had plenty of time after all, but she wasn’t the one calling the shots in the nest. But it did mean that their stock answer wouldn’t mean anything at all to the other hatchlings, so her best course of action was in fact no answer at all. The best out of a worse selection.

Her home wasn’t really feeling like home any more, and that also hurt.

Both Fleur and Coorie had been furiously defensive of her, but Ueana didn’t want them getting directly involved too much. The last thing that she wanted was them suffering the same way that she was, guilty by association. Perhaps that was a vain hope though, her relationship with Fleur well enough known that the black haired rider was unlikely to avoid it, even if she wished otherwise. Coorie on the other hand could well have avoided any attention at all, but she had vocally declared her displeasure at what was going on, even looking like she was going to floor Osis after the second confrontation.

Lady Knight Asher had intervened two days later, at the same time that her room had gotten trashed. The why of it completely escaped her. None of them were children anymore. It’s not like she kept anything valuable or incriminating there. It was either on her, or she just didn’t have it in the first place, and Kitni stayed either with Callisto or her. Even her spare skeon wasn’t of any use to her any more, so that it didn’t escape the carnage didn’t bother her at all. At least no one had been stupid enough to try and do anything to Callisto or his stable. Asher didn’t seem overly happy at the time, simply directing her to move to one of the new dwellings on the edge of the nest, which Ueana was grateful for. Nothing else though, Ueana simply assuming that the lady knights were having some internal issues.

Even the nests of the clan weren’t immune to politics.

After that silence. No word from Asher, or any of the other lady knights at all. It’s not like the hatchlings were busy all the time, but given that she couldn’t even go hunting or take on a bounty did leave Ueana feeling at loose ends. She ended up spending most of her time at the smallest of the training grounds, practising by herself or sparring with her bondmates, their familiars watching over them protectively. It was constructive at least, and let her vent some of the stress. The other riders seemed to leave them alone as well, no one coming to interfere or obviously watching them. Riders flew by plenty of times, but that was to be expected given that that particular training ground lay between the nest and the rest of Clainreach, and everyone else seemed to have things to do.

Things had definitely changed for all of them, and there was no other explanation beside the bond. Ignoring the flames that danced around all three of them to different degrees, Fleur seemed faster on her feet than she had been, especially when wielding her greatsword, Coorie more stoic when using her war-axe and precise with her bow. Ueana had asked if she had any other weapons, Coorie shaking her head and replying that those were the only two, but that both came naturally to her. Ueana hadn’t noticed any direct changes to herself in that regards, but that wasn’t surprising given that the others hadn’t for themselves either, until she had explicitly pointed it out. She was back to experimenting with various weapons again, their forms coming quickly and easily to her, all with a sheen of the fox flames as she had decided to call them. She was getting much better at fighting with her tails as well now, the three days of solid practice paying off.

Her musings were cut short when shadows covered over the entrance to the dwelling, her ears twitching, the sound of four dragons landing outside clearly audible to her. They would be taking up all of the space out there, as it wasn’t designed for mass gathering. Nor was it Fleur or Coorie, who had taken to sneaking out of their dorms at night to come and join her. She knew their sound well. The whole sleeping together thing hadn’t finished upon their return to the nest, but rather it was now the norm, and to be honest Ueana wasn’t complaining. She quite liked it. The other riders wouldn’t be oblivious to it either, given that Seashae and Lily would be leaving the sables and there was plenty of opportunity to see them flying up to the dorm.

“So this is where you’re hiding. Holed away like the rodent that you are,” Madison declared as she strode into the chamber like she owned the place, glancing around with an expression of disgust.

“This is my room now,” Ueana stated with annoyance, “after someone decided to trash my other one. You can leave thank you.” Polite because she knew she should be, not because she felt that way. She didn’t at all.

“Hah. A run down warren. Perfect for a cretin.”

Ueana glared at Madison as another three riders walked up behind the intruder, her clinger ons. She never understood why they followed Madison like lost puppies. If you ignored that she was the scion of the Saltlands family, who were far too wealthy for their own good, and her self declared power, she didn’t really have anything going for her. Her looks were plain at best, a boring face that was almost bordering on chubby. She had large pouty lips that she always exaggerated with lip colour, her face painted with what ever other colours were currently the rage. Her long brown hair was a mass of curls that she tried to keep under control, but seemed to have a life of its own, silver highlights scattered throughout it. Like most riders, she was fit and had an alright shape, but she lacked the athletic and toned form of herself and Fleur, or the alluring curves of one such as Coorie. Rather it was more what you’d expect from semi active noble, even though Madison was a lot more active than those of her bloodline.

