Chapter CCCLXXXIII: Soul Searching ~Celeste
Celeste hated walking the hallways in her full draconic form. There were times when she was sure she more than hated it. In fact, right now Celeste was sure she was absolutely despising it. Not only did the walls feel like they were closing in on her, but today was also the annual meeting of the heads of the Library. A full day's worth of arguments and needless protocol. Always trying to rise higher in her favor. Celeste snickered softly to herself. If they only knew that they all were low on her list, and that she detested each and every one of them. They would surely try to argue over whose fault that would be as well.
Sighing, Celeste made her way into the Meeting Hall, where the three other dragons turned toward her, raising back on their hind legs and fanning their wings behind them. It was, she learned long ago, the equivalent to a human's bow. The Golden Queen bowed her head in reply, and the others returned to all fours as Celeste made her way to the front of the large table. Before she made her opening remarks, another part of the useless protocol, Celeste took a moment to gaze over the faces she had come to know so very well.
To her right stood T'wardyn, the Lead Watcher. He was a medium sized blue dragon, proper for his bookish personality. It was T'wardyn's duty to make sure all the proper forms were filled out when replacement bodies were given to dragon souls. He was a very prudish dragon, and when his long snout was not stuck up in the air, it was stuck in other dragon's personal affairs. Celeste found it ironic, that among the humans, the females were seen to be the greatest gossipers. The Queen concluded that T'wardyn, should he ever choose a human form himself, would be quite popular. Off to his right, Xonuri stood, looking quite impatient. Her bright red scales glistened angrily, letting the rest of the room know that she had much better things to be doing than standing in Council. Celeste could sympathize with her, if she did not know that Xonuri's idea of a good time meant providing male dragons with younger females, and not for their pleasant company, either. The red female was the Head Searcher, and dispatched the other Soul Searchers to find specific missing dragons. Next to her sat the only other dragon at Council, Issard. Issard, the green dragon of the group, was the Head Distributer. Both he and T'wardyn shared similar occupations, only Issard had much more paperwork to deal with and keep track of. Their relationship with one another was a turbulent one, and Celeste wondered if they were friends or enemies this week.
“Well met, fellow Council members,” Queen Celeste said. “We begin.” She sat back on her rear legs, watching as the three others did the same. "Pressing matters have not yet been brought to my attention by the public, and so this meeting may be over much quicker than usual. Unless, of course, there are matters any of you have to bring before me yourselves?"
The three dragons shifted uncomfortably, T'wardyn and Issard casting glances at Xonuri. Celeste noticed this, and silently cursed the two cowards for not asking her straight out.
"Xonuri, do you have a matter that needs to be presented?" Celeste asked.
The red dragon cast a dangerous look in the direction of the two males and then stood up on all fours, formally addressing the Queen. "Yes, Your Majesty," she replied, and bowed her head slightly. "You see…ah…Your Majesty…my department has found the soul of a young dragon that needs to be recovered. However the recovery is…well, quite complicated in nature. It requires…travelling outside our world." Xonuri braced herself for the Queen's fury. Instead, Queen Celeste nodded her head.
"You mean I am going to have to go out and fetch another one, correct?" she asked.
"Yes, my Queen," the red dragon replied.
"Is this the only matter for the Council to address?" the golden dragon said, and was met with silence. "In that case, Xonuri, have the information sent to my chambers,” Celeste announced. “Council dismissed."
She left the Meeting Hall, hurrying to her personal rooms and shifting to her human form, very grateful to be able to breathe again.
"Well, I was the one who wanted a change, and I suppose this is what I get for asking," she muttered to herself as she set about searching through a few of the large piles of treasure that littered the room. After a few moments, she found what she was looking for. Celeste lifted the jewelled scabbard up in the air, admiring it with a somber look before belting it to her waist. She idly stroked the hilt of the sword as she went to the small desk, smirking as she looked at the small stack of papers that had just appeared there. Her underlings were learning quite well that she always used her human form while she was in her chambers, and had adjusted the documents accordingly.
"Kyara'nya…" she read from the top paper, from the line
stating the name. "Last seen on Dirun
Sighing, the
golden anthrodragoness straightened again, and lifted
a hand, a beam of what looked like sunlight standing tall a few feet away from
her. With one quick gaze over her home, she stepped into it, and felt her body
solidify into a physical nature as she sped across time and space to where she
hoped to find a lost soul.