Dragon Kin - Awakening

The Role of a Chieftess

Vada walked around the village, inspecting the construction process. One of the longhouses was complete and the second was already half built, a few men had even broken off to begin constructing individual homes.

As she walked by, villagers bowed respectfully with their fists to their chests. It was odd at first but something she would have to get used to, Vada quickly realised.

The village gardens were growing in size and production was plentiful, earth element Kin hurried along the growing process plant by plant while the human women focused on harvesting and storing the food.

At the base of a hill, on which many of the young had gathered, Vada found her brother leading a group of fire Kin in a training exercise. When his audience noticed her they began to shuffle aside to create a path to the field below but Vada shook her head with a polite smile. The last thing she wanted to do was disturb Cas when he was in his element, but she stayed to watch a few minutes longer, beaming with pride. He was firm but fair, offering extra help to the students that were struggling while also ensuring his pupils supported one another.

Though Cas was happy, Vada's heart was still heavy.

Dani should have been with them, she lamented. Their little sister would have loved to see Cas taking to leadership so naturally, and she would have taken to this new life with ease had her body not failed her.

'Chieftess Vada!' A middle-aged woman named Marin snapped, marching up behind her. Very few people had dared to take such a tone with Vada since she had become the Dragonkin Chieftess.

'Guardsman Vin insisted we prepare you for your meeting. There isn't much time, please come along quickly.'

Marin gave Vada no opportunity to argue so she followed along obediently until they arrived at her families home. Two young girls stood outside the front door and squealed when they saw her approaching, before disappearing into the confines of the house in a flurry.

'Have patience with them, it's not every day you get to attend a Chieftess,' Marin explained as they followed the girls inside. 'We have prepared a perfumed bath but there's no time for a leisurely soak I'm afraid, it'll be in and out. Also, we had very little warning but I've managed to create an outfit and headdress, I hope it is to your liking.'

'There was really no need to go to so much trouble-'

'I beg your pardon Chieftess, but you represent the Kin now. It wouldn't be proper to send you to a meeting of the Mountain Chieftains looking like you've just been dragged through a bush backwards,' she huffed.

'Oh, I see,' Vada replied, looking down at herself she mumbled, 'do I look that bad?'

'You're a beautiful girl, my dear, stunning really, but it's hard for anyone to tell with all that mud and those old matted pelts.'

'Baths ready,' One of the girls sang, appearing in the doorway of her brother's room, 'I conjured the water!'

'And I heated it!' The second girl's voice called to them from within the bedroom.

-

Cas was called away from his training session when it was time to prepare for his first ever council meeting. He waited outside the family hut alongside Bram and Vin, wringing his hands together and struggling to stand still.

He had rarely interacted with the Riska villagers even when he was one. Instead he lived a quiet life with his sisters to avoid further persecution by their people. Now suddenly, his family were absolved and he was a prince, he delighted in the attention of the new Kin and swelled with pride when they bowed or came to him for advice and training.