I walked past the gate where the people were cleaning up the blood left after the fight. I had sorted out the transport for my family to take us home and just wanted to get back to Reina when I saw a Blue Dragon making a beeline for me. "Red Dragon." I bowed at the Blue Dragon walking towards me. "I do not wish to interrupt you if you are busy."

"I was just going to find my gem. What do you need Blue Dragon?"

He stopped next to me and looked at some of the people around us. "Could we talk somewhere more private?"

I frowned and nodded leading him away from everyone to the only place I knew would be completely empty right now. To Kyros' blacksmith. Opening the door filled me with sadness as the smell of him filled the space. "What was it you wanted?" I asked closing the door.

"I do not wish to push you into things but... your wound." I frowned at him. "I was shown by Kyros of the mountain how to replace the scales but it is not as strong. I have a theory that if we can encourage the scales to grow back on their own they would be stronger."

I stared at the Blue Dragon. He was new to his scales and obtusely not sure he could achieve what he set out to do. "How?" I asked softly.

The Blue Dragon met my eyes and smiled. "Well, I could cover them with scales then remove a few around where the wound was. This encourages the scailes to grow back then remove a few from the freshly covered aria and they should grow back with the ones next to it."

"I see. Have you seen this?"

He shifted uncomftalely. "Not exactly in this form..." He showed me his forearm. There was a shallow slope on his arm. "I got into a fight a few years ago and I found I couldn't cover the scar with new scales. Then Kyros of the mountain showed me how to cover it and... well I thought maybe we could make it stronger. So I pulled these scales off." He pointed to one edge of the slope. "This scar covered more than just this. Now scales take a few days to come in so I managed to cover one half of the scar with my new method. As far as I can tell you need to have scales there to remind the skin to grow them." He morphed his arm and I saw the scar was indeed much larger than the small slope had been. "You see."

He looked up at me then dropped his arm looking worried that he had lost himself in the explanation. "So if I understand you right... you had a theory and tested it on yourself and wish to try this on me?"

The young Dragon shifted. "Well... I have been asking all the wounded if I could try this on a fresh wound. Old wounds work a little differently to new wounds and I am yet to test this on a new wound. No one will let me." He said looking sad. "It is possible that doing this on a fresh wound could make it just as strong as it was before." I nodded.

"I would let you but as it is my wing I feel apprehensive about it." The Blue Dragon looked sad as I started. "I do have another wound that keeps opening that you can try this with. It is covered in scales but they fall off every time it opens. That is like a new wound as it will not close." I lifted my shirt and he saw the wound that was covered with a bandage after being reopened by the fighting.

He moved closer moving the bandage aside and sucked his breath in. "If we could keep this close I could try it. Maybe we could take this to my sister in scales. She is an expert in wounds that do not heal well."

I nodded. "I will be headed home soon and will happily seek you out to try this. If it works then we can try it on my wing."

The Blue Dragon bowed to me swishing his tail happily. "Thank you so much Red Dragon."

He left me alone in the smith surrounded by the smell of Kyros. I looked around the space feeling his absence like a hole in my heart. I shook my head and left the room as I was unable to bear the reminder that Kyros had been hurt. I need to find Reina as the only transport leaving today will be in an hour. I thought heading to the keep.

The White Dragons on either side of the door watched me approach and then moved to block me. "Kyanite small shield the white fang has a request for Reina of the Dragon fire."

I tried hard to hold in my sigh at being stopped again. "What is it you need of me?" I asked bowing to them.

"You have organized transport for yourself and Reina of the Dragon Fire. We wish for her to arive back home with honours." I felt myself shudder at the thought of all that ceremony. "We wish that she is flown in on a White Dragon so all can see her victory."

The other nodded and smiled. "The White fang can scream across the sky showing all the victory we have had here."

They always want to grandstand! I finally let out the sigh I had been trying to hold back. "I will talk to her about this... I would like to see my children now."

The two White Dragons frowned and stepped aside to let me through. I bowed to them and walked straight to the back room I shared with Reina. I opened the door and saw Eboni rocking the children while Shadow stood behind her and Reina slept on the bed.

Eboni looked up and smiled at me. "Everyone is asleep."

"I wish I could leave them to it but I need Reina." At my soft voice, Reina rolled over. "Sorry, my gem but the White Fang wants to send you home with honours and the transport I organised is leaving in an hour."

She frowned and came over to me. "I will sort this out you lay down. You sound exhausted." I shook my head. "Do as you're told Kyanite." She said with her hands on her hips. "I need you awake and a little better than you are right now."

She gave me a gentle push and I gave in heading for the bed. I laid down covered myself with the fur and closed my eyes.

I sighed watching Kyanite lay down. He fell asleep almost as soon as he did. He is killing himself with guilt. I thought shaking my head.

"Go Reina I will guard everyone." Eboni said smiling looking down at children in her arms.

I smiled back at her and walked to the entrance where the two White Dragons were guarding. "Reina of the Dragon fire! Did Kyanite tell you what we wished to do for you?" One of them asked.

Nodding I waved them both into the keep. They shared a look then stepped inside closing the door softly behind them. "I understand the reason you wish to do this but right now is not the time to prade about. Some people lost their loved ones and their homes. Calling this a victory right now would feel wrong. It's why Kyanite is so tired. We fought hard for the right to call this ours and to say we won while the enemy is still in our lands and people are still hiding in the Dragon home would not inspire confidence."

