"They Shot Up Like Weeds"
Silvermoon
After several days of work, Britiana, Delaney and the mages finally completed their work. Raven finally completed the fine details of the transfer spell. They even managed to test it by having ZsaZsa take a portable spell, drawn on a parchment, to the western coast of Myrkir, while Raven traveled to the Eastern coast of Vedanta with another spell. That spanned more than half the planet. ZsaZsa transferred easily.
They also tested Britiana's shrinking stasis cloak by shrinking Britiana and having ZsaZsa carry her to various spots around the planet. She always came out of the cloak with little to no side effects. There was only a slight grogginess when she came out of it. They even used Darius for testing. He also had grogginess, but it went away after about half an hour. Sariya also wanted to test it. Britiana was pretty confident in the cloak, but she still had a Healer on stand-by when they tested it on her since she was pregnant.
She was also okay, a little groggy, but had no lingering effects.
She ended up making the cloaks from fabric Patternwoven by ZsaZsa that had been imbued with soothing and protective patterns. As well as the shrinking-stasis spell, she also imbued them with a glamor to make them fit in with the natives of the world they'd be going to.
Delaney finished refining the Draconite. She learned that ZsaZsa's father had actually just given her a lot and she didn't actually need so much. Delaney kept going. "It's fine. You all also want to use the transfer spell to connect to your home world as well, don't you? It's not hard to finish refining," she answered.
Raven had been a bit embarrassed that the thoughts she hadn't even really allowed to form had been guessed. Delaney didn't care. She was willing to help since it was something she could do.
They then watched ZsaZsa grind up the crystalline Draconite into power, then mix it with a binder, while simultaneously weaving a strength boosting pattern into it. Delaney was interested. She didn't see any spells or symbols, just a faint purple glow as she worked. She learned it was an ability unique to Amethyst Dragons. It didn't rely on spells; it relied on the intent of the Weaver.
In the end, they had quite a stack of metallic purple pigment sticks.
However, they didn't finish all their preparations before the banquet. Delaney was both relieved and disappointed. She wanted to see her family sooner, but she also didn't want to be in a rush.
The day before the banquet, the first of the overnight guests began to arrive. But only Chrystianna and Elias were there to greet them. Britiana, Darius, Delaney, and Sariya went to the inn to do some more preparations.
After breakfast, they disappeared, leaving Elias and Chrystianna alone and bemused.
They headed to the inn and walked in. Raven met them there. She wasn't going with them, but she still wanted to supervise the spell drawing, so they get it correct when they draw it on Terranthea.
They walked into the foyer of the inn. Amadeus and Lazarus were lounging at the front desk. "Welcome to the Illwind Inn. Checking in?" Amadeus drawled when he saw Darius and Sariya leading in a few more people.
After the past couple of days, they got comfortable around the two.
Britiana peeked out from behind Darius. "What an ominous name. Spooky," she said with a bright, mischievous smile.
Delaney shook her head. "The family will decide the name. That'll work for now," she said, slightly amused. "These are the guards you chose to go with us?" she asked.
Darius nodded. Lazarus Darkfrost and Amadeus Darkmyst," he introduced. "This is Delaney Crowley, my sister Britiana, ZsaZsa Morningstorme, and Raven Darovan," he introduced the two.
Adjusting from their lackadaisical attitudes, the two young guards greeted them politely, bowing slightly.
ZsaZsa peeked at them. Aya. What handsome boys.
Britiana poked her side teasingly. ZsaZsa flushed and cleared her throat. "We should start drawing the spell," she said. She would have stridden away just then, but she didn't know where to go.
Delaney nodded. "This way," she said and began walking toward the storage room which was being turned into the transfer point. ZsaZsa quickly followed. Raven chuckled at her niece and followed behind them.
Britiana didn't follow immediately. She pulled two cloaks from her skirt folds. They were both dark gray, well suited to their guard uniforms, but each was lined in a different color. One's lining was dark blue and shimmered like a starry midnight sky. The other was dark violet that shimmered with fire like twilight after sunset.
"For you and for you," she said, handing them over to each man. "These cloaks will put you into stasis and shrink you when they are activated. Passively, when traveling to a new world, they'll automatically trigger a glamor to make you blend in with the natives," she explained.
