#emmaprime

Heather stood by the opening to the Queen’s chamber, high in the peak of the Storm Spire. Her crimson eyes looked out at the sea of pinkish clouds below the suspended bridge of the Spire. She was back as a Dragonguard, with all her honour, guarding the Queen for the first time in months.

She wore her neat Dragonguard uniform with her red bowblade in hand, looking as fierce as the other two Dragonguards beside her; two of the other Dragonguards who had not been at the Spire when the Dark Mage had killed Avizandum and taken Prince Azymondias’ egg. Haco and Petra were the only two other Dragonguard’s who had survived the battle with the Cinder-Heart arm unscathed—two others were being treated for injuries.

Heather drew in a long breath, delighted to be back serving her Queen, the Queen of Dragons; Queen Zubeia. And Prince Azymondias, of course.

She lifted her hand to the moonstone that hung around her neck, containing the illusion that was still a Sunfire-elf-dragon-shifter, with false wings; sun-kissed skin; brunette hair; and red eyeshadow markings with a swirl beneath her lower eyelids. But underneath the glamour, nothing had changed since the incident a month ago.

“Do you need a break? To let your ‘true self’ breathe?” Asked the Sunfire elf Dragonguard beside her—Haco.

Heather shook her head. “No, no, I’m fine... just thinking.” She tucked the stone under her sash and stood still again.

But a few minutes later, she turned her head around, looking down the short corridor to Zubeia’s chamber.

“You’ll have to tell her soon,” Petra said. The Earthblood elf had almost become a maternal figure since Tiadrin had disappeared and since Scorchmark—Heather’s father—had disowned her out of fear; or so Heather believed.

“I know,” Heather mumbled. “And I plan to... She just seems so busy with everything that’s happ—ENED!” Petra and Haco shoved her into the tunnel.

“Just tell her. She’s not him, Heather,” Haco said. Heather knew exactly who he was referring to—her father.

“Give her our wishes!” Petra said, too loud for Heather’s sensitive ears to cope with, along with it being loud enough to guarantee it would reach Zubeia’s hearing. Heather sighed, exasperated, and faced the chamber ahead of her.

Can’t disappoint Her Majesty, she thought to herself. She started down the tunnel, the clinking of her bowblade touching the ground echoing against the stone walls as she walked.

The walk to The Queen’s chamber dragged on and on, much longer than Heather had ever remembered; the warm light that beamed into the chamber slowly grew closer with each step.

A soft rumble came from the chamber; Zubeia chuckling. Heather smiled absentmindedly as she heard it. For so long, Zubeia had filled the chamber with soft snores. Hearing her chuckle was a pleasant break from her slumbering breathing.

Finally, Heather stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at Queen Zubeia and Prince Azymondias, as the dragonling chirped at his dam from his spot on her head. He was a tiny pale blue speck against her dark blue scales.

Azymondias looked up from his dam to look at whoever had entered the room. He cooed and glided down to meet Heather at the top of the stairs. Heather bowed to him and Queen Zubeia, as was customary.

“What brings you to my chamber, young Dragonguard?” Queen Zubeia asked and Heather began down the steps, Azymondias on her shoulder.

“Your Majesty,” Heather began, inclining her head as she addressed the Queen. “I wish to speak to you about a... personal matter.”

Zubeia lowered herself to lie on the ground and inclined her head to study Heather. “I have a feeling it is about the talisman you wear around your neck.”

Heather froze. “You never cease to amaze me, Your Majesty,” she said, staring up at the archdragon. Zubeia’s lips lifted into a smile. “You are correct, Your Majesty, I wear an illusion to hide the remnants of an accident that occurred some time ago. And for me to no longer have to hide my physical appearance, I need to get in touch with the Archmage, Aaravos.”

*-*-*-*

Zubeia had been very understanding about Heather’s predicament, and with word that the Dark Mage who created the Cinder-Heart army hiding close to the Storm Spire, the hunt for the Dark Mage had begun.

The moon and stars were high above the search party and they scoured the base of the Spire, looking into each crack in the rock they came across. The party comprised Petra, Haco, Heather, Ibis, a dozen Sunfire elf soldiers and five master mages; the best magicians in Xadia, Ibis being one of them.

Heather drew in a long breath as she knelt on the ground; she could smell him. The filthy, disgusting smell of dark magic filled her nostrils, and it was getting stronger.

