I rested content with the mory of true dragon life. In the back of my mind I processed what Treator had said. Knots of ntal tension unwound and I felt a clear vision for the future for the first ti in a while.
Goals: Build a ho. Try and pursue a genuine love. Grow my current relationships. Defeat this Clavile. Prepare for the Roman Gods, dealing first with Mars. If possible, a new thought ca to : find a way to visit my howorld. The issue wasn’t power or ans though both would be difficult even for , but in direction that is navigation. I only got here by Umbra’s sacrificial spell and Iris’ call. How to get to earth and back without getting lost was a goal beyond for now.
While I didn’t see them at the ti, the group was occupied with Mars’ forces as we duelled.
"Damian!" Iris shouted.
"Champion!" Morgana shouted.
"Sorcerer!" Làidir shouted.
Perhaps I should have checked on them, but I was rather overwheld with all that had happened to .
I almost barked back at them to shut up. Childish, but I was done. A brutal fight and I had just made and lost a friend. It was not a good ti to be shouting at whatever their intentions may have been.
Laying on the grass, I said "I’m alright." I sighed. "Resting my eyes."
Eyes shut, I longed for my room so I could hide away and forget all my troubles. But it was far away and I was still alive. I had survived the God of War.
"You all okay?" I asked.
"Those beasts of Mars are tricky. Nothing we had seed to really hurt them."
"Ha. The Bear stopped when I threw him away." Morgana boasted.
Iris shrugged, "The wolf also went far, love."
"Well, I had the bird and I didn’t see either of you catching the damn flighty beast." Làidir complained.
"I’m glad you are okay."
"What happened with Mars? You won?"
"No, co lie down. I need a rest. We can catch up."
I told them everything that had happened from the duel with Mars to talking with Treator.
"So, the Dragon is dead. We have completed the quest given by the Kings." Morgana replied.
"Didn’t happen as planned" Iris worried while wringing her hands.
"It is enough. If they complain we can simply take the land. We don’t need their permission. I am asking out of kindness. I would prefer friendship, but I won’t grovel to their whims for it." I said fiercely. Defensive after my brutal takedown by Mars.
Morgana frowned, her brows knitting together, "It is a matter of law."
"We are powerful enough, Morgana, where we can make laws. I want to work with the Gelts, and Druids. But, I won’t serve them."
"No one is above law."
"And no one should be shackled to the ambitions of a powerful elite. Let alone the Kings of Gelts pawns of an Unseelie. They who make, govern and fund the enforcent of those laws and give out dangerous quests to potential allies. I’m going to create a wonder. The first step to ensuring our security and freedom. I won’t jeopardise it based on a known risk."
Iris pleaded, "The Circle is there. We need to get along."
"They are puppets of Clavile whether they know it or not. I won’t play his gas. I don’t trust him or any of his offers. I include Elkilbour in that as he controls the city. I will be like the character of that story you told... Clavile can co to and I will beat him in my space. The sooner we can get our people out the better."
"The Circle is everything to . My last connection to my heritage, to people like . Samiya will grow up alone with no one like her if we abandon them."
"Iris, I have no one. I am a foreigner, an otherworlder. You are one of my few true connections to this world. I am forced to challenge not just one god, but an entire patheon for you. I will not risk you, Morgana or any of our people when I know the city is a trap devised by even more of your enemies. I must protect you, you asked it of . Let do my job."
"Then you have to find a way to protect the Circle too. It is as much of as my body."
"We can’t just leave Elkilbour to the likes of Clavile. It is wrong." Morgana added.
"Despite your protests, I won’t challenge him in Elkilbour. The way to win is to have him challenge in my land. Treator said so, your story said so and I agree."
Morgana reasoned, "It is all guessing for now. Why don’t we return to Elkilbour first? Let us see what happens. We have to anyway. Samiya, Bryette, Tulisa, everyone is there."
"Fine."
"Let us." Iris answered.
