See first chapter for disclaimers/warnings/summaries. Link to TBDH Forum is in my profile. This chapter was betaed by the wonderful brissygirl to provide a smoother reading experience. All remaining mistakes are my own.
RECAP: Harry and Co have split up with the respective members of the Deveraine Circle and are exploring the Hunt together in small groups. Harry was last dancing with Wikhn in Gheyo territory to celebrate the formal recognition of Dahlia and Dyshoka's bonding. His empathy marks Wikhn as a suitable dragel Intended, however, when Harry kisses him, Wikhn is unable to return his feelings. Mimei is able to point out to Harry that Wikhn is taken for the moment. Harry meets Blaise and reclaims his Nytura, Shadow. His empathy gift threatens to overwhelm him, along with an upsetting conversation with Blaise. Wikhn brings Theo to help and Theo takes Harry outside to the hallway for a little chat. Away from the noise, the crowd and Wikhn, Harry and Theo are able to have a an important conversation about their future, present worries and Voldemort. Once the seriousness is over, Theo is happy to distract Harry until the introductions are about to begin, when Harry asks for some time to be alone. What could possibly happen next...?
With Theo safely sent off and Shadow busy pawing his way through the clean, green grass, Harry was free to do as he liked. He waited a half-second longer, until he was sure that he was alone, before he took off down the hill, heading straight for the water's edge. There were several large, wide-trunked trees, with low hanging branches close to the water's edge. There were unkempt shrubs and wild greenery near some, while one was nice and cleared underneath. There wasn't sand here, where the blueness met the green, but there was shade from the hot sun and Harry suddenly remembered that it had been some time since he'd actually washed his wings.
Maybe he would indulge himself in the water, just a bit, or maybe, he could just sun himself for a little. He could feel a renewed thrum of energy singing through his veins courtesy of Theo's feeding and he liked it very much. It made him feel alive and less inclined to dwell on the vaguely unhappy threads of empathy flickering through him. Shaking such thoughts from his head, Harry mentally pushed himself forward and took careful stock of his surroundings. It was always good to know where he was and what options—escape routes—were available.
It didn't seem likely that any Merrow would show up here, in what seemed to be a freshwater section of liquid, compared to the sandy beach and salty waters from the guesthouse, because Harry could smell that the water was different here. Still, he wasn't about to take chances, so he took a few careful whiffs, scenting for other dragels and animals. He couldn't pick up anything straightaway, so he toed off his shoes when he reached the giant tree on the small bank overlooking the blueness.
Carefully removing his robes, he folded them neatly and cast a spell Hermione had once taught him, to keep his clothes from being ruined by the outdoors. It had helped him to stretch his meager wardrobe and now, it was practically habit. Slipping out of his dress shirt next, Harry stood in just his trousers, settling down cross-legged on a patch of warm grass, he turned to face the water.
Theo had warned him about privacy charms and pheromones, so now, Harry took a moment to cast a few with his wand. He tucked it back in his wrist holster, and then settled down to think and decide on his next course of action. The first thing he wanted to do, was have his wings out. He'd missed having them out from the second he'd called them out on his very own. If it hadn't been for the stares that he hadn't been ready to deal with, he probably would have left them out.
He'd seen plenty of colorful wings everywhere today and it had left him wishing that he had the nerve to leave his own out in the same fashion. Theo's playful teasing on how lovely they were hadn't really helped much either. He found himself wondering what kind of a reaction there would be when he was introduced with the Deveraines. He'd seen Soula and Shayla's trademark peach and silver wings, proof of their Submissive statuses and they hadn't looked any different than his.
Now, Harry took a deep breath and just like he'd done at the entry way, he tried to focus without thinking about it and found the familiar black and silver tattoos swirling to the surface of his skin. It made him smile to see the delicate scrolls that seemed so meaningful as they melted into existence, lending a touch of the exotic to his boring self.
When the itch in his shoulders swelled and burst out, Harry heard the familiar leathery snap that meant his wings had emerged, right before he felt the weight settle comfortably behind him. A curious thought scrolled through his head and when Shadow pounced onto his lap, Harry caught the happy Nytura with a chuckle.
"You know something, Shadow? I wonder what kind of a dragon I am."
Shadow cocked his head to the side, looking at him, curiously. How so? The Nytura projected his thoughts with ease, easily slipping back into the mental channel that Harry had subconsciously kept open for him.
Harry shrugged. "Real dragons, you know. I've seen a few Hungarian horntails, a Chinese fireball, a Hebridian black and," he waved his hand. "Others. I was just wondering what I was. I saw Ilsa transform—in the portal that we took for here, but I don't really know how she did it and it wasn't really obvious from her wings or anything, what kind of dragon she was. I still don't know."
Harry hummed, stretching his arms overhead and feeling muscles popping into place with ease. That, Quinn had told him, was perfectly normal and that he ought to stretch regularly to make sure that things were as they were supposed to be. Now, Harry found himself enjoying the movements as Shadow's scaly little paws dug into his bared torso, to make its way up to his shoulder. "Ow. Easy, Shadow." He scolded, catching him by the scruff and setting him where he seemed happiest. "Your claws are sharper than you think," he sighed. "I don't suppose you know how I could turn into a dragon?"
Something splashing in the distance drew his attention and Harry looked up to find himself staring at a familiar, watery hulk of a serpent. Goonter.
Harry froze.
He stared, watching, uncertainly, but interested as he realized that the water must be quite deep the moment it moved away from the shoreline. Goonter wasn't that far out, but he didn't seem to have noticed Harry on the grassy bank just yet.
He roared happily, tossing his great head from side to side and Harry gave an involuntary shudder as he caught sight of those giant, gleaming fangs. He swallowed carefully, reminding himself that he was a decently trained wizard and had defended himself from worse in the past. One water dragon-serpent-whatever, couldn't possibly best him twice, now that he knew what to expect.
In daylight, Goonter wasn't half as terrifying as he'd seemed the night before, the giant fangs aside. Instead, if Harry had to be honest, Goonter was rather pretty and glittery in the daylight, all shimmering iridescent water and innocent playfulness.
His mind caught up to the sight a moment later and Harry instinctively shifted into an awkward crouch and shuffled backwards, aware that his notice-me-not charms might not protect him completely, as it seemed that Merrow magic was quite different from every other type of magic he'd encountered up to then. He wondered what it would mean to have a Merrow as one of his Bonded. It would certainly be a headache, he was sure, but perhaps Merrow had redeeming qualities hidden deep inside, enough to make the headache worth it.
Harry hummed, allowing the train of thought to twirl around him. If nothing, Alec had certainly been nice to look at and insults aside, he was powerful and direct. His blunt manner of speech had contrasted sharply with the gentleness of his hands. And here, Harry smiled, remembering the few minutes when Alec's hands had been on him. They were distinctly different from Theo's steady, elegant ones and Charlie's large warm ones. Alec's fingers had been cold and lightly textured, with definite points instead of curved fingernails.