“Well?” Hissed a mage. Heather wasn’t sure which one as she never bothered learning their names when Ibis introduced them earlier; that and the dark magic was distorting her senses.

“He might be near... I’m not sure...” Heather whispered, rising to her feet and walking in the direction of the foul scent.

The mage tutted and hesitantly followed with the rest of his party.

He’s probably scared about the dark Mage absorbing his power. Heather tried to convince herself. Mages are richer in magic than soldiers.

We’re all scared of being absorbed and used in some disgusting way. Another part of Heather argued. She swept aside her thoughts and focused on the trail, gripping her blades’ handles.

Just ahead of the search party, Heather could see a faint lilac glowing come from a narrow cave mouth up ahead.

“There,” she pointed to where she could see the light. The elves behind her all looked to the craggy opening, furrowing their brows.

“So?”

Of course they can’t see the light, they’re elves. They can’t see light that’s that faint.

“There’s light coming from that cave. It’s faint, but I can see it. It might be worth checking out,” Heather offered quietly.

After a short, quiet discussion, Heather broke off from the group, completely invisible with the help of the Moonshadow mage who had come with the group. She easily slid into the opening in the rock and adjusted her sight to the lilac lighting in the cave. Inside she saw the Dark Mage, standing in his white dirt-dusted gown, and his apprentice, with half of her hair now completely white. They were both staring at the opposite wall where the lilac was being emitted.

She resurrected him! Heather realised with a scowl. She followed their gaze.

The source of the light was a large cocoon dangling from the ceiling of the cave. It pulsed as white noise came from it.

The caterpillar has to be in there. He has to be in there.

Heather backed slowly out of the cave to the search party, still invisible from all but dragon eyes.

“The Mage and his apprentice are in there, as is the caterpillar,” she whispered to the group. Her voice had spooked a few of them.

“Remember that our objective is the caterpillar, not the mages,” Petra said to the others. The other elves nodded.

“Ugauc?”

My call echoed around me in the foggy, snowy woodland as the cold prickled my neck. Without Ugauc by my side, I felt completely vulnerable to whatever the creatures Ugauc had smelled earlier.

Where has he gotten to?

My nervousness was making me impatient, and I just wanted to get out of these freezing temperatures.

Ugh! I miss the rainforest! It was so much warmer there, and there was tasty fruit to eat, instead of these bitter berries and hardly ripe apples.

My mind wandered to the warm sunshine and green canopy of the rainforest, leaving behind the bare trees and gloomy scenery around me. I could almost feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, replacing the cool dampness around me.

I miss home. And Festolgit is coming up soon... I wonder if dragons have anything to celebrate at the end of the year.

I looked around the little clearing I was in, scanning the fog for a muscular dragon-shifter in his humanoid form.

But I couldn’t spot him.

“Where are you, Ugauc?” I whispered, irritated. I wrapped my arms close to my torso under my cloak, trying to not feel warmer than my anxiety was allowing me to be.

I tightened my jaw, glancing around again, my anxiety only getting worse.

I heard the crunching of leaves and spun around, pulling out a dagger from beneath my dark cloak. I eyed the fog in front of me, keeping as stern of a face as I could, as my heart bet in terror.

I silently stood there in my battle stance, scared for my life.

Ugauc! I called out to him.

No response.

He couldn’t be that far away, so why isn’t he answering?

Has he run into something?

Is he hurt?

My mind raced, thinking of the worst thing that could have happened to him.

I stared at the spot, hearing only my breathing and racing heart as I watched for movement.

“Rah!” Shouted a voice, as his fingers dug into my sides as he launched himself from behind me.

I yelped and spun away from his grasp, cutting him with my blade. I stopped, eying my attacker from the opposite side of the clearing.

He seethed, holding his hand to his wounded face. “It’s nice to know your reflects are sharp.”

“Ugauc?” I looked to my blade, navy dragon blood dripping from the metal. I felt my heart drop.

“Ugauc... I am so sorry,” I apologize, stepping closer to his dark figure.

Ugauc came closer to me, dark blood seeping through his fingers as he held his hand to his cheek. “I’ll be fine, little elfling.” He removed his hand from his face and spit into it, before returning it to the slash of his face. “It’ll heal quickly.”

