Jaax drank from his goblet and Jahrra worked on the bread, fruit and thick soup Neira had set out on the table. For a while she watched her guardian out of the corner of her eye. It was so very strange seeing him in this elegant, cultured environment. She was so used to the brusque, practical Jaax that seeing him now, behaving properly and displaying the highest class of manners, made her wonder if it was a different dragon altogether that had come with her to Lidien. Of course, he had always given off that aura of nobility in her mind but he never had any real reason to display it at the far-from-elegant Castle Guard Ruin.
Finally, Jaax cleared his throat and spoke up, “Classes for the next session at the University don’t start for another several weeks. I feel it is in your best interest that we sign you up for new classes instead of trying to catch up with what you’ve missed. That should also give us time to get settled in here.”
Jahrra looked up abruptly, nearly choking on her soup. Of all things for Jaax to say she hadn’t expected that. Of course, in the back of her mind she knew she would be attending the University when she came to stay in Lidien, but it hadn’t been discussed once on their long journey here.
“How long will we be staying in Lidien then?” Jahrra braved.
She imagined she would like this beautiful and enchanted city. She liked what she’d seen so far at least. She hoped they would be staying longer than a few months, especially if Jaax was going to enroll her in school.
Jaax sighed, but it wasn’t an irritated sigh. “I honestly can’t say. If it were up to me we would be here for at least two years but I can’t guarantee that. It all depends on what is happening outside the province and if our presence here becomes known by those who mean us harm.”
Jahrra nodded. She knew exactly what he meant. They had come here to escape the clutches of the Crimson King’s men but if they were somehow discovered, or if it was found out they were hiding here, it could mean danger for everyone else. True, Felldreim was the province with the most magic and they would be safe at its heart, but that didn’t mean the Tyrant wouldn’t try other tactics to draw them out. Find friends and loved ones outside Felldreim’s borders to use against them. Jahrra shivered at the idea of that horrible scarred man bringing a legion of Cierryon’s men down upon Gieaun and Scede’s ranch.
“We’ll just have to make what time we have here as productive as possible,” Jaax continued.
Jahrra nodded and poured herself something to drink from the chilled pitcher on her table. It tasted like spring water and berries.
“Tomorrow will be a busy day for us,” the dragon went on, reaching for his goblet again. “While you slept I visited some of the members of the Coalition who are currently in town. They are very eager to meet you.”
He wrinkled his nose and eyed Jahrra with a combination of humor and trepidation.
“I’ll be sure to have Neira lay out your best clothes but I think a visit to the seamstress first thing in the morning wouldn’t be such a bad idea.” The Tanaan dragon took a breath. “You’ll be needing some dresses if you’re to be meeting with dignitaries and nobles.”
Jahrra nearly inhaled her drink.
“Dignitaries and nobles?” she managed as she wiped her mouth.
Jaax cringed. “I was expecting you to be more averse to the dresses.”
His grin made Jahrra smile, despite the fact that she had also been wondering about having to wear dresses. But the noble class? Why would they want anything to do with me? she wondered. Eydeth and Ellysian hadn’t been noble, well at least they could never actually prove it one way or the other, and even they despised her. How was she supposed to live up to the standards of royals and those who lived among them? The thought made her cringe.
Up until a few months ago she had been a simple Nesnan of no consequence and despite the fact that Jaax had informed her she was the only human in Ethoes, one that many had been waiting for for a very long time, it didn’t magically change the way she had grown up. Hroombra and her foster parents had had a bigger impression on her than anything Jaax could do now. It would take her a long while to get used to the attention, praise and even hatred she would receive now that everyone knew who and what she really was.
Jaax stood, stretching his wings in the wide open space of the great room and said, “I’ll send Neira to wake you in the morning. We’ll stop by the seamstress’s first thing; she is open before most businesses. Then we’ll make our way to the heart of the city where we’ll meet those select Coalition members who are not previously engaged in meetings and appointments for the day.”
Jahrra looked up from her plate. “Select members?”
Jaax grinned as he stepped down from his shelf by the window. “You won’t be meeting the entire Coalition here in Lidien for quite a while yet.”
Jahrra cleared her throat. “Just how many members of the Coalition are there exactly?”
“Throughout Ethoes or here in the city?”
“Here in the city.”
Jahrra had a bad feeling she didn’t want to know the number of members throughout the world.
Jaax seemed to think for a moment, tallying the number up in his head. “When we are in full session, when most members are required to attend a meeting,” he answered, “I’d say one hundred fifty to two hundred. If you count the unofficial members, ten times as many as that. But they won’t be attending any of the meetings.”
Jahrra made a sound of fear and surprise. That many? Really? She wanted to go back upstairs, sit in a corner and melt away.
“Don’t worry,” Jaax said, seeing her face, “we’ll only be meeting five or six tomorrow.”
The sigh of relief coming from Jahrra could have blown down a tree.
“Now, it’s been at least a week since I’ve slept soundly, so I’ll bid you goodnight.”
Jahrra nodded, still trying to wrap the idea of two hundred nobles and delegates around her head. Would she have to meet all of them and learn all of their names and titles? What about all those unofficial members? And just how many members of the Coalition existed outside of Felldreim? The thought gave her a headache.
“You should get some rest, too,” Jaax said, his voice closer this time.
Jahrra had been lost in thought and hadn’t noticed him step closer.
“I know you slept the day away but our trip here wasn’t the easiest of journeys.”
Jahrra nodded and stood. “What about my dishes?” she asked, eyeing the nearly empty bowl and cup in front of her.
“Neira will tend to it,” Jaax shot over his shoulder before disappearing through the great arch to the left.
Jahrra sighed. Someone to clean up after her? That was an odd and somewhat uncomfortable notion. Well, she thought, I’m beginning to think there will be a lot to get used to in this new city; in this new life.
The morning after arriving in Lidien, Jahrra rose early and joined her guardian on the promised trip into the city. Jaax had reminded her on their way out that he would be introducing her to a select number of Coalition members, but those members she did meet weren’t even close to what she’d expected. It turned out that the seamstress they visited first, Mistress Bearra, was a minor member of the Coalition, as was the cobbler they visited next and their waiter for lunch at a nearby restaurant. Once Jahrra figured out she wouldn’t be meeting any high lords or ladies that day she relaxed.