Angelia Vail of house Vail
The young woman rises from the steaming tube and walks out. Her eyes are black pupil less orbs. She has no skin. Instead, she is covered in golden scales. Her blonde hair lays against her back soaked from the tub. Taking a towel, she dries it carefully and puts it up into a warrior’s bun. As she does the Whip and scourge marks are seen plainly across her upper back all the way down to her buttocks.
She is a tall woman of 6 ft 1in with a human looking face, but her jaw is slightly elongated. As she yawns, she shows four large fangs where her eye teeth would be placed. All her other teeth are sharp like the mouth of a cat. There is not a molar among them. This woman looks predatory from her head to her toes. Her small breasts are ripped from constant exercise. Her muscle structure is as fully developed as a champion swimmer.
The woman dresses in a traditional kimono then belts a Katana round her waist, A complex peace knot tied to hold the sword prisoner within its sheath. Next, she takes up a wide belt and belts it round her midriff just above the weapon belt. As she starts to perspire the smell of her sweat fills the air: The smell of hot ash and melted rock.
Taking up her other weapon she would never leave alone for a single moment, for if she was seen without them, she would be scourged. She opens it. The weapon looks like a large ornate hand fan. The steel fan has its vanes sharpened like a razor to make vicious slashing wounds. Pushing on a button the fan opens to show the Vail family Arms (Azure, a Dragon, Couchant Guardant, Or). She inspects the edge making sure each vane is as sharp as it can be. Then carefully folds it back up and places it into her other belt.
She applies face paints to herself to mark the difference between face and hair. The symbols she places are of an ancient elven race called the Ilythiir. She doesn’t know this nor does she care. It is traditional to do this when one’s hair matches the color of scales. Her elder fey’ri mother taught her the painting of her face long ago.
Her human mother the one who birthed her has never taken up the tradition even though she to is gold scaled with blond hair. Her mother’s scales are only half the size of hers for her mother is not elder fey’ri. She is a human gold dragon disciple.
Now properly dressed and adorned she slips out to the back patio. Vineyards run up and down the gentle hills for several acres. The day is scorching but for Angelia it feels just comfortable. As she scans the to the east side, she sees her two mothers dressed in their war armor sitting on the bench waiting for her. There is a prayer mat on the ground between the two women.
The first her Birth mother Most Honorable Seryne Vail of house Vail is the first human ever to survive the ceremony of life and death to become a full Samurai. Thus, she represents their small nation of one family as The Mother of Nations of house Vail in the Circle. The highest position one may attain. Seryne is 6ft 3in tall. Has the scales of a gold dragon disciple with blonde hair. Her eyes are a brilliant red denoting that she commands the element of fire. Her soul sword, a greatsword forged on the plane of Celestria, sits sheathed in her lap. Another greatsword one forged by one of her teachers of folded adamantine and mithral rests beside her right arm also in its sheath. It is the blade of a para-elementalist that first taught her the way of the sword. If her mother pulls it out, it sings with the hum of both electrical and cold: The powers of Air and water. It is an ice blade, rarest of para-elemental blades.
Her other mother sits beside Seryne. Honorable Miwa Duskmere of House Yuki. She is a shogun for the Yuki nation second only to the ruling Circle of Nations). Mother Miwa is a white scaled elder fey’ri. She is small and lithe. Her scales are the same size as Angelia’s. Her wings are large for her small stature. Her hair as all true elder fey’ri is also white and long going down to the middle of her back. She has black face paints on her arms, legs and face this day. Her eyes are a watery brilliant blue calling out that she is a mistress of the element of water. The two women sit in silence and watch her with a critical eye.
Angelia turns her attention to the three alters on the other compass directions on the patio. She walks to the north one. Above the alter is a statue of a head of a dragon made in silver. Angelia takes two incense rods and lights them in the small cup of burning oil and places them in front of the 12-inch statue.
From there she goes to the alter near the door on the southern end. There she sees the second alter she must attend. Siting above is are five chromatic dragon heads springing from a center circle of void. She takes a single incense rod, lights it and places it in front of the shrine of Tiamat.