"Stasis?" Amadeus asked.
"Shrinking?" Lazarus pondered.
Britiana looked at Darius. "You explain," she said and bustled away.
Darius shook his head at her back in amusement. "The only way to get to our destination right now is by being taken over by Delaney. She can't take so many people across time and space, so Britiana devised a way to shrink us and put us in stasis. That way Delaney can take us in a dimensional pouch without killing us," he said.
Dimensional storage spaces were wonders. The only drawback was that living things could not be stored in them. Only by appearing dead can they survive the storage. Thus, the stasis capsules slowed their heart rates to once every ten hours, and only the lowest level brain function. The shrinking was merely the ease of transportation.
Amadeus and Lazarus looked at each other, pondering their life choices. But they had to admit, being at the forefront of not only cutting-edge magic, but the first exploration of a new world since the Dragon Gates were shut down, was a privilege only the brave could have. They didn't regret their decision at all. They were actually rather excited about it.
While Darius filled in the guards, Britiana entered the storage room. Sariya had once referred to it as a portal room, and so they all started picking up on the phrase. A table was set up in a corner where water, ink grinder, and other tools were laid out. Raven was grinding ink while ZsaZsa and Delaney were drawing concentric circles on the ground. Raven was watching but saw no problems yet. Britiana found another brush and began drawing with them.
For a ten-by-ten foot array, it took them nearly four hours. Sariya would occasionally check on them and bring them snacks or water if they needed it.
When the last stroke was drawn, the array shimmered faintly. Raven nodded approvingly. "Now, to activate it," she said.
The three women nodded. They stood in the four cardinal directions and began chanting in Emphyralian Draconic. "The North is our Guide. The East is our New Beginning. The South is our Anchor. The West is our Future. May the directions bring blessings upon the travelers and open the Way," they intoned. The array glowed brightly, lighting up the room briefly, and emitted a humming sound. The feeling of power flowed over them briefly.
They sagged, staggered, leaning against the walls.
Sariya and Darius, peeking in from outside, came in and checked on them. "Are you okay? Come to the library and rest. We'll bring you some snacks and tea to rest," Sariya said.
"Thank you," Britiana said.
Darius called in Amadeus and Lazarus to help. Lazarus very neatly slipped in past his cousin and went to support ZsaZsa. "Take my arm and lean on me," he said gallantly. ZsaZsa tried not to blush, but definitely did so.
Amadeus rolled his eyes as he escorted Raven. Once the tired mages were settled, they left Sariya to fuss over them, while Darius called the guards who were awake; the Noxies were resting; to help him install several magic stones around the room. One was a surveillance stone that sent pictures to another one that would be monitored whenever the guards were only patrolling. Another was an alert stone that emits a noise when the array was activated by an arrival. Several more had other defensive properties that could be activated by the guards.
All in all, their preparations took half a day. But by then, at least two groups of guests had already arrived at the Keep.
--
Sonja, Roark, her two daughters, Zane, Troi and a handful of guards arrived quietly at Silvermoon Keep. The adult Dragons flew, while the children and the non-Dragon guards rode in a small flying ship. Chrystianna and Elias had already been alerted at their first sighting. They and a few guards waited outside the Gatehouse as they landed.
The Dragons landed and changed forms. The flying ship landed and battened down their sails as the guards escorted the two girls off the ship. Chrystianna went forward to greet Sonja with a hug. Sonja smiled and hugged her back. "I don't know what this is for," she said.
Chrystianna laughed. "Just, everything you've done for me all these years," she said, emotional tears welling in her eyes. She blinked them back. She let go of Sonja and hugged an off guard, Zane. "You, too," she whispered.
Elias cleared his throat. He stepped forward and pulled her back. He held out his hand to Zane. "Yes, thank you for everything," he said sincerely. He wasn't jealous of Zane, but that didn't mean he enjoyed the sight of his wife hugging him.
Zane took his forearm. "There's no need for thanks. It's only right to help each other," he said.
Elias nodded and stepped back. He grinned at Roark and Troi. "Hello again, boys," he said with a slightly mischievous smile.
The two boys bowed to him and returned his greeting.
