What now?

Ahsch stood in a glade within an unnamed forest several hour's ride from the Capitol. The summer air was warm, hot even, but a gentle breeze and the shade thrown by the trees kept the hrafthi comfortable. A small stream ran down from the nearby mountain and pooled into a pond on the edge of the clearing, before continuing on its way to divide one third of the glade from the rest as the water flowed towards one of the tributary rivers of Star Mirror Lake.

The Dominant Mage's senses were alight: surrounded on all sides by civilization, yet essentially unsettled itself, a thin haze of ambient Mana was settled all over the glade and forest, not dense enough to cause any mystical growths or beast spawns, but enough to give Mage Sight a show; the susurrations of leaves in the wind and the babbling of the stream were soft, yet clear and pervasively calming on the hrafthi's ears, which were quite sensitive to sound thanks to Enhanced Senses; the emotional auras of his companions - Mahat, Ariin, Dorin, and Avery - reflected that peaceful calm, with notes of delight mixed in, were obvious to Heart Sight.

The first real time he exercised his new spell, Threefold Senses, was a joy, as far as Ahsch was concerned.

"Well?" Avery interrupted the group's musings. "Aside from enjoying nature here, what do you think?"

"It's quite peaceful," Mahat said with a smile. "I feel at home."

"I love how open it is," Ariin added. "I almost get claustrophobic in the Capitol, too many people in one place. Nothing like Sarvas."

"It's... rather far from R'sath," Dorin quietly pointed out after casting a glance towards Ahsch, still not sure of his place in the newly-minted royal's life. Or rather, unsure of how the new Lord Odestag wanted to be treated - despite the hrafthi insisting that he was fine with being informal in private.

"That just means nobody will bother us out here," Mahat objected.

"Unless they come looking for you," Avery countered. "It's hardly remote, but it isn't near a major road or anything. Most wouldn't think to look for a royal here, but if anyone did - and most who would go to that trouble aren't looking for a friendly talk - would find you isolated." Ahsch caught some concern in his wife's emotions. Concern... and anger.

"True," Ariin mused. "But brother isn't exactly a target at the moment, unless I missed something? My understanding was that he would be observed and maybe tested, but nobody would really try anything against him directly, even if they were hostile to House Odestag."

"You're not wrong, but that sort of thing could change at a moment's notice." Avery crossed her arms and looked across her husband and his girls. "It can't have escaped your attention that I'm not exactly the most popular or well-liked at court, especially among the older, more conservative, and more powerful families. There aren't many who would go to the trouble - or danger - of trying to kill me or Ahsch... but everyone thought that of the late Lord of House Celes and the next two in line. Now Kirasiel is Head of the House."

"I thought it was just rumor that a **** happened," Ahsch said.

Avery gave him a look. "And it's technically just a _rumor _that I'm a slut. At court, rumors might as well be truths." She thought for a moment. "Unless there's contrary rumors, in which case, it's probably some third thing entirely."

The group was quiet for a minute as those who hadn't been raised in the Capitol considered that. Eventually, Avery sighed. "But that's all besides the point. At the moment, we've done nothing to warrant any sort of attack that would endanger any of us, let alone the time and energy it would take to catch Ahsch here for nefarious purposes." She cast another look over the group. "But it's worth keeping in mind for the future. In the meantime though - what do you think you'll do with it? You rather liked the idea of your own land."

Four sets of eyes settled on the Dominant Mage, who frowned. "I've had a few ideas, but nothing seems... solid. At least not yet."

Dorin nodded, but the rest of the group shot him surreptitiously doubtful looks. Master, Mahat teasingly began, weren't you thinking either to turn it into some kind of laboratory... or a temple for your eventual ascension to godhood?

Ahsch had to suppress a growl. I had briefly entertained the latter thought, yes, he admitted. But it was a passing fancy.

The familiar's mental smirk was obvious to everyone within Daydreamweave. _Of course, Master. Just a passing, vividly detailed and thought out fancy that didn't include any thoughts whatsoever of dozens of skimpily-clad priestesses devoted to the worship and _worship of you. How silly of me.

