DKP 5-16 A change in the wind (Non cannon)

Gersius walked to camp his mind swimming with confused thoughts. He and his wives had taken a walk to discuss the matters and try to come to a solution. They brought no guards with them, eager to speak openly where no ear would hear. Now he wondered where the path was going and what was waiting at the end. Just a few days ago, Lengwin decided to change the armor of the priest's under his command and announce that women would be accepted and trained. It was a bold plan to reinvent the order and separate it from the infected one under the Father Abbot. He confided in Gersius later that he hoped Sarah would do the training to help ease the transition of women into the order. Of course, Sarah was away and couldn't be asked, but he was sure she would agree. With any luck, she would arrive later today, and the process could begin.   

Still, the proclamation seemed to have had the desired effect, and the mood in the camp lifted dramatically. The men of Astikar and the women of Ulustrah started to spend some time together, talking and laughing as if good friends. It was just a small group in the beginning, but slowly the numbers grew. They spent time walking the camp and out into the woods. Many of the men were suddenly eager to do more than sit in tents all night. Lengwin announced it as a great success that stirred the hearts of men to new activity. Gersius found out later that it wasn't just Lengwins proclamation that was boosting morale, no it was another who was helping in a very unusual way.   

Now they had to continue the march with the camp dramatically changed and whispers circling about. He would have to put all that aside and focus on the task ahead. With an army that was growing united, he would be able to do much more on the battlefield. He could combine units and use their strengths together to make devastating combinations. Though much had changed with the camp itself, nothing of the goal had deviated. They were still on course to reform the empire and defeat the Doan.  Lilly and Thayle were at his side to the end, where they could finally return to normal and be a family.

He arrived in the camp, his mind still heavy in thought to find Lengwin waiting by the meeting tent. He looked unusually concerned and twisted his hands as Gersius approached. It was no surprise considering how he left poor Lengwin earlier.  

“How are you feeling?” he asked as Gersius arrived.

“I am fine,” Gersius replied. “I will deal with it.”  

“There must be something we can do?”  

Gersius shook his head. “A vow has been made and the course set. There is nothing to do but follow the path. We will arrive at the end victorious and put everything right.”

Lengwin put a hand to his shoulder and nodded his agreement. “You are a better man than I,” he said before walking away.

Gersius wondered if that was true. So much of what happened to them was out of their control. All he could do was respond to the situations and make the best of them. People seemed to think his responses were good, but sometimes he questioned them.  

Gersius went inside the tent as people skittered away and left him be. The look on his face was reason enough to keep clear of him, and they rapidly found reasons to be elsewhere. He made his way to the side table, pouring a glass of wine to douse his sour mood and shook his head in frustration.  Lilly and Thayle arrived a few minutes later to join him in a drink and sat at the table to talk.   

“Do we have any tents?” Lilly asked.

“We capture a bunch of them from the raven guard,” Thayle said. “We have more than we need now. I ordered one of the larger ones be setup on the far side of the camp among the men of Astikar. I also told them to look for the largest bed we had. I am pretty sure we have some that are as big as ours.”

“We have two captured from the same camp,” Gersius said. “They are broken down and stored in one of the wagons.” He took another sip of his wine and shook his head.

“Are you going to be sour all night?” Thayle asked as she watched him down a full mouthful.

“I have good reason to be sour,” he replied, gesturing with his wine.    

“I told you I would handle it,” Thayle said. “You will not want for anything.”

He nodded as he savored the wine and wondered how it had come to this. Nothing he could do now would lead to an amicable solution, and would only cause dissent in the camp. It could also cause real harm that could easily be avoided by waiting a month or two. It was a short time in the grand scheme of things, and the gains in the camp were hard to ignore. He paused to think about what it meant that the two faiths were coming together, and the strength that could be made from it. Even as he puzzled over that thought, there was a distant roar, and they looked up as if they could see the sky.  

“That was a dragon,” Lilly said.

“Sarah and Numidel must be back,” Thayle exclaimed excitedly and squeezed Lilly’s hand.

Gersius set his wine aside and led the women to the field out behind the meeting tent. They watched the skies for a moment until Lilly pointed out the distant forms of two dragons.  

“They are back,” Thayle said with a smile.  

