Chapter Text
The castle's launching platform was filled with glittering nobles chatting. Today they would welcome a new archnoble, which was a spectacle in and of itself, but more than that, the Archduke's bastard son was set to be baptized without a mother. It was the scandal of the decade, only beaten out this century by the calamity of Gabrielle.
Veronica stalked around with the fakest smile one could imagine. She dragged her eleven year old son along with her as though to remind everyone that no matter what happened the heir was already decided and he was her’s.
Said heir, Sylvester, was a kind, if exasperating, older brother so he’d instructed his dragon, Florence, to protect his new little brother. Ferdinand huddled next to the dragon. For some reason, he trusted them more than the guards he’d been assigned. Maybe it was because they couldn't talk and therefore couldn't whisper about how degrading it was to serve him. Florence did not allow themself to be petted by anyone that wasn't Sylvester, so Ferdinand had to bury his fidgety hands in his sleeves.
It was just that everyone kept staring. The ceremony hadn't even begun but everyone continued to shoot knowing glances in his direction. When the ceremony actually started, all eyes moved to the kind looking older man in the blue robes only briefly before moving back to him.
This man was the High Priest of Ehrenfest, the most senior member of the clergy, and Veronica's disgraced younger brother. He held himself up well, calm in the face of judgment, and confident in repeating words he’d spoken many times. He smiled warmly at Ferdinand after calling him forward. Ferdinand kept his eyes on the only kind face in the room as he strode forward as gracefully as he’d been taught.
Once he arrived at the temporary altar, he was handed a stamp. The High Priest held it with a small bit of decorated leather. Ferdinand was momentarily distracted by how everything was made to be beautiful here. His rooms at the villa had been painfully sparse and wholly devoid of color. Once in his hand, the stamp glowed seven colors. The dancing rainbow grew brighter and brighter before flashing.
“We’ll you’ve got the mana,” the High Priest whispered. His voice was just barely audible under the sound of polite applause. Once the clapping died away he continued in a booming voice. “Ferdinand, you have been blessed by the gods with all elements. Continue to live righteously such that you may be worthy of their regard.”
The crowd hissed, snorted, and made every other sound of surprise before falling into feverish whispering. Ferdinand felt the redness and warmth climb his neck and spill over his entire face. He hated blushing. He would find a way to never look so embarrassed again. For now he just pressed the stamp to a white medal then stepped back to continue the ceremony.
The Archduke came forward with a silver ring. It was set with a green gemstone and shrank to fit Ferdinand's small finger. “Today you become my son,” Adelbert said as he slipped it on.
“Thank you… father,” Ferdinand replied. This man didn't feel like what Ferdinand thought a father would but he’d gone to all this trouble for him and saved him from death so he must be good enough and Ferdinand would try to be a good enough son either way.
As per his practice, he turned back to the High Priest to be blessed and bless him in turn. Ferdinand’s blessing was much larger inspiring more muttering. The High Priest just smiled his warm smile and turned towards the empty space on the launching platform. “Now, new child of Ehrenfest, go forth and entreat the keepers of this land that they might find you worthy to be her defender.”
Ferdinand shook against his will. If a dragon didn't acknowledge him then he couldn't be an archnoble. If he wasn't an archnoble then he couldn't be the Aub’s son and would no doubt be sent back to his tiny, beautyless cell to become a faestone. He didn't want that. He wanted to live and to see more of the world and to eat food that wasn't gruel and to live surrounded by beautiful things.
In his tiny voice he cried out with all his heart and soul. “I am one who offers prayers and gratitude to the gods who have created the world. O King and Queen of the endless skies, O Eternal Five who rule over the mortal realm, I offer my bond and my body, my soul and my word, I will protect this land and her people. If I am found worthy of this great task, I ask that you send me one to support my efforts and prove your mandate rests with me!”
Blessing sparkles rose into the air then, nothing happened. Everyone waited for three or four breaths before the whispers began. Ferdinand didn't know when he'd raised his hands to the sky but he let them fall in defeat. He’d failed. A deep cold settled over him as he saw the horrors he’d escaped coming to claim him back.
He was not the only person who began to feel cold as the temperature of the air continued to plummet. It had been such a subtle change at first that no one noticed. Now that their breath met the air in billowing puffs of white, it was impossible to ignore. Soon couples were leaning together and the knights were subtly stamping their feet to warm up. Once it was cold enough to sting the skin the wind began.
The sound of it was like the roaring of a blizzard and a tiger mixed in one. It was a sound that any from the north of Ehrenfest knew very well and that every adult knight knew even better. A few screams rang out as people fell to their knees.
“The Lord of Winter!” someone cried.
Indeed, a great shadow fell over the assembly. Something massive moved behind the clouds and blocked out the sun at intervals. Most people were distracted by this and so missed a glittering white dragon with three sets of wings flying over to the little boy doing his very best not to cry and failing.
With snow white fur and clear crystal antlers, she looked cut from a glacier but she was warm as she wrapped around Ferdinand to protect him from the cold before lapping a tear from his cheek with a sandpaper tongue. *Salty!*
Ferdinand stared. He couldn't stop staring. All her babbling about how overprotective her father was and how she was grown up enough to pick her own partners and how they were going to be just the best, she could tell, because he was very smart and she was very strong, poured into his head without him comprehending. She was so beautiful, and she’d chosen him.
With an exasperated trill from his daughter, the Lord of Winter flew away, taking his blizzard with him, and leaving noble society to deal with the aftermath. No amount of groundwork could have prepared them for this.
… …
Veronica paced. This was always a bad sign. It usually meant her retinue would need changing around again and it always meant a headache for Adelbert.
“What do you plan to do about it?” she snapped again.