The Dominant Mage gave her an evil eye. Good to know you don't have any hopes to cum for a decade, he threatened.

An aroused purr was his only answer.

"Regardless of what you end up doing with it," Avery continued the conversation aloud, "I'll have Butler put together a survey team, so that you have accurate details to work with if you plan to put up any buildings."

"You don't have any already?" Dorin asked, then flushed and gave the two royals an apologetic look, which they both waved off.

"As we already discussed, too remote. House Odestag mainly deals with constructs and automata. There's no point to building a factory or storehouse or anything this far from the city, and without any resources or other desirable traits, we've just... owned it." Avery shrugged. "I think it came from some deal made with another house decades or centuries ago, and has never really been of any importance."

"Well, at least the remoteness will be of some benefit," Ariin said. "Whatever brother decides to do with it, I doubt he'll be making it into anything he needs a ton of visitors for, so having it out of the way is actually not a drawback."

The elder Lord Odestag grinned. "That's why I offered it."

Ahsch frowned. "How could you possibly know that I'd want something out-of-the-way?"

The grin widened. "You're bad at hiding when something interests you. At least, you're nowhere near royals." She considered for a moment. "I'll have Butler give you some lessons."

"Oh joy," the hrafthi muttered, to the giggles of the others. Then, simultaneously, he and Mahat paused, going alert.

Wingbeats, they thought at the same time, their ears twitching at the approaching sound.

"I think we're about to have company," Ahsch warned the group, turning to look northwest. A few moments later, a shape appeared through the canopy, becoming clear in the opening of the glade.

"Is that the dragon you mentioned?" Avery asked, hand on the rapier at her hip, her gaze steely.

"I hope she doesn't want to do another test," Ahsch growled.

"No test, boy," the dragon called down as she descended, her aura swathed in curiosity, interest, anticipation... and an undercurrent of arousal. "Think of it as a check in. A reminder."

"Your reminder?" the hrafthi challenged. "Or Phashak's?"

The dragon flashed a toothy grin as she alighted on the ground. "Can it not be both? After all, after our previous encounter, I have nearly as much interest in you as Mother does." A subtle shift of her stance, to better display the curve between her hip and chest, gave a suggestion as to what kind of 'interest' she had.

"Back off," Avery snapped.

The dragon's gaze switched targets. "Just because you're mated doesn't mean you can't share," she purred. Then a pause, a frown, and a sniff. "Hmm... no, not mated. Just fucking." She shook her head. "I thought the idea of your little 'marriage' superstition was to... authorize breeding between a pair? You haven't even tried."

The snarl that the royal gave was fit for a beast; lip curled, sharp teeth displayed, body tense. After a moment, and a deep breath, she **** herself to calm, though her eyes still blazed. The roil of emotions was a knot Ahsch had great interest - but no time - in figuring out. "Marriage is far more complicated than just a... 'breeding' arrangement," he said.

"Well, whatever it is, it isn't why I'm here. I'm here to remind you that you have a _goddess _with _expectations _for you to live up to, boy. And while she gives some credit for your little marriage, it's far from impressive."

Now it was Ahsch's turn to growl. "Hard to live up to expectations when I have no fucking clue what exactly is expected," he pointed out.

"Greatness. Power. Authority." The dragon shrugged. "Something worthy of Mother's continued interest. She 'fixed' your Mana Generation Method to something more suitable to you; she gave you a gift in the form of that rude royal brat. Do something with them."

"I'm not going to go running around doing..." Ahsch trailed off, glancing at his attendant, who was watching the scene with wide eyes. "...doing _that _to random people."

"As well you shouldn't; irresponsible and reckless use of either gift would reflect poorly on you in my, and Mother's, eyes. But neglecting your potential is equally disappointing."

"Are you done?" Avery butted in, her hand tense on her blade's hilt.

The dragon gave a slow, amused smirk. "I suppose I am - there's little left for me to do, and a repeat of our last test here would end no differently." She stretched her wings and crouched slightly, preparing to take off.

"Wait!" All eyes went to Ahsch. "I'm getting tired of just calling you 'dragon' in my head. What's your name?"