Anyone else would find the blistering heat and the sands here unwanting. Not Edian though. This was her home. Her tail kept her balanced upon the soft sands and her feet padded along lightly without sinking. The heat was welcome upon her skin for now until she wished for shade.

Edian had missed this.

And yet... glancing to the man strangely unaffected by the environs at her side, she wondered...

"Why are we here, Conis?"

A smile twisted upon Draconis' lips at the question. He'd known it was coming but that didn't make it any less amusing to hear.

"Isn't it obvious? To see your father."

Her face twitched, and she squinted at him. Always one to need three questions and a threat to properly answer, wasn't he? She'd say it annoyed her but it didn't. If anything, that was part of what had made them friends. Still-

"Skip the shit for today, please. Why now?"

Her dead tone made Draconis chuckle. Ever to the point, his darling Edi. As one of the few he actually did care for instead of simply tolerating, he'd humour her.

"You miss him, don't you? It's been several years since you saw him last, and-" he lifted her chin with one hand, the other on her back as he brought her in closer- "your lashes have been darkening. Next your scales will mold over."

Edian frowned- "Fuck. Really?"

Unlike her hair which darkened with age, her eyelashes had always remained a stark white. Anytime they neared the colour of her hair it meant she'd been damp too long and needed some proper heat. In other words... she needed to sunbathe.

"Mm, really," he murmured, burying his head in the crook of her neck as he hugged her, "Wouldn't want your scales to rot."

Wrapping her arms around him, Edian knew that the heat was likely bothering him even with whatever cooling spell he'd cast on himself. He wasn't complaining but she'd just noticed the slight flush on ears when they'd poked through his hair. Humans weren't made for heat like this, and him even less so.

"And?" she asked softly, "Why else?"

"Can't a friend do it out of worry alone?"

"You can. You do all the time."

Despite his general apathy to people and the world, Draconis remained kind. A dutiful son. It was something she didn't quite understand because how could he manage such a suffocating weight with such ease? Without any trouble? It made sense for others but not someone like him who felt nothing for others except perhaps annoyance. All she could do was remain by his side when most others would leave upon learning of his true thoughts, and comfort him.

"But not this time. I know when you're sad, Conis."

A bark of laughter escaped him and for a while he was quiet. What a relief that she didn't pressure him further; she didn't need to.

"I saw the paintings Ashoka hung up in his atelier," he said, "They reminded me of why I stopped visiting."

"...He paints her often," Edian said in reply, her voice having gone deathly silent.

No wonder Draconis had wanted to get far, far away from the palace. Even she couldn't bear the visage of the former lady and heir of Suldala. Not in the way the king could. She'd stand there for hours, simply staring, sometimes in tears, and he'd have to take her by hand and guide her away.

Edian was stroking his hair now, and he tightened his grip on her. Oh, she truly was the only one he could speak to about this. Not his family, they already worried for him enough in this regard. Not Ashoka, he was too kind, he'd ignore his own pain to tend to him. And definitely not Hulda's grave, he would never trouble her rest with his tears. Not again.

"He deserves to. He's the only one who gets her right." The only one who'd ever captured her very essence even when they were young. "He's the only one who can draw her anew without it being blasphemous."

"I suppose it's because he's the king."

"You know I don't believe in this Aentrah nonsense," Draconis replied, voice lacking any sharpness, just fatigue.

"I know," Edian said, "but I do."

So of course it was only natural that the king could draw the lady when no others could satisfy Draconis. That only his paintings graced the walls while others were burnt to ash before he saw them and did worse in his simmering rage. Many would say this wasn't the odd part if they knew. That it was stranger that he lacked belief but, it wasn't. He was simply following the words of his own god.

After all, Lady ur-Hulda had never in her life pled fealty to a higher being.

With anyone else he wouldn't have said a word but Edian? He was perfectly content standing here in the middle of a deserted desert far from others where he could just... unwind. Be vulnerable. It was hard to do that if even a hint of people lingered, and his sister was long gone - the only person who could break him down regardless of who else was present.

