Verdant Skies

Like a beehive had been knocked over, the twin camps had become hives of activity as soldiers and magicians hurriedly made preparations for the impending conflict. Tensions rose ever higher with each new day, an increasing number of Goulon scouts appeared placing more pressure on those planning. With the increased pressure, Iris burrowed herself in attempts to tame her wild magic on top of running drills with the soldiers underneath both Kouen and Ashe's commands. Her friends leapt into their preparations for the coming conflict, they all found work underneath either the Kou Princes or Ashe's people though each one made it a point to check in on her at some point during the day.

With each passing day, Iris's control began to return though she didn't celebrate that fact. She continued to focus on the rigorous training sessions that continued to hone her skills to an even higher degree than