I was quiet during our return to Elkilbour floating on my newly repaired magical barge. Morgana and Iris were silent. My shoulders hunched over hung in terrible tension. A new fear and anger had been birthed in after my encounter with Mars.
I was the problem.
Làidir didn’t care. Rattling off a blow by blow account of her battle with Mars’ eagle companion. I had never seen her so chatty or happy. Violence really did it for her.
My one word responses or grunts didn’t seem to phase her. Instead, it gave her more opportunity to talk about battle.
I admit it was sowhat endearing listening to her confidently retelling her battle and overcoming the eagle, if not quite killing it. I half-smiled, at least she didn’t face a humiliating defeat like I had. I was saved by Treator.
"I wonder how you would fare against Mars?" I wondered aloud
Her smile vanished.
"We lost. My brother and I."
"I...sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken."
"Not your fault. Only battle I lost. Best fighter I ever faced. Worse, we couldn’t hurt him. Leave a killing blow."
I smiled ruefully, "Sa. Stun him, but couldn’t even wound him. Dragonfire I doubt will even leave him lasting injuries. Just slowed him down.
"Then why did he run?" Iris asked. A rather obvious question.
"I don’t know. Maybe he had enough. We hurt him alot, he was in pain, but not near death or anything."
"But he believed you could. I am sure of it." Morgana added.
"I hope so. The sooner he is buried the better." Làidir stated darkly.
"A problem for later. Morgana was right. We need to go back to Elkilbour."
We zood across Alba to the city of the Gelts gliding across the surface of the earth with the speed of a helicopter. My irrational anger abated slightly from talking and the passage of ti.
Almost as soon as we arrived back in the Druids circle. We were walking under an oak tree in the outskirts of the Circle of the Druids. Sun shone down on us out in the open a fair distance away from the Druids hos and halls.
Donna appeared. She rushed to greet . specifically. Like a moth to the fla or a homing missile to its target.
She pulls into a hug pressing her hot, and all too soft body into mine.
It was a bit much, delightfully so, but boundary breaking. Arousal and paranoia hamred like blacksmiths in my head. She left as always confused and wanting.
However, a familiar face interrupted,
"Damian, can I have mont?" Rebecca asked.
I might have angrily brushed off another if they had done the sa. Donna had that affect on . But, I trusted Rebecca and she was the later wife of Galen. He sacrificed himself to protect . I owed him and by extension her an unpayable debt.
"Of course." I said.
Donna’s hand, her capacity warmth, rested on my arm, "We were speaking. She can..."
I turned to Donna. "Another ti."
Donna froze. Her eyes widening, slightly, with surprise. Her hand dropped to her side.
"But..." She began.
"I insist." Perhaps, I was being rude. But, so was she. I wasn’t going to get caught up in Donna’s way or nothing.
"Fine, Tomlin will keep company. I’m sure we will have a pleasant and energetic ti together. " She barked back and stord off with silent fury.
It was a petty attempt to make jealous. It worked; annoyingly. A bitter nausea settled in my stomach. I wanted to chase after her and pin her to the wall. Lash her to my side with sweetness and fury.
Stupid of , and I didn’t.
"What is it, Rebecca?" I asked with perhaps too much frustration.
I hadn’t had sex in a day, which after getting into the habit of it, I felt withdrawal. Donna’s teasing worsened the situation. I had almost died. It all left feeling pissy.
"I am sorry. Should I leave?" She said with a bowed head. Truly regretful.
"No, I am being rude." I take her chin and raise her head. "Anything that I can do for you, Rebecca. Just say it. Galen saved , and you looked after our people. Go ahead, my ti is yours."
"I am happy to hear that, Damian. You have given hope, and I know Galen would be proud of his choice. I will do whatever I can to honour all of our dreams of creating a brighter future for our people."
"I am glad to hear it. So, what was it you wanted?"
"People are curious about what is going to happen to us. They are worried with you having been gone. So despair that they are abandoned. Gainor your most devoted follower and Geoff the bard fiercely fight against such lies in your na, but hearing from you I think would be best."
