#grigori and ovar

[writersblockandapotoftea]

[Grigori] 13. Name one thing their parents taught them.

So Grigori’s birth parents were murdered by Jaclyn the Giant Killer.

His adoptive parent, Losuick taught them to always love fully, drink heartily and fight with courage

[writersblockandapotoftea]

Anyways, cute dragon energy and stuff. 

[writersblockandapotoftea]

A Tale of a Misfit and his Talking Lizard

Chapter 4

Read Chapter 3 Here

@aj-the-satyr I’m sorry, I forgot about it XD

Anele looked at the Unicorn in the moonlight. She had never seen something so beautiful. A full black mane spilled across their neck, the horn was sharper than any steel that she has ever held in her hand.

She held out her hand clumsily. Even if it killed her, she wanted to touch it.

"You don't have to fear me," she said softly. The unicorn blinked and came forward, placing its nose in her palm.

"You smell of blood," the unicorn said quietly. Anele lowered her hand.

"You do speak," she whispered.

"Of course I do, all fair things have tongues that wag like man's."

"Excuse you, I am a woman."

"I know, which is why I approached you," the unicorn looked at her with large eyes, one blue, one brown. "And now, I know that you are a warrior."

"Yes," Anele said.

"May I ask for your protection?" the Unicorn asked. "I do not have the seashells you mortals use to pay for things but I am so tired of running."

"The Hunter Witch."

"You have heard of her?" the unicorn asked. Anele nodded.

"We call her Omuembi," she replied. "She hunts Lila's children and says it is for the good of all but it is really only for the good of her and the people who look like her." Anele spat on the ground. "We are not her friends."

"Thank Lila," the unicorn said. Anele smiled, breathing in the scent of the unicorn's coat. Sage and dust and honey; it smelled wonderful.

"Come with me, I promise you'll be safe."

"Promise?"

"I swear, on my life."

"Be careful with that."

“Do not attempt to stop me,” Anele said, walking off. The unicorn hesitated, then followed. “What is your name?”

“Everwyn.”

“I am Anele.”

“It is nice to meet you.”

🜂🜂

Grigori blinked awake, sitting up and rubbing his temples. Anele. That had been the name of the warrior in the book. Ovar stirred on the pillow next to him, sitting up and looking at him with little bleary brown eyes.

“Why are you awake?” he mumbled, pawing at his snout.

“I had a peculiar dream, you can go back to sleep,” Grigori said, swinging his feet off of the bed and putting them on the cold stone floor.

“No, I’m up now,” Ovar replied, standing up and stretching like a cat. "Where are we going?" Ovar asked as Grigori found the slippers Brutus had left by the fire, pulling them on and wriggling his toes.

"To the library," Grigori replied as Ovar tugged a blanket off of the bed. "What are you doing?"

"The palace is cold at night," Ovar replied, dragging the blanket over to Grigori. Grigori smiled and picked it up, wrapping it around his shoulders.

"Should we bring a lantern?"

"I think Brutus left a lumine crystal on the dresser," Ovar said, climbing onto Grigori's shoulders. Grigori nodded and shuffled over to the dresser, picking up the pale yellow crystal. He shook it twice, and it lit up, pulsing with a warm light.

Grigori crept from the room, shuffling along the corridor, pausing to look at Echo again. He leaned closer, holding the crystal up to see the deftly carved runes in the metal.

"We should steal it," Ovar piped.

"Again, we've been over this, stealing is bad," Grigori replied in a hushed whisper.

"But it's shiny," Ovar complained, digging his claws into Grigori's shoulder.

"That it is," Thiago said and Grigori turned, his cheeks flushing and crystal falling to the ground He ducked his head, trying his best to bow. "Oh, don't worry about that," he said, gesturing flippantly.

"We weren't actually going to steal it, your Majesty," Grigori said quickly, lifting his head. Thiago chuckled, shaking his head, his brown curls bouncing and wrinkles forming around his eyes.

"Perhaps it would be better if you did," he mused, looking at the staff. "Echo was made to protect."

"I know," Grigori said. "My Doma made it."

"Doma?" Thiago asked.

"The one who raised me," Grigori replied, feeling his cheeks heat up. He didn't know the common equivalent. There was only his Doma. "Their name is Losuick."

"The Forgemaster."

"That's what you call them?" Grigori blinked. Thiago nodded.

"They used to make the greatest weapons in the world," Thiago said. "People would beg to be their apprentice but they never said yes. Then, suddenly, they stopped. In the middle of a commission."

Grigori blinked, rubbing the back of his neck. He remembered why Losuick had stopped. He had hurt himself on the spear they had been making. He still had the scar on his neck. He lifted his hand, realizing he had been rubbing it.

Thiago smiled at him and reached out, taking Echo off of the wall and holding it out to him.

"I would rather it go with someone who will use it," he said. Grigori blinked and took it in his shaking hands.

"T, Thank you," he stuttered. Thiago smiled and Grigori felt his cheeks and ears heating up.

"You are welcome. Now, why are you and your dragon wandering the palace at night like wraiths?"

"I had a dream," Grigori confessed, hand tightening around Echo. "It was... Disconcerting?"

"What was disconcerting about it?"

"Well, before my Awakening, I was reading a book and the book had a seal on it, and the seal looked like this." Grigori fumbled in his pockets with his free hand, letting go of the blanket. Ovar clung to his shoulder, keeping the blanket in place. He pulled out the medallion. Thiago glanced at it, scrunching his brow.

"That's a family crest. Usually, it belongs to the women in the family."

"What family is it from?" Grigori asked. Thiago shrugged.

"I am unsure, but let us find out," Thiago said, turning and walking towards the library. Grigori blinked, unsure of what to do. "Well, come on!"

Grigori trotted after Thiago, leaving the crystal behind on the ground. Without a living being's touch, it fizzled out, leaving the corridor dark except for Thiago's own crystal.

Thiago pushed open the door to the library.

"Syralth, are you sleeping or touching yourself?" he called. Grigori peeked over his shoulder, Syralth was indeed sitting in one of the massive armchairs.

"I'm reading," Syralth replied, looking up from their massive book, gold eyes twinkling in the firelight. "As you humans do. Why are you two awake?"

"Grigori had a disconcerting dream," Thiago replied. "And I had to piss."

"Lovely. What occurred during the dream, Grigori? Perhaps I can be of assistance," Syralth said, shutting his book and pointing to the little fluffy stool in front of him. Grigori came forward and sat down, feeling silly and childish that he had bothered Thiago and Syralth.

"There was a unicorn and a woman, her name was Anele and the unicorn was Everwyn and she was running from  Omuembi."

"The Hunter Witch," Syralth said softly.

"Yes," Grigori said, clapping his hands together. "And then, I realized that Anele was the name of the hero of the book was the same and-" Grigori held up the medallion. "-The book has the same symbol on the front."

Syralth reached out and Grigori placed the medallion in his hand.

"Where did you get this?"

"Fala the Troll gave it to me," Grigori replied. Ovar chirped in agreement. Syralth nodded.

"This is the crest of the Azazel."

"Azazel?"

"The Unicorn tribe of the Lilonian Empire," Syralth explained. "This would have belonged to the Priestess, Thoko. She was a good woman."

"Thoko?" Grigori said quietly. Syralth handed him back the medallion. He ran his thumb over the surface. "Is she alive?"

"I do not know where she is now."

"What did Thoko look like?" Grigori asked, his hands shaking. Losuick had shown him the carving of his birth Doma the only time he had been to the mountaintop.

"Dark skin, eyes that glinted like newly-minted coins. She was a healer of some prominence, and she always carried a basket filled with bandages and poultices with her."

"Was the basket circular, made of reeds, with a lid that split in the middle to open out?" he asked, making the motion of opening the basket.

"Yes," Syralth replied.

"I know where she is," Grigori said softly, hugging himself. Ovar climbed down onto his lap as his shoulders shook. "She's buried at the top of the Daemon Mountain, with a marker carved with her face."

"How can you possibly know that?" Thiago asked. Grigori looked at him, at the lines that connected his furrowed brows overhanging soft eyes.

"She's my birth Doma," Grigori whispered. "She died the night she brought me to the dwarves in that very basket, wounded beyond saving. She's my birth Doma."

Thiago blinked, looking at Syralth, who made a soft noise.

"I sensed as much. Your bloodline was yelling at me as I awakened you. 'I'm still here, I live in this one. There's hope. I'm alive!'" Syralth mimicked, though not unkindly.

"So, what does being Thoko's son mean?" Thiago asked, steadying Grigori with an arm. "I only heard rumours of her being on this continent."

"It means he's the last child of Anele's bloodline. It means that there's hope, it means that the unicorns still live. It also means that he'll have to face Jaclyn if he wants to end the curse."

"Why?" Grigori asked, still reeling.

"She's Omuembi," Syralth replied.

"No, that's not possible," Grigori said. "The Omuembi died at the end of the story," he said, looking around for the book.

"In body, yes, but in spirit, she was sent to Rojura to face her crimes. She refused and became a demon."

"So Jaclyn is a demon," Thiago said softly. "Rot and mirrors, we're going to die.

"I suspect that she was human," Syralth said. "But Omuembi possessed her and the woman Jaclyn was is dead."

"And if... Omuembi knows that Grigori is an Azazel."

"She'll chase him."

"And Elianore's chasing Ovar, so that means that they'll probably become allies," Thiago said grimly. Syralth nodded.

"We need to get them both to the Nesting Grounds. They'll be safe there," Syralth said, standing up. "And they need to leave before sunset tomorrow."

"Couldn't you or Jal fly them there?"

"Jal and I will stall Jaclyn and Elianore, we have other concerns," Syralth said, crossing his arms. "Also, despite being an Azazel, Grigori is very much human. The flight would kill him."

"And... I don't do heights if my opinion matters at all in what we do next," Grigori said. "I am nauseous just thinking about flying."

"Then we go by land and sea," Thiago said. "I'll go wake Sacha." The king left the room, the door swinging behind him. Grigori looked at Syralth.

"So... Because I'm alive, the unicorns are too?" he asked, looking at Ovar and petting his head.

"Yes, although I do not know what it means now that you've soul bonded with Ovar," Syralth said, sitting back down.

"What do you mean?"

"Generally, a soul bond with a dragon guarantees two things," Syralth held up two fingers. "One, a lifelong companion and friend and two, a life as long as that of your dragon."

"Wait, I'm immortal?"