Points. Pointed. Tips.
Harry was rudely jerked back from his mental musings as one important fact registered beyond Alec's sharp fingernails—or claws, perhaps—and his weirdly blue hair. The past few minutes had begun to create a feeling of déjà vu. Harry distinctly remembered seeing Goonter first and Alec next and so far, he'd just seen Goonter and was now fantasizing—NO—thinking, about Alec.
Harry swallowed, lips half curling into a snarl as his inner dragel protested his common sense. Alec might be nice to look at with nice, cool hands, but he was also an unfeeling, loudmouthed prat. Harry wasn't sure he wanted to see that idiot Merrow again. Not after that sarcastic, biting banter and the stupid spell that wouldn't let him speak properly. If they happened to meet, he knew that he had quite a bit he wanted to say.
A ripple of anger flowed over him and Harry heard Shadow's questioning chirp from his shoulder and he reached up to scratch the Nytura's chin. Thankfully, the giant tree would hide him from view, sort of, even if the privacy charms failed. He was grateful for that, because if he did see Alec first, he would have the option of either surprising the Merrow or ignoring him altogether.
Both options were quite fine.
After several long minutes though, Harry realized that Goonter seemed to be on his own and he seemed to be—playing. The great water serpent did flips, roars and tosses of its great head, with the occasional playful volley of water. There was no trace of Alec, much less any Merrow, present.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief, even as his anger faded to a tolerable prickle beneath his skin.
Harry had just settled in, comfortably, when he heard approaching footsteps and angry mutterings. He scrambled to his feet and halfway behind the tree, willing his wings to retreat and wincing, when they did not, but instead awkwardly tangled with a few of the lower branches of greenery.
Ow. His mind supplied, helpfully. Hurts. Shadow gave an urgent squawk of protest and Harry shushed him with a hand, tucking the Nytura close under his chin.
"…stupid idiot landwalkers. They think they have a right to-inferior bastard species of a-!" The rest of the insult trailed off in a heated string of Merrowspeak and within a half-second, Alec strode into view.
At least, Harry was fairly certain it was Alec. It was hard to directly scent him, as he couldn't quite recall what the Merrow had smelled like from the night before. Everything had just been blurry, then painful and then wet. Very, very wet.
To top it all off, Harry realized that he'd never seen another Merrow before and for all he knew, they looked exactly alike. He didn't want to embarrass himself in anyway, but at the moment, the Merrow in front of him looked and sounded very much like Alec. From the shimmery blue skin and bright, teal-colored hair, to the fluted ears poking out from behind those neon tresses, the tone, though slightly higher-pitched than the night before, led Harry to think that this was definitely Alec.
Wearing the same wetsuit-like getup as Alec had the night before, the Merrow stomped and grumbled all the way to the water's edge where he peeled off the upperhalf of said wetsuit and threw it carelessly to the ground. He wore oversized sandals and those were quickly kicked off in favor of bare—webbed—feet.
Harry held his breath as his mind translated what his eyes were seeing. He didn't remember Alec's hands as having any kind of webbing, but then again, he hadn't been in the best of conditions to notice. His own hand ghosted over his chest, chasing the memory of those phantom touches.
"Oi, Goonter!" The Merrow bellowed. "If you wish to eat before the introductions, heave your sorry carcass over here, before I have to do it and you won't like the way I'll-"
A giant wave of lukewarm water came rushing to the grassy shoreline, thoroughly drenching the agitated Merrow, Harry and Shadow.
Shadow, unfortunately, did not like that. It released a flurry of squeals, shrieks and hisses of outrage that drew the attention of both Goonter and the Merrow, that Harry was now absolutely sure was Alec. He had a feeling that Goonter wouldn't react to another person, given the dynamic he'd seen between Merrow and creature the night before.
"Who dares exist here?" Alec's haughty voice rang out, a hint of authority betraying his casual tone. "Show yourself, lest I do it for you." Alec flinched backwards and dodged expertly to the side when a spitting, hissing Shadow came streaking out from the safety of Harry's arms to dive-bomb him. In a blur of lilac motion, he plucked the little creature from midair and gave it a good shake. "What by—oh by Kesmar, it's you." Disdain dripped from every syllable as sharp blue eyes zeroed in on Harry's emerging figure. "I should have known. I could never be so lucky as this."
"Don't hurt Shadow!" Harry stalked out from his hiding place, temper flaring right back up to where it had been minutes before. "Give him back!"
"This?" Alec held it up at eyelevel. "And if I don't? I'm sure Goonter wouldn't mind a snack."
Harry felt the twitch of anger amplify the itchy feeling beneath his skin, his magic responding to his agitation as his hands curled into fists. "It would probably give him indigestion, seeing as Shadow's kind of a landwalker's pet," his eyes narrowed faintly. "Indigestion will be the least of your problems if something happens to him."
Alec scoffed. "Really? Charming. We've skipped the greetings entirely and started with direct threats." A glimmer of amusement flickered through his impassive expression. "That's rather bold of you."
Harry simply took another step forward, his gaze never wavering. He would not play word games when there was something important at stake.
Shadow wrinkled its nose as if it were about to sneeze when Alec's dark blue eyes narrowed meaningfully. "Don't even consider it, you disgusting little thing-!"
The Nytura blew a raspberry and promptly sneezed in Alec's face.
Alec released it at once with a muffled screech of outrage, before he made a swirling motion with his hand and immediately dripped from head to toe from the impromptu shower of another crashing wave. Shadow gave a startled shriek of his own as he retreated from the sudden influx of water, scampering over to Harry to be held and protected.
"It's a Nytura." Harry snapped, scooping up his scaled friend and cuddling the shivering Nytura to his chest. "Most people know what he is and he's not disgusting!"
Alec sniffed. "I am not most people." He said, matter-of-factly. "Your landwalking pets are of no significance to me. Take it and your threats elsewhere. Go annoy some other poor soul. Spare me your pathetic attempts at conversation—pardon, me, I meant, intimidation." He turned his back to Harry and made another swirling motion with his hand to reveal a large sack of glittering, gritty powder, along with a basket of very smelly fish.
Harry gagged and took a step backwards as Alec calmly reached into the basket, drew out a fish, flopped it around in the powdery mixture and then hooked his fingers in the gills and cocked his arm as if to throw it. A second later, he did throw it—right into Goonter's open, waiting mouth.
The serpent had made its way closer to the bank and now it had settled down, waiting to be fed, begging as only a well-trained familiar could.
"Mouthful of water, you dimwit." Alec called out to the creature. There was the barest hint of fondness in his voice. "Before and after, or else you really will have indigestion and you know I won't like it, if you do. Stop begging for a meal. This is only a snack. You're supposed to be performing in a few hours and you can't do that on a full stomach. This is more than enough to hold you out until then."
Goonter gave a groaning rumble of a sound in answer, part happy, part-whine.