Adelbert knew she’d attempted to orchestrate a failed summoning either by locking away all the juvenile dragons or setting dragon wards or both. Whether Ferdinand became an archnoble or not was not actually important to Adelbert. He was instructed to bring the boy away from his doom. If he became a strong med-noble, that would just make him a better servant for Sylvester.
This did not mean he intended to actively hamstring the boy’s development just because he exceeded expectations and foiled her plans. “What do you want to do?” he sighed. It was always easiest to let her have her way then make her clean up any messes she created herself.
“Well, you said the gods told you to bring him here. And the gods chose to favor him with a special dragon. Maybe the gods should take responsibility for raising him,” she replied.
“Irmelda has taken responsibility for raising him. You already stopped our marriage and isolated her,” Adelbert said.
Veronica began speaking with a smile that quickly became barbed. “That you think that's enough to stop such an enterprising woman is just further proof of your ignorance. She will stop at nothing to destroy me.”
“Irmelda has never had such ambitions. That is why I considered her to begin with.”
“What can you know?” Veronica spat. “You who cares not at all for your children. Or is it just my children?”
“Veronica…”
“No! No. You claim to love and cherish them but you forget that I know you. I see that you only want someone to replace you, to unburden you. You know nothing of a mother's love and determination. Irmelda has no children so of course she has no ambition.”
Adelbert sighed. He was not having this argument again. “I cannot just expose him and leave him to his fate in the wilds,” he noted.
“Didn't I say to let the gods take care of him. They even have their own house,” Veronica huffed.
“The temple?!” Veronica just looked back through narrow eyes. “You mean for me to strip him of the honors I just bestowed?”
“Just bring him back once he's come of age. Then he will have no faction, no support, and no way of endangering Sylvester.”
“You know how that would look,” he groaned.
“How it would look? Oh, so you do care about appearances. How does it look that you bring forward another male heir? Moreover, how does it look that you tried to take another wife?”
“That is different. You and I both know that our arrangement is not the norm. Sylvester would have no ministers should we allow this to persist.”
“You do not have to disinherit him,” Veronica said mildly.
“You would have me make him a priest. That is how it works. Even if I make special allowances later on…”
“Have you not read?” she interrupted. Adelbert paused. “In history we learned that the first Zents were High Bishop's and the first Archdukes followed suit. We are just reviving the old traditions with a child so obviously beloved of the gods.”
“That is not how it will be seen. And the Academy…”
“Are you not Aub? If you say he retains his status… If you sent a priest to school, who can speak against you?”
“The king…”
“This is your duchy and your family, your…child. What could he possibly have to say about it?”
Adelbert sighed once again. He knew she was right if not for the reasons she said. The king cared little for the intrigues of the lowest ranked duchies. Ehrenfest was simply too backwater and irrelevant. No one would question because no one would care. And his own nobles’ tongues would be stopped either by his wife's faction or his own loyalists.
Bonifatius would yell. That was a very good argument against this course of action but not enough. “Very well. I will do as you suggest.”
Veronica smiled. Once getting her way produced a radiant thing which warmed his heart. Now she was just as closed off as before, her smile never reaching her eyes anymore.
… …
The sporadic memories from my previous reincarnations were much easier to manage as I got older. They could still be distracting. I was often hit with a sudden moment of deja vu or presque vu. This time it was more of a general anxiety. I didn't know what would happen if I couldn't find my dragon friend but memories of past me being consumed by roaring fevers were enough to tell me that it would be very bad.
Meeting Eckhart for the first time had been exciting. She had snow white fur and small, glassy antlers that grew out of a head that was something like a mix between a cat and a husky. I really should have been afraid but I was too excited. “A real dragon just like in the books!” I’d shouted much to Lutz’s deep exasperation.
“Stop talking about your weird dreams and run for your life!” he’d cried.
“But his eyes look so intelligent. What if he’s nice!” I’d huffed.
Lutz just grabbed my arm and started to pull me away. Being just four made me easy to move. Being just four himself made it hard for him to move me though, so I got an extra moment to reach out and try to pet the beautiful but hulking beast. “You're a good boy aren't you?!”
*Good girl* came a reply.
“Lutz, Lutz! Is a she and she talks!”
“I don't care whether its a boy or girl just run!”
“But she's nice.”
“It's a dragon. Dragons mean nobles and they won't be happy about you talking to their pet.”
*I am no one's pet* said the dragon with a huff. Jets of cold air escaped her nostrils and everything.
“So cool!”
It was an exciting day for everyone. Lutz eventually calmed down and assisted me in petting the nice dragon. She’d come over because she’d smelled my fever and wanted to help. It was much more effective than following the mes from my visions advice. They were kind and talked me through calming myself down and holding in the fever but it felt much better to just let the cold dragon take it away.
Now my friendly anti-fever (medication) was nowhere to be found. “Eckhart!” I called a few times. I didn't normally need to call for her. If I wandered into the forest she would find me so long as I left the other kids to gather in a more private area. It was worrying but I could still rely on the instructions from my visions to keep things under control. Besides, I couldn't wait for too long. I’d dreamed up a way to create plant parchment which Lutz was helping me perfect. We were going to be rich! Then I could buy some of those book things which I craved but didn't know what they were nor how to obtain one.
I forced the fever back inside its box and turned to hurry back to the river.
My Tulli was truly an angel. She always listened to and helped realize my crazy rambling about new inventions. But this time was different. This time the cloth flowers turned out to be a good and repeatable idea. After the rain collection spout debacle, it was good to have a win. Tulli had worked hard to learn how to make them. She’d even pushed past her fear to go with me to sell the idea to the Gilberta company. Of course, she’d gotten an apprenticeship out of it so it wasn't purely a favor. Still, all the little flowers she’d made to adorn the hand-me-down baptism robes were just the kindest thing anyone had ever done for me.
