Aelinore

“We shouldn’t have to worry.” Snapdragon whispers, not to hide what she is saying so much as comfort. “Everyone has their parts to play.”

“And I have the heaviest.” Theriya says with a sigh.

“You said it yourself.” Snapdragon chides. “It’s not about us. It never could be. But there’s room to do right by those who do not factor into the ends and means, to distract from more than who they hope to kill. You will play your part, being beautiful decorations to serve as a distraction while the rest of us save who we can.”

“You’re too... Optimistic.” Theriya says that, but even I can tell she’s hanging on Snapdragon’s every word.

“I’m hopeful, but not unwilling to cut our losses. We’re in agreement about that much.” Snapdragon draws Theriya into a hug from behind as I make this moment my opportunity to enter. “You’ve convinced us to share this burden. And I know you’ve taken it upon yourself to be present for the riskiest parts.”

“If it’s any consolation, I think it is a good plan.” I announce myself with praise. “One I am only now coming to appreciate has Amari’s perceptions and insights taken into account.” My advisor has given Theriya a good accounting of what we’re all capable of. Almost alarmingly so. But then again, she has been serving Vylia’s court for far longer than Astraea has been in my service.

Theriya looks up at me from behind two piles of books arranged among a familiar arrangement of tokens. “My mother sourced me some options on if Lady Midnight intervenes. But everything else is so very neatly accounted for by that fox of ours. If I didn’t know any better, I would think she’s been wanting to hurt both our families for a very long time.” In spite of everything, the smile she gives me is a relaxed one.

Although that might be Snapdragon’s handiwork.

“While I wouldn’t put it past her, I think Amari is right in making it her priority to warn us of the most dangerous threats. We share this awful notion that prioritizing the care of others should take precedent.” I think back to the moment she thought Astraea would kill her for her betrayal. Amari spent that time passing me a note that I’ve left Theriya to puzzle over. Only for me to now recognize a second one sits alongside it atop Theriya’s desk. I really hope Amari’s sisters make it out, if they aren’t free already. “Especially if we alone are capable of easing the burdens of many.”

I certainly hope her gift to Theriya is more than mere cryptic advice.

The time I’ve spent resting has been time Theriya has spent preparing. My filled gemstones, Amari’s bone tooth charm, and the pouch of blighted stones all await Theriya rendering an assessment on how best they can be used in the evening to come.

“Don’t remind me.” Theriya’s smile fades. “We’re stretching ourselves thin, here.”

Snapdragon seats herself atop the desk to add her own reassurances. “Only because Aelinore has gotten their mother to admit that they are going to be doing the heavy lifting. All that’s left for us to do is decide what is worth changing, and who we’ll attempt to rescue from the chaos when all this comes crashing down around us.”

“It’s refreshing to know that the hard part is already behind me.” I admit. “All I’ve got to do is make myself presentable and draw the attention to these Primeval Seers while the rest of you skulk about in the grove’s depths.”

Theriya looks down at the book I left in her care, my black leather journal. Her expression finally finishes resolving into a frown. “Depths, Aelinore. You say that like you haven’t already endured enough.”

“It’s all behind me.” I assure her. “But know that I’m ready and willing to step up where I’m needed. All of me is.”

“Of course.” My Seer says blankly.

The two of us hold each other’s gaze as I close the distance enough to seat myself across from her.

The both of us are dressed now for our binding ceremony. Her in rich voluminous black layers of sheer robes overlaid atop a full skirt adorned with celestial patterns and I in an amended red dress.

I reach out to gently cup her free hands in my own. “It’s going to be okay. Whatever you’re about to subject me to, it will be in pursuit of something I crave.”

“You two are adorable.” Snapdragon announces dreamily, before launching into a prepared salvo of affection. “A passing skim through your journal has her also referring to your depths as a curse. I may not be the most reliable judge of Theriya’s character, but even I think she is starting to grow protective over you.”

Theriya gives Snapdragon a dark look.

Snapdragon’s words become a chastisement. “Don’t give me that. It’s good to see you caring about someone new again. Amari too.” She turns to me with a curious look. “And you. Aelinore, can’t possibly understand what it means to Theriya to trust shaping your body to someone who has come to loathe how efficient hers is at bringing her nothing but misery. It will be good to see her indulging in a craft that helps far more than it hurts.”

Theriya and I begin to adjust ourselves in our seats at the same time, stealing simultaneous glances at each other before deciding to look at literally anything else.

Snapdragon presses her hand down atop a joined pair between the two of us. “I’d call the both of you walking disasters if I didn’t think you weren’t both well on track to securing a lasting calm in each other.”