Ten whole minutes. That's how long it took for him to let go of her but he managed it. He managed life well enough being able to let his loved ones out of his sight too. At least he wouldn't lose her here. If anything, the opposite was more likely since the wrong step or a spell wearing off could have the dunes drowning him in a second.

"Let's go then. Can't have us arriving when your father's fast asleep, can we Edi darling?"

"Father's lazy. He sleeps most of the day away so we'll be disturbing it no matter what."

Edian adjusted her collar, refraining from commenting on the wet spot on her shoulder. It would be gone quickly enough. Better to tease Draconis later when he wasn't so fragile.

"Oh, I do envy him. All that time, all to himself."

Naturally, as the heir he couldn't exactly come and go as he wanted. No. That would be marked down as a disappearance and one time was enough for his family. He wouldn't create a repeat performance.

"I do too. Sometimes I wonder why the fuck I decided to serve his majesty. I could be out there, seeing new things, experiencing the deadliest shit on offer-" Edian gestured as she spoke to make a point- "but instead I'm-"

"Too charmed by my dearest cousin to even entertain the thought of not dedicating your life and service to him?" Draconis offered with a smirk, "Or is it the wide variety of Solian romance novels? I'll have you know that Astra has a vastly better selection."

"Tch."

Edian clicked her tongue as Draconis deftly stepped out of reach from her rapier, laughing. He'd done it with such ease despite her surety in her aim and silence.

"I was thinking more along the lines of 'too worried of the scandals that'll arise if I step out for a long trip since I'm the best at keeping an eye on his majesty' but, yes. Both of those too."

Oh, now that was his Edi. Trying to kill him for embarrassing her even if he was only speaking the truth.

Matching her step again once he was sure she wasn't in a violent mood anymore, he said, "Even the best doesn't matter since you have to hibernate in Sol's cold. Just go out then and let the others deal with any subsequent problems he causes."

"I'll consider it."

Not. Draconis already knew that though. He himself made excuses for why he didn't wander with his spirit just as she did. They both had their duties to attend to. Duties that they had put far above their freedom ages ago and wouldn't rid themselves of unless something more important intruded.

"More importantly... Why didn't you teach Lord Raizel some of your tricks? He was an abysmal student, and I can't magick a beginner into an expert in just a week no matter how eager the charge."

"Student?" Draconis asked, baffled as he looked at Edian.

Was she joking? No, that expression belied no trickery. Then... oh, that was...

He burst out into laughter, walking on even as it seemed he would collapse with how much he was shaking- "That idiot brother of mine can't even run unless someone explicitly makes him. My condolences, Edi. You're right in that there's no way to impart something to him in just a week when we've been trying since he was born. My mother would offer him to you in marriage in an instant if you'd managed, I'll have you know."

"He's that bad?" Edian asked, eyebrows scrunching up.

"Worse. Unlike mama, I'm willing to give him up to anyone who has the patience for him. Asking for more would be begging for a miracle and we aren't so desperate as to need such a thing."

She'd known Lord Raizel was definitely sheltered but this was her first time realising that it was less because of the family and more because of the man himself. Which... did make sense. She was close to them all and none of them were the type to be helpless aside from him. It was just that his naivete was difficult to deem natural even upon dealing with him regularly.

"Shame his servant's such a shameless fucker. You'd have the perfect brother-in-law otherwise."

Draconis narrowed his eyes- "He's not that only because he has no such interest in Raizel. Not because of his personality. I know you don't like him but did he do something thing to you?"

Do something? What was he thinki-

"No. No, nothing of that sort. He's just an arrogant prick. Nothing more," reassured Edian.

"So, because he reminds you of yourself but doesn't speak well of the same people."

Oh, she was always so funny. He couldn't blame her though. Even he found himself having to take a breather when talk of Hulda came up around Frankenstein regardless of how amusing the man could be otherwise.

Although she resented the notion that they were similar, Edian knew he was likely right. Lord Raizel's servant didn't, she was always a blushing mess when he was around courtesy of his majesty or Suldala's marchioness, and that at least she could be thankful for. She hoped the sun never shone upon their friendship, no matter how pleasant it may be.

