"You've got mail," a gruff voice told the Fireling as she entered the command tent -- which had doubled as her home for the half a dozen years or so (more? She had trouble keeping track of time!) while the remaining Aigard took their fight to the enemy.
Now it was being used as a base of operations while the Aigard moved in and swept out Kaarden Desius -- it was going to be a while before the stench of deep corruption was dragged out of those deep, stone corridors. Not to mention all of the cleansing that Alumine had been doing. Now that her people knew she had the ability to restore
some semblance of thought to the minions that the Balechild had left behind,
everybody wanted to know if the gallomphing creatures could be changed back into a husband, or a wife, or a child. It was slow work.
So when her bond shoved two battered envelopes and one funny looking metal thingie into her hands, Alumine 'oooh!'d and ignored the dirty glare that Swathe had given her. She even ignored his muttered, "and I'm not your Bale-damned mail boy..." something that she would otherwise have teased him about. Instead, she flapped a hand over her shoulder and told the man, ~I'll be in my room, tell 'em I'm busy if they ask!~ and she disappeared behind the flap that separated her sleeping pallet from the main affair.
That done, Alumine collapsed across her pile of furs, shifting back to her more comfortable draconic appearance. A huge grin plastered across her muzzle, she unfolded the two paper letters and cackled as she read through little Sunart's letter. She smiled widely, smugly, reading Alqaliy's own.
Then, playing with the little metal thingie, getting it to come to life, she scrolled through the note that her favorite sister, Natron, had sent her way. She wondered what the little symbols next to the words meant, twisting and turning her head and then -- oh! A frowny face and... were those Harken or Zwarden symbols at the bottom? Depending on which way she looked, they could have resembled either! And they were green, not red or blue! How strange.
Alumine, wriggling her bony fingers in glee, floated a sheaf of papers, her ink well, and a long, fluffy quill over to her bed, shrinking to a size where manipulating the human-sized tools would not be cumbersome. Then she got to work.
Dear Natron,
Children! Apparently so many siblings are collecting them! It boggles my mind -- I'd never have so many running around that I couldn't get my alone time. Though... it might be nice to watch my bond's blood pressure rise past unbearable with little monkeys trying to crawl his legs.
I would love to visit with all of your new recruits, perhaps you could bring them to the Nidus so that I can visit with them? Swathe and I have learned a great deal from corrupted minions -- both those in the direct employ of the slimy Greener, as well as a few stronger allies. If you've not been getting a lot of action, perhaps we could teach them a thing or two!
Besides, think of it this way: these particular children have the potential to grow up nice and fast -- you chose that route, didn't you? I imagine that it would be nice to have someone to back you up and help look after those who have to grow the old fashioned way!
You let me know if you want a hand with your little scourge. I have experience! Ha!
Love you, take care.
Lumi
Sealing off the letter, she floated it out to Swathe. ~Take care of that, bond-mine!~
~What did I tell you earlier?~
~I'll be doing two more, just run them out to the Diamond Queen and she'll have them sent off to where they need to go!~
Alumine ignored the dire grumbling over their bond. She had forgotten that Swathe and the Diamond Queen -- the leader of the draconic alliance that had worked with the Aigard -- had rather severe issues.
In any case, she was already writing the next letter, her tongue peeking out from between her sharp canine teeth.
Dear Alqaliy,
How very complicated-sounding a life! You know, you're not the only of us sisters to be accosted by little ones running under your feet... me, I can't imagine what such a noisy life would be like. I have my nation to baby, so each and every Aigard is sort of like a child... or an adult child... or whatever you'd like to call them, to me. Ha!
I'd so like to hear from our dear mother. I've been keeping in contact with KTFE from time to time, but I fear that Nin'Queesha and Lanriki have gotten away from me. I suppose that they scoff at the idea of birthday cards, but it would be so nice to have some acknowledgment! Immortals -- too busy with their own lives to think about their spawn! You will have to tell me about this Tonaa business -- as backcountry as I am, I haven't heard of the term, but I imagine that you really must be keeping busy. My sister, a member of Galactic council. I'll have to brag for you.
I so look forward to seeing you -- I've got tentative yeses from two of our brothers and another sister: Cyprium, Sunart (he's still small! It must be adorable!), and Natron. If I can't get ahold of the rest, you have my word that I'll track them down and dump buckets over their heads... and maybe clang on the outsides once they're there, to get their attention. Tsch, families shouldn't drift apart.
Don't let the business get to your head!
Love
Lumi
This time Swathe was ready for the envelope that floated out and thwapped him -- not in the back of the head, like the first, but into his hands. The recipients of these letters might find them a little crinkled, for the Aigard was doing his best not to crush them into a little ball!
SUNART!
You little rascal, you sound adorable! I loved your letter and I read it three times. I'm only old because I hopped some time instead of dimensions -- I wanted to grow up with my bond so that I could better understand his life and times, and so that I could better involve myself in his culture and lifestyle. I still can't figure him out, for all the help that little experiment was!
Balespawn are great, big, ugly green monsters that like to eat up everything in their path, and turn people into their own little mindless minions. At least, the one that I was fighting did that. They're immortal, like us, and are very tough. I don't know if plasma would vaporize them, but one day we'll have to put that to the test!
I promise I won't say anything about Wisps, but if your squadran ever wants help with them, please send me a note! You've caught my curiosity! Your Tiers sound very interesting!
I do so hope that you can come for a quick visit -- I'll give you lots of hugs once you arrive, I promise!
Truly
Lumi
~Last one coming at you!~ Swathe caught the letter that shot out of Alumine's tent right out of the air, bundled them with the rest, and left them sit on the low table. Somebody else could deal with them.
It was a few days before somebody else actually
did; Alumine found them, surprised, and did a good fit of her own grumbling before taking them to be mailed, herself. You just can't find good help these days!