“You still shouldn’t have scared me like that!” I scolded. “I was so worried when you were gone for so long and didn’t respond.”

Ugauc’s lips lifted into a cruel smile, and he chuckled.

“What’s so amusing?!”

“How much you care.” I saw a scab already forming on his wound. “It’s adorable.”

I glared at him. “And what about the creatures you were tracking?”

“A couple of manticores who fled as soon as I got close to them. We’re fine... until they smell my blood.”

I rubbed my arms. “Then can we get going before they do that?”

Ugauc nodded his head calmly, ignoring my apparent irritation and distress. He smiled and pecked my brow. “Relax, little elfling. I’m fine. And I’m sorry for scaring you, I thought it would be funny.”

“And it clearly wasn’t,” I said, gesturing to his now sealed scar and dried blood around the wound.

Ugauc inclined his head. “I know.” He snapped his head around, scanning the foggy surroundings for whatever he heard.

“Let’s get going.”

*-*-*-*

“If you keep scratching like that, you’ll tear off your scales,” I called from the snowy shore of the lake. Ugauc crouched by the water, trying to rid his face of whatever blood was left around his wound.

“My dam will not bee happy seeing me without a shirt still, nevermind with dried blood on my face also,” Ugauc replied, glancing up at Mistpeaks. We had arrived a little while ago, after a few hours of flying.

I smiled. “She didn’t raise a barbarian dragon,” I quoted, watching him as he finished washing his face.

Ugauc chuckled. “No, she didn’t.”

“And yet you attacked me.”

Ugauc looked over his shoulder, looking hurt. “I thought you said we were ok now? That you had forgiven me?”

“You are, I’m just looking forward to hearing the story you’re going to tell your parents. You couldn’t have got it naturally.”

“Sometimes I really dislike you, little elfling.” Ugauc rose to his feet and walked over to me.

I simply smirked. “And yet you still whisper in my ear how much you love me every night.”

Ugauc chuckled and pecked my cheek. “Very true.” He kissed me on the lips.

“Ugh! Get a room!” Called a feminine voice from above. Ugauc and I snapped our heads up. Above us perched in a tree was a dragon-shifter, crouched and looking down at us. Ugauc stood between me and the tree, eying her in the bright winter sun.

Ugauc snarled at her.

“That’s no way to greet your sister,” she responded.

“Hey, Udauh,” I said, walking in front of Ugauc.

Udauh laughed and jumped down from the tree. “Hello, (Y/N).” She tossed my hair with her hand and looked at Ugauc.

“Udauh,” Ugauc disdained.

Udauh made a playful face at Ugauc. “Hello to you too, parvus frater.”

“Para what?” I asked.

“Little brother,” Ugauc translated.

I eyed Ugauc. “Dragons have their own language?”

“Apart from growls and grunts? yes, we do.”

Udauh giggled. “But even in this form, some males chose to not use their snarls.”

*-*-*-*

“So, Ugauc told me that not every dragon has a second form. Do you know why?” I asked Udauh. She was trying to keep me occupied—I just didn’t know why.

“There’s a bet it’s to do with genetics and magic. But some think it might have to do with some of us being bound to elves, or other non-draconic beings—like werewolves. Either way, its magic.”

I nodded. “At least you had an answer.”

Udauh giggled. “Ugauc likes to give an answer that he’s absolutely certain about.”

I smiled and nodded. “Yeah.” I glanced around, making sure none of the dragons in the canyon saw me. “So... do dragons have any festivals? Or holidays? Or feasts?”

Udauh shook her head. “No, nothing annually like elves have. We celebrate personal successes; like our trial to become clanmembers—like your hunt; or when we find our soulmates. It’s usually a family feast with the best of prey to eat.”

I nodded, hiding my disgust as best as I could; the thought of dragons eating other creatures still made my stomach churn, even after eating with Ugauc for almost a year.

I saw Udauh glance up at her parents’ cave, which was where we were staying for the time being since a draconic found Ugauc’s old cave and had made themselves at home in it.

Udauh’s lips curled into a smile. “Right, let’s get up there; I’m getting cold.” She lifted herself into the sky and flew off.

“Udauh!” I hissed. She turned around, looking down at me in the vegetation of the rocky valley. She elegantly flew done to me.

“Sorry,” she whispered. She shifted to her turquoise dragon form and took me up in her talons, keeping me as best hidden as she could; it was a very unnerving experience; sitting in her claws.

