Dragon Mirror- Ties Between the Veil
18:The Tree, A Little Gratitude, and Some Interest

As she was reaching out to touch the closest star blossom, she realized Iyzdra was not on her arm. She turned to look frantically for her drakunmate. And froze when she instead saw Ian standing at the edge of the tree’s expansive roots.

His piercing eyes stared at her, then rose to gaze on the tree. “Arbol de la Vida…” His whisper reached her.

The Tree of Life?

She went to take a step back as he stepped forward and she squealed like a stuck pig as she fell over backward. Her breath whoofed out of her mouth as her back slammed into the dirt. She had tripped over the curled root.

Ian rushed over towards her, leaning down to offer his arm. He turned his head slightly, and plucked something off of the raised tip of the curled root with his other hand.

“Wha-” She wheezed, “What are you doing, following me?” She grabbed his arm and he hauled her up.

“Si. I thought you-” He trailed off, shaking his head, as he stared up into the branches of the massive tree. A small sigh escaped his lips and Raina became self conscious of his ethereal beauty. Damn him.

Without looking at her, he held out what he had plucked from the root. Gingerly taking it, Raina gaped as she realized it was the small compartment door of her Aya’Duel. “It gave it back!”

Ian turned to look at her quizzically. She shrugged in a noncommittal manner and pocketed the door. Now she wouldn’t have to struggle to replace a way to contain the stuff she’d revealed in the Aya’Duel.

“So you thought what?”

She saw the tips of his pointed ears turn dark. He turned back to scrutinize her and she became uncomfortable. White strands of his hair fell over his tanned face and she focused on the traits that made him look very different from Zhao.

When he spoke, it was a harsh whisper. “I followed to catch you in the act of devouring blood, of spreading Blight.” He inhaled shakily. “I did not expect to see you manifest the Tree of Life.”

There was a flash of irritation that he thought she was some type of vampire, but it dissipated. It made sense to be suspicious. Her attention wandered to the tree.

She tilted her head up to look into the canopy of this massive tree, multiple trunks spread from a central core. It seemed to be a lattice of multiple trees- but she knew it all came from that one tiny seed. The wind blew gently, dislodging several star flowers to drift around them.

The sensation of him drawing closer to her snapped her gaze back down. The shadows and light cast across his face only highlighted Zhao’s features, and her confusion became intense and imminent as Ian reached out a hand.

In her mind, she felt a blossom of guilt grow. She could feel the attraction to this strange man. She was lonely, and knew she would never see home, or Zhao again. But yet, it felt like a betrayal.

Raina felt as if she were rooted where she stood. She didn’t know what to do, as Ian finally ran the backs of his fingers down her cheek and disarrayed hair. It was like the beginning of a silly romance novella.

Her heart was racing and she opened her mouth to say anything-

“Gracias, Chib’Raina.” He brought his hand back and kissed the back of the fingers with which he’d caressed her face. He bowed his head as if in reverence and Raina felt her face go hot. What the fuck?

Did I just assume this guy was going to kiss me? Did I want that to happen? What the fuck is wrong with me. She mentally facepalmed.

Raina swallowed, then asked “Why are you thanking me?” She glanced back upward as she felt Iyzdra’s presence, and felt her mouth drop open in shock.

“Iyzdra?!”

Ian followed her line of sight and had a similar reaction. Iyzdra was hanging upside down on one of the branches, wings outstretched with her tail wrapped around the trunk for an anchor. She was twice the size she had been, and was now a pearlescent blue color. She looked very similar to Tralna. Yet she was still very small and possessed wings that her draconic aunt lacked.

She felt a disoriented query from her changed drakunmate. Iyzdra’s body language strongly reminded her of her cat Luna when startled or frightened. The slightly golden hued wingtips trembled.

I felt like I was being pulled through the seedling! Then I was expanding out till I saw all of- I, I felt, I felt- Her thoughts spiraled and Raina staggered. She felt Ian steady her and nearly jumped away from his touch.

“You did not devour to grow your Will…” Ian said hesitantly, rebuked by her reaction to his familiarity.

“I guess I grew my Aya’Chyn by- well by growing something else.” She tried to smile wanly. The dazed Aya’Chyn dropped down, landing on her feet, then sprawling out on the ground between the roots of the tree.

I do not feel well. May I rest on you? Nodding an affirmation, Raina visualized Iyzdra as a pendant as she had in Auscilla. She grunted as she felt a heavy weight at her neck.

It felt like a ten pound weight was cutting into her neck, so Iyzdra immediately released when she sensed her distress. The dragon headed pendant that clunked to the ground was an oversized replica.

“Well that's different.” Ian’s lips were slightly parted, and one of his hands was outstretched. For a moment he looked as if he would speak, but forwent commenting on the situation. She noted absently that this was the first he’d observed Iyzdra shift shapes.

“So you gained mass, but not as much as you seemed to have based on size. So maybe….” Raina focused an idea in her mind, allowing her Will to take an appropriate shape.

