Chapter 5: Making Connections

Aeris stood outside a very large mansion staring with complete awe. So this was where the Patel family lived. It was even bigger than Master Aaron’s estate. How many rooms did it have? How long did it take to build? How long was this house in the family? Did this place have secret passages as well? Her mind swarmed with questions.

She turned to Maggie who stood with arms folded giving her a very stern look. Aeris opened her mouth to speak, but Maggie quickly walked past her and knocked on the door.

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Maggie said. “Lord Strauss would be furious if he found out.”

After the incident at the banquet a few days ago, Aeris felt more out of place than ever. As far as anyone knew, Aeris didn’t feel well that night, and her master took her home early. Neither Master Aaron nor Maggie questioned her further, and Aeris did not attempt to explain.

Convincing Maggie to help her find the place wasn’t hard. It only took two straight days of pleading when no one was around before the woman finally caved.

“I’m sorry, Maggie. But there was no way I could find this place on my own.” Aubrey’s mansion sat in the middle of a massive clearing in the middle of the forest far from anyone. Tracking down the Patels was impossible for Aeris since she never left the estate without Master Aaron by her side.

“Well, if we get caught, it’s my hide on the line, not yours,” Maggie said.

“Don’t worry. If Master Aaron finds out, you can tell him it was my idea.”

“This is your idea, but he would still never believe it.”

“What if we told him I threatened you?”

“You silly dragon. Lord Strauss is never going to believe you threatened me. Besides, even if you did, we both know you would never hurt me.”

It was true she would never hurt Maggie for any reason, but she needed an excuse that would keep the blame away from Maggie. It wasn’t right to let someone else take the blame.

As if sensing her unease, Maggie stroked the back of Aeris’ neck. “It doesn’t matter, Aeris. I know this is important to you, so I would never let you take all the blame. I know I complained before, but I would do anything to help.”

The faint clicking sound of locks on the other side of the door ended the conversation. thoughts.

The doors slowly opened and a blonde woman greeted them. The woman was noticeably younger than Margret, yet her eyes made her appear tired as if she had lived well past her prime. Her pale face was flawless except for a deep scar on her left cheek.

“Hello,” the woman said in a sweet voice, “You must be Aeris. Please come in.”

“Wait a second,” Maggie said, eyeing the woman suspiciously, “How do you know Aeris?”

“Lady Aubrey told me about her,” the woman answered, her voice still carrying the same sweet tone, “I’ve never seen a dragon with those color scales, so I assumed you were the dragon she spoke of.”

The woman beckoned them inside again. “Please follow me. You may wait in the living room while I inform Lady Aubrey of your arrival. She’ll be so happy to know you’re here.” The woman smiled again before leading them inside. Aeris noticed the woman walked with a slight limp and her left leg was scarred.

The living room of the mansion was so large Aeris could fit her entire room inside and still not take up half the space.  The room itself was strangely decorated. In the middle of the room sat a large coffee table with a sofa on one side and several large cushions on the other. Everything was also further apart than usual. The walls were covered with shelves containing various decorative items. Maggie asked the woman about the design choices. The woman casually explained it because a lot of dragons visited.

“The extra space allows them to move about comfortably. It can be difficult for them to sit comfortably in chairs, so the cushions are for them to sit on. And we keep any breakable objects high up on the shelves so none are accidentally knocked down. My family learned a long time ago that a dragon’s tail tends to wander.”

“Yes, I know what you mean,” Maggie said. “I’ve lived with Aeris since she was a hatchling, and I still need to be wary of her tail at times. You have a very lovely home, Miss…”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Where are my manners? I’m Helen Patel.”

“Hello, Helen. I’m Margret and this is Aeris, as you already know.”

Helen smiled and bowed again. “Pleased to meet both of you. Please wait here while I go get Aubrey.”

Aeris walked around the room examining everything she saw. She had been inside several mansions over the years attending parties, but she had never seen one tailored to accommodate dragons.

The grand piano in the corner of the room. She always loved music and was quite jealous of humans since it was impossible for her to play an instrument. She had read about pianos, and sometimes when her master took her to parties, she sat near the piano to listen to the keys. She gingerly reached for the keys using the thumbclaw on her wing, pressing one of the keys. A deep sound resonated throughout the room.

“Please don’t touch that, it’s very precious to me.”

