Chapter 59: The Mechanic’s Castle (Patreon)

Trapped In Another World With No Magic

Chapter 59: The Mechanic’s Castle

Wenlianna marvels at the size of the titanic ancient castle rumored of in stories, standing seemingly as tall as a mountain and with doorways fit for dragons. She murmurs, “What size… Who could build something like this?”

Her sisters are crowded around the window as well, and Yormollett murmurs, “Dragons… It has to have been dragons, right?”

“Are we sure we should be coming here?” asks Yanidere nervously. “What if the rumors about the dragons conquering this place are true? Won’t they… eat us?”

“I asked if you wanted to return,” replies Aramellianna calmly. “I trust the words of Commander Leiwelles. If Daniel is the ruler here, we owe him an apology for the misunderstanding. And, we only stand to gain if we can also ally ourselves with the dragons, as opposed to being their enemies.”

They pass the threshold of the outer wall surrounding the mountain-like castle, and they all retreat away from the windows of the carriage.

The town surrounding the castle is full of demon-kin of all walks of life and many sizes. There are dozens of goblins, ranging from adults to children, and even female goblins carrying infants. There are ogres, oni, feline dattakoriens, and even greater demons. Beasts of burden are humongous and threatening looking, including drakes, berrwocks, and species that none of them can even guess at.

It’s a lively little town full of demon-kin, and while they observe the carriage, they make no aggressive moves towards them. 

Additionally, every few yards, there is a pair of metallic-looking soldiers holding strange staves as they stand like statues, guarding the way from either side.

“I guess… it’s too late now, isn’t it?” asks Yanidere a little dryly.

No one replies as they silently ride into the courtyard of the inner perimeter of the Citadel. One of the metallic soldiers not carrying a staff approaches the carriage, and the knights escorting them ask, “Can we help you?”

“Welcome to the Citadel,” speaks the being with a somewhat hollow-sounding male voice. “I am known as Ucahote, General of the Fievegal’s National Guard. I regret to admit that my lord and lady, as well as our Prime Minister, have yet to return, but I was told to expect your arrival, Grand Duchess Aramellianna. I have already taken the liberty of preparing personal quarters for you and your family, as well as a bath. Dinner will be served in two hours, and there are comestibles in your quarters if you are unbearably famished. Please, allow me to greet the Grand Duchess and escort you all inside.”

The Stalvaltan Guard looks at Aramellianna, still inside the carriage, and she nods. He opens the door, allowing the Grand Duchess to step down, and her daughters follow. 

The metallic being bows, “Grand Duchess Aramellianna, it is my pleasure to meet you. As I have said, I am Ucahote, General of the National Guard. Please do not be alarmed by your surroundings. Empress Hekate has forbidden the harming of humans and human-kin except in self-defense. All races are welcome here, and all are forbidden from violence. Come. I’ll give you a brief tour.”

“Mother…” murmurs Wenlianna. “It’s… a golem.”

“I know, Darling. We shall treat lord Ucahote with respect regardless.” She curtsies. “We apologize for arriving unannounced. However, we were unsure how to make an official request for audience, and our business is urgent. May we speak with Empress Hekate and Emperor Daniel as soon as possible?”

Ucahote cocks his head. “‘Emperor’ Daniel?”

Aramellianna nods. “Grave mistakes and miscommunications were made that I bear responsibility for. But, I have it on good authority now that Daniel is the Emperor of the Fievegal.”

Ucahote is silent for a long time. Suddenly, in a flash of light, another golem appears. This one possesses a feminine, matronly voice. “Grand Duchess, it is good to meet you. I am Xyreko, Prime Minister to his and her Greatness, Daniel and Hekate. You are right. Daniel is alive and well, and he is our gracious ruler.”

“Minister Xyreko, thank you for confirming. May we speak with them now?”

“Not yet. Their Majesties have not returned yet. I came ahead to greet you and help you settle in.”

Wenlianna asks softly, “Is… Daniel really the ruler?”

Xyreko nods once. “Of course. He conquered the Citadel with my Lady Hekate’s help. I happily serve at his leisure. You must be Duchess Wenlianna. Duchesses Yanidere, Yormolett, Lady Bunnrimae, and last but certainly not least, Lady Haldestania. A pleasure to meet you all. As you surely heard, I am Xyreko. Please ask myself or any of my golems for anything.”

“Are… you the witch controlling the golems?”

“You could say that, but what you are speaking to is my physical representation. As far as you’re concerned, I am the golem to whom you are currently speaking.”

