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Thousands of stars opened up above me, twinkling in the dark like fireflies. My eyes drank them in as I lay on my back, soft smile playing across my muzzle and large ears twitching ever so slightly above me. Many a day would go by where everything would seem so fresh and new, and it always excited me for some reason.

"Hey Mom. What's up there? In the sky, I mean? Has anyone ever went up that high?" I asked, head lolling to the left to glance her way. The soft fire between us illuminated the immediate area, and I saw my mother sitting on a log there, holding my little baby sister up to her chest, tunic top undone so she could feed her. All I could see of my sister was her tuft of dark brown hair, like my own, and her smaller ears.

She smiled, softer than my own and gold eyes warm with the firelight as she glanced back to me. Her own large ears stood easily as tall as her own head, but softly lowered as she relaxed and gave my sister a squeeze. "The stars of course. The moons as well. Nobody's managed to ever get that high up, no, but we can see that far using special crystal devices and magic," she explained. My mom was possibly the smartest person ever of course, and I gave two sharp nods, my tail starting to stir the grass under my legs where I lay, hinting at my inner excitement.

"I think I wanna try to be the first! Seeing what one of the moons look like close up must be amazing! Or a star! Do you think they're something you can touch with your paws?" I asked, rhetorically this time of course. Even with my mother being so smart, nobody having been up there meant she couldn't possibly answer that one, right?

My mother gave a soft giggle in response, touching the paw not holding my sister to her muzzle for a moment as if to hold it in. "I have no doubt you'll do it if you really want to. As for the stars..." she murmured, looking up herself, her ears lifting up again to match my own. Her eyes searched between the points of light for a long moment before she murmured, "Our ancestors, and our elders, say that the stars are actually openings into the Great Beyond. That they let the brilliant light through in order to give us a glimpse of the splendor and let hope shine on Aion."

I looked back up at the sky myself, eyes widening a little as I tried to picture what a hole in the world looked like. "Is... that like what the sun is? Why is it so much brighter? And what's the Great Beyond like?" I asked, struggling to find just one thing I wanted to know about.

"The sun is the Light of the Gods shining through to watch over us all. The reflection of the sun, the moons, is them watching us at night as well. And the Great Beyond is what's outside of our Realm. It's where the Gods reside, and where every spirit goes when they shed their physical bodies and pass beyond the stars. We know that there's unending fertile plains, and a great city that expands beyond the horizon, with elevated slopes that houses the citadel of the Gods..." she explained, voice sounding a bit wistful after before finally lowering her head back to me, and then my sister in her arms.

I didn't exactly know what a fertile plain was, but that sounded amazing! My tail moved even faster before I rolled over and watched my mother and sister for a moment. "That means that's where Dad is? He was called there by the Gods to help protect the city, right?" I asked, remembering well that part. I swallowed a little, trying not to act like I missed him too much, because I knew being a guard was the most important job ever and very honorable.

For a while, my mother didn't answer, intent on just gently stroking my sister's cheek as she drank her supper. I noticed her paw tremble, just a little, and wondered if she missed Dad too. He hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye after everything that happened less than half a year ago. The wild kargor packs had migrated too close to our tribe, and I knew the guards had to protect us while we relocated again, but...

"Yes. The gods pick champions of great honor from everyone on Aion. That's why being honorable and kind is so important, Exes. Your father was one of the best, and he did so well in protecting us that day that the Gods decided that he was needed in the Great City instead, to protect people there," she explained once more.

I smiled softly at that, tail starting to wag once again. I hadn't realized it had stopped. "Which is even more honorable, right? That means Dad is super honored now!" I chirped, feeling a bit excited again. Even if I couldn't be a soldier, I knew there was lots of ways to become honored, and I was going to be super smart and respected! Like the wise elders of the tribe! Then maybe I'd be picked by the Gods too and get to go visit Dad again.

My mother gave a soft giggle at that, seemingly brought out of her thoughts as she smiled at me once more. "Yes, it's even more honorable. Which is why you have to study hard yourself..." she reminded, raising her eyebrow just a little to me as she shifted from smile to smirk. Ugh.