Aeris jumped at the sound of the voice. The red Highwind Ravager from the other day stood with Helen in the doorway. “I’m sorry,” Aeris said to the woman, “It’s just that I’ve always liked pianos.”

“It’s quite all right,” the Ravager replied as she entered the room and sat on one of the cushions, “I understand how one’s curiosity can get the better of them.”

“This is your piano?” Aeris asked.

“It passed to me after my beloved died.”

Aeris’ face fell. “I’m so sorry,” she said somberly.

“Thank you,” the Ravager responded in an indifferent tone. “Please, sit.”

Aeris sat down on a cushion next to the Ravager. Sitting next to her, Aeris noticed how much taller the Ravager was. It made her feel like a child. Maggie and Helen sat on the sofa.

“Will your master, Aubrey, be joining us?” Aeris asked.

The Ravager frowned at Aeris. “Excuse me?”

Helen laughed. “Aeris, this is Aubrey.”

Aeris fought the urge to cover her face with her wings. “I’m sorry. I thought that—”

“No, no. It’s my fault for not introducing myself when we first met,” Aubrey interjected, “That was quite rude of me. But, Aeris, I am glad you decided to take me up on my offer. Too many domesticates don’t seem to care about their origins. I will do my best to answer any questions you may have.”

Aeris’ tail wouldn’t stop wagging at the thought she was going to have the answers she sought. She held it stiffly against the floor. “First, I want to thank you for your help before. I have so many questions.” “My first question: What is a domesticate, and why are they hated so much?”

 “Didn’t she explain it to you?” Aubrey asked, throwing an accusatory look at Maggie.

“We felt that there were certain things Aeris didn’t need to be made aware of for her own protection,” Maggie replied, annoyed.

Aubrey’s eyes narrowed, but she instead turned to Aeris. “As I explained before, domesticates are what we call dragons that were born and raised amongst humans. Domesticates are disliked because they are not true dragons.”

“And what exactly is a ‘true dragon?’ ” Maggie asked, her tone firm.

Aubrey continued, unperturbed by Maggie’s question. “Domesticates know next to nothing of their culture. Worse still, many of them are far too submissive and eager to please regardless of how they are treated. And they refer to humans as ‘master,’ ” she frowned as she said the word as if left an awful taste in her mouth, “We dragons are not objects to be purchased and sold, nor are we tools meant to serve human whims, yet domesticates find no problems with their way of life.”

The way Aubrey said domesticates were “submissive and eager to please” struck a chord with Aeris. Was that how others saw her? Was that how Master Aaron and Maggie saw her? But after all they had done for her, why shouldn’t she want to please them?

“That’s a pretty grim way of looking at things,” said Maggie, “I can assure you not all humans see dragons as objects. I care a great deal for Aeris. She’s like a daughter to me.”

Aeris smiled warmly at Maggie’s words.

“And yet you allowed her to go out into public without warning her of the danger of speaking to clan-borns,” Aubrey responded calmly.

Hoping to avoid an argument, Aeris quickly spoke up when Maggie frowned at Aubrey.  “Um, but you live with humans. Surely you don’t hate your master, or you wouldn’t be here.”

“What?” Aubrey growled, giving Aeris a nasty look.

Aeris shrank away, fearing another reaction like when the Genial attacked her.

“Let me explain,” Helen said quickly, “I am not Aubrey’s master, and she has never had one. She has lived with my family for many years but we have never treated nor considered her as a…” Helen let the rest of her sentence hang in the air, her expression making it clear she worried upsetting Aubrey with term she wanted to use.

“A pet,” Aubrey finished. “I apologize for getting angry with you. I know you didn’t mean to, but clan-borns like myself find having a human master… insulting. And we dragons are very prideful creatures. Most humans know better than to insult a dragon.”

Aeris nodded slowly. She often felt pangs of anger when someone insulted her appearance. It wasn’t until the Everfields those feelings boiled over.

“But what about the fact you live with humans?” Aeris asked cautiously, hoping to avoid another angry reaction, “Wouldn’t that make you a domesticate?”

Much to Aeris’ surprise, Aubrey laughed at the question, “My dear, I was born and raised within a clan. Regardless of where I live now, they will never consider me a domesticate. Also, I live with humans by choice. I imagine your master wouldn’t like it much if you decided to live on your own.”