“I-I see. Such… magic. And, this technology…”

“Wenlianna,” cautions Aramellianna, and Wenlianna straightens up. “Apologies. Please, let Daniel -um, His Grace Emperor Daniel- know that we are here.”

“I shall do that. Please, come inside and rest.”

The Stalvaltan family is escorted inside the massive castle, and again, they are left to marvel at the sheer scope. Inside is just as titanic and expansive as the outside, and the broad hallways indicate that this castle was built for the mightiest of known beings, the dragons.

“E-Excuse me,” squeaks Bunnrimae. Xyreko looks at her. “Yes, your ladyship?”

“Um… This castle… The Citadel… Was it built for… dragons?”

“Ahhh, a common question. No, my original masters were not dragons. They were the mighty feldroks, wiser and grander than any race in this world.”

All of the Stalvaltan women gasp, as do many of the knights. Xyreko, in answer to the surprise, teases warmly, “Your house sigil is the feldrok, yes?” She stops to look at them, studying the women for a moment as Aramellianna finally nods, “Y-Yes. That’s correct. It has been ever since the Stalvaltan house was founded. I, myself, am not of Stalvaltan blood, but my husband, like his eldest daughter, was a master of all of the elements of magic.”

“Hmm. I wonder. You believe there are six, do you not?”

Wenlianna replies, “Yes, that’s correct. Ground, fire, water, wind, light, and dark. Omni-affinity…”

“Is a teaching tool the old masters used to teach your kinds. It was not meant to be a pinnacle, but a stepping stone.” Xyreko holds her hand out, palm up. “Tell me what element this spell is.” She casts a spell, and a seeming liquid appears, crackling a little with electrical energy.

Wenlianna, the only one who doesn’t recoil, studies the spell closely. “Without my testing equipment, it appears to be a combination of earth and water for the liquid, but the electricity is simple lightning magic, which are combinations of light, wind, and fire.”

“Incorrect. While you could emulate this substance with those combinations, this is dimensional magic. It is the same ‘element’ that allows teleportation and mass storage in extradimensional pockets.”

Wenlianna stares at her blankly for a long time. “You… must be friends with Daniel,” murmurs the magic artisan after a moment.

Xyreko chuckles. “There are theories of magic that the feldroks refined far beyond what can be currently taught with modern technology in either the east or the west. Even the dragons struggle to grasp all of what the feldroks had learned. That said, where my old masters were truly adept at magic, my new lord and master is adept at physical science far beyond what even my masters knew.”

“Right?” exclaims Wenlianna excitedly, barely containing her urge to press closer to Xyreko, a kindred spirit, from the tone in the golem’s voice. “And, even this castle alone is far beyond what I could imagine.”

“Can I ask something?” asks Yanidere.

“Of course,” replies the golem prime minister.

“You said omni-affinity is just a stepping stone, but our kingdoms have held it in high regard for centuries.”

“Mm, yes. While I don’t know every disciple my masters ever had, I know that many of the so-called ‘Feldrok Sorcerers’ of the past went on to found kingdoms, noble families, and schools of magic. If you’d like, we can check your mana for your likely ancestors to see if any of them were disciples of the feldroks.”

Wenlianna nearly blurts out ‘yes’ on her own, but she halts herself long enough to look at Aramellianna. The Grand Duchess nods. “If it is not harmful, I do not mind. However, do you not have any disciples from the house of Stalvaltan in your records?”

“I’m afraid not. I would wager that either your ancestral name changed prior to the founding of your house, or was decided upon the founding of your house.”

Yanidere points out, “It could also be that no one in our ancestry studied under the feldroks.”

Aramellianna is quiet for a moment. “True. But, of course, it would be peculiar that our sigil is the feldrok if there’s no relation to them.”

Wenlianna bows respectfully to Xyreko. “Please examine me. As I have omni-affinity, it may be easier to determine which of our ancestors the feldroks knew.”

Xyreko nods. “Please follow me, then.”

Xyreko leads to a room where a magic circle is drawn on the floor, as well as the walls and ceiling. She explains, “The spell circles present here will pass the spell through you and produce a sort of copy of your soul, with which I can compare it to known traits of the past.”

Wenlianna nods, studying the circle for a moment. She crouches to touch one of the symbols on the floor making up a small part of the glyph. “You cast magic with symbols like these?”

