Mage And Wolf
Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Chapter 55

After our bath I manage to convince Hui’Jin that a black bath robe is appropriate attire for the evening within my room, invoking decorum to claim that her burlap Acolyte’s robe simply wouldn’t do. So the three of us lounge around the new furniture in bath robes and fuzzy slippers, watching the news from a screen hidden in the wall by the small bedrooms.

Things are getting crazy out there. The newly separated states are banding together in small groups for the most part, forming regional small nations. The Dakotas have decided to join as one, and have announced their intent to ask the protection of the new "Supernatural City" as they’re calling Arcana.

I’m not certain we can actually protect the entirety of two states in any meaningful manner, but I suppose they feel it’s better than announcing they’re doing nothing to help the people.

Canada’s government has flat out abandoned their people. They dissolved parliament and never arranged an election. The people don’t seem to have really noticed, the major news on the Canadian station is about the prairie Provinces officially announcing large areas to be ’Monster Wilderness’ a danger zone available for anyone to use to practice their monster hunting skills, all liability waived.

European news is sporadic, there’s so many portals open that they’re having trouble getting even military broadcasts out. Asian news looks much like Canada’s. Some stories tell of teams braving dungeons near cities, others tell of vast wilderness filled with beasts. A mixed bag of outcomes, but it seems no major countries have fallen. Not that most of them were the most stable to start with.

The one piece that sticks out to me is the Jaguar people of Brazil. Jaguar Kin that claim to have lived there before and built many temples in ancient days have returned through dozens of portals all over the South American continent, many of them placed in the ruined temples of ancient cities, giving credence to the Cat Kin’s claims. They’re slowly turning utter chaos into a continent wide loosely organized empire.

Even after watching the news, the girls are too hyper to sleep. Lala is excited about her new room, and Hui’Jin is still riding the sugar high from our late night snack, so I send them both out to jog a couple laps around the garden.

They return much more pliable and we finally head for bed. The little dragon has a sad look though, staring at my room while standing by her door.

"What’s up little one? Need a bedtime story?"

"What’s a bedtime story? Is it like a history lesson at night?" So, they don’t do bedtime stories either.

"She can’t sleep in new places, and hates being alone even more than I do" Lala whispers in my ear.

Oh, this one is a simple win, win for me.

"You’ll be sleeping with us tonight Hui’Jin. We’ll settle you into your new room tomorrow."

She looks better, but still a little panicked.

I dig through my nightwear and find a short, backless black dressing gown in a soft silk. This will be perfect, no way to hide her wings in a backless gown.

"Now Hui’Jin, you know it’s customary to wear sleep clothes on this planet right?" She nods her head. "Good, I found something that will fit you, since I don’t know if you’ve got anything else to wear."

"I’m sure there’s something for Acolytes in my room your Highness" she stutters, looking at the small bit of soft cloth.

"Nonsense, put this on and get in bed"

Her wings stretch free and I button the gown at the back of her neck. "Isn’t that more comfortable than being all bundled up in something not made for your species?"

"You have no idea how good it is to stretch out." Hui’Jin stretches her wings and moans in comfort, only to have Lala pull her into a big hug, rubbing her face on the leather of the wings.

"Hey Kat, they’re warm! Soft too." Hui’Jin tries to escape the Bunny’s embrace but fails miserably.

"Lala, play nice. She’s not used to having people touch her wings. Sorry Hui’Jin, Lala grew up a slave, she’s not entirely familiar with the concept of privacy or personal space."

Hui’Jin looks sadly down at the Bunny. "What a hard life. Highness Kal’Elouet told me about a Bunny she was hoping to meet here and how you’d visit the Orphanage she worked at from the castle, but she didn’t mention you were a castle slave."

I pick them both up into a big group hug. "Enough of the sad stories, it’s time for bed."

Waking up with warm bodies on both sides of you is the way to live I tell you. This is so comfortable I don’t want to get out of bed. I know it’s daytime out, but it’s still so dark and warm. Oh, Hui’Jin has a wing over my face.

Leaving the girls to sleep I wander out to the main room to investigate a noise I’m sure I heard.

The noise, as it turns out, is Lelou pouring juice.

"I brought breakfast Lady Katrina, let’s talk before everyone gets up and starts demanding our time."

"We’re not in public, please feel free to just call me Kat."

"In that case, Kat. Pleased to meet you. You can call me Lelou, everyone else does. Even Lala." I laugh at the memory of the stories Lelou told me yesterday of Lala sneaking out to come visit her and her charges.

"That bunny really doesn’t care much for decorum and titles does she?"

Now it’s Lelou’s turn to wipe happy tears from her eyes. "I’m not sure they ever even taught her the meaning of the words."