I huffed, looking back upwards again at the suddenly much more interesting night sky. For a moment, I just listened to the chirping of the insects, and the leaves around me dancing on the wind. She gave a little cough though, and I sighed. "Fiiiiine. I'll go back to reading the alchemy book," I finally muttered, defeated by her as always.

She gave another little giggle, sliding her tunic back up and hooking it over her shoulder before assuring, "Good boy. I need you to be strong now, like your father." That managed to get a little smile on my muzzle, and I slid closer to the fire finally, picking up the old and faded alchemy manual I'd left next to my own log. At least the pictures were neat to look at...

---

"Thish ish sthupid..." I muttered again, feeling like my mouth was filled with putty. It was filled with tongue instead of course, but the effects were similar.

My mother gave a little sigh across from me, and Exia, my little sister, burst into giggles to my left, momentarily setting her spoon down to stick her tongue out at me. This had been her little game for a week now, ever since I'd taken the potion. As annoying as I found the situation, I loved the heck out of her and played along each time, sticking my own tongue out to an impressive half a meter now and wiggling it at her. This of course earned even more giggles.

"I know, dear. But you'll get used to it. A lot of the males your age are going through with it, you know," she reminds, not looking up from her breakfast herself. I poked at the eggs in my bowl for a moment before sighing again and trying not to huff.

"Only tha ohnes not ing ghard thraining..." I grumbled, rolling my eyes for a moment before taking another bite. I'd mostly gotten down how to eat with my new tongue, but speaking was still quite a bit challenging. Here I'd been worried about a female choosing me because of my limp, but now I can't even talk without spitting on everything in front of me.

"Well keep up your studies and you won't have to worry about that anymore either. You know if you pass your tests and take over position as the tribe alchemist and doctor, you can even revert your tongue..." she reminded, not sounding any more pleased with it than I was. It was just a thing that happened in our tribe, and probably every Inaga tribe out there. I knew you had to be useful and do _something_in order for the tribe to support you.

I gave up complaining. I knew my mother didn't approve of things, but also was just as powerless as I was to change anything. Father had been one of the more honorable members of the tribe. So much so that he was able to choose her instead of the other way around. My mother had never been an alpha female, and hadn't held much importance in the tribe prior to becoming my father's mate. Now that he was gone, we were kind of a loose string, and everything was riding on me learning alchemy.

My sister continued to happily eat her breakfast after the long-tongued entertainment was done, and I just watched her for a moment. No, I had to be strong for her too. This was just something that had to be done, and both of them were depending on me to succeed at this. Complaining wasn't going to be looked favorably on. It didn't take me long to finish my eggs and pick the bowl back up, padding around the fire and log position to carefully set it in the washing bin with the rest.

"You're righh. Besth geht going then..." I muttered, resolved now as she finally looked up at me and gave a soft smile. I paused for a moment, then leaned down and gave her cheek a nuzzle. She gave me a soft peck to my own cheek on the other side, then nodded to me as I stood back up again. I should be nervous, honestly, but I wasn't. Not really, anymore. There was nobody else in the running for the position, so I was only competing to make sure I had the base level of competency. Alchemy and medical magic were always something the tribe relied upon, but nobody wanted to actually learn how to do, ironically. Hence the position was so honorable, when someone bothered to actually do it, I guessed.

That smirk again. "Don't set your tail on fire again..." my mother murmured, earning more giggles from my little sister and an eye roll from me.

"Ah wath sikth!" I managed to hiss, making her laugh and hold her paw up to shield herself from the spittle spray as I huffed and stomped out the door of the tent. Read every book on alchemy in the tribe by age nine. Learn basic transmutation by ten. Make it through my first healing attempt by eleven. Bloody get recommended for direct tutoring for alchemy and healing magic by age fourteen! What does everyone remember? Me setting my stupid tail on fire during my first attempt at cooking...

Heading outside, I stretched, momentarily shielding my eyes to adjust from the inner-tent darkness to outside bright morning on the Toragon Plains. The sun beat down ruthlessly across the wide-open sky above, and it was already quite warm despite it just rising above the horizon. There wasn't a cloud in the sky to protect us of course, so it wasn't all that surprising. I huffed, then turned to move towards the training yards.

