>>5844117It was frustrating, being held back by politics even now. You couldn’t say for certain what exactly was going on between Hawksong’s Queen and Council, nor between Hawksong and the mysterious reptilian race whose ‘Dragonborn’ (again, what even WAS that??) had somehow become entangled in this vast conspiracy of reborn dragons, chimeric plagues, and land transfers. But then again, none of that was your business. If the rulers of this kingdom had their priorities out of whack, it didn’t mean YOU had to follow their foolishness.
“Fine.”
Your tone was a bit more curt than you’d meant it to be, drawing a startled look from Hawksong’s young monarch. You took a breath, and forced yourself to calm down and to show deference.
“Very well,” you said, beginning again. “I will prove that it works, your majesty. It will take time, of course… Time during which others will fall ill, and perhaps die. I hope the Council will see the wisdom in not waiting TOO long… But I will begin the process with some of those who I have already begun treating.”
“How long?” the Queen asked, her voice barely above a whisper, dreading the answer.
You shrugged, adding apologetically: “I’m not sure. Several months, at least. But…. Perhaps we’ll have evidence of progress before then.”
The Queen’s body language was tense, her expression clouded. She chewed her lip, and looked away. She exhaled through her nose, and straightened her back. You think you saw her tremble, before suppressing it.
“Well,” she said grimly, smiling without mirth. “I suppose we had both best get started, Magus Van Houtzmann.”
And so you did. It was a difficult thing, deciding who should be the first beneficiary—really, experimental subject—for this untested technique. It felt a little like playing favourites… or, like Izirina Henzler had once said, like ‘playing god’. Still, in the end you supposed the choices you made were really quite obvious, beginning with Izirina herself.
“Come in,” she beckoned softly, when you knocked upon her door.