“You're being dramatic again, Myne,” Tulli sighed. “Now let go. Stop clinging to me so I can do your hair!”
“But Tulllliiii! I just love you so much! How can you know if I don't hug you lots and lots!” I cried. And it was true. I loved my sister.
I also loved my Mother and Father, more so when they weren't forcing me into a chair to have my hair done or squeezing me to within an inch of my life.
“Awww, Dad let go!”
“Alright, alright, so long as you admit that you're the most beautiful girl in the world,” he teased.
“What about Mom and Tulli.”
“Well,” Dad began. “Effa’s a woman. The most beautiful woman in the world. And Tulli… Tulli is also the most beautiful girl in the world. What can I say, my girls are the best!” The most beautiful girls in the world, current and former, rolled their eyes collectively.
After much fussing and complimenting, my family finally made it down to the well. I hurried over to Lutz to show off my dress and the flower adorned braids Tullis wove into my hair.
“Wow, Myne, you almost look like a rich girl. A shame about your personality though,” he said.
“Lutz!” I began chasing him around the square, demanding proper compliments as were my due after so much preening. We had to table that discussion once it was time for the parade.
I’d always loved the baptism parades. They weren't visible from our house but Tulli and I used to run as far north as we could, without getting in trouble with the rich people, to sit and watch from a stoop on the main road. Now it was my turn. I couldn't help but smile and wave but I waved too hard and had to switch to a calmer one. I still felt like I was floating down the street.
Once we arrived at the temple I had to stop and look around. It was so impressively tall and pure white with statues! From my visions I knew that all the strangely shaped bushes had to be carefully arranged that way by professionals and there were so many that someone must have worked very hard taking care of the gardens. I wanted to run around and look at more of the building but Lutz pulled me inside quickly.
“...just like a little starbinding…” floated out of the crowed of guardians. I wrinkled my nose. They couldn't mean me and Lutz. Lutz was my friend but I couldn't marry him. That would be weird.
These thoughts distracted me all the way until it was my turn at the table with the blue priests. They were all very nice and gentle but that didn't change the fact that they had knives and were stabbing people.
“Myne!” Lutz whispered when I tried to run. “It's just a single drop. This isn't even as bad as the shumils.”
Butchering the shumils was very bad so that wasn't even a good argument. I still let Lutz drag me back. I wanted to be a citizen after all. “Don't fear, little one. It doesn't hurt at all,” coaxed the old man. He reminded me of the grandpa who liked to sit in the sun by the well so it was easy to trust him just this once. I let him take my finger and stab with the knife that, on second look, was more like a long needle. It really didn't hurt. I pressed my finger print to the little white disk.
Sudden feelings of deja vu told me to look at it more closely. I watched my blood turn clear then shimmer faintly with a rainbow tinted gold. It was fun to see but didn't really tell me anything. What had the other me been trying to say, I wondered?
Once all the kids were nicely seated in rows, the nice old man walked to the front of the room and stood next to the lectern. “The High Bishop shall now enter!”
Lutz wasn't paying much attention, but I was. So I saw the little kid before he did. She had light blue hair and pale yellow eyes that looked out from behind her bangs like two shining moons. Her hair was a bit short but maybe she’d gotten lice and had to shave it once. It didn't detract from her beauty at all.
“Lutz, Lutz look. She’s just like us!” I tried to yell but it came out very quietly. Lutz finally looked up then paused in shock like everyone else. “Wow, she might be the cutest girl ever,” I continued. I didn't develop a crush there and then I was just stating the facts.
“I think you're right,” Lutz murmured.
The little bishop in question walked forward with all the dignity she could muster. It was an impressive amount considering how red her face was and that she was carrying a giant book. “Lutz a book!”
“It’s that thing you're always talking about?”
“I think it is. I want to read it. Do you think they would let me read the book?”
“I don't think so. It looks really expensive.”
I had to agree no matter how it hurt my heart. I was finally close to the thing of my dreams but couldn't even get close enough to read the words. My sadness was quickly chased away when the little girl began reading a story from the book. The language sounded funny but I got the gist. It was about the gods with the statues outside and on the staircase behind the priests and how they created the world alongside their faithful dragons.
Lutz began to fall asleep but I was riveted by the tale of how the great dragon Sterrat tried to help his friend the God of Darkness be less lonely by shaking sparkling scales from his wings into beautiful patterns in the night sky. Of course their sparkle was nothing compared to the radiance of the Goddess of Life who the God of Darkness pined for.
“It's just so romantic,” I muttered.
“What?” Lutz asked, only paying attention again because I spoke. I shushed him and kept listening.
After all the stories, the little girl stepped forward with all the other clergy and began chanting in that weird language, then the whole chapel was coated in sparkles. We all oohed and ahhed and tried to reach up and touch the sparkles. It was so amazing I couldn't help but applaud.
Once I began clapping, the other kids did too. Strangely, this didn't fill the little girl with joy. Instead she raced away through the door she'd entered from and the nice grandpa had to hurriedly end the ceremony by himself.
… …
I didn't expect to see another book or the pretty girl again anytime soon. Lutz had to begin his work as an apprentice merchant. It was hard since his parents weren't as supportive as mine but he was smart and diligent and I helped him where I could. Plus our plant parchment was a huge success. Between that and the cloth flowers, my family was making enough money to improve our quality of life. We had Lutz over for dinner almost everyday so he wouldn't have to fight his brothers for food and we could study reading and math together.
