"You shall get precisely what you desire. " Azurael said meekly, her face expressionless - so anyone would not be able to tell weather she was being sarcastic or totally serious.

"Why would rocks hatch?" Damien asked innocently, blissfully unaware of what he had actually found.

..........................
"I do not want my crown! I never wanted it. It was forced on me so our race might survive a little longer. I was not going to be the original recipient, I received no training. But angels need a leader, otherwise we rip each other apart! Literally. The angels would sooner have a demon king than a failure for a ruler. It has happened - nearly 10,000 years ago the demon King Lucien ruled both kingdoms. "

"I have not always held control of Order. Order is wielded primarily by the most powerful of the 12. I only inherited after my father was blown to bits a long with the planet, and that was shortly after the show and tell. I felt the precise moment of our planets demise. Do you even comprehend what that might feel like! Probably not! "

"Order is not as peaceful as you think Demon. She will gladly see destruction and death occur in order to achieve her goals. Peace does not come freely and can never happen with out control and a high price. So Chaos is far from the only one to cause destruction. Which do you think hurt our planet and exploded it? Order did, for her own agenda. "

"You know what the penalty for a bad deed is in the Angel kingdom is? Death. So count your self lucky Demon that you were born in the Demon kingdom. "

Sasha's hair had started to float upwards a little and her eyes were slowly getting whiter and whiter.

"Rocks hatch when they happen to have dragonlets inside them, boy." T'vor explained. There was a small smirk of amusement on his face. "And you gave them to your Lord. The four of them are all quite devoted to him for the time being. It's rather amusing, really."

...

Sephiroth's expression was flat. "Don't patronize me, Princess. Unlike you, this is a curse I've had to live with my entire life, and trust me--death would have been a blessing. But I know better--anyone else running around with Chaos inside them might not treat it as carefully as I try to. Do you think I want my crown either, Princess? Knowing what I might do? No. You will lead the Angels, I'll have no part of that. You asked me to teach you how, and I will, but that is all I'll do for you. If you are not going to follow up, then my work here is done. But make up your mind, Princess, because I do not like wasting time. So do you want my help, or not? That is the only thing you need to concern yourself with as of this moment."

”Oh. Oh my” Damien said in a slightly shocked tone.

”He wasn't offended that I gave him dragons, was he, Sir?” Damien asked. He was keen on perhaps seeing one one of these days. He slipped into a happy reverie.

_________________
Sasha growled. ” Of course I do. But I think you can accept my help too. Deal?” Sasha said reverting back to an emotionless Order persona. She had a plan but it would take quite some time and would involve conning some people but the resulting outcome would be a good one.

"Not at all. He was certainly confused, which is how I learned of it, but he seems more than willing to care for them." T'vor replied. He returned to his food.

...

Sephiroth's irritated scowl turned instead to a look of suspicion. "Why are you bent on overcomplicating things? This was never a bargain, Princess. If I had wanted your help for anything I would have asked for it. What makes you think I need your help now, hm?"
To think Order and Chaos were actually discussing terms of aid--it was preposterous. The irony of it might have made him laugh under other circumstances.

Both Damien and Azurael tucked into their respective meals. After finishing her own meal Azurael offered to tale the dishes back to the kitchen for all seated at the table.
..............................
"I don't wish this overcomplicate things. You merely oversimplify and expect every to bow to your will, and while your way is generally correct you must realise there is sometimes more than one correct way and different ways of going about things instead of being defensive and coming across as demanding. Faults we both have to different degrees." Saasha responded.

"Trust me, you will have my help and you will be happy for it." Sasha said a little more than her previous statement, a knowing grin on her face.

T'vor didn't seem to be paying attention. After a moment, he roused himself, and looked over at Azurael.
"...Did you say something?" He asked. Ordinarily one might think he was making fun, but the tone of his voice was serious.

...

