Three days. Three Stag-blessed days, and all she'd gotten out of Minister Falken was two dinners and a few vague promises of an actual business meeting later. It was enough to make her want to push through a shape-shift, no matter how painful or exhausting, just so she could intimidate him into taking her seriously with teeth and spines and sheer size. It wasn't worth it, though, and she knew it. Even though it might feel wonderful to take out some frustration on the impossible man, it might well get her expelled from the city-- or worse, thrown in whatever they had for a prison around here. Besides, it was rude, and she didn't want to ruin all her chances for economic gain with people here. Falken wasn't the only rich businessman in Star City, certainly.

Though her father was scarce most of the time, Deborah made herself far too available to Anova and Terramintin. She offered them all sorts of entertainments, from meeting another dragon to theatre, from a fancy restaurant to a night of clubbing. The latter, Anova was mostly sure was a joke... though if one took into account the glance the young beauty cast at 'Mint, perhaps it wasn't. All of the suggestions Anova politely turned down, with the single exception of a matinee theatre, which turned out to be somewhat disappointing in the quality of acting and script, though the technological aspect of the show was intriguing.

However, while Anova spent most of her time drifting restlessly around the suite of rooms she and 'Mint shared, trying to be patient with Minister Falken and mostly failing, her brother seemed to be having a fine time. He was out more often than not, exploring the station, though he did manage to be there whenever Deborah or, much more rarely, the Minister came to visit, at least. That's where he was currently, in fact: out. Probably enjoying himself, too.

Anova turned on the computer screen again, looking over the figures she'd had sent to her to present to Falken. Again. I need to find myself a book, or a movie, or... something, she thought to herself with disgust for hiding in her rooms when there was a whole station out there to discover. Still, she couldn't seem to help that the very thought of opening the door and stepping outside by herself left her feeling like her skin was already crawling with the stares of those thick crowds, or made her stomach turn queasy at the certainty that something out there would give her nasty reactions for a week, or tensed up her weak muscles until she trembled.

So inside she stayed, and waited for 'Mint to decide to come keep her company again.

"Anova, I'm back!"

Speak of Suri, and she shall appear! Anova thought, though more cheerfully than a mention of the dread calyon deserved. She'd just been hoping for Terramintin, and there he was; she could hear the door swishing closed behind him.

"Welcome back!" she called back, smiling, and directed her chair to float out of the spacious office the suite came with, into the front room, where 'Mint would have just come inside. Finally, some company!

The smile faded into surprise as soon as she saw him-- or, more appropriately, what he was carrying. There was a brilliantly purple little... dragon sitting in her brother's arms. It had dirty yellow stripes running from ears-- at least, she assumed those were ears-- to the tip of its short little tail. Instead of arms it had... wings, or so she thought, sailed in green and white. Bright orange eyes were fixed on hers, right under 'Mint's teal ones.

Taken by surprise, she said the first thing that came to mind-- only modifying it halfway through as she realized just how bad it sounded: "What is-- I mean, who is that?" Her voice sounded both mildly dazed, and mildly accusative. He'd brought some random dragon into their rooms, after all, who might well be as rude as the one they'd met the day they arrived. 'Mint's first answer was a completely shameless grin, and Anova started to get an inkling of what he had done. Even just the first glimmer of thought made her feel frighteningly hollow.

"Seems I got myself into a little bind this morning," he replied, shifting the dragon to the crook of one arm and rubbing the back of his head in "embarrassment". From the look on his face, he was hardly embarrassed. "A hatching started this morning, you see--" A hatching. Sweet Stag. "--and I signed up for it so I could get a really close look at things." He didn't... please say he didn't... "Wanted to make a memory to take home and such, since these hatchings are such an important event to the locals. ... Seems I'll be taking home a lot more than a memory, though." Oh Stag, he did....

Before she could even acknowledge how she felt about it, though her stomach felt somewhere at the bottom of her chair, there was a "presence" in her mind that "introduced itself" without words. The words quickly followed, though, in a child-like voice that held nothing of 'Mint in it, so it had to have come from the dragon. ::It is a pleasure to finally meet you, miss Anovadiell. I am Sansu, bonded of your brother Terramintin.::

Oh, she thought vaguely. Well, I guess it isn't rude....

"I... hello...." Hardly her best introduction, but for some reason her eyes stung, and there was a lump in her throat that made further coherent words difficult. She swallowed and tried again, managing a weak smile: "Hello, Sansu."

The grin faded from 'Mint's face at her words, and even the dragon seemed to droop a little. Anova was torn between guilt, relief, and a little kernel of completely unfair and horrible pleasure. At least he still cared, even if he'd gone and let a little dragon steal him-- even though he'd had to watch his joy die to see it. I'm awful, I can't believe I just thought that....

"Oh, Stag, Anova," he was saying, seemingly as at a loss for words as she was. He paused there, awkwardly, before he set down the purple hatchling and closed the distance between them, kneeling and taking her hand. It both hurt and helped to see him looking up at her helplessly, eyes dark with shame. "Stag, Anova, I'm sorry," he tried again. "I didn't mean...."

Sniffling back some quite embarrassing tears, Anova brought his hand to her cheek and rested against it. "Honest, I didn't mean to, or I would've asked you along," he continued, babbling, but it was such a nice, reassuring babbling. "I didn't think, it was spur of the moment, I never thought... good Stag, Anova, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you...."

