(Aravena Navander)

Sea travel always reminded me of home. So many of our family ties involved the sea. My ancestor supposedly calmed the waves, and our family had a number of naval triumphs it boasted. My mom told me stories of how she met dad, while he gazed outwards to the seas near Trosius. Grandfather and Rajiv, our house servant, would gaze out for hours at times, then grandfather would retire for the evening, and Rajiv would tell me a story. Dario and I loved his tales, and the way he told them, with such warmth and kindness in his eyes, and wisdom in his words, he felt like family as much as any of my true bloodline. My thoughts upon the sea kept bringing me to the time he and my mother had their last exchange: when she accompanied my father to the Armadia region, and died in battle alongside him against Incantaria. Rajiv sensed this fate beforehand, and was trying to talk her out of it, but she kept spouting the familiar credo of Morabian honor.

Rajiv, hiding the pain in his heart, took me by the hand with such gentleness, and sat me down beside Dario in our sitting room. The gentle smile on his elderly face remained, and only a sniffle from his hook-shaped nose betrayed his attempts at optimism. Dario turned upwards, noting the different demeanor to Rajiv, and immediately sensed something amiss. Springing to his feet, Dario readied to grip sword in hand and defend the family and Morabia, when Rajiv halted him, gently, as usual, with a calmly placed hand on his shoulder.

Rajiv was of small stature, limber, with no speck of hair upon his head save for his gray eyebrows. He wore spectacles when reading, and as he went to his pouch upon his belt, he retrieved them, and with a widening smile, indicated to Dario to hold his place, and listen for a moment. Dario, impatient, stood in place while Rajiv read a scroll aloud for us to hear.

“To my brave son and beautiful daughter,

We are off to do battle in the name of Morabia, and the Dragonir. An ancient power covets the gifts of our bloodlines, and encroaches upon our territories once more. Another Paragon Rune at stake, we must ensure it not fall into the hands of those meaning to abuse it, and corrupt the realms beyond Gaian soil. The Dragonir must remain untainted, and we must do all we can to ensure this, no matter the cost.

To Dario, remain tempered and of even-keel. Do not submit to emotional reaction, and draw sword and magics upon foes only. Be certain of this status of foe before doing so, and in time, wisdom will aid you in identifying this. Honor the namesake, hold our family in highest esteem, as well as those others belonging to the Dragonir lineage. Listen to old Rajiv, heed his council, and train with him daily. Take to heart the ways of the Dragonir, and follow in your grandfather’s footsteps. Be the light for others, draw them to your path, and show them the way. Remember the Paragon Creed: the greatest power comes not from the ability to slay, but to protect.

To Aravena, embrace kindness, wisdom and understanding. The magical powers you’ve harnessed and discovered must serve the greater good one day, and though tempting it may be to overpower and demonstrate dominance, this display is unbecoming of the heart you must maintain. You are the waters: deep of compassion and understanding, calm with a serene beauty, and slow to anger but when so, powerful enough to bring nations to ruin. Your studies will see you becoming wise beyond kings, your morality and gentleness being the greatest gift to offer a suitor, in spite of your flawless beauty and grace. Whether beside your future husband on the battlefield someday, like I today beside dad, or in the royal court, as a trusted voice of reason, hold closely in your heart the family name, the Dragonir legacy, and the teachings of our histories. Learn beyond the reach of Morabia, learn of our allies and our enemies, and bridge over the waters dividing them. Wisdom before weapons, always.

I will never lie to you, my children. The task before us is daunting, and while unlikely we will both make it out alive, we will return if possible, and if not, leave you both in the most capable hands we could have. Your grandfather will always support you, your extended family in Highland shall one day greet you, and it is of greatest importance you honor them as you would those of our namesake. Rajiv has many years left in him, and will do anything he can to aid the family, and can be trusted, always. Honor the Paragons, the Dragonir, and our ancestor, Dalan. With love, mom.”

Rajiv’s eyes turned sad as he kept reading this, fighting tears towards the end of it. After another sniffle, his smile returned upon his face, and asked if we’d like a story. All of us sorrowful and worried at the time, Rajiv told us the uplifting tale of Myrmund and the great sand serpent Ixzylak, how he pierced it’s belly and freed all those petrified from its gaze, and became sultan of the Dunewaters. The tale was instrumental in welling up hope within us, as Myrmund watched as each of his companions were petrified, and the challenges before him kept growing, but he never quit. He learned the magical song and dance to charm Ixzylak, and once done, lulled it into a deep sleep. As it began to stir again, Myrmund had no choice but to plunge his sword into the underbelly of the great serpent, and before being turned to stone himself, found the heart of the great terror, and won the close battle.