I was very good at math. I’d dreamed of an easier method then perfected it with some of my own symbols. This meant I could use a slate to do calculations which was just as fast as using a calculator but left a record of what you did. Mister Otto said it was brilliant. Since my father was a guard I got to become a clerk at the gate and even got to learn etiquette for interacting with noble visitors. And since Lutz was a merchant, I could still sell my new inventions for more passive income.
Life was looking up but Eckhart never returned so my fevers grew out of control. One day it was just too much and I collapsed.
I woke up in a very fancy room on a very large bed. The little bishop was sitting at a table next to the bed, reading her big book. Someone so beautiful was so near me and reading a book! At first I thought it was a dream. Then she spoke.
“Finally, you're awake. Took you long enough.”
“No need to be so mean about it,” I replied.
She huffed and began to stand up. “Well, I had to sit and wait for you. I had to miss harspiel practice.”
I sat up. “What's a harspiel?”
“It’s a musical instrument,” she said flatly. “I have to learn for my debut in winter. If I’m bad, I’ll be disinherited.”
“What's disinherited?”
She blinked. It was obvious that my ignorance annoyed her but at least she didn't tease me about it. “It means you are kicked out of your family. I was almost kicked out because of my dragon so I can't mess up again.”
My mind whirled. “Who wouldn't want a daughter like you? You're so pretty. And you have a dragon and a book. You’re the best, the coolest! Don't worry, if you get dis… dis en whatevered, you can join my family.”
She smiled shyly, her gruffness giving way to softness, then frowned, all her wariness coming back. “Daughter? I’m a boy.”
“Oh…are you sure?” I asked.
“Of course I’m sure!” he snapped. “If I were a girl none of this would have happened. They would want to keep me!”
“Who would want to keep you?”
“The k…” he covered his mouth with his hands and shook his head.
“Ah, it's a secret. Don't worry. I get it. You can still come and be my brother if you need to,” I said. Yes, he would make a good little brother. He had books and a dragon and understood discretion.
“You don't want to ask?” he whispered.
“Of course but if you can't say I don't want to force it. We all have secrets.”
He tipped his head and looked at me more intently than such a pretty person should look at anyone. I just stared right back because I couldn't look away until we both blushed and had to hide our faces. “I’m…”
I recovered immediately and turned back. “What’d you say?”
“My name is Ferdinand,” he repeated.
“Nice to meet’cha, Ferdinand. My name is Myne and I love books and math and exploring. What do you like? Can I read your book?”
He shook his head. “Only I can read it,” he replied.
“Is it also a secret?” I asked.
“It's magic. Only I can see anything on the pages.”
I leapt out of bed. Magic! He was talking about magic. This world had magic. I didn't know why this was so exciting. I already knew about the magic contracts and the door at the Merchant's guild. Somehow this felt different like the magic was really real and it was right in front of me.
I had to stop for a moment to see a vision. I saw this book. The pages weren't blank like they were now and there was floating text. I also knew that I could read it even without the key. “Can you give me permission? Just say ‘I allow Myne to read my bible’ or something.”
“I’m telling you it always looks blank no matter what we do but here goes nothing. I allow Myne to read my bible.”
I watched with great anticipation. After a moment, a picture formed and a few lines of text. Most of the page was only very faintly there. I could see things if I really squinted hard. Only a few lines were visible as darkly printed text and there was nothing floating.
“At first there was the God of Darkness and he was alone,” I read over his shoulder.
His jaw dropped. “There's… you… you just remembered that from the baptism!” he cried.
“Who has that good of a memory?” I asked, then his words struck me. How did he know I’d recently attended a baptism? My family were all pretty tall so we tended to look older than other kids of the same age. I could be eight for all he knew. “Do you remember me from the baptism?”
If he could dig a hole and jump in, it looked like he would take the opportunity. “I… you were really pretty so of course I remember,” he mumbled.
I couldn't help but smile and had to press my hands to my flaming cheeks. “You think I’m pretty?!” I sang as I wiggled back and forth.
“You have no sense of decorum, though,” he added.
“It's still high praise from some as pretty as you!” I plopped down on the bench next to him. He flinched and seemed like he would move away then relaxed.
“I still don't think you can read it. I’ll turn to a page you couldn't have heard before.” I continued to wiggle excitedly. Now that we were sitting shoulder to shoulder, he seemed to find it even more annoying. “Be still! And don't touch it. This is a duchy treasure. Father brought it out of the Archduke's vault and entrusted it to me.”
As much as I wanted to touch the book (my first real book!) I nodded in compliance. I had to sit on my hands lest the excitement over take me but was able to be good and not damage anything. I still couldn't stop wiggling. “The wonderful thing about books is books is a wonderful thing…” I sang while he turned pages. Most of them were mostly covered in ghostly imprints.
Eventually, I saw one that was almost entirely visible. “Stop! Go back! I can really see that one!”
He turned back and we read the page together. He was new to reading what he referred to as the ‘ancient language’ and I was even less skilled but somehow we figured it out together. The story was about the Goddess of Wind, Schutzaria, and her partner Steifebrise, Dragon of the Gales, flying around making gentle breezes. She would call for her and they would fill ship sails and carry seeds and pollen for plants.
“That sounds really fun. I wish I could fly with my dragon friend,” I sighed.
“You have a dragon?” Ferdinand asked, amazed.
“She isn't mine. We are just friends. I haven't seen her in a long time though. I hope she’s ok.”
Ferdinand rested a hand on my knee. “Dragons are powerful and resilient. I’m sure she’s ok,” he assured me.
“My lord,” called a calm voice.
We both jumped. Him from the reprimand and me from suddenly finding out there was someone else in the room. He quickly removed his hand and scooted away for good measure. He also straightened up. “I am certain an apprentice such as yourself has much important work to do. Are you feeling quite recovered?”