As the two closed, it was apparent they were carrying things. On their backs were large saddles crafted for dragons of their size. Gersius estimated that twenty men could ride on Numidel easily, and perhaps twenty-five on Sarah. Tied to the saddles were baskets and boxes containing the things they ordered from the craftsmen.   

Numidel touched down first, using the changing tent and quickly took his human form. Sarah landed in the field just outside and took her saddle off, resting it about a dozen meters from where they stood. Once Numidel was clear of the ring, she stepped over the tent wall to use it herself. She was so massive in size that the tent could not wholly contain her. However, a thick cloud of swirling black smoke obscured her form as she began the transformation. A flash of light later and the smoke started to drift away in the breeze.  

They waited outside the ring, anxious to see the dragons and learn if anything had come from their mission. The smoke began to thin, and the dragon that once stood inside was gone. A smaller human shape emerged from the side of the tent, walking out of the cloud with graceful steps.  

She stood tall with her long red hair pulled through a golden ring to drop like a tail behind her head. Her face was noble and beautiful, with eyes that blazed with red light and hinted at great wisdom. It wasn’t her face or the color of her hair that captivated them, but rather the outfit that she wore.  

It was a dress of the most unusual manufacture. The skirt was red with white trims that reached just below her knees, leaving her booted feet visible. It was tightly bound at the waist by a narrow but sturdy leather belt that accentuated her figure. The top was red and white but layered over by a gray blouse that seemed to hug her like a second skin. It was split down the middle by a narrow neckline that plunged well below her chest, ending in a golden star emblem of Astikar. The red of the dress covered her shoulders and arms to her wrists.  

Were that all that was there, it would be a pretty dress, but it wasn't done. Small protective plates protected the shoulder, and her lower arms and hands were fully encased in metal. Her right shoulder was a simple decorative plate, but the left shoulder was black with a white dragon emblem across it.  

On her left chest was a diamond-shaped patch of black with a red falcon image stretched across it. Three golden bars hung below the diamond, a symbol of her rank. She was a commander of the third degree, a knight captain by today's standards.   

The belt at her waist, though narrow, served an additional function. It was scaled in metal plates that were riveted through the leather.  From the plates hung thin arms of metal that fell along the lines of her skirt, forming a skeleton of articulated armored spines. Golden patterns sewn into the skirt highlighted the spines, making them look a part of the outfit. The spines had carefully crafted joints that allowed them to flex and bend with the dress below.   

“What is that?” Lilly asked as she saw the amazing garment.

“An armored dress of some kind?” Thayle guessed. “It is absolutely breathtaking.”

“It is amazing,” Gersius said, his eyes transfixed on Sarah. “She looks like a warrior queen.”  

Lilly and Thayle shared a glance and then looked to Gersius as he watched Sarah approach with head held high and a face carrying a soft smile. Every step seemed graceful and rehearsed, the dress flowing with her movement.

“I want one of those dresses,” Lilly said, her eyes filled with wonder.

Thayle shook her head as the regal beauty of Sarah arrived right before them. Her very presence felt powerful as if a Goddess had come from the heavens to address them.  

“Hail, dragon knights and dragon,” Sarah said with a slight bow of her head, her eyes never looking away.

“Welcome back, Lady Sarah,” Gersius said with a bow in return. “We are glad to you stand with us again.” She smiled as their eyes met, both showing strength and respect to one another.  Gersius adjusted his stance, standing tall and straight, with his shoulders squared as he asked the question they all wanted answered. “May we ask what it is you are wearing?”  

“It’s a battle dress,” Sarah replied as if the answer was obvious.

He glanced at the women, and neither Lilly or Thayle had any clue what that was. He decided to be open and honest and admit they had no idea what that meant.  

“We have never seen such a dress,” Gersius said, “Nor do I believe I have ever heard the name before, but I have to say, it looks stunning on you.”  

“It sure does,” Thayle added a smile curling her lips.

Sarah paused a moment then tipped her head in acknowledgment of the compliment. “Forgive me, I was aware you might not know what it was,” she admitted. “When we visited the city, I brought the rotted remains of several to the craftsman. Not a one them knew what I was talking about when I asked them to strip the armor and craft a new dress to bolt it too. Thankfully I had enough left to give them the idea, and a talented woman knew how to make dense fabrics for the dress itself.”  