It made me and Dario hopeful for mom and dad. We looked forward to the day we’d get to finally meet our cousins, Jaddick and Jaden Jr., imagining our dad being elated to see aunt Arais again after she married the Highland nobleman, and taken another Dragonir name.

Dario made good on expectations of him, practicing his swordsmanship and magic daily, honing his natural skills with training to become an elite talent within Morabia, and likely on par with the most skilled young prodigies throughout Gaia at his age.

As for me, I studied daily, practiced my magics, learned my dances, recited my prayers, and maintained my physique. I spent time exchanging pleasantries with other noble houses amid Morabia and beyond, making good on the expectations of me as a Dragonir descendant, and of Morabian nobility. There wasn’t anyone I was particularly interested in courting, and most of those in correspondence with me were of significantly older age. There wasn’t much common ground, and yet, I was to be married off as a political necessity, like my aunt. I heard there was conflict regarding that arrangement, and she was desired by our emperor himself. This lead to an extension in hostilities between Highland and Morabia. This is why I’d still never met them, but learned that my aunt and my cousin, Jaddick, perished. I pray for their souls every sabbath, as I do my parents, and my grandma.

The political intricacies of all of these nations gave me headaches at times, trying to keep abreast of all the nuances, inroads and histories involved. And yet, it was my responsibility to the greater good to have it mastered. Diplomacy was my calling…even with the nation responsible for claiming my parents, Incantaria.

Like many gifted in magics, I was sent away to school. Unlike my brother, whose magical talents were encouraged by Rajiv himself, I was shipped and boarded to Oceanus, learning at the Demicesis Institute for the Disciplines of Magic. My instructors were strict, but with my discipline and determination, I was able to master my field. My understanding and grasp were of high level, execution was precise and potent, but the saying remained with me, always: wisdom before weapons.

Thanks to my restraint, I’d made some friends. They traveled with me now, en route back home over my summer break from classes. I was already graduated from my basic level classes, now I was studying invigilator courses, while resuming courtship efforts, unfortunately. I had no desire to marry off with some foreign dignitary or even a domestic one. Though arrangement was customary, my heart yearned for a more natural betrothal. I hoped to prolong such necessity, but as was expected of me, I was to be wed soon. I’d come of age, graduated, and was approaching the age which if not wed, a stigma would taint me and my family from here onward.

My friends teased me at times for this. They didn’t grasp the need for me to be wed in this manner, as they came from different backgrounds. One of the least understanding was my friend, Jana. Regal in every regard, it was of no surprise to me once I discovered her background and role in Gaia. Her bodyguard, Diedrik, close in age to us both, appeared to share the sentiment, although not his place to speak on it. Both clearly Soshan by their complexion and garb, Jana scoffed upon hearing my subjection to such requirements, as it was her right by sovereignty to claim her own suitor, and felt it below her to even acknowledge someone daring to propose to her. She rarely smiled, unless making some snide observation towards someone of lesser pedigree than herself, which unfortunately, was nearly everyone she met, in her mind. She appreciated that I was Morabian, and that it showed ‘great wisdom’ on Morabia’s part to show interest in global affairs, rather than stick to its rudimentary nationalistic purview. Long-standing enemies, she saw hope in me for a different future, it meant. Her magic was different than mine, more mystical in nature and regarding prophecy.

Akin to this misunderstanding, albeit completely different in nature, was my friend, Tenebri. A half-human, quarter cannubi, quarter elf warrior-mage, she hailed from the far northern lands, and her mindset on betrothal was…well, totally different. Sanctity of virginity wasn’t valued at all, instead, sexuality was more primal in nature and origin, and to be embraced and expressed. She claimed as a comedown from a battle, she’d drink and challenge a male into the bedroom to “play-wrestle”. Her blatant lewdness was shocking, especially to Jana. Jana couldn’t stand being around her, bristling at the mere entrance of Tenebri into the same room. In spite of this, Tenebri valued the same bonds and bridges I sought, and our friendship was steadfast. Her arms were strong and clearly defined, her legs too, her bare abdomen when flexing rippled in an intimidating manner, and that was before she’d imbue herself with magics that further enhanced her prowess. Her armor served more as a distraction for males or even some females who were into that sort of same-sex dynamic, rather than truly protect her. Her near-white hair, pulled taut into a ponytail with two teasing strands to frame her face, she exhibited physical prowess and exotic beauty, thanks to her natural mixed-breed bloodline. She’d rival my brother in combat, I deduced, but he’d not give in to her distracting tactics, so they’d stalemate. As for me, her manners were crude at best, but charming in her raw, aggressively platonic nature, where if I told her to back off, loudly, her feelings would be hurt and she’d sulk until I told her, I was kidding.