It was not an explicit dismissal but it certainly felt like one. I pulled my hands out so I could twiddle my thumbs. I surely had the rest of the day off after my fainting spell. I had finally gotten to read a book and now I would have to leave it behind. Though I knew what I should say, I couldn't do anything but gaze longingly at the book.
“You may return to read again, if you like,” he offered.
The adult hissed sharply but I beamed. “Oh, thank you! I certainly will when I have time. I know I’ll get better at reading this weird writing eventually so I won't slow you down.”
Ferdinand also ignored the annoyance of their chaperone to reply with animation, “I have other books too!”
I clapped with glee. “Oh I can't wait. I’ll come all the time and I’ll be sure to bring gifts too. Mother always tells me that reciprocity is important. What sort of things do you like? Fruit? Bugs?”
“Bugs?” he muttered. “Ah… I like music and pretty things but you don't need to bring gifts.”
“I could never be so ungrateful to my book friend. You are truly the best, Ferdinand. I …”
“Lord Ferdinand. You should not address him casually,” cut in their chaperone. The man looked resigned but he still carried out his responsibility to teach proper manners.
“Lord Ferdinand,” I repeated with a giggle. “Ok. I’ll definitely be back and with gifts.”
From then on I visited every Earthday and whenever I could finish my gathering early. I had to sneak in through a small gate that lead past the orphanage but that was nice because I got to meet more of the temple kids. They looked a little thin and scraggly so I started teaching them how to sew and brought them cheap scrap fabric from Tulli’s job. I offered to teach them how to gather but the adults said they weren't allowed to leave the temple without permission.
Thankfully the leader of the temple was Ferdinand and he was more than willing to give permission for the unbaptized and unattached apprentice clergy to gather food in the forest. He was very sad that he wasn't allowed to go along and listened hungrily to tales of my forest adventures.
It turned out that Ferdinand did not like bugs. He thought some were cool enough so long as they couldn't crawl on him but living insects made him pale and flail around. As stated, he loved music. Even when he didn't have to practice he liked to play his harspiel while I read.
He also insisted I try to learn along with him. While I wasn't very good at playing harspiel, many new melodies spilled out from my visions and just from my being so happy to read. Ferdinand always made me repeat them while he wrote them down to transcribe for harspiel later. Most were too difficult for me to play myself so it was nice that he didn't mind taking requests.
It was more difficult to fulfill his criteria for beautiful things. Only certain flowers were accepted. His criteria for leaves and sticks was even harsher. He did accept most cloth flowers though I wasn't as good at making them as Tulli so they were always a little wonky. He also always accepted my baskets though it became clear eventually that he just wanted more things for storage in his super secret laboratory and did not have a love for weaving in general.
“It’s not really a lab yet,” he admitted one day. Apparently you needed special magic tools to make other magic tools and potions and stuff. They were expensive and therefore not for children, not even children who were as rich as Ferdinand seemed to be. At the moment, he just played around with a mortar and pestle, crushing herbs and mixing them with water or oil.
This description sparked another vision of a special kind of oil for washing hair. “Why not just use soap?” he asked.
“I don't know but it came from my dreams so it must be great,” I insisted.
He looked very skeptical. “Is everything that comes from your dreams really that good?”
“Well… I think they could be if I could actually get them to work. Somethings are just too complicated like indoor wells and [flushing].”
“What is that?”
“I don't know but I’m sure it's very convenient.”
We spent some time giggling about all the strange things I saw but could barely describe. He teased me mercilessly but it was ok, I’d found another way to pay him back for the books.
One day I collected meryls, our hammer, and some rags and brought them to the temple along with some second hand clothes I bought with my savings.
“What's all this for?” Ferdinand asked.
“For [Science]!” I declared.
He just gave me the look he always did when I “made up a word” and turned back to the objects. He turned the hammer over and over, inspecting its strange discoloration and smooth handle.
“I thought you might like to experience making your own potion oil!” I explained. “Everythings better when you make it yourself after all.”
“Sounds fun! What do I do,” he agreed immediately.
Once the process was explained his many attendants voiced concerns. He couldn't wear the old rags without them being washed and boiled. That was a heavy concession won from both his dedication to engage in the task and my explanations about how hard it would be to wash meryl juices out of his bright white clothes. In the end we had to wait two weeks for a new hammer and metal plate to be obtained for his use and the clothes to be treated. I had to gather new fruits. The only good that came from waiting was how many pretty jars were acquired for our experiments and that I had more time to find sweet smelling inclusions.
The results didn't seem worth the effort until I got home with my own jar and washed my hair. It was really hard to get out. I had to lug so many buckets up the stairs and Mom was upset after I used all the water in the house. But when we saw how shiny and soft my hair ended up, we decided it might be the best thing ever.
Ferdinand seemed to agree as from then on he and everyone around him had shiny hair.
“You're already so pretty, it's unfair to all the girls to make you even prettier,” I complained.
He blushed a deep red and played with his pen but didn't reply. In fact he generally ignored all compliments whether to his looks or eidetic memory or musical skills. This only made me want to give them all the more.
Lutz and I were able to sell our new invention to the Gilberta Company. They had to come to the temple to meet Ferdinand since we’d worked together. I got yelled at once we left because I hadn't warned Benno who we were meeting beforehand. Apparently, he wanted to wear a special outfit even though I insisted that Ferdinand wouldn't care how he dressed. All the lectures were worth it in the end. Ferdinand and I earned a few gold for selling out innovation and would get paid for any future innovations. It was always nice to invent something new but now Ferdinand and I had another excuse to spend time together.