"Forget my own faults, Princess, I am very well aware of them, and how I choose to deal with them is my own business. The fact of the matter is that I don't trust you. Or many others, for that matter. So unless you want to tell me what exactly your ominous plan is, you can forget about it."
Sephiroth was beginning to get a headache. A truce was all very well and good, but he frankly didn't want any of her meddling, and he certainly wasn't going to agree to anything with her unless he knew exactly what it was he was agreeing to. He cut a portion of meat into small bits to feed to the dragons.
Honestly, to think she'd have the audacity to bargain with him. He wasn't some sales clerk!

"Do you want me to take your dishes back to the table?" Azurael asked, frowning lightly. As far as she had observed she has not known the General to be taken by flights of fancy or be be destracted. Whichever one it was worried her. But then she rethought, perhaps the busy General was still tired or had a lot to do. That was probably it she thought to herself. She still resolved, however to keep an eye on him. She wondered if anyone actually did keep a proper eye on the General. She wasn't sure Sephiroth did, even if the two were good friends or at least appeared to be that way.

Azurael took Damien's dishes and politely waited for affirmation from T'vor for weather or no she should take his.

.............................................................
"No. I won't tell for I am not yet sure if I have the resources yet to action what I need to put into place. You wish for me to show leadership, to be resourceful, more diplomatic even?" Sasha said somewhat strongly. "Fear not for I shall harm no one directly or indirectly, I can not reveal my plan in even the slightest detail. All I can say is the result will be pleasing to you."

Sasha watched Sephiroth feeding the dragons. She was well versed in languages both spoken and dead, as well as off planet languages. She had had to learn the languages as part of being a princess in the angelic kingdom. She spoke to the dragons in language that was dead before the old angelic and demonic began splitting from each, and dead before even the old language started to diverge from the dragons native Dovah'zul. The language was well and truely still alive on Earth. "Dreigiau nos da. Ff dymuno yn dda i chi. Efallai y byddwch yn tyfu yn gryf. Efallai y byddwch yn hedfan yn wir. Enw imy yw Windrider Sasha. Beth yw dy enw?"

"Ah." T'vor replied, nodding in understanding. "I suppose it is more efficient since you're already going that way, hm?" the question was rhetorical, but he relinquished his plate. His head turned to look towards the eatery's entrance, and suddenly he appeared to be alert again, as if glimpsing the outdoors had woken him up for some odd reason. "Excuse me. It has gotten later than I thought. Both of you get some sleep, there'll be plenty more work tomorrow." he told the two of them. Then he made his way back outside. It was time.

...

"I doubt very much that you could possibly know what is 'pleasing' to me, Princess. So you may as well forget your plan. Now if you're quite done, I must ask you to leave now. I'm busy." Sephiroth informed her blandly. He about to return to his food when a dragon's head poked through his tent flap.

It was T'vor.

"...Yes?" Sephiroth asked. T'vor looked between the prince and princess, his face unreadable. "...My Lord. Are you ready?" he asked. The other nodded. "My apologies, I'd forgotten. I got interrupted. I can come now." He replied. Once more, he set his plate aside and stood, before taking up a long scabbard from beside his cot and following the man out, but T'vor went back inside for a moment.
"Try not to irritate him too much, hm? You're not winning yourself any favors, from that last bit of conversation that I overheard." he told the princess. He then addressed the dragons. "You four might enjoy this." He said, then scooped them up in one arm and carried them back out.
"You shouldn't leave them behind, my Lord. You ought to keep them with you so they may learn." he said.
"Oh, right. My apologies, dragonlets." Sephiroth replied. The two of them headed off away from his tent. When they were out of earshot, T'vor spoke once more.
"It wouldn't hurt you to try to be a bit more patient with her."

"The whole thing is ridiculous. To think Chaos and Order trying to get along... It's madness."

"You haven't killed each other yet, have you? With that line of thinking, you'd assume that you'd be at each other's throats the moment you set eyes on the other. Yet you've managed to keep yourself together fairly well. Both of you."

"It certainly hasn't become a physical fight yet. But there is still a fight. She made a simple request--that I show her how to rule without imploding her people's civilization. That is all. Now she wants to convolute things and make a bargain with me. I have neither the time nor the inclination to deal with her vile schemes. If she wants to play games, she can find someone else to amuse her. I have far better things to do, and that is the end of it. I've had enough of her wasting my time." Sephiroth's tone of voice indicated he was done talking about the subject.