Saku rarely spoke, but I deduced she was in a similar situation as myself. An elemental mage, she told me her people lived anonymously along the Oceanus archipelago. She looked like no human I’d seen, her eyes more linear in appearance, with hair similar to my own, long, straight and black. Morabia knew of no people collected in the region she described to us, Jana even called her a liar once. Saku shrugged, unconcerned with Jana’s opinion, further angering her, but I kept the peace. Saku introduced me to exotic teas, and we both admire flowers. Her insight into magic was unique to me, and we became fast friends upon learning we shared in the desire to bridge cultures and bring peace and understanding to both sides.

Lastly, there was Coyle. A Regalian from a noble family, he was sent away when he was young, and had been learning at the academy for a decade. Overly curious, he was the only Regalian I knew that didn’t look down on me with smugness nor aloofness. The others there treated me as if some savage, a believer in religious dogma heretical and anathemic to their own. Coyle wanted to learn more, always. Having no interest in courtship, he found my predicament fascinating, and found Tenebri to be even moreso. I’d conclude that Coyle had some romantic interest in her, but an encounter of some sort between the two where Tenebri grunted in dissatisfaction when I asked about it later, and Coyle stammered a bewildered and confused reply, indicated to me that Coyle failed to capitalize on the opportunity Tenebri offered him. I knew for certain, in spite of it being inexcusable for me to be seen with males in such manner as this, when interacting with him, they’d forgive the breach in social norm. He found the concept of betrothal itself more novelty than serious, and that he’d be in consideration himself would make him nervous beyond capacity to enact upon.

Our ship encountered little in the way of resistance, and upon disembarking, I lay witness to chaos amid El Gubal. Emperor Adelphi had died. With a vacancy of power, I feared my people would descend into chaos. My entourage, met by the Antlion Battalion, were immediately ushered into the nearby estate of the Navander family, not a single heed being paid to those accompanying me, in spite of the status of Jana. Our house servants bid my immediate departure to home, and with no respite, we were placed into a carriage and on our way to Gestalt, provincial seat of Evandakur.

“Tell me, dear. Your emperor’s death, who benefits politically from such machinations?”

Jana’s curtness wasn’t surprising, but even Diedrik looked at me with surprise, until a brief smirk shone, indicating respectful sensitivity towards me in spite of her blunt question.

“I gather Highland, given the recent political climate between both nations. However it can’t be guaranteed a benefit to them, due to the recent events involving my uncle, Highland Governor General Jaden Silvermayne, being surrendered to them to answer for the Silvermayne house’s crimes against his majesty’s honor.”

“You say this with such remarkable calm, is your personal honor not attached to his purported crimes against your crown?”

She meant to jab at me, but I wasn’t about to succumb to her political gamesmanship.

“The house of Silvermayne committed this act before being attached to mine, therefore the dishonor solely lies within their house. All deeds afterwards coincide with the proper etiquette and noble discourse due a foreign dignitary, while strident with Dragonir beliefs. The marriage, though politically embroiling, has thus no ill-effect on the Navander name. In fact, some believe it to be more proper, in the sense that Navander is seen as reclaiming a fellow Dragonir bloodline from the misguided hands of those ignoring their ways.”

Saku appeared to be absorbing this tit for tat, while working at lifting her hair and pinning it to keep cool in the hotter environment. Jana, with her short, circular hair, had no problem keeping more cool with nothing draping over her neck in that regard. Coyle kept fanning himself, nearly panting like a canine species he told me about, sweating, but glued to our words, trying to learn more of the social dynamics in play of our nations. As I eyed Tenebri, she appeared at peace with the heat, like me. Coyle turned to her, in awe of her heat-resistance, while Saku decided to inquire about it.

“Tenebri, how are you not bothered by this heat? Your thick hair, although up, still covers your shoulders while you’re pressed against the seat.”

Tenebri gave a smirk, her thicker jawline was due to her Cannubi tusks, she’d said before, that would never protrude due to her being female. Her dark gray skin, approaching black in hue, with markings in place made it obvious that Cannubi was part of her genes. I was surprised to learn she was mixed of blood, actually, but due to her not being of towering height like all of that race, it was more believable. She naturally had a slightly puffier bust, larger glute muscles, and bigger hands and feet. Her irides were purple, not yellow like I’d heard Cannubi eyes appear, and apparently that was the Elven blood within her. When she smiled in reply, her cheeks formed dimples, and she actually appeared quite friendly and soft when doing so, but her lower fang teeth jutted out slightly, gripping the teeth of her upper jaw, and would sometimes protrude above her closed lips, appearing intimidating, until she opened her mouth, and her friendlier than expected voice could be heard.