Spending time with Ferdinand was fun even when we weren't playing [mad scientists]. I was glad of this since it turned out that I regularly needed to visit the temple to drain my mana. The High Priest let me use their beautiful magic tools shaped like weapons and everyday objects (the fanciest possible versions of them) and even thanked me for helping them. I was happy to help of course but wasn't sure how treating my fever was worth all the fanfare.
The other priests and shrine maidens also thanked me when they saw me. Apparently my offerings meant that their winter ritual wouldn't be as grueling. They all treated me kindly so if I could help by treating my own illness, I was happy to do so.
I still missed Eckhart. Even though our meetings were no longer a question of life or death, I missed talking with her and seeing her grow up. She’d been as big as a horse the last we’d seen each other. I wondered how big she was now and thought about how I would stand to best show off how much taller I was too. More than anything, I missed her stories about how her father and his friend used to go on grand adventures.
… …
There was one week in the middle of fall when I was told not to come to the temple at all. I spent the time I would usually spend there doing extra work for winter prep. It was a little early but all the wood I collected now would save me time later that I could spend ensuring my visits with Ferdinand and his books continued as uninterrupted as possible.
Spending so much time in the forest made me miss my dragon friend even more. So one day I walked deep into the woods and decided to try summoning her. She wasn't my dragon in the way that nobles had dragons but we were friends like Schutzaria and Steifebrise seemed to be. Maybe I could still ask her to come.
The High Priest said that only nobles were allowed to know the ritual for summoning dragons so Ferdinand hadn't been able to teach me. Still, I wasn't trying to tame one, only to call for an old friend. I figured that a prayer from the heart should work just as well. “O friend of the gales, come to my side!” I yelled then waited for a few moments to see if anything happened.
*That's what Schutzaria says in the story,* I thought to myself. *Maybe I do need one of those rings?*
*You do not,* came a thought I was sure wasn't mine. It was just like how Eckhart talked to me but it didn't sound like her. It was still very exciting. I spun all around looking for where it came from. *I am not very near you. You will have to wait.* The last words petered out to barely a whisper.
*Oh…ok!* I thought as loudly as possible then sat down to wait. After kicking my legs fifty times and sorting all the sticks around me, I ran out of patience and went back to gathering.
I was in the middle of collecting some wild nuts, moving very slowly since they spooked easily, when something small and furry popped out of the bushes. All the little nuts not already stored securely in my basket began wiggling into the dirt while I lept back, hand on my gathering knife.
It was really a terrifying thing with its giant eyes the size of saucers, a stubby hooked beak, and the world's most impressive cowlick of gold tinted white feathers. *How incredible!* rang through my mind as a happy trill escaped the faebeast. *Hair like the dark shimmer of the night sky. Eyes as radiant as the Goddess’s light. Beauty bestowed by Kunstzeal herself! Yes! How perfect! How wonderful! Of course one of such pure wind would be thus anointed with …*
“Please stop!” I cried. “Is this part of an attack? You disorient people with compliments then eat them?”
The giant eyes blink, their depthless black disappearing for just a moment despite the incredible distance which the eyelids had to traverse. *Dragons do not eat people* it replied with annoyance. *I am here to answer your summons. Together we shall rule the Lands of Wind!*
I felt, at that moment, that this was a test but had no idea what the right answer should be. I hadn't read many stories in this world but still felt the distinct impression that exhibiting run away ambition was never the right answer. “I don't want to conquer any land.”
The creature wiggled its way out of the bush. Now that I could see all of it, it was much less intimidating. He looked like someone mixed a flying squirrel with a cockatoo in the most hilarious configuration they could think of. The extra skin and fur that might look majestic while gliding now gave the impression of an oversized blanket draped over the family dog. His fluffy squirrel tail transitioned from fur to feathers including a section where the feather stuck out as though glued there by a toddler. It was impossible not to giggle as he drew himself up with all the gravitas of an emperor.
*There is no need to conquer anything. As the son of Steifebrise, Dragon of the Gales, it is already my right to rule and shall be yours as my partner.*
“You are the son of the wind dragon?” I asked. I knew that each gate and the six wedges of the land were dedicated to elemental dragons thanks to reading Ferdinand's bible, but had also assumed they were still alive and majestic.
*I am. They call me Hartmut, Dragon of the Warm Breezes.*
“Is it because you are always blowing hot air?” I had to ask.
More impossibly fast blinks. *How did you know?* It was too funny. I had to sit down while I nearly shook apart with silent laughter. *I see that you are feeling overwhelmed. Do not worry. I will teach you everything you need to know to be a proper ruler. Together we shall be both fierce and magnanimous. All shall gaze upon us with reverence. Well they shall gaze upon you. I will have my hoard to manage and all the dragons and stuff.*
“Um… Hartmut was it,” he bobbed his head. “While I am flattered, I don't want to rule.”
*But you would be such an amazing ruler! You are blessed with …*
“Yes, yes. So you said. But I just want to read every book in the country, then make more books and read those too.”
*I see… well, it will be easy to convince Mestinora to accept you. So long as you make things Kunstzeal will be happy as well. The rest of Mother's friends are easier to please. With the right group of subordinates you can delegate most of the work of ruling and spend your free time reading. You can do both!* Hartmut explained.
“I think you should pick someone else,” I said.”
All the feathers on Hartmut fluttered and his cowlick raised into a mildly impressive crown of goldenrod feathers. *There is no one else worthy,* he claimed. *Any who say they are are mere pretenders and shall be trodden under foot …*
While he postured and wax poetic about the grandeur of our future conquest, I thought about how to escape. Eckhart had proven capable of finding me anywhere in the forest. I would have to run all the way to the city. Then again, I couldn't stay in the city forever. My family needed food and firewood. I would have to convince Hartmut some other way.