Camp was just that. Wherever we were settled at the moment. Sometimes we'd stay for a couple of weeks. Sometimes a couple of moons. But we were always ready to move on relatively quickly if need be. Large tents were spread across the grassy dirt patches, while the sandy spots were reserved for fires or exercise areas. Every tent had a large wagon next to it, which would carry everything inside along with the fabric when we were ready to move. Of course, we had a whole pack of tame ella ready to pull everything, us included.

By the time I was halfway to the training yards, I'd cooled off a bit and resumed my normal gimped gait. Also ironic that the first son of one of the tribe's guards was born with a crooked lower spine and bent right leg. Following in his paw steps had been out of the question from day one. I wondered if he ever resented that.

I wasn't given terribly long to think about it, unfortunately. It was a good thing I didn't have a strict time limit, as one of the guards called out, "Hey, long-tongue!" as I passed. Of course. Turning, I immediately noted that he was a senior guard and one of the instructors. I figured none of the recruits would have the balls to call on me, but it never hurt to check first. I was in the odd position of being 'honorable' thanks to being a medical mage, yet also being 'dishonorable' thanks to being young, disabled, and unable to work a variety of other positions. My status as a 'long-tongue' weighed over me now, as a preview of what would happen to me should I fail today's tests. At the moment, only higher ranked members of the tribe could take advantage of my 'services'.

Biting back my sigh, I altered my path and rotated towards him, padding over before asking, "Yeth, thir?" Might as well get this over with. We both knew what he wanted already.

"This armor's stiff in all the wrong places. You know that fancy medical magic, right? Heh, and I know you're experienced with back issues..." he retorted. He was goading me now, and I bit back any reaction at all, keeping a completely blank expression. It wasn't worth backtalking and getting hit over. If I could manage to become the new alchemist, none of them would dare speak up against me ever again.

Dutifully, I moved around behind him and kneeled down, paws lifting up to move to his back, and the gap in his armor around his waist. To his credit, he wasn't actually lying. A little pulse of magic shot into his back, and my illusionary plane extending from that paw danced with information actually displaying several muscle knots. Well they were actually training the recruits today so it made sense it would be a sharp spike in working out, especially in full armor.

My paws began to move, earning a groan from him as I pressed and kneading into his back, my own dark blue magical light dancing out from each movement. It dug far deeper than my paws ever could, smoothing muscles and easing tendons wherever it touched. Work outwards from the spine in slow but firm presses, careful of sore spots. Focus the magic deep and spreading outwards, running along the grain of the muscles. I'd done it hundreds of times before by now, and I zoned out while working, wondering about how the tests were going to go after this.

"Mmm, fuck! They're right, you are good at this. I feel like I could go another five rounds now! Hah! Mmm, though that's not the only tense spot, while you're down there," he grunted, giving a grin back at me before rotating a bit to face me once more. Ah, there it was. The recruit who he'd been talking to before grinned as well, watching the spectacle rather eagerly, even as the reinforced leather of his own pants stiffened sympathetically.

Yet again, I bit back a sigh, pulling back my head enough so my muzzle cleared his hips, but not enough to avoid being smacked with his pulsing maleness that he already had out, of course. Some days I felt like a golem, just moving on a basic set of instructions. Take his length into my mouth, make sure to curl my extra-long, enhanced tongue around him, start stroking as I applied a light suction to his tip, mindful to tease the knot with the very end of my tongue...

"Fuuuuuck..." he groaned out, right as expected. I let my eyes glaze over as I bobbed my head, ignoring the faint, weak pulse my own stashed away rod gave in its sheath. Not even a full reaction anymore, I noted, as my mind moved forwards to the test instead, letting my body go on automatic response. Occasionally switch to moving my mouth in nuzzles and licks along the sides, curling the tongue around it in a spiral. Make sure to pay attention to the balls underneath after before resuming full muzzle insertion.