“Hah, seriously? Take a guess what race I am.”

Her smile shone, wilting Coyle immediately, as she knew it would. I decided to prod a bit.

“I know Cannubi make their homes near magma pits, but you’re only part Cannubi. I’m used to the heat here, but is it truly that tolerable for you, Bri?”

She chipperly nodded her head. “Mmhmm. It’s quite comfy. Much less chilly than at the Institute. I nearly had to summon my familiar just to keep me warm, especially in that awful, white-covered timeframe.”

Jana jumped in, angrily.

“For the last time, you uncultured oaf, it’s called ‘snow’, and the season is ‘winter’. How can you be from the north and not know these terms?”

Tenebri appeared hurt and annoyed by Jana. “We’re enslaved. We live in caves, are bred for labor work or black marketed for sex, and are brought above ground for auctions. In my case, I was ‘purchased’ by a Regalian mage who recognized my latent magical energies. I guess I’m lucky.”

“Spare me the woe-is-me diatribe, I’m not currently inquiring about your disgusting sexual promiscuity, I’m questioning your intellectual capacity. Why are you unable to remember simple terminology, you attention-seeking deviant?”

They were at it again. So, as usual, I intervened and attempted to quell the conflict before it escalated.

“I’ve come across this in my studies, it’s referred to as dysnomia. Expressive language is present, but stymied access to the intended term takes place due to interrupted energies of the brain. Like a word locked behind a door, and you keep trying keys until it fits and you recover it, or you circumvent and express via descriptors instead. It’s nothing shameful, it’s actually quite commonplace.”

“Among the elderly, yes. Say it, you barbaric slut. Snow. Winter.”

Tenebri rolled her eyes and ignored Jana’s insults. “Snoooow. Wiiiinterrrr. Happy?”

“I’ll be happy when you stop forgetting simple things.”

I turned to Tenebri, gently stating, “Seriously Bri, it’s nothing to feel ashamed of. I can help, if you’d like, there are repetition exercises designed to help mitigate the mental blocks.”

Tenebri gave a mischievous snicker, suddenly. “I can’t help myself. She gets so pissed off when I do that, it’s funny.”

“Wait…you mean…”

“SnoOoOoWwWw…hahahaha!!!”

Jana scoffed and turned her head away from us all, Coyle looked nervous and fumbled around with his spectacles, while Saku smirked anonymously, trying not to set off Jana, while sharing the same expression with Diedrik as their eyes met. Tenebri, after her outburst, then turned to me, and wrapped her strong arms around my petite frame and clutched me tightly, squeezing harder than she intended, as her large, bare hands gripped me as gently as she could. I was verging on bursting like a grape.

“You’re really sweet, you know that? I love that about you.”

“Too much love…too…much…”

Realizing her affection was actually crushing me into oblivion, she retracted her grip, and instead gripped me from the side and pulled me closer to her seat, draped her arm over me, and held me close, instead.

“Sorry…you okay?”

I nodded my head, noting her face shown genuine worry she’d actually hurt me. At my reply, she shone relief, then closed her eyes, resting her head on the seat back and corner of the carriage. Time passed on for a moment without any word being spoken, while we all absorbed what we saw outside the carriage window for a bit. With Tenebri resting at an angle, I soon realized she’d fallen asleep, holding me in her arms.

“(Huff)…again…looks like I’m stuck…”

Coyle gave a snicker, Jana turned her gaze, shook her head, but a giggle crept up within her at my predicament. Saku calmly observed, blinked, then spoke up.

“I recall seeing her gripping a large, stuffed minotaur toy in her sleep. For being so… formidable of an opponent, she’s surprisingly cuddly and affectionate when her guard is down.”

Coyle spoke up on the matter. “Indeed. Due to her societal predisposition, I gather. Affection, as you might imagine, is sought after by her, heuristically speaking. Being spared punishment and finding a kind master resonates with her.”

This bothered me a bit. “Coyle, you speak of her as if some animal. She’s a living, breathing, sentient being, like us all.”

Coyle stammered, not meaning to ruffle the nerves of anyone, but stuck in his societal paradigm. Saku replied, aligning more with my thoughts.

“Tragically so. It’s not her fault the society she was born within, and we should help uplift her from that station. Regardless, she’s loyal to all of us, to a fault, even. It’s obvious. She cares about us a great deal. Even Jana.”

Jana bristled at the mention. “Keep that specimen far from me. I’ll not have her touch me, I may catch some disease.”