But after a few heart-racing minutes, Udauh landed in the cave's mouth and gently placed me on the cold stone. I got to my feet.

“Thanks, Udauh,” I said with a bow and slowly walked in. The chamber was lit up with tiny candles on the ledges in the walls. On the floor, there was a nice spread of fruits and cooked pieces meat all sitting on pieces of bark or stone on a blanket I had brought from my home. It reminded me of of of our winter festival, Festolgit.

“Merry Festolgit, (Y/N),” Ugauc said, smiling widely and wrapping me in a hug.

I smiled into his now covered chest. “Merry Festolgit, Ugauc,” I said, pulling away from him. “But I didn’t get you anything—that’s what Festolgit is all about.”

“I’ve already got the best gift ever,” he smiled. “You.” He pecked my nose.

Weapons clinked, and fighters grunted outside the cave. Heather was not one of them.

Instead, she was staring up at the light-emitting cocoon. Looking at it with a certain sense of awe.

Now that she was up close to it, she now noticed that it was larger than any human or elf she had ever met. She was short for her age, but she reckoned three of her could cul up in the cocoon with plenty of room to spare.

Since all the mages and soldiers were outside battling the Dark Mages, Heather didn’t need to stay hidden. She removed the invisibility spell and gripped her blades with a hard face. Whether or not she liked it, the bug inside this cocoon, the creator of dark magic, was her only hope of ever finding herself again. Since gaining the moon arcanum, Heather had lost what little family she had; she lost her honour and pride as a Dragonguard; and she lost her wings, her freedom.

And this bug was the only being who could help her get all those back.

No more hiding. No more fear. No more pain.

That had been her motto since she had left the Silvergrove.

Hiding, fear and pain; the three things she hated most in the world.

Heather raised her blade. She could hear the fighting dying down and the sound of hoofbeats leaving the Spire.

She swiftly brought down her blade, making an incision in the cocoon. Lilac luminescent goo dripped from the incision. Heather jolted back as the stench of the goo hit her. It reminded her of rotten eggs and meat; a truly awful combination. She gagged and grimaced.

The goo sluggishly dripped from the limp cocoon. Heather pushed aside her disgusted and made another incision, slicing the cocoon even deeper. This time most of the luminescent goo fell from the cocoon, splatters clinging to Heather’s clothes.

“Ugh!” Heather said, disgusted. She was about to shake the goo from her blade and bare arm when something dark and slender slid from the no-longer-bright cocoon. Heather looked to what had fallen from the cocoon.

On the slimy mountain of goo lay a four-foot-long midnight blue caterpillar, covered with scattered white specks and a twinkling diamond on each segment of its body.

The caterpillar looked up at her in an almost disgusted look, as if she insulted it by stopping it from becoming an unstoppable force.

Heather swallowed her disgust and looked down at the caterpillar. “Help me, and I can get you your freedom back the easy way. Please,” she whispered.

The caterpillar’s mouth chattered and launched itself at Heather.

She grabbed its head as it neared her, tempted to crush it as she held it in front of her body. “Listen, Sparkles, I don’t want to be your student any more than you want to pass on your knowledge—“ she took off her necklace with her free hand, revealing her blotched skin, silver eyes and semi-white hair, “—but I need your help and the Queen is considering setting you free while you teach me. That’s what all this is about, right? Lux Aurea; the Cinder-Heart Army; the Dragon Prince, all an attempt to be free from Stella Carcerem?” At this, it surprised the caterpillar that she knew the name of its master’s prison, if it relaxing its body was any hint of emotion. “I can get you out, so long as you teach me.”

The caterpillar did not respond, it just hung limply in her grasp.

Heather slipped on her necklace again. “Sleep on it, okay?” She offered. “Somnum,” Sleep, she whispered. The caterpillar passed out, its body dangling in Heather’s hand.

She shouldered the giant bug and walked out of the cave. “This better be worth the effort,” she looked down at her clothes, “and the stench.”

*-*-*-*

Heather sat on the chair in her dorm, the wood creaking as she moved forward to hold her head in her hands. Beside her, on her writing desk, sat lit candles, a steaming cup of tea and several memoirs of Aaravos’—the few books that existed about him which she could read without the pages being destroyed.