"Effectively, but that runs two ways. If you die, he dies and vice versa. So, the two of you can be killed but you cannot die," Syralth explained.

"That is either the most amazing news of my life or the most terrible because I'm going to be stuck with Ovar for eternity," Grigori said. Ovar nipped his hand. "Ow!"

"I am the perfect soul to be stuck with. I am loving, brave and amazing," Ovar crowed, wiggling his tail and stretching.

“Yes, yes you are,” Grigori giggled.

Grigori let Pheo adjust his hood, hiding Ovar and his distinctive unruly hair within its folds. He smiled at him, clutching Echo firmly in his right hand. It shimmered in the dying m

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, eyes glancing towards Pheo's chest, where the worst of the wounds had been.

"Yes, the fluids from a dragon are quite an effective salve, even for the most trying wounds," Pheo replied, finishing adjusting Grigori's robe. Sacha snickered into her hand, armour clinking.

"Why does she get armour?" Grigori asked.

"Because Grigori," she rolled his name around her mouth. "If they get past us, you're doomed anyway"

"I'm glad that you have faith in me," Grigori muttered. Sacha chuckled and slapped his back. He stiffened slightly. "Besides, you're bonded with the tiny evil lizard."

"I am not a lizard," Ovar protested. Grigori lowered his hood so Ovar could see. "I am a dragon."

"You look and run like a little lizard," Sacha replied, moving away from Grigori. Ovar sighed in Grigori's ear.

"I do not like her," he hissed.

"It's just for a few weeks," Grigori replied, watching her go through the supplies. He was carrying his own food in his elf-bag. "Then we'll meet your mother, I'll find the unicorns and then, we'll go to Xing. Remember that spicy stew we had for breakfast this morning?"

"Yes?"

"They apparently eat that all the time down there. We'll go taste the lot of it, travelling all over Bitai," Grigori said, scratching Ovar's ear.

"Can we visit the Deeps too?" Ovar asked. Grigori nodded.

"We'll travel the whole world. We've got an eternity to do so," he replied. Ovar rumbled contentedly.

"That sounds well. If we survive."

"When we survive. Only elves deal in possibilities, you have to keep moving forward, straight and true."

"You are the most peculiar human in the Three Realms," Ovar said, curling up on Grigori's shoulder.

"Good. I don't think I'd like to be ordinary. It sounds frightfully dull," Grigori said. Ovar flicked the back of his head with his tail. He pointed his snout at Echo.

"So, what are we going to do with that?"

"Syralth taught me a couple of Air Spells to try with it as we go," Grigori said, using his right hand to pat the elf bag. "Additionally, I've got the scroll he was using, so we'll figure it out."

Ovar nodded and Grigori tightened his grip on the staff, feeling it pulse slightly in his palm. Syralth came over with Jal and awkwardly held out his hand to shake.

"We'll try to hold them here as long as we can," Syralth said. "Good luck."

"Thank you," Grigori said, taking Syralth hand and swinging it side to side. "I think I did that wrong."

"I am fairly sure you did," Syralth replied, laughing and letting go of Grigori's hand, "But I am fine with it," he continued, pressing his left fist over his stomach and his right one over his heart. "I think you'd enjoy a dwarven salute better."

Grigori responded with the same salute.

"Brain to Heart to stomach to earth, I wish you luck, Grigori. May your beard grow ever longer," Syralth said.

"Strength from below, Syralth. I wish you happiness and protection. May your armour never break," Grigori replied, his chest puffing with a ridiculous amount of pride.  Ovar huffed slightly. "Goodbye Jal. I hope we meet again."

"I certainly think that we will," Jal said, placing a hand on Grigori's shoulders. Grigori flinched a bit under the weight. "Stay alive."

"I'll do my best."

"No seriously, stay alive or Mishka will tear my hide apart."

"Isn't she only a bit bigger than Ovar?" Jal gave Grigori a look and Grigori nodded. "I'll do my best," he repeated. Jal nodded.

"Good."

"Oi, dragons," Sacha yelled from the gate. Grigori turned and looked at her. "Let's go, we're wasting moonlight."

"You could try not waking up the rest of the town," Jal replied.

"Uh huh. Let's go Grigori," she said, turning and facing her small company of three. She had handpicked them.

And Grigori didn't know any of them. They would probably hate him.

"Stop thinking like that," Ovar mumbled as Grigori walked over.

"Uh-huh. I think you have to be up in the hood," Grigori replied, pulling the hood up and letting Ovar scramble in.

"Alright, you've all been briefed but this is your first time seeing the objective, so here's the shorthand version: We get him and the dragon to Nevern. If we're separated, priority remains on their safety. One of us will be with the two of them at all times. Clear?" The soldiers all nodded and Grigori nodded inside of his hood. "Good, we're leaving now."

Grigori followed Sacha, two of the soldiers on either side of him and one behind. He was at the center of a diamond, Echo's butt clinking on the cobblestones.

I don't think it should be called Echo.

That's just what the first user called it.  Grigori replied.

We should rename it.

What?

Like Harbinger, or Windsong or Everwyn.  Ovar's voice grew more excited and he poked his nose out of the hood.

Why Everwyn?

It means Forever Wind and I think it's poetic.

You don't even know what poetry is.  Grigori retorted.

Neither do you.  

Yes I do.  Grigori defended, cheeks flushing and eyes fixing on Sacha's back.

What is it then?  

Words, on paper, arranged. Alright, I concede, I don't know what poetry is.  Grigori threw up his right hand. One of the soldiers gave him an odd glance. Grigori blinked.  Now hush, we're leaving the city.  

Fine, fine.  

Grigori looked over at the soldier and gestured at Ovar's nose, which dipped as Ovar fell asleep. Grigori blinked, his hand dropping He hadn't realized it before, but Ovar sleeping left a pleasant humming sound in his ear, like a broken melody of shy little notes.

He shook his head and the notes faded, leaving him to walk with his thoughts, surrounded by strangers.

[writersblockandapotoftea]

Elianore Delphinae: The Greedy Flame

A Woman Out of Time

Elianore is the youngest and least powerful of the eight demon Generals. What she lacks in strength, she makes up for by being pure chaos. Taking up her clan’s namesake’s personality, the dolphin, Elianore is a little shit. 

She’s clever and cruel, while also impulsive and charismatic. She’s chaotic, but able to manipulate people to get what she wants and she’s not afraid to do it. 

She’s broken men and women and children. She’s also started cults to murder Grigori, so...

Powers: Pyrokinesis, Command of Flame Demons, Manipulation

Likes: Spicy food, torture, booty shorts on men. 

Dislikes: Grigori, Ovar, Allistor, Arthur, Hjalte. 

Age: 300

If you wanna to be on the Taglist for Scions of Syralth to learn more about these demons, let me know!

[writersblockandapotoftea]

Cassiopeia, Draco, Hydra, and Libra please!

Cassiopeia:"Let me grab it," Alexis said, running up the stairs and grabbing the testing balloon. Lun-Lune waved to her, a massive grin on their face. "Good job Lun-Lune, stay there." Jalai chittered from down the stairs as she jogged back down, pulling the balloon on a chain. It squeezed through the door. Grigori looked at her and grinned. "You, my dear, have a wonderful mind if we're about to do what I think we are.""I need to test the way the balloon material and gases carry weight, so we're going to chain him to the balloon and let him float to the enemy camp, hopefully either confusing and stressing them out or, if it doesn't work, there's brain and bone and organs on the ground, which could be good for the local plant and animal life and I recalibrate. Win-win," she said. "Brilliant, just brilliant," Grigori declared, clapping his hands together."Thanks," Alexis replied, bringing the balloon into his study. Like the downstairs foyer, it was fairly trashed with papers and cloth and blood smeared everywhere. Ovar was sitting on top of the corpse, eating their hand.  "Ovar, shoo," Grigori said, making a shooing motion. "That's gross." Alexis tied the chain around his ankle and shoved him through the window, pushing the balloon after him. He bobbed in the air, then began floating away. “So…”“Yes, that was quite entertaining. Let’s go deal with the Mark downstairs.”“Yea, that’s a good idea.” Draco: I love writing as Allistor because as a big sister, I empathize with him. He’s worried about his brother and how to live up to his parents. Hydra: It’s been such a constant in my life, I’ve worked so hard on it and it’s a part of me now. It’s my little baby and I’m terrified of letting it go. Libra: Romantically, Arthur and Toni. They’re so cute and sweet together because they don’t know how to be healthy together. Platonically: Allistor and Darjeeling. Allistor is the brawn and Darjeeling is the eccentric weirdo that keeps getting into trouble. 

[writersblockandapotoftea]

A Tale of a Misfit and His Talking Lizard

Read the prologue here! 

Chapter 1

Grigori turned the smooth stone over and over in his palms, not wanting to ruin it. It was a pale bronze, and despite being in the water, which Grigori knew for a fact was freezing, it was still warm.

"Whatcha say, Gri?"  Losuick came over and Grigori crouched, holding the stone out to his doma.

"I think I found something," Grigori said, rubbing his thumb over the stone as it pulsed. Losuick jumped back slightly, making a harrumph. They lowered their spectacles and looked at it, pulling on their beard.

"That there is a dragon's egg."

"A what?"

"Dragon's egg. Seems to be quite alright too," Losuick said, holding out their palm. "Lemme see."

Grigori handed them the egg, nervous as Losuick rolled it about, staring at it with a beady little eye. He rubbed his arms, feeling the cold wind from the tunnel that the stream bubbled out of.

"Still alive as far as I can tell, best keep it warm," Losuick handed back to Grigori, who tucked it into the pouch around his neck, fastening it tight. He could feel it pulsing on his collarbone.

"Shouldn't we take it back to its doma?" Grigori asked as Losuick handed him the lantern. Losuick stared at them blankly.

"We'll discuss it later. Dragons are tricky at best," they said, waddling away through the caves towards their home. Grigori followed, ducking underneath beams. He heard laughter and peeked into a huge cave. The other younglings were building something. Losuick stopped and looked into the cave.

"You should go say hi."

"They don't like me, Doma," Grigori said, rubbing his neck.

"Nonsense, we're dwarves. We all get along."

"I'm not a dwarf," Grigori said, looking down at his Doma, feeling an ache in his heart. Losuick chuckled and patted his hand.

"No, but you're still my youngling," they said. Grigori nodded, his heart stopping as one of the others came over. Attium, the ringleader, was coming over. Losuick patted his hand again for support as Grigori did his best to not look scared.