Reflecting her familiar, Madison’s bone armour was a muted lightning blue, consisting of a breastplate, thigh armour, and heeled boots, and even then its form was plain. Some riders bone armour was finely detailed. Madison’s was on the other end of the scale. The rest of her was covered in black skeon as was the norm, though Madison also had a large assortment of bracelets on both arms. And jewelled clips in her hair. To top it all off her nails were painted a bright blue.

‘A look ill fit for a rider. Perfect for princess though.’

Ueana chuckled internally at that.

The other three were Hatchlings Emily, Kat, and Saddie. All three were naturally prettier than Madison, their beauty marred by their efforts to paint and dress themselves in ways similar to the noble. At least they weren’t jingling in jewellery. All threes bone armour was similar to Coorie’s with a little variation between them, but they really were like a set of shadows for the noble.

“You’ve tainted her with your depraved tastes,” Madison declared, her face screwing up with hatred.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Ueana replied. Callisto emitted a low growl.

“Don’t play dumb with me,” Madison sneered. “I’ve seen the way that she acts around you since you all returned, and she spends an unhealthy amount of time together with you. She was never like that before.”

Ueana shook her head. It was obvious that she was talking about Coorie, but she doubted that Madison realised even part of how deep it went now. She and Fleur had been watching themselves in public, trying not to be any more open about their relationship than they had been before, and Coorie had been even more reserved about that aspect of their friendship. Out of the open was a different story, but night was a great blanket. Madison wasn’t wrong, but Ueana didn’t know what she’d actually seen that gave her those assumptions.

“She even refused to entertain my brother,” Madison huffed, sending a loose stone clattering across the floor with her boot.

“I doubt she would have done so before,” Ueana replied, unable to stop the retort. She didn’t know that for sure, but if Coorie had, it would have been with great reluctance, according to what Coorie had said to her.

Madison glared at her. “You are to stay away from her. You and Coorie are from different worlds. Do not taint her with yours.”

If it had been someone else or some other time Ueana would have laughed out loud. Madison really had no idea. That was probably a good thing though, and like it or not, there was no way that they weren’t going to be involved in each others lives to a big degree. Bond of Path.

Instead she kept a straight face, well as best as she thought she could make. Madison was pissing her off. “No,” she stated coldly. “You cannot dictate who are my friends, nor can you dictate that for her. We make our own decisions.”

Ueana then stood up, Callisto also rising, the flames dancing on his scales intensifying. “Leave,” she stated.

While her gaggle looked a little unsettled, the hint of worry on their faces, Madison seemed unconcerned. Instead she shook her head and gave Ueana a wicked smile.

“You’re going to regret this,” Madison said, before tossing her hair, turning, and striding out of the chamber. Emily and Kat did likewise, Saddie giving her one last nervous look before she also followed suit. Then their dragons took flight, and she was alone again.

Ueana sighed, and slumped back down against Callisto. Even given the stance that she had portrayed, she had still been left shaken.

‘You did well,’ Callisto said supportively. Ueana smiled, leaning more into her familiar.

Lily announced her arrival with a soft hiss, Fleur sliding off her back and scurrying into the chamber, Lilly padding in behind her. The sun had finally fully set, the stars and moon obscured by the clouds and the gentle pattering of rain just audible above Callisto’s breathing. Fleur shrugged off her cloak, hanging it on one of the wall hooks, damp but not yet soaked, and proceeded to make her way over to Ueana, snuggling down beside her on the floor against Callisto. The lack of beds in the chamber didn’t bother Ueana at all given her new physique and sleeping habits. She wasn’t sure about the others, but they hadn’t complained at all. Ueana wrapped her arms around Fleur, holding her close, feeling her hair against her face, scented like flowers. She must have just recently had a shower or bath. It was nice.

“I saw Madison fly back down from this direction...” Fleur started, leaving the sentence deliberately unfinished.

“Yeah...” Ueana growled, more at the memory than at Fleur. “To insult, threaten, and demand that I stay away from Coorie.”

Fleur shook her head, her hair tickling Ueana. “You ignored her demands?”

“Bluntly told her no. She has no control over others.”

“And she has no awareness of the bond either,” Fleur added with a chuckle.

“Nope.”

“There’s been a sudden but subtle shift in power upon our return, and whether or not she’s noticed it, I think that she is reacting to that.”