"Hm. Clearly then, relations are far more strained between our two peoples than we were originally striving for. A truce may be much more difficult to maintain at this rate, Sephiroth."

"I'm not surprised."

"Of course not."
By then, they had reached their destination. The clearing by the lake. T'vor set the four small dragons down on the large boulder that sat near the shore, and both men drew weapons. A sword in the hand of the prince, and a lance in the hand of the dragon man.
In a flash, the two men met, weapons striking sparks against each other.
The two of them sparred skillfully.

Azurael took the proffered plate and returned it to the kitchen. Once having done so she complied with T'vor's instruction to get some sleep, this wasn't just because she was a loyal soldier, it was because she was also quite tired.

Damien retired straight to bed much more tired than Azurael, the workout on his unfitter body having tired him out much more.
...................................................................................................
Sasha just nodded in response to T'vor. Her plan was ...different. It would take forever to have everything fall into place. Well, not forever, but long enough. She took both the plates away from the tent and back to the mess tent. She caught some titters and whispers that disappeared once she looked in their direction. She could not blame them, but damned be this infernal situation, she thought to herself.

The slight irritation of Order had done little to impede her recovery from the blood magic wrought not to far after landing. She still didn't want to try shapeshifting yet, and she had all the appearance and magical ability of a mundane, such as the magic had so drained her.

Sasha went to her own tent and slept fitfully.
.....................................................................................................
The four dragons watched on silence as the two men fought. They discussed much between themselves - the technique of the two men, the nature of angels and demons, even their own nature. They were still yet barely scratching the surface of the immense wisdom that dragons were famous for. Much of the their wisdom would come with age.

All except Vulanvolyed fell asleep again. They were young and needed to sleep much more than older dragons. Vulan kept watch over his and watched the two demons fighting from time to time. When he got both of both of these tasks he would pull a word from his innate knowledge of dovah'zul.

He settled on practising one that seemed to transform him into twists of shadow. ”Vokunbuldiliis."
.............................................................................................
Anuriel finished late in the kitchens and walked tiredly to her tent that she shared with others of the kitchen staff. She swore she could have heard the sound of metal on metal but fell asleep before she could contemplate further.
...............................................................................................

The two men sparred for hours, long into the night. By the time they finally came to a rest, both men were drained, and they decided to call it a night. It was a routine they'd developed early on in their friendship. Under which, there was a kind of rivalry between them. Whether or not it was friendly rivalry, one might never know, but there it was, regardless. They were as brothers, and might as well have been born as such.

After a breather, the men parted their separate ways, the younger of the two fetching the small dragonlets to take back to his tent. "What was that you were working on, Vulon?" He asked as he dressed for bed.

As for the elder, he stayed a while longer at the lake to bathe--he disliked the feeling of being dirty after a workout with a passion--before also returning to his tent, and falling once more into the land of dreams.

"A new shout." Vulan replied. "Perhaps not new to dragons, but new for me. It is a shout I like and feel some kinship towards." Vulan added by way of explaination.

"The she-angel is dangerous. She is headstrong and determined, both are good qualities in a leader but I fear she will go the wrong way with her rulership. You land-walkers are fickle things. So small and weak compared to a fully grown Dov, but so able to devastate and lay waste to entire planets. The she-angel is lost I think, I got that much of an impression off her. She has no idea at all how to act." Vulan said.

Vulan went and lay perched on the dresser next to Seph's bed. He curled up, head towards Sephiroth. "I am but young, though this is how I see."

"Of course she's dangerous. What can be done, though? In all truth, she is my nemesis, Vulan. I cannot tell her how to be a High Angel. I cannot tell her how to be the very thing that I am not. I'm growing increasingly more and more concerned, but what can I do?" Sephiroth was at a loss, and frankly, he felt a little silly asking an infant dragon for advice, but at this point, he'd try just about anything. Vulan was right, she was clueless and could easily misuse her power because of it.

