Master Of None

"Now, bring Illia back in, and if she gives you any trouble tell her that I will be removing her permissions to fly from the village for three years." Adair sent the dragonkin away. "I will show you a proper conversation and you will join when you are at the proper point." 

Walker knew that this was the best possible chance he would have to practice and did not expect Adair to be so forward with what she wanted to teach. He could tell the difference in age was making her look at him as if she was meant to teach. It was the same that an older dragon would look at a recently hatched dragon. However, he also could see the benefit she would gain having helped someone that was technically a royal. It was just the same in the kingdom when the nobles would vie for the kings' favor. Although, Walker did not mind since Adair was helping him and Midnight significantly. 

"You are champion. His champion. You are expected to be at his side no matter what. Especially in court. Stand next to him and a little in front. You pave his path where he treads. Also, you should double any flight practice you do. The other hatchlings you meet will have been thrown from a mountain or two already." It was clear to Adair that Midnight had yet to fly. 

Midnight gave a small growl. She wanted to fly but she was too weak yet. But the fact that the other young dragons would be thrown off the mountains and forced to glide and practice was a good reason why they would learn sooner. There was a pressure to learn faster and progress so that they would not be harmed. Midnight was missing that, but she had gained a great deal more. No one had mentioned her multiple elemental breath attacks.

"Head high. Pay attention." Adair gave one last order as the sound of Illia walking in to the carved cave came forward. 

"Elder, I have returned at your call." The attitude had greatly changed. Illia was acting much more proper. It was clear that the threat of not being able to fly from the village for three years was enough to cause her to become as proper as possible. 

"You will apologize to the lord here. You will also apologize to his champion. If you can not do so you will no longer be welcomed by the village. You have not only disrespected a champion. But you have also disrespected a royal." Adair had not told Illia that Walker was technically a royal dragon now. However. It was clear that she was doing so now. 

Illia did not speak a word against it. The dragonkin that had left showed that they were acting their best possible manners toward the other humans. This was enough to tell her that something else was happening. When she cornered one of them after bringing the guest to the forge the dragonkin had explained what they witnessed while waiting for Adairs' orders. Illia, of course, did not believe it. This was ridiculous. However, now that she looked at Midnight and Walker she could feel that her blood and mana were suppressed. Exactly what happened when met with a royal and a champion pair. It was a sixth sense that came with a dragons' instincts. 

When Illia hesitated, Walker remembered that Adair said to join the conversation as practice. It was also his chance to stabilize the act he would need when he met dragons properly. It may not be the way he preferred to act, but it was the way he was expected to if his opinions and will would be heard. 

"Do not make us wait. Every second of wasted time is an additional insult to myself and my family in front of me. The more you sit there the more you prove you are not deserving of the blessing you have to study under a pure water dragon." Walker had steel in his voice that he rarely used to in such an arrogant way. However, it caused Illia to show a visible break in her poker face. 

The face of a dragon would be hard for anyone to read, but for Walker, it was simple. He had long felt the emotions of Midnight and been able to compare them to the expressions she made. Now she was able to share them much more so Walker didn't even need to think about the fact that Illia in front of him was astounded. A human had never been so arrogant to a dragon. It was the opposite of what other races should act toward them. 

After the battle in Illias' eyes had ended, she knelt slightly lowering her head. Walker didn't bother to use his wind ripple skill to stand above her. He instead forced his face to appear disinterested in the frost dragon's bow. It was how a royal should act and Adair was approving of it in her head. "I greatly apologize for the pain I have caused you, lord. I will spend my time doing anything I can to properly apologize. Whatever you may need I shall assist you with while you reside here." The tone had become proper and controlled. But Adair and Walker both knew the battle inside of Illia that was telling her to ignore these words and cast out the human. 

"Then you will atone by assisting me and those that have come with me. You will guide my champion with wisdom on flight and frost breath. You will share your materials with the wandering blacksmith that came with me. If you find a flying spider you will capture it and bring it to the arcane marksman. If you find rare herbs you will hand them to the alchemical brawler with me. And finally, you will give your opinions on the battle style of my champion's guardian. Later, you will carry us to the human kingdom and I will forgive your actions today. But do not believe I am forgetting a single moment of what you have done." This was the power that Adair wanted Walker to use. The domineering tone and slight growls from Midnight were exactly how a royal and a champion should act. When the champions' guardian joined and held a defensive stance the full strength of the royal would be on display.

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