“It’s beautiful,” Thayle said. “Lilly wants one for herself.”

“As a dragon, she should have one,” Sarah agreed. “I would be willing to allow the camp smiths to study this one to craft her one of her own.”  

Thayle smiled and glanced at Lilly to see the desire in her heart. “We can do that later, Lilly isn't going to have much use for dresses for a while.”  

Gersius snickered and cleared his throat as Lilly pouted beside him and folded her arms.

“Why isn’t your chest armored?” Lilly asked as she thought of the armor worn by the other women.  Surely this made Sarah vulnerable?  

“It is lightly armored,” Sarah replied and touched the fabric. “This is an older form of padded armor that was good for indirect blows.”  

“Wouldn’t metal be better?” Thayle asked.

Sarah turned to the side and reached up to tug at the back of her collar. They could see a strap of leather that feed through a series of loops that ran down the sides.  

“It isn't plated because heavy armor takes too much time to get off. If I need to take my dragon form, I can pull this strap, and the whole outfit will come apart. If I wore a breastplate, I would have to take that off before I could take the rest off, wasting valuable time.”  

“So, this cord causes the whole outfit to come off?” Lilly asked, reaching up as if she wanted to pull it.  

“Lilly, leave that alone,” Thayle snapped.  

“I wasn't going to touch it,” she argued.  

“Hmm,” Thayle said as she studied the outfit.  “Considering how frequently you need to take your clothes off, maybe we should get you one. Think of all the time it will save you.”  

Lilly frowned as Thayle smiled wider, and Gersius cleared his throat again.   

Sarah looked between the two as Lilly huffed but went on with her description. She explained how the whole thing was designed for dragon women to give them some measure of protection if they entered a tight space. It was light, flexible, and came with a deadly feature. She demonstrated this by stepping back and twirling in place. The spines on the dress rose up, slashing the air around her, revealing they were bladed on the ends.  

“Very impressive,” Gersius said with another slight bow of his head. “You bless us and the world with your knowledge and gifts. I hope to see more of the past brought back by your efforts.”  

“I will do what I can to remind the world of what was, but for now, I am grateful to finally be able to fight beside the dragon knights,” she said and turned to Thayle. “I have a proper saddle, at last. I expect to be carrying you into battle.”  

“I am honored you will carry me,” Thayle said with a bow.  

“Why does her saddle have a bundle of ropes on the side?” Lilly asked as she studied it from where they stood.

“It is a rope ladder,” Gersius said. “Sarah is much taller than you, Thayle will need a ladder to get into the saddle, or Sarah will have to lay on her stomach to shorten the distance.”

“Indeed,” Sarah replied. “When you reach my age, your size can often be a hindrance when dealing with humans.”

“How do older dragons even manage it?” Lilly asked.

Sarah shook her head that Lilly didn't know the answer already, so she took a moment to explain it.  

“Truly, ancient dragons reach the quickening and grow in size rapidly. They can triple their size in a hundred years if they have the gold to feed on, becoming titans that can shake the world. When they do, they gain the power to readjust their size to appear smaller in both dragon and human form.”  

“Why would they need that?” Thayle asked.

“You can see why by my height,” Sarah said. “I am slightly taller than Gersius, but a dragon in the midst of the quickening would be twice his height or more in their human form. Without the power to adjust, they would be more akin to giants than men.”

“So, it's another gift?” Lilly questioned.  

“It was part of the gift crafted by Solesta and Balisha. Solesta gifted the dragon half and Balisha the human half. A dragon of ancient age could appear to be smaller than your dragon form if it wished. As I have not yet reached that age, I will have to deal with being taller than most strong men.”  

“Thankfully, you are blessed with such a radiant form,” Gersius replied.  

Thayle turned to smirk at him and reached over the bind to speak silently.

“I approve of your desire,” she said.

“What desire?” he replied silently.

“Oh, don't play games with Lilly and I. We see the beautiful woman standing before us.”

“I see a powerful woman of great wisdom that I respect,” he replied.  

“Is that all you see?” Lilly asked. “You must be blinded by her radiance.”

Thayle had to cover her mouth to choke back her laughter as Sarah studied them with a curious gaze.  

“Is something funny?” Sarah asked.  

“I just had a random thought,” Thayle said as she glanced at Lilly to share a smile. “Please continue.”  

