Chapter Text
Inara is....not necessarily depressed, but she is sad. Which is a completely reasonable and valid emotion to feel, considering what she'd just recently discovered.
Her biggest problems before, were trying to remember the names of villages in Poromiel. Now, there's a war coming, against crazy-strong dark magic users and their creepy bootleg dragons and it's too close to home for comfort. No one in her kingdom is safe. Especially, considering they don't even have wards like Navarre to protect them.
Guess plot armour only exists for the other protagonists.
So sad and horrified, is what she feels currently. Why couldn't she have been reincarnated into something like a sports anime. She definitely could have played some volleyball right now. Anyways, there's no time to mop about.
The venin are coming. People are going to die. And so much stuff that she can barely remember and has likely forgotten is going to happen and there's nothing she can do about it. So after a week of mopping. (She deserved it) Inara sits on her bed, pen and parchment infront of her as she trues her best to write down everything she remembers and create a timeline.
It's not easy, she hadn't read the books in a long time and the last two hadn't even been released yet, when she died.
Number one– Violet crosses the parapet and meets Xaden. She immediately crosses that part out. Violet's first year days at Basgiath aren't really of any importance until she bonds with Tarin and Andarna. She's got plot armour and a literal dragon scale armour to protect her. She'll be fine.
Instead my mind wanders as I try to think of where to begin.
Xaden. I write down. I need him to not kill me on sight and for us to work together. But I also know I don't really need to interfere with him and everything Violet related. That's his life, but having him as a–uh, ally? Would be good. The man leads the revolution after all.
Inara sighs tiredly and rubs her face. Plotting is hard. She decides to just write down things she needs to change and do and figure out the how later.
First order of business. Runaway, cross into Navarren boarders and not get caught and then get into Basgiath.
Second, get Xaden to trust me.
Third, Survive. Obviously. Hopefully bond a dragon and hope I don't die once it realises that I'm not a Navarrean. Save Liam, obviously. Survive Resson. Get the journals. Make sure Violet doesn't get tortured for it. Cause that was terrible.
Are the journals even necessary if I already know how to bring up the wards? Whatever. I'll see when I get that far.
Fourth. Have Xaden prepare Aretia for the fliers and riders that will go there.
Make sure mom doesn't die. Obviously. That doesn't happen for a while, but it can hurt to be prepared.
She spends the better part of the night writing and planning everything. It's not all perfect, but she's got time before she can put her plans into action. At least until the day she decides to leave and make it for Navarre. And in the meantime, she comes up with a way to get her mother to agree to train her.
She's not complaining, but she has noticed her mother's tendency to coddle. Not surprising though. She's an only child and she's fairly certain Queen Maraya had no children in the books.
And that she'd named her distant cousin as heir to the throne.
Does that mean he's no longer the heir. How many people actually even know of my existence? I wonder.
Actually thinking about it, I realises that I've never met anyone outside, aside from Nadia.
All I know are the castle staff and guards. Hmm. 'I'm definitely being kept a secret.' Why? Not of great importance, at the moment. I'll find out later.
Surprisingly, getting my mother to agree to training goes very well.
So well, infact, it turns the whole argument I'd mentally prepared in my head was useless and my mother had actually already been planning to begin my training when I turned six. Bummer. But also cool.
If you're interested in a recap, it went a little something like this.
Inara strides into her mother's office ready to fight for something she wants and she's not leaving til she gets it.
"Mother, I need to speak to you about something important." She says seriously, standing at attention in front of her desk.
The formality of her approach is what get Maraya's attention, because she knows Inara only ever speaks like this when she wants something.
Or arguing over the merits of learning maths. She geatures for Inara to sit next to her, trying and failing to smother the smile creeping on her face.
She places her papers aside and turns to her daughter, giving her her undivided attractive. "What may I help you with dearest daughter." She responds just as formally. She raises a brow at the look on Inara's face as she clears her throat.
"Aside from my regular lessons, I would like to begin physical training immediately. I think it's important to able to fight and defend myself as a princess and not solely rely on my guards." She says seriously.
