Chapter Four

 

 

Quiet laughter was not horrible to wake up to. Trin pushed herself out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom for a quick shower.

By the time she was clean and had fluffed her hair out, a set of clothes had been laid out on her bed, and the bed itself had been made. Creata’s staff was efficient.

Trin pulled on the layers of clothing that she wore on a daily basis. The feel of the fabric was unmistakable, it was one of the shifting outfits that Mirbella had crafted for her. It was nice that the maid had paid attention.

When her boots were on, she checked her hair and ran a brush through it before pinning it up against the back of her skull in a semi-neat bun.

She headed downstairs, and the maid nodded toward the rear of the house. Trin walked out, and the other three were already out, sitting and having coffee and tea.

Creata smiled. “Lady Lefarge is on her way. Apparently, her son gave her a message at dawn.”

“Ah, yes. I did manage to find him.”

Meadra stared. “You went to visit a man, after nightfall, without an escort?”

“I flew. No one was needed.” She walked over to the teapot and lifted the lid for a sniff. She grinned and poured herself a cup of Bright Blueberry.

She sat and nodded as she sipped before she said, “It is a good thing that she is coming. She will be far better at helping Meadra than I would.”

Meadra got nervous. “Help me what?”

“Your dragon. We are going to wake her so that the valley won’t have a hold on you. You will be able to choose a male of your own, and from there, you will be protected.”

Meadra cupped her hands around her coffee mug. “You don’t seem to need protecting.”

“That is because she has been on her own most of her life.” Rish’s voice was calm but firm. “Trin is an excellent role model for self-sufficiency, but she still has chosen to take a mate.”

Trin shrugged. “My dragon chose for me, and Brommin hasn’t objected yet.”

Rish came toward them, and Creata went to stand up, but she was gracefully acknowledged and urged to remain seated.

“Brommin’s dragon would chew its way out of his skull to have you as a mate. Don’t doubt it. My son is just a master of self-control, or you would have been applying for authorized dispensation for an existing relationship.”

Trin got to her feet and hugged her soon-to-be mother-in-law. “You are looking well, Rish.”

“You as well. I hear that you have mastered invisibility.”

“As much as I can.” Trin smiled. “I would like to introduce you to my aunt, Meadra, and my friend, Apraxa.”

Rish acknowledged Apraxa first. “I have heard of you this week. You are Erhadenia’s granddaughter.”

“I am. Her daughter’s bastard.” Apraxa inclined her blue and crimson head.

“But still beloved, if her incessant conversations about you are any indication. Now that you have come out to the dragon court, you are welcome to join the ball.”

Apraxa grinned. “I know. I checked. My gown is on the way today.”

Rish inclined her head, and then, she looked at Meadra. “And you are Trin’s aunt.”

“Yes, Lady.”

“Call me Rish. So, it is entirely likely that you have a dragon within. May I look?”

Meadra got to her feet and nodded. “Will it hurt?”

“It won’t. Let’s step this way.”

Trin watched as Rish walked Meadra deep into the yard, and when she had gauged the distance as appropriate, Rish took Meadra’s hands and looked at her face.

Trin felt the power building, and she was glad that Meadra was wearing a shifting outfit.

Colour began to flow through Meadra’s body, settling slowly on a rich purple and hot pink. Once her face and hair had set the colour, she began to expand in a slow movement that was lovely to behold.

“Oh, my.” Trin watched as her aunt expanded into a dragon that was brilliant violet and hot pink. The wings were folded tightly against her back, and when the transformation was complete, she extended them, and everyone got a shock.

Meadra’s wings were not a leathery construction, they were gossamer, pink, gold, and rich purple at the tips. The wings belonged on a large butterfly, not a slender dragoness.

Trin walked toward Meadra, and Rish gave her an amused and knowing look. “Your family can’t do anything the regular way, can you?”

Trin shook her head. “Apparently not. Meadra, you look lovely.”

The dragon looked at her and blinked huge golden eyes with long dark lashes. She was just so pretty.

Trin shifted slowly and nuzzled her aunt’s cheek. The other dragon was only a third of Trin’s size, but the power in her was nearly bursting out of her.

Trin nuzzled her again, and then, she slowly shifted to human. Meadra did the same.

“Did I do it? I did it, didn’t I? What do I look like?”