Sarah nodded and stood tall. “So has anything of note happened in my absence?”

Lilly went wide-eyed as Thayle struggled no to laugh again. Gersius stepped forward, letting out a sigh and answered that question before either of them fired another quip.   

“A lot has happened since you left.  Let us go to the meeting tent and have some wine while I tell you.”

He led the way, and Sarah followed, leaving Lilly rooted to the spot as Thayle came to stand by her.  

“Why are you teasing me so much?” Lilly asked.

“Sweetheart, I am just playing with you. You know I love you,” Thayle said as she looked into Lilly’s blue eyes.   

Lilly smiled and took a deep breath as she watched Gersius and Sarah enter the tent.

“Do you think he is going to tell her? I don’t know if I want to go in.”

“Come on, Lilly,” Thayle said, taking her hand. “She is going to find out sooner or later.”  

The tent was still empty of visitors when they arrived, and Gersius went straight to the refreshment table. He poured Sarah a deep red wine and handed her the glass before pouring himself one. Lilly eagerly took one and drank half of it before sitting beside Thayle at the table.   

Sarah sat across from them, the armored dress easily flexing to accommodate her, as Gersius remained standing to pace.  

Sarah took a drink and set her glass down before calming, asking the obvious question.  

“Why is the order of Astikar in white armor?”

He knew that was coming but wanted to make sure she understood the full meaning. He began to recount the story of the raven guard and city battle. He explained how the people saw the two armies as the same force, and she nodded her head slightly. His voice grew strained when they came to Thayle's injury and worse when he got to Tull. Thayle had to take over for him when the pain grew too great, and he needed a moment to gather his strength. She explained to Sarah who Tull was and specifically what he did to Gersius that day in Whiteford. She used her visions from his dreams to paint the scene in graphic detail so she could fully appreciate it.  

Sarah sat back her eyes on Gersius in admiration. “You suffered all that to protect a dragon?” She took a sip of her wine and looked down into the cup before fixing her gaze on Thayle. “You told me he was beaten, but you never explained it in detail. To know the full of it is hard to comprehend.” She looked back to Gersius with a stern look in her blazing eyes. “You are a great man, and you have my respect.”  

Gersius took a deep breath and steadied his nerves with more wine as Sarah drummed her and on the table. It was clear the story had unnerved her, and something was now burning in her thoughts.  

“Ahh there you are,” Numidel said as he entered the tent and shattered the tension. “Why Lady Lilly, you are positively glowing.”  

“It's more of an afterglow,” Thayle replied, causing Gersius to chuckle into his wine.   

Sarah tapped her hand firmly to the table and took on a dire look. “I will not bear monsters such as this Tull parading around in a mockery of the falcons. I think it is time I started training those who are worthy to rebuild the falcons.”  

“Actually,” Gersius said as he set his wine down. “We want to talk to you about training.”

“What about it?” Sarah asked.

“As you noticed, the men of Astikar have changed their coloring. Because of what happened in the city,  Lengwin decided to reform the order under his command. He wishes to distinguish it from the Father Abbot's so that his men will not be tainted by association.”  

“A wise decision,” Sarah said. “I applaud his efforts.”

Gersius nodded his agreement and continued. “As part of his plan, he has also announced that he will take any woman who wishes to serve Astikar and offer her training.” He paused to look Sarah firmly in the eyes before continuing. “He was hoping you would be willing to train them.”  

“Me?” Sarah asked and looked to Numidel for support.

“That does seem a logical choice,” Numidel said. “Letting it be known that Sarah will train them should inspire many to the cause.”  

“Lengwin agrees,” Gersius said as he looked to Sarah. “He is hoping you will agree to train the women and shape them into a powerful force.”

“He told them I would train them without asking me?” she questioned.

“Not exactly,” Gersius said. “He told them he was going to ask you, but most people believe that was all but guaranteed.”  

“Well, it must be having an effect already,” Numidel said. “I have been about the camp, and the mood is noticeably improved.”

“Some of that was Lilly’s doing,” Thayle said.

“Will you stop it,” Lilly said as she kicked Thayle under the table.  

“Oh, I am going to have so much fun with this,” Thayle said, her smile widening.   

Sarah watched the display a moment before turning her eyes to Gersius. “I accept, but where will I find women to train?”