He was positive Attium could smell fear.

"Hi Squish," Attium greeted.

"Hello Attium," Grigori managed, his hand going to his pouch for a reason he didn't understand. Attium gestured and Grigori crouched, his eyes darting over to Losuick, fists clenching and unclenching.

"We need your help with something."

"You do?" Grigori asked, staring at them. Attium nodded and gestured vaguely.

"There's this thing on the roof we need, but even though we can climb to the top of the wall, our arms ain't long enough to quite get at it," Attium explained. Grigori looked at Losuick, who nodded.

"I'm not the best climber, but I'll try," he said, stuttering and having to start over several times.

"Great, c'mon," Attium pulled him off. Grigori looked over his shoulder at Losuick, who was smiling and nodded. He swallowed. He could do this. He stood up to his full height and followed Attium to the table the others were sitting around and his hand went to the pouch again, feeling it's warmth.

Was it too late to say that he was terrified of heights?

He had never even been to the top workshop, the powerhouse of the whole community and his Doma was one of the dwarves with access. Yet here he was, strapping into climbing gear and a harness to get a pick they had somehow embedded in the ceiling with their launcher.

"Why did you guys launch the pick anyways?" he asked, reaching up to rub his neck and remembering the spikes now strapped to his palms just before and jolting it away. One of them snickered.

"Only thing we could fit in the hole of the launcher and we were tired of dismantling them before launching the sticks," Attium explained, ears flushing. Grigori nodded and looked at the pick.

He could do this.

He began the climb up the wall, stabbing the spikes on his palms and his toes into the wall, feeling sweat pool on his neck and back, trickling and oozing through his hair. He felt woozy and began panting, trying to swallow more air than dust. He got to the top and resting on a ledge, he dared a peek.

Was the ground moving?

Pussy. A voice rang out in his head.

"What?" Grigori muttered. "Did you fellows say something?" he shouted.

"What?" Attium shouted back.

"Nevermind!"

Rolling to the side, Grigori inched along the ledge, grabbing the handle of the pick. He pulled on it, feeling it budge as he dug his toes into the stone. He yanked it out, hitting himself on the head with the butt of it.

Dumb.

"Okay, random voice, you need to stop that," Grigori muttered as he began the climb down, putting the pick in his belt.

Ovar.

"What?" Grigori stopped, clinging to the wall.

Ovar. the voice said again. Not random. Ovar's voice.

"Okay, Ovar, it's nice to meet you, but I am dangling midway up a cliff and I need to get down so I do not die."

Hmph.

Grigori managed to make it down the cliff and unclip the pick and the equipment, handing them clumsily back to Attium and rubbing the circulation back into his wrists, they were already swelling, red bumps and welts forming. His eyes narrowed.

"Can I see the gauntlet?" he asked, reaching out.

"No," Attium replied, tucking it away.

"Let me see, Attium, please," Grigori said, rubbing his wrists and sniffing them, his eyes widening. "You put poison oak cream in there."

"What does it matter? We're all im- Oh right, you're not," Attium said smugly, crossing their arms. The other younglings snickered and Grigori felt his face heat up.

"It isn't my fault," he mumbled. "You're welcome by the way." He stomped off, rubbing his wrists and muttering crossly to himself.

That was rude.

"Alright, you need to stop that," Grigori said, stopping and rubbing his neck. "I don't even know where you are, or if I'm mad but you need to stop hanging around in my thoughts unless I know who and what you are."

I am Ovar.

"Great, what are you?"

I will be a dragon and your familiar. I think.

"Wait, wait," Grigori paused and opened the pouch. The egg was pulsing like crazy, gold and silver. "You're the egg." Grigori slid down the wall, losing the strength in his knobbly knees. He crouched, dumping the egg into his palm.

That's what I said.

"How come I can hear you?"

Familiars.

"I don't understand."

Idiot.

"Hey, I will put you back in the river," Grigori said, cupping the egg close. He would never, but the egg, Ovar, whatever it was, didn't have to know that.

Please don't.

"Then what I am supposed to do?"

Take me home.  

Grigori sighed and stood up. He wanted to. He really wanted to but he didn't want to leave his life underground. He had only ever seen the sun once and he had never seen the moons. He really wasn't the right person for the job.

"Look, Ovar, for only knowing you for about half a tick, you seem pretty kind but, but I've-"

Pussy.

"Are we really back to that?"

Yes.

"I am not a feline, Ovar. And my Doma would be heartbroken if I left them," Grigori began walking towards their

Doma?

"Losuick, the dwarf that held you?"

I do not recall anyone's touch but yours.

Grigori blinked, his cheeks flushing. How was that possible? He was also strangely flattered by it.

"There you are Gri," Losuick called, stomping up. "I was worried. Di-" Losuick stopped as they saw Grigori's hands. "What happened?"

"Poison oak," Grigori replied, tucking the egg away quickly. Losuick grunted and pulled out a bottle, dribbling it over Grigori's wrist. The itching stopped, replaced by a cooling sensation. Grigori sighed softly. "There we are. That's better." They closed the bottle again. "Let's go home."

Grigori followed Losuick to their cave in silence, sitting down on his bed, hearing it creak and groan under him. Losuick began working on a clock, his tools whirring and clicking. Just as they always had.

"Do?" he said softly, head going into his hands.

"Gri?" Losuick looked up at him, the tools stopping.

"I think I want to see the world," Grigori said softly. Losuick inhaled, sucking in their gut and pulling at their beard.

"Why?"

"I don't quite fit in here, Doma. I'm tired of it. I, I, want to see where I belong."

"You belong here, with your fonie," Losuick said softly, hands running over their carefully braided beard. Up and down and up again. "Why else?"

"I think... I think there's something I need to do," Grigori said, hand going to the pouch. "I can feel it."

"This has something to do with that egg, doesn't it?"

"Yes, Doma. I know it sounds insane, but I need this egg and it needs me," he said softly. Losuick nodded slowly, taking off their hat and dabbing at their eyes. "Doma, are you crying?"

"I knew that I was going to have to let you go out into the wide world eventually. I just," Losuick looked at the clock. "I was hoping I could finish this first so that you'd have some part of me with you."

Grigori started and stared at Losuick, his throat closing and tears filling his eyes. He swallowed and stood up, walking over to the dwarf. Dropping to his knees, he hugged Losuick close. Losuick hugged him back tightly, stubby little fingers digging into Grigori's skin. Grigori shook, crying into Losuick's shoulder. He didn't want to go but he didn't want to stay either.

"I'll miss you," he mumbled.

"I'll miss you too. Come back when that egg is safe, ya hear?"

"I will Doma," Grigori said, pulling out of the hug. Losuick smiled at him and Grigori smiled sadly back.

"And write."

"Who's going to deliver it?" Grigori replied. Losuick chuckled and Grigori wiped his tears away as the two of them began packing him a bag.

"Here's a cloak and your scarf and some tools," Losuick prattled as they packed.

"Doma."

"And two flasks, alcohol is expensive."

"Doma, you've packed me three bags," Grigori said, looking at the growing stack. Losuick looked up and smirked.

"Fine, fine, give me a moment," they said, disappearing and coming back with a dark blue bag, shoving everything into it. The bag didn't even change shape. Grigori's eyes widened.

"What is that?"

"Elf-bag. Fellow named Cai gave it to me in exchange for a bit of ruby I was polishing. I personally think I got the better deal though," they chuckled, handing it to Grigori. Grigori marvelled at it. It was lighter than anything he had carried before. He inhaled and looked down at Losuick, who was holding a lantern and a stick that was much too big for him.

They walked to the doors in silence, Grigori glancing down at Losuick.

Losuick opened the door, light from the sunset flooding the entrance to the tunnel and Grigori got an overwhelming sense of love and pride flowing from his Doma as the two of them squinted in the light.

"That last time you were at the door, your human doma was giving you to me," Losuick said, looking at their arms, gripping a baby that only they could see. "Such a wee thing, you got so big so fast."

"Doma," Grigori whispered, ducking down to hug them once more. Losuick patted his back and Grigori straightened. Losuick handed him the staff and Grigori turned it in his palms, marvelling at the runes all over it.

"If anyone tries to hurt ya, whack them on the head," Losuick explained, demonstrating the motion. Grigori nodded and repeated the motion. "Good. Off you go."

"I'll be back," Grigori said, walking outside for the first time.

"I know you will. Be careful now."

"I will," Grigori said, taking another step and then another, and another. He turned and waved once again. Losuick waved back. Grigori smiled and kept walking, turning once again. The door was still open, much smaller now. Grigori kept walking until the door vanished from his view.

He sat down on the heather and took out the egg.

"Ovar?"

Are you still crying?

"No. I just wanted to tell you that we're on our way," Grigori said; he flopped back onto his back, staring at the darkening sky, at the stars that he had never seen before. His eyes widened and his breath hitched. They were so beautiful, like diamonds spread across an obsidian table He put his hands over his eyes and pulled them away.

The stars were still there.

Grigori woke up a few hours later, his back twitching painfully and an elf staring him straight in the face.

"Dostine below," Grigori bolted up, swinging his stick. "Don't do that."

"Apologies, I was seeing if you were dead or not," the elf explained, deftly stepping out of the way of his swings. "Also, you're going to hurt yourself swinging that pole like that."

"I know what I'm doing."

"Clearly," the elf grinned. "I'm Pheo," they offered their hand. Grigori took it, looking them dead in the eye. They were so different, there was no hair on their face, instead, it was long and beautiful and was laying down their back in many tiny braids. Grigori looked at Pheo's hand. It was a warm, ruddy brown. Like his, except missing the pale spots that splashed across it.

"Your skin," Grigori said softly. He had never met someone with skin like his. Pheo blinked and let go of Grigori's hand. Grigori continued to marvel at it.

"I'm a Western elf."

"I don't understand," Grigori said softly.

"From the Lilionian Coalition. On the western continent?" Pheo raised an eyebrow.

"I... I've seen maps but never seen someone from there."

"You've lived a very sheltered life, haven't you?"

"Kind of?" Grigori replied with a shrug, playing with his own hair, which stood up on its own. "How do you do that?"

"What?"

"Get your hair to lie flat."

"I'll tell you later, stranger," Pheo replied, giggling slightly. Grigori nodded. "What's your name?"

"Grigori."

"Squishy?" Pheo blinked at him. Grigori nodded. "That is an odd name."