Harry made a sound in his throat and didn't protest when Shadow climbed up his shoulder to curl around his neck. After the mixed up morning he'd had, he wasn't quite inclined to let that one little detail be. "You cast a spell on me," he started forward, rubbing at his nose in a vain attempt to ignore the stench of rotting fish. He'd never smelled something so disgusting, besides the sealed Chamber of Secrets. That had been equally disturbing.
"Did I?" Alec said, blandly.
"Yes. You shouldn't have. I want it off. Now."
"What spell?"
"You know what spell. Take it off." Harry growled. "You've had your fun and now it's over."
Alec turned to roll his eyes at him. "You landwalkers are so melodramatic. What enjoyment could I possibly gain from wasting valuable magic on a landwalker? Tch. You're not worth the hassle." He paused, "I also dislike repeating myself. What spell? I thought I told you to leave. Why are you still here? What part of that was too complicated for your miniscule brain to comprehend?"
"The part where I said you have a spell on me and I want it off and you decided to act like you couldn't hear me." Harry glowered at him. "Though it is funny to see that I am apparently worth the hassle, because you're the only Merrow I've met and the spell was cast with Merrow magic. Excuse my miniscule brain for actually thinking, but you're the only one who could have cast it. It's not funny. I want it off."
"If I was trying to be funny, you would be laughing. I am being quite serious. I do not know that which you speak of and I do not want nor need you here—or anywhere near me, actually, if I must be specific. Honestly, you are thick. Would you kindly amuse yourself elsewhere? I am busy, if your eyes are not in their proper working function to tell you so."
There was a moment of awkward, heavy silence while Harry processed that bit of insult. His clawed hands opened and folded back into careful fists. "I-I was here first!" Harry sputtered, indignantly. "If anyone should be moving, it should be you! I'm talking about the spell that you cast so that I can't even mention your name."
"Goonter chose the spot and he was probably here long before you ever were." Alec sniffed. "Your protest is noted and invalid. Go. Anytime now. I won't stop you."
"I'm not leaving until you take your bloody spell off!" Harry half-growled. "This isn't funny, Alec!"
"Ah, but you can say my name, Harry. So what exactly are you trying to say?"
Harry's eyes darkened from an emerald to a forest green. "I said," he began, his voice dropping lower and vaguely darker. "That you put a spell on me so I couldn't say anything about last night. It has caused me some degree of trouble and I have traced the problem back to you." A low growl rumbled in his throat.
"I'm sorry I seem to be missing something here." Alec gestured between them "Whatever it is, I accept your apology and you are more than welcome to be on your way whenever you like."
"Alec!" Harry hissed. He didn't bother to temper his instincts any more, even as he acknowledged a subtle hint of his feral nature surfaced beyond the pointed claws making his hands itch and twitch.
Alec tossed his head, not the least bit perturbed. "What?"
Flecks of gold began to bleed into the dark green irises as Harry grew rather still. "This is your fault," his voice was sharp. "Your doing. I don't know what you were trying to do, but you should take responsibility. Do you have any idea what happened when I returned to-"
"I beg your pardon? You're the one that came ranting out here in the open blathering on about how I put a spell on you!" Alec gestured between them. "Come here."
Harry blinked. Then frowned. He shook his head, backing up a step.
Alec rolled his eyes again, the gesture somehow seeming less flippant coming from those vivid, blue eyes. "You are impossible." He informed Harry, calmly. "And it is terribly impolite of me to bring it to your immediate attention," he beckoned with one finger for Harry to come closer—again. When Harry didn't move, Alec calmly closed the distance between them to flick him on the forehead. "However, it seems that my subtle hints are being wasted. Get. Lost. Preferably in that corner over there and continuing on further away from me."
Harry jerked back, reaching up to swipe at his forehead and grimacing at the slimy fingerprint that was there. He felt his stomach heave and he gagged, hands going to his mouth, as he hunched forward.
Alec thwapped him again—and a spark of freezing energy leapt from his fingers into Harry—via the point of touch, the back of Harry's head. "You have a very weak stomach." The Merrow observed. "Tch. Honestly."
A yelp came from the brunet and a displeased hiss from Shadow, who snapped, belatedly at the Merrow's fingers that were now successfully out of reach. Harry didn't answer right away. He felt as if someone had just poured a bucket of ice water over him. He jerked upright, unsteadily, just in time to realize that his stomach—while still roiling—was not quite on the verge of emptying itself onto the green grass. Alec. Harry blinked, as the second realization registered—he couldn't smell a single thing. "Hey!" He waved his arms, turning to Alec, who was calmly rolling another fish around in the sack of powder. "What'd you do to me?"
The Merrow arched a single eyebrow in a look that said more than necessary. "I have no intention of cleaning up your vomit, should you feel encouraged to empty your stomach on this lovely stretch of shoreline. I also have no intention of moving. So if you do wish for me to move, I'm afraid you'll have to do something better than that."
"What?" Harry gaped at him. "I wasn't—I didn't—why do you have to be so difficult? Your fish stink!" He snapped, face red.
Alec gifted him with another eye roll, this one punctuated by a dramatic sigh. "That's why they invented scent charms, you empty-headed-salamander and of course the fish stink. Goonter is a Harron's Sea Dragon, they don't eat live things—mostly. If it isn't dead or worse, he'll never touch it."
Harry winced. That explained why he hadn't been digested straightaway. It also explained something that he didn't want to think about, as an image of a young Tom Riddle flashed through his mind's eye. The Chamber of Secrets had been a disturbing, distressing thing all the way around. For a moment, he almost wondered whether Goonter would answer to parseltongue, before he realized that he didn't really want to be remembering that year and what had happened with the Basilisk and Ginny and the diary and—he shuddered—unsure of whether it was from the past memories or the new information the Merrow had just shared. He settled on speaking, "that's…disgusting."
"Says the landwalker with a Nytura for a pet." Alec sniffed. "That's a very small one, you know. Very small. It's probably the runt of the litter. You should have chosen a bigger one. Then again, it would probably eat you out of house and home. You know they like to eat spirits, don't you?" He sniffed. "Grazing in graveyards and all that."
"What?" Harry shook his head, the information clashing with the paragraphs he'd read in Theo's Encyclopedia. He didn't want to deal with that right now and there was no way he could verify whether it was true or not. At least, not at the moment. "Stop it. You're trying to distract me."
"Is it working? I'd say it's working. Congratulations to me. I am brilliant." Alec flashed a smile that was all fang and a touch of dark mischief. "If you must keep on with this, then do enlighten me. You keep talking about a spell. What spell? When was it cast? How was it cast?"
"The—oh." Harry shut his mouth, fangs and teeth clicking together. There was another moment of silence and then he sighed. "You did something, last night. I don't know what. You probably cast it anytime when we were there. I wouldn't know. You keep reminding me that Merrow magic is different. I probably wouldn't have noticed when you cast it or how you cast it and now, you're trying to make me think that it never happened."