"And what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing. Though you better not say you hate me because we're both the type to be better off in travels, Edi."

"Why would I ever do such a thing? You're my only reading partner. Maybe I'll do that once I find another one," Edian said, rolling her eyes though her tail swayed, making her joke clearer.

Draconis chuckled- "Good luck with that. Unless you find someone from outside Sol, they won't be sending you anything you haven't read already."

"Then we're stuck together for a while, jackass," she said, bumping against him, "Anyway, I think that speck should be my home up ahead. Almost there."

Smiling at her affection, he took her hand in his even though he knew her tail's constant whacking against his leg would leave a bruise. The pain was nothing compared to what her love for him evoked, and he enjoyed it too. Not that he'd tell her. She'd call him a nutcase and tell his mother to get his head checked out. That was something Draconis would rather avoid. Besides-

"I can't quite tell but, it seems a bit small. Is there space for me to stay or will I have to magick out a place for myself?"

"There's a spare room-" the underground fifth room that most would call a basement- "but you can just sleep with me. Ba would never mess with my room, not when he's begging me to visit every other week."

"That doesn't sound clingy. Not like you made him out to be. Ashoka's more prolific with his letters."

A lot more. He'd send two or three letters all bundled up together every week, with each being as thick as one of his novellas. Trying to keep them all in his room hadn't been feasible after the first year of knowing him. Sometimes Draconis wondered if he sent such letters to everyone he knew and where he procured the time for that. A time spell of some sort?

"It used to be every day until Kitty settled down a little way off from here with her husband some time back."

Edian loved her father but it really was too much. Aloof was an accurate term to describe him, that she agreed with, but so was overprotective. She was only glad he valued her independence over his attachment. Kitty did too, she knew that.

With a blink, Draconis shrugged- "That's definitely worse than Ashoka. It's really your own fault for never visiting though."

"I know," she sighed.

"Why didn't your sister move back in? There's not even enough room for them?"

Edian snorted, "Definitely not. The spare room's for guests and playing since it's colder so we shared a room. They're living with my aunt instead."

"The one with the mansion?"

"I only have the one here. Who else?"

It wasn't as if she knew her mother's siblings aside from stories and though there were two in them who definitely were as opulent as her aunt, they didn't live here.

Draconis shrugged, "Maybe you got a new one. It is a little noisy in there, and your father's side isn't that from what you've told me."

Close up, Edian's childhood home was exactly the type of place you'd call cozy. It reminded him of the bedrooms the women of his family, and his father, kept. The crashing noises made it a little less that, though he found it more exciting than worrying.

In fact, perhaps- "I might meet your mother too, unless it really is a new aunt."

"Probably," she agreed, letting go of his hand and opening the door.

A messy living room was revealed, the obvious cause being the two toddlers, her half-siblings, slithering all over the place. Though chubby and with tails much shorter relative to their body than an adult's, the two naga had little trouble moving, and they did it so fast that all Edian could really see was a long red streak. Next her eyes went to her mother lounging with her bare torso laid over the back of the sofa, her tail winding all around the room haphazardly and encircling it many times over. Last was to her father napping amidst the chaos as her mother played with his hair.

"...Hi mama," Edian said, her voice quiet and her cheeks flushing just like when she was around his majesty.

Draconis would definitely mock her later for this. She couldn't help it though. The last time she'd seen her mother had been much longer than when she'd seen her father.

The naga looked up, brushing her red hair out of her eyes as she did. The moment she got a good look, she lifted her entire self up with a bright smile, causing the toddlers to bump into her shifting tail and finally stop moving.

"Hello! I did not know you were coming! And-" her slitted eyes gazed behind her- "another familiar face. Hello!"

"Huh?"

Had Draconis met her mother before? It wasn't particularly strange since she was constantly travelling but it was a surprise. She turned to look at him, only to see an expression he'd never made before. His face, though strangely blank otherwise, had both those furrowed eyebrows and crinkled nose of deep thought and the slight twist of the lips that revealed his amusement as he tilted his head. She could hear the twins approach her, Yahya hissing and squealing, when he spoke-

"Ashoka's first love. Never thought I'd see you again. Hello."