“Don’t you think you’re laying it on a bit thick?” Theriya’s own response is endearingly measured.

Snapdragon shakes her head. “Drink this moment in. You two have been through so much to get here. It’s worth just enjoying these moments together. If it gets messy, celebrate the mess.”

I feel like I should say something.

But what can I say in the face of us all trying to make the most of one family attempting to slaughter the other? There’s no way this doesn’t turn out to be its own kind of mess.

I find myself squeezing her hands.

“Theriya, I know this has all been so sudden. And despite your initial impulse to protect yourself and your sister, Cerya has grown attached to me.”

She meets my gaze, holding it this time as her frown fades. “For what it is worth, I do regret that.”

“I know. And I don’t hold it against you. There is no length that my component selves would not go to protect the ever dwindling number of siblings who hatched alongside us.”

She squeezes back.

I clear my throat, trying to find strength to say the words aloud. “The stones you crafted for me to wield resonate with my losses and scars all too well. It feels like the least I could do to wield them only when I thought Snapdragon or Cerya in danger.”

Theriya’s threadbare smile matches my own as she shakes her head. “As much as I appreciate what you’re trying to say, please do not expend yourself on our behalf. If things get desperate, I have wicked things carved in my darkest of moods that I can wield.” She gives Snapdragon a very pointed look. “I’d rather we trade any and every emotion available to us than risk losing anyone we hold dear. Understood?”

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Snapdragon holds up her hands in surrender. “Oh good. You just saved me the second half of my speech. If Cerya asks, please convince her that I was never worried. Just tell her I thought the two of you looked stunning.”

The two of us turn to admire Snapdragon in what I would describe as a two toned Vylian duelist’s garb. A tailed coat, double belts, and an onyx gripped rapier support a ruby red blade. The only Lunarian touch is found in crescent moon shaped pins and buttons. It is a shape I can’t help but note features prominently in Cerya’s own dress.

“You’re uh, looking quite star struck yourself. Shouldn’t be hard to sell.” My reply is nowhere near smooth as I imagined it in my head.

Snapdragon’s laugh is a balm to my nervous heart. “We’re all missing just one last touch.” She produces a small box that fits in the palm of her hand, opening it up to reveal eight of my more painfully shed scales – freshly cleaned of blood.

A closer examination reveals that they are rather hastily bound to a bunch of pins intended to serve as gemstone implements worked into clothing.

Theriya offers an explanation. “The gems would be too small to be of any use against Primeval Seers or Vylian Royalty. My sister dearest thought it best we repurpose them as token reminders of who we’re fighting for.”

Snapdragon leans forward. “Since you’re supposed to be acting only in an official capacity, we thought you could do the honors throughout the afternoon.”

“The history exchanging jewlery with your loved ones really is quite romantic.” Theriya supplies.

Snapdragon’s eyebrow twitches. “Not if we burn that history.”

“Hey.” I interrupt, claiming the box of scaled pins. “If Cerya were here, she’d say that stops here.” I fetch out a pair of them, reaching out to the breast of Snapdragon’s coat first. “These wretched roles picked for us?” I pin the next scale to where Theriya’s robe terminates at the neckline. “The expectations that we embody anything other than what we ourselves want to be? I mean it. Here and now, we start building something better.” Our circumstances demand a little more than my words.

Snapdragon chooses that time to rise and fetch some tools while Theriya prepares herself for the first step in her plan.

I trust her, no matter what she warns me to expect in controlling my body's changes.

It is why I entrusted her with my journal. And with it, the depths of my despair.

Theriya circles around the topic at hand. “I know I offered you this. But now that we both know how much it might hurt you, can I be sure that you’re still willing to go through with it?”

She means now, instead of waiting until those of us who survive are free from this place. And in doing so has correctly deduced that we are the two most likely to survive any faults in her plan.

“No. You don’t get to question this.” I say simply. “That journal contains the words of a dead prince. It doesn’t capture half of what I am now." Whether I’m ready or not is irrelevant. "All that matters is that you have offered and I would very much like to take this as far as we can.”

If I must present myself as a prized specimen with an immense capacity for violence, it need not be as anything recognizable that our countries delight in shaping at a whim.

Better a scaled beast that than be recognized as just another wretched Vylian Prince.

Or even a Princess, really.

If I'm to forever be a monster in the eyes of the rest of the world, I would much prefer to be one shaped by the hands of a lover.

Or two or three.

Forget the change brought about by tools or stones.

It is the love, support, and acceptance I have been offered that now guides my steps.

***

Theriya makes it all the way to the hilt before I feel myself become we.

Pain spirals throughout our being as we confront the pain that accompanies inhabiting the same body.

