Introductions

I sigh and then turn my attention to my new allies. Six of them have formed a half-circle around me, maintaining a small distance between us out of a combination of respect and awe.

Should I say something? Do I wait for them?

Illenwyn gracefully kneels. "What name shall we call you, era-bring-"

"Are the elves saved?" Delathwyn blurts out. Illenwyn slowly turns her head to look at the younger elf, apparently at a loss for what to say. Metztli just looks scared, and the others are amused or still just out of sorts.

"The sacred groves are restored," I answer her, "but it's still going to be an uphill battle for your race to return to it's former prosperity."

Delathwyn looks like she might just faint. Illenwyn turns back to me. "We still need something to call you, greater dragon."

"I haven't come up with a name yet," I tell the ex-Queen. "But I liked the sound of era-bringer. Will Harbringer satisfy you for the time being?"

"Yes, it will, Harbringer. May I ask What is the payment you require for us in return for our wishes being granted?"

"Your eternal loyalty, friendship, and devotion."

Illenwyn rises, once again towering above me. "Then that you shall have of me."

Illenwyn's tone threatens to set far too formal of a precendent. I need to lighten this up some but do it subtly.

"Alright. We've got Illenwyn, Delathwyn, Celebron, Vesilia, there's Metztli, Yanya... where's Lezeli?" I turn in a circle. She's still on the ground, her legs draped out in front of her. "Ah, there's our last member." I gracefully drop down from my egg to approach her. She goes still, whether out of fear or uncertainty I don't know.

"I would help you stand or something since you haven't figured out your legs yet, but I'm not nearly large enough to do that yet. We're probably going to hang around here for a bit anyways. Is it cool if I sit on your shoulder?"

She gives a nervous nod, then blinks and coughs out a shaky "yeah." I gently hop up onto her shoulder, draping most of myself on one and hanging my tail off her other.

The others have followed me to this side of the egg. Celebron is smart and sits down a respectful distance away, and the others follow suit.

"Uncomfortable?" I whisper.

A soft "no."

"Okay. Do try and relax some, as scary as these people are they are here to protect us."

"us?" she questions.

"Yeah, I'm a bit tiny right now. Having them at my back makes me feel safer."

"oh." I can feel her shoulders lose a small bit of their tension. It's not much, but it's there.

"I'm going to have everyone introduce themselves. Be ready for your turn, ok?" I gently hop off to curl up in the center of everyone.

I return to a voice that's loud enough for everyone to hear. "I've pulled most of you from very different parts of Elderia. If you're used to everyone you meet automatically knowing who you are, it won't be the same here. That means introductions are in order. Metztli, let's start with you."

I started with Metztli because she seemed to be the most at-ease of everyone in the group, likely because she's been part of a Dragon's court before and this is a similar setup.

She gives a slight bow with her head before she starts. "My pleasure, Harbringer. I'm Metztli, I was a Dragon Priestess of Atla's court. I can lightweave, a powerful form of healing."

"Metztli, I granted your wish that healing others no longer shortens your own lifespan, giving you the ability to heal without restriction. Will you serve as one of my court in return, as my personal healer?"

This serves two purposes. The first is that it reveals everyone's wishes, setting a precedent for there being no secrets between everyone. The second is that it confirms everyone is willing to serve me.

Metztli does the head-bow again. "I will serve as one of your Court."

I merely nod as if her answer had already been clear and turn to the next person, Yanya, signaling for her to go.

"I'm Yanya. Before this I was a blade dancer, a gladiator of sorts who killed to entertain Yoccep's Dragon Court. Harbringer granted me freedom so that I am no longer **** to kill others for nothing but entertainment."

Possible tension there. An ex-member of a Dragon Court and one who was repressed by a Dragon Court. I can see Metztli pale a little bit at realizing. That means she's nervous about Yanya not liking her - which is much better than the alternative of her looking down on the naga. I think Yanya won't hold anything against Metztli based on an admiration for her healing, but we'll see.

"In return, Yanya, will serve as one of my Court in return, not as a killer but as a protector, my personal bodyguard?"

"I will do so gladly."

I turn to the next. "I'm Celebron. I was the crown prince of an Anduvian kingdom but being King would not allow me to roam about the countryside helping my people. I wished to become second-borne so that I may have freedom, adventure, and continue to meet and protect others."

"You were a knight then, Celebron, who fought on horseback. In return for me granting that wish, would you switch to riding dragonback? Once I, ah, grow a lot bigger."

"I, too, will serve as one of your Court."

The elf smiles before speaking. "I am Vesilia. I was a mercenary of stealth and sabotage within the Cendorian Courts. As bleak as this is, I found no joy or color in anything besides **** and it's dealing. My wish was to find purpose and joy in other parts of life."

Again, possibility of tension. Vesilia was a cold-blooded killer, and none of the others will mesh with that well. The only thing saving her is that her wish was, in a way, to not be so cold-blooded.

"In return for this granted wish, Vesilia, will you serve as my Court Rogue, in charge of spying and subterfuge?"

She simply nods. "I will."

I motion for the next elf. "I'm Delathwyn. I was an adventurer and monster hunter. I wished for the restoration of the Elven Sacred Groves," she gulps, "and... yeah."

"In return for the healing of your Asihlliel, will you serve as my Court Messenger?" She's one of the weaker members of the group, that's the best I can come up with.

"I will serve as your Court Messenger, Harbringer."

I turn to Lezeli next. She gulps. "I'm... Lezeli. I'm a siren. I wanted to explore the land above water, so my wish was to, um, shapeshift into a human." She can't meet anyone's eyes for more than a second, but she's speaking. Progress.

"In return for the ability to walk on land, will you serve as my Court Musician, Lezeli?"

"I... I will."

The ice elf is last. "And this is Illenwyn, for those who hadn't caught that yet."

"And I was Queen of the Ice Elves at one point," she picks up. "Our race was cursed by a demon, and my wish was for that curse be removed."

"And you already agreed to serve in my Court. You'll be my Court Mage."

She dips her head elegantly. "Yes."

I stand up from my space in the center of the circle and stretch my wings. "All of you now share one, unified goal: aiding me in whatever goals I have at the time."