She felt the weight settle across her back, and smiled. She lifted up the corner of a bright silvery blue cloak. Tiny feather edged scales sparkled in the light, and Ian’s soft gasp of awe was gratifying.

“Does it look good?” She craned her neck to look at her shoulders and the clasp and let out a loud “Ha!” when she realized the shoulders sported white and gold feathers, held together with the dragon headed pendant as a clasp.

“This looks cooler than I imagined, you helped!” Raina exclaimed to Iyzdra, and she felt a tired, yet satisfied response from her bondmate. Ian cleared his throat, looking away. Hearing stories about the shape shifting of a Drakun Magi and actually seeing had put him off guard, especially after witnessing the miraculous growth of the Tree.

“We should get back, we are ready to move on.”

She grinned coquettishly, feeling confident and in a much better mood after displaying some of her cool super powers. “Do I look good?” She twirled experimentally, the wings of the cloak floating out.

Ian paused, staring at her speculatively, then laughed to himself. “Positively magical.”

On their return, there were only a few raised eyebrows as Raina nonchalantly stated that her wardrobe change was just “one of my many forms”. Ian spoke quickly with his sister, whose head whipped around to stare hard at the back of Raina’s head.

Tralna nosed her Iyzdra cloak, and the soft folds lifted gently to caress back. It was a strange sensation to feel her clothing moving of its own accord.

I did not expect this much progress in such a short time. Iyzdra will likely be exhausted for several days. The large head lifted and tossed, the crest rising as her neck arched. Her mind voice sounded amused as she continued, At least I assume, considering you exchanged life forces with Yggdrasil.

Raina blinked. She recognized the Nordic name for the mythical “World Tree”. In the mythos, it held the nine realms of Nordic mythology in its branches and roots. She hesitated to comment on the strange parallel, but Tralna turned her head to the side.

“We- uh. We have myths about a world tree called Yggdrasil. There’s stories about a giant serpent eating its tail and stuff.” She finished rather lamely.

Interesting. The Aya’Chyn’s tail twitched. That was all she said before turning away.

You have caught the Charbitian’s interest.

She jerked as if struck, and turned to look where Tralna was staring. Ian was leading a recalcitrant Supi to where she stood.

He was looking at her intently, glancing between her and Tralna. He stopped abruptly when Supi caterwauled and pranced towards her playfully. The suket arched his neck, grunting as he sidled up to her, hissing at Tralna.

“Did you fucking miss me, or something?” Raina shoved the animal's flank. “Give me space, dude.” Supi wuffled her hair, making pleased grunting noises deep in his chest.

“Your suket holds you in high regard.” Ian spoke. His suket, Aylla stood regally by the rest of the mounted men, staring toward her rider with interest.

“I would appreciate a little less regard.” She swatted at the suket’s muzzle, and he nipped her with sharp teeth. “For shitssake!” Tralna hissed, raising her crest, and Supi immediately became demure.

Ian caught her hand, and she had to resist the urge to snatch it back. He pulled a vial from a pouch on his hip, and shook it gently at her in inquiry.

You’re already holding my damn hand, you may as well. She thought acidically, but nodded.

He flipped a catch lid off of the bottle and poured a drop on the small tear between the thumb and forefinger. She didn’t feel a burn like she expected. He swiped a thumb over the wound and she was surprised to see the liquid cover the wound like a flexible bandage.

“Suket saliva is mildly venomous. So I figured I’d treat it before it became a problem. I can get you a bottle at Silkvetr if you like?” She was about to tell him it wasn’t a problem, but-

“This asshole is POISONOUS?” Raina shot an accusatory glare at Tralna. Why hadn’t she told her?

Ian smirked. “Venomous. If it bites you and you die, it's venomous. If you bite it and you die, it's poisonous. Although Supi may very well be poisonous, considering his nature. Did you plan on biting him back to replace out?”

She leveled a withering glare on Ian, who attempted to look contrite, then turned on Tralna.

Why didn’t you tell me?

I am fairly certain we did, not my fault if you did not remember. Besides, you could always Will any foreign contaminants from your body. Tralna’s tone was dry as a bone.

“Oh.” She heard Ian snicker and realized Tralna had broadcast her communications. She felt her face go hot. To cover her embarrassment, she picked up her gear and Aya’Duel and strapped it to Supi’s saddle. The jerk animal kept dancing in excitement.

She felt a touch on her shoulder. She turned to replace Ian very close to her. Her entire body went stiff and her mind went blank.

“I wanted to ask, if it would be permissible for me to ride next to you on my sister's mount? So we could converse?” Tralna snorted, and nudged Ian’s shoulder with her nose.

I will allow you to ride me. The loup’pa is a little too low to the ground for a decent conversation. Ian stared at her in surprise, then bowed low. Raina shot a look of horror induced by social inadequacy at the draconic meddler.

“I am honored, Elohima.”