The tests were going to take the rest of the day more than likely. Elder Chronak himself, our current tribal alchemist and medical mage, was the one giving them to me. If he thought I was worthy of training for his position, he'd become my tutor and I'd start learning advanced techniques, finally elevating my skills above just a 'nurse' level. I'd be tested on-

"AH!" I heard above me, and braced. I felt the pulses and held still, just nursing slowly as the other male filled my mouth with thick seed. My throat started swallowing automatically, the sticky and hot fluid mixing with my breakfast as I waited. The length was buried in my muzzle and my tongue wrapped tight around his knot to simulate a tying, as intended. He gave a couple more thrusts, then sighed and started to pull back out of my mouth, which was my sign to release his knot. Instincts had him deflating fast after his knot was freed, and I let him slide out of my muzzle, backing up enough to do a visible swallow to show him it was all inside and not spilled. It was just easier this way anyway, so I wouldn't have a mess on my fur or clothes to worry about.

Standing, I asked politely, "Anythinhg elth?" I was rather pleased I wasn't even slightly stiff, my own subtle way to show them both how little I cared for any of this.

"Heh, can I get one too?" the recruit asked rather crudely, gesturing to his own crotch. I ignored him.

The instructor smirked to me instead, then shook his head and ruffled my hair a moment later. "Nah, ya did good, kid. Now go get tested. I just had to try you out before I might not get the chance anymore!" he chirped. Oh, was that all?

Not saying anything, I just nodded to him and mechanically turned away, heading back the way I was going before. Right, I'd be tested on aptitude both alchemically and magically, for transformation and healing techniques. I didn't exactly know the nature of the tests themselves of course, which was the only part to be nervous about really. But I had confidence in my knowledge of both sides of the job, anyway, and a good four years of experience already...

My ears perked up curiously as I neared the far-right side of the training fields, where the medical tents were set up. There was a surprising amount of Inaga there, which was odd for just the alchemy testing. Normally nobody really paid that much attention to this part of the yearly training. Not that there usually was an alchemical student potentially getting tested. Last time I remembered was when I was what, ten? Five years ago, now, which was hard to believe. Thankfully I doubted that I'd fail as spectacularly as she did, however.

Limping around the side of the crowd, I was surprised to find not just normal attendees, but Inaga honor guard here as well. But that could only mean... I froze in place as I saw Queen Calien herself speaking with Elder Chronak in front of the main medical tent. Okay, now I was officially nervous. I contemplated slipping back around the side of the crowd and getting 'lost' for a few hours, weighing the downside of servicing other guards instead of risking being near multi-tribal royalty, but of course, it was too late...

Elder Chronak spotted me round the side of the crowd, eyes sharply locking onto my movement in a heartbeat. Rumor has it he augmented himself regularly, so I really wasn't surprised. He turned to the side and gestured to me, causing the Queen herself to look my way and suddenly smile, eyes focusing me down for a long moment that all but froze the blood in my veins. Fuck!

I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried my hardest to straighten my gait as best I could. Both the Queen and the Elder rotated to face me as I walked forward across the sand, all eyes of the crowd felt on my back. I tried not to shake as I moved, all sorts of horrible thoughts drifting through my mind. Would I survive this encounter? Would I get to keep all my body parts? I hoped she was in a good mood at the very least...

Once I got close, I could take in more about her of course. She was larger than me, but she was female so that was to be expected. They were both larger and had more muscles than most males. Only male guards got to be augmented in that regard. She was actually wearing a traveling dress however, elegant silks draped over her shoulders and curving into a dangerously low cleavage, before filling out in two straps crossing over her stomach, and into a wrapped silk belt and skirt. Jewels adorned along every curve, drawing the eye to her more feminine shapes while flaunting power from their glow, each of them an alchemic stone. Long, banded straps lined her calves, decorating her otherwise surprisingly rugged looking travel sandals with streaks of silver metals and baubles. Even her dark blonde hair was braided and pinned up with silver hair pins capped with amethyst heads. Her grin was almost predatory up close, two amethyst eyes burning into me, and I did my best not to tremble as I came to a stop in front of them.

"Ah, there you are, lad! We've got quite the honor this year, it seems, and there's going to be a slight change in plans!" The Elder spoke up, acting as if he'd already officially acknowledged me practically. Something was off and I reined in the screaming urge to ask him what he meant.

Instead, I went with the much safer, "Chanch in planths...?" An ever so slight upwards tug of the corner of his muzzle showed his pleasure, and I knew that he knew that I was going along with whatever he was saying. Surprisingly, Queen Calien stayed silent, instead looking back to the Elder as he explained things.

