Families and Dragons

"I still can't believe it will come to war." Lidia murmured while rocking Satalia in her arms. The little girl dozed off with a small grass rabbit doll clutched tightly in one hand. All the Suzdal youngsters in the manor carried one with them since the day news of the assassination broke. None of them were willing to admit where they came from, but she'd caught Jarek making his little doll unravel and weave itself back together to amuse Tink.

"It's not war yet Lidia. We just finished a war with Vilina so it shouldn't be something special, and what did you expect would happen once the Tribune is elected?" Elya soothed her squirming nephew on her lap. Tink didn't seem to like having his hair brushed, but after some placating he sat quietly. The Suzdal's famed silver hair was a nightmare to manage, constantly tangling and matting. It took a great deal of effort, or enough disinterest to crop it short, to maintain their hair.

"Nostrum was a madman." Lidia whispered and Elya shuddered, nodding in agreement. [He really was insane.]

"This war's supposed to be on our schedule." Her father remarked sarcastically from his desk, fingers pressed against his temple as he slouched over some reports. "We're happy to go invading other people's lands but don't like it when they don't wait for us to attack."

"I'm not a child papa." Lidia stuck her tongue out involuntarily and Tink giggled at his mother's expression. [Of course you're not a child. You're worst. Even your son knows better than to stick his tongue out at his parents.] "It's all so sudden."

"Georg's fine Lidi." Elya said. She released Tink and allowed the boy to clamber to down to his toys. "The Ministry of Finance is far from the centre of things and we're in constant contact through the Relays."

"Yes. The Relays." The Duke scratched his cheek and leaned back into his chair, the creaking sound filling the room. "Your fiancée has a way of getting access to the depths of some our most sensitive information."

"It's not like you complained when his friends in the capital rerouted the priorities and opened a new channel so we can talk to the family there." Elya raised an eyebrow.

"We're not complaining El." Lidia said. "He just seems so… involved. Like there's nothing he doesn't have a grasp of."

"Niki was part of the recent upgradation of the network. He said the war exposed a series of 'security risks'."

"The Relays are dangerous?" Her father sat up straight and his piercing gaze made Elya sigh. Risks always meant physical danger to him.

"Not as such." She tried to recall Nikolai's explanation. "He said something about 'misaligned wavelengths', 'integrity checks' and 'possible elemental degradation'" She chuckled at their faces. "That's how I looked at the time as well. Basically, in the old system there were ways for enemy Mages to intercept the communication or even corrupt it. No one knew what problems we would face with this new technology and the flaws were exposed during the war. Unfortunately, the issues required an overhaul. It was quite a project apparently."

"I thought all these Magical things were some big state secret." Lidia said.

"There are a few secrets." Elya agreed. "The Thunder Lancers. High Level Spells. Whatever they teach at the War College, to name a few. But according to Niki, most Mages just can't be bothered to discuss their work with the 'less Magically inclined' because of our lack of foundation."

"That's a very elitist attitude." Lidia looked affronted and Elya snickered.

"How can the daughter of a Grand Duke say someone is elitist?" Elya asked. Her father chuckled softly and tapped his desk for attention.

"Elitist or not, it does seem a bit insulting."

"It's about specialisation papa. If Lidia started discussing the recent tax amendments for businesses run by minor houses in relation to the leather goods, we have no background to understand what she's talking about."

"And how do you know about that particular tax amendment?" He asked, eyebrows rising slightly in surprise.

"Because Lidi tried to explain it yesterday night."

"For which you hit me with a pillow." Lidi complained.

"I don't think I need to justify myself." She declared and wagged her finger in admonishment. "Specialists just can't get their meaning across without resorting to technical terms others are just unable to understand."

"So defensive of your fiancée." Her father smirked. "No need to explain Elya. All of you little beasts run to your husbands and wives and leave your poor old father to deal with his loneliness."

"I'm sure grandfather would agree with you." Lidi smiled. "Mama made you jump through hoops to gain her hand, and you ran all the way."

"Your mother is special." He said proudly.

"So is Georg."

"So is Niki."

They stared at each other for a moment and burst into laughter.

"It's good to have you both home. Even if we have to leave soon." Her father said, wiping tears of laughter from the corner of his eyes. He rarely laughed, but when he did it was always a delights, a loud booming laugh that echoed around the room. Satalia was roused from her sleep by the laughter and hopped down to the floor. She toddled over to her brother and sat quietly by his side as he played with his toys. Tink paused in his play and searched through his toys for a little carving of a dragon which he gave to Satalia.

"Teleth." He said and Satalia observed the dragon with interest before putting it down and grabbing at her brother's sleeve.

"'Ory of Telth." She demanded.

"Here is Magical." He pointed out the window and Satalia nodded. "Home of dwagons. And pointies."

Elya listened to his confusing story for a moment but couldn't follow, however Satalia seemed engrossed by the narrative, gripping the little dragon with shining eyes.

"Haven't heard that one before." Lidia remarked. "Their nanny must have found some new fairytale." Elya nodded.

"All things aside. El. Are you sure about Orlov?" her father asked and their relaxed mood vanished.

"Must we discuss this now papa?" Lidia whined, but she pulled out a stack of papers and continued her report. "El's right. Senro is beset by problems from all sides and their new Empress is just a girl, caught between the Eunuchs, Jatka and Warlords. Their Sages are focussed on their colonisation in the East and couldn't care less for the Lakes."

"Why would they?" the duke agreed. "There's nothing useful there."

"There are herbs." Lidia corrected. "Lots of unique ones with incredible properties."

"On their side of the border." Lidia added.

"Potions and alchemical profits are not a reason for war. We're better off heading deeper into Vilina to surround the Theocracy or take the ports at Solovan as a springboard to the eastern lands. There's plenty of hatred there."

"For us there's actually a benefit." Elya said. "At the Lakes there are confirmed reports of pristine undefended Dragon eggs."

"You're joking." The papers slipped from Lidia's grasp.

"Dwagons?" Tink scrambled over to her and grabbed her leg. "Dwagons aunty El?"

Her father sprung from his chair and stared down at her. "Who told you?" Tink cowered at the sight of his burning gaze and glanced at all the adults, finally noticing the odd atmosphere.

[The Savant's agents told me. Their news only came in the morning, but I'm suspicious how convenient their timing is. I don't know if it's true but Mother was adamant about one thing. The Savant doesn't lie. Ever.] "I'm not at liberty to say."

"Your boy really knows a little about everything." Her father stared into her eyes. Probing for information. She flinched at his gaze and he nodded as if he'd confirmed his suspicions.

"It's not Niki. Just I can't say who."

"Whoever it is doesn't matter. If you can prove it, I'll give my vote to Orlov, but I want half the eggs."

"That's for you to discuss with them. I just think that having an Imperial cadre of Dragon Knights would be worthwhile. It's not like adult Dragons will agree to bond with Imperials."

Lidia smiled softly and came over to stroke Tink's head. "Considering how you go and kill them whenever they show up…"

Elya punched her shoulder gently at the accusation. "Suvak was on a rampage and you know it."

He ignored their jostling, eyes clouded in thought by the possibilities. "It would really be a finger in the eye to those puffed up Avarians if we manage to bond them." His smile was almost evil.

[I doubt the Avarian council would allow anyone else to raise Dragons, but this might be enough to sway the great Houses without me having to do anything further. At least papa's convinced. If they can prove it. It might even sway Niki.]