"I know you probably don't want me getting hurt. But I believe that this will help me in the future and is beneficial incase of any situation that may arise and require me to protect myself and probably you. It's also stimulating and stops me from being lazy and uh..." She trails off, eyes shifting as she tries to remember the rest of her speech, "other things important like that." She says in the end and looks at her mother silently, waiting for her response.
Or refusal in this case.
Mraya shifts in her seat, trying very hard to not laugh. "Well, I'd already planned for this." She tells her slowly. "But since you've brought it up, I suppose I should tell you that I'd already planned to begin your training when you're seven." She says and Inara freezes.
"What?" She asks. Stunned.
"I know that just because you're the princess, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't know how to fight." She explains. "The world is a dangerous place and I'd be foolish to think that you'll forever be safe behind these walls. As much as I wish that we're case." She sighs at the end and gestures for me to come closer.
I move towards her and she pulls me into her laps and hugs me close. My arms wrapping around her as much as I can.
"I want you safe. And to never have to fight." She admits softly. "But there's only so much I can do. And I know that the best way to protect you is to give you the tools for your own protection."
"We will be at war some day. And I'd never forgive myself if i was the reason you could not protect yourself."
My mother had then proceeded to tell me about the war with venin. Well, not exactly that we're at war. Or what venin are, but i could understand what she meant underneath it all.
The venin are not on our door step–not yet–but they will be. In a few year's time and I will be ready for them when they are.
Who knows. Maybe if I join Basgiath earlier, we can prepare to fight earlier. Get a step ahead of them.
It's things like this that make me wish I knew how to create our own wards for Poromiel.
I mean. I know how to activate them. And thanks to Violet. I know that there's a way to moderately adjust the wards to allow fliers to wield.
But where the hell am I supposed to get a fucking ward stone from?
The stone might not even be the biggest problem.
Where the hell will I get seven dragons to breath fire and activate the wards?!
As far as I know, Gryphons don't breathe fire. I don't even know if they have different breeds.
Would a stone powered by gryphons be just as effective as one powered by dragons?
Doubtful.
It's all so frustrating and confusing and headache inducing and just too much for my four year old brain.
So instead I just write it down in my journal to think of later and focus on the present.
I actually got my mother to agree to begin my training a year earlier. I need all the practice I can get and an extra year feels like a bonus.
The first few months are spent stretching and raising my stamina as much as I can. As well as agility and flexibility. And my trainer, Alaric, the best fighter as my mom said–teaches me how to dodge first them then throw a punch later.
It's tiring the first few months. But it's also fun.
But the first time I take a punch to the gut. That's when I realise how shitty this is going to be until I can handle taking a hit.
The man wasn't even using all his strength.
Weapons training begins two years later and I make it a point to learn as many weapons available as possible.
I love my daggers, but I also really want a sword.
I have the blacksmith make me two Japanese style swords. Like a Ninja-to.
I remember learning how to use them in my previous life for fun and loved the feeling of them in my hands. Not too heavy and the hilt is much more comfortable to grip than a long sword.
I'd provided the blacksmith with a rough sketch of what it's supposed to look like and gotten a few odd looks before her agreed to make one for me.
I had even joined him in the forge—Much to my mother's displeasure—and made sure I watched and corrected him about how to make them.
After much trial and error, i finally have my swords and having them strapped to my back is the best feeling in the world.
Fighting with them is even better.
I stand at the top of the palace, sitting on a little spot hidden from view.
If my mom ever saw me here, she'd freak and send me to my room for a month.
It's been a few years and I watch as Tecarus, my uncle? I guess he's my uncle and Drake walk out of the palace. My mother walking with them and having some conversation with him.
I've only met the man once and that was when I was eight. I'd bumped into him and my mother in the hallway, on my way from training and the look he'd given me had not been friendly.
That's not to say that it was evil. But still. He wants the throne. And seeing a little child that looks a little like the queen walking around must have been a shock and probably wasn't very promising for his future goals.
It was my mistake. I preferred him not knowing of me. Or anyone really. Especially, seeing as in all my time here, I've never been out in public and so I knew that the rest of the kingdom did not know of my existence. And I like it that way.
Although, I have heard rumours about me, from my short walks outside. But they are wild and most of them describe me as male. Which is fine for me. But Tecarus seeing me was not the best thing.