"My doma said it was the only one that came to them when they held me for the first time," Grigori explained, feeling awkward. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll tell you later, stranger?" he offered. Pheo snickered into his palm.

"You're odd, Grigori," Pheo said. "I like that."

"You do?"

"Yes," Pheo replied, nodding his head. "I like odd things."

"That's good," Grigori said, feeling relief flood his chest. He squinted as he looked around. There was just grayness on the ground and weird brown and green spikes poked out at random intervals. He blinked. Trees. They were real trees, just like he had read about. He crouched down and touched the grey stuff on the ground. It was soft.

"What are you doing?"

"It's... It's marvellous," Grigori whispered. "Like glowmoss, but with little sprigs"

"Glowmoss?" Pheo asked, crouching.

"It's this wonderfully soft stuff that glows and shimmers and stops bleeding," Grigori said, rubbing his hands all over the strange plant.

"It's heather. It's not that great."

"How can you say that?" Grigori stood up, bouncing on his toes. He wanted to laugh as the wind shifted his hair, it smelled different than what he was used to. It wasn't dank and mouldy, but warm and smelling of something that was almost like ale, pokey and sharp in his nose. "All of this is marvellous."

"What rock were you hiding under all of this time?" Pheo said as Grigori began walking. "And where are you going?"

"I have no idea," Grigori replied with a shrug. "And the rock I lived under was Mount Daemon."

Gri, stop frightening the elf.

"His name's Pheo and he likes weird things," Grigori hissed.

Fine, fine. Don't blame me when he leaves.  

"Uh huh," Grigori touched the egg in the pouch. Pheo jogged and caught up with them.

"Who are you talking to?" he asked. Grigori pointed to the pouch.

"Dragon egg."

"What?"

"I found a dragon egg in a stream and it started talking to me, so now, I'm taking it home to it's-."

I am not an it.

"-Sorry, I'm taking Ovar back to their mother."

"Do you have any idea where the nesting grounds are?"

"Nope. As you pointed out, I grew up under a rock.” Grigori said. Pheo stopped and stared at him.

"Are you just going to wander around aimlessly, talking to an egg in your pouch until you get there?" he asked. Grigori shrugged again. "That is the least intelligent plan I've ever heard."

"What do you recommend me doing then?" Grigori asked, feeling put out. He pouted slightly.

"Let me come with you. I know the way."

"You do?"

"Yeah, my lover is there right now."

"What is a... lover?"

"Little dragon steps, Grigori, little dragon steps," Pheo tried to put his arm around Grigori's shoulder and Grigori flinched. He was fine with handshakes but that sort of thing was for doma and fonie only. "Alright then, I will consider this another little step to get over," Pheo said, lifting his arm.

Pussy

"Shut up, Ovar," Grigori hissed. Pheo snickered.

"So, Ovar, how long ago were you laid?"

Don't know.

"They say they don't know," Grigori relayed. Pheo nodded.

"And how old are you, Grigori?"

"My human doma gave me to Doma twenty years ago," Grigori said. Pheo nodded.

"So, you're an orphan."

"No, I have a Doma. Losuick is my Doma. We're a Fonie."

"Nobody talks in that fashion anymore. Losuick and you are a family."

"Fa-mi-ly?" Grigori sounded out the word. Pheo bobbed his head. "That sounds wrong." Grigori sounded the word out in his head again.

I agree.

"It's not. It's just how language works. It grows and changes, just like people do."

"Dwarves don't change very easily," Grigori said softly, shaking his head and gripping the staff a little more tightly.

"But you aren't-" Pheo froze, his ears swivelling. "Get behind me."

"Why?"

"Now."

Grigori obeyed, watching as all of Pheo's muscles tensed. He bit his lip and tightened his grip on the staff. What was that noise? He shuddered and looked around. There was a dust cloud racing towards them.

We should run

"No," Grigori hissed, his heart coming up his throat as the cloud stopped a few feet away.

Run, you stupid disaster of a familiar!  Ovar's voice howled in his brain. Grigori grabbed Pheo's sleeve.

"We should run," he whispered.

"We have nowhere to go. Just stay close," Pheo replied as a figure in black armour stepped onto the ground. They were different. They had bright, ruby and jasper hair that was cut close to their skull and instead of pants, they wore straps of spiked leather that fell to their high boots. Grigori blinked.  Were their lips puffier than his? Were they sick? Is that why they looked swollen in strange places? He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. They were still swollen. He squinted, confused and stressed. There were too many types of people and they didn't look like any dwarf, elf or human he had ever seen. Granted, he only knew one elf and he was the only human he knew.

So why did this human look so odd?

Hit them  Ovar's voice hissed.

"Stop it."

The strange person stopped right in front of them and Pheo.

"I'm looking for something that I lost, and I think you can help me, Pheo," they said. Grigori's hand crept to his pouch. Their voice was higher too. His eyes widened.

"You're a woman," he whispered. The woman glanced at him and Ovar began snarling.

"And who is this, Pheo? A new pet?"

"Stuff a ham, Elianore. Everyone knows what you're doing and it won't work," Pheo said. "How's your wound healing, by the way?" his hand pressed on Grigori's back.

Run in three seconds.  His voice cut through Ovar's growls and hisses. Grigori nodded slowly, clenching his fists. He could do that. Pheo's hand lashed out and caught Elianore on the side of the head.

Grigori turned and began sprinting, his hand yanking the pouch off of his neck and clenching it tightly in his fist.

Ow.  Ovar said.

"Sorry," Grigori muttered, hearing the clash of steel and explosions behind him. "You should hatch," he muttered as he tripped over something and fell on his ass.

I refuse.

Grigori clutched Ovar's egg close to his chest as he scrambled behind a rise in the earth, his heart and throat closing up. Why were they fighting? Her name was Eli... Eliano?

Elianore.  

"Do you know her?" Grigori asked, looking at the egg in his palm.

No, Pheo called her that.

"Why did you tell me to hit her?"

She's evil.

"You don't know that," Grigori replied, feeling his heart sink slightly.

You know I'm right.

Grigori didn't answer and peeked over the mound of earth, watching as Pheo and Elianore slammed into each other, steel flashing in the light.

You don't know women, but you know sword fighting.  Ovar stated, his voice dry.

"I've been helping to make swords since I could carry them," Grigori replied. “Of course I know how to swing them.”

Why didn't your doma give you a sword?

"It's not my way. I'm all-" Grigori gestured his lanky arms and legs, moving them. "This, and I’ve stabbed like six people by accident."

That doesn't seem so awful.

Grigori paused and looked at the egg for a minute.

"Can you even see me?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

No.

Grigori snickered, looking at the egg in his palm. It flashed again; Ovar was thinking of something. Grigori jumped as the ground shook and an explosion sounded through to his bones. He stood up and peeked over the ridge again. Pheo was kneeling, Elianore standing over him, her hands glowing with a wicked pale yellow light.

"Ikravye," he swore.

What?

"Pheo's in trouble."

So?

"We have to help," Grigori hissed, crouching down again. "He's been nothing but kind to us."

What can we do?

"I don't know," Grigori said, tying the pouch around his neck and looking around. "But I'm not going to let him get hurt." He dug through his bag, grinning when he saw something. "How are you with small spaces?"

Grigori approached the wagons cautiously. Elianore looked even odder to him now that he wasn't obstructed by Pheo. She wasn't tall or short. Her eyes were dull.

"Oh look, your scrawny friend came back," she said to Pheo, turning his head with the butt of her sword. Grigori's eyes widened. Pheo's blood was gold and soaking his clothes. He swallowed. Elianore grinned. "Do you have the dragon's egg?"

"I guess," Grigori said, taking off the pouch and bouncing it in his palm. "Are you going to let Pheo go?"

"Give me the egg first."

"Do not," Pheo ordered, grunting when Elianore smacked him. Grigori flinched, seeing the scratches she left on his face.

"Trust me," Grigori replied, tossing her the pouch. She looked in and nodded. Grigori darted over and helped Pheo up.

"You're an idiot."

"Yes, I am also a pussy, which is why I recommend that we leave this area as soon as possible," Grigori whispered, looking down at his boot. Pheo's eyes widened and he nodded and the two of them stumbled off.

Grigori heard the scream when Elianore poured the contents of the pouch onto her hand and he pulled Pheo to the ground as the compound came into the contact with the salt in the sweat in her hands. Hot air blasted over them and when they looked back, Elianore and her chariot were blasted far away from them.

“What was that?” Pheo asked.

“Teleportation Jelly, with copper leaf coating.”

“Is she dead?”

“I-” An angry scream cut through his words. “-Nope.”

“Where is the egg?” Pheo asked as they stood up and began walking away as quickly as they could. Grigori reached into his boot and pulled the egg out.

“Are you okay, Ovar?”

You booted me! YOU TROLLFOOTED EXCUSE FOR A HUMAN BOOTED ME

“I’ll put you back in there.”

I’m fine.  

[writersblockandapotoftea]

Excerpt time

"Grigori?" Sacha's voice called in the mist. Grigori blinked and sat up slowly, watching Elianore as she paced furiously. "Are you okay?" Sacha asked, forming in front of him, looking at healthy and as fit as she had in life. 

 "Sacha?" Grigori said softly, his voice catching. "I-I saw you, I saw you, you fell and Valka, oh Dostine, Valka."

 "I'm dead, Grigori," Sacha said softly. Grigori stared at her, tears streaming down his face. "Please don't cry, it's alright. I had a good life." 

"But you had so much more to do. You and Valka were going to be happy together," Grigori whispered. Ovar squeaked his agreement. 

"Grigori, it's fine. It was an accident. No one is to blame," Sacha said softly.  Grigori nodded, sobbing and shaking. Sacha crouched and touched his shoulder, her hand cool. 

"Can you do something for me when you get back?" 

"Yes."

 "Tell Valka," Sacha inhaled. "Tell Valka that I love her more than anything in all the realms of the world and not to grieve me forever. I want her to get married again, to have a family. To live." 

"I will, I promise," Grigori said. Sacha smiled at him and leaned forward, kissing his forehead in a loving, doma-like fashion.

 "Thank you," she whispered, turning back into mist and fading away. Grigori fell back onto his back, tears streaming down his face as he pressed his bound hands against his eyes. His breath shuddered and his chest heaved. Sacha was dead and it hurt so much. 

She was gone forever, far too soon.