She looked at the thin leather-backed books. She had found hundreds on them in the Archmage’s library, all of them accounting for almost every day in his life—apart from the last three hundred years. She placed her necklace on the desk and picked up the one she was currently reading, glancing at the cover.

Gold embroidery of the sun arcanum symbol partially overlapping with the silver embroidery of the moon arcanum symbol looked up at her, with No. 46 embroidered beneath the symbols. Each bit of the string shone in the pale moonlight that came from behind her.

Heather flicked through the parchment, her eyes passing over each account, catching the words Dear diary at the start of each entry.

Eventually, she landed on the entry she had started earlier that day. She smiled slightly to herself and read through the passage.

As she read, she reached for her tea, taking a sip as she scanned through the words. As she continued to read, she played with her loose strands of brunette and white hair, before reaching for her golden horn cuffs and pulling out the small, almost shimmering, bright orange phoenix feather from it. She twirled the shaft of the feather in between her fingers.

Heather sighed softly. “Hey, Phil,” she greeted softly, lowering her book. She felt pretty stupid to be talking to his ghost feather, but she didn’t have anyone else to talk to, and maybe he was hearing all she said—but she doubted it very much.

She opened her mouth to continue her account of the day when she heard a clicking come from her bed. She lowered her book and Phil’s feather and looked to her bed where the blue caterpillar lay—she had almost forgotten it was in the room. The clicking came from its mouth, as its beak opened and closed, as it stirred from its sleep and as its master was taking control.

Heather jumped to her feet and eyed the bug. She grabbed a dagger from her belt and held it with a reverse grip.

Slowly, the bug lifted its head from the bedcovers to look at her.

“Where am I?” A deep, masculine voice came from its mouth.

“Still in your prison, I presume,” Heather replied satirically.

The caterpillar seemed to scowl at her. “Very funny.”

“You’re in my dorm in Spireville’s barracks. You’ve been placed under my protection and watch while you’re like this.” She gestured to the caterpillar’s body.

It retracted its body close to it, curling up on the bed. “You don’t seem very afraid of me... or as threatening as you had been earlier,” Aaravos mused.

Heather glanced down at the dagger in her hand, unsure of how she wasn’t ‘as threatening’ as she had been earlier, considering how close they were to each other.

“I’m presuming you’re Aaravos? The Archmage? Or what do I call you?”

A chuckle escaped the caterpillar’s mouth. “Yes, I am Aaravos—though I doubt I am considered the Archmage anymore.” The caterpillar rolled up most of its body as it sat near the top of the bed. “If I remember correctly, I was referred to as ‘Little Bug Pal’.”

Heather loosened her stance. “Little Big Pal?” She questioned, unable to hide the smile in her voice.

“Yes,” he replied seriously. “Humans have a strange way of naming things.” He remarked. Heather nodded her head in agreement.

The caterpillar looked around the room, then to Heather, scanning her from head to toe.

N/T = New Trade (the one from previous chapters)

I walked around the white clearing as Ugauc and his family shifted, the snow beneath me crunching as I walked. I looked over at them, all dressed in their tunics. It disappointed me that Ugauc now had one because I really enjoyed seeing his muscles every time he shifted—and I could never tire of seeing them.

Udauh spotted me looking at them and slid over. “So... You and Ugauc got busy last night, huh?” She raised her eyebrows twice with a smirk.

I froze in my stride. “You heard?!” I hissed quietly. I thought we had snuck far enough away to ‘enjoy ourselves’ the night before.

Udauh burst out laughing. “You two weren’t the quietest... Then again, I did wander off to find you... and Mother and Father said they didn’t hear anything during the night.”

I held my face in my hands, embarrassed. I groaned audibly and Udauh giggled.

“I won’t tell anyone.” I looked at her as she placed a hand on her chest. “I promise, little elfling,” she smirked again. I crossed my arms, unimpressed.

Ugauc walked over to us. “What have you done to upset my boyfriend?” He said, exasperated.

Udauh raised her head smugly. “I’ve done no such thing!” She insisted. Ugauc cocked a brow at me, I looked away.

Ugauc shooed his sister away and stood beside me, placing a wing on my back.

“She heard us last night,” I whispered, twirling a lock of my hair sheepishly.

Ugauc chuckled. “Udauh,” he sighed, “Always nosey.”

