Dragon Kin - Awakening

A Sorrowful Summoning

Vada felt instantly ashamed of herself. She was angry that Bram disliked her even though she had done nothing wrong. And if Diya was aware she could only surmise that Bram must have told her as much.

It was truly infuriating, Vada seethed despite her shame. She had saved this girl when Bram couldn't, spent every hour managing the formation of the village, long nights pouring over food inventories and assigning rations, checking progress on construction, responding to villagers questions and helping ease their worries and alleviate their problems. She had offered up her childhood home without a second thought and here was this man, ignoring all her efforts and bad mouthing her to his prim little girlfriend, who he felt, was too good to get her hands dirty the way Vada must do.

She sighed guiltily, acknowledging that her anger was misdirected but struggling to quash it, 'I'm sorry,' she ground out, 'I was wrong to say that. Is there something in particular that you'd like to do?'

The girls head snapped up in surprise, 'Well... I... there's... I mean, I can make clothes-'

'My sister makes clothes too,' Vada replied, looking at the sky to hold back the tears that sprang to suddenly to her eyes, 'at the main house there's a mountain of pelts and leathers in need of cleaning and repairing. Perhaps you can salvage something there to begin with. My sister's sewing box is in one of the kitchen cabinets.'

'Are you sure...' the girl began hesitantly, 'should I ask your sister if I can use it first?'

'Sorry, I should have said that she made clothes, she isn't here anymore.'

Vada couldn't bear the conversation any longer, she excused herself with a terse nod and briskly walked away, leaving the young woman gazing after her with an uneasy expression.

-

They had begun construction of the village with large, long bunkhouses. Eventually, these would house adult villagers without families, but until family homes were built they were being used by all.

On the roof of the bunkhouse nearest the firepit, Cas was perched, hammering roof slats into place alongside Bram. They talked happily amongst themselves as Vada gazed up at them unseen.

Cas still wasn't speaking to her, and like Bram, he avoided her at all costs. He kept himself busy around their growing village, helping wherever he could as he was now considered to be a prince among their people.

'Vada, Vada!' a small voice called out.

Upon hearing the name Bram looked up immediately, frowning at himself for reacting at all. Vada stood nearby, waiting for a little girl that raced towards her and jumped into her arms without hesitation. In spite of himself he found himself slowing in his work, distracted by the Chieftess' proximity.

'Looky, look!' the little girl implored, holding out her hand to show the small seed that sat in her palm. She stared at it intently and Vada waited patiently until the seed began to bulge slightly until it split down the middle, allowing a small green sapling to unfurl and lift its leafy head in search of the sun.

'Well done Yuna!' Vada cheered, stroking the little girls hair gently, 'quickly now, take it to the gardens and find some space for your sapling. You're in charge of nurturing it, ok?'

The girl nodded eagerly and dropped to the floor, scampering away with her sapling held aloft and a bright beaming smile stretched across her face.

Vada watched her leave, she was smiling but her eyes were glassy, as though she had been crying, Bram thought. He made to stand up just as Vada turned away and began marching briskly out of the village, completely unaware that Bram had been watching her the whole time.

Putting down his hammer he stood to his full height to get a better view of her as she made her way up the valley towards Riska. 'Probably going to see one of her princes,' Bram scoffed under his breath, crouching back down alongside Cas.

Bram hadn't realised that Cas had followed his gaze and heard his words until he noticed how the boy now sat, hammer in hand, staring at his sister in the distance with anger in his eyes.