Yet another summons came from the Queen only a day after getting back from my future estate in the Queendom of Dargon. I was very surprised when we entered the Queen's library.
Our old companion, Marquise Ériu, was sitting at table reading from an ancient looking book.
“Salutations, Marquise of Queensquiry. It has been far too long since our last parting,” I said.
“Greetings and Salutations, Baroness of Fiendodyfell! It has indeed been far too long,” Ériu said.
“Baroness? Don't go slapping strange titles on me, my Lady” I said.
“Has no one told her?” Ériu asked.
“Dee, the Barony of Fiendodyfell falls in your father's domain, and is your father's barony. As heir apparent, you are entitled to use his lesser title. So you are now styled as Baroness of Fiendodyfell. Really, you should have learned this two years ago in class.” Celes explained.
“Ah, yes, a courtesy title. Didn't know Father had any other titles,” I said.
“Must be nice just screwing around all day, without a care in the world. Ignoring your titles and duties. By the way how often are you and your dear Fergus screwing?” Ériu said.
“Not as much as I’d like, but I’m still training him. He’s showing promising results,” I said.
“Oh, I do hope you don’t wear him out. Still, I’m jealous, as I can’t seem to find a good candidate,” Ériu said.
“Girls. While I’d love to sit and listen to your tales of search and conquest all day, we do have more pressing, if less interesting, matters,” Matilde said, chuckling.
“Yes, my Queen. What is it we can do for you today?” I said.
“As, you know, I’ve asked you all to enroll in the graduate programs. It seems the Academy is rife with spies from the Empire. Most likely in all grade levels. Students who are not the ages they claim to be, and are targeting people both within and without the Academy, and may have also been involved with the recent invasion and attempt to overthrow the kingdom. I need you and your gifts and powers to build out our own counterintelligence program,” Matilde said.
“That will be quite the challenge,” Kiera said.
“Indeed, if it were easy I could rely on my own people,” Matilde said.
“Piece of cake. It’s all too simple. Make lots of friends. The closer we can get to them, the easier it is to spy on them. Of course, it’s a dual edged sword,” I said.
“I don’t get it. How does making your enemy your friend help root them out,” Darby said.
“It is always the closest friend whose betrayal is the hardest to see. But if you already know your closest friend is your enemy, you are already looking for the betrayal. While they haven’t a clue you already know. Because they are trusting that you are trusting of them. But there in lies the double edge. If your enemy is pretending to be you’re best friend and assumes you are faking the friendship, they will be expecting you to not be trusting. It then comes down to who makes a mistake first,” I said.
“How is any of that simple?” Rosie said.
“The simple part is make lots of friends. Trust no one. Question everything. Never show your true face, or true hand. It has weaknesses, as any plan of subterfuge has. It is still the strongest hand to play,” I said.
“Yes, that is actually fairly brilliant, when you think about it. How can we make lots of friends, though? I had a terrible time trying to make friends at Academy,” Ériu said.
“Throw lots of parties. Be active socially. Join in with the crowds. It might take some effort to join the crowds. So we may have to make the crowds ourselves. It’s something I’ve never been a part of, so I’m not sure I’m the best person to plan such efforts. Still, I think I know some tricks. For one thing, you are a very eligible bachelorette. If you host some meet and greets, you’ll grab the interest of all the best men. If it’s an open event, that will draw the women. Instant crowd,” I said.
“You plan to use me as bait?” Ériu said.
“Yes, you, and all of us. I might even still be attractive as bait, but maybe not for long. With two husbands soon, I may be considered off the market. However, I will probably still work as bait on a different level,” I said.
“I don’t know in what world you could ever classify as bait,” Kanae said. Everyone laughed.
“Alright, specific plans can come later. They will probably even change over time. Part of your task is to build a framework, you can hand off in two years. Now, I’ll hand over the meeting to my own team, who can help train you. You are still beginners, and will likely be facing those with years of training. We don’t have that kind of time. So, I want you to start slow. Don’t be overconfident,” Matilde said.