I smiled and turned towards the faint outline of the snowy valley filled to the brim with coniferous trees and three elven villages. I couldn't believe it had been almost two years since I’d left here.

My home.

Ugauc pecked my head. “Are you ready to go down?”

I nodded. “Absolutely.”

Ugauc looked back to his family. “We’re trusting you all to stay quiet and out of sight. No shifting, no roaring, no growling or snarling and no fire-breathing,” he told them sternly. One thing I had noticed about them was that the cold didn’t really bother them much. It had for their hour of being in the snowy northern region, but they quickly adapted to the cold. I, on the other hand, had gotten so used to the warmth of the rainforest and the temperature change was a shock to my system.

Epho and Koro inclined their heads. “Udauh?” Ugauc asked warily.

His sister looked at him with a pouting expression. “You’re no fun!” She accused childishly.

Ugauc sighed, exasperated. “Udauh...”

“We’ll make sure she doesn’t do anything to ruin this meeting,” Koro said, touching Ugauc’s shoulder. “Go, we’ll be fine, and careful.”

Ugauc nodded and turned around. “Alright, let’s go.”

*-*-*-*

I peered around a tree, looking at the village I called home. Every elf was walking around, doing their business and going about their day. I knew these faces; there were a few I wanted to run up to and ask how they had been.

But I couldn’t.

I pulled up the hood of my cloak and got ready to step out into the street.

“Will you be all right?” Ugauc asked, crouched above me in a tree several feet behind me.

I nodded. “As long as I don’t draw attention to myself, I’ll be fine.” I blew him a kiss, and he blew one back.

“Stay safe,” he breathed. I smiled and started down the cobbled street.

Not much had changed; there were a few new potted plants on buildings, but business was still booming, even at Fírning’s shop—Fírning was my (N/T) mentor two years ago, after I had failed the hunting test.

I strode through the street, keeping to the side with my head down. I focused on my thoughts:

Have they missed me?

Will they be happy to see me?

Are they all right? Has anything befallen them?

What if something has happened, and I wasn’t here?

What if they won’t want to meet Ugauc’s family?

As I was getting worked up, I had bumped into someone, knocking their books, scrolls and some arrows from the quiver to the ground.

I yelped in surprise. “Sorry, didn’t see you there.” As I helped to pick up the scrolls, books and arrows, I noticed that the someone was in fact two someones. As we bundled up everything, I noticed that one of them wore a pair of boots I had before I left—but that could be anyone as there were very few shoemakers in our village.

As we stood up, I handed over what I had gathered.

“Thanks,” said a male voice, one that I knew.

I looked at their faces. “Eda? Eldrin?” I whispered.

“(Y/N)?” Eldrin asked, smiling.

“What are you doing back here?” Eda hissed. “Did Ugauc abandon you?” She accused, pulling a dagger from her belt as she put away the arrows in the quiver on her back.

“No!” I hissed. “No, nothing like that has happened. But I do need to talk to you all. Are Mama and Papa home?”

Eldrin nodded. “We’re just heading back now.”

“So what’s so important you came back from your fabulous travels to see us?” Eda asked. She glanced at my stomach. “Are you pregnant? Did Ugauc somehow get you pregnant?”

I furrowed my brow as we walked, disturbed. “What? No! That’s not even possible. I’m a cisgender male elf—What!” I was so confused by what had come out of her mouth.

Eda burst out into a wild laugh. “I’m joking,” she hollered as we neared our home. “But seriously; why are you home?”

*-*-*-*

Our families got on surprisingly well when they met. Our mother’s talked a lot about what we did when we were young, our sisters enjoyed sharing similar stories; except these were when they would beat us at fighting or spill our very embarrassing secrets. Eldrin sat with us as we eavesdropped on the groups, paying more attention to what our fathers were talking about; impressive hunts they had and hunting and stalking techniques they had picked up.

But no one ever mentioned a single thing about attacks or massacres or elves or dragons they had killed.

I looked around at them all, talking and getting along; if only every elf and dragon could get along like this. It was a gathering of murmurs and stories around the campfire in the snowy clearing.

Eldrin tapped me on the shoulder, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“Hm?” I asked, turning to him. He seemed nervous, pressing his sleeve-covered hands together.

“Someone’s watching us, and I... I... I’m bound to him,” he whispered, fiddling with his covered hands. I tilted my head to him.

“(Y/N),” Ugauc hissed.