[writersblockandapotoftea]

Nano Excerpt

"But if I hadn't found you and chosen you, you would have never had had to do something like that," Ovar mumbled, tears pooling in his eyes. "All of this is my fault." Grigori's eyes softened and he took Ovar off of his shoulders, holding him up and in front of him. "Hear this now. I don't regret a single moment that I've spent with you. You're the greatest part of my life. You've brought me adventure and out of the caves. Because of you, I've seen stars, tasted oranges and learned so much about who I am and who I want to be," Grigori said, pulling Ovar close to his chest and feeling his little heartbeat against his skin. Ovar buried his face in Grigori's clothes, little sniffles coming from him. "And I don't want you to ever regret the time you've spent with me," he said. "Because I sure as Lila don't regret a single moment that I've spent with you." "You promise?" "I swear."

[writersblockandapotoftea]

Nano Excerpt

Total words 20348

"I do not understand," Grigori said as Ovar darted off into the grass. "Ovar," he called, standing up and jogging after Ovar, whose nose was close to the ground as he trotted along. Ovar was standing by a pool at the end of a river. "Ovar, you can't run off like that," Grigori said, picking up the little dragon. He froze dead in his tracks.

There was a body in the water.

Bloated and bruised to an ugly purple colour, the body wore black leather armour and their hair floated around them like a halo.

"Can I eat them?" Ovar asked.

"No," Grigori snapped. "Lie, I need some help," he called.

"Coming," Lieren shouted back.

“Are you sure I can’t eat them?” Ovar asked again, his tail swinging back and forth.

“You can’t eat the dead body. It’ll give you a stomachache,” Grigori protested as Lieren and Valka came up and paused.

“But it smells good,” Ovar whined. Lieren hardly batted an eyelash, while Valka visibly paled.

“Let’s get it out of there,” Liren said, wading into the pool and grabbing the corpse’s wrist. It broke off and the corpse floated away, into the middle of the pond, where it sunk. Liren stood there, holding the tightly clenched fist. “Or not.”

He waded back to them.

“Can I eat that part of them?” Ovar asked as Lieren pried open the fingers.

“No.”

[writersblockandapotoftea]

A Tale of a Misfit and his Talking Lizard

Chapter 3

Read Chapter 2

@aj-the-satyr 

Grigori waved to Ashe, Galean and Jesse as their wagon headed further into Aria, rumbling on the stone street. He looked around, his eyes wide with delight. There were forges, slamming their hammers down with a comforting beat. Smells wafted through the air surrounding the market, things he never had smelled before, sweet and savoury and spicy all at once.

He looked at Nolio. The elf was speaking to someone in chainmail, hand against their chest. Grigori cocked his head.

"I have been requested at the castle," Pheo said, looking at Grigori. Grigori slumped a little bit. "As have you."

"What?"

"My lover is there, there is something we must discuss," Pheo said, his eyes flipping to Grigori's bag. Grigori nodded, stiffening slightly. He wouldn't let them hurt Ovar, no matter what. "Come on."

Grigori walked beside Pheo and the chainmail clad figure, glancing at the armour they wore. Light, over a thin leather, it was supple and moved with only a faint chinging. Grigori nodded to himself, likely an alloy of chrome and steel, very high quality. The soldier took care of the armour.

Grigori tripped over a hole in the stone, landing on his knees.

"Ouch," he muttered, standing and feeling the blood ooze from the scratches. Nolio waited for him to catch up.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, it's just a graze," Grigori said, showing it.

"Give me your hand," Ovar whispered. Grigori looked at him.

"Why?" he hissed.

"I wanna lick it."

"Why?"

"Let me lick your hand," Ovar insisted. Grigori sighed and slipped his hand into the bag, letting Ovar lick at it, digging the gravel out of it. Surprisingly, it did sting less. Grigori scratched behind Ovar's ears gently.

He paused for a minute on seeing the palace. It was stunning, there was a massive dome with crystals at the top. The stones were all rose marble and chiselled by hand to have beautiful flowers and birds that looked like the wind might rouse them from their slumber. The windows were stained glass, painting beautiful pictures.

"Pheo," a voice boomed. Grigori jumped as a huge person, he was pretty sure they were a man, strode down, a green cape settling around them, pewter hair brushed back into a neat braid. Pheo beamed and ran towards them; getting scooped up and spun around and around.

"Jal, I missed you," he cheered, kissing his cheek.

"I missed you too," Jal replied, holding him close. He looked over at Grigori. "You made a friend! Lovely!"

"Jal, he's the egg's familiar," Nolio muttered. Jal nodded.

"We'll talk about it inside," he said. "Come along, uhm, what is your name?"

"Grigori," Grigori replied, feeling put off by Jal's startling eyes. The pupils were like Ovar's. Jal blinked twice and burst out laughing.

"The dwarves named you squishy," Jal gasped out, clutching his stomach. Grigori blinked and giggled, nodding.

"Yes, yes they did."

"Come along squishy, we have much to discuss," Jal said, gesturing.

Grigori followed Nolio and him as they walked briskly through the halls, stopping to look at a staff on the wall. There was an emblem on its grip that he knew very well. An L that looked like a pickaxe.

His doma had made that.

Echo, the staff of Healers.  

They had stitched the leather, shaped the gyroscope at the top out of metal light and strong, forged the body and the base with hands that never faltered, ever.

"Steal it," Ovar piped.

"You are a horrible influence."  

"Squishy, come on," Jal called from around the corner.

"Coming," Grigori called, pushing Ovar's head back into the bag.

Grigori picked Ovar back off of the table, placing the little dragon firmly on his lap and looking down at the ground. Ovar climbed up onto his shoulders, then into his mass of curly hair, settling down.

"Really?" Grigori whispered.

"It's warm and I can see," Ovar replied.

"You are so strange," Grigori said, looking up and around. He shouldn't be here. These were all powerful mages, experienced warriors and a man Pheo pointed out to him as King Thiago. He was a twenty-year-old with a dirty tunic and a dragon. He swallowed and did his best to look serious. Pheo sat beside him and next to Pheo was Jal, sitting tall and proud. Ovar made a humming noise in his mind's ear.

What?  Grigori asked, cautiously trying out telepathy.

Jal is a really powerful dragon,  Ovar replied. Grigori blinked.

He looks human.

He's a dragon, and so is the man sitting next to him.  Ovar replied.

Pheo?

The other one, moron,  Ovar groaned. Grigori leaned forward slightly, seeing blue hair a bare chest and gold eyes.

Wow,  Grigori marvelled.  His hair looks like spun sapphires.

You're odd.  

A throat cleared and all the conversation around the table stopped. King Thiago stood up, hands on the table in front of him.

"We are faced with a very serious problem," he started. "To the east, Elianore conquers and pillages the Marish and Bitai. To the west, Jaclyn hunts dragons and giants."

"Do we know what they want?" the blue-haired man asked, crossing his arms.

"We have an idea for Elianore, thanks to her foolish attempt to steal Mishka the Keeper's egg. We believe that she may be seeking to go through to Phuina and find the Garden of Lila."

There were discontented mutterings.

"Then why is she going after a baby dragon?" Grigori asked, watching Ovar climb down into his palm. "Wouldn't it be faster to get help from an older dragon because they have more magic?" he continued, looking over to Jal, hoping he hadn't misspoken.

"Because only infant dragons can be fooled into leading someone unworthy to the gardens," Jal explained, smiling softly as Ovar climbed back onto Grigori's shoulder. "And only Thaiga Dragons can find what we think she's looking for."

"Is that Mishka's hatchling?" A wizard asked, looking at Ovar, who had now slunk into Grigori's tunic.

"I... I don't know," Grigori said. Ovar poked his head out of Grigori's tunic.

"I am," he said. "We're going to go visit her."

The council all raised their eyebrows. Thiago looked at Grigori, who slunk back into his chair.

"We?" he asked.

"Grigori and me," Ovar said, snuggling closer to Grigori. "He's my familiar."

The court went silent for a few moments. Grigori grinned at Ovar, who licked his chin and scrambled out of his shirt, moving back into his hair.

"But he's not Awakened," One mage said, crossing her arms. "You're a dragon, you could have any familiar in the world."

Ovar stretched, rolling back and forth on his limbs.

"This boy is mine," he said. "And I am his and I will fight all of you before I let you separate us."

"Ovar," Grigori whispered, his heart swelling. He reached up and took Ovar gently in his arms. "Thank you," he mumbled, rocking him and scratching his ears and Ovar rumbled contentedly.

"Then an escort is in order for the two of you to make it safely to the nesting grounds," Jal said, looking at Thiago, who nodded. "Pheo, Syralth and I shall stay here to prepare to defend Aria as the two hordes draw closer."

"I will stay as well," the female mage said.

Two generals also said they would stay, leaving three people. The king, the queen and a female soldier who hadn't said anything. Thiago turned to her.

"Sacha?"

"I'll go with them with two of my best," she said softly. "And he has to be Awakened before we leave. I'm not going through Jaclyn and Elianore's territories without a mage."

"Right," Thiago said, looking at the blue haired man. "Syralth, you and Jal are the only ones I know who can do it."

"In the end, the choice isn't ours to make," Syralth replied. "It is Grigori's and Grigori's alone, no matter how much we beg and scream."

The court turned and looked at Grigori, who squirmed in his chair. He wanted to be Awakened, but he really, really didn't want to die and he wanted more time to think about it. Ovar looked up at him.

I won't let you die.  His voice whispered in Grigori's mind. Grigori nodded slowly.

"I, I'll do it," he said softly.

"Alright, we will do it in three days, at midnight," Syralth said. "Unless someone objects." The court remained silent. "Three days at midnight it is then."

"Until then, Grigori, please enjoy the palace. You may go," Thiago said gently. Grigori nodded and left the room, carrying Ovar close to his chest. An androgynous human was standing just outside.

"I am Brutus. I'll take you to your rooms so that you may bathe."

"Bathe?" Grigori asked, following them. Brutus wrinkled their nose.

"You sit in water and we take off the coating of grime on you."

"Sit. In. Water."

"Yes."

"Do you want me to freeze to death?" Grigori asked, making a face. Brutus sighed and pinched their nose.

"We shall heat the water," Brutus replied. Grigori nodded and followed them, still concerned. They got into a little room, with a huge cot in the corner, a fireplace and a strange looking bucket in the middle of it. "Get out of those filthy clothes," Brutus said, pushing Grigori behind a strange, stretched piece of fabric. He set Ovar down and peeled off layer after layer of dusty clothes, standing only in his briefs.