"Hmm. That's quite an accusation. Do continue. What exactly does this spell do?"
Harry snorted. "It keeps me from saying your name and explaining how I fell off of the pier in the middle of the night because I was busy saving your sorry-"
"I do not know what you want me to say," Alec said at last. He sniffed and returned to the task of feeding Goonter the strangely 'breaded' fish. "But whatever it is, I cannot say it. I also have no wish to further discuss this and I cannot help you. Kindly go away."
"I'm not leaving until-"
"Shouldn't you be out courting or something?"
Harry opened his mouth to protest and Alec gave him a look.
After a moment, Harry shut his mouth and turned away, arms folded over his chest. He had no intention of leaving without having the spell lifted and if Alec's snark was the worst part of staying there, well, he'd heard worse before, hadn't he?
They stood in silence until Alec had finished feeding Goonter all the stinky fish and had only used up about a quarter of the strange glittery powder. The sea dragon had come closer to the shoreline, as much as it could manage, and it hummed and warbled happily as Alec bade it to take a more physical form of visible scales and ridged bumps, before he went about stroking and smoothing everything he could reach.
Goonter groaned in ecstasy as he was quite obviously pampered by the well-aimed arcs of water that Alec directed at him. In spite of the tense atmosphere, Alec continued about his duties as creature wrangler, relaxed and confident in his role to work with Goonter.
Harry found it somewhat difficult to be upset at the creature, when it blew a warm spray of water on him and gave the equivalent of a toothy grin, wriggling its head closer to be patted. Alec glowered at him as he did so, but Harry ignored the glower. Goonter didn't seem to mind his tentative pats and the sea dragon's magic was a steady flow of cheerful calmness.
"Can you take the spell off—please?" Harry tried again. It probably couldn't hurt to use a touch of good manners.
Blue eyes blinked at him in honest surprise and then Alec's brow slowly furrowed into a knot as he considered the request and decided on how to respond. A second later, he then snapped at Harry for the next five minutes in a string of completely unintelligible words in his native tongue. He finished with a toss of his head and crossing his arms.
"I would guess that is a no," Harry observed. Mentally, he couldn't help comparing Alec's melodial tirade to Wikhn's musical words. He felt something inside, click, yet again. This time he stubbornly pushed it away and leveled a glare at the scowling Merrow. "How about this time, in English?"
"It is not my fault if you cannot understand Merrowspeak." Alec said, haughtily. "I dislike repeating myself, so it is your loss." He wrinkled his pert nose and turned, angling his face toward the sun in a movement that made his entire body positively glow, as Goonter splashed them both. "What are you doing here anyway? Most sensible and sane folk are up there," he waved his fingers over one shoulder. "and I know you are Bonded, you don't smell as innocent as your status proclaims, so why aren't you off pestering them?"
Harry sighed. He could wait this out, if he had to, it seemed like that was what it would take. It seemed as if this Merrow was fully incapable of speaking without including some form of insult in his address. "None of your business," he tried, borrowing a non-answer that was as old as time.
Alec stifled a laugh. "Work on the delivery," he teased, the earlier amusement now surfacing and turning genuine, it seemed. "Make it sound more like it is when it really isn't, while really meaning that it isn't."
"What?"
Alec laughed in answer and Harry was momentarily transfixed by the sound that was different from anything he'd ever heard from the Merrow before.
When Alec laughed, everything irritating about him faded away into the background. The short, strange teal hair flipped in synchronized motion falling just right against those pale blue cheeks. Rich blue eyes were brighter and more brilliant than any sapphire, while those delectable lips flushed the faintest touch of lilac. His fluted ears flicked forward, glimmering with iridescence in the noon sun.
A moment later, the laugh tapered off when blue eyes met green and for a moment, neither said anything.
Harry took a slow breath, waiting, when Alec's ears flicked forward and his eyes narrowed.
Without warning, he lurched forward and grabbed Harry's wrists, forcibly yanking him to the side and then shoving him backwards, behind him, with a strong pulse of magic. Shadow uncurled from Harry's neck with a feral hiss, only to see Alec's own, wickedly fanged face hissing back at him.
"Don't move! Stay down. Keep quiet, if you want to live." He rasped. His entire demeanor had changed in the space of a split-second.
Harry glared at him, just as the magic caught up to the threat. He felt his winged body stretch, burn and then shrink as his surroundings changed dramatically in the space of a handful of seconds. He stared down in horror to find his clawed hands turning into literal dragon claws and the same for his feet, before he managed to catch himself on all fours, as a sudden burst of pain in his backside, provided a hefty, spiked tail that lashed about behind him. Anything he was about to say, turned into a guttural growl of displeasure as Harry realized he'd been forced into a full-on dragon form that he hadn't even known he could manage. Shadow squirmed out from under him at the same time his newly sharpened ears caught the sound of an approaching, purposeful stride.
"Don't move!" Alec hissed in his direction, a thread of barely concealed panic present in his voice. "Whatever you do, don't move. Please. And act like a dragon." He jerked around to drop to his knees before the bag of glittery powder and pretended to be fiddling with the bag, as if to tie it up.
In a loud voice, Alec directed his next words to Goonter. "Aim more to the left, you thick-scaled imbecile. I am not your personal target. You're supposed to be practicing! You'll disappoint his majesty with such a lackluster performance."
Goonter gave a groaning bellow of happiness, not the least bit fazed by the harsh words. He gave a circular flip, slapping his broad, finned tail along the surface of the water in a sound that made the Merrow wince. He'd been practicing, lazily, according to Alec's commands and now, was simply swimming in complicated patterns because he could.
The bushes to the left rustled loudly from behind the second large tree and a moment later, a tall, regal looking man came striding forward as the bushes parted to show a hidden pathway. "Alec!" He scowled. "What are you doing?"
Alec sniffed. "Training. Obviously."
"Don't give me that, you impertinent wretch." The man growled. He was taller than Alec, at least by a good head and shoulders. He had several lavender-hued scrolling tattoos about his sky-blue face and his hair was long and shiny, falling past his waist as if it were a length of silk. His broad lips were pulled into a haughty twist and his pointed nose already angled upward as if he smelled something distasteful. His robes were all blue and gold and silver, with a few hints of red and black. Jewelry practically dripped off of him in everything from hair jewels to a fat signet ring on one forefinger.
"Advisor Kieran," Alec bowed his head, eyes averted. "My apologies."
Kieran stopped short in front of the bag of glittery powder. His bright blue eyes darkened considerably. "Apologies are of no use to me. Where were you last night? I searched everywhere."
"Apparently not everywhere," Alec shrugged. He turned and put two fingers into his mouth to whistle for Goonter to come to attention.
Kieran's hands clenched into fists. "You could have been seen. It is forbidden to be parading about before his majesty has been publicly presented. Unless you truly crave the public humiliation that would reward such insolence."
"I was only training his majesty's familiar for the upcoming presentation. If you would rather do it yourself, then by all means, do so." Alec tucked a strand of teal hair behind one fluted ear. "I'm sure it can be arranged and I would not complain of having a break."