“His name is Vostrasz,” he continued, “and... he’s a dragon... and my soulmate.”

I looked to Ugauc. “Was that what you were gonna tell me?” He nodded as I saw a set of glowing yellow eyes come from the surrounding darkness.

Ugauc and I weren’t alone.

Note: The idea of the ‘primal steed’ is based on Aaravos’ mount in S3E6

Heather walked out of her en-suite bathroom, plaiting her hair as the first few rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon. She looked over at the caterpillar as it sat on her bed.

“Morning, Sparkles,” she greeted, running her hands over her clean Dragonguard uniform.

The caterpillar eyed her for a moment before coming closer to her. “What is happening today?” Aaravos asked.

Heather raised a brow. “I’m sure Zubeia has a meeting with King Ezran of Katolis today,” she said, turning to the mirror on her wall as she put on her horn cuffs and earrings. “To talk to him about travelling to the Human Kingdoms—probably to release you from the mirror and to form a treaty between the royalty of each kingdom.” She turned to the caterpillar once she was ready.

“But for now we have to get to the Spire so she can talk to you about my, uh... training,” She held out her arms. “C’mon up.”

The caterpillar climbed up onto her arms and sat on her shoulder, wrapping some of its body around her torso to steady itself.

“Strangle me and I’ll kill you,” Heather threatened, looking the caterpillar in the eye.

“I would never,” Aaravos falsely gasped, sounding offended.

Heather smiled to herself before grabbing her bowblade and leaving her dorm.

As she turned the key in the door to lock it, she heard someone else leave their room down the hall. She turned to see who it was.

Her heart sank when she saw the firm-built, broad-shoulders, dirty blond hair and hunter-green facial scales and scaled wings of her father. He glanced at her, clenched his jaw, and walked away from his apartment door—one of the few in the barracks.

Heather watched silently as he walked away, forcing back her sorrow.

“You seem sad that he has not paid attention to you,” Aaravos started. “Who is he?”

Heather swallowed the lump in her throat. “That’s... That’s Scorchmark, he’s the Secretary of Defense.”

“So he’s your superior?” The caterpillar looked at Heather to him. “Why are you so... dejected?”

“He... He’s my father... adopted father.” The caterpillar looked back at her, wanting more of an explanation. “He’s disowned me since... my accident.”

“You’ve been all alone since then? With Khonsu abandoning you and your father doing the same... You really don’t have many people in your life, do you?”

Heather whipped her head around to glare at the caterpillar. “Are you going to teach me how to make friends as well as the arcana?” She asked cynically.

The caterpillar seemed to frown at her. “I have a feeling you have a very troubled past... or maybe just a cruel past. Either way, I see much darkness in your mind.”

“Get. Out. Of my. Head,” Heather seethed, flashing her sharp, white canines.

“I’m not in your head, you’re just terrible at hiding your emotions... also what do you think I did while the caterpillar was asleep.”

*-*-*-*

Heather looked down at her right blade, gently shaking it in her hand. She could feel the steel inside the handle move around loosely. She wasn’t too sure about how she had broken the blade, all she knew was that it was damaged and the blade would soon be useless to her, along with its bow form.

She sighed, looking up at the Storm Spire as the sun shone on her back and the caterpillar on her shoulder.

“Can you get it repaired?” Aaravos asked, noticing the jingling in the handle.

“I think so, I just need to travel to my least favourite place in Xadia to get it done.”

“Is that where the artisan lives?”

Heather sighed sadly and nodded. “Yeah.” She paused. “It’s not that I dislike him, I just dislike the other people who live in the village... all of them.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“Moonshadow Elves,” she seethed.

“Then what about Khonsu?”

“Khonsu is—was different. He saw me as a living being, not something strange to make fun of. But now... I don’t know how he sees me.”

“To others you were ‘something strange to make fun of’?” Aaravos questioned.

“More than that; my life was a living nightmare for seven years.”

“Heather? Is that you?” Called a voice with an unmistakable Moonshadow elf accent.

Rayla, Heather thought with a sigh. Aaravos heard the thought, already putting the pieces together.

Heather drew in a quiet breath and put on her best fake smile.

“Rayla? Its great to see you again,” she lied, turning to face her. She was disappointed to see that she was still shorter than her, even if Rayla was older than her.