“Hartmut, you said your mother is the current ruler of the Lands of Wind?” I asked.
He stopped his monologue and pacing to turn back to me. *Yes, alongside her partner Schutzaria.*
“Did they die?”
The afront seemed to nearly knock him off his feet. *Of course not. That's impossible!*
“Then the Land of Wind doesn't need new rulers, right?”
*Well… they are currently visiting the distant heights but they can and do visit the mortal realm when they want. While they aren't here it's up to us to take care of things!*
I could feel his conviction waning at this point and decided to go in for the kill. There was no telling when they might want to visit. There had been no rumors of such a thing for as long as I’d been alive at least and a goddess was never going to pass her mantle over to a little girl like me. “They might not like us taking it upon ourselves. We should wait for them to visit then ask. That's what my mom would want me to do.” This would greatly delay any plans for conquest then give me an ally in talking Hartmut out of this ruling business. Master Benno and the gate captain were always so busy and they only ruled a small number of people. I would never have time to read if I became the Ruler of the Lands of Wind, wherever that was. Besides, I didn't want to leave my family.
I tried my best to look mature and dependable. While Hartmut absorbed this plan. It was difficult when he looked so adorable as only something so tragically ugly could look. *You may be right. Mother always tells me stories about mortals who didn't properly honor the gods and gods who tried to usurp more powerful gods’ authority. And of course Mother will agree. Yes, it will begin our rule on the right foot to be given an official dispensation.*
I breathed a sigh of relief, then and began heading home. “It was nice to meet you, Hartmut. If you decide to stay close by, I’m sure we will meet again.”
*Of course I’ll be close by, I just need to move my hoard,* he replied and began trotting along behind me. *First, I should like to meet this mother you speak of and any other human significant to you. I must mark them as under my protection as they are my partner's kin or get rid of them if they are unfit to be in your presence.*
I stopped. “You will not be getting rid of any one!” I snapped. I wasn't going to let anyone hurt my family, not even the wind dragon’s son.
*But what if…*
“Anyone! They are my family and I won't allow any harm to come to them!” I yelled. Hartmut shrank back, his cowlick dipping down and his blanket like fur curling around him making him look especially pathetic. “I’m sorry for yelling but I mean it. I don't care who I have to fight, I won't let anyone harm my family.”
*I understand. I’ll leave the selection up to you,* Hartmut agreed. I began walking again. As we neared where other kids would be gathering I stopped. This was usually where Eckhart would leave to do whatever she did in the woods.
“I am going back into the city now,” I explained, in case Hartmut wasn't familiar with the region and didn't know when to turn back. He just nodded. “You should return home or go hunting or something. I can call you to let you know when I’m out in the forest again. I would like to see you again but I understand if you have other dragon things to do.”
Now Hartmut looked confused. *We are partners. We should combine our dens.*
“We didn't do the fancy ceremony,” I replied.
*What fancy ceremony? I have decided and you agreed*
I didn't remember agreeing to anything but I wasn't against the idea either. As long as there would be no conquest involved, we could be friends and do things together. “Well, yes. We are friends but that doesn't mean mother will agree to let you live with us. Our house is pretty small and Tulli and Dad already live there too.”
*Don't worry. I can be very small,” Hartmut said proudly and promptly shrank to the size of half a breath loaf. *Tada!*
“Wow! That's amazing! Can you get bigger too?”
Hartmut flicked his tiny tale. “Of course though that's much harder and I can only get really big when I get really mad or when I’m older and get bigger naturally.”
It was too much to watch him strut around. All his strange glued togetherness was even more adorable when tiny. I just had to pick him up and cuddle him. At first he squacked but quickly settled into the crook of my arms and allowed me to stroke his fur and feathers. He was surprisingly soft.
“Don't worry, Hartmut. Even if mother says no, you can come and visit and we can build you a nice den in the forest. There are some really great trees to build nests in or do you normally make burrows?”
We talked about Hartmut’s housing preferences all the way home. The gate guards greeted me as kindly as always and only gave Hartmut a few funny looks. It must have been just after shift change because Dad caught up to me about halfway home.
He had many questions but just as I began answering them he told me to be quiet and dragged me home.
“Did I do something bad?” I asked.
“I don't know yet. Just be quiet,” he snapped.
I did as asked and hugged Hartmut closer. *I don't like him,” Hartmut said.
*Don't you dare do anything. This is my dad. He’s just upset right now,* I thought back.
*Very well. I noticed that you can already use telepathy. As expected of my brilliant partner.*
*Eckhart taught me how.*
*Eckhart? Another dragon spoke to you?*
I nodded. *Yes. She’s very nice. I hope you get to meet one day. She would also help me treat my fevers.*
*We’ve met. To think you were so compatible. Most humans can only talk to one dragon, their partner, unless they are Starbound to another dragon’s partner which can increase compatibility enough to allow for communication. Well it’s her loss. She had plenty of time to make her claim. What are these fevers you speak of?*
We talked about my illness and Hartmut drew away some of the fire for me. By then we had climbed the stairs and entered the house. It looked like Mom was just getting home too. She began to greet us then froze. “No!”
“Effa…”
“No! Get it out! What is that? You're going to bring fleas in the house and we'll never get rid of them!”
“Hartmut doesn't have fleas!” I countered. *You don't have fleas right?*
*Such pests wouldn't dare lay their filthy feet on the majestic hide of a dragon. The mana acts as a repellent.*
“He says the mana repels them,” I added.
“HE say? You named it?” Effa asked. She rounded on Guther with an accusing finger. “Did you allow this?”