And the look he'd given me had been very calculating, even though my mother had waved me off.
Since then, I've made it my mission to avoid him anytime I hear that he's in the palace.
Both him and my apparent distant cousins. I wonder briefly if he's mentioned me to them or kept our brief encounter to himself.
My mother has planned to name him as the second heir to the throne and for most, it sounds like he's heir after my mother. But in truth, I'm the first in line and he's second, if I end up dead some way or refuse the crown.
She's made it clear that she will not force the crown onto me. And that whether or not I want to rule Poromiel will be my decision and she'll be happy to go along with whatever else i decide. And she means it. I see it in her eyes and I love her more for giving me that choice.
But back to my plotting.
It's been a few years now and I'm fifteen . Almost sixteen in August.
I've been toying with the idea of how to get another Iridescent dragon to the continent.
It's crazy. I know. But we need one. For contingencies. So as I sit on the roof. Feet dangling over the edge and watch the setting sky. I try and fail to change my own mind.
For all I know, this could be suicide mission. I'm comforted by the fact that Poromiel still trades with the Isles, so it'd be pretty easy for me to travel to the island that Violet found the dragons on.
Having one dragon on my side wouldn't hurt. I already have a whole plan and an excuse for why I want to leave and travel to the Isles. I just hope that my mother agrees.
I groan tiredly and get up, walking carefully on the narrow ledge untill im on full, solid ground. I hope she's not too difficult.
That night, as I'm seated in my bed and braiding my hair for bed, a soft knock sounds on my door and it opens, my mother walking into the room.
"Mom. Hi." I greet with a soft smile and she smiles back at me, coming to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Hi," she says softly and beacons me closer. I move closer and turn, facing away and she starts braiding my hair for me.
"I missed you at dinner tonight." She starts conversationally. "Hmm, I wasn't hungry." I answer with a shrug.
She hums, hands moving expertly in my hair. "Is something wrong? Are you sick?" She asks, worry taking over her tone.
"No. I'm not sick." I answer immediately.
"Then what's wrong?" She asks again. "You've been distracted these past few days and it's worrying." She explains.
I bite my lip, tensing before quickly relaxing. "Nothing's wrong." I deny.
"Inara..." She draws and I sigh.
I turn to face her when she finishes the braids. "I wanted to ask and I'm hoping that you'll agree to...letting me...go...outside." I say hesitantly, tripping over my words.
Her brows furrow in confusion as she looks at me and I note a bit of fear and apprehension in her eyes."The palace? Inara, you know I have no problem with yoú leaving palace grounds as long as you have Martin with you"
"That's not what I meant." I say lowly.
"Then what do you mean?" She asks and yep, the apprehension takes center stage.
"I meant going outside. As in, outside Poromiel." I says slowly. "To the Isles, if we're being specific." I add and watch as her face shifts switches between so many different emotions before shutting down.
"And what brought this on?" She asks neutrally.
"Nothing." I shrug. She raises a brow, clearly not believing me and I sigh. "I just wanted to explore somewhere that wasn't just Suniva." I explain, hoping that's good enough.
"Then explore the other regions. Not the Isles." She argues.
"But I want to go to the Isles." I argue. "I want to see something that isn't just this Continent."
"Inara..." She starts.
"Mom..." I cut her off. "Please dont say no." I plead. "I promise to behave and not get into trouble and to stay close to whoever you put on my guard. But please let me do this."
She frowns and looks away from me and i can see her fighting with herself. I'm almost hopeful that she might agree, but when she turns back to face me, i can't already see disappointment in my future.
"Mom—" i start but she cuts me off.
"It's late and we're both tired. We'll discuss this some other day." She cuts in, promptly ending the conversation.
I want to argue. But that would look to suspicious. So instead I nod and she gives me small smile that's clearly forced.
She places a kiss on my head and mutters a soft goodnight, then gets up and leaves my room. It's alright.
I can bid my time. At least until my birthday in two months.
Finding the irids will take longer without dragons or gryphons flying me around, but I will do it. I just need to convince my mother that this is a completely harmless tour around the Isles and hope she agrees.
I just hope that if I do this, I at least have better luck than Violet and her friends.