“Yes, of course. Not all spells are elemental in nature. Demons have their own subset of magic, as do the dragons. The feldroks believed the divergence came as the races became more and more isolated from each other, seeking ambitious rises to power over mastery of artforms.” Xyreko guides Wenlianna to her position, where Hekate stood to have her own ancestry read to determine that she is related to the feldrok who became the Devourer. She then casts the spell, and an impressive display of magical swirls of glowing energy dance around Wenlianna for a time.

Haldestania squeaks, “Elder Sister, does it hurt?”

Wenlianna shakes her head as she watches the magic circles operate. “No, not at all, dearest Desti. I can feel the magic passing around me, but it doesn’t hurt. If anything, it kinda tickles.”

Haldestania and Bunnrimae giggle together, and Aramellianna asks, “How long does it take, Minister Xyreko?”

“Only a moment longer. I can tell there are some close matches. It seems one of the Stalvaltan ancestors did know the feldroks.”

After another minute or so, the magic dies down, and Xyreko declares, “The analysis is complete.” She creates a hologram of a pair of people, both wearing outfits that seem almost alien to the modern style of dress worn by anyone of any rank. It’s not quite as alien as Daniel's clothes when he arrived, but there are definitely style changes that have taken place, not least of which is the robe-like dress the woman is wearing, with a mantle covering her shoulders and a high collar. The man, likewise, is wearing something similar to a robe, but with a more decorative design and made out of thick, rich-looking materials.

“That’s peculiar,” remarks Xyreko. 

“What is?” asks Wenlianna as she studies her ancestors.

“One moment…”

Xyreko vanishes from the room in a small flash of light. During her absence, the girls study the two people. Yanidere asks, “Mother, do you know either of these people?”

“The man definitely shares traits with your father, including his amber-colored eyes. I believe there may be a painting of him in the great hall. The woman, however, I don’t recognize. She looks to be a demon-kin.”

The light appears once more, but this time, Xyreko is joined by what appears to be the same woman in the hologram, though she seems to have discovered reverse aging. She’s no older than Wenlianna, possibly the same age as Yanidere, and other than a softer expression, everything from her blue and purple tail and jade green horns, to her soft blue hair and eyes matches the image. She also seems to be surprised when she realizes where they are and what she’s looking at. And, unlike the unencumbered woman in the hologram, this young woman appears to be pregnant, as well as carrying an egg that’s almost as big as her torso.

“Do you know this woman?” asks Xyreko, though not directed to anyone in the room.

The newcomer stumbles forward, murmuring softly, “This… She’s… My half-sister…”

“Half sister?” asks Xyreko.

The young woman nods, looking at the women around them. “I see… We share a common relative.” She faces Wenlianna, dipping her head since she’s carrying the egg and her belly is larger than normal. “I am Reignleif. I didn’t know my sister’s mother, but she always spoke very highly of her.”

Wenlianna approaches Reignleif, asking Xyreko, “Lady Xyreko, what can you tell us about them?”

“They were disciples of the feldroks in the true ways of magic. What you might call ‘Feldrok Sorcerers’. It is true, Lady Gyualenestreom was a half-human, half-dragon. Lord Smerniegal later married Gyualenestreom’s daughter, and he was Gyualenestreom’s junior in their magic training. Sadly,...”

“She passed away,” murmurs Reignleif. “Murdered…”

Xyreko looks at Reignleif, and then looks away. The young dragon woman takes notice, and her eyes water a little. “You don’t have to say it, Xyreko. She was killed during the coup, wasn’t she?”

Xyreko remains silent, but she nods.

Reignleif faces the image of Gyualenestreom for a moment. Her voice becomes even softer and almost inaudible. “I always knew the red dragons and their cohorts hated non-dragons… I just… I always believed… She was killed by the… the…”

“Feldroks,” murmurs Xyreko.

Reignleif nods quietly.

“Gyualenestreom’s children and Smerniegal survived, and they headed deep into the eastern territories. I could wager guesses as to the origin of the name Stalvaltan; ‘Stalvaph’ is the root of the feldrok word ‘Stalvaphorlegriat’, which loosely means ‘student of the soul’, and ‘altanar’ means either ‘memory’ or ‘legacy’ in the context of family and wisdom. That would be my strongest guess to the meaning of your family name.” She looks at Reignleif next, adding, “‘Streom’, as the suffix to you and your sister’s true names is draconic for ‘soul’ as well, so it’s possible Lord Smerniegal honored his senior. After all, he was a simple coachman when he found his way into the tutelage of the feldroks.”