Our blood spirals out from our chest to embrace the garnet implement last used to put a kindred drake out of its misery.

It.

A word we’ve intended to reserve only for our wretch.

But there are yet depths to our being just waiting to be explored and accepted, aren’t there?

At Theriya’s instruction, we reach for a token object dense with emotional resonance.

A well worn journal separates our past from the present we’ve urged Theriya to embed into our chest.

The Drake’s dying cry erupts from our throat as a rush of memory and pain overwhelm our senses.

Pain. Remorse. Pity.

The last one causes our eyes to widen.

Am we really so pitiable?

All of the worst pages from our journal come immediately to mind.

Sudden and violent loss.

Feeling like a stranger in our own body.

The precise moment we decided this body is no longer our own.

How had we justified it? Living how Lenore saw in us ought to smother whatever it is we cannot stand.

Snapdragon massages at the knots in our back, finding spots she missed earlier before drawing me close. "Hey. We're here. You're doing great. You’ve just gotta push through it, okay? Focus on what you want out of this."

She draws us to that moment of claiming our body as our own before we lose ourselves in a spiral.

We’re committed to seeing this effort through to the end.

If there is something from this Drake’s memories to be gained, we intend to claim it.

Our chest burns as our body heals the wound, binding the bloody red garnet now set into our sternum.

The gemstone is a part of us now.

It drinks as deep of us as we do it, prompting a cycle of exchanges.

We remember dying.

Not once, but twice.

You too?

So young.

We shove our own pity back into the gemstone with all the force of reminding the garnet that we were the ones to put the drake out of its misery.

And in return, the garnet infects us with more of the drake's perceptions. Of meddlesome quills, a persistent insect with a sharp sting, and a fiercely determined young drake whelp fighting to protect a most curious nest.

The quills are an easy comparison to the Lunarian bolt throwers. Astraea and her spear being compared to a persistent insect sits in our mind as an uncomfortable comparison.

But it’s that last one that brings us to tears.

We’ve been so strong.

Pushing through pain and heartfelt emotions.

It can't have seen us like that.

We're just... Staring into our reflection contained within a hand mirror and applying what we want to see in our memories.

One acknowledgment is easy to brush aside.

But the presence of memory and drake’s blood cycling between the garnet and our body doesn’t stop there. A presence churns through our memories, categorizing far too many people in our lives as mates and potential mates.

We shift uncomfortably as we try to push back against the thought. Not out of any disagreement so much as attempting to deny the stone any right to weigh in on relationships it is not party to.

Theriya searches our expression, having set down the broken implement aside after breaking off the gemstone into our chest. "How are you feeling?"

Our lungs swell with an intake of breath. Scales click and clatter against each other as we flex our changing extremities. "It feels…” Our jaw and lungs produce a far different voice than we are used to hearing. “Right to willingly claim a change to our body for once."

Snapdragon's embrace tightens around us. "That's good to hear."

Theriya expresses herself with a delightful laugh. "I was not opposed to hurting you as much as you needed me to. But even I must admit that it is good to see your body taking this as well as it does on the first try."

Our talons gouge into the wood floor beneath us as we rise to our feet. Turning to share in the euphoria of a more guided set of changes, we find yet another change as we meet Snapdragon’s gaze.

We’re shorter now. Not by much, but enough to be noticeable.

“Do a quick spin for me? I need to confirm you haven’t torn your dress.”

“We didn’t bother with a tail or wings.” We confirm, doing what is asked.

“Sorry about the loss of height. I should have mentioned that your body is likely to move things around.” Snapdragon couches her words in a hesitation that we quickly dispel by embracing her.

“Resonant gems are far from an exact science.” Theriya muses. “You’ll need to attend a Vylian academy for that kind of precision.”

“We're okay.” We assure them, reaching for the implements and bag of blighted stones to be used as tools instead of fuel for any further transformation. One last glance at the mirror confirms that we’ve gained more than we hoped for.

More tears follow as a warmth builds in our lungs and cheeks.

“Oh Theriya. We cannot thank you enough.”

My Seer shakes her head. “You can thank me by not expending yourselves if you can help it. Anymore resonance and feeding you do from here on out are going to dilute it. Especially if you don’t give it a day for the changes to settle.”

“We’ll promise no such thing.” We say, our maw of a smile spreading wide with an easy self assurance. “What you’ve given us is precious.” A much desired change and act of rebellion both. “Know this, beloved bound of ours. There is no length we would not go to in preserving you and yours.”

Theriya lets out an exhausted sigh as she begins to clean the bloody tools intended to keep our wound from healing long enough to set the garnet in place. “So long as you know that you are included in being mine, I can agree to that.”