"Yes indeed. I happened to write her a few weeks back informing her of what a very promising young apprentice I'd acquired; possibly one to finally take not only my position in the tribe, but of the Grandmaster Alchemist! I of course had heard about the Queen's own youngest daughter taking an interest in the craft as well, and had to assure her that the legacy was being carried on here as well. I wasn't expecting her to arrive personally, however!" he explained, his tone clearly taking a familial and practically whimsical manner, even as he scratched his graying chin fur with a casual gesture. He'd never actually taught me yet, and we'd not spoken very much in the past, certainly never at length. This was a political play on his part, it seemed. And I was a pawn in it.

The Elder gave a pregnant pause, calculatingly appraising me with his dull gray eyes. It was hard to read any other body language at all under the equally dull hood and robed attire he wore, and I did my best to stay as stone-faced as I could, keeping the shivering to a minimal. The Queen herself spoke up this time however, causing me to almost jump out of my skin as her smooth, strong tone cut through the air with ease. "Mmm, while the letter was that of good will of course, I can't help but realize how... practical this situation is for myself and the future of our species. Master Chronak is currently our Grandmaster, as I'm sure you're aware, and has refused several summons to join us in the capital city, instead remaining humbly nomadic with this tribe. Him truly acknowledging someone to train is a... very big deal for our entire species," she carefully put forth, each word hanging on what felt like sheer calculation on her part. As the Queen of all the Inaga, I'd expect her to have more of a flair for speaking, but instead it seemed like she was conserving the energy behind her every word.

There was nothing there at all for me to answer, even if I dared to at all, and I just kept my head down, eyes watching the two of them quietly. The Queen seemed pleased of my behavior, smile widening as her eyes combed me over. Distinctly, I knew what a slab of meat at the market felt like now. After another long, agonizing moment of appraisal, she gestured to the right with her arm, looking that way at the same time. The motion naturally drew my eyes, and I froze as I saw two more honor guards approaching, with a young Inaga girl between them.

Her eyes hit me first, a slightly brighter color of the Queen's amethyst. She was a little smaller, and slenderer at the same time, with her brown and cream tones a little softer, into an almost white over the tuft of her chest I could see over her tunic. Unlike the Queen, she was in a more simplistic outfit of plain leathers, with simple rugged travel sandals in place, and her blonde hair was done into two long, puffy braids that framed to both sides of her shoulders, hanging almost to her chest. Was this...? There was something about the remarkably innocent little smile she gave me that had me choking on my own elongated tongue.

"This is Princess Nara. She's taking a budding interest in Alchemy and Medicinal Magic herself, though she's barely even begun her own studies..." the Queen introduced. She was... old. Well, younger than me, but far older than one would expect for just beginning her own studies. The radical sense of weirdness struck me, but only served to make me realize how wildly different things probably were in the capital city, Laridia, our only permanent settlement. Or maybe she was just afforded the luxury of waiting so long because she was the princess? I realized I was staring at her for far too long after and quickly averted my gaze, trying to push the heat out of my cheeks. Stone faced! Stone! Faced!

Rather than offended, Queen Calien seemed more... pleased than anything, and grinned again before explaining, "I know I'm asking a lot, especially of a tribe known to be not faring as well. But I'm willing to channel quite a bit of funding to the tribe, and your Elder Council has already agreed to it." This was directed at the Elder instead, whom she turned back towards after and resumed a more neutral expression, clearing reverting to whatever conversation they'd been having prior. I was left trying to pay attention and eke out what could possibly be my part in all this, all while the Princess instead decided to look me over, with a strange sort of innocent curiosity to her expression. I avoided eye contact and found my lower paws much more interesting suddenly.

"Oh, I'm sure they're all for the funding, yes. But you know I'm concerned about her safety and wellbeing. While we've certainly stepped up the security of our tribe, this is hardly the capital..." the Elder gestured, playing with the edge of his cowl in an acceptable gesture of political nervousness that made me risk gagging. 'Her' safety?