“Still no excuse for her actions though. Or any of the others.” Ueana sighed. She didn’t actually know what Fleur was referencing though. She hadn’t noticed anything herself, but having said that, she wasn’t around any of the others currently as much as her bondmates were.

Ueana sighed again. There were some things that she couldn’t keep avoiding though. “We need to talk.”

Fleur stiffened momentarily, then relaxed again, giving a nervous chuckle. “I was worried for a second, but you mean about Coorie, don’t you? That line always carries such weight...”

“Yeah, Coorie.” To tell the truth, she was rather nervous about the topic. She didn’t want to lose anything that they had gained. They were friends now. Bondmates. Likely even much more. Their relationship had changed so much since they’d been sent on the delegation together, in leaps and bounds even after Kitni had turned up. There had been more changes on that trip into the Basat Line than just from the magic of the Ancient.

She wasn’t sure however where to start. It was, difficult, even though she had tread these thoughts numerous times. She’d even prepared some lines, but that was for naught, the nervousness whipping them away like they’d never existed. For all that she had originally thought that she and Fleur were just friends, friends with benefits per se, it was more than that. Deeper. And mutually so. She’d known that now for a while though. She also knew, or at least, thought she knew, that Coorie wanted more from her as well. Perhaps Fleur as well? It was a mental minefield. She was also rather confused and unsure about where exactly she stood on it all. Callisto hadn’t been much help there. Even as part of her magic, he had been happily avoiding the topic, easily sidestepping around it whenever she probed him on it. But why wouldn’t he, given that she had been doing just the same.

“Coorie wants more from the relationship, doesn’t she...” Ueana eventually started, staring at the opposite wall.

Fleur chuckled. “That much is obvious. She still looks at you that way, even with all of the brood’s beauties here.”

Ueana stared at the wall for a while longer, gazing at all of the imperfections there. Even with the use of magic, nothing was perfect. “What are your thoughts on that?” she asked, then deciding straight away that that was a stupid question.

“No, scrap that. What should we do?” Ueana said instead.

Fleur snuggled in closer to Ueana. “That’s not for me to decide,” she said quietly, her voice carefully masked.

“It’s a consensus. It involves us all, more so that we are bonded by magic.” Ueana fiddled with Fleur’s hair.

Fleur gave a muffled hmm noise.

Ueana scanned the wall again. Surely there was more imperfections that she had missed.

‘You’re stalling,’ Callisto bluntly reminded her. That she was. She was well aware of that. But it was all part of the process.

“What do you think of Coorie? Not just as a friend. Please, your real opinion.” That wasn’t the best wording that she’d managed, but it’d do.

Fleur peeled herself away, turned and sat facing Ueana, her legs tucked under her to the side, her hand pushing her hair back away from her face, nestling what she could behind her ear. There was both an innocence and seductiveness to her as she sat like that.

“I love you, you know. Have since the first time I saw you, well before we met the deep dragons. There is something about you, and your changes have only amplified that.” Fleur looked straight at Ueana, her gaze unwavering. “I thought that I might have shattered should you have rejected my advances, which you didn’t, but even still, that you kept me at arms length, did hurt.”

Fleur paused, Ueana not speaking, waiting for her to continue.

“I was focused only on you. Exclusively, obsessively.” She paused again, her eyes wandering for a moment. “Then we met the deep dragons. Crystal, and Rachael. Ignoring that they are beautiful, quite possibly the most beautiful woman in the world, their very nature does things to you. A flood of emotion and desire. If you hadn’t accepted me that night, I don’t know what I would have done.”

Fleur gave a deep chuckle. “Not that we got to do anything anyway, Fate playing her own hand.”

“I don’t think that I fully realised it either, at that time,” Fleur continued. “Other events were dominating instead.” She paused again. “When you told me about the kiss, yes, I was jealous, yet at the same time I knew that it wasn’t entirely her or your fault. I’d felt those things myself, felt the effect, felt the barriers being broken, truths being fully surfaced. I wasn’t fully sure exactly why I teased about the sharing at that time, but I did, the words coming out naturally.”

“Sure, I said that she’d have to prove herself, but that was more of a reactive defence to what I’d said than anything else, and you know what, she’s more than proven herself since then. Then there was the bond. The magic of it, I can feel it at times, like its still forming and settling down into whatever shape it will eventually take. The flame serves as a visual reminder of it, but it isn’t really needed. I know that it is there.”

Fleur looked down at her hands, her face going a pretty shade of red. “Coorie is a nice girl. She’s really pretty too. Probably the most attractive of all of the riders here at this nest, she just doesn’t make any effort to enhance it like some of the others do. Sorry, yes, even prettier than you too.”