Wenlianna and Reignleif share a glance. Yormolett approaches the dragon woman, asking softly, “Lady Reignleif? Is… Is it alright if we call you Great Aunt Reignleif?”

Reignleif blushes, hiding her cheeks behind her high collar on her mantle. She nods sheepishly. “I… I was almost certainly going to outlive Sister, since she was half-human. But,... I’m glad her family is still doing well.”

Yanidere remarks softly, “You… look just like her, or her hologram at least.”

Reignleif nods gently. “I’m not sure how it works entirely, but my human form wasn’t chosen by me. I only know that it has something to do with the spell-caster’s soul. The outfit I chose from memories of Sister, since I was nervous about being nude in front of Mu-um… Daniel when we met.”

The sisters all chuckle together. “I understand,” replies Wenlianna warmly.

“Wait!” cries out Bunnrimae. “Doesn’t that mean…” She looks at Aramellianna. “We have… a dragon ancestor?”

The sisters look at Bunnrimae, and then Aramellianna. Finally, they all look at Reignleif, who blushes. “F-Father… was a dragon.”

They stare at her, and suddenly Wenlianna makes a realization. “Wait… Are you…?”

Reignleif cocks her head. Her eyes widen as she makes the realization, and she nods with rosy cheeks. “Y-Yes. I’m… I’m a Greater Dragon or… um… ‘True Dragon’, depending on who you ask.”

They continue to stare at her, and Xyreko asks, “Did I not tell you? Daniel is allied with the dragons now. Lady Reignleif is one of the three Dragon Empresses.”

This time, they look at Xyreko briefly, and then back at Reignleif. Reignleif sheepishly states, “Um… I mostly just read all day. To call me an empress is a little unfair…”

“I know your pain.” The voice that just spoke is male this time, and everyone turns to look. Wenlianna’s breath hitches as she gasps quietly inwards.

Standing as tall as ever is a human that would presumably never belong in a castle that was home to the epitomes of magic; the feldroks, nor would one assume he is the lord of dragons.

Of course, he also wouldn’t appear to be a warrior, nor a magic artificer. 

“D-Daniel?” asks Bunnrimae innocently.

Daniel smiles, greeting them one by one. “Hello, Bunnrimae. Haldestania, Yormolett, Yanidere, your Grace, my Lady Wenlianna.”

Wenlianna stumbles forward, her hands gripping at Daniel’s armor, which bears the same look he had when they last saw each other. Even though it’s armor, he has the dark red color and the emblem of the Stalvaltan Grand Duchy, though he also has another emblem that is somewhat reminiscent of a feldrok, but looks like a little girl with big, triangular ears like a feldrok’s horns, and the broad black spiky tail.

It’s then that Wenlianna notices the girl standing next to Daniel, glaring up at Wenlianna with her arms crossed. 

But, she focuses on Daniel first. “D-Daniel? Is… Is this a dream?”

The little girl answers first. “It’s going to be your nightmare if you try to hurt him.”

Wenlianna looks at the girl, who has giant triangular ears like a fox and a big black bushy tail. She points at Wenlianna’s face, saying with a spicy tone, “You’re extremely pretty, aren’t you?”

“E-Excuse me?”

“Ignore her,” replies Daniel. “This is Hekate, I see you’ve met Reignleif. Please meet Lady Ryuogriar as well.”

Ryuogriar, standing a little behind them, smiles warmly. “I am Ryuogriar, first Dragon Empress.”

Daniel sighs. “You know, there’s supposed to be a process for formal titles and the like. Anyway, Hekate, Ryuogriar; please meet her Grace, Grand Duchess Aramellianna, and her daughters in order of seniority; Duchesses Wenlianna, Yanidere, Yormolett, and Ladies Bunnrimae and Haldestania.”

All five daughters curtsy meekly, and Aramellianna studies them for a moment, before curtsying as well. “Your Imperial Majesty Hekate, it is an honor to meet you.”

Hekate waves her hand dismissively, “Please. You don’t think I’m an empress. I can tell by the number of soldiers you sent.”

The Stalvaltan women flinch. Hekate bursts into laughter. “I’m kidding. We won, so no hard feelings.” She puts her hands on her hips. “So, what brings a Grand Duchess of the kingdom of Mornistae in the eastern Imperial Alliance all the way out here? Assassination? Kidnapping? Kidnassination?”

This time, everyone, including Daniel and Ryuogriar look at her, confused.