"What is that?" Kieran's sharp eyes zeroed in on Harry's dragon figure and the squirming thing beneath his front claws. From his point of view, it looked like a young, white dragon that had just caught its first prey. A dragon that should not have been anywhere near a Merrow or a water serpent. He'd seen strange things before, but this was stranger still. "Alec, have you anything you wish to tell me?"
"Me? Why no, Advisor Kieran. That would be terribly forward of me."
"Charming." Kieran said, dryly. "It has never stopped you before. You missed the morning proceedings—why? And do think carefully before you lie again, Alec. I am not in a particularly forgiving mood."
"Are you ever?" Alec snarked. "I was nowhere, doing nothing. I am here and I am—ah!" The words were interrupted with a hiss of pain, when Kieran's hand shot out and grabbed a handful of bright teal hair, jerking the young man to his side.
"As I said, not in a particularly forgiving mood." Kieran said, calmly. "Now, would you care to repeat that? Honestly?"
"I was practicing!"
"With Goonter?"
"Yes!"
"And would that beast verify it, if I asked?"
"Yes!"
"Ha. Of course it would. It is loyal to-"
"His majesty, as it should be. I am nothing more than its keeper. I know that today's demonstration is to be an impressive display of power and beauty, I only wanted to be sure that everything would run smoothly."
"So you slipped out in the middle of the night, to practice, unsupervised in broad moonlight? Are you mad?"
"I practiced in a safe environment and away from prying eyes." Alec tried to move and gave a low whine when the hand fisted in his hair did not release him. "I swear it!"
"And would you swear it on your mother's grave?" Kieran snorted when Alec did not answer. "I thought not." His sharp gaze flickered around the clearing and returned to Harry in dragon form. "What exactly is that?"
"What is-"
"That." Kieran jerked him around to face the transformed Harry. "I warned you about practicing your illusions in daylight. You know it is dangerous."
Alec's lips curved into something of a smirk. "I was only testing the light's refraction. I wanted to be sure of-ah!" He stilled, once more. "It is my magic, I swear. Test it, if you do not believe me."
Kieran glowered at him for a moment, but did not make any attempt to approach the decidedly real-looking dragon. "I am curious as to where you happened to see this."
"Milord?"
"It looks like a White Russian Dragon. Or maybe even a rare White Silverwing? One of those unknown types that hasn't been seen for some time. I believe they are quite rare. I've never seen one before and I have seen many things in my centuries. I've also known you for every year you've been alive and I know you haven't been anywhere near where you could have possibly seen such a creature. Books do not do them justice."
"Tis the Hunting Season. Strangeness abounds everywhere."
"So you have been slipping around when you shouldn't!" Kieran gave him a little shake. "You will be the death of me. What if you were seen?"
"Seen? I haven't been anywhere that I could've been seen, Kieran. Unlike you, I don't have to be as-ow!"
"One of these days, your mouth will demand a price that your body cannot handle."
"I have no use for your riddles. Tell me what you wish of me and leave me be." Alec said, dismissively. "I have things to prepare for. The presentation is within the hour."
"Come now, Alec. You're slipping."
Alec did not answer.
"Very well then, allow me to gift you a warning. Once," Kieran eyed the shimmering dragon figure just out of reach and then frowned down at the younger Merrow. "Persist in your foolishness and I shall hand you over the discipline master without any remorse."
"Can't stand to do it yourself?" Alec spat. "Or afraid you'll leave a mark?"
"I would gladly mark you myself, but it would be a pity." He laughed, humorlessly. "You are hardly worthy of the effort it would require."
"Of course. How presumptuous of me."
"Do not mistake my indulgence for lenience, Alec. If you cannot curb your tongue, I will cut it out for you." The warning came through with a hint of steel in Kieran's voice as he frowned at Alec. "Impertinence will gain you no favors." His hand tightened in Alec's hair and he pulled, harshly, drawing another whine. Alec's hands finally reached up, but Kieran swatted them away. "Hands on your thighs." He snapped. "Don't even think about it."
A long pause stretched out until Alec's next whine trailed off into a hitched breath and he relaxed into the punishing grip holding him hostage. His superior attitude had faded almost entirely, body slowly growing slack against his tormentor.
The moment he had given in, without hesitation, the hand in his hair slackened and released him almost at once, smoothing and petting the ruffled strands, lightly tracing the edges of his fluted ears. "There now, that wasn't so difficult, was it?"
Alec merely turned his face into the fancy robe, pressing his cheek against Kieran's side. He did not answer.
Kieran's smirk softened into something that might have been a smile, before his slender fingers melded together, becoming a webbed hand. He rested it atop Alec's head, water trickling down from his palm and drenching the younger Merrow. The rest of the conversation was finished in sharp sentences of Merrowspeak, ending with a warning tap to Alec's head, before Kieran turned at the sound of a bell tolling in the distance. "Within the hour," he reminded Alec. "Make sure you are properly dressed before you enter the courts. Leave enough time for it."
Harry nearly choked in his forced disguise-turned-new-form. He wasn't sure what to think about being a small, pint-sized dragon, though, clearly, that was what he was. He realized that he had some size and bulk, but instead of a large, massive form like Ilsa, he felt rather the size of a tiger. He caught Shadow beneath his front claws, trying awkwardly to shush the small Nytura when every single empathy thread in his magic literally blazed to life, screaming of danger.
His sharp new hearing had given him a quick warning for the newcomer, an Advisor Kieran, but it hadn't warned him for the strange interaction he'd seen between the two Merrow. He stared in fascinated horror as the proud, haughty Alec was quite literally brought to his knees in the course of the strangest conversation he'd ever overheard.
When the glowering Advisor Kieran had finally left, Harry found himself frozen to the spot where Alec had spelled him, too afraid to move. The calculating, coldness of the Merrow advisor had left him with vaguely unsettling remembrance for some of the visions he'd had of Voldemort. Of a lord with self-proclaimed power that he did not hesitate to use to subjugate the ones beneath him for little more than a whim.
His mouth felt dry inside and Harry felt himself grow slack with relief now that the dangerous man was well away from him. He didn't like him, advisor or not and he had a very faint hunch that perhaps, he'd been quite lucky to escape without enduring a forced introduction of sorts. It seemed that Alec was a study in contrast as his actions always said more than what his words did.
Harry whuffled softly, the breath puffing out from his dragon lungs as he shook himself carefully, trying to reconcile the uncomfortable itch slithering through his body. He was trying to make sense of the strange conversation and as far as he could gather, it seemed that Alec wasn't supposed to have been outside last night either. Much less helping him or even being seen now, at the water's edge.
Worried, Harry looked to where Alec remained kneeling beside the large sack of glittery powder.
Are you alright? What was that? Did he hurt you? Harry tried to say, but the words of course, were trapped in his dragon-form and only a few huffs and outraged screeches were audible.