He doesn't understand... not really. All he knew was that for the first time in a long time, he was seeing Anovadiell brought to tears, over something he did. He just didn't connect this with the same reason she would chase girls away from him, if she could-- and did, when she had the opportunity to do so without embarrassing him. But he didn't really have to do that, did he? It was enough, really, for him to know that she was unhappy, wasn't it? He couldn't go back on what he'd unwittingly done, she couldn't "chase away" a dragon linked to him in his mind, so what good was it for him to know how she really felt? He was all she had, but he had so much more... she'd hurt him enough, she wasn't going to insist that he abandon everyone and everything else, not it if made him happy.

So she dredged up another smile, through the tears that still threatened, making her vision blur a bit. "It's... all right," she sniffed. "You didn't do anything wrong... you were just-- being yourself, and that got someone else to-- to love you, too, that's all."

There was a little motion at his side as Sansu leaned onto his hind legs, putting his single-digit "hands" out on Mint's bent knee for balance as he shyly peeked his head over the arm-rest of Anova's chair. The newborn gently extended a private line of thought to her, while Mint slowly looked between the two and wondered. ::I would love you too, if you would have me,:: Sansu told her sincerely. ::You are too much a part of my bonded's heart for me to not love you as well....::

Anova managed a weak laugh. "That's a very sweet thought, Sansu," she said, "but I'm not going to try to share 'Mint with you; he's yours, you picked him, and you make him happy. He's just-- stuck with me." It came out more bitter than she intended, but it was true, and trying to soften it up didn't make it any less true. Yes, he was "stuck" with her... he'd be better off with the healthy, happy, friendly little dragon than trying to deal with his sickly, touchy, jealous little sister who never had any fun.

Besides... "That's-- not how it works, anyway, is it? One dragon for one person."

::I don't have to be your bond to want to be your friend, miss Anovadiell,:: Sansu replied promptly, as clearing up what had to have been a misunderstanding, though it was really just as confusing as before. Anova had never equated the word "friend" with the word "love" before, and wasn't sure if it was appropriate to do so now, despite what Sansu seemed to think. She had a few people she called her friend, but she didn't love any of them; in fact, she only barely liked them, and the title of "friend" was more honorary and political than anything else.

Before she could say anything, before she could even decide what to say, 'Mint barreled into her thoughts with an exclaimed, "Stuck with you? Stuck with you-- blessed Stag, Anova, is that how you think?" Well, actually-- Again, before she could complete the pained thought, he continued: "You're my sister, Anova, I go where you go because I want to. Sansu's my friend, but you're my family." He took back his hand, taking hers with it and folding it between both of his, and kissed the backs of her fingers. Anova wasn't sure whether she wanted to blush, smile, burst into tears, or all three. "If anything," he finished, "you're stuck with me. It'd take a lot more than one little dragon to drag me off."

::As if I would try,:: Sansu added quickly.

The threatened tears finally spilled, but thankfully they did so slowly; if she ever got down to sobs, Anova turned all red and blotchy, got awful hiccoughs, and had the real danger of slipping into an attack of asthma until she managed to get control of herself again. With her free hand, she wiped at her cheeks, embarrassed that she'd let herself fall apart so, but unable to stop. "You really-- feel like that?" she managed. "But I'm--" She stopped; she didn't have to enumerate her faults to him, surely he knew them by now. "Thank you," she said instead to them both, but especially her brother, gulping back a couple more tears.

Maybe this won't be any different from when he goes out dueling with his friends, she thought with a kind of desperate hope. They're just... random people, who don't really steal him, or not for more than a few hours. Somehow, though, she didn't think so. 'Mint's friends weren't linked into his mind. I'll just have to deal with it, she told herself forcefully. You're a competent businesswoman; stop sniveling. But she just kept crying quietly, no matter what she told herself. Emotions didn't take well to being lectured.

Trying for a grin, 'Mint said, "Anova, you're my sister whom I love, no less. You're not supposed to thank me for this kind of thing." He gave her hand another squeeze then dropped it, rising and offering a bigger smile. "So how about we order up some lunch, eh? I think this little guy's all the proof I need that I've been leaving you alone too much while I go romp around the city. I am supposed to be here to keep you company, after all."

Oh, great, now I feel guilty, too. She wiped at her eyes again, this time with both hands, brushing the moisture back into her hair with long fingers. Sansu was watching her with hopeful, soulful eyes, and it made her a little uncomfortable. Perversely, he reminded her of 'Mint, only les buoyantly cheerful, and she had no idea what to think of that.

Another grin, and he all but made her heart break asking, "Don't suppose you're gonna hold it against me, are you?"

" 'Mint, I can't hold anything against you," she exclaimed with a snuffle. "I thought you'd know that by now."

"Just making sure," he winked.

With another somewhat watery smile, acknowledgement of his attempt at lightening the subject, she wiped at her cheeks again, and managed, "I guess lunch might be good... I haven't eaten."

"Nor have I," 'Mint seconded, giving her shoulder a squeeze as he passed behind her, heading for the intercom device-- something like a telephone, they'd been told, though what that was, Anova wasn't entirely sure. She rested her hand on his while she had the chance. "What's your pleasure?" he asked, reaching it.

::Would you get something for me, too, please?::

Sansu's "voice" once again surprised her briefly, before she glanced back at him, remembering the puppy-sized hatchling was still there. 'Mint behind her laughed lightly, exclaiming, "You just ate, Sansu!"

::That was at least an hour ago,:: the little purple dragon said, with eyes to match her analogy for his size. ::And my sisters were so hungry I... probably didn't eat as much as I should have. So, please? Just a little something?::

Anova couldn't help but giggle faintly. At least her brother had managed to find a cute dragon to bond to him.... "You're too generous for your own good," 'Mint scolded playfully, not meaning a word of it.

"Sounds like someone else we know," Anova commented mildly, smiling.

'Mint chuckled, and asked, "So, know what you'd like?"

Chapter Four

Read from Terramintin's Perspective

Back