Then the trained spies took over and started teaching us what it is spies do, and how they do it. They included real intelligence that has been gathered, so we had some background on some known operatives. We underwent three days of intensive training. Also, what we knew, and what we suspected, and what we could disprove.
Then it was the first day of school. We had a diverse enough group that we had most of the subjects covered. That gave us the widest reach of students in our year. Celes and Ériu were going in at the same level.
“Make sure to post our welcome to the new year party posters all over campus, and invite people who approach you,” I said.
“Starting the year off with a bang,” Fergus said.
“You know it!” I said.
“No bathroom parties, you two!” Celes said.
“No need. We have barracks now,” Fergus said.
“Wise guy,” Ériu said.
“I’ve been trained well, I hear,” Fergus said, and everyone laughed.
“Time to find some seats. There are three spots. Let’s grab them,” I said.
“Salutations, I’m Deirdre,” I said.
“Greetings and Salutations, I’m Sheilagh. You’re the Red Knight aren’t you?” Sheilagh said.
“I have been called that. Nice to meet you Sheilagh,” I said.
“Nice to meet you too. You’re pretty famous. There are lots of crazy stories about you,” Sheilagh said.
“Mostly tall tales, and misunderstandings. The more fantastical, or outlandish the story, the further from the truth it probably is. Of course there are a few exceptions. It’s been a crazy, dizzying few years now. My life used to be so quiet and peaceful. And isolated,” I said.
“Oh, so it’s true then that you ran away to school to escape the Red Queen’s over-protectiveness?” Sheilagh asked.
“Well, I didn’t exactly run away. I mean yes I was basically isolated from, well, everyone, but I had some freedom,” I said.
“I’ve heard it’s very different growing up in the Dragon Realm. What was it like?” Sheilagh said.
“I wouldn’t know, I didn’t, well, it’s a long dull story. My life has been anything but typical of your average dragon,” I said.
Then the professor walked in, and class began.
My guards came in at the end of class, and hustled me out, but not before I had a few parting words for Sheilagh, “We’re having a Welcome Back Party this weekend. You won’t want to miss it!”
I shoved a flyer about it at her, as they almost dragged me away.
In class after class we took turns meeting a random student and inviting them to the party. Although, for anyone paying attention it would have not seemed so random. We were targeting three groups. Then within those three groups we were selecting two groups mostly randomly. Those we suspected were spies and those we were confident were not spies, at least from the places we were interested in. It meant passing over a number we strongly suspected were spies, for now.
The Welcome Back Party was becoming the talk of the campus, and some had noticed there were two distinct copies of the flyer. One had a magikal seal, that when activated revealed instructions on finding the party, and the other was a false flag. That was also being talked about, but in different circles.
The day of the party came, and the location on the false flag was raided by the Academy to prevent a possible school-wide scandal. While the real party was in a private venue hosted by our favorite pub.
“Welcome Sheilagh! I see you solved the little mystery we set everyone,” I said when Sheilagh showed up with a group of her friends.
“It wasn’t the most clever of puzzles, Deirdre. But it was delightful. There were two versions of the flyers,” Sheilagh said.
“Indeed, and the other location was raided by the Academy, and they are still rounding up the poor decoys. It may seem like a cruel prank, but it was a necessary sacrifice. We will have to think of something to do to make it up to those poor souls, later,” I said.
More and more people showed up. The tables filled up, and the beer flowed like a raging river. The party was in full swing an hour later. Celes and Ériu were making the rounds and making many friends, as were we all. Roughly one third of the people were spy targets from the Empire. There were several groups of spies from other nations, and some of the country’s future elites, and some of the brightest or ambitious students. But not everyone was a person of interest. Some were just ordinary students. Well perhaps not ordinary. Everyone, would have been interesting to someone at the party. So, everyone was a logical choice, in some regard. The most, least suspicious collection of students possible. We played to them all.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Then at the third hour one of our lookouts came dashing in,
“The Academy has found us!”
Gate! Gate! Gate! Gate!
“Quick everyone pick an exit! Curfew Shall not Ring Tonight!” I said.
“What are these?” Sheilagh said.
