We still had a couple of days left before we'd head out with the old man. Where I didn't know, but it didn't matter either. I was content as long as we got my... issues sorted out. Hopefully.

But in the meantime? I needed something to do. All the deprecating self-reflection was starting to tire me out. It was funny, actually. Back in my old life, before everything had gone to shit, there was hardly a time I'd been as idle as now. I was always trying to get ahead. It was like breathing to me. The rush of pulling off a good hustle was enough to keep me going for years. Then when I landed in this place, all that energy, all that drive? Gone. It was like my soul hit a brick wall, and suddenly, I didn’t care about much of anything. As if I was back in prison, for real.

The arcane, though - that sparked something in me. Learning about it, figuring it out, trying to understand how the world worked... It gave me a reason to keep going. But now? Now I’d been stuck in this rut for ages. My abilities were basically nonexistent, and all I’d done so far was keep Rheka’s spells fueled. It seemed like the only magic I was good at was talking my way out of trouble.

It got me thinking... I hadn’t really tested myself since I got here. Ever since I got my voice back, I’d been hoping for more. Something big. I hadn't felt like it, not at first. Maybe it was that whole "new life, new me" idea. But now? I was curious. Did I still have the knack for it?

Not that I’d ever try to pull one over on my own folks. Even if some of my peers would have considered stooping that low. Not me. No way. For once I'd found people that made me feel at least somewhat appreciated. Also I wasn’t about to bite the hand that fed me.

But Hern’s soldiers? They weren’t family. They were just standing around, bored, waiting for something to happen. Surely they wouldn’t mind a little... entertainment.

They'd been with us for a whole two days by now. Even put up a couple of tents outside and no one had said a thing about getting rid of them. From what I understood they'd only leave once Urs had recovered. Whatever that entailed. Urs was a monster of a man. Surely it was nothing more than a scratch to him. I could tell he wasn't all too thrilled about their presence. So, I figured it was up to me to make the problem disappear. A gentle nudge in the right direction, so to speak.

I stretched my wings and slithered outside, keeping my head low and tail swishing behind me. A few of the soldiers were posted near the edge of the garden's fenced wall. Same stiff stances, same stone faces. These guys were like statues. Their silver armor blinded me for a brief moment. Hern clearly trained them well, but they didn’t seem the type to question things too deeply. Fantastic.

I trotted up, making sure to stay low and casual. “Good day, gentlemen!” I said in my best ‘friendly little dragon’ voice.

One of the soldiers gave me a side-eye. "What do you want?" he asked with a harsh voice.

This was going to be fun.

"Oh, nothing much." I said, keeping my tone casual and friendly. "I was just thinking - you've been standing here for a while. Must be getting bored, huh?"

The other soldier frowned, his hand resting on the hilt of his golden-silver sword. "We're on duty. Not here to chit-chat with pets."

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Ouch. Okay, I expected some pushback, but "pet"? Really?

I fluttered my small wings, forcing a grin. "Well, I'm no mere pet, but sure, I get it. You’re doing your job, keeping the place safe. And believe me, we all appreciate it." I circled them slowly, acting like I was just stretching my forelimbs. You know, like the cats do. "Thing is, Urs - he’s recovering pretty well. Doesn’t need all this protection anymore. In fact, if I know him, he’s probably ready to get back to normal without people watching over him."

The first soldier looked down at me, his frown growing deeper. "And why should we believe a talking lizard? What makes you think you know what the commander needs?"

The commander? That's new. Interesting.

I bit back a sigh. Right, this was going to be a little trickier.

"Trust me." I said, keeping my voice light. "If Urs wanted you gone, he wouldn’t say it directly. You know how the commander is. Proud guy, doesn’t want to appear weak, especially in front of soldiers."

The second soldier crossed his arms, clearly not convinced. "That still doesn’t mean we take orders from you."

I chuckled, trying to play it off. "Of course not. I wouldn’t dream of giving you orders. But let’s think this through. Hern’s your commander, right? And he left you with the job of protecting Urs until he recovered."

The soldiers exchanged a look, but neither of them spoke.

"Well." I continued. "Urs is practically back on his feet. And with everything calm down here, the King’s probably going to want you guys back in the capital sooner rather than later. You know, where the real action is."

The first soldier narrowed his eyes, but I could tell he was at least considering it. "The real action?"

"Sure." I said, nodding. "You’re Hern’s men, right? Elite soldiers. You think the King can afford to have you standing around here forever? There’s a lot happening back in the capital I'm sure. They need soldiers like you there. And Urs? He’s a tough guy. He’s already feeling better."

The second soldier sighed, scratching his chin. "Even if what you’re saying is true, we were ordered to stay until he was fully recovered."

"Exactly!" I said, pouncing on the opportunity. "And he’s almost there. Another day or two, and he’ll be back to normal. Plus, I’m sure Hern wouldn’t want you stuck out here twiddling your thumbs while things are heating up in the capital."

The first soldier didn’t look entirely convinced. "We can’t just leave on the word of a lizard."

Ah, there it was. The crux of their skepticism.

I stretched my head up as far as I could, lowering my voice at the same time. "Look, I get it. You don’t trust me. But here’s the thing - Urs won’t admit it, but he doesn’t need you here anymore. And if you head back to the capital now, I’ll make sure he sends word to the King himself. You’ll be off the hook, and back where you’re needed."

The soldiers exchanged another look, clearly weighing their options.

"And think about it." I added, giving them a grin. "If you leave tomorrow, you’ll probably beat the others to it. Get back to the capital while things are still under control. Trust me, you don’t want to be the last ones back, do you? Hern’s probably waiting for you."

The second soldier finally broke, shaking his head with a chuckle. "You’re a sly one, aren’t you?"

I grinned, fluttering my wings again. "Just trying to help out. You know how things are."

The first soldier sighed, looking down at me with a grudging nod. "Alright, fine. We’ll leave tomorrow. But if Urs isn’t as recovered as you say, it’s on your head, lizard."

I dipped my head. "Fair enough. I’ll let him know you’re heading out."

As I watched the soldiers walk off to gather their belongings, I couldn’t help but feel that old familiar thrill. Sure, they were skeptical, but I’d managed to turn the situation around. It wasn’t the most elaborate scheme, but it didn’t need to be.

I flicked my tail and trotted back toward the house, satisfied. I still had it.

And honestly? After everything that had happened, I was curious if I could still pull this kind of thing off. Turns out, I hadn’t lost my touch.

But now, it wasn’t just for fun. I wasn’t in it for the same reasons as before. This was about keeping things calm. Keeping us safe. More than anything...

...it was about survival.