《Kindling Stars [Hiatus]》Chapter 2 - Breakfast
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Isaias, having just been asked by Rivka to share breakfast with her and her questions, hesitated, looking at her rather intently, perhaps lingering on those vertically slit and golden eyes. Then some kind of decision was reached. “Very well Miss Rivka.” The waiter from earlier thus materializing back again and guiding them toward a table, just how was he signaled? Or was he listening? Either way Isasias interjected to ensure he pulled out a chair for Rivka then motioned her to sit first. She did so rather carefully as she considered the much gold bedecked baronial heir who then sat opposite her.
Gold.
No. She forced that thought back into the depths of her mind where it belonged.
The distraction ensured he then continued the conversation and directed it. “I am happy to answer your questions but I do have a request of my own. Can I see a demonstration of your 'true' form Miss Rivka? I have not had the pleasure of seeing a dragon before.”
Now she did grin. That is one thing she has absolutely noticed over the last few days, she wants to preen in her 'true' form and have others awed by her. “I am very new to this, your excellency, but that I can do. One of the ship's holds has been retained so that I can practise in my new shape as well as eat. Ahh, properly. I was also told I would be given en-route training? But this is still the first day and I have not seen it or any trainers yet. Anyway.” She almost fell over her own words there, rushing into an actual question. “Can you tell me what to expect at the academy? Did you attend?”
“I do attend.” He then answered, a glance to the waiter. “My usual. I assume that the girl will want raw meat?” His tone not derogatory but his words?
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Rivka bristled at this, half clenching her hands, setting her jaw, starting to jerk up in her chair. “I.” She did want raw meat. “I will take toast, poached egg and orange juice. With normal sized helpings.” No, she wanted f-! Again, she did her best to shove that part of her mind back into it's box though her stomach growled in the process. Back to Isaias, her tone now somewhat clipped and a little forced. “Please do not presume too much your excellency. What can you tell me of the program then? Also how will it vary given my. Well. Dragonness.”
Isaias apparently seemed unphased by this. “You will be given a standard education of course. History, sciences, the arts and humanities. But also high level magecraft and a solid grounding in military and political basics. As a dragon?” He considered her there, up and down, lingering a moment on the down before studying her face once more. “More emphasis on the military. You are to be a weapon for House Sepra. Perhaps a marriage bargaining chip given that any noble house seeks an infusion of dragon blood. Your whole family will be watched as well in the hope that one of them Awakens as you did.”
Rivka's mind flashed to her two younger brothers. Jamel was twelve and wanted to become a starfighter pilot mage, Arden only six and distraught when he learnt that his big sister was going away for likely years. So forever. Would one of them also be a dragon? It was possible but vanishingly unlikely, how many generations of her ancestors had simply been mages with an affinity for fire. Which side did the inheritance come from?
Her father? He was a highly capable mage, apparently on par with many nobles, but a calm, gentle man who focused upon using his power for healing. Her mother? The hot tempered aerospace battalion commander able to scour a city block with her channelled elemental fury? That would make sense but then again Rivka did not recall any of these urges or prideful rages in herself prior to Awakening and her mother was not inherently a more than above average magical talent. Wait, did Isaias realize any of this? She spoke up.
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“As a note, your excellency, both of my parents are mages with my mother a major in the planetary military.” She definitely noticed a spark of interest at the 'major' part that was instantly disappointed by the 'planetary military' portion, a faint frown of her own as she continued. “I have been given preliminary education in the expectation of Awakening as a fire aspected mage. This is very different though. Also just why am I as a dragon quite so sought after? I think I am the first from my world and so my education did not cover such things.”
Breakfast was now served, waiters unobtrusively delivering the ordered meals, another growl from Rivka's stomach as Isaias delicately lifted his cup to take a sip of tea, her own swallow from a glass of juice abruptly seeming crass in some undefinable manner. “That is simple enough Miss Rivka. Your natural talent for magic exceeds any but the most highly trained, bred and geneered scions of the great houses. You also generate mana inherently instead of having to draw upon it, ensuring that you can barrage extremely powerful castings near endlessly. Also you turn into a ten ton monster immune to man portable weaponry and will only grow as time passes. But I recommend you avoid duels.”
Rivka had not considered duels but had found herself constantly considering attacking and eating any who slighted or thwarted her. Her quasi noble status would imply legal duels though, what could sound better than a way to strike down any who defied her magnificence using her unstoppable might? No. Again, back in the box with such thoughts. “Why?” She forgot 'your excellency', was that rude? Apparently yes given how the young noble opposite was considering her and pausing in advance of actually answering.
“Because you are a dragon. It would not be fair for any noble to duel you unaided and so they would face you in a starfighter. Right now you are untrained and too young for you to have a real chance in such an engagement. At least against any properly prepared noble scion.” His tone implied contempt for any improperly prepared individual.
“I see.” Rivka shook her head slightly as she considered that but was soon distracted by the rapid devouring of her merely normal sized breakfast, left achingly hungry in it's wake. She paused to brush crumbs from her lap, looked up to a mildly accusing stare, then set her jaw and straightened. “Your excellency. I can promise that my actual breakfast will be significantly more messy. You asked to see my 'true self' though, are you ready to accompany me?”
Isaias, still only a third done with his own breakfast? Then smiled rather more genuinely than most of his expressions before he smoothly stood to leave the rest of his meal unattended. “I look forward to it. Miss Dragon.”
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