The Merrow had his hands fisted in the thick material, before he stood and violently threw it into the water, spanning an impressive distance. Alec ignored the rush of noise, apparently unable to translate Harry's dragon-speak to actual words. When he turned back to face Harry, there was a dark glower on his face. "Well?" He inquired, mockingly. "Anything else you'd care to add to my miserable day? Still think you know everything?"
Harry blinked. He'd never even said that he knew everything nor insinuated anything of the sort. He'd just hoped that Alec would take responsibility for something that was clearly his own doing. For the moment, he did feel a bit sorry for the Merrow who apparently had to deal with such an insensitive supervisor of sorts, but beyond that, he knew there was little he could say or do. Alec would not take pity very well and Harry most certainly would not insult him by offering it. He did wish that Alec wasn't wearing that angry expression though. His teal-hued skin was best presented when his smooth features were halfway to smiling and not looking like he was about to kill something.
Harry snorted. Making actual expressions in his dragon form didn't seem like they would translate properly and he couldn't speak yet, so he'd have to let things be for the moment. He managed to find his feet and stand, with Shadow finally climbing out from under him and perching atop his head, much like he would when in his human form. He tried to speak again, but only a cacophony of dragon noises emitted and he shrank back when Alec winced and doused them both with a strong wave.
"I can't understand a word you're saying. Change back and leave, if you know what's good for you." Alec hugged his arms to himself for a moment, then sighed and skipped back a few steps from the water and began to dance on his tip-toes.
Harry watched him, curiously, before the words registered with a hint of panic. He couldn't change back—he didn't know how! A frustrated groan rumbled out of his throat and Harry snapped his jaws in the Merrow's direction. He'd been spelled yet again—and barely within a matter of hours between the first time.
This couldn't possibly end well.
When Alec gave a running leap-turned-dive, from the grassy shores, a frantic Harry went floundering in after him.
"Oi, you stupid dragon. You're not a sea dragon!" Alec coughed and sputtered, his arms looped around Harry's slender dragon-neck, as he kicked furiously to keep them above the surface and moving back towards land. "What were you thinking?" He squeezed a little harder than necessary and leaned away from Harry's ill-tempered snarl. "Rhetorical question, you brute. I don't really want to know, because I don't really care." His eyes flared bright blue once more and with the help of his elemental water gift, Alec washed them up on shore. "You're just as dense in this form as you are in your other. Why am I not surprised?"
A panting, heaving dragon-Harry promptly draped himself over Alec's drenched form and gave a long, low whine, before thumping his head on Alec's chest. Shadow came streaking out in mid-air, circling them both with a flurry of frantic shrieks and trills.
The Merrow winced, glowering up at it. "He's fine, you stupid thing. Keep that up and we'll both be deaf." He shoved ineffectually at Harry's scaled head, that had moved from resting on his chest to pillowed in his lap. "Oi. Move, you hulk!"
Harry merely shifted, one bright green eye swiveling to look at him. It blinked, once, twice, impassive, before turning away with the equivalent of a dragon-huff. I can't change back, you idiot! Harry practically screamed, throwing out his magic with the message in mind. He knew it had worked when the Merrow's eyes grew wide and round. Harry felt a glimmer of satisfaction when Alec's jaw dropped and he muffled his scream with his own hands.
After a long moment—most of which was punctuated by Alec's unflattering commentary in Merrowspeak—and Harry could feel the heat in those scorching words as the Merrow immediately set to work on figuring out how to fix the matter. It made him wonder if Alec had really cast the spell or if there had been someone else watching.
"I would ask how you couldn't possibly know how to switch between forms, but then I would have to explain myself in small words and that is not happening any time within this century." The Merrow grumbled. He'd been trying to change Harry back for the past fifteen minutes and so far, nearly every spell had fizzled out against Harry's surprisingly durable white-silver scaled hide.
Harry swished his tail, agitatedly and Alec ducked.
"Quit that." He slapped the nearest flank and circled around Harry once more, sharp eyes searching for something that he would not stop long enough to explain.
The slap didn't really register beyond a light tap and Harry twisted around enough to blow a puff of air at the distracted Merrow. He wasn't surprised when Alec's hand snapped up, a thin barrier of water forming out of nothing to keep the 'dragon-breath' from reaching him.
"What are you, a child? You'll make me late." Alec informed him, sourly. "Stop distracting me, unless you'd like to stay like this until I have the time to spare again." But his hands were surprisingly gentle in contrast to his irritated manner as he checked over Harry's dragon-form, searching for potential injury and running his fingers briskly over the smooth scales.
A humming rumble of a purr came from deep in Harry's belly as he felt those strong, firm hands mapping out every single scale on his dragon body. He couldn't explain why he felt so at ease, but apart from the verbal insults and apparently, the spell gone awry, Alec hadn't really tried to hurt him. Instead, he'd roundly insulted himself for a good five minutes, after he'd discovered that the standard changing spell was useless on Harry.
"Oh for Arielle's-!" Alec snorted. "Really?" But the hands that had found a patch of loose scales behind Harry's left foreleg, began to scratch at it in earnest. "Ugh. Have you ever considered deodorant?" He leaned away, theatrically. "And you had the nerve to complain about Goonter's fish." Alec stepped back, a soft stream of water leaving his hands as he sprayed Harry down, warming the water when the small dragon shivered from the impromptu bath.
Within seconds, Harry was turning his face towards the warm spray, stretching his wings out and fanning them with a happy screech. Alec ducked, avoiding the surprisingly large wings as they arced over his head, changing the angle of the water spray.
Another string of unflattering Merrowspeak was Harry's reward for the trouble and the water tapered off as a newly drenched Alec moved out from under the shadow of those lovely wings. Upon seeing the shimmering, shiny appendages, Harry began to twist and chirr, craning his neck to see more of himself.
"Well, aren't you a vain little thing." Alec grumbled. "Alright already, stand still and hold your breath." He reared back as Harry's ridged head swung dangerously close overhead. "Hey, pay attention!" He reached up, grabbing the scaled snout and fixing it with his best glare.
Harry blinked, innocently, as best as he could. He tried and failed to lick the cool hands cradling his face.
"When you change back, you will leave." Dark blue eyes narrowed. "Understand?"
Harry whuffled, nosing him enough to make the Merrow take a half-step backward, before he braced himself.
"I'll take that as a yes. Now. Look at me and repeat in your head, Sumeriandis Althacar Enoyea." Blue eyes met green and air grew hot and humid as Alec's eyes burned bright and a sudden, powerful flare of magic traveled up from his core and through his hands, liberally pouring itself into Harry's dragon form.
Harry felt the magic course through him as cold, icy stabs that poked and prodded him back to a human-shaped size, before his bones creaked ominously and he felt his skeleton rearranging itself. When he came back to himself, Harry gasped, leaning into the icy cold fingers cupping his face and clutching at the warm, slippery skin in front of him for purchase, as his legs gave way beneath him.
