Upon Vestia: Chapter Thirty-Six

First topic message reminder :

Ellie frowned a little at the question. "Yeah, I've talked to them. They're glad to know I'm okay. It's so strange how much older they are now, though." In the photos she'd seen, they both had a lot of gray hairs she didn't remember from before.

~~
Ethan looked amused. "The library's always open. You can stop by any time you want, as long as you don't get sugar on the books."

Ellie nodded. "Makes sense. Do dragons ever visit?" she asked curiously, setting another toy on the shelf.

Silent was Kay's speciality of course, and with his mind drawing a total blank he just ate in silence, trying to focus his thoughts. Franly the whole situation was a bit overwhelming and emotionally exhausting for him. He felt guilty and was grieving lost time, but also relieved to see loved ones again.
It was complicated.

Vela nodded then sighed. "Sometimes, but not openly. No one wanted to draw attention to us so we had to 'accidentally' meet."

~~~
Danika ate her meal, watching Kay. When she was finished, she shifted to her dragon form. The white along her wings was more pronounced than before, and she was bigger, but she didn't let that stop her from going to him and cuddling close. She had missed him and she knew Vestia as a safe place.

Ellie nodded. "That makes sense, I guess. it stinks that the dragons still have to be secretive, hopefully Starr can change that now that we're back."

"It is for our safety to stay as secret as we are able to. There are too many that would want to harm us not just because of what we are but who we are as well." Vela said with a shrug. It wouldn't take much to finish putting her things up and away as needed.

Ellie frowned. "I know people would want you because you're dragons, but they would want you for who you are too?" She wasn't sure exactly what Vela meant by that.
She set a last item on a shelf, and wiped her hands on her jeans even though they weren't dirty.

"We are children of the queen, no matter the society, that has value all it's own." Vela replied and looked to Ellie. "We may not be in line for the throne, but our people want to keep us safe and well even if it costs them."

"Oh," Ellie looked thoughtful. "I guess it would be dangerous to be royal. Like, people might want to hold you for ransom or something. I hadn't thought about that."

Kay hesitantly patted Danika on the head. It was a bit strange, he mused, to pet someone who was previously humanoid. He wondered if those around him were equally as uncertain when he shifted forms. Hmm.

Vela nodded then shrugged a little "That's the same no matter where you are, the kids of leaders have to be protected more than other kids."

Danika purred softly at the touch, just glad to be there with him again. She had missed her dad, though she was trying not to read him or let him read her. It wasn't so easy when you had to stay open to communication without going deeper, but she was doing that pretty well already. She would carry that scar from her hatching as a mark on her wing, visible but also sort of hidden in her patterning.

"It must be scary being royal," Ellie mused. She hadn't really thought about that before, hmm. "When I was little, I thought being royal was all about pretty clothes and fancy castles," she admitted.

Vela tilted her head at that and frowned softly. "We have never had either of those." She said softly.

"That's disappointing," Ellie said. "I mean, if you're royal, then you should at least get to dress up and have a cool house, right?"

Vela chuckled then shrugged "We have that chance now, though we haven't before."

"I guess in a way Vestia is an enchanted castle," Ellie mused.

Vestia's lights went a rosy pink hue for a few moments in response to that.

"And maybe you can get Armin to make you pretty clothes! He makes so many pretty outfits for people," Ellie added.

Vela chuckled and smiled at the pink lights and nodded. "Yeah, maybe." She agreed happily.

Ellie smiled at Vela. "You want to do anything else now we've decorated?" she asked. Maybe the dragon girl wanted to hang out with her cat and her brother now or something.

"I like hanging out with you." Vela replied with a smile. "Want to help me plan what to put in to make this a 'princess' room?" She asked happily

"Aww," Ellie said. She thought her adopted niece was so sweet, omg. "Sure, let's plan princess room stuff! Are you thinking pink things, or sparkly things, or something else?"

Kay petted Vela cautiously, smiling softly at her purring. He really had missed her.
It was remarkable really, he thought, how much love you could have for a child you'd unintentionally adopted. Not that he regretted that at all.

Is there anything else on board you'd like to see? He asked after a while.

"Sparkly, I like purple and blue more than pink, but I love sparkles of any color." Vela said happily.

~~~
Danika was content to stay where she was. It was nice just being there with the one she thought of as her dad. not really...do you know if we have to keep going to school?

"All types of sparkly are good," Ellie said, nodding in agreement. "I try to wear something glittery every day." Today she was wearing some very glittery eyeshadow, whoo.
"We could get you some of those string lights to hang up," she suggested, looking around the room, "And oh man! Those custom light switch plates! I bet we could find or make a sparkly one."

Kay looked amused. You don't like school? He asked.
Still, she raised a good point. Did they HAVE any teachers on board?

Vela grinned at the things Ellie spoke about, nodding and looking around as if imagining the things. "I could try to make it, I'm not sure if it would work right though."

~~~
Danika raised her head to look up at Kay, tilting it a little then shrugging her wings. School is ok, but most of the people are slower learners so it's boring. We didn't want to have the attention of being 'prodigies' or otherwise draw too much attention.

"Hey, it's worth a try," Ellie said with a smile. "Making things is awesome because then you own something unique."

Kay smiled. Your species learn quickly don't you? He vuagely remembered this. Perhaps it's a matter to discuss with Starr. Have you learned more of your magic?

Vela grinned at that, happy to have the chance to try and to have someone encourage it. "Maybe we should draw it out first, so I can see what I'm making?"

~~~
Danika frowned a little then gave another wing shrug. We learned from Aunt Nova and the few dragons who were able to come by without being suspicious but we haven't been able to actually use it much.