Lacos, a medic at the Falbrein court.

‚Another summer morning in the mansion.‘ Lacos thought happily as he stared at himself in the mirror. The giant piece of polished glass with the golden frame reflected his whole body. From the human face and body, his tall build and black hair to the less human snake scales on his shoulders that grew down to his hand, which ended in fingers with trimmed claws. Except the left index finger, his god, Tlaxcala, would disapprove of cutting that one down. His similarly clawed feat looked more a like a lizards than a humans, which made the task of finding fitting shoes impossible. Clothes were also a bit hard to find with the lizard tale hanging from his back. ‘The curse of a Draconoid, I suppose.’ He thought after blinking away the sleepiness from his green snake eyes.

He made sure his pants were sitting tightly, a thick brown layer of cloth and was pushing his arms through the sleeves of a white shirt when a knock resounded at the door to his chambers. “Lacos.” He heard a known voice calling him from the other side. Stef, the knight that had sought him out years ago to come to this very castle in the capital of Falbrein. “Are you awake?” “Yes, just a moment.” Lacos shouted back and threw over the red coat of a court medic before opening the wooden door.

The knight on the other side was even taller when compared to the Draconoid. A lot broader as well. He was wearing ceremonial armour, highly ornate and not fit for combat. His short black hair was laying orderly on his head, like soldiers in formation, and his brown eyes looked very disapprovingly. “This is how you want to appear in front of our Princess?” He asked with his chin point at Lacus own hair. The dishevelled mess of black jumped up and down as Lacos shrugged and smiled apologetically.

“I didn’t know I was to appear in front of Sarine this morning.” That was a bad lie, the Princess called for him daily recently, she was anxious about her upcoming birthday and needed somebody to talk to. Just so happened that he was the only person her age. Stef’s left eye twitched slightly and he was about to reprimand Lacos for the lack of title when the medic continued talking.

“You know how it is.” He said and tried to get the strands of hair into order using his hands. They transformed into a completely different mess, not worse than before but that was hardly possible anyway. “Use a comb?!” Stef said and with a sigh, Lacos grabbed one and used it on his hair. It got stuck in place quickly and no matter how much Lacos pulled it wasn’t moving again.

“Let me.” Stef grumbled and tried to push the comb further, resulting only in pained noises from Lacos as the comb ordered his hair by pulling out a few strands. “Stop, au, Stop, you are achieving nothing but me balding early.” “If I get rid of your hair that is also an achievement.” Stef disagreed, “Bald is still a better look than this mess.” That might have been true but it also would reveal the mark at the back of his head, so Lacos could not exactly let that happen. After all it took a lot of white magic to get his hair growing back there in the first place.

“But do you want to keep the princess waiting that long?” Lacos tried to convince the middle aged knight. Stef let the young medic out of his grasp. “Someday we will get that hair combed thoroughly; with a sheep comb if necessary! you are no longer a street healer, Lacos.”

“I haven’t been since I was sixteen.” Lacos said and smoothened the wrinkles on his clothes that the small conflict had caused. Stef blinked a few times, “Right, you have been here for three years now. Time sure flies…the princess is turning eighteen soon as well…” He turned his eyes towards the distance, looking at nothing in particular. “Trouble is coming, in Alxer’s name I hope we can keep peace in our time.” Lacos nodded in earnest, “That would be great.”

Silence grew for a moment. “Well, let’s not keep Princess Sarine waiting. She is getting anxious these days.” Stef said and turned to the door. Lacos pulled the comb from his hair and threw it unto a nearby desk, “Yeah, let’s not.” He agreed and followed the knight.