Ueana couldn’t fault Fleur there. Coorie was indeed rather attractive.

“I do like her in that way, and I wouldn’t be the only one. Yet, there is more to it than just that. It’s not just some infatuation or lust. There is some real love and need there as well, and I don’t think I could use the bond as an excuse for that.”

Fleur paused again, looking back at Ueana, her eyes watery, worry in their depths. “I teased sharing, and it was in part true. But you are my first, my true love. I don’t want to lose you.”

Ueana shifted over, and pulled her into a close hug. “No matter what, we will still be together. Still lovers. Even without the bond, it would be so.”

Fleur sniffed then sighed. “It can’t be just sharing though. It has to be more than just that. It’d bring shame on us being bondmates otherwise.”

Ueana nodded, still holding Fleur close. “Yeah...” Her head was still a maelstrom of emotions and thoughts.

They moved back against Callisto, Fleur resting her head in Ueana’s lap. The rain outside got heavier, a flash of lightning brighting up the sky for a moment.

“Have you made a decision?” Fleur eventually asked.

“Mostly,” Ueana answered after a pause. “It all depends on Coorie though.”

“Where is she anyway?” Fleur muttered. “She’s usually here by now.”

“Avoiding Madison,” Coorie declared as she walked in through the entrance to the chamber, completely soaked and dripping water everywhere. Seashae padded in behind her, sitting just inside as water slid off her and onto the floor. At least the floor was sloped, a drainage channel along one side for the water to run into. “She’s been a pain in the ass since I refused to meet with her brother.”

“She had more than ‘just a meeting’ in mind though?” Ueana asked.

“She always does.” Coorie stripped off her cloak, hanging the sodden mess beside Fleur’s. “I’d agreed a couple of times before to her schemes, managing to worm out of the worse of it with threats of my own. No way I was even going to be associated this time.”

“So, what was this about me?” Coorie asked with a curious smile.

Ueana panicked for a moment, before realising that it didn’t really matter. “How much did you hear?”

“Something about it depending on me. I’d only just landed. The rain is worse just a little bit over, if you can believe it. Would rather have been here much sooner. We should just move in.”

Fleur nodded beside her at that.

Ueana stood up, and walk over to Coorie. “Ignoring the bond, what sort of relationship is it that you want from us?” she asked once she was standing just in front of her.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Coorie replied sweetly, her bone armour disappearing as she ran her hands through her hair. A seductive pose taking full advantage of her beauty.

Ueana folded her arms, and just looked at her.

Coorie relaxed her arms, her expression going serious. “You’ve finally had the talk, haven’t you.” She paused and sighed, looking nervous and fragile. “I want what the two of you have. A real relationship. Companionship. Love. But not just with anyone. With you. The bond cannot be separated from it. After all, it is part of why the bond was formed in the first place.”

“More than just warmth at night. To be true lovers?”

“Yes.”

“With Fleur too though,” Ueana stated. “There can’t be any rivalry.”

Coorie looked a little shocked, and then in thought, before a small smile formed on her face. “I wouldn’t mind that.”

“Equally loving both of us, as we will you,” Ueana followed up. “Sworn on our bond.”

“Equally loving you both,” Coorie confirmed. “Sworn on our bond.”

Stepping right up to Coorie and taking her head in her hands, Ueana gave Coorie a passionate kiss, Coorie replying in like.

And in the midst of that Ueana felt the magic of their bond flare, evolving itself.

Bond of power,

bond of path,

bond of dream,

bond of love.

Manifest.

Daughters of Pyre.

mogust

Things aren't easy for them now that they have returned. The changes indeed come with a cost, and unfortunately others can be just plain cruel, irrespective of the motivations behind it.

At least there was something good in amongst all of that for Ueana, Fleur and Coorie.

The bond and relationship between them was a difficult one, and it took a while before I decided how it would actually play out. Even with that declaration, it is still going to be a difficult/interesting relationship for them. As to how the magic will effect that, we shall see. [NB: Their relationship also doesn't reflect my views.]

In case anyone is wondering, no. Crystal and Rachael are exclusive to each other.

Thanks for reading. Comments are always welcome.

The next chapter (77 - Schemes) will be out in the next few days. The final chapter of the arc, (78 - Trust), will of course be out after that.

I have started working on arc 5 yet (taking another short break to work on my other hobby), but I do know exactly how it starts and I have a couple of pages of notes and plot points to work with :)