Trin curled her lips inward for a moment. The brilliant violet with hot pink streaks was a look that her aunt would have to get used to. “You are a fairy dragon.”

Rish nodded, and her expression was definitely amused. “You certainly are. They are normally seen near the mountain ranges, but you definitely are a fairy by type.”

Trin put a hand on her shoulder. “And I am no longer the most obvious hair colour in the family.”

Meadra immediately grabbed a chunk of her hair and pulled it around. “Purple?”

“And pink. You have some hot pink running through your hair. It is quite lovely.”

Rish laughed and laughed, doubling over.

Creata picked up her baby and came over. “What is so funny?”

Rish straightened, wiping her eyes. “The three strongest dragonesses of our generation and no one knows they will be at the ball. The city elite is going to be shocked.”

Trin grinned. “I can work with shocked.”

Meadra blinked. “So, I can go to the ball and pick a man?”

Trin corrected her. “Technically a mate. You and your dragon have to agree, or she will take you along for the ride. Do you hear her now?”

Meadra closed her eyes, and then, she opened them in shock. “There’s a voice in my head!”

“She has always been there, but it took Rish to show her what needed to be done.”

The whites of Meadra’s eyes were showing. Trin took her arm. “Okay, we are going to sit down and have a cup of tea.”

Creata nodded. “And breakfast. We are having breakfast.”

Meadra nodded and allowed herself to be led to the table where she resumed her seat.

Creata frowned and then thrust Esty toward Meadra. “Here. Hold the baby.”

Meadra took the infant out of reflex, and she visibly relaxed when Esty was settled.

Trin returned to her seat and looked at Creata with gratitude. Creata smiled and picked up her teacup.

Their little gathering was quiet while Rish went inside to make a call.

Creata smiled. “Mirbella is also on the way, and she mentioned contacting your other supplier, who may arrive with her.”

Apraxa cleared her throat. “I mentioned to her that you had run low on blades, and as she knows who makes them for you, they might be arriving together.”

Trin thought of Takka and Mirbella, and while the two were both artists, their mediums were dissimilar in the extreme. “I see. This is going to be a very interesting morning.”

Creata nodded and got to her feet. “I had better warn the staff.”

Meadra finally came out of her daze. “Why am I holding the baby?”

Apraxa grinned. “You needed it. She calmed you right down.”

Trin toasted her with the teacup. “Congratulations. When I first transformed, I got stuck. You managed in and out on your own.”

Meadra nodded. “You were joking about the purple hair, right?”

“I am afraid not, but look at Apraxa. You don’t even notice that she has a head like a tropical fish anymore.” Trin ducked the sugar lump that came flying at her head.

“At least I don’t look like I was frightened by my own reflection.” Apraxa made a face.

Trin laughed, Meadra laughed, and Apraxa winked. The joke had done its job to relieve tension in their group. When the food began to be set on the outdoor sideboard, the scent was distraction enough to keep Meadra from thinking about what she had just become.

Rish returned, and she was smirking. “You are all on the list. The invitations are being drawn up and will be delivered here in the next few hours.”

Apraxa raised her brows. “Invitations?”

Rish nodded. “There will also be confirmation modules that you will hand over when you arrive. A blood sample will be suspended and analyzed, granting you your order in the choosing.”

Meadra looked down at the baby and then up again. “Me too?”

“You too. This is not an opportunity that we will let pass us by.”

Apraxa cocked her head. “What if my mate isn’t there? What if I don’t choose?”

“You will be invited to spend more time with the elite of the capitol, and if you make a choice before the next dragon ball, you will be ratified in the records.”

Apraxa nodded. “Good enough. I will be there.”

Creata came back out and took her daughter when she began to fuss. She fed her little one with a light gauze covering over her head for decorum’s sake.

Creata smiled. “I wish I could be there.”

Trin frowned. “Why can’t you?”

“Dragons only, Trin. You even have to sign a non-disclosure agreement when you get there. No one that isn’t a dragon is allowed to know what happens.”

Rish rocked her head. “You aren’t allowed to see it. You can still know what goes on.”

Creata grinned. “Nice. Please, spill the details.”

Rish filled her coffee cup, added cream and sugar, and sat back while she began the process of explaining the details of the most powerful beings on the planet and how they engaged in strictly monitored courtship. It was an eye-opening lecture for all of the ladies sitting around the table.