Grigori felt strangely exposed. His definition of getting clean was having a bucket of cool water dumped on his head and then standing in front of the forges to dry off before he got too cold.

He peeked around the screen, one arm across his chest, the other covering his privates cautiously. Brutus and another were dumping buckets of water into the big bucket, which he guessed was where he'd 'bathe'. He flushed.

He had never been fully naked in front of others before.

"Are you undressed?" Brutus called.

"Yes?" Grigori replied. Brutus turned and gave a quick peek.

"Briefs too."

"But-"

"I'll turn around for twelve seconds," Brutus said. "I want you fully undressed and in the tub before I turn around."

"Is the tub the big bucket?"

"Yes," Brutus said as they turned around. Grigori yanked off his briefs and scrambled over to the tub, plunking himself down in it with a splash. His eyes widened and he sighed in delight. It was so warm and the water smelled nice. Brutus turned around and saw water all over the floor. Grigori blinked.

"Sorry?" he offered. Brutus sighed and chuckled.

"Constance," they called. The other person came back with a tray full of strange bottles and bricks and tiny towels. "Now, Lavender or Lemon or Glowmoss?"

"Glowmoss," Grigori said, unsure of what they were asking. Brutus grabbed a bottle and poured it into his hair, running their fingers through it gently. Grigori squeaked, but soon relaxed as the scent of glowmoss, musky and spicy, filled his nostrils. Brutus' hands were gentle and they rinsed the suds and dirt out of his hair.

"Is this really your first bath?" they asked, handing Grigori a bar of soap and helping them stand in the slippery tub.

"Yes," Grigori said, sniffing the soap.

"Don't lick it. Rub it on your hands then rub your hands everywhere."

"Alright," Grigori said, doing as he was told.

"Sit back in the water."

Grigori sat back down and watched as the bubbles moved off of him.

"How often do I have to bathe?"

"Every week."

"You're kidding."

“Nope.”

🜂🜂

Jaclyn looked at Elianore and she crossed her arms. How she hated asking for help. It made her seethe and grit her teeth.

"Why are you here, Elianore?" Jaclyn asked.

"Once a member of the Delphinae, always a member. I come to ask for your assistance," Elianore said, spitting the last word out like it was poison. Jaclyn raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "The baby dragon, he has bonded, with a boy."

"You need to be more specific darling, I know lots of boys," Jaclyn replied, hands on her hips. Elianore glared at her. That cocky bitch.

"I think he's Kotaro's son."

"Impossible. He died. My algorths tore him and his treacherous wife apart twenty years ago," Jaclyn replied. "And they would not have failed."

"Depends on what you ordered them to do."

"I ordered them to kill Kotaro and Thoko and Thoko wasn't pregnant when she left," Jaclyn replied.

"There's only one way to be sure. I would like to capture him with aide from your summons. You keep the boy, I keep the dragon."

"A mutually beneficial alliance." Jaclyn raised an eyebrow.

Elianore nodded, forcing herself to smile. She hated Jaclyn but pairing the most powerful Elemental Mage and the world's premiere Sorceress was too good of an opportunity to waste. Between them, they had more than half of the continent conquered. Jaclyn smiled and Elianore offered her hand; Jaclyn shook it.

"Partners then," she said.

"Yes, which demons would you like to use?"

"I heard recently you conquered Anshe."

"You heard correctly," Jaclyn replied, pulling a pearl around out of her pocket. "The terror of the oceans, in my palm."

"The way to the nesting grounds is over the sea," Elianore said, beginning to pace. Jaclyn nodded.

"I can do that," Jaclyn said, grinning. "Although, once I break the pearl, I will not be able to capture her again."

"That doesn't matter, you'll have the boy," Elianore said. Jaclyn nodded slowly.

"If he is the child of Kotaro and Thoko, I have to end him. Can you imagine how much he could screw up everything?"

"The birthright of Thoko and Kotaro's stubbornness in one body? It would be a nightmare,” Elianore said, inhaling. “But perhaps he doesn't need to be killed, Jaclyn," Elianore continued. Time to put her second part of the plan into action. "He can be broken and rebuilt. Then it wouldn't be even a contest of conquering the whole world."

"You're right," Jaclyn said, nodding. "He could be used as a battery at worst and a dragon killer at best," she said, grinning. Elianore nodded. "Shall we merge our armies as well for the final assault of Aria?"

"Yes, we shall in the morning," Elianore said. "For now, my men and I are itching to raid something."

"Village, two leagues north," Jaclyn said. "Make sure the food is communal property, the rest is yours and your men."

"So mine."

"How did I know you'd say that?" Jaclyn sighed.

"Because you know me," Elianore replied. "It's good to see you, Jaclyn. This will be profitable for both of us."

🜂🜂

Grigori rubbed his hand against the new tunic again. It was so soft, nothing like the stiff wool the dwarves used. Ovar rumbled as he settled on Grigori's shoulder. Grigori looked around the library where Brutus had dumped him, saying that they had more important things to do.

"So, what should we read Ovar?" he asked.

"Don't ask me, I can't read."

"You can't read."

"I am two days old, Grigori," Ovar replied.

"Well, what kind of stuff do you want to hear?" Grigori asked, looking at all the books. They looked so stiff and beautiful. His fingers brushed along the spine of one. "The Unicorn."

"Sure," Ovar replied, shuffling and settling on Grigori's shoulder. Grigori pulled the book out of the shelf and blew the dust off of the book. He walked to one of the armchairs and began to read it out loud.

"Once, long ago, in the dying hours of the Age of Beasts, when Humans began to walk the face of Excelsian, there were the unicorns. They were wise and gracious, the children of the moons.

But they were being hunted," Grigori paused as Ovar inhaled sharply. "By a witch, who was gathering their blood for dark purposes. After many years of the Hunt, only one Unicorn was left, on the great continent to the east. She was tired of running and instead chose to hide in a little village, where she had made a friend of a young woman by the name of Anele.

Anele was a warrior, the protector of the unicorn. For many years, the two of them lived quietly. But someone was jealous of their closeness and the long life it brought Anele. So, for a large sum of money, he told the witch where the friends were staying.

Anele caught wind of the plot against them and fled towards the mountains of Vala with the unicorn, the witch following them.

Eventually, exhausted and battered by the demons the witch sent after them, they faced the witch. The battle shook the heavens and lasted three days but Anele and the unicorn persevered. The witch lay dying at Anele's feet and with her last breath, cursed the unicorn and Anele, binding the unicorn to Anele's bloodline, so that when Anele died, so would the last unicorn, assuming that Anele would never lower herself to marriage.

The witch was wrong. Anele found a lover and soon gave birth to a daughter and as she did, a new unicorn was born from the white lilies and when Anele died alongside the unicorn, she passed her birthright to her daughter, and when her daughter died with her unicorn, the birthright passed to her son and it shall so progress until the end of days."

Grigori closed the book. Why did that story seem so familiar to him? He stared quietly at the cover, trying to remember where he had heard it. His brow furrowed as he traced the symbol on the cover. Where had he seen that?

"The medallion Fala gave you," Ovar said. Grigori looked at him. Ovar gestured at the symbol with his nose. Grigori felt around in his belt pouches until he found it, squinting. Ovar was right.

"Huh," Grigori mumbled, jumping as the door to the library opened. He tucked the medallion away as the female soldier, he was pretty sure her name was Sacha, from the day before stormed in, grabbing a book and slamming it on a table. "Are you alright?" he asked softly. She turned around, her ears becoming pink.

"The tracker for the escort has gone missing," she explained, rage creeping into her voice. "Without him, we don't have anyone who knows the safest way to Nevern."

"Nevern?"

"It's a port city. We'll have a boat waiting for us there," she explained. "We'll get you, the little dragon and I on board and we'll be sailing for the nesting island. Once we get on the boat, we should be safe. Elianore and Jaclyn may control the continent, but the Royal Navy still controls the sea."

Grigori nodded, cocking his head.

"So, you are plotting our route?" he asked.

"Yes," Sacha replied, running her fingers through her black bangs. "It'll take us about four weeks to get there without horses."

"Why can't we have horses?"

"You don't know how to ride and you'll be newly Awakened. You won't be able to stay in the saddle. Also, horses need food, so more packing."

"Ah," Grigori said, nodding stiffly. It made sense, but it still stung that she thought he wouldn’t be able to stay in the saddle. “I have to go to… Do the thing.”

Grigori sat down on the bench, facing Syralth, Ovar perched on his lap and sniffing Syralth's hands, which were covered in faint crisscrossed scars. Syralth's gold eyes had slight bags under them and his blue hair was unkempt, standing up in all directions.

"Are you alright?" Grigori asked. "We can do this another time if you want." Syralth shook his head.

"I do not enjoy being awake at night, but it has to be done now, in the light of the moon," Syralth replied.

"Why?"

"I'll explain in the morning," Syralth replied. Grigori nodded, his breath shortening. Shouldn't there be a medic on hand? "Give me your hands, Grigori. I'll try to make this as painless as possible."

"Thank you," Grigori said, holding out his hands, wishing that they would stop shaking. Syralth took them in his own, they were rough, but not as rough as the hands of dwarves.

"Close your eyes and focus on your breath."

Grigori did as he was told, his chest rising and falling as he began slowing down the inhale and the exhale. In and out, up and down. His hands began to tingle.

"By Lila's Grace, Tyrius' Wit and Zilla's Brash, this soul has come to me, your humble servant to Awaken the primal forces that lie within," Syralth said, his voice growing low and guttural. "The forces that connect us are wild but bind us to the world. To the elements, to each other, to time and to those beyond our reach. I open the gates to this world."

Pain began to seep up Grigori's hand, colder than the water in the underground streams, it felt like his blood was freezing in his veins. Tears began streaming down his face, his whole body telling him to pull away, that his hands were dead.

"Grigori," Ovar called out. "Don't you dare leave me alone."

"I, it, it hurts," Grigori whispered, lips trembling, spine stiff, every muscle and fibre burning and screaming at him. He was going to die, he could feel his heart changing, slowing.

Slowly, the pain changed, warmth creeping through his body, smoother than tea mixed with honey. It stalled the progression of the cold throughout his body, spreading from deep in his stomach.

And then, trickling away just as it had crept up his arms, the cold vanished. Grigori slumped forward, Syralth catching him. He took a shaky breath.

