Winter 4994, 36 Shinmoth

This wasn't an interview with just his Temple command as he'd expected. Shon stood at attention in the council room at the top of the central tower in the palace of Daanlin. All around him were expansive windows that looked out over the capital city of Deim, and before him sat the entire senior council.

Directly across from him at the oval table sat King Connar himself. To either side were his brother, the Crown Prince and Master Archmage of the Mages Guild, and the General of the Army of Saint Giorgos. To either side of them were the Generals of the Armies' of Hengist and Horsa, and to either side of them were the Master Archdruid of the Grove of Cathbad and the Archbishop of the Church of Soleil. At a small desk by the door sat a Cleric of Saint Giorgos -acting as a secretary for the interview. Standing behind and to the right of the King was a Paladin of Saint Giorgos. Sir Tristan, the leader of the team they were forming to hunt the Warlocks and their experiments. A team they wanted Shon to be a part of.

"You know why you're here, Staff Sergeant." The King began, "We want you to serve on this team as the representative of the Temple of Hengist. We took the time you provided..." The King cleared his throat. Shon had waited until the last minute, new years eve, to report after his leave had been revoked and other request denied. The King continued, "... to review your files. You have served the Temple and Hengist faithfully and honorably for all your adult life. Your service has been exemplary. Beyond even that, you are one of very few who possess direct experience in dealing with these Warlocks and the threat they pose to the people of Daanlin." There were nods all around the table, with the notable exception of Master Archmage Corwin, who frowned. The secretary's quill scratched in the corner, logging every word.

"We would know your thoughts on this team and its endeavor, Staff Sergeant. Are you willing to join and do all in your power to protect the people of our fair kingdom?" King Connar finished.

The Hengist General closed his eyes, mouthing a prayer behind laced fingers. Shon took a long deep breath before answering, "Sire. I believe this team is not only a good but necessary thing. These Warlocks have sold their sanities with their souls and need to be stopped before they can do more harm. I would be honored to join and will do my best to support the effort even if I should be found unworthy to do so."

In truth, he needed to join this team. To find answers and stop the Warlock experiments within the constraints of the laws of the kingdom. But Shon had a price...

"And why might we find you unworthy, Staff Sergeant?" The King asked, steepling his fingers together. He already knew the answer, and Ryuuko whistled from Shon's shoulder before he could silence the pseudodragon. They would've gotten the report of what Shon was and wasn't willing to do from the night before.

But they wanted to hear it directly from him, and record it in the minutes of this interview. Shon could read the actual questions written between the lines. Would he really turn down an assignment from the Temple of Hengist, to which he'd sworn his life? Or from the King himself? Would he go so far as to risk treason?

Shon met the King's eyes. Yes, "I will not participate in any effort to bring Lily into custody."

The Archdruid asked, "Lily?" and the Master Archmage answered,

"The fire Sorcerer the Warlocks have dubbed 'the Firewyrm.' She and those like her are to be brought to the Mages Guild for their own, and others, safety. Until we know more about what they are." He narrowed noble gray eyes at Shon, his gaze flicking to Shon's sword pommel -swirling white and sky blue over his left shoulder- and back again. "You are a Sorcerer and feel sympathy for her, I understand-" He didn't, not at all. Ryuuko tried to chitter, but Shon shushed it with all his mental will, "-but surely as a warrior of Hengist you must know the threat these Wyrms pose?"

Shon moved his intense ice-blue gaze to the Prince, whose eye twitched, "Lily earned her Sorcerer's clearance and wants to find the same answers we seek. She is no danger to the people of Daanlin and would gladly assist if you allow it."

The Master Archmage smirked, "So she should have no problem turning herself in to the Mages Guild-"

Shon shook his head, "She was held captive by these Warlocks and values her freedom above her life. I will not ask that she surrender it, nor will I assist in the kingdom's efforts to bring her in against her will."

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

The General of Hengist cleared his throat, "We understand that she is... close to you, Staff Sergeant-" Shon's eyes locked on the General, whose words froze in his throat. Lily was more than 'close.' She was his love, his life, and Shon's reason for continuing to exist after his god had refused him. But the Temple of Hengist had denied his request to marry her.

The King interrupted Shon's silent glare, "You would fight against the kingdom over this woman?"