“Aeris is free to leave any time she chooses,” Maggie said, curtly.

“I’m sure she is.”

“Is anyone hungry? I think I’ll make some lunch,” Helen said quickly. To Maggie, she asked, “Would mind helping me? I’m afraid we’re the only ones here, and I can’t carry enough food for two dragons and two humans by myself.”

Maggie shot a suspicious glance at Aubrey, but she nodded to Helen and followed the woman out of the room.

After the two humans left, Aubrey said, “I don’t think your caretaker likes me very much.”

“Caretaker?” Aeris asked.

“It’s what we choose the human taking care of us instead of ‘master,’ ” Aubrey explained, “It doesn’t sound as demeaning nor suggest dominion over us.”

“Maggie has always been protective of me, but she’s not my master—caretaker. He  actually didn’t want me to come here.”

“Oh? Then you aren’t as much of his puppet as you appear. But if he is your caretaker, then what is that woman to you?”

“Well, Maggie is… she’s…I guess she’s more like a mother to me. She’s in charge of feeding me, washing me, preparing me for parties,—”

“Preparing you for parties?” Aubrey asked, giving Aeris a confused look. “What could you possibly need to do to prepare?”

Aeris straightened up, her mood brightening. “Well, that’s easy. Maggie washes me up and sprays a little”—she shuddered a little—“perfume so the humans will think I smell nice. Sometimes she uses this oil to polish my scales. It doesn’t smell as bad, but it tastes awful. I like that it makes me shine and people tell me how beautiful my scales are. Then she picks out an outfit for me. It’s usually a vest.  I don’t mind, but sometimes I wish a dress existed that was made for dragons. I tried wearing one once, but it kept getting caught under my feet. Master Aaron said he would have a tailor come over—”

“Stop,” Aubrey said, frowning. There was a low growl in her voice. “I’ve heard enough.”

For the next several minutes, she sat in silence while Aubrey mumbled things to herself. Aeris couldn’t hear Aubrey, but she could vaguely make out the words “controlling” and “puppet”.

Eventually, Aubrey rose and motioned for Aeris to follow. Aeris quickly stood and followed the Ravager outside. A pleasant breeze greeted them. Aeris looked longingly up at the sky. The weather was perfect for flying.

But Aubrey didn’t spread her wings and take flight. Instead, she started walking around the side of the house. Aeris stayed close by, silently wondering if she should say something to break the silence. It was clear something she said had upset Aubrey.

When they reached the backyard, Aubrey spoke again, her voice and posture calmer than before. “I apologize for my reaction, Aeris. It’s just we dragons are not known for our patience, and listening to you brag about being a human plaything is very unsettling. But I will be more patient with you. It’s not your fault you don’t know any better. There is much you don’t know about yourself, and it is up to me to teach you.”

“That’s why I came to see you. I wanted to know if you could tell me what kind of dragon I am.”

Aubrey tilted her head. “You don’t know? I find it hard to believe your caretaker would not have proof of your lineage. Humans pride themselves on the so-called purity of their blood. As if being mixed somehow makes something less than what it is,” she finished with an angry huff.

“Well, no. You see, I was rescued from poachers as an egg, so no one knows my parents.”

Aubrey stopped and dug her claws into the dirt. For a moment, Aeris worried Aubrey would get upset. The air around them felt heavier somewhere; Aeris feared being crushed under the pressure. The feeling passed when Aubrey exhaled.

“Forgive me,” Aubrey said. “I know you’re pain all too well. Over the years, I have come across more than my fair share of foolish humans who believe they can sell dragon eggs for profit. They do not fully understand the consequences if word should get back to the clans in the wild. But back to the question you asked me. Sadly, I cannot tell you what species you are. Even I have never seen a dragon with scales such as yours.”

“Oh,” Aeris said dejectedly. Even Aubrey didn’t know. It was not what Aeris was expecting.

Aubrey lifted Aeris’s chin. “Do not despair, young one. For dragons do not care about things such as that. It is the humans who put so much emphasis on blood ties and lineage, searching for justifications to raise themselves to a higher standing than they deserve. Dragons only care about your abilities and your power.”

Aeris nodded, but only to be polite. Aubrey didn’t understand. It wasn’t just to make the humans stop insulting her. She was a rarity even amongst her kind, and she wanted to know why.