"Grigori?" Ovar asked.

"I, I'm alive," Grigori whispered, trying to sit up. Ovar licked his chin. Syralth helped him stand up, Grigori's arm over his broad shoulders.

"Let us retire," Syralth said. "On the morrow, we will meet and I'll begin teaching you the basics of healing and air magic."

"Alright," Grigori mumbled as Syralth half supported, half carried him to his room, setting him on the fluffy bed. "Thank you."

"Sleep, you shall need it."

"Mmhm," Grigori flopped back on the bed. His whole body ached, even his teeth. He looked at Ovar as the little dragon scrambled up onto the bed.

"You dropped me."

"Oops. I'm sorry," Grigori said. Ovar huffed and clambered up onto the other pillow, curling up into a ball.

"You're still hurting," he said. Grigori nodded. "You almost died."

"I know," Grigori said, feeling a sudden surge of relief course through him and he stared at the embroidered canopy. Tears began to trickle down his cheek, uninvited but there all the same. Ovar crept over to beside his face and licked it gently.

"Oh Lila, I almost died Ovar. What would have happened to you," he whispered.

"I would have gone back to your Doma and told them that you were brave."

"You think I'm brave?"

"Of course I do," Ovar said. "You dropped everything to bring me home and you blew up

Elianore. You're either brave or really stupid."

"Thanks, Ovar."

"You're welcome,” Ovar said, curling up.

[writersblockandapotoftea]

A Tale of a Misfit and his Talking Lizard

@aj-the-satyr Here’s chapter 2

Chapter 1

Grigori looked around the little campsite as Pheo mixed something together from things in his pouch. The wounds across his arms and cheek were clumsily bandaged by Grigori's unsteady hands.

"What are you making?" he asked.

"A tincture so that my wounds heal more quickly," Pheo replied. "If one of us had healing magic, it would be easier."

"I thought all elves were Awakened," Grigori said, cocking his head to the side. Pheo shrugged.

"I am, but I don't know how to use healing magic. My magic lies in combat," he explained. Grigori scooted closer.

"Combat?" he asked nervously. Pheo looked at him and Grigori blinked, scooting back a bit. Had he done something wrong?

"There are six big categories of magic," he explained, smiling and patting the earth next to him. Grigori scooted to him. Pheo used his finger to draw out six symbols in the air. "Elemental, that's what most humans use. Healing, that can be learned by anyone. Combat is what I use, it gives me a bit of an edge," Pheo tapped each symbol as he explained. "Fate is the ability to see the future, to learn about the patterns in life. Sorcery is the summoning of spirits. And Godsend magic is used by dragons and gods to give and change life itself."

"What kind of magic was Elianore using?"

"Combat and fire, which is an element," Pheo said. Grigori nodded.

"Does the Awakening hurt?" he asked. He had read about it in a book Losuick had given him. Pheo shrugged.

"I was born Awakened, so I don't know," Pheo explained. Grigori looked at him. "All elves were."

Grigori.

"Yeah, Ovar?"

There is a problem.

"What is it?"

I am hatching.

"What," Grigori said, his heart going into his throat. "Why couldn't you have done that while Elianore was around?"

Because Elianore was around and I did not have enough energy."

"Energy?"

PUT ME DOWN GRIGORI."

"Right, right," Grigori set Ovar down gently in the earth just as a little claw poked through the shell of the egg. Grigori's heart hammered as Ovar bit through the shell and it melted when Ovar's head peeked out. "Oh, my Lila. You're amazing," he whispered, clasping his hands over his heart to keep from scooping the tiny dragon into his palms. Ovar shook his head, spraying gunk as he pulled out his hind legs and tails.

He rubbed at his eye with a paw, tripped and landed on his face. Grigori stifled a giggle as Ovar shook his head. His eyes opened and he blinked, staring at Grigori.

"Hi, Ovar."

"HI Grigori," Ovar piped, sitting down, paws neatly in front of him. "You were right. You are all 'this'."

"You're still small enough that I can fit you in my boot," Grigori said, lowering his hand; Ovar scampered on and curled up into a ball.

"Please don't."

"I won't," Grigori promised, looking at Pheo. The elf was grinning. "What?"

"We've just witnessed a miracle, Grigori. Dragon births are sacred."

"Oh." Grigori said, looking at Ovar's glossy brown scales. The little dragon was licking himself clean. "You don't have wings."

"I guess not."

"Not all dragons do," Pheo explained. "You should still be able to fly."

"I suppose," Ovar jumped off of Grigori's hand and glided to the ground. Grigori's heart sank.

If Ovar could fly, he wouldn't need him anymore. He shook his head, a lump forming in his throat.

"You stop that. I need my familiar."

"Huh?"

"You're my familiar. I need you," Ovar repeated, climbing onto Grigori's lap. Grigori lowered his hands into his lap and Ovar licked the spot where the poison oak used to be. Grigori blinked and stroked OVar with his free hand, smiling.

Pheo smiled at the two of them as he picked up the shell fragments.

"Get some rest. We move out in the morning."

"Right," Grigori nodded and leaned back until he was laying down. Ovar scrambled to his chest, tiny claws pinpricking his skin. Pheo lay down a little bit away, on his side.

"Pheo?" he called once Ovar had settled just under his collarbone.

"Yes?"

"Do you know how to Awaken someone?"

"No," Pheo rolled over to look at Grigori. "Why?"

"I think I need to be Awakened," Grigori said, looking at OVar. "I want to be able to protect him." His cheeks flushed. Pheo nodded slowly, inhaling and exhaling. Grigori looked away, feeling dumb. Awakening probably wasn't even a good idea, why was he this dumb?

"It's going to hurt," Pheo said softly. "I've known people that it's killed."

"If Elianore catches us again, we're both going to die anyway, right?" Grigori replied. Pheo sighed and nodded.

"I know a guy in Xing"

"Where's Xing?" Grigori asked.

"SOuth. It's going to be a long journey."

"Is it on the way to the nesting site?"

"Considering the nesting site is on an Island across the ocean, kind of."

"Let's do it."

🜂🜂

"I can't believe he used such a childish trick," Elianore snapped to her aide as she applied the cream. "If my fire wards hadn't been up, I would have been killed."

"It's odd he didn't use magic Lady Delphinae," the aide whispered.

"I know, Pheo is a world-renowned combat mage and that scrawny oaf definitely had the egg," Elianore drummed her fingers on her chair as another aide came in with some sliced oranges. She grinned and grabbed one, biting into the flesh of the sweet fruit. She chewed silently, waving the aides out. They both bowed and left, the chains clanking around their ankles.

She finished off the oranges as she mused over it. Why wouldn't someone with a dragon egg use magic? For that matter, why would they run, then come back with a cheap dwarven trick?

Her brows furrowed and then straightened.

The answer was simple.

The oafish boy wasn't Awakened.  She grinned to herself. All she had to do to get the egg was to attack him. He wouldn't be able to defend himself against a sorceress, the egg and the baby dragon would be hers and she'd be able to go to Phuina as she pleased.

It was all so simple and sweet.

"Ready a new chariot," she called, standing up and cringing as her old skin peeled. "And I'll need more cream!"

Grigori sat quietly on the wagon that Nolio had managed to flag down, Ovar hiding in his bag. Grigori looked up at Nolio; the elf had fallen asleep, his face drawn and wrinkled. He peeked at the drivers of the wagon. They were pale, really pale, a stocky man with a silly hat and a blue tunic and a woman with beautiful golden hair with a white and silver long tunic. He squinted. What was it called? Robe? That sounded right. He nodded to himself. HUNGRY.  Ovar wailed in his mind's ear. Grigori blinked and opened the bag, digging around further in it until he found the little parcel of dried meat. He opened it and tore a bit off, holding it above Ovar's nose. Ovar nipped it neatly out of his hand. Grigori smiled and rubbed Ovar's ear. "So, where are you boys headed?" the man asked, turning around and smiling softly. Grigori smiled back. "We're going to see Pheo's... Friend," he said, looking at the elf and smiling. The man nodded, his eyes wrinkling. Grigori gulped, he had the same eyes as Losuick, kind and full of light. "We're going to Aria, going to go see her sister," he said, pointing at the woman. She nodded and smiled, her hand scooting over to touch his and the other touching her stomach. Grigori's eyes drifted; it was rounded and swollen. "We got some big news to tell her." "What sort of news?" Grigori asked. The woman giggled and squeezed the man's hand. "Can I tell him, Galean?" she asked, her voice sounding like a million diamonds shining. Grigori grinned, they were so happy. "Sure, Ashe. You look like you're almost bursting," the man said. The woman turned and beamed at Grigori. "We're with child," she said, rubbing her stomach. "A baby?" Grigori asked, his throat closing a bit. He didn't know about babies, dwarves didn't have babies. Ashe nodded. "We're having a beautiful baby," she said proudly. "They'll be here in a few days." "Hopefully, not before we reach Aria," Galean said. Ashe nodded. Grigori beamed. It was a joyous occasion that he was privy to. They were going to become Doma, completing their fonie. "Congratulations," he said. "A child is a gift." "Yes, children are wonderful and this is the first time we've been able to carry to term," Ashe said proudly, hugging Galean's arm. Galean nodded and turned his eyes back on the road. Grigori blinked. They are sad. Grigori nodded quietly. Something bad had happened before. He shook his head. He didn't want to pry. They rumbled on in silence and Grigori watched the grey world roll by, at the stunted trees and the oddly shaped rocks that poked out randomly. Ashe shivered and scooted closer to Galean. Grigori hugged himself as cloud covered the sun. He squinted at the rocks. They had moved, he was sure of it. The sun came back and all was still. He squinted, why was that stone blue? His eyes widened. They were in troll territory. Ashe whimpered after a few more minutes of riding down the road. "Everything alright dear?" Galean asked. She nodded, doubling over. "She's giving birth," Ovar said, poking his head out of the bag. "Her water just broke." "What?" Galean said, pulling the horses to a stop. He turned and saw Ovar's head in the bag. "T-That's a baby dragon." "Yes," Ovar said, scrambling out of the bag. "Ovar, you were supposed to stay hidden," Grigori started to scold but was cut off by a pained cry from Ashe, waking Nolio. "Oh Dostine, what do we do?" he said. Nolio blinked a few times. "Grab the bag and the blanket, we're having a baby," Galean said, getting down from the front of the wagon. "What is going on?" he asked. "Um... Birth?" Grigori said, grabbing the bag and the blanket. He climbed down. This was really bad. They were in troll territory, miles from a doctor. Ovar scrambled down and helped Grigori lay the blanket flat. Galean opened the bag and pulled out several sheets. "Elf, how fast are you," he barked. Nolio was standing by the wagon, hand on his sword. Grigori relaxed a bit. Nolio would keep the inquisitive, if clumsy, trolls back. "Fast," Nolio replied. "You see the bucket?" Galean said. Nolio nodded and grabbed it. "We crossed a stream a bit back. Go get water. You," he said to Grigori, who straightened. "Get a fire going." "Right," Grigori said, gathering dry wood from a dead tree nearby. He looked at the clouds. They showed no signs of leaving, they even looked darker. He looked around. The nearest troll was lumbering to them. "Boy, fire, now," Galean barked. Grigori nodded and set up the sticks. He pulled his flint out of his pocket and struck it on the steel clumsily, managing to catch the kindling. He breathed softly on it. He looked up and the troll was closer and it had friends. This was really bad. "Don't focus on them," Galean said. "C'mon, help me get Ashe comfortable." "Right," Grigori stuttered, stumbling over as Nolio came back with the water. "Get that bubbling," Galean ordered. "Boy, hold her hand." Grigori did as he was told, taking Ashe's hand and rubbing it gently, feeling the ground tremble as the leading troll approached. "What is going on?" they asked, their voice grainy but gentle. "I'm pushing a baby out of me," Ashe screamed, her spine tensing and her hand clutching Grigori's hand. "Allow me to assist," the troll said. Galean looked at them, shoulders tense. "I am a healer."