The icy hands shifted, holding him even though it hurt to be held like that—held as if he were something precious and dear. Harry felt his hands touch fabric and he latched onto that, trying to keep his balance. He was vaguely aware that his own chilled skin was being warmed by the heat of his rescuer as his blurry eyes tried to focus.
It took a moment before Harry was fully in control and with some semblance of coherence before he realized that he was actively holding Alec's hands to his face and was leaning forward, one leg having moved forward, as if to floor the Merrow. Harry felt his face warm as he dropped Alec's hands and immediately retreated as if he'd been scorched.
In that moment, Harry had time to see the look of curiosity and amusement on Alec's face shift to annoyance and then blankness as he composed himself, elegantly skipping back a back a few steps himself. "Back to yourself, it seems. Wonderful. Have a perfectly horrible-"
"I'm sorry!" Harry blurted out, unable to look at those newly emotionless blue eyes.
There was a pause and Alec froze halfway to the water's edge. "…excuse me?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you—I mean." Harry flapped a hand, cheeks still a rosy red. This was the second time he'd completely relied on the Merrow to heal or help him without payment of some sort. "That. I didn't mean to take advan-" In the back of his mind, something argued indignantly that the events of the near hour or so hadn't been anywhere near his fault, but in the same vein he hadn't meant to be holding a stranger's hands to his face. He wouldn't blame Alec for reacting to that.
"That?" Alec echoed. Genuine puzzlement showed in his face. "Pray tell, do elaborate, if your eloquence fails you, compose a better answer should our paths have the misfortune of crossing once again."
"I didn't mean to-" Harry threw up his hands and turned around to face the Merrow who was all but pouting at him, arms crossed over his chest, brow furrowed as if he didn't know what to make of Harry.
They stared at each other for a good minute, when Harry felt a wave of familiar magic wash over him, followed by a soothing burst of warmth.
Alec blinked and backed up a few steps, uncrossing his arms, tensed as if to fight or flee, whichever was the most profitable.
Harry looked down to see a golden-white medallion flare to life beneath his feet and he realized, belatedly what it was and what it meant. "Shadow!" He held out a hand as the Nytura rocketed over to bodyslam into his shoulder. "Ow. Shadow." This time, a little more scolding than worrying. He saw the glowing circular medallion take on a familiar sight—much like the mating mark tattoo on his shoulder—Theo was summoning him. "I uh, have to leave." He licked his lips, looking to Alec who now wore an unreadable expression on his face. "I guess I'll see you sometime again? And this spell thing we can-"
Immediate portal for Harry James Potter of the Nott Circle, by order of Alpha. A female voice droned. Portal now commencing.
There was a flash of white light and then nothing.
Harry barely caught a glimpse of Alec throwing himself backwards into the water, just as Goonter surfaced from below to swallow him whole once more. Anything else he could have said was cut short as Harry realized that he was topless seconds before the portal whisked him away.
Oh Merlin-!
THE BETA'S HUNTING ADVENTURES...
Okahn, Aracle and Takar had proved to be quite enjoyable company for the greater part of the morning. Eventually, Charlie had found himself accepted enough to relax and smile at some of their good-natured ribbing, even when Okahn tended to be a bit sharper than the other two.
The redheaded dragon tamer eventually put it down to the fact that the uptight Okahn was definitely Bhindi's Beta while the other, more-relaxed dragels showed obvious signs of Bahn's laid-back personality. Eventually, they settled on a working peace between them, without the need of insults or other displays to establish temporary hierarchy.
Well, sort of. The moment Takar and Okahn had started to hint in that direction, Aracle had calmly reached over and slung an arm around Charlie's shoulders, with a simple sentence said in elven that made both Betas stiffen, then grimace and settle down.
Now, they prowled the marketplace floor in the outdoor levels outside the coliseum, investigating the food stalls and drink bars. Charlie had quickly discovered that Aracle was paying for him within the first three stops and when he made to speak about it, the Rheyo had merely smiled and shook his head, saying "Your Alpha was too distracted to think this far, but it is nothing of consequence. Please, you are in the company of friends."
With that, Charlie had let it be.
They'd had fun, or at least, he had. Takar was well known for his archery skills and so they had visited the sporting fields and engaged in the age-old pastime of gambling, using clear, colored coins specifically crafted for that purpose. Charlie had been able to win some currency of his own, when his trained eye called a few challenges that the others hadn't seen.
He was feeling quite pleased with himself by the time they decided to visit the private baths. The famous hot springs that were said to be heated by the everlasting fire rocks found in the fire pits of Mount Valeraine. They'd exchanged their fancy dress robes for light bathrobes and towels and were admitted into a well-steamed, private enclosure among sculpted rocks and a few patches of greenery.
The moment, they had entered, the door was pushed open and Edor, Bahn's changeling Gheyo came stomping through, a scowl on his face. The Betas had looked at him in tandem, then Takar and Okahn had grabbed one arm each and hauled him off to a corner, where the steam hid them from Charlie's sight. He didn't bother to think about it, when Aracle directed him to a smaller, private pool and offered him another one of his customary mints, before heading straight for the water.
By the time Aracle had settled himself comfortably in the water, Charlie wasn't far behind and he couldn't contain the moan that slipped past his lips at the heavenly heated liquid.
Aracle chuckled. "I had a feeling you'd enjoy this," he teased, lightly. "You fire types always do. Brace yourself on a rock, so you don't drown yourself from sheer bliss."
Charlie made a muted sound of complaint, but when he didn't move, the Rheyo moved over to physically rearrange him on the small column of rock that kept him from pitching face-first into the steaming water. He relaxed, boneless, feeling the warmth from the fire rocks seeping into his body on a level he hadn't even thought possible.
It soothed and calmed him, sending pleasurable spikes of magic swirling over him as he simply lay in the water, soaking up all that it had to offer.
There was another, faint disturbance, when a young attendant, a cheerful little boy, led a sulking Loren—Bhindi's Fire Gheyo—over to join them and accepted two mints from Aracle, as payment. Charlie roused himself enough to take in the sight of his fellow fire dragel and was surprised to see the Gheyo growing somewhat agitated.
When Aracle made as if to invite him in, Loren gave a sharp jerk of his head, 'no'. His gaze bypassed Takar, fixing solely on Okahn and after a tense moment, the Beta sighed and pushed away from the rock where he'd been bracing. He left Takar and Edor to come and stand before the pool's edge. He turned a calm stare up at Loren's scowl.
"Don't look him in the eye," Aracle's murmured words were just in time.
Charlie shifted his gaze elsewhere, settling on watching the jerky reflection in the water, of a blushing Loren, who accepted Okahn's helping hands to ease himself into the hot water. Charlie bit his lip, hard enough to draw blood when the moment Loren stepped into the water, everything sizzled.
