Chapter 30

chapter Thirty

Volencia released Morning Star, who follow Dark Night on their wandering of the field. She awaited an introduction eagerly. Trishia hung back with the horses. Damion, straightening himself out, waving Volencia forward. "Travion, let me introduce you to our guests. This is the Princess Volencia, of Thambair, daughter of King Venron. And the young lady hiding beside the horses, that's her entourage and maiden, Trishia. My dears, this is my younger brother, Travion."

Travion offered a deep bow. "Might I say, I'm honored to meet you both. Welcome to our humble village. I pray you each make yourselves at home. If there's anything you need, all are eager to accommodate. I would think to start though, you would all like to freshen up a bit, if the smell of my brother tells me anything." Travion laughed, and Damion sniffed at himself, making a face.

"Thank you." Volencia made an awkward curtsy without her dress. "We would appreciate your hospitality."

Travion's eyes sparkled like a river, as bright and blue as his scales. Travion was nearly two heads taller than Damion, his body was twice as thick and wide. His muscles just as defined as Damion's under the scales. Those around his neck were small, no more than thumbnail sized. Thought the skin around his face was all thick and leathery. And like a snake, from the bottom of his jaw, to the tip of his tail, there were long palettes that ran crossways. He wore very little clothing. No more than a pair of short pants that ended at his knees; the same hand-woven cloth Damion was wearing the day they first met. Each hem reinforced with a small line of fur.

"I hope travel was easy enough for you?" Travion asked, holding out an elbow to her. Damion turned back, realizing Trishia wasn't with them.

Volencia blushed, "It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, honestly. Our first morning we were attacked by brigands. And the ride was hard. Sleeping on the ground with all those beasts surrounding us was the worst though. Do you hear them in the forest all the time?" Volencia felt like she already knew Travion, wrapping her arm around his felt like she was visiting an old friend.

"Nah. Not unless there's a big spat nearby. We've been here long enough that most just leave this area alone. There's nothing of interest here to them." Travion shrugged, patting her hand.

"Come on, Damion. Everyone is waiting. I was hoping we would all enter the village together." Travion called.

Damion's head popped into view from the field. "She doesn't want to join us. Princess, Trish is having some sort of panic spell. I don't know what to do."

Volencia dropped Travion's arm and went to help. It took her a few quiet minutes, but she was more pliable under Volencia's coaxing. "I'm afraid, my Princess. I don't really want to be here, and there's going to be so many of them. What if they decide they don't want us here?"

"That's not going to happen, Trish. My father knew these folk better than anyone. He wouldn't have let us come if he thought for a moment, they would hurt us. Besides, you have Damion and me to keep you protected. You are perfectly safe. We won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

Volencia wrapped her fingers through Trishia's and looked up at Damion. "I think we can go now. Will you escort us into the village?"

Damion took her arm, smiling down at her. "It would be my honor, Princess." He led them back down the path to where Travion waited.

"Before we go, may I be frank with you, Travion?" Volencia asked.

"Of course. We are a common folk here, I greeted Damion by telling him how awful he smells, remember?" Damion rolled his eyes at Travion.

Volencia giggled, resting her head against Damion's shoulder. "I just wanted to tell you, I think you are beautiful. Your scales are like the blue of a running river, and your eyes the depths of the deepest pool. I was told most of you are green and brown. I guess I assumed"

"Most are, Princess." Travion interjected. "I'm one of two blue lizards here in the village. Me and my son, Little Lennion. Who is anxiously waiting for us to join them."

"I didn't know, how did that happen?"

"Well," Travion put his fists on his hips, "I wasn't from Claglion. My folk were further south. But after the attack on Claglion, many of our folk were in danger from others. They became hunted. The River Lizards were safer than most, as they rarely interacted with others. I was just an infant when we were attacked. Damion was young and had a nightmare or something. He brought our mother to the destroyed village, using his magic somehow, and found me. She wrapped me up and looked to see if there were any other survivors, but it was only me. If Damion hadn't brought her to the village when he did, I would have died. They brought me home, and I ended up being the youngest in our ever-growing family." He chuckled. "We were both outcasts, for the most part, during our childhood. One of the reasons we've always been so close. We didn't truly belong, though we've figured out our own place here eventually."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Volencia asked, looking up at Damion.

"Well, I guess I never thought of it. Honestly, it was a long time ago. I'm not even sure how it happened. I've never since been able to just appear somewhere, even short distances." Damion still looked incredibly tired.

"Alright, come, lets go meet everyone and see your home?"

Damion nodded, and they walked together. "Keep in mind, it'll be small, but comfortable. You and Trish will get my house for yourselves while we're here. All we have is yours." The path opened to the village, which was bigger than Volencia had expected, sprawling out in all directions. The homes were quaint and mismatched. Some were stone, some were clay, others were made entirely of wood. There were some that looked new and others that looked in need of repair. The rooves ranged from those that looked like long grass, others thatched, and some had clay tiles. One thing they all had in common were that they were built in neat little rows, broken down into sets of four. Between these homes, each set had one or two fruit trees, and beautiful gardens growing everywhere.

Damion would stop as lizards came up to shake hands. Some even bowed. Everyone wanted to meet her. Sometimes, from those who were older, and remembered, they would tell her how much she looked like her mother, or how she had her father's eyes and hair. They didn't surround her, and they were short and quick with their introductions, telling her to only ask if she needed or wanted for anything. That they would let them all rest and freshen up but hoped to speak again soon. There were more folk than she had been expecting, and it made her happy to know they were thriving as well as they were.

They neared the center of the village and a large square opened to them. An enormous fire pit sat in the center, some lizards were beside it, roasting whole pigs, or using the strategically placed ovens around the outside.

"We don't ever use the full pit in the summer months. That won't happen until midwinter when the world is at it's coldest. The fire burns so hot, that the snow will melt from here to nearly the edge of the wood. It helps keep the chill at bay." Damion explained, as she marveled at the largest structure in the village so far.

The Samanthians who were cooking around the fire looked up at their approach, waving with a smile, but didn't leave their spots to come say hello. Across the pit a group of children cheered the moment they realized they were there and ran at Damion, jumping and giggling, "Damion's back! Look he brought friends!"

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