Ashton blinked… that had not been a consideration for finding a protector. "Hmm, no mammals, no births, anything else of concern?"
Jaxon felt his gut clench even as he held Monroe up… they had thought about… turning Monroe into a dragon… for her to keep? Or him… Jaxon glanced to Lucian… if… Jaxon could ascend into a dragon… would that help the empire? Or, could they help Lucian ascend? Surely Lucian would keep his faculties because of his bloodline.
Beloved kicked her feet as she thought, "Well, has to be strong, has to be loving, has to submit, has to be cunning! And I know it shouldn't matter! But I want one with feathers! Reptiles are fine… but… feathers divine!"
Ashton nodded, he was partial to feathers as well… though fur could be an option. Ashton glanced over the large, aggrieved fox, eyes watering with unshed tears. "Feathers or fur, I admit I prefer, but a protector must endure. Let me see, let me think… what manner I could not critique." Ashton glanced over the imperials, a guard rushing over with Monroe's wheelchair. Then, Ashton's gaze rested on Aaron… well. Surely the stars would align.
Beloved heaved a great sigh, "Well, there is no rush, no need for haste, first things first! To greet and receive grace!" She leapt up to look toward the horizon. The sun had not yet risen… too bad!
Ashton blinked as a grin slowly spread, "Ah yes, greet the sun, todays a great day, let us have fun."
Sebastian rushed down to see what Lord Reece and his female were doing with Monroe… only to now see them move on so quickly. Now they both stood on the edge of his nest, closest to the rising sun… waiting? As soon as the sun crested the horizon… they started to sing in tandem. The female starting in a cheerful, soul lifting melody.
"This morning you bless us, with hope and with cheer."
"You banish the darkness, fight off the fear.
"The sun of all blessings, is one needed most, more than water or wind, more than even the earth."
"So shine down all bright, bring more than just warmth."
"Bring peace and love, bring life on forth!"
Sebastian watched as both figures, for just a moment, seemed to glow with a golden hue. Then the sunlight blinded him.
Ashton breathed in the morning air. A beautiful way to start the day, bathed in sunlight.
Beloved grinned as she hopped down, "Okay Nix! What should we do?"
Ashton sat on the edge of nest, head in hand, "Hmm, whatever you want to?"
Beloved nodded, "I want food!"
Neolani had been watching from the side, she didn't want to call the female Beloved… she wasn't sure if it was a title or her actual name… either way… it would be awkward. Ashton's Ember, calling his Beloved. At least now she knew they weren't mates… not if Ashton was looking for a protector that his Beloved would possibly mate with… that still begged the question… of what exactly their relationship is.
Alexei nodded to a dozen warriors who started to bring out platters of food. Melia and Azarius were told to watch for now, just until they had more information on the female.
Zane wiped his face, then went back into his topless tent. Beast gods above… what did beasts have against sleeping in after sunrise? He cleaned up quickly to join everyone for breakfast… awkward as it was with yesterday's battle with Lady Alaina. Jantje and Lucera were already sitting with the tiger cousins, eating silently as everyone snuck glances at the songbirds.
Rommel nudged Prince Zane to glance at Lord Caius as they sat down.
Caius curled around the eating birds, aiya, he was still holding her! Aiya, when would his Little Snack turn such attentions on himself? Aiya… they didn't smell like kin… had he been mistaken? Was his Little snack… not monogamous?
Beloved continued to eye the mutilated dragon kin, "Nix are you sure? Just seems like a waste, what good is it now… so broken, defaced?"
Ashton glanced up to assess Monroe's tense figure, "I mean, it wouldn't hurt us to try, just say the word, your wishes are mine."
Jaxon tensed, gripping his fork so tightly it bent… it wouldn't hurt them to try? Of course, the ascending process was never painless… but their words hinted at more…
Beloved sighed, "I don't want my haste, to end up a waste, just thought it was sad, crippled so bad… used and discarded like so many before. Wonder about the damage, deeper than soul… if it doesn't get healed, it won't last much longer, well, not my beast, no reason to ponder."
Ashton shrugged, "Dragon's blood resists, all but what it insists, I cleaned out the worst, removed the coerced. If it now makes amends, maybe help one might rend."
Beloved picked the apple slice from Nix's hand, stuffing it in her mouth, "I guess that's an option, at least there's a chance, now for more important matters! To eat! Then let's dance!"
Jaxon stilled… used and discarded… so Monroe had also been influenced… his attitude after being injured had changed abruptly… but he'd chalked it up to the pain. If… amends, if they could make amends… one or both might heal Monroe…
Monroe only told Jaxon about what he'd seen… they had tentatively agreed it was an illusion from her song, though Jaxon said he would look up other beasts with similar descriptions. Unfortunately, it had been dark… and his emotional state had been far from ideal to try looking for any telling details. Monroe had been listening, but being near the female for any length of time was unsettling to say the least. That smile… it kept flashing through his mind.