"How do I know that you won't eat us?"

"Trolls are vegetarian," Grigori said as Ashe squeezed his hand again, hearing bones crunch. "And they are really good healers," he continued. Galean looked at Grigori, then at his wife and nodded, moving to hold her other hand. The troll crouched and set their staff down, spreading Ashe's legs gently.

"It's alright dear," they soothed as Ashe screamed again, throwing her head back.  "You're almost there, now, just push."

Ashe groaned and panted as the troll guided her through the birth, squeezing Grigori and Galean's hands.

With a final push and a scream that seemed to shake her whole body, Ashe gave birth. The troll caught the slippery baby gently.

"Water," they said. Nolio came over with the bucket of heated water and the troll cleaned the baby off, wrapping it in one of the sheets. Ashe took the baby, leaving Grigori to rub his sore hand. "It's a girl," the troll said, standing up. Ashe nodded and snuggled the baby girl.

Grigori peeked over. It was pink and mushy looking, but every fibre in his being was telling him to look after it. The troll began to lumber off, the strange markings on their arms glowing pink.

"Sir?" Galean called, standing up. The troll turned and looked at them, leaning on the staff. "Thank you."

"Remember this day, human, in case someone tries to call you to war on us," the troll said. Galean nodded and held his hat to his chest.

"You have my word."

The troll nodded and kept wandering off. Ovar looked at Grigori.

"Follow them."

"Why?"

"Just do it," Ovar said, trotting after the troll, a streak of copper in the gray grass. Grigori sighed and followed Ovar, scooping him up and catching up with the troll.

"Excuse me?" he said softly. The troll stopped and looked at him.

"Yes, Grigori?"

"You know my name?"

"Of course I do. Trolls know of all doings under bridge and mountains," the troll said. Grigori's eyes widened. "I jest." Grigori's shoulders slumped. "Espi told me of your departure."

"Oh," Grigori said, sighing in relief. The troll smiled. "What's your name?"

"Fala," the troll touched their chest. Grigori repeated the gesture.

"This is Ovar," he said, pointing to the dragon on his shoulder. Fala nodded and smiled. "How did you know what to do?" he asked.

"I have been a healer for many years. This young family is not the first child I have delivered," Fala replied. Grigori nodded and looked at their kind yellow eyes. He smiled.

"Thank you," he said, bowing slightly.

"You are welcome, Grigori," Fala replied. They felt around their belt. "I do have something you may find interesting," they said, pulling out a medallion. "Twenty cycles ago, a couple came to me to deliver their child. Soon after the birth, they were attacked by Algorth, the mother and child fleeing into the mountains as the father made a last stand. He had your eyes." They dropped the medallion into Grigori's hand. "Keep it safe."

"I will"

Fala smiled.

"Off you go now," they said, gesturing. Grigori nodded and turned to go. "And Grigori?"

"Yes?"

"Do not let misfortune befall you and Ovar."

"I won't," Grigori said, jogging back to the caravan.

"I like trolls," Ovar said. Grigori nodded, looking at the medallion, rubbing his thumb over it.

[writersblockandapotoftea]

NANO EXCERPT TIME

That was rude.

"Alright, you need to stop that," Grigori said, stopping and rubbing his neck. "I don't even know where you are, or if I'm mad but you need to stop hanging around in my thoughts unless I know who and what you are."

I am Ovar.

"Great, what are you?"

I will be a dragon and your familiar. I think.

"Wait, wait," Grigori paused and opened the pouch. The egg was pulsing like crazy, gold and silver. "You're the egg." Grigori slid down the wall, losing the strength in his knobbly knees. He crouched, dumping the egg into his palm.

That's what I said.

"How come I can hear you?"

Familiars.

"I don't understand."

Idiot.

"Hey, I will put you back in the river," Grigori said, cupping the egg close. He would never, but the egg, Ovar, whatever it was, didn't have to know that.

Please don't.

"Then what I am supposed to do?"

Take me home.  

Grigori sighed and stood up. He wanted to. He really wanted to but he didn't want to leave his life underground. He had only ever seen the sun once and he had never seen the moons. He really wasn't the right person for the job.

"Look, Ovar, for only knowing you for about half a tick, you seem pretty kind but, but I've-"

Pussy.

"Are we really back to that?"

Yes.

"I am not a feline, Ovar. And my Doma would be heartbroken if I left them," Grigori began walking towards their

Doma?

"Losuick, the dwarf that held you?"

I do not recall anyone's touch but yours.

Grigori blinked, his cheeks flushing. How was that possible? He was also strangely flattered by it.

"There you are Gri," Losuick called, stomping up. "I was worried. Di-" Losuick stopped as they saw Grigori's hands. "What happened?"

"Poison oak," Grigori replied, tucking the egg away quickly. Losuick grunted and pulled out a bottle, dribbling it over Grigori's wrist. The itching stopped, replaced by a cooling sensation. Grigori sighed softly. "There we are. That's better." They closed the bottle again. "Let's go home."

Grigori followed Losuick to their cave in silence, sitting down on his bed, hearing it creak and groan under him. Losuick began working on a clock, his tools whirring and clicking. Just as they always had.

"Do?" he said softly, head going into his hands.

"Gri?" Losuick looked up at him, the tools stopping.

"I think I want to see the world," Grigori said softly. Losuick inhaled, sucking in their gut and pulling at their beard.

"Why?"

"I don't quite fit in here, Doma. I'm tired of it. I, I, want to see where I belong."

"You belong here, with your family," Losuick said softly, hands running over their carefully braided beard. Up and down and up again. "Why else?"

"I think... I think there's something I need to do," Grigori said, hand going to the pouch. "I can feel it."

"This has something to do with that egg, doesn't it?"

"Yes, Doma. I know it sounds insane, but I need this egg and it needs me," he said softly. Losuick nodded slowly, taking off their hat and dabbing at their eyes. "Doma, are you crying?"

"I knew that I was going to have to let you go out into the wide world eventually. I just," Losuick looked at the clock. "I was hoping I could finish this first so that you'd have some part of me with you."

Grigori started and stared at Losuick, his throat closing and tears filling his eyes. He swallowed and stood up, walking over to the dwarf. Dropping to his knees, he hugged Losuick close. Losuick hugged him back tightly, stubby little fingers digging into Grigori's skin. Grigori shook, crying into Losuick's shoulder. He didn't want to go but he didn't want to stay either.

"I'll miss you," he mumbled.

"I'll miss you too. Come back when that egg is safe, ya hear?"

"I will Doma," Grigori said, pulling out of the hug. Losuick smiled at him and Grigori smiled sadly back.

"And write."

"Who's going to deliver it?" Grigori replied. Losuick chuckled and Grigori wiped his tears away as the two of them began packing him a bag.

"Here's a cloak and your scarf and some tools," Losuick prattled as they packed.

"Doma."

"And two flasks, alcohol is expensive."

"Doma, you've packed me three bags," Grigori said, looking at the growing stack. Losuick looked up and smirked.

"Fine, fine, give me a moment," they said, disappearing and coming back with a dark blue bag, shoving everything into it. The bag didn't even change shape. Grigori's eyes widened.

"What is that?"

"Elf-bag. Fellow named Nolio gave it to me in exchange for a bit of ruby I was polishing. I personally think I got the better deal though," they chuckled, handing it to Grigori. Grigori marvelled at it. It was lighter than anything he had carried before. He inhaled and looked down at Losuick, who was holding a lantern and a stick that was much too big for him.

They walked to the doors in silence, Grigori glancing down at Losuick.

Losuick opened the door, light from the sunset flooding the entrance to the tunnel and Grigori got an overwhelming sense of love and pride flowing from his Doma as the two of them squinted in the light.

"That last time you were at the door, your human doma was giving you to me," Losuick said, looking at their arms, gripping a baby that only they could see. "Such a wee thing, you got so big so fast."

"Doma," Grigori whispered, ducking down to hug them once more. Losuick patted his back and Grigori straightened. Losuick handed him the staff and Grigori turned it in his palms, marvelling at the runes all over it.

"If anyone tries to hurt ya, whack them on the head," Losuick explained, demonstrating the motion. Grigori nodded and repeated the motion. "Good. Off you go."

"I'll be back," Grigori said, walking outside for the first time.

"I know you will. Be careful now."

"I will," Grigori said, taking another step and then another, and another. He turned and waved once again. Losuick waved back. Grigori smiled and kept walking, turning once again. The door was still open, much smaller now. Grigori kept walking until the door vanished from his view.

He sat down on the heather and took out the egg.

"Ovar?"

Are you still crying?

"No. I just wanted to tell you that we're on our way," Grigori said; he flopped back onto his back, staring at the darkening sky, at the stars that he had never seen before. His eyes widened and his breath hitched. They were so beautiful, like diamonds spread across an obsidian table He put his hands over his eyes and pulled them away.

The stars were still there.