Rayla seemed to be genuinely glad to see her, which both surprised and angered Heather. “Gosh, how long as it been? About... Three?  four years?”

Heather nodded, still holding her smile. “Yeah about that.” And they’ve been the best four years of my life, she wanted to add.

The caterpillar slowly turned its head to face Rayla, chattering its beak at her; Aaravos had heard her thoughts.

Rayla took a step back. “Why do you have that?” She asked, her discomfort clear in her tone and expression.

Heather glanced at the caterpillar with a calm expression. “Oh, him? He’s under my protection for the time being.” She shrugged. Rayla’s expression worsened.

“Riiight,” she glanced aside. “Oh, here are Callum and Ezran.”

Heather turned to where Rayla was looking. Moving towards them were three humans; a tall, pale-skinned blond one donned in armour; a shorter brunet one; and an even shorter dark-skinned one carrying a yellow and turquoise glow toad.

Heather had seen them all briefly before; the shortest was King Ezran of Katolis; the older one was Prince Callum, a human who knew the sky arcanum; and Soren one of Katolis’ top soldiers—according to Janai.

As they for close Heather bowed to King Ezran. “It’s an honour to meet you, Your Majesty.”

King Ezran raised his hand to contradict her when he saw something come closer behind her. “Is that... a unicorn?” He tilted his head to the side. “Callum! Look!”

They all turned to where Ezran was pointing. Trotting towards them was a white unicorn with a tall spiralling horn, a long mane, a narrow tail with a poof of hair at the end, and feathering on its lower legs.

Heather smiled. “Oh, that’s Réalta—my primal steed.”

“Primal steed?” Questioned Prince Callum.

The unicorn nickered as it walked up to Heather. She smiled at him and stroked his face. At her touch, his coat changed to black and red—almost resembling burning coals—his mane, tail, horn, and cannons burst into flames; fire licking at his neck, lower legs, yellow horn and at the end of his narrow tail. His build also changed from being a slender unicorn, to a bulkier cob horse build. To add to his fiery form was a set of giant black and red feathered wings.

Réalta pushed against his partner’s hand, happy to see her again. He looked at the caterpillar on Heather’s shoulders with a glowing yellow eye, touching minds with it.

For now, his is not a threat, but I will need your help watching him until Phil is reborn again. Heather said to him.

As you wish, partner-of-mind-and-soul, said Réalta. His voice was youthful, but not as young sounding as Heather’s.

“He’s beautiful!” Ezran breathed, stepping closer.

He’s also not a threat, none of them are, Heather said to Réalta. She stepped aside and Réalta lowered his head to Ezran.

Heather smiled. “He says he is honoured to meet you, Your Majesty.”

“I know,” Ezran chimed. “I heard him.”

“My apologies, Your Majesty. I was unaware you had such an ability.”

Ezran smiled at her. “May I?” He asked Heather, raising his hand to stroke Réalta.

Heather looked to Réalta. “If he permits.”

Ezran looked to Réalta, who pressed his nose against Ezran’s hand.

“How can he be a primal steed and a unicorn?” Callum asked. “If you don’t mind me asking,” he added as Heather turned to him.

She crossed her arms against her sash. “When dark magic first became... popular, unicorns were hunted to near extinction. Some bound themselves to elves and to take on a form that represented the elf’s arcanum or arcana. With this bond, they not only got a new form, but they could communicate with each other telepathically within a certain distance.” She looked at Réalta. “So, as you can see, my arcana are sun and sky.”

“That’s incredible. How did you two become bound?” Callum asked, getting a closer look at Réalta.

“It was about...” Heather placed her hand to her chin, thinking. “Seven or so years ago, when I was out hunting by myself, when I came across a herd of unicorns. I guess Réalta just saw himself in me or wanted to bring out the best in me—I was a pretty lonely child. He was a foal at the time—and was very cute.”

Réalta lifted his head and snorted. I was not!

Heather’s lips lifted into a smirk. “Were too.”

“You never told me about him!” Rayla accused dramatically. “And we shared a room for all those years and you never told me about this handsome steed of yours?” She walked closer to Réalta. “Some sister you are,” she said in a false accusing tone. Réalta raised his head and backed away from her slowly.

“What is it?” She asked him. Réalta stood still and tall, looking down at Rayla fiercely. Rayla turned to Heather for an answer. But before she could get one, a call came from above.