The temperature rose so quickly, there was no time to react. By the time he realized that there was precious little he could have done in his current state, Charlie was surprised to find that the sudden temperature difference didn't really affect him at all. He felt a frown forming, but didn't look up as Loren and Okahn passed him by to sit on the far end of the pool. The nearly scalding heat wasn't the least bit unwelcome, but rather much appreciated, though Charlie had the distinct impression that Loren had only done so as a show of power and a very obvious warning.
"Fire types are territorial," Aracle hummed, quietly. He made his way over to Charlie's corner and calmly settled himself on one of the low, stone benches. His height served him well here as the water came up to his chin and he stretched a hand out to Charlie. "I'll brace you, if you like."
Charlie perked a brow, half in question and half in interest.
Aracle gave a slight nod towards the far end of the pool.
The redhead turned and blushed at the sight of a very relaxed Loren, draped over Okahn, short, stubby 'indoor wing's protruding from his back, his messy red-blond hair on fire, and his body entirely covered in scales of varying reds and oranges. It wouldn't have really been a blush-worthy scene, except for the fact that the uptight Okahn was quite calmly occupied due to a heated snog with an obscene amount of tongue and fangs.
"Don't think about it," Aracle advised, reading the reaction correctly. "And don't worry, they do realize that you're still here. They'll be polite." He caught Charlie's arm and gently guided the younger man over to sit by his side, checking to be sure the water level was just right. Where the redhead's upper torso had been mostly exposed, now, Charlie quivered in sudden sensory overload as the unexpected heat nearly swallowed him whole. "You can hold your breath, if you like," Aracle's eyes were warm and understanding. "I'll count for a minute, if you like and I won't let go."
Charlie fairly trembled before he sucked in a quick breath and ducked underwater.
Bliss.
Pure, unadulterated bliss erupted inside of him.
The heat, the natural magic and the sensation of being entirely surrounded by water, nearly undid him right there.
When Aracle forced him to surface, Charlie found himself gasping for breath, his face tucked into the side of the Rheyo's neck, one calloused hand, gently rubbing across his shoulders. "Breathe, little one." Aracle murmured. "In, out, in, out, that's it. Good lad."
Charlie shivered, trying to squirm away enough to lower himself back into the water. He was only faintly embarrassed to see that he'd clung to the older dragel like a lifeline of sorts.
Aracle simply readjusted them both, refusing to let him move on his own just yet. "Easy." He soothed. "I take it that was your first water experience, wasn't it?" He smiled at Charlie's stiff nod. "Must be careful of it in the future. Never, ever venture into water without one of your Bonded near, especially seeing as you are a fire elemental."
Blue eyes blinked blearily up at him and Charlie stopped trying to resist the urge to melt into the water.
"Fire and water types have never quite managed to coexist. They do so, grudgingly and sometimes it shows. The hot springs here are carefully monitored and you will find that anywhere else, without the magic dampeners present here, will feel quite different. I'm afraid you will find most Merrows or Aqua-kin'e, as they call themselves, to be quite prejudiced against you, solely for the sake of your element. Take care not to insult them in any way as they are easily offended. There are magic dampeners for Merrow magic present all around this section, specifically for fire types, so they can enjoy a good soak. Otherwise, you would find the natural magic to be quite unforgiving."
Charlie squeezed his eyes shut, trying to reconcile the perfect experience to the words coming out of Aracle's mouth. He didn't really want to think about it, but he felt his chest tighten, understanding the truth of instinct and realizing that prejudice might not be that far behind it. "Why?"
"There's actually a rather long, boring folktale about it." Aracle sniggered. "I shall spare you the trouble of it, unless the conversation grows boring. Suffice it to say that fire and water are rather like oil and water. They don't quite mix. Personally, I would suggest that you seek out a mentor as soon as possible to help with some of the cultural differences you're sure to encounter."
"How exactly would I do that?"
"You visit City Hall and formally request one. If I understand correctly, Ilsa broke a suppression seal on you, meaning that your appointed mentor was likely reassigned after a year of waiting. When you did not file a claim after reaching eighteen years of age, your second choice of mentor was also reassigned. Once you've passed all of that, you must physically present yourself and formally request a third choice. Until you find one, simply remember that if you find yourself in a situation where one is required, simply bow, place two fingers over your heart and say 'my mentor has not yet found it necessary to teach me' and do not look them in the eye, until they acknowledge the phrase. They should say, 'then allow me to take your education into my own hands' and that means that they forgive or excuse you, for whatever has transpired. Do expect a lecture though."
"Why can't you…?" Charlie trailed off. He wasn't sure if he could ask, but wanted to anyway. The older dragel had been quite kind to him and he'd appreciated it.
Aracle's gave a rumbling laugh. "I cannot be your mentor, because I am not a fire elemental. It is very important that a mentor's gift or element, matches that of their student and most times, a mentor is not of the same rank, but either of a higher or a lower rank, so as to challenge their mentee. Namely meaning, they are either a Pareya or a Submissive." He half-shrugged. "Not another Beta or a Rheyo, such as myself. It causes too much ranking conflict as you grow into your first century and only the Pareya or the Submissive can actually find it within themselves to take on another individual in the capacity of a child, without treating them as a Bonded or Intended." He blinked, then frowned. "Please do not take that in the wrong way," his gaze flicked meaningfully to the half-embrace they currently shared.
Charlie smiled. "No offense taken," he assured him. "Would you mind if I…?"
"I'll count," Aracle said. He smiled. "A whole minute or more?"
The lazy grin settled on Charlie's tanned face. "Grab me before it's too late."
A/N: YAY! and we have some more of Alec again and it seems like Harry is a rare white dragon of some sort. Hmm. I hope Alec and Harry was was fun this time around. Alec's deliberately getting off on the wrong foot with Harry, but of course, our Harry can hold his own ;) Goonter and Shadow had fun too. As well as Charlie having a little cameo of his own. Anyway, NEXT: Introductions are coming up, where Harry's introduced to the public at large, then the Royal's entrance ceremonies will be following it right away. Lots of fun stuff, some details and some fun new things for Harry! Stay tuned.
FF is being a bear again and keeping me from posting/updating. :( I took me four hours just to get this document uploaded and then to save all the little page breaks and everything. Unfortunately, I have no idea what's wrong with it. I know some other writers haven't been able to post either, but it doesn't seem like there's an official bug/error or something yet. If anyone knows what's up, please share! LOL. I really don't know what to do about it. Anyway, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Sorry for the long wait.
on a RL note: I'm doing alright. Stressed a bit, but alright. The reviews from last chapter really made my day. I accept all your bribes and I have Ch 81 almost ready to go, since I couldn't post this one as early as I'd wanted.
REVIEW RESPONSES are backed up, due to the FF error/timeout I keep getting when I try to post on the forums. I'll get them done eventually. Just keep checking back. Review replies are in the FORUM. Copy and paste to get there, click on the appropriate chapter number and scroll down to find your review and my reply. Replace the (heresadot) with actual dots as FF eats all urls, but the live link is on my profile.
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~Scion