She turns on the heel and ball of her feet and walks silently to the last alter. Above it there is again a statue. This one the same size as the others is of a sword facing down, its point perfectly balanced on the head of a pin. Here she lights 6 incense sticks and places them before the alter. She then goes to her knees on the prayer mat in front of it and does her duty of praying to her patron god, Lendys the god of justice, who judges all living dragons that do egregious acts against another of their kind.
When finished she gets up bows to the alter, does and about face and walks to the two women watching her. She stands behind the prayer mat. Taking out her Katana she lays it in front of the mat. She then takes her fighting fan, that is both used as shield and weapon and places it to the left side of the mat. When finished with that she sets to her knees upon the center of the mat bowing until her head touches the ground, “What will you have of me Most honorable mother Vail, Honorable mother Duskmere?”
Seryne is the first to speak, “Angelia, Miwa and I have been discussing your welfare. Your twenty and of age to marry and move on to be trained by masters. Yet we feel you need some 1rst hand experience before working your way up to the ceremony.”
Angelia lifts her head to stare into her mother’s eyes, “The circle will still not band the mating challenge, so you are sending me away until the women’s council assigns me a husband. Is that it?”
Seryne purses her lips while Miwa exclaims, “See she’s way ahead of you. I told you she’s one of our smartest.”
“I’m sorry Angelia. I have tried to sway the Circle on these matters as important as they are. You are the first hybrid of age. You and the other children that elder fey’ri of mixed marriages are most important now that we know just how thin the Elder fey’ri blood is. Yet still I cannot just trust my greatsword into the circle and make them submit to the barbarous practices of some traditions. They are too ingrained.”
“I do love a mating challenge.”
Seryne turns to her sister, “That’s exactly what I have to deal with Miwa, you bloodthirsty maniac. Too many males are being killed by females in the mating challenges. That’s why we have a council of women now to study who should marry who or what race so that the peoples’ blood once again runs strong. The other members of the Circle………. certain members of the Circle will not break from tradition and ban the challenge. I need more time to convince them.”
Miwa turns her head to Seryne, and her eyes soften. Seryne purses her lips, “I know I’m getting near 70 and don’t know how much more time I have.”
Angelia clears her throat, “You could use the same potion Uncle Randyl did to age like Aunt Fawn? And besides you dragon blood has helped You only look in your late forties early fifties of human years.”
Miwa places her hand upon Seryne’s while she shakes her head, “When my time comes it will come. I have something to do in the afterlife that only I know. A mission for the good of all existence. But that’s neither here nor there. Our main priority this moment is you Angelia.
We your mothers and your father are sending you out to gain some experience. There is a place where your aunt Fawn has sent her former apprentice. That apprentice has gotten mixed up with your great grandfather. We figure that’s a good place as any to send you. She now knows most of the family secrets and we do not under any circumstances want them to be known. She is family now and should be respected. Watch over the mage but do not get mixed up in her affairs. That means listen and don’t speak, understand? She is by default one of us now.”
Angelia bows her head, “Understood Mother Sensei.”
Seryne suddenly turns to Miwa, “Stop that or I’ll slap you, Miwa! I’m an old woman now.”
Miwa removes her hands from Seryne’s, huffing, “If you would simply bow to tradition you would know what a wonderful time you would have.”
“Not in this lifetime, Sister. Besides we have since the people have immigrated here merged the peoples’ traditions with that of elves and humans. We no longer allow any slavery, cept debt slavery, Women can choose not to be with their other sisters. Along dumping traditions that have led our people down the path to near extinction.”
Miwa turns to Angelia, “What do you think Angie? Do I not deserve to know my sister as well as my husband?”
Angelia narrows her eyes a moment, “I’ve heard this argument over and over my entire life honorable mothers. One of you are going to have to grow some scales and acquiesce to the other or you will be fighting over it the rest of your lives.”
Seryne’s eyes grow angry, “Angelia Vail! You will not swear in our house! You know just as much as every other fey that us Humans and elves hate that expression! I should whip you here and now for that outburst!”
Angelia shows her fangs in some irritation but still places her head to the ground, “My apologies Most honorable mother.”
Meanwhile Miwa snickers, “She’s just like you were before your apprenticeship. I love it.”