“A number of women in the order of Ulustrah have grown frustrated. They do not see a path to war with the blessings of their goddess. They wish to serve a power with blessings that will be more useful on the battlefield. We just started to train some of them to follow Balisha, but some may wish Astikar instead.”

“I doubt it,” Thayle said. “They don't care for the order.” She paused and looked at Lilly with a smile.  “But then things have changed these past few days, haven't they?” She took Lilly's hand and rubbed it gently. “You should tell the women who joined your order that Sarah will train them in Astikar if they would prefer that. There should be no shame in letting them change again. I will let the women of Ulustrah know and see if there are any more who have a conflict of faith. We will have to see what happens.”  

“And we will gather more as we get closer to Calathen,” Gersius added. “We are sure to find more camps on the road.”  

Sarah drummed her fingers again, her face looking sour. “Women whose hearts are so weak they can’t hold strong to their faith will make poor servants of Astikar.”

“Their hearts aren't weak,” Thayle said. “The war is changing them, and they are wise enough to know the path of Ulustrah is no longer right for them.  They only wish to serve in a divine that is more attuned to their new dispositions.”  

Sarah looked to Numidel, and he nodded back. “I will help you train them, of course,” he said.   

“Then I look forward to it,” Sarah said. “I will restore the women of the order, and they will help set these terrible crimes right.”

Gersius was pleased to hear that and took another sip of wine. As he did, a priestess entered and went directly to Thayle to let her know the tent was ready, and a woman named Taylin was waiting. Thayle nodded and sent the woman off before taking a firm hold of Lilly's hand.   

“Lilly and I need to go see about a project,” Thayle said, standing up. “I hope you two will excuse us.”  

“Of course,” Sarah said with a wave of her glass. “We will talk more later, and perhaps you can try the saddle. I also wish to continue with Lilly and Shadros's education. I have much more to teach her.”  

Lilly let out a sad tone, and Thayle shook her head. “I am sure we can find time for you to spend with Sarah,” she said. “Heavens knows you found time for everything else.”  

“Thayle!” Lilly cried as Thayle dragged her from the tent.

Sarah turned to look over her shoulder, watching them leave before turning back.  

“Are those two behaving strangely?”

Gersius shook his head. “They are working on a project together to boost morale, but are having a bit of a disagreement on how to implement it.”

“Hmm,” Sarah replied and went back to her wine. “I hope they achieve their goals; the divisions in this camp are hampering its performance. Uniting them should be of utmost importance. No expense should be spared to accomplish it.”  

“I can assure you, nothing is being spared,” he replied.

Gersius spent the next hour going over strategy and plans for the march. Sarah was particularly interested in reaching the other forces massing on the far side of the mountains. Once the two groups merged, they could march on the old empire and finally put pressure on false father.  

Gersius was quick to caution her and point out that many of the kingdoms might resist their passage. They could end up having to carve a bloody path all the way to the city.

Sarah was unmoved and more concerned with the presence of dragons fighting for the Father Abbot. She wished to resume hunting the southern skies at night, hoping to bring one down and get some answers.  

Gersius couldn't deny her wish, nor would he if he could. She was confident that few could challenge her power in a fight, and any dragon she removed from the battle would be a win for their side.  As the night wore on, they parted company, and he met with Thayle to discuss her plans. She assured him that it was all under control and that Lilly was working even as they spoke. She smiled and took his arm to walk with him and soothe his nerves. She reminded him that unlike anyone else in the camp, there would always be two women in his bed eager to share their love.  

A few hours were spent looking over maps and planning campsites along the route. One area was particularly craggy and would require them to either stop early, or push on far later than normal. The army would prefer the previous, while he the later. He worried that he was pushing them too hard and that it would foster resentment. Many were using blessings to keep up, pushing their fighting readiness to the ragged edge. How much further could he drive them?   

He retired late into the night the two women, waiting in bed and watching him with hungry eyes. Thayle helped him undress and dragged him into their clutches as they descended on him, filling his hours with passion and pleasure.   

As he lay there with his arms full, he kissed the top of Thayle's head and felt her over the bind. She was sound asleep, dreaming of happy things, content with their life. Lilly was a little harder to reach, but he could feel the powerful sensation when he did. She was happy like he'd never known her before.