The Queen nodded at that; expression unwavering of course. "Two of my most elite Honor Guard will be staying here with her, but I have the utmost faith in your tribe's security after that... regrettable incident a decade ago. Plus, the timing is impeccable as you take your own student finally, no? Your time is very valuable, after all," she smoothly assured. The urge to remind them that I hadn't actually passed my tests yet was there, but I practiced my golem routine, suddenly suspecting this was all just political posturing anyway. What the Queen wanted would happen no matter what, tests be damned. Why did his own student matter, as well?!

The Elder's grin widened then at that, and he seemed more amused than anything, which only served to unnerve me further. "Ah, so that's what you're suggesting? You wish her taught by Exes while I teach him the more advanced techniques, so she can be brought up to speed herself, taking advantage of my knowledge. But this would be awfully restrictive to his own studies, you realize. You said yourself that this is important for our entire species that we pass on this training properly..." he pointed out. What? Oh gods beyond, please leave me out of any of this! Was that what the Princess was here for?! It suddenly started to sound healthier for me to just forfeit my position and step down here and now, except I'd probably be arrested for disappointing her now.

Expression utterly unwavering, the Queen just nodded pleasantly at his acknowledgment. I could feel my heart beating faster now, and a clammy, cold sweat starting to form under my fur. That statement, uttered by anyone else suggesting that her daughter, the Princess, was inconveniencing me, an apprentice, would have gotten them, and probably me too, exiled. But she was fine with it! Why?!

"You're right, of course. I don't expect the tribe to afford her any luxuries just because of her station. This is as much training for her as the actual teaching is, after all. In fact, for her duration here, she's not a Princess. I'm placing her directly under the care of Exes for her studies. And of course, you have my deepest gratitude, both of you, for this opportunity," she chimed.

The world stopped moving. I stiffened so hard that it felt like my eyes hurt, pupils probably pinpricks at this point in their desire to close out everything. I didn't understand any of this, and didn't know what game was being played in the slightest. This wasn't how today was supposed to go, and now I felt like running away and crying.

The Elder seemed pleased with this, giving a curt nod to Queen Calien before looking to me for a long moment. "Hmm, well I accept this, but let me go speak with my apprentice for a moment..." he suggests. The Queen smiles more earnestly and gives a nod to him, turning towards her daughter instead, and I almost sag where I stood. Instead, he directed me to the side, near the other corner of the tent before fully facing me again. The hardened edge to his features softened, and he visibly relaxed a bit, a warmer smile shifting to his expression afterwards.

I swallowed, head spinning now and trying not to throw up, but he just patted me on the shoulder gently. "Breathe, Exes. I know this is a bit... sudden of me. Relax..." he spoke, quietly and softly, his demeanor changing dramatically all of a sudden. He looked now more like how I was used to seeing him move around town, and the few times he'd given me examinations as a doctor. I exhaled softly, and he gave a nod before continuing, "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our tribe to finally raise itself up. I anticipated she might be looking for tutors, and timed the letter for this reason. Don't worry about your application tests today. I've watched your entire training, and fully endorse you as a successor. Plus, I know you have a knack for teaching yourself, with that little sister of yours..."

Fuck! I was only supposed to be the _tribe_alchemist and medical mage! Now he was suddenly proposing that I be trained as the next Grandmaster Alchemist?! And training the princess?! Finally managing to find my voice again, I muttered, "B-Buth sheth the Printheth..." My eyes shifted for a fraction of a second past the Elder and to the Princess herself, who was now smiling happily and talking with her mother like everything was normal and fine, and the world wasn't bloody ending.

The Elder gave a warm chuckle at that and noted, "So I've noticed. But you heard the Queen. She's not a Princess for the duration of her studies, and to be treated normally while here. So relax. Besides, this could be a life changing opportunity for you as well if you play your cards right, no?" I couldn't, no, I didn't want to even try to fathom what he was hinting at there, and just stared blankly at him until he gave another chuckle.

"I know this is a lot to take in, especially with me springing everything on you at once, so take the rest of today off. You're officially my apprentice now, and she yours. Just go home and rest and try to absorb all of this, alright? A lot is riding on this, but you know your stuff, and we're going to get through it, for the betterment of the entire tribe and even the Inaga in general. Be strong, like your father," he assured, giving a single powerful nod after. I relaxed slowly, then nodded back, taking a few more deep breaths as he pulled open his waist pouch.