"Are we agreed on what we want?" Iris asked.
I had almost forgotten about her, Morgana and Làidir. Each was a supernatural beauty in her own right, where beauty was one among many traits. Yet, I couldn’t detect any magic that a Druid like Donna could be using on .
She just had that much of a powerful effect. I couldn’t explain it.
Morgana spoke, "Damian wants to build his wonder, and I want to see it. I think building a ho for our people and ourselves. Settling down and securing our holand. That is what matters right now."
"So, do I." She glanced at , her eyes well up with no small amount of pleading, "Will you promise to think about helping the Circle?"
Làidir shrugged, "I don’t care. But the sooner you sort out your duties to these people the quicker we fight. You keep putting off."
I sighed, "Yes, yes I do."
Iris frowned and pointedly glared at Làidir, "Isn’t the Circle you’re ho. How can you just abandon it to go fight a guy you just t? What is wrong with you?"
Làidir, if she was offended didn’t show it, she stared back with a nonchalant expression, "I value the strong. The Sorcerer feels strong. All one needs in life is a strong family and strong enemies. The Romans and Unseelie are my enemies. I thought to live with my brother, but now I sense soone stronger. Don’t worry, my brother will keep the Circle safe. It is everything to him and he is nearly as strong as ."
Iris nodded. She was still frowning, but slightly appeased.
Further conversation was stilted when Tara walked up to us escorting Tulisa who held Samiya’s hand.
Iris’ anger dried up, she rushed over to catch a sprinting Samiya. They clutched one another in a fierce hug.
Bonds grow fast during desperate tis. I was well aware of Samyia’s need, but perhaps I underestimated how much Iris threw herself into the role of ntor and surrogate mother.
Who am I to judge? I am facing a pantheon of gods because I long for intimacy.
Tulisa embraced , "Are you okay?"
I felt a surge of irritation, "Why do you ask?" It was a stupid question. Most why questions are, I think I hear Morgana say, and this one put Tulisa on the defensive when all she had done was showed concern.
A concern that made feel vulnerable. I wasn’t prepared for that not when my defeat was so fresh.
Tulisa however put on a brave smile, "You look like you’re in pain." She poked my forehead. "You are all creased up."
I held her tighter, "Sorry, I’m better now."
"It’s okay. We’re safe now."
The problem though was we weren’t. Mars was coming with the most powerful army in Albion, and I wasn’t yet prepared on how to stop him.
I break our embrace.
Làidir snorted and stepped in between Tulisa and I. She went to speak then seed to think better of it. Whatever she was going to say judging by her twisted expression directed at Tulisa was an.
Làidir hugged . It was a clumsy grasping, but I wasn’t so cruel as to breathe her earnest intentions. Don’t twist what is already bent out of shape.
"It’s alright. You did well thanks for holding back on Tulisa. It may be rude to say, but you’re not alone in feeling lonely. Hugging is nice, right?"
"Right. Almost as good as fighting."
"Not quite as fun as sex."
She didn’t answer that one straight away.
"How honest of you."
I pulled away as she was speaking.
"Everyone get enough of our lover yet?" Morgana asked with heavy overtones of sarcasm.
"No." Samiya said cheekily and dived in for a hug. I patted her back and returned her endearing hug.
Iris used the chance to sneak in a hug with Samiya.
Morgana sighed, "Betrayed so easily."
She continued, "We don’t have all day. I will gather everyone and then get ready. We also have the Kings eting afterall. Rebecca make sure he is dressed. He is amazing in many ways, but I don’t think dressing up is one of them." Morgana mocked .
She wasn’t wrong.
"I can handle my dress. I will make sure Tara and Làidir are dressed appropriately." Iris said. "If you can handle it."
Rebecca winked in my direction, "If Tulisa helps, I will try my best."
"Co along, Master." Tulisa said, taking my hand. Rebecca followed along as I was dragged into the darkness (along to one of our temporary houses) and fitted with clothes.
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