Eldrick lay in his too large, too empty bed. His hands clutching an object which wasn’t there when he went to bed. Hearing voices in the other room he tried to block them out though he could clearly hear Sigmund's voice. Not the words for which he was glad because he didn’t like eavesdropping. Glancing down at the object he held clasped tightly in his hands he noticed a golden loop sticking out above his hands. Raising it to take a better look he noticed he held a pair of small golden shears. “Oh no, not again.” He didn’t know what to do with them and nowhere to place them at the moment. Carefully climbing out of the bed to make no noise he went to the wardrobe and pulled out his pack, placing the shears in the bottom for safekeeping. Returning to the bed he vowed he would sleep once more since the sun had not yet risen above the western horizon.
When he awoke for the second time a feeling of dissatisfaction rolled over him like a wave. Glancing over at the mirror he remembered he had thrown a blanket over it a couple of days ago so as not to have to look at himself. Gingerly he got out of the bed, approaching the mirror. With a tentative hand, he pulled the blanket off. The face looking back at him, he was accustomed to, yet disliked seeing. In disgust, he tossed the blanket back over the mirror. What he really wanted to do was smash it. As he dressed thoughts of the gowns back at the farmhouse invaded his thoughts. He knew there was much he needed to learn before he arrived for the journeyman challenge. With this mindset, he gathered his courage to face the day.
Leaving the bedroom, he heard a knock on the suite door. Crossing the main room he answered it. On the other side was a page with a trolley of breakfast platters. With quick efficiency, Eldrick and the page placed the platters on the side table. Once he saw the page out, the aroma of the food was too tempting. Grabbing a platter he set to having breakfast before returning to his studies, he only had two books left. Wondering where he could find more since there was so much he wanted to learn and the tomes before him didn't hold the knowledge he wanted.
Sigmund entered from the spare room, looking famished and slightly dishevelled. Smiling when he saw the breakfast platters on the side table. "Well good morning," he grunted. "I see they brought food already. Thank goodness." With eagerness in his step and a hungry glint in his eyes he snatched one of the platters and began devouring the food. "You are going to cause problems, young apprentice. It seems trouble follows you." His thoughts hitting Eldrick with a sense of concern. "You know that it is impossible to lie while conversing telepathically, didn't you?" He kept the food going into his mouth as his thoughts kept bombarding Eldrick.
"Sigmund, it is not polite to talk with your mouth full. Even if the conversation is all through telepathy." Eldrick shocked himself with the ease of switching communication patterns. It almost felt natural for him, as if he had been doing it for a good portion of his life already. "Is it normal to switch forms of communication so quickly and easily?”
"Well, for one thing, your lover is also a dragon so you have been getting used to the concept because of him. And to be completely honest, there is more to you than meets the proverbial eye. You are a conundrum. I can sense that you have been touched by the magic of all the races, yet I have no idea how that is possible for one so young." A crease formed in his brow. "I have known many who have been touched by the magic of one other race but never before met anyone who just radiates such powerful magic with a hint of all the races. I fear you are going to need to learn better control over what you display. I haven't learned that skill, as the Lady Amaryliss will tell you." Eldrick and Sigmund both turned simultaneously to look in the same direction as Sergei entered the common room.
"What? I can only guess what the two of you were talking about before I came in." He gave Eldrick a pointed look. "Well do I have to get my own breakfast or are you going to be the dutiful apprentice I have been trying to train?" His gruff voice was belied by the glint of mirth hidden in the depth of his eyes. "I am trying to prepare you for your upcoming journeyman trials. I won't be the master travelling with you and as I do not know which of the other masters it may be, I am hoping to instill the urgency of morning routine before we part ways." Raising an eyebrow once again to get a point across. "There are some who will take it out of your hide if they are not served immediately upon arising if the food is ready, and they will expect it to be ready.”
Edrick placing his platter down quickly fetched Sergei his breakfast, medicine, and placed the new salve closer to hand. After settling his master Eldrick returned to his own breakfast. The three sat and ate in companionable silence for a time. Neither Eldrick nor Sigmund wishing to intrude upon Sergei's thoughts while he was eating, nor did they wish to seem rude by having a conversation in which he could not participate. Eldrick tried mulling over everything he wished to discuss with Sergei. His problem came back to the thoughts of wrong body, wrong gender, too much magic, and not enough knowledge. There were only two of these which he could discuss with Sergei, and they were not the two which seemed to weigh heaviest on his mind. He looked down at his hands and the empty platter. Looking around at his two companions he noticed their trays were empty. Rising he began to gather the empty dishes and return them to the side table.
"Sir, there are a couple of things I would like to discuss. Sigmund was saying that I am broadcasting again. I noticed that with all the books here there weren't any about the Fae or dragons. I thought I would need to learn about all the races?" Pausing for breath before continuing. "I am blessed to be in the company of dragons from whom I can learn but the Fae are still a mystery to me."