In a practiced motion, he unhooked my 'medical adept' tunic clasp and replaced it with one I didn't recognize, the symbol a circle with a hexagram inside of it. Was this the symbol of the Grandmaster Alchemist? That was... without ceremony and surprisingly simple. He pulled out a short vial filled with blue fluid after in the same motion and passed it to me, giving a scowl at it. Huh?

"Also, drink that and get rid of that unsightly tongue. What an asinine practice that is..." he muttered, certainly not one to be afraid of voicing displeasure over something, I noticed. I wasn't about to disobey my first direct order, and slipped the cork out with a claw movement before downing the entire vial in one gulp, careful to try to avoid the tongue, and whatever ill taste it probably had.

It didn't take long for me to shiver and bite back a gagging sensation, as it felt like my _throat_was pulling back into myself. Be the golem! I gave no outward expression other than a light wince, even as it felt like I was momentarily choking on tongue, but a few seconds later, it snapped back into place and relaxed again, earning a light cough as I flexed it around in my muzzle. Yes! Well that was one good thing about today, anyway. If I were to be killed, I'd at least not do so spitting on everyone and drooling all over the place! "Better?" he asked a moment later.

"Better," I confirmed, a light rasp from my now slightly tender throat. I rubbed at it, but he nodded and grinned to me, then gestured back towards the Queen. It felt... a little longer than what it had been before, still, but at least I didn't have to coil it all over on top of itself inside my mouth just to contain it. The reversion potion hadn't been tailored specifically to me, obviously.

Obediently, I followed him back to where they were standing. I was careful to maintain a full pace behind him and to the left, knowing enough about posturing to be respectful there. "Ah, things smoothed over I take it?" the Queen immediately asked, turning to face us again.

The Elder gave a nod, and I a polite half bow at the waist. "T-Thank you for the trust, your Highness. I won't disappoint you," I assured, as graciously as I could manage to make it sound.

"Mmm, and so polite! You chose very well indeed, Master Chronak. Very well. I shall stay for the rest of the training festivities, then return to the capital. I leave Nara in your capable paws, Exes. Treat her like a normal Inaga please. I want her to experience, well, what it's like to live here," the Queen explained, looking around as she did. I almost noticed a slightly distasteful look for a fraction of a second, and wondered if the Queen meant to say "what it's like to be dirt poor and a peasant."

Princess Nara gave a polite full bow to me all of a sudden, including lightly lifting both edges of her tunic sides with index and thumb, in a classical curtsey with her knees bent for a moment. "Thank you as well, Exes. Please take good care of me!" she chirped after, giving me such a disarmingly normal smile that I felt the heat rise to my cheeks again and swallowed hard. This might be more difficult than I thought.

Queen Calien beamed at the exchange, then shifted the grin to me after, making me instantly nervous again. "Excellent. I'm sure he will. Oh, before I forget, her habitation arrangements are also with you. She must truly experience living here..." the Queen reminds, causing the Elder to raise an eyebrow at that. ...what?

---

"...and that's why we have guards posted outside our tent door," I finished explaining, shifting awkwardly while standing there in front of our makeshift eating area. It was really just the cooking fire and some logs to use as benches, with the two other tent segments split off for my mothers, and mine and my sister's 'rooms' so to say.

Nara, as she insisted on being called after we departed the training fields, nodded enthusiastically to my left, standing equally at attention next to me. My mother looked as completely dumbfounded as I felt inside, staring blankly between Nara and I like she couldn't even fathom what was going on, long, black hair somehow looking frazzled already with a few stray hairs bobbing away from the top of it.

My sister just stayed gawking though, and finally asked, "Is she really a princess?!" The sharp inflection towards the end made me wince, but Nara just perked her large ears up at that, then suddenly looked like she was swooning.

