52.4 Imperial Home

General Summary

Day 1070

I’ve told Nishvalen that we are approaching and ask him to make arrangements for our arrival. I mention that we have dragons among us, and he suggests that we land at the North bridge and people will be waiting for us. There is no panic as Starfield and I descend, which is heartening, and the city looks more colourful than we have seen before.   All nine flags of their council are raised, but the bridge itself is flying black flags. Atop the bridge stand two lines of elves, a pair every twenty paces with an honour guard awaiting us on the shore-side of the bridge. Nishvalen is there, along with some uniformed officers and five Osyr, including an ink-smudged and scholarly figure who I assume is Eusphyra. Everyone present watches in awe as our parties dismount from Starfield and I, and the city itself seems to react to my presence as I approach. It hasn’t felt like home before this - just another great city where I have history and future, but not necessarily a sense of belonging. The Library has felt like mine, and now the city does as well as a cool breeze picks up and the daylight weakens and melts into gentle shadow, despite a lack of clouds. It is though a beacon of light has darkened all the pre-existing shadows, but the light itself is unseen.   Both Nishvalen and Eusphyra kneel before me until Nishvalen rises and gives me a hug, much to Eusphyra’s surprise. When I go to embrace the tall Osyr, he trembles for a moment before softening and returning the hug. I imagine that hugs have not been a typical part of interacting with the leader of the Empire…and an Osyr-on-Osyr hug must be a complicated thing to arrange in any case.   As we cross the bridge to meet with the human delegation at the edge of the city, Eusphyra remarks that he has been fixing all of the broken circles so that Deldrin reacts to the Empress (or Imperator) as it used to back in the day. The city was always meant to react like this to an Imperial presence. As we pass the lines of elves along the bridge, they slowly fall in behind us - not soldiers, but shopkeepers, artists, merchants, and eventually children as we get closer to the gates. There, guards dressed in the colours of all nine council members wait with the council members. Shelor, too, steps forward to give me a hug. She and Eusphyra seem very comfortable with one another, to my relief. The other council members seem a little on edge - none of them would have any reasonable idea of what an Imperator is, but clearly great pains have been taken to make this a state visit.   We follow Shelor through the city along a parade route ending at the council chambers, which I had not seen until now. The building itself is even grander than the library, and has been the focus of much restoration. And as it has been a human centre of power for so long, the decor and statues are all human. The towering ceilings are hung with bright chandeliers that are so clearly antithetical to the design of the space. A ceiling like this ought to vanish into shadows, not be illuminated by these metal lamps. But when I enter the room, it returns to what it should be: Darkness, deep shadows, warm safety. Shelor leans in and whispers to me,  

I’ve known your power for some time. It seems that it’s time for everyone else to become aware of it as well.

  And I cast a glance at some of the other council members. Many of them look concerned or even fearful at how the city is reacting to me, and I have no desire to put them at ease just yet. Where Deldrin once felt like a powerful human city built atop elvish ruins, it now feels like a weak human set dressing covering an unmistakably Imperial home.   As we dine, Eusphyra points out that the food has been prepared by his own chef. Ausha is misty-eyed at the reception she is being given, and Qishali is fairly trembling at being seated so close to me and recognized so openly as a princess. Wyn the Azure makes a failed attempt to ingratiate himself to her by recognizing her as ‘spirit folk’, which eventually does ease the tension as the younger wizards tease him for the mistake.   It is an extraordinarily comedic experience to watch the human delegation slowly realize exactly what sort of group we are. I take it that they were relatively comfortable with the idea of various princes and princesses amongst us, but an Imperator is still beyond their understanding, and Cousin Soo, Oblivion, and Void are just hopeless.   Finally, Wyn asks after our intent for being here - some magical endeavour? And so Eusphyra stands to address the gathering in a very professorial manner.   He says Deldrin has always been a gem in the Empire, and its knowledge has always been part of its power. But there is much more to Deldrin than what is above the water - after all, it was built by Osyr. Beneath the water, many Osyr kin are sleeping and kept safe by a guardian for millennia. It is time for them to wake, and for that sleeping guardian to be released and allowed to rest. Black Tourmaline is ready to be woken.  

Black Tourmaline sounds like…a dragon’s name.

  At this, Starfield and I simply nod gamely. She’s a cousin - older than me but younger than Starfield. After some shocked questions around the age of various members of our party, the questions slowly move to the logistics of this endeavour. The humans seem wary, but it has clearly sunk in that whatever we are doing is not something they can stop.   Eusphyra estimates roughly a third of the Osyr population of Deldrin was able to find shelter beneath the lake, some of whom may wish to remain in the city and others who will likely head downriver to the Crystal Spires. Shelor has prepared communications for the city announcing what is about to happen, and intends for the city to host a Dragon Waking festival to keep the populace happy and calm.   As the conversation continues, I let Cousin Soo and Eusphyra field questions while I watch. But after some time, the darkness in the room deepen further and I instantly look at Oblivion. She has heard from Darkness, and he has just arrived.   I hardly have time to react any further before three people manifest into the room: Darkness, Trillium, and a tall red-haired man who I assume must be Wildfire. I’m already flying over to hug my niece when I see the fourth member of their group: A pulsing egg slung over Trillium Nightshade’s shoulder. Shadows Dancing - still in the shell. As I chatter and coo over the egg (with Starfield at my shoulder), the shell gleams and pulses with happy light.   And then I turn to hug Wildfire as well - newest adult addition to the family. He has been watching with happy glowing eyes as he observes Trillium’s happiness. Even without talking to him, I love him just for the look in his eyes as he watches her.   With such a commotion, Lilliales is rapidly explaining things to the humans and smoothly takes over our diplomatic relations as I sweep my newly arrived family out of the room to catch up. I’m sure everyone who remains in the hall can handle it.   The accommodations prepared for us are on a hidden island in the waterways of the city. It is one of five islands which have always been here, cloaked from the rest of the city by magic that hid them even in their heyday. I’m sure Eusphyra will tell me more about them tomorrow, but tonight is for catching up with my little dragon family.