“I ran after her the moment the other guards told me about it. I only brought it back because we needed to get out of the street, dear. It's …” his voice dropped too low for me to hear.
Mom grew pale and her eyes went wide. I clutched Hartmut tighter. I thought that something must be very wrong for even Mom to look so scared. Mom grabbed her coat again. She lifted Hartmut out of my hands and back into the basket. “I’m sure you're quite intelligent. We need you to stay hidden, ok.”
*Ok,* Hartmut replied with a chirrup.
“Come on, dear,” Mom said and took my hand. We hurried down the stairs and back towards the gate then stopped and made our way towards a different gate. “We cannot be seen with it,” she explained softly. “A commoner keeping such a creature is punishable by death.”
*I would like to see them try!* Hartmut squawked.
*We should listen to Mom.* I replied. *She always knows what to do.* Hartmut settled down with some annoyance.
We soon exited the west gate and crossed the bridge over the river. Once we were well away from any other people we stopped and mom took Hartmut out of the basket. “We do not have much time before they close the gates for the night. You need to run along now, little one. You should be just fine living in the wilds. Faebeasts are afraid of dragons so just try to look tough,” Effa encouraged as she set him down.
Hartmut pulled himself up to his full hands-breadth height and tried to look intimidating. *Of course I will be fine. I am more concerned that some ruffians would attempt to stand between a dragon and his partner and even threaten their life!*
“Hartmut says he will be ok. He’s more worried about us,” I translated.
Mom paused. “Does it talk to you?” she asked.
“Oh yes. Hartmut has a lot to say!” I replied.
Mom was quiet for a few moments then turned back to Hartmut and patted his head. “I hope you will protect my daughter well. For now it is best that you only meet in secret. We… we will figure out what to do,” she promised with a bow before taking my hand and hurrying back to the city.
That night Tulli and I were sent to bed early. We could hear mom and dad talking quietly in the other room. I fell asleep before they finished, so I couldn't ask about it.
Eventually, my one week ban on visiting the temple ended. Tulli was annoyed when we told her about Hartmut but she promised to keep him a secret anyway. I was also sworn to secrecy so I couldn't even tell Ferdinand that I’d met another dragon. We hadn't talked about Eckhart either and now I wanted to more than ever.
I was soon distracted by a new mission. Dad had spoken to Mister Otto who spoke to Mister Benno knew I was still visiting the temple after being treated there for my fever. I got scolded for hiding that, even though I hadn't been hiding that. No one had ever asked! Anyway, Mister Benno sent me with samples of our plant parchment and fabric to give to Ferdinand. Ferdinand liked the paper a lot so I shared some of mine with him. I was able to buy the production mistakes at a serious discount and regular paper at a minor discount.
In exchange, he let me read his notes. He liked to collect them into little books and even stitched them together. They were a fun break from reading the other books at the temple.
The temple’s books were all dry records of harvests and copies of the bible. I still read everything. Nothing filled me with joy like reading books, no matter the content. In less than a season, I read through all the books and had to again at the beginning so it was nice to have more of the variety these notebooks provided. I wasn't allowed to read all of Ferdinand's books though as some were about magic which was only for nobles.
“Why do nobles get all the best things!” I complained when yet another beautiful volume was held out of reach.
“Commoners don't even have mana. Why would they need to learn magic?” Ferdinand argued.
“If I can't use it, why does it matter that I read the books?”
He almost gave in then frowned. “It's an order from the Zent, I think, so I can't let you have them.”
“Nobles are the worst! So stingy!” I whined.
“Hey! I’m a noble and I let you read my books. How am I stingy?”
“You keep the best ones all to yourself.”
“They aren't the best…” he lied. It was obvious that he liked magic the most of any topic he studied. “And I would share but it isn't my choice. If you became a noble, you could read them too.”
“My lord…”
“I can't be a noble. You have to be born one,” I replied. That's how it was in all my dreams. Except that as I said it I had a vision of myself in the fancy clothes surrounded by servants as well as looking at my family with tears in my eyes while they walked away. It was disorienting and made me feel that even if I could be a noble, I wouldn't want to be.
Because of this vision I missed Ferdinand being scolded and we were able to continue our reading quietly as though nothing had happened.
Soon, I had to begin taking my reading outside. Ferdinand had gone on an adventure and come back determined to become a knight. “It was so amazing. They were all flying around in their silver armor and shooting light from their swords at the yelling tree!”
“A tree was yelling?” I asked. I placed a hand on his forehead to check his temperature. He didn't seem to have a fever but that didn't make his explanation make any more sense.
“Yes, they're called trombe and they're really loud,” he continued.
“Trombe aren't loud. They just grow really fast and kill all the plants around them,” I said.
“Well this one grew really big. So big the knights looked teeny tiny all around it!”
He went on to describe the thrilling fight full of all sorts of fantastic things that couldn't be real. I listened indulgently while planning how many pages it would take to write the story down.
“You say you aren't good at making up tales but this one is really fun,” I said.
“I’m not making it up!” Ferdinand wailed, deeply affronted about not being believed.
I patted his shoulder consolingly. “You just said you used a prayer to grow grass in a crater the size of a village.”
“I did!”
“He really did,” said a voice. I flinched but Ferdinand lit up and spun around.
“Karstedt!” he cried and ran across the courtyard to meet a young man. I was amazed by how much prettier all nobles seemed to be than all commoners. This brown haired lad was not as pretty as Ferdinand, of course, but he looked dashing in his armor.
“Sylvester said you wanted to be a knight. He sent me to train you,” Karstedt explained.
“Brother did!” Ferdinand bounced with joy. Karstedt gave him a sideways look and he instantly calmed. I could still see how happy he was but he was doing that thing where he tried to hide it.