As we eat we discuss the training schedule for acolytes, and I find out that Hui’Jin is basically done her training, it’s just practical experience she lacks at this point. The plan is for her to study basic schoolwork with an hour or two a day dedicated to the duties of a Priestess. When she’s not studying she will be my personal Acolyte. Normally, she would simply be my personal Acolyte at this point, but she’s only 10, both me and Lelou agreed that it’s best if she learns this planet’s math, science and history. She’s way ahead of me, and has brought the Acolyte’s study guide with her, and already obtained a copy of the entire grade school curriculum through grade 12.

Her current mission is to study it and decide what might best be added to the schooling of orphanage students under the care of the Red Dragons. She wants to manage the least wasted time for the best results, and we’re soon joined by the leader of the Blue Dragon contingent. Their God is one of Wisdom and Learning, so it makes sense that she would want in on our conversation about schooling. She will be in charge of the University’s curriculum, according to Lelou, while Karl has been appointed the Headmaster, as the highest ranking Clergy in the city.

Poor Karl.

"Good morning Highnesses, I do hope the morning finds you well" The Blue Dragon greets us in a brisk and formal tone. "I am the Priestess Neisa serving the God of Knowledge."

"Greetings Neisa, Priestess Blue" I smile at her, and get a stiff nod in return. Isn’t she just a ray of sunshine. With her grey hair up in a bun and no visible scales, she looks every bit a strict Governess for rich children. It’s a stark contrast to Lelou, whose form shows scales around the neck above her robes and has black horns sweeping back above her light brown hair. Where Neisa is stout in the way of a stereotypical Governess or Farm Wife, Lelou is slender, with slightly exaggerated curves.

"Before we begin, I have on off topic question I’d like answered" I ask looking between them both.

"Please go ahead and ask Lady Katrina" Lelou answers, Neisa deferring to her judgement.

"When a full blooded Dragon takes human form, what determines the appearance?"

Neisa’s eyes shine with the urge to elaborate, as expected of a servant of the God of Knowledge as she called the Blue Dragon God. Lelou motions for her to begin and her expression immediately changes to that of a strict lecturer.

"There are two major schools of thought on how a Dragon’s human transformation is determined. The first is that it’s genetics, an imprint built into their cells when they’re born that determines how they will appear once they mature enough to transform. This is the less popular of the theories though."

Odd, that’s the commonly accepted theory for why humans look the way they do.

"Unlike other species, members of a family of Dragons often look nothing alike in human form. Everything from skin and hair tone to eye color can be drastically different. So unless the appearance is chosen by the Gods and not lineage, the theory doesn’t quite work for most. The second is that a Dragon’s transformed appearance reflects their nature. If their human form looks sinister, they likely are. Unlike other species that hide it well."

Did she just give me the side eye? She did didn’t she? Oh, this woman’s got guts. But we’re all on the same side, so I can let a little ribbing slide.

"I too agree with this theory." Lelou begins "If one looks lovely and noble on the outside they will be the same on the inside. If they look like a common school Marm, then they’re likely to be just as dour and taciturn on the inside."

"I’d have mentioned somehting about preening and vain" Neisa mutters too softly for Lelou to hear, or perhaps the Red Dragon just ignores her.

"As you see, if one is professional, one will look professional" Neisa continues. "It’s really quite a simple system, just take your first impression of a dragon at face value."

The morning positively flies by with talks of learning plans and how best to drill knowledge into an acolyte. Neither Lala nor Hui’Jin appear until almost noon, sneaking along the wall closest to the door as not to interrupt our conversation.

"Acolyte, would you be so kind as to fetch us our lunch? Have the maids bring it here and I will meet you two in the garden after your meal. I’m sure Lala is dying to show you the flowers." Lala’s happiness is almost audible, no scratch that, it is audible, she’s making a happy purring noise I didn’t know Bunnies could make.

"Yes Highness. Are there any special requests?" Both the others shake their heads, not fully familiar with what might be available, and accustomed to being served whatever is on offer at the castle kitchen that day.

"Yes, have them send 3 lunch specials as well as a large tray of pastries, another of finger sandwiches and an assortment of Tea."

"As you wish Highness"

Oh, this could get addicting. Who knew it was so fun to have a title? I notice as she leaves that her wings are tightly bound back under her robes again. I’ll have to fix that behavior later. I like the wings.

Neisa is more interested in the recipes than the actual eating of the food, having one of her Acolytes bring a tablet with the recipes of all the food available in the base kitchens. The tablet too is a wonder she takes great care to explore, before asking to borrow it to research the foods of this world.

I don’t see any good reason to deny her, other than the inevitable suffering her Acolytes will go through as she drills her favorite recipes into their brains, so I have a tablet in a protective case programmed and sent up to her suite from storage.

After lunch I set Hui’Jin a general sciences workbook to study and complete. It’s simple, fit for the 6th grade, which I’m assured she should be familiar with, but as young as she is I’m not sure how much of her schooling got skipped in favor of religious studies.

That set, it’s time for us to visit the site of the university. Now I’m not certain why, it’s been one single day since the Dragons arrived, but I’m assured by Neisa that it is in fact worthwhile.