She glances at Daniel, becoming self-conscious. “What? It’s a word. Shut up. I made it up. It’s a word now. Shut up.”

Daniel chuckles and pets her head. “Kidnassination aside…”

“It’s a word now! Accept it!”

“It’s dangerous for any of you to have come here, let alone all of you, your Grace.”

Aramellianna is baffled by the display before her, but she regains her composure. “Thank you for your concern, your Majesty. But, we learned of my mistakes and came to rectify them. Additionally, my eldest daughter has personal business with you.”

Daniel looks at both of them briefly, and Aramellianna bows. “Your Majesty, I am extremely sorry for not understanding and for attacking your home and companions. I am prepared to atone, but I ask that you spare my daughters your wrath.”

Daniel, finally sure of what she’s saying, replies quickly, “Your Grace, please, none of that’s necessary. I’m still just Daniel. And, as you said. There was a misunderstanding, and we won. No one was seriously harmed.”

“You are gracious and kind.” She smiles, relaxing a little. “I’m happy you’re still alive, Daniel.”

He smiles and nods. He then looks at Wenlianna, who wipes tears off of her cheeks. “M-Me too, Daniel. I’m happy to see you again. S-So… Um… Wh-What…? Have you been working on anything?”

“A few things.”

Ryuogriar stifles a laugh, and Reignleif smiles, swaying a little with her egg. 

Wenlianna quickly says, “Daniel, y-your phone… I…”

“Sorry. That was me. I needed it for a specific mission.”

“I-I see. But, no,.... I… I need to apologize. I heard… I designed… The airship…”

Reignleif flinches a little, and Hekate crosses her arms. Daniel thinks for a moment, and he replies. “Wenlianna, I destroyed it because it knocked Reignleif out of the sky, and I panicked. I’m sorry you felt you had to go to such lengths for me, but I care very much about everyone here.”

She turns pale, looking at Reignleif. “G-... Aunt Reignleif…, E-Empress… I…”

Reignleif’s expression softens as she replies gently, “I’m alright… I was afraid, but it was admittedly an impressive vessel. I… also helped destroy your work. It was self-defense.”

Wenlianna drops to her knees, saying quickly, “You have nothing to apologize for! I have dishonored you, and our great grandmother.”

Hekate whispers to Daniel, “What’s she mean?”

Xyreko answers softly, “Reignleif is half-sister to Lady Wenlianna’s ancestor.”

“Ah… makes sense.” Hekate twists her face after saying that, trying to wrap her head around it fully, but she doesn’t want to look uninformed.

Reignleif looks to Daniel for a moment, and he makes an extremely subtle gesture with his hands. She blushes and nods, sinking low to a kneel so she can set her egg down, keeping it steady with her tail. She then hugs Wenlianna. Wenlianna freezes, and Reignleif murmurs, “We had no idea of each other, Wenlianna. If you had known the truth, I am certain you wouldn’t have intended any of us harm.”

Wenlianna nods, hugging Reignleif as well.

Daniel faces Aramellianna with a smile. “Grand Duchess, you and your family are welcome here any time and for as long as you want. We’ll also send an escort to ensure you make it home safely.”

She smiles and nods gratefully. “Thank you, Daniel. We’ll gratefully accept your offer.” She then looks to Wenlianna, who is still sitting in Reignleif’s embrace.

“There is one small item of business I do have with you, Daniel. I have a daughter who remains unwed, and she is extremely picky with her suitors.”

“M-Mother!” exclaims Wenlianna.

“Hush, Wenlie. This is my duty as Grand Duchess.” She straightens and faces Daniel proudly. “Daniel, I know not your current marital status…”

Hekate’s ears perk up, and her tail puffs up to its full volume. “Wait a minute…”

“Regardless, as Emperor, if you would do the Grand Duchy of Stalvaltan the honor of taking our eldest daughter as one of your wives, you will have the allegiance of the Stalvaltan household until time comes to an end.”

Wenlianna squeaks, turning bright shades of color.

Ryuogriar teases warmly, “Very bold of you, Grand Duchess, when three of his wives are currently present.”

Aramellianna sizes up the others in the room. Hekate has now placed herself between the Grand Duchess and Daniel, though her diminutive size -deceptively enlarged by her ears and tail- does little to make her a noteworthy presence. Still, she adds in agreement with the platinum dragon, “Yeah! You should be asking me for permission first and foremost.”