They both frowned and looked at each other. "But... we won."

I smiled at them. "We did but before we can call victory we must fix what the army has broken. Once we are truly safe then we can call this a victory. Then we will scream across the sky going from town and village to show everyone the pride we have in how we worked together."

The two White Dragons stood a little straighter. "What would this involve?" I could hear from the tone used that this was not what they wanted. 

"Well, we would need to reward all those who shed blood in these battles. I know the White Fang don't like being given awards for doing what they see as right but I wish to show everyone that we are all in this together. It will be a thing I will have to rely on you all for. You will need to come with me to each town and help me honour those living and dead for the sacrifices they have made to the course. To make it easier for people to accept the awards I offer I will need to gift you with them as well."

The two Dragons stood straight and bowed low. "We need no recognition of what we have done Reina of the Dragon fire, but if this is a way of making peace with everyone then... The white fang will do as you need."

I nodded. "I do need an escort home and would be honoured if the white fang could spare a Dragon or two. As you said the people will want to know that we have won. A small fan fair for everyone in the transport will tell people that we are victorious. If you wish to set that up that would be fine." 

They both smiled and bowed as they left the keep. I went back to the little room I stayed in as Shadow came out. "Reina... I was just going to get something to eat."

"We will be leaving soon so could you get us some food we can eat on the go while I pack?" He bowed to me and hurried off to do as I asked. I walked into the room and started to pack up our things. Eboni was lost with the children and I let her get on with keeping them quiet until One of them grumbled sounding being hungry.

Kyanite sat up suddenly as I went to take the children from Eboni. "My gem... what.."

"Just the children. You can go back to sleep until we need to leave." He shook his head moving to finish packing up our things. There is something really wrong with him right now. I thought as I took my shirt off.

Eboni still sat in the chair but was watching Kyanite instead of staring at the children like she usually did. "I will wait outside." She said suddenly standing and leaving the room.

Kyanite sighed shaking his head. "If Eboni can see something is wrong I must be very bad at hiding it today." He mumbled as soon as the door closed.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked craning my head to look at him.

He sighed. "I don't know really.  I think I'm just tired after the fight and the worry over Kyros. Now we are not in threat of our lives..." He stopped talking seconds before the door to the room opened and a White Dragon slipped in. 

"I am sorry to bother you when you are feeding the children Reina of the Dragon Fire." The White Dragon bowed to me moving closer and holding up the message she brought. "I was sent with some urgency to give you this message."

Reading it I sighed. "I need to get back so I can sit in council. They seem to think that Katja and Duha are up to something."

Kyanite turned with his armour in his hands. "That doesn't sound like them. When is the meeting?"

"As soon as we get back. They have postponed it until we get back. I think I will send them a message to request to talk to them both first so we are not blindsided."

He rumbled his displeasure making the children squirm under me. "You should send a message to Katja asking her what it is about while you're at it." I nodded and he put his armour aside and jotted down the reply. "This is her reply to the counsel and a message to Black elder." 

She bowed and then turned back to me. "Reina of the Dragon Fire I hate to make a request of you but as our leader, you are the only one I can ask."

I frowned shifting my wait making the children cry out again. "I will hear you when I get home. I need to finish feeding these two then finish packing to get there before the transport leaves." She bowed to me and I saw her shoulders sag. "I requested an escort. I formally request you come with me." She looked at me and seemed even more worked up. "I have to assume from your face you need this sorted now?"

She looked to Kyanite. He took the hint and grabbed his bag walking out of the room. What on earth has a White Dragon looking so worried? 

"I am truly sorry Reina of the Dragon Fire. This is not a thing I can talk about in front of others."

This had me interested and I sat up now the children were fed. "I'm here for you if you need me White Dragon. What can I do for you?"

She looked down at the children sleeping on the bed. "I was wounded in the battle at the border wall. I struggled with fighting here and almost lost my life to a human. My shoulder will not let me swing my blade as it once did. I will be the laughingstock of my colour if I can not fight." She sighed. "I do not know if you can help me... but I hope you can save my embarrassment." 

I smiled. "I think there is a position at the head of the White Dragons. That would mean you standing with me in counsel and staying with me as an aid."

She shook her head. "That position is for the most experienced."

"It is my choice. I can choose who I like and I would prefer a woman because you will need to be around when I may not want a man around." She looked at the floor. "I know there are others that have more experience but you are battle-hardened and have the scars to show it." I said reaching up and running my hand down the dent in her scales.

She shifted uncomfortably. "I do not know if the others will accept this."

I smiled and patted her chest. "For now deliver my messages and wait for me there. I will talk to you again there." She bowed and left. Kyanite came back in and picked up my bag. "I still want to talk to you about your mood."

"When we have time. Are you going to need me at home?"

I frowned. "Are you not going to be there?"

He sighed. "I will but I will be asleep." He picked up one of our children. "I'm really sorry Reina. I know that my mood is worrying you but... I just need some time to sort myself out."

I rubbed his arm. "You need time and I will give it to you. Come on let's get you home so you can rest." I took his arm and gave him one of the rats.