"Eldrick my young apprentice, I will endeavour to locate some books on the Fae. But in the meantime, I suggest you work on the skills of reducing and masking your energy levels again. Once you have that back under control I think you may benefit from spending some time over at the house of healing. Amarna has returned with her mentor. She is a cantankerous old coot with a heart of gold. I think her life experience would shock you." His gruff no-nonsense tone brooked absolutely no arguments.
Eldrick began the relaxing exercises for meditation. Once he had himself centred, he began the conditioning and grounding. Upon achieving a full grounding he concentrated on the task of diminishing and controlling the amount of life energy that could be perceived by others. He struggled to maintain the control needed because his mind kept drifting to perceptions of himself. The feeling of something wrong kept intruding. Knowing the only way he could succeed would be to find some way to set those thoughts aside. He decided to try thinking of Sebastian whenever his concentration started to wander to his self-perception. Finding this technique effective, his control returned.
"Eldrick that is much better. I think it is time to take a break you have been at this for several hours now." Sergei's voice broke through Eldrick's concentration. "I believe it is time for you to head over to the house of healing. After all, you are supposed to be studying with Amarna. Now that she is back, I expect you to learn as much as you can about the art of healing. This knowledge isn't really part of the druid training but I feel it will be beneficial for you." Taking a deep breath, he rubbed his chin. "Now get out of here." Raising his hand to point at the door.
Eldrick knowing this was a dismissal, rose and left.
* * *
Sigmund looked over at Sergei, raising an eyebrow. "Do you think he will be able to maintain that control under stress? I know Veldar and a few other masters will try to break him."
"I am hoping by the time we get to the conclave it will be so second nature that he won't need to think about maintaining it." Sergei let out a sigh. "He was doing very well until recently." With a glance at the door, he continued, "I think it has something to do with the doubt and questions he is having about himself."
"I think we are going to have to do something to help him get through this but I have no idea what that may be. What you have done may help. Do you know when the fittings will occur?" Sigmund casually glanced about the room almost as if looking for something. "You will have to make sure he is available for them."
"You are right, I will need to check with Francine about that. I am unsure what styles she has chosen for him. Of course, it is her trade and she is a master seamstress. I believe she will make the right choice." Sergei stretched, feeling his knees acting up he applied the salve and took a pull of his medicine. "I am also waiting to hear about the trial of the brigands we brought in when we first arrived."
"You didn't tell me you were attacked on the road. What happened? I don't see any sign of injury on you or Eldrick so it must not have been that serious."
"Sebastian took care of most of the brigands, though he did take a dagger deep into his shoulder. The biggest problem was it was the same one he dislocated while hunting last winter. Amarna and her healers are tending to it. I fear it may not heal properly. If that is the case he may never fly again." His face was crestfallen at the thought. "I hate to consider what a flightless dragon would have to endure."
"Did you say a wing joint?" His tone rising as he spoke. "Why didn't you say something before this? I know a healer who specializes in wing injuries. I can try to contact her but it would take time for her to get here."
"Amarna should be able to handle it especially now that her mentor is here to help." Sergei rose, heading to the side table to see if there was any food left. "I am sure a Fae healer would have experience with wing injuries." Finding nothing left, he summoned a page. "I truly hope he recovers since I know if he doesn't, you are likely to have my head. Family and all that. Did I mention that when we first met I tried to threaten him? It had been so long since I had seen a dragon I completely forgot my manners. He saved us from an avalanche that buried the farmhouse. Knowing the destructive capabilities of avalanches, I am surprised it didn't destroy the house or farmyard. All it did was bury everything in snow. Eldrick was outside when it hit." Sitting back down in his chair he wiped his brow. "I am glad Eldrick let me know what happened out there."
"You are right. With Amaryliss help, Amarna should have no problems with Sebastian." Shaking his head, he grinned over at Sergei. "You should have known better about the nature of dragons. For crying out loud, your father was one. The fact that you were found by Sebastian shows the family connection. We have an uncanny knack of looking out for family even if it is subconsciously. Sort of a sixth sense you might say."
"I can understand the sentiment. I think that may be why I am so worried about his healing. As he and I are both your nephew's it goes to say that he is my cousin. I don't think Eldrick is aware of the fact. Neither of us has mentioned we are family in his presence." A knock on the door interrupted him. "Come."
The page who entered was quickly followed in by Francine. Laying out the dishes of food the page left as Francine began speaking.
"Sergei I am about finished with the initial stitching and would like to see Eldrick for a fitting tomorrow morning. I could have sent a message by way of a page but I needed to get out and stretch my legs a bit. I would also like your opinion of the gowns before he sees them. But I see you just had food delivered so it can wait until after you have eaten or in the morning." Turning to leave she cast a glance over at Sigmund and winked.