Leonard quickly noted down anything he heard of note, just in case his mind became muddled again. So, Monroe's actions that day had probably been due to the influence of Emma and Emmett. The children's emotions had been increasingly erratic, even before the siblings arrived. Still, it was another clue to follow.
Jaxon clenched his fist, then forced himself to relax as he softened his voice, "My… lady, is there a specific way my brother might make amends? To your satisfaction?" He addressed the female, one to hopefully get a name, and two, because Ashton seemed keen to do as she wished… she may just be the leverage they needed to get Ashton to stay in the empire.
Beloved glanced around with a startled chirp as everyone looked at her, then pointed at herself, "Eh? Me?"
Jaxon hesitated, her surprise didn't seem feigned… as she took more food from Ashton's hand. "Ah, please forgive my rudeness, I didn't know how to address you."
Beloved glanced around, then leaned into Nix as she covered her mouth, "Psst, I know he's a dragon, and dragons are dumb… but you call me so often… how to respond?" She whispered as she kept an eye on the larger dragonkin.
Ashton leaned in to whisper back, "It's hard to admit, even after all this time, that he's kind of the smart one, most are not just deaf… but blind."
Jaxon flushed more with more shame than anger, but forced it down… Ashton's playful banter… wasn't just insulting him, but all of related to his majesty. He couldn't let their petty rhymes distract him. "I meant, I did not want to offend you by calling you Beloved so casually."
Everyone tensed as the temperature seemed to drop. Ashton had lost his smile as he stared Jaxon down.
Beloved tilted her head with a giggle as she wrapped her arms around Nix, "Silly dragon, of course I'm not yours. I'm Nix's Beloved, take care with your words, or you might not enjoy such nice days in the sun."
Jaxon bowed his head as he shuddered, "I understand, Nix's Beloved. Is there a way for Monroe to make amends?"
Beloved cuddled into Nix's chest, tapping her chin, "I'm not offended, wasn't me he crossed, why come to me, with such unhappy talks?"
Ashton tilted his head, "I told you he's smart, rather than the meat of the matter, he aims for the heart."
Jaxon's gut clenched, Ashton's abrupt change in behavior… was that because of the girl… or because of the sun? There were so many contending factors he didn't know where to start.
Beloved threw up her hands in mock irritation, "Smart for a dragon, but still he is dumb! Offending my Nix, no gifts from the sun! Let's go Nix! This place is no fun!"
Zane let out a cough, drawing the female's attention. Ugh, she had been chatting so much he couldn't find an opening… the longer he hesitated the heavier Lucera's gaze became. "Um, yes, Nix's Beloved," Waters of the Sea, he couldn't remember the last time he fumbled a conversation so quickly.
Beloved tilted her head at the male. With a grin she leapt out of Nix's arms, landing on the table, bending at the waste right in front of the male, "You have a question, perhaps one I won't like… but that's okay, so long as only words are spiked." She put her hands on her waist as she waited for the male to gather his thoughts.
Zane shivered… he wasn't sure if that was a threat… or an invitation, "Um, so, we, I was wondering." Lucera's gaze was about to light his backside on fire… so if he died, she didn't want to be dragged down with him… so much for family ties… "Yes, I was wondering… if Nix, is, uh, well the Phoenix… from the thousand year old legend…" His voice started to faulter as she just tilted her head at him, almost confused.
Beloved raced across the table back to Nix's nest, "Nix, are there legends? Nix why don't I know? Are you keeping secrets, a mysterious glow?" She asked placing her hands on the nest looking at Nix expectantly.
Ashton blinked, "Eh? Legends? I doubt it, that wouldn't make sense… those legends exaggerated into an incomprehensible mess." Ashton firmly denied.
Beloved looked a little disappointed as she turned around to race back to the male, "Okay little person, you've caught my attention, what are these legends, I want to listen."
Zane sat blankly, unsure how to continue the conversation… so… Nix was a phoenix… just not the one from legend? "Um, well over a thousand years ago, there were more than two dozen beast gods, and, uh, the Phoenix, god of fire, went on a rampage…" He started as she squatted right in front of him expectantly.
"Why did he rampage? What made him upset? Don't skimp on the details! Or tell in duet!" Beloved groused poking the male's nose.
Lucera flinched but took over as Zane looked petrified by her delicate finger. "Legends don't say why, just that one day, he started to set fire to four other gods before the rest realized he went mad. A counsel of gods was called, more than half agreed he had to be stopped. They worked together, and stripped him of his godhead… As a last resort, using the power he'd gained slaying more than half the humans, beasts, and gods that had gone after him, he swore to return and exact vengeance on all who dared to defy him."
Beloved looked at the female confused, "Well that story makes no sense… more like a cover up, even condensed… Nix you were there, what did you see? Is there any truth, to this absurd story?"