“Secret passages to safety. Hurry, when that door opens these doors will close. Exit now or stay and get caught!” I said.
I grabbed Sheilagh’s hand and dragged her through the door. Fergus and the rest followed me, each of them bringing a new friend.
“Are we all accounted for?” I looked around.
“All here, my Lady,” Hestia said.
“Is this the Academy Wall? We’ll all get caught,” Alexia said.
“Sh! All is under control,” I said.
I put my hand on an odd stone in the wall, and a voice came from the wall saying, “On the Darkest Day,”
“From the Flames of Darkness and Red,” I replied, and a doorway opened.
“Follow me, don’t speak,” I said.
We came out in the back room of the Spellcasting club. When everyone was through and the magikal door closed, I opened the door to the clubroom where a late night group meeting was happening.
“Well, about time you showed up, I was about to lose the wager. Pay up, losers,” Darby said.
“What’s going on?” Sheilagh asked.
“Our Alibi. Our Spellcasting Club got special permission to have its first meeting and membership drive tonight and stay past curfew, We have special passes for everyone,” I said.
Sheilagh cracked up, and so did the rest of our guests.
“You are a mad Genius, Deirdre!” Sheilagh said.
“Soberus!” I cast, and everyone who’d been partying now was sober.
“Details are important. It would be weird for some club students to be drunk from a school sponsored club meeting,” I said.
“I think we can wrap this farce up now. Goodnight everyone,” Darby said.
So, we concluded our first serious foray into getting closer to the spies.
Rumors and stories about the party and the secret party within the party began circulating. Several weeks went by, and we progressed in making connections with many of the suspected spies. It was my birthday today, and we had class. I was feeling a bit off.
“I heard you led a group of settlers to open the ruins of the White Dragon Empire. I’ve heard there was some kind of battle against looters and rogues, and the ghost of the White Dragon Empress destroyed them. How is it you have a settlement there and the ghost doesn’t destroy them all?” Sheilagh asked.
“Nch!” I snorted, and some flames shot out of my nose.
“Wow!” Fergus leapt back, and Sheilagh flinched away.
“Oh! My Goddess!”
“What was that, Deirdre?” Sheilagh asked.
“My Pills! I need my pills,” I said and dug through my storage for them.
“You mustn’t, my Lady! You know how they affect your rhythm,” Hestia said.
“This is an emergency. I can’t. Not now,” I said.
“What? What’s happening?” Sheilagh asked.
“I’m starting my days, and it’s too early,” I said.
“You mustn’t take these anymore, my Lady,” Vulcana said grabbing my arm.
My arm shifted, on its own.
“What!? It’s too late!” I said.
I turned to the large window in the hall and shoved mana at it to free it of the wall. I blinked out and tossed the window back in place, with a little too much mana, and it cracked and shattered. I transformed and flew up, and away.
“Oh, my Goddess! She’s huge! Look how much she’s grown!” Kanae said, looking out the window.
“Where’s she going?” Sheilagh asked.
“She’s going south,” someone said.
“Shin Shirochi!” Kanae said to Fergus.
No one noticed Hestia and Vulcana had flown off after Deirdre.
“What’s Shin Shirochi?” someone asked.
“New White City. Her nurse is there. She’ll be alright,” Fergus said.
“Isn’t that city haunted by the ghost of the White Dragon Empress?”
“Use your head. How large is this reported ghost said to be?”
“Said to be large, like Lady Deirdre,” said the student.
“Well, Dee was about fifteen meters the last time she transformed here at the Academy. She looks to be over twenty meters long now and probably five meters tall. The White Dragon Empress was over two thousand years old, and over one-fifty meters. A dragon that size would never be called merely large, but enormous, or something equally terrifying. So there is no way anyone has seen the ghost of the White Empress,” Fergus said.
“Can dragons even get that large?” Sheilagh asked.
“Dee has said the Ancient Mother is at least a hundred meters long, but she has only ever seen her curled up in her nest. She also said the Ancient Mother’s head was about the same size as she was, the last time they met. If that’s true, then the Ancient Mother is indeed at least a hundred meters in length. The Ancient Mother is around two-thousand years old,” Kanae said.