Sonja pursed her lips and frowned. She didn't like his expression. "Phaedra, Ophelia, greet the Grand Duchess and her consort," she said to the two girls.
Both girls curtsied. "Your Graces," they greeted.
Chrystianna smiled. "Oh, look how big you've gotten! I swear I only saw you a few months ago," she said with a smile.
Sonja chuckled. "They shot up like weeds," she agreed.
Elias chuckled slightly at Sonja's quick diversion. "Since you've come so early, have lunch with us at the Residence. The children should be back by then," he said.
Sonja nodded. "Very well. We'll settle into the Starshadow Guest Residence first. Just let us know the time," she said. Every member of the Dracosenati had their own small Residence within the Keep. Meetings of the Dracosenati could sometimes last weeks if there was a lot going on and disagreements abounded, so there was a place for each of them. The Conclave members also had even smaller Guest Residences.
Chrystianna agreed and they all stepped into the Gatehouse. Sonja and Zane organized everyone into the porters. When they left, Chrystianna shot Elias a curious look. "What was that all about?" she asked.
Elias looked at her innocently. "What was that all about?" he asked. Chrystianna narrowed her eyes at him. Before she could say more, he swept her in a playful circle. "You look so cute when you're being suspicious," he teased. He leaned against her ear and nuzzled it. "Just me speculating. Don't pay it any mind. If the secret doesn't wish to be told, it's not anyone's place to force it," he said.
This made Chrystianna even more confused, but she decided not to press. Whatever his speculation was, he seemed determined not to say. She was about to suggest they return to their Residence when a guard approached to report that they'd spotted another convoy headed toward Silvermoon. "Who is it?" she asked.
"It appears to be the Marchioness of Wyntercrest, your Grace," the guard answered.
Chrystianna nodded and dismissed him. "Who's the marchioness of Wyntercrest?" Elias asked. If he remembered correctly, at the time he left, all the immediate heirs of Wyntercrest were mature Dragons and destined to be taken by the plague.
"A girl from a branch family named Thalia. She has a younger brother named Thayer," Chrystianna answered. "To be honest, I like her a lot better than Millicent," she said. She didn't intend to speak ill of the dead, but the heir closest to age to them at the time had been a hard-nosed, aloof person who never had a pleasant face around them.
Elias raised his brows but didn't comment. As they headed out of the gatehouse, she explained to him the relationship between Isolde and Marytza. "They had such a lovely wedding. It was during the summer in Isaz, and they had it outdoors," she then described the lovely decor and the specialty food.
He listened with an indulgent smile. "When I come back, we'll have a grand reception. We'll have it by Everclear Falls. Everyone will be jealous," he said enticingly.
Chrystianna laughed lightly. "That's not necessary but I appreciate the thought," she said. She cupped one cheek with her hand and kissed his other cheek.
"Ah, you missed," he teased and kissed her lips. He broke away and they went out to wait for the Wyntercrest convoy to land.
It didn't take long for the Dragons to land. Their entire convoy was all Dragons. Isolde, Thayer, Ulrik, and Marytza and a few guards. They all bowed or curtsied in greeting each other.
Chrystianna smiled. "I didn't expect you so soon," she admitted.
Isolde laughed softly. "Are you kidding? I couldn't wait to be here," she said. She turned her attention to the man at her side. "This is Elias, I assume?" she asked.
"A pleasure to meet your ladyship," Elias greeted. "Ulrik," he greeted the only person he remembered meeting.
"Elias," Ulrik returned the greeting.
"Sonja is already here. We'll have lunch together later. You're all welcome to join us," she said.
Isolde nodded. "We'd be pleased," she agreed.
"You must be weary of traveling. Go to your Residence to rest," Chrystianna ushered and led everyone into the Gatehouse.
They parted at the porters. Chrystianna and Elias went back to their residence to get ready to host quite a few people. They'd have to switch to a more formal dining room. She prattled her thoughts aloud to Elias, and he listened with a smile.
--
Elias actually misestimated the return of the children, and they missed lunch, coming in about an hour later. By then, Avalon Treestar and her entourage had arrived. By the time dinner time arrived, Elektra and her people came. They gathered in the largest dining room in the residence. Sariya rejected attending. If at some point she came into contact with these people, she would do so organically. A big fancy dinner with a bunch of important strangers? No, thank you.