"Perhaps because you are her polar opposite, then think of what you are and do, then reverse it. Perhaps it might do that she take a rest from being ruler, she was clearly never ready to have it so suddenly thrust upon her. I have heard she was not told until a few days before launch and recieved as much instruction as they could cram between then and the launch. Also the fact that it was the plan of Order to destroy the star and send our three kinds here to Earth, that weighs on her. She is a child trying to fit the role of an adult, a weighty role of ruler no less." Vulan said.

The young dragon was honoured by the fact he was being asked advice from, and from the leader of Demon-kind no less.

"So then what, should I then offer to take over her role as ruler of the Angels until she is ready? Would her people even agree to that?" Sephiroth asked. And even if he should, it would be a heavy load for him. Can a man rule two kingdoms?
He knew T'vor would tell him that he could do it, if anyone. He knew he probably could, but it would surely be difficult, especially if paired with trying to teach the princess how to rule. He would likely need help. Perhaps Azurael would be able to assist him. She was an Angel herself, after all, was she not? She would know her people better than anyone. And he knew T'vor would always stand by him.

It was possible. But he wanted Vulan's opinion. Besides, he wouldn't be able to do anything at all if the princess did not give him the authority to do so. And even if she did, there was no way to know what the Angels would think of it. He pinched the bridge of his nose with an exhausted sigh. So much stress over simple politics. It was aggravating. What should he do?

"Perhaps. The angels would sooner a demon ruler than an ineffectual one or no ruler. They need structure and having a ruler is part of that, take that away and it will be a bloodbath. Or perhaps force her to abdicate with the condition she only be allowed to rule again once she has proven herself.”

”Are there any of the Angels who know how the kingdom is run? They would have to be totally trustworthy and completely willing to back you up with this. Even if they do not know entirely how a kingdom is run but have experience of even being the princess's adviser or confidante will do. They need an intimate knowledge of the people and the kingdom."

Vulan pondered for a minute. "Whoever you ask must also be able to keep secrets, especially in the event they decline. They may even have to step in as interim ruler should you not be able to cope with the ruling of two kingdoms."

Vulan shook his head from side to side. "Politics hurt my head. Perhaps we should discuss this more in the morning, although I am curious as to who you would have in mind, if you do have someone you are thinking of."

Vulan rested his head on his front paws and covered himself with his wings. He watched with hooded eyes as his brethren slept at the foot of Sephiroth's bed.

"I have someone in mind, but it yet remains to be seen whether she is willing to assist. But I agree. Discussion can wait until morning." Sephiroth agreed, and with that, fell into a restless sleep on his bed.

With Sephiroth's last words Vulan also slept.

The next morning would indicate little of what the day would bring save that the dragons had seemed to have have a growth spurt overnight. The were now roughly 2 meters from nose to tail tip.

Sasha was lazing around in her tent recovering from the previous day.

Azurael had been up since the early hours of the morning and was currently teaching her platoon more wing exercises. She noted that there were a lot less feathers being lost, although she figured that was mostly because there was not many more feathers that could be lost. She had to stifle a laugh and pretend to have a coughing fit as she imagined what an Angel would look like without feathers.

Azurael was walking towards where she knew T'vor would be. She needed to discuss Sasha with him. She was very worried about her former ruler, while Sasha may have condemmed her, Azurael still felt a measure of protectiveness towards Sasha. In her view Sasha was too unstable to be ruler and she wanted T'vor's advice on how best to help her former brethren.

As was his wont, T'vor had spent all morning--and was at present--walking among the campsite's extensive terrain, on a sort of self-assigned patrol, keeping any miscreant troublemakers at bay. He nodded to Azurael as she approached.
"Clearly you've come to me for a reason, so let's have it, then." He told her, stopping in his tracks.

"I am worried about the Angels. Sasha will lead them to ruin, she isn't ready for rule. She is too unstable and too inexperienced. Though they cast me out I must still keep watch for them." Azurael said.

"I think we need to talk to Sephiroth. I hope he can help. I don't even know what to do in this situation. Would you be willing to come along with me? General?" Azurael asked.

Azurael had folded her wings in tight, a trademark sign of being worried. It was better than letting them relax and show they were quivering. Azurael looked at T'vor "I am sorry to ask this of my superior officer, but I do as I must."