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THIS WOMAN, THIS dragon, intrigues me. She cannot transform, she has not her wings, so she is barely a Dragonborn and yet she has the charisma of the Fey and the logic and strategy of the Vampire Lords. After the attacks on the Deviant Class students in the integrated dorms, she put her foot down and pulled her Holy Lance.
Those Fey who knew the tales were immediately drawn to her, to its power. The lance was said to be brandished by only the worthiest of Dragonborn women, those who would prove to be warriors in their own right. Champions for the cause. Protectors of the right, of the laws and the way of life.
This Aella Rowan could become a Queen if she played right, but she would need a strong and powerful King. The one called Greisen, half Dragonborn, half Vampire, a mix that had not been seen in over a hundred years. He had a bloodlust that would go well in battle, but he would never do well in times of peace. Something told me he could not be trusted. It was in the way he treated his woman. She should have been revered and was instead put to the place of Cŵn Annwn. The Dogs of War. They were only used in the hunts, otherwise they were left to their own devices to do as they saw fit or wanted. Not cared for or loved. No, he would not do, as he seemed to want to just kick the proverbial puppy. What of the one who claimed to be my brother? The one who simply vanished? I had heard that he was a formidable fighter, and a good man. At least, that was the rumor that was going around from any that mentioned him. I did not know if I trusted his judgements, seeing as he flipped out and was not reachable. No, she had no suitor. I was not a good enough placement either. She needed one that could love her. My heart was taken, Marigold Slighfodt had it, even if she was not altogether aware of it. She was my charge, so I would never speak it aloud, but I would protect her with my life. Or rather lives, as I would have many. She is Fey, she was my equal in longevity, but there were things that may hurt her, and I would keep them from her.
As for this Aella, banished or not, she had taken to the cause of Grigori and the integration, and the attempting of peace. She had called all of the Deviant Class students together, from the freshman to the seniors and had them all bunking in the Deviant dormitory. It was a little cramped, but she was utilizing the rooms that were being held for other students too, having moved everything to storage units in town. She had Greisen’s woman, Collette talk the man into a very generous discount.
“Alewar?” I heard my love’s voice in that lyrical manner and it set my heart to flutter. I cleared it from my voice before answering her.
“Yes, my Lady Marigold.”
“I wish you would just call me Mary.”
I shook my head. “You are to be one of the exalted, and should be accustomed to being addressed as such, therefore I shall call you nothing less than is proper.”
She sighed with a small laugh. “You would say that.” She ran her tiny fingers down my hard chest and I swallowed my heart, the scales on my back lifting. The Phoenix was a rare animal, a mixture of the original Dragon and the passionate bird of resurrection. I was told when they found me that I still would bear my scales along with my feathers of flame. My original colors along with my memory was burned off in my resurrection. I would get the occasional flashback, but nothing tangible to hold on to. I remembered my father, but not much more. What I thought were glimpses of myself, perhaps were glimpses of Siegfried, but I did not have him with me to verify them, so I did not know.
“You have summoned me, for what purpose?” I asked, holding the tremor she could put in my voice with her touch.
“Aella is preparing to move us to the Alabaster Hall prior to meeting with that Dean Baker. She would like our help.”
I nodded, lifting her tracing fingers from me. “I’ll move on it now. Did the Cŵn Annwn report last night?”
“Yes.” She put on a small pout. “Kendall Lowengrad has brought seven of them. It was all he could find on short notice, at least that were battle proven.”
“Seven will be more than enough if we need them. They do not need the moon, remember that.”
“I hate that this is what it has come to.”
“If Aella can call a truce, it may not still. If not, be glad that you have your voice to subdue them.”
“I will call on all of the power of the Fey within me.”
“You may well need it, My Lady Marigold.”