“Fret not, my dear,” Aubrey said, “Even if you are a half-bred dragon plucked from the slums, you may still become a powerful matriarch.”

Aeris tilted her head. There was that term again. “That…other dragon called you a matriarch. What is that?”

Aubrey slowed a little. “First to answer your question, you’ll need to know a little bit about how our kind lives outside the cities. Dragons live in groups called clans, and clans are run by the females. The female who leads the entire clan is called a matriarch. Now the matriarch is often considered the most powerful dragon in the clan, for she is both feared and respected. No dragon in the clan is allowed to disobey their matriarch even if they do not like her.

“The title matriarch commands a lot of respect among dragons and humans, but it does not only apply solely to leaders of a clan. In truth, we females can possess an ability known as the ‘dragon’s call.’ This ability allows us to command other dragons to do our bidding. The title matriarch is given to any female dragon that possesses this ability.”

Aeris’ eyes widened. One of the books she read mentioned something like that, but it was very vague on the subject. “Can you teach me to use the dragon’s call?”

Aubrey smiled. “I’m afraid that’s impossible, my dear. While only females can use the call, it is not something you can simply learn. The ability is yours from birth, but it requires the qualities of a strong leader to draw it out. It is a mark of power and a will to lead. Someone so quick to give up their freedom to please others has no way of it wielding such power. I’m also afraid there is no way of knowing whether you possess the ability until it manifests.”

Aeris’ heart fell. The dragon’s call sounded like a very useful thing to have. It would’ve been very useful to have against that Genial in the commercial district, but what good was it if she couldn’t even find out if she had the ability?

“Don’t worry, my dear, just because you can’t use the call does not make you any less of a dragon,” Aubrey said. “I will still teach you how to win at least some respect from your brethren. And even if you possessed the call, you shouldn’t be so quick to rely on it. Using it can quite draining, and some dragons can resist your voice. Also, other matriarchs are immune.”

The two dragons began walking back to the mansion. Maggie and Helen were already out back waiting for them. They had set up a nice lunch for them at one of the three tables on the patio. Aeris’ mouth watered when the breeze carried the scent of meaty sandwiches to her nose.

“There you two are,” Maggie said. “I wondered where you ran off to.”

“For someone who supposedly has freedom, you fret over her whereabouts quite a bit. Are you afraid I was going to run off with her?” Aubrey asked, sitting at the table.

Maggie wrung her hands, the struggle to hold her temper clear in her face. “Aeris is like a daughter to me, Lady Aubrey,” Maggie said. “So, yes, I can’t help but worry about her. I know many clan-born dragons do not care for domesticates.”

“I never would have invited her to my home if I despised her,” Aubrey said coolly. “Most dragons are far more straightforward with their feelings.”

“It’s already clear you’re not like most dragons. I just want to be sure Aeris is cared for.”

“You say that, and yet she knows nothing of her kind. I imagined if she were a human child, you would not leave her so ignorant.”

Maggie slammed her hands on the table. Aeris and Helen flinched. Aubrey didn’t so much as blink. “I don’t care if this is your home,” Maggie said. “I will not stand here and have you question my feelings for Aeris. I have done more for her than you could possibly know.”

“Perhaps. But I do know is that Genial would’ve killed her if I hadn’t intervened. Tell me, are you even aware that she has sex with her caretaker? Or did you purposely let her be around clan-borns knowing she stank of human musk?”

Maggie snapped her mouth shut, her face turning red with anger. Aeris wanted to duck under the table. Her expressing her love to Master Aaron was the last thing she wanted to talk about.

Helen quickly spoke up. “Lady Aubrey, I thought we agreed not to get so worked up over Aeris’…lifestyle. Try as she might, Margret has no real control over Aeris’ life and daily activities.”

“Perhaps you’re right,” Aubrey said. “It’s just this same human arrogance and selfishness is what caused the Great Rebellion in the first place.”

“The Great Rebellion?” Aeris asked.

“A terrible war that took place nearly a millennia ago,” Aubrey replied with a sad shake of her head. “There was once a time when humans worshipped dragons as gods.”

“Thank goodness those days are over,” Maggie mumbled.

Aubrey tensed but didn’t respond. “Then one day, the humans learned they possessed the means to harm us. To kill us. This started a terrible war in which there were no sides. Just aimless bloodshed in a pitiful grab for power.”