"Ah, is this your little sister?! She's adorable!" Nara squeaked, dipping in all of a sudden and crouching at eye level with her. I raised an eyebrow to the interaction, watching curiously as she explained, "And yes, I'm a Princess, but all my titles are dismissed for now while I study under your brother, okay? So you can just call me Nara!" So, she still considered herself a Princess then and this just a formality. The gears in my head whirled as I tried to grasp what the game was. Two honor guards that stayed explicitly outside_of the tent. Next to no security detail otherwise. Suspending her titles while she was here. Giving her to an apprentice _male of all people to train her. That was even worse than a normal apprentice! None of this made any sense.

Exia gave a gasp at that, large sapphire eyes getting even larger, then grinned and nodded rapidly. "Big brother is training you? He's the best of the best, so don't worry!" she assured, making me want to throw up. She was of a very precious age of just starting to have adult responsibilities but still using her adorableness to get what she wanted, I admitted.

"Isn't... teaching her more in line with Elder Chronak's duties...?" my mother cautiously asked, also watching the exchange. I would have thought so too.

Nara didn't miss a beat of course, grinning as she admitted, "I've heard how talented your big brother is, yes. And my mother wants me to have a more... humble tutoring. To 'break me out of my shell' more." It couldn't be just that, could it...?

My mother looked equally incredulous at everything, but rubbed at her temples slightly instead. "I... I see. And she wants you to live here, with us? She didn't even provide you with, well, your own tent and wagon? Just a single backpack of stuff?" she asked, gesturing to the pack on the Prince- er, Nara's back.

I chipped in at that point as well, adding, "And... for how long, exactly...? I started this training when I was ten, and it took me uh, four years to complete all the official study." I was also told that was fast. Extremely so, it seemed. Master Chronak had specifically mentioned 'genius', but that just made me hot in the face and wanting to flail at someone ineffectually.

Again, she didn't miss a beat, like she was anticipating all of these questions and rehearsed the answers. Actually, that's probably exactly what she did. "Yup! Actually, explicitly living with Exes in particular. I've... not exactly had much exposure or interaction with males um, well, ever... Mother kept us girls pretty secluded. But seeing as I'm not well, to be blunt, the firstborn, she wants me to have a bit more autonomy and experience. And yup! I'm prepared to stay with you the whole time, even if it takes a half-dozen years. I'll be getting my clothes and supplies from wherever it is your tribe gets them," she explained. She really had no idea what living here was like. Maybe... this really was legit? Crazy, but legit? ...nope, didn't believe it for a second.

I just exhaled, then looked back to my mother, who shrugged. "I wouldn't even dream of turning down a direct request from the Queen, regardless. So uh, welcome to the family?" she finally offered. That was... very true. Even if I didn't understand the motives, it didn't really matter, did it? We didn't exactly have a choice.

Nara grinned, standing again and giving another polite bow, this time to my mother. "Thank you! I'll try to respect how everyone does things here!" she assured, standing upright again before smiling back at me. I felt that flush again, but resigned myself to my fate of just having to get adjusted to her at this point.

Mom sighed but nodded, then added, "Exia, you're going to move in with me then instead. Princess, err, Nara and Exes can get the other room..." Ugh. And suddenly decades of everything being normal was rapidly and completely upset.

Exia looked confused for a moment, then slowly nodded at that before asking, "I thought sharing a room was only for siblings or-" No, nope, definitely not! She was not finishing that!

"It's a special occasion, Exia! Just... a direct order from the Queen. It's okay!" I quickly assured, giving my little sister a bit of a start at the suddenness. The spike in nervousness and heat yet again in my cheeks probably didn't help sell that very good, but my little sister seemed to just go with it and gave me a smile and double nod.

Nara just snickered at the exchange before giving me a knowing glance which did nothing to help my nervousness. She then set about peeking into the other partition that led to my, well, our room now, I guess. This would probably be more foreign to her coming from the palace, I suddenly realized. She probably thinks this entire camp is a total dive compared to what she's used to.

"It's... cozy!" I heard her chirp a moment later. I gave a skeptical eyebrow raise, but switched back to a tempered, neutral expression after before following her. It was surreal to slip past the flap and see her, a female and the Princess, sitting on my hammock. "It'll be like camping! I'm actually kinda excited!" she exclaimed, naivety starting to shine through again. I couldn't control my disbelieving stare this time, but she just grinned at me. Gods beyond the stars, temper my willpower. This was going to be way worse than taking my exams...