Seryne casts her bearing upon Miwa, “Your not helping, Miwa.” Her eyes turn back to Angelia, “As for you if you have not come back after five years a husband will be assigned to you. He will come for you. Whether he still challenges you or not I would not know. I still do not understand why some males still challenge the female in arranged marriages.”
Miwa explains, “Dear sister is it not obvious? A male does not just want to marry a female. He also wants her respect. If he can subdue her in the challenge before she kills him, he will have gained it. The marriage will be more stable.”
Seryne twists her mouth, “You mean like Mayumi?”
“Mayumi was, how should I say an exception to the rule. Her desire to become both cleric and samurai and being interrupted brought on her downfall.”
Seryne gives her a nod then turns her attention back to Angelia, “Now we have all new equipment for you. Once retrieving it see your father and go to Shaia’s school. She’ll teleport you to Damara. From there make your way to the city of Peltarch.”
Angelia says nothing but bows at her torso a moment and waits for her mothers to rise. Seryne and Miwa get up. She then gets up. They walk down to the vineyard barrel storage house. Behind it there’s a draft horse and equipment. Her father Most Honorable Kioshi Fellmirr special adviser to the circle of greater nations is there. He is 5ft 1 in tall and covered in blue scales marking him a member of the Kamara nation. His eyes have the green luster of the power of earth.
Angelia stops and bows in front of him, meanwhile her mothers each come up and kiss him. He takes a grape holding it up to Seryne. She closes her eyes and opens her mother while he places it on her tongue. She spits it out, “The dark reds are still too sweet.”
He takes a green grape and repeats the process. Seryne smiles, “Tart with undertones of sweetness. I think we have our pinot grape.”
He smiles showing his fangs in pleasure, “I’ll use cherry barrels for it then.”
Kioshi offers Angelia one, “You know better father. It’s poisonous until the alcohol changes its structure.”
“I will see what your brother has to say then”, he beams, “So You are fully a woman now and have completed your basic training. How fast! It took me 150 years but then I am elder fey’ri and do not have the natural learning capacity of one with human blood. Are you well in our decision?”
Angelia bows then stands at attention.
“Good, Now give your father a hug and set off for the school then.”
Angelia hugs her father and the three leave her with a draft horse and supplies. She inventories it while exclaiming to herself, “We are one of the richest families in the nation and they give me steel weapons! And a draft horse! You would think they would spend on a war horse!”
She checks the clothing. Light riding leather armor, two kimonos, One set of heavy Onna-bugeisha plate armor, one Kariginu robe, Three traditional simple robes. The riding leathers and heavy armor have the badge of Lendys upon the shoulders, A golden sword balanced on the head of a pin.
Next, she checks her weapons. One great sword, three leaf head spears, One Daikyu (Japanese long bow) with two quivers of 24 arrows, a brand-new Katana although steel she can see this one is well made. A new fighting fan. She takes it up and opens it a showing her fangs in gleefulness. On this one the spines extend three inches from the vanes each extension a double-bladed knife.
She drops everything and tests it, making sure she can perform a fighting dance/kata without hurting herself as she folds and extends it under her arms and round her legs. She then cries with glee. She also finds a two skinning/gutting knives, and two daggers. She is well prepared now for a fight.
On the side of the horse is a heater shield. She shakes her head, “Mother Seryne will you never give up your western ways of fighting.” She shrugs. She was trained with that shield as well as fighting fan and wakizashi. She could deal with it.
Form there she finds a small amount of coin and some rations. Water and wine skin along with a jar of fresh blood something Mother Miwa must have put in there. She opens the jar and drinks the blood. Her system only being able to take water, blood and alcohol or raw meat like an Elder fey’ri. The blood must be drunk, or it will dry.
Angelia puts on her light riding leathers and begins her Journey toward the school for the gifted.
And there you go. Angelia got bounced. I sort of expected it but I still have Lauriella. I'll give Angelia a go on another server. And if you are interested in the character and race I have two full novels about them on my site. Free for download,
Ceaseless promotion of product. When I have enough on these two You may see another novel that includes characters from Narfell and other servers. Maybe yours if you give me permission to include them. I won't use characters unless I get permission even when its fan fiction.