Aeris’ eyes widened. She was fascinated and horrified. “So how did the war end?”

“No one knows,” Helen said. “You see a lot of human and dragon culture was destroyed during this time, and obviously no one was keeping records—”

“And the ones who were keeping records clearly only wanted to leave their mark on history,” Aubrey added.

Helen nodded in agreement. “In the end, the fighting stopped. It took centuries, but the humans and dragons all but went their separate ways. There are still many dragon clans out in the wild, and they have an uneasy peace with us.”

“That is something else you must remember,” Aubrey said, her voice grave. “No matter what, Aeris, you are never to approach another dragon in the wild. If they learn you’re a domesticate, they’ll kill you. They may ignore you if you’re in the company of a human, but I wouldn’t rely on it.”

That was one lesson Aeris didn’t want to learn again. But as fearful as she felt, she also felt a strange curiosity. Clan dragons sounded so exotic. “Aubrey, can you tell me more about clan dragons?”

“I’m afraid we have to leave now, Aeris,” Maggie said. “Master Aaron will be home soon and he’ll be quite upset if you’re not back.” She turned to Aubrey and Helen and bowed. “Thank you so much for your hospitality.”

“Would it really bother him to know she has a mind of her own?” Aubrey asked.

“I really should go,” Aeris said. “But thank you for inviting me into your home.”

“It was my pleasure. Aeris, just remember if you ever get tired of the way humans treat you, or if you wish to know more about your kind, my door is always open. I’ll gladly show you how a real dragon lives.”

“Yes, I’m sure you will,” Maggie replied. “Aeris, let’s go.”

Aubrey only smiled as they turned to leave, the look in her eyes declaring that Aeris would return. As the two left the mansion and began the long walk home, Aeris couldn’t help but smile. She didn’t get the answers about her origins she desired, but she learned so much! There was so much about dragons she didn’t know; things no book had ever explained to her.

Maggie climbed onto Aeris’ back. It was a little awkward since she was almost too large to ride, but she carefully explained to Aeris they needed to get back as quickly as possible and walking wasn’t an option.

Aeris ran home all the while her mind racing with thoughts of how what she would learn when she saw Aubrey again. She was so excited, she forgot to slow down when she returned to the estate grounds and allow Maggie to climb off her back. It wasn’t until Aeris heard Maggie cry out that she remembered it would look suspicious that she was streaking across the estate grounds carrying a middle-aged woman on her back.

Just before walking away, Maggie spun and asked, “Oh, I almost forgot. Did Aubrey know anything about your origins.”

Aeris shook her head. “But she did tell me that dragons don’t care about that sort of thing. So maybe I’ll just accept that I may never know the answer.”

“Are you sure? You were so determined to know the truth before. And we’re so close. I’m sure if we researched dragons from the northern regions—”

“But, Maggie, there’s no one else to ask. Even a dragon couldn’t tell me the truth. And Aubrey said a real dragon—”

“Aeris, stop right there,” Maggie interjected forcibly. “I don’t care what fantasies she fills your head with, I don’t want to hear you talking that ‘real dragon’ nonsense again. You are a real dragon, and no one can take that away from you or tell you how to behave.”

Aeris stared at the ground. “But, Maggie—”

“No, ‘buts’, Aeris. I’m okay with ending the search, but only after we’ve exhausted all the options.” She lifted Aeris’s chin forcing her to look up. Maggie’s eyes were full of pity and sadness. It was the same look everyone else was giving her.

Aeris dug her claws in the dirt fighting the urge to pull away.

“I know how important this is to you,” Maggie said. “I just don’t want to see you give up. Now there’s one last option we haven’t tried yet. But I’m going to need time. Do you think you could wait? Just one last attempt to find your origins then if you truly want to give up, I’ll support it, okay?”

Aeris nodded. Maggie smiled and walked back to the estate. Aeris went to her room, her feelings now a jumbled mess. She flopped onto her back on the mattress and stared at the ceiling. What was she supposed to do? Part of her wanted to know more than anything why she was so different, but Aubrey convinced her to let it go. What point was there in finding her origins if it didn’t change anything?

Which choice was the right one?

Aeris rolled over on her side. Maggie wasn’t willing to give up, so neither should she. At least for Maggie’s sake, she would keep going.