Aramellianna studies the young feldrok girl for a moment. She smiles. “Empress Hekate. I humbly make the same request of you. I understand the complex nature of Daniel’s position, and I’d like my daughter to have someone she cares about and respects.” She looks at Wenlianna, adding to Daniel, “Since I doubt I can convince you to return to the Grand Duchy and become Grand Duke.”

Daniel chuckles softly. “I don’t even want to be an Emperor. Everyone just keeps calling me that.”

“What kind of man doesn’t want power?” asks Yormolett.

“The kind who, at the end of the day, wants to relax and read a good book, not trace troop movements and sign laws.”

“But, what about royal banquets and ballrooms?” asks Bunnrimae innocently.

“And, the imperial fair!” squeaks Haldestania excitedly. Bunnrimae gasps and nods vigorously in agreement.

Daniel chuckles, and Ryuogriar approaches Bunnrimae, lowering herself in a crouch to closer to Bunnrimae’s level. “Sweet child, that is the trade-off Daniel has made. His time is consumed with the most important thing in the world; taking care of those he loves, since he has so many of us to love.”

Hekate cackles warmly in agreement. “Yesss. I couldn’t agree more.” Hekate proudly faces Aramellianna, replying, “Daniel has lots of people to care about, and we care about him as well. As long as Lady Wenlianna can accept that I am the first and most important wife, I will accept her as one of Daniel’s mistresses.”

“How do I never get a say in these things?” asks Daniel.

“Do you object?” asks Hekate haughtily.

“I thought you did!”

“Pssh! Daniel, you naive soul, you. That was just me establishing dominance with Ryuogriar. Dastardly temptress.”

Ryuogriar chuckles and rolls her eyes. “Shall I attempt to seduce you, your Greatness?” asks Ryuogriar facetiously, and Hekate gasps. She instantly clings to Daniel, saying, “No! Daniel is all I need!”

Finally, Daniel addresses Wenlianna and Aramellianna. “We’re not allies of the Zenkon Empire, nor Mornistae. We’d like to remain friendly, but neutral, if we can. That said, it would be risky for you to openly ally yourselves with us. We’re still not sure how the major alliances feel about us.” 

Aramellianna ponders this point for a long time. She pondered the very same thing on the trip to the Citadel, having learned that Daniel is now an important figure on the political stage more than just a creator -or replicator- of otherworldly technology.

She finally sighs. “I see. Well, that sounds like little more than a small hurdle. After all, my daughter’s happiness is on the line.” She cups Wenlianna’s cheek, now that she and Reignleif are standing again.

“Mother…”

“Speak, Wenlianna. If I can make it possible, would you become one of several to the man you…”

“You don’t have to put her on the spot, please, your Grace,” interrupts Daniel gently. “Wenlianna was very clear what our relationship was when I was in the Grand Duchy. And, to my understanding, she’s got more time than a typical woman to find a suitable husband. If you just want an alliance with us, then we can establish communication routes and work out an agreement.”

Reignleif and Ryuogriar both sigh as Hekate puts a palm on her face.

“What?” asks Daniel as he looks at them.

Reignleif replies a little sarcastically, “Daniel… Feelings change.”

“Hmm?”

Wenlianna perks up to say something, but Xyreko cuts in, “Apologies everyone. Daniel; Geirahoel is calling for you. It’s urgent.”

Daniel nods once. “Excuse me, everyone. Xyreko, please help them feel at home.”

Daniel jogs out, followed by Hekate as she whines, “Daniel! Wait up! I’ll go, too!”

Wenlianna is left speechless for a moment, and Reignleif says softly, “Do you wish to be together with us?”

The magic artisan blushes, glancing around. “I… I… This… There’s so much… It’s been… I…”

“I will find out what his thoughts would be more directly,” states Ryuogriar confidently. “Do not fret, child, your Grace. I believe Daniel’s heart is big enough for one more.” She smiles, which only flusters Wenlianna even more. The dragon then faces Aramellianna. “Are you certain that you would send your daughter off to this far off land? Even if the obstacles can be removed, we are far away from your homeland.”

Aramellianna smiles as she looks at Wenlianna. “If the person she desires is a reputable person whom I can trust, then I care not where he resides. And, Daniel has more than earned her hand in marriage in my eyes, even if the privilege is to be hers in this case.”

Ryuogriar nods. “Then, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go begin my work on Daniel. I believe, if left unattended, Geirahoel may do something drastic.” Ryuogriar bows her head politely, before leaving the room as well.

***