"Well, it's the silver fire, you know?" Imogen responded, voice diffident "The Sunsinger art is drawn from Novuril, which Raxen made for Arcas way back when all the myths were happening. Now, legend says that Arcas himself obtained the sunfire by saving the life of the dragon Ysadrin, but probably nobody but Novalys could tell you for sure if that's true. That's why you saw sigils of Arcas, Raxen, and Ysadrin back at the Sanctuary. Long story short, the fire comes from Arcas' domain in some capacity."
The Ork didn't mention the influence of the architecture or culture of Ailos- for one, she didn't want to sound too long-winded, and she doubted Aurin was looking for a history lesson on the God-Queen Ysandre just now. Still, she wondered if Deravaecia could have shed any light on the divine entanglements of the Isle of Light and the Dawnmartyr Order more generally. She hadn't thought to ask the dragon while they traveled to Drathera, being entirely too preoccupied with her failing health at that point.
Imogen grimaced as Aurin described the particulars of the Kalzasaern royal offices. Even though she'd been involved in the Coven since birth and certainly had no respect for Zaicheri prejudices, the avialae obsession with breeding never failed to discomfit her. Even in Ecith, where attitudes towards sex were so lax they verged on universally open, the birth and raising of children was much less... transactional. Certainly no Orkhan would brook being expected to serve as a stud or broodmare.
"I've spent plenty of time in the manor when Master Gerhard was training me, but you're just going to have to wait. I'm not letting you see shit until I've had the chance to redecorate and make sure affairs are in order. And don't you dare bother Carina over this." The Ork flushed, from embarrassment or annoyance- probably both.
The last time she'd seen Carina in person had been on the ill-fated expedition to Kythera, and it was tempting to enlist Aurin to find her again, to see her face-to-face, to hold her slim shoulders and feel her warm breath against...
No! Absolutely not. She already owed Aurin, and the next thing she wanted out of him was professional. Ansel had been clear that he expected her to focus her energies on the advancement of the coven's interests, but she wasn't going to be able to do that until she was out from under this contract with Vhexur. If she were more naïve, she might even think that fulfilling that contract would help the Sunsingers, given the unbelievable payoff he'd promised- but in truth, she took him for a liar. No, she had her own reasons to finish that job.
Imogen sniffed when Aurin asked his final question.
"I didn't say that. What makes you think you could handle my training, anyway?" It was a ridiculous question, Kavafis had proven time and again to be an extraordinarily gifted mage and a competent combatant, but that's where the mood took her. "I'll tell you what, since you seem so on the fence about it- I owe you a couple of favors now. Come visit me in Frost, when I've had some time to heal and set the house in order, and I'll teach you why the Sunsingers were the boogeyman of the Order for so long."
The Ork didn't mention the influence of the architecture or culture of Ailos- for one, she didn't want to sound too long-winded, and she doubted Aurin was looking for a history lesson on the God-Queen Ysandre just now. Still, she wondered if Deravaecia could have shed any light on the divine entanglements of the Isle of Light and the Dawnmartyr Order more generally. She hadn't thought to ask the dragon while they traveled to Drathera, being entirely too preoccupied with her failing health at that point.
Imogen grimaced as Aurin described the particulars of the Kalzasaern royal offices. Even though she'd been involved in the Coven since birth and certainly had no respect for Zaicheri prejudices, the avialae obsession with breeding never failed to discomfit her. Even in Ecith, where attitudes towards sex were so lax they verged on universally open, the birth and raising of children was much less... transactional. Certainly no Orkhan would brook being expected to serve as a stud or broodmare.
"I've spent plenty of time in the manor when Master Gerhard was training me, but you're just going to have to wait. I'm not letting you see shit until I've had the chance to redecorate and make sure affairs are in order. And don't you dare bother Carina over this." The Ork flushed, from embarrassment or annoyance- probably both.
The last time she'd seen Carina in person had been on the ill-fated expedition to Kythera, and it was tempting to enlist Aurin to find her again, to see her face-to-face, to hold her slim shoulders and feel her warm breath against...
No! Absolutely not. She already owed Aurin, and the next thing she wanted out of him was professional. Ansel had been clear that he expected her to focus her energies on the advancement of the coven's interests, but she wasn't going to be able to do that until she was out from under this contract with Vhexur. If she were more naïve, she might even think that fulfilling that contract would help the Sunsingers, given the unbelievable payoff he'd promised- but in truth, she took him for a liar. No, she had her own reasons to finish that job.
Imogen sniffed when Aurin asked his final question.
"I didn't say that. What makes you think you could handle my training, anyway?" It was a ridiculous question, Kavafis had proven time and again to be an extraordinarily gifted mage and a competent combatant, but that's where the mood took her. "I'll tell you what, since you seem so on the fence about it- I owe you a couple of favors now. Come visit me in Frost, when I've had some time to heal and set the house in order, and I'll teach you why the Sunsingers were the boogeyman of the Order for so long."