“How is that possible?” a student asked.
“Well, it’s simple really, as a dragon ages they continue growing. Surely you knew this?,” Fergus said.
“I’ve never really thought about it before,” Sheilagh said.
“That’s actually pretty normal. We have had so little contact with dragons for a very long time, that we no longer think much about dragons. Still it has always been unusual for a dragon to live much more than a thousand years. They tend to get tired of the world, and leave their physical body behind,” Fergus said.
The headmistress, professor and several others came running into the lecture hall.
“What has happened!? Was that dragon Deirdre?”, Headmistress Corrine said.
“Deirdre has gone into her days. Apparently she has flown off to see her nurse in the New White City. We hope she’ll be back tonight, or tomorrow. It’s a little unusual, it wasn’t quite time, but perhaps her cycles have not completely normalized, yet. She wasn’t in complete control of her powers as she left, and put the window back in place a little too forcefully,” Kanae said.
“Is she going to be alright?” Corrine asked.
“Her guards are following her, although, I don’t think they can catch her anymore. She’s grown a lot in the past year. She appears to have entered her Dragon puberty stage,” Celes said.
“That’s not possible! She’s only seventeen,” Corrine said.
“Today’s her birthday,” Fergus said.
“That’s almost seven years too early, but, birthdays are significant days, and tonight is the Darkest Night. The night of Hallows, when the veil is thinnest between the worlds. It’s not a particularly auspicious day,” Corrine said.
“She was born at Astara’s altar,” Kanae said.
“What!” Corrine shouted, and she shared a glance with one of the professors. They turned and ran out. The rest of her train all looked confused and ran after her, except the professor, who had turned quite pale.
“What the Hell was that?” Kiera asked.
“Deirdre was born at night on the Day of the Dead at Astara’s Altar?” Fergus asked, also looking as if a puzzle had been solved.
“Yes, what of it?” Kanae asked.
“On the Darkest DayFrom the Flamesof Darkness and RedBy the Blood RedThe White shall be RebornFrom Humility she will RiseThe Balance that was LostShall be Restored”Sheilagh said.
“What’s that?” Kiera asked.
“It’s just an old children’s poem. Some say it’s a prophecy wrapped up as part of a children’s tale. My mother used to read me the story as a child of the return of the White Dragons,” Sheilagh said.
“Sounds like a rather gory tale, what with the Blood Red and all.”
“Seriously? You’re one of Deirdre’s companions and don’t know about the Blood Red? Blood Red is the technical name of the Red Dragon Clan. Deirdre is the Blood Red Dragon Princess, and her aunt the Blood Red Dragon Queen,” Sheilagh said, and in her eyes the watchful observer could see her mind racing to a conclusion.
Celes and Ériu were two such watchful observers.
“Alright, I think we’ve all had enough excitement for a while. Sit down everyone, and let’s get class started,” Professor Mac Gonnagail said. After class, Ériu said to Deirdre’s group,
“We need to get together after classes and discuss preparations for Deirdre’s return and Birthday party.”
“Excellent idea,” Kanae said.
At the end of classes we returned to our Academy dorm, and Ériu was waiting for us, with Celes. We all entered the dorm, and Ériu immediately said,
“You all said too much in first class today about Deirdre. I’m certain Sheilagh has connected the dots between the story of the Ghost of the White Dragon Queen, the resettling of the White Dragon Realm by Deirdre, and the prophecy she quoted in class.”
“Then that is a real prophecy?” Kiera asked.
“It is a very old prophecy that came from the priestess of Astara. It’s been used in many stories and children’s tales. Whether it is a true prophecy about Deirdre, who can say. It certainly fits her extremely well, for those who know her full and true story. Now, very likely, the Empire will be watching her even more closely,” Ériu said.
“But, it’s too late to worry on it now. It’s done, and can’t be undone. We do need to plan for Deirdre’s return and her birthday party and wedding,” Celes said.
“Indeed, can we have her guards let us know about her approach ahead of time?” Fergus asked.
