Andlátkyn; Vandr Sanses unin Alagaësia

Convoluted Cannibalistic Pasts

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GB sneezed mid-flight, wobbling as the force of it made him drop several feet, pounding his wings as he slid out of the comfortable thermal and slid to another one.

Below him sprawled the Varden, tents scattered about every which way as he kept watch for any attempts of ambush on the horizon, bored half out of his mind.
He was tempted to dive-bomb the place and snatch away a random member of the Wyrdaí Islingrya if it didn't get him practically mauled with attacks. They were always so on edge.

Angling his skull to the side, GB peered at the mass of tents, watching the shadows of messengers make their way around the camp. Once again, he found himself marveling at how slow the humans of Alagaësia were, their highest speed matching the pace of a brisk jog from a human of the Multiverse. It was endlessly strange.

Since there appeared to be nothing- as usual- GB decided he could take a break, find something actually worth his time to do.
He tilted to the side, sloping downward as he looped around, finding Saphira resting on a rock and deciding to alight on the wide space near her. It reduced the risk of startling humans when they were already cautious of the presence of a dragon.
Though she seemed uncomfortable.

He almost swerved drastically in alarm as he realized Nasuada and her guards were approaching, the woman's countenance dark.
Instead, he alighted a dozen feet away, blinking at her as she nodded to him in acknowledgement.
GB nodded back and debated whether or not to listen to their conversation.

He decided he was bored enough to endure what to him would be a very one-sided conversation, striding around some tents and peeking over the top to watch, ignoring the puzzled humans inside that immediately noticed him.

I can if I so choose, but I would never do so without your permission. He heard Saphira say, the dragon having yet to even bother to change positions to greet the woman.

After a brief intermission, the dragon spoke again.
What is it that has stirred up the Varden so? A group of men roused me from my slumber with their ill-tempered wrangling, and before that, I heard an unusual number of messengers racing through the camp.

So it wasn't just me. GB noted, shifting his weight curiously as he let his wings fade away.
Why did he do this? Did the Urgals kill his family? Saphira questioned, even as Nasuada's reply was unknown for GB.

How will you deal with him?
GB took notice that Nasuada's shoulders visibly slumped as she regarded Saphira, her reply something only the dragon could hear.
Do you regret your promise? Saphira questioned.

It was then it dawned on him. Nasuada had sworn that any act of violence against the Urgals would be treated the same as if against a human, and murders would result in hanging.
A human had at least attacked Urgals and survived. He cringed then, beginning to understand Nasuada's predicament- if only slightly.
He waited for Saphira to continue.

You cannot help but be human. The dragon spoke, proving her enviable wisdom.
Yet you do not have to be bound by what those around you believe. You can grow beyond the limits of your race if you have the will. If the events of the past can teach us anything, it is that the kings and queens and other leaders who have brought the races closer together are the ones who have accomplished the greatest good in Alagaësia. It is strife and anger we must guard against, not closer relations with those who were once our foes. Remember your distrust of the Urgals, for they have well earned it, but also remember that once dwarves and dragons loved one another no more than humans and Urgals. And once dragons fought against the elves and would have driven their race extinct if we could have. Once these things were true, but no more, because people like you had the courage to set aside past hatreds and forge bonds of friendship where, previously, none existed.