Author’s Note: My apologies for not posting in a while. That’s the price you pay when you share a laptop with another. Thank you, Lori and Shishio amongst others, for your constant reviews. To make up for the slow update, here’s a massive one for ya! Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Kindred

“Children have so much energy,” Alaya commented, watching the kids scamper on ahead. “Now, if only we could find a way to bottle up some of it for us older types.” That got a laugh from Syn’Rae and Freya.

“One could learn a lesson from them,” agreed Freya. “Just watch. They automatically accepted each other, without question of concern, and now it’s as if they’ve been best friends for years.” The Burmecian blinked in surprise. “Uh oh. He’s falling behind.” She pointed to Savander, lagging further and further behind. But before any of the three could call out to the others….

“Mnh!” Savander stopped all together, waiting until Tavann came back for him.

“He seems much more accepting that his father,” Syn’Rae commented softly.

“Savander is an elf,” commented Freya. “Perhaps that makes the difference, as Quatrill explained.”

“Maybe.” Just then, the kids bolted off.

“I’ll keep up with them,” the oriental elf offered, lifting his glasses with a playful wink. “Not even darting children can escape my eyes.” He sped up into a jog, leaving the two women to casually stroll along.

“You said you wished to speak with me,” Freya prompted after a moment of silence.

“Yes. You will have to pardon my interest, but as I have said I have never mat another who used a lance like I do, let alone called themselves a Dragoon as well, save one. And he was a spirit.”

“A spirit?”

“His name was Andomyrarrys. I wear what was once his armor, fused magically with my own. He was the first other Dragoon I’d ever heard of, let alone spoken to. You see, he said that long ago there were lots of Dragoons, two factions in fact: The Dragoon Slayers and the Dragoon Saviors, those that hunt and kill evil dragons and those that aid and defend the good dragons. But eventually all the dragons left this land with the waning of magic, and the Dragoons, not need anymore, died out. I myself had never heard the term until I met Ember.”

“Ember? As in your last name?”

“Ember was a gold dragoness. I met her as she lay dying, battered by a storm and the attack of an evil dragon. I fought to save her life, but in vain; her wounds were mortal. Ember told me that she appreciated my attempts, that it showed not everyone here would shun dragons, and I agreed to continue her mission: to tell everyone of the dragons’ impending return, to prepare them for what was to come. To aid me further, Ember joined her soul to mine via an ancient draconic technique, and dubbed me a Dragoon. In honor of her I amended her name to my own, hence Ember-Rose.”

“On Gaia, Dragoon refers to a style of battle with high leaps and lance attacks. Many of my kind are Dragoons.” Alaya smiled.

“It makes me glad to hear that, Freya. Sometimes I fell a bit alone here, as I am the only existing Dragoon. To know there are others, somewhere, to see that proof before my eyes, eases that feeling greatly. Thank you.” Freya smiled, and for a few moments they walked in silence. Then… “Freya, may I take a look at your lance?”

“If I may examine yours.” Alaya pulled the dragon-headed lance from its seemingly magically secured place on her back, and they exchanged. The vixen laughed, looking up at the tri-pronged head.

“It’s so tall! How do you wield it in battle?” At the same time, Freya laughed.

“Yours is so small! How do you avoid being struck when in battle?” The ascending dragon was barely above the Burmecian’s head. Both women laughed again, and faintly their laughter was echoed by ,

“Giggle giggle giggle!”