No one forced her. It was slightly overwhelming for Darius and Britiana, much less an unrelated person like Sariya.
Delaney joined them. She was pragmatic. Her family, her people, may end up in the lands of these women. Better to make a good impression.
Luckily, the guests were also pragmatic. They only brought their family members to the dinner, leaving behind the protectorates and friends.
When Darius, Britiana, and Delaney entered the formal dining room, everyone was already there. They paused awkwardly before finding their seats. Britiana and Darius sat on either side of their parents, and Delaney was seated next to Sonja.
Chrystiana stood. "Everyone. Thank you all for coming. Although I'll officially introduce them to the world tomorrow night, I'll let you meet my children. Darius and Britiana," she introduced proudly.
Darius nodded to the table at large. Britiana beamed and waved.
"For those of you who may not know or remember him, this is Elias Morningstar," Chrystianna beamed. "Thank you for coming to attend our ceremony tomorrow," she added.
She clapped her hands together lightly. "Finally, this is Delaney Crowley. Without her we may not have made it back to Emphyralis. She's a gifted mage." Afterwards she began introducing everyone at the table to the three of them. Sonja dined with Roark, Phaedra, and Ophelia. Elektra and Nicodemus dined alone. Isolde, Marytza, and Thayer dined together. Avalon and her younger sister Chloe dined together.
Chloe looked a lot like her sister, her skin was a little lighter, and her chestnut-colored hair was curly. She was also very open and friendly, a contrast to Avalon.
Elektra was curious about Chrystianna's last statement. "So, what happened?" she asked.
Chrystianna was quiet for a moment. "Dragon Hunters tracked down my children," she answered. Some of them gasped. Britiana rubbed her temple. There was a sudden anxiety spike with a few other negative emotions mixed in.
Chrystianna noticed and patted her hand and sent her a soothing mental wave.
No one else really noticed except Darius and Elias. "How?" Roark asked with a frown. To think that they were sent away for protection from kidnapping, only to almost be caught by Dragon Hunters. He suddenly began to hate his father. Phaedra and Ophelia paled slightly, feeling the same way.
"We aren't completely sure, but I intend to find out," Darius answered. Britiana nodded. They never even had to discuss it out loud that they'd return to Thelessia one day and find out what happened.
"Do you mind telling us about it?" Avalon asked, not wanting to push.
"Of course. I fully intended to brief you. Now is as good a time as any," Chrystianna answered. She Started the tale with the part where she contacted the Voidstalker to take her to retrieve her children. Chrystianna and Darius added their relevant parts. Delaney explained her role, including why she was on Thelessia to start with.
Nico was a little excited. "You took their spacecraft? Shrank it? Can we see?" he asked. He was much too young to remember if he'd ever seen the Wayfinder, a spaceship developed by Ruby Dragons and he'd never seen Dragon Hunter spacecrafts.
Chrystianna shrugged. She pulled it out of her skirts and passed it over. Nico took it and looked at it curiously. It looked like a toy in that size. It was unlike their technology. It was shiny and metallic, slightly conical with a point, and fins sticking out the sides.
They took turns passing it around until it came back to Britiana. "Actually, I will give it to you. I brought it back for the Obelisk to study," she said, and handed it over to Elektra and Nicodemus.
Elektra smiled. "The Administrator of the Obelisk will be here tomorrow night. You can give it to her then," she explained, handing the miniature back.
"Oh," Britiana nodded and took it and put it away.
"Where is the other heroine of the story?" Sonja asked curiously. It seemed an Eoduun named Sariya had a prominent role in the whole ordeal.
"Sariya is modest. She said you're all too important to bother with her, so she declined to join us tonight or attend the banquet," Britiana sold out her friend immediately.
"A shame. She sounds like someone worth getting to know," Sonja said regretfully.
"Right? I think so, too. If you really want to meet her, I can make it happen. She intends to go to Myrkir. It wouldn't be a bad thing for her," Britiana agreed.
Sonja chuckled. "If she doesn't want to, there's no need to force it," she said.
Britiana nodded. She'd still make it happen if possible.
The dinner soon organically came to an end. The next day was bound to be busy. They all retired for the night to prepare for the next day.