Shon closed his eyes. Yes... Except that Lily herself had asked him not to. Because she knew that was the last thing he wanted -to break his oath to Hengist and the kingdom. She knew it would tear him apart inside to be forced to choose between his love of her and his devotion to his ideals and the god who represented them. And unlike these people, she wanted to save him from that. It was just one more reason why he loved her. Opening his eyes again, Shon answered, "No, your majesty. I will merely not involve myself in those efforts. Lily is quite capable of taking care of herself."

Sir Tristan coughed into his fist, and the King waved a hand without looking away from Shon. Sir Tristan asked, "This is the price of your assistance then, Staff Sergeant? You will hunt the Warlocks and enforce kingdom law, as duty requires, but standby when we attempt to take the firewoman?" Shon gave one sharp nod.

The King turned in his seat to look at his knight, who returned Shon's nod and addressed his liege. "Sire, I believe we can work with this. As you stated before, the Staff Sergeant's record is exemplary, and his experience rare," He returned his eyes to Shon as he finished. "I do not believe we will require his assistance in bringing in the Firewyrm, so long as he does not interfere." -and if he did, then the team would be in the perfect position to bring Shon in as well. Ryuuko chittered angrily at the unspoken implication, and Shon brought up a hand to clap its mouth shut.

King Connar nodded in understanding and took a moment to look around the table. Each of the council members nodded their assent, though the Prince took longer than the others, once again eyeing Shon and his familiar. "Very well." The King concluded, nodding to the General of Hengist.

The General stood to address Shon, who dropped his arm back to stiff attention. "Master Sergeant Shon, you are to represent the Temple of Hengist on this specialized kingdom unit. You will report directly to Sir Tristan and this council and have been granted full and complete access to all Temple records and resources. Please report to the team headquarters immediately, and may Hengist's honor guide you."

Shon saluted, and Ryuuko whistled. Regret and relief fought for prominence in his chest. Shon buried both in ice.

***

She had left the outer city before dawn but stopped with the walls still on the horizon. Lily sat in the long grass off the road and watched the sunrise over the capital of Daanlin. Somewhere beyond those walls, Shon was reporting to the Temple of Hengist, possibly to the King himself. Would they allow him to join the team even with his ultimatum? Did she want them to?

If she was being honest, and she always was -often bluntly so- then Lily hoped they would pick someone else. If Shon didn't join them, then he might stay with her, and they could work together to find the answers she needed from the Warlocks who had created her. But if that happened, he would be forced to break his oath to Hengist and the Temple. Because there was no way they could do what needed to be done within the law. Not with the kingdom hunting her as well.

She twisted the ring of woven gold and silver on her finger and thought of Shon's other oath, the one they shared with each other. The last thing she wanted was to pit those two oaths against one another. It would tear him apart. He had enough scars without and within without her adding more simply by being what she was. An illegal experiment... A dragon...

No. It would be better if Shon worked with the kingdom, as he'd sworn he always would. And this way, they could work both sides of the system: him within and her without.

She stood, brushing the dirt and grass from her pants, and extracted her quarterstaff from her bag of holding. Shon would work within the law -with all the resources the kingdom had to offer- to end the threat the mad Warlocks posed to it and the people. From within, he would direct the kingdom to find the answers to the question of her creation and the reasons the Warlocks would wish to bring back the extinct dragons at all.

And if the Warlocks were right? If the world really was in danger? He would be in a position to use all the kingdom's resources to stop it. Without losing his soul or sanity.

She turned her back on the kingdom and started on the long path south. Alone.

Lily hadn't traveled alone in seven years. Not since she'd walked through the winter snows of the far north, from the Mages Guild to the fortress where Shon was training to be a Paladin in Clearhelm. She locked her slitted eyes forward, refusing to dwell on her solitude and how much her body ached to brush against Shon's cold skin. To feel his strong and solid arms around her and hear his deep voice whispering that it was a good thing she was strong enough to go it alone when necessary; because this time it was.

Instead, Lily thought of her plan. If all went well, she wouldn't be alone for long. She had a lead -though a vague one- on where to find another like herself. The Waterwyrm was somewhere in the deserts of Halakon, supposedly working with the Warlocks. If it was true, she might be able to give Lily the answers she sought, and if not, then Lily would free her 'sister' and hunt down the other three like them. Because none of them should be held in captivity. By Warlocks or Mages.