“Kamara and Enya flew after Dee, when she flew away. Only Kumoi, Enya’s eggnurse is still here,” Aoi said.
“It’s alright. Deirdre has been a great teacher. I have my own spies all over the city now. I’ll contact them to alert me as soon as she enters the city,” Aoi said.
“You? How? Even I’m struggling on canvassing the entire city,” Kiera said.
“Golems. I’m really good at alchemy now,” Aoi said.
“Oh, you need to make me some golems! What about dragonflies and damselflies? Can you make spy golems that look like that?” Kiera asked.
“Oh, that’s an interesting challenge! I’ll see what I can do. Maybe it’s time to think about opening a shop. But maybe not for spy golems. Maybe children’s toys,” Aoi said.
“Why not a line of Ladies toys?” Ériu said, and chuckled.
“You! You are so bad!” Aoi said, blushing. All the girls laughed. Fergus smirked. Darby, and the rest of guys just shrugged at each other.
In the mid-morning, Deirdre returned, and went straight to bed and went to sleep.
During lunch Aoi announced to everyone at the table, “Dee, is safely back and sleeping in her room.”
“That’s just like her. You need to handle this Lover Boy, and get her out of the dorm for a half-hour after classes,” Kiera said.
“You’re not ever going let go of that one are you?” Fergus asked.
“You’d prefer Bathroom Bandit? That was my second choice. Or Bathroom Nutter?” Kiera said.
“Lover Boy is fine,” Fergus said. The girls laughed.
“Thought so. You’re just lucky you’re treating her right,” Kiera said.
“Dee’s lucky to have so many wonderful caring friends,” Fergus said.
After classes, Fergus took Deirdre out for a stroll, while the rest of their squad prepared the dorm for a small Birthday party. There wouldn’t be a bigger party, because the wedding was this weekend. The wedding was going to happen on the Quad, open to the entire Academy, and a smaller gathering for the reception at the Dew Drop Inn, because Deirdre’s restriction of not being able to leave the campus during school was still in effect. This was due to the school’s only administrative rules enforcement mage being on maternity leave, and no one else had access to update the enforced rules artifact.
I was actually surprised when I walked back into the dorm to my surprise birthday party. It had only been the last couple of years when I first began having birthday celebrations. It was such a wonderful experience I was actually in tears over it.
“You all are so wonderful. I couldn’t wish for better friends, or a more loving husband. You mean the world to me! All of you!” I said.
“No one deserves to be happy as much as you. You are always doing so much for everyone,” Ceres said.
The party dragged on until the early hours. Classes were coming in mere hours. Then Saturday came, and Deirdre was nowhere to be found, nor her guards. Fergus found her an hour later, at her favorite pub, completely steaming drunk. She was totally mangled. Drunker than sailor. Plastered. She was scuttered. Hebereke. Gudenguden.
“Hestia, how did you let her get this drunk? She’s got to be to the quad, in her wedding dress in an hour!” Fergus said.
“How was I supposed to stop her? Have you ever tried to stop her majesty from drinking? From doing anything she was set on doing?” Hestia shot back.
“Well, no,” Fergus said.
“Exactly. Lady Deirdre does what Lady Deirdre does. There is no stopping her,” Vulcana said.
“Well, We still have time,” Fergus said.
“Soberus!” Fergus cast.
Deirdre sat bolt upright, grabbed her mouth, and bolted for the bathroom.
I stormed back out of the bathroom and right up to Fergus. I punched him in the shoulder!
“What did you do that for! I was just getting motivated for the wedding!”
“You were dead-passed-out drunk!” Fergus said.
“I only had three drinks, I couldn’t be passed out!”
“Seventy-three, my Lady,” Hestia said.
“What!?” I said.
“You’ve had seventy-three drinks in the past two hours, my Lady,” Hestia said.
“Seventy-three? Why did you let me drink seventy-three beers?”
“You had only three beers, my Lady. But the Bartender gave you a free shot of whiskey in celebration of your ‘Big Day’. You then ordered sixty-nine more. Then you passed out. That’s when Lord Fergus came in,” Hestia said.