That was rude. Especially given the fact that Tenebri would readily defend Jana on a whim, in spite of her playfully upriling her nerves as she did earlier. Tenebri cared about us all a great deal. I had to defend her.

“And yet, her loyalty is something rare. An honest, pure affinity towards those she cares about is not something to readily discard. It’s to be cherished and nourished. She can be intense in her displays, certainly, but she does so because she wants us to know it, and accept her.”

Coyle injected a comment equally rude. “Like the Regalian canines. Once imprinted, they’re fiercely loyal to the family. The breeding methods are of utmost importance, and I’m certain that level of focus was used in breeding the slave-casts within Regalia for that end.”

Jana dismissed everyone, stating, “I don’t need loyalty from her, in any fashion. Value it? Hah! What’s one mixed-breed’s affection against that in the millions I already have naturally? My dear, I know in your case, it’s different, and I mean it honestly when I say, I don’t disrespect your stance. It’s out of necessity, and your culture, that you cling to such primitive and simple alliances rather than leave that to the cultural stations in place. You’re above her, dear. Don’t forget that.”

“Jana…I wish I had the words to convey and make you see differently, but it’s not my place to do so, and I respect that.”

Jana gave a smirk at my reply, stating, “Well said, dear. I admire that about you, truly. You dance as gracefully in politics as you do conjuring spells and performing your cultural rites. It’s why we get on famously, unlike some others, here. But in full truth, Tenebri is entertaining, and I would admittedly find myself wanting without her presence. Besides… as strange as it is to say, she smells far better than any other Cannubi I’ve been around.”

As I gave a sniff, I commented on it immediately while holding several long strands from her thick, fluffy ponytail.

“Mmm…it’s definitely her hair. It smells divine, actually. In general, she’s fond of perfumes, but…definitely her hair, right now.”

Giving a more deliberate sniff, I got the others curious about it, even Diedrik, and they all closed in to take a sniff for themselves. Tenebri voiced in with suddenness that froze everyone in place.

“It’s really nothing special. I bathe every day, and my hair is naturally silky from being part Elven. It holds scents really well, so I steep the bathwater in certain oils and flowers.”

“How…how long have you been…?”

“Awake? I dunno, I just heard something about my hair smelling good. Are we there yet?”

“Not yet. It’s a two day journey, we’ll be arriving tomorrow morning, I think.”

“Okay…back to sleep.”

I looked up to see her close her eyes again, and in moments, appear to be asleep again. Tightening her grip over my torso, she pressed me gently, but firmly, against her front, my head nestled against her puffy bosom. Giving another huff, I realized I wasn’t going to be freed until the next carriage stop, whenever that would take place.

As nightfall took hold, the others were asleep, but I remained awake. Fixed on the prospect of seeing my brother, grandfather and Rajiv, I was excited to introduce my friends to them. But the inner machinations within Morabia were concerning, and I felt regret come over me for inviting along foreigners to witness the chaotic interval taking place within our country. Such things were of great consequence nationally and beyond, and could invite malevolence upon our people. Laboring over the politics of it all, a sight caught my eye outside.

A troupe of warriors had gathered in great numbers, traveling with haste towards the south. Uncertain what it meant, the numbers had to signify something substantial, and without further evidence, I could only predict it had to do with Emperor Adelphi’s death. What compelled them southward, I didn’t know. The only thing southward was other territories, and eventually, the coast’s high dropoff. Curious, I did the only thing I could think of to learn more.

Casting my magics, the black bird approached the window nearest me in the carriage. Imparting my commands, I merged my magics into the bird, and it immediately took to flight. Soaring high above, it canvassed the numbers, vast in size, and flew anonymously towards the lead position. Intermixed banners present, I noted pace of them all and demeanors, and they all were troubled and pacing away from fortifications.

The mixture of banners was most puzzling, and the agreed upon nature of them all to align and depart for the south was truly curious. At the lead position was a Soshan delegate, and high above also were their zeppelins. Horses, lizards, and other wagons were intermixed among the ranks, and for a moment, I saw an impressive warrior with a scar above his ear peer upwards at me and halt while doing so. With a squint, I believe I saw a smirk form on his face, and a nod of his head, before returning to the others in his entourage. And in this entourage, I saw my grandfather close by this man.

What this all meant, I couldn’t determine, but within moments, I was zipped back to my present location. It was paramount I get home. Where was my brother? He was almost always beside my grandfather, unless tasked elsewhere. Tomorrow, I’d ask Rajiv, and if he had no answer, it was up to me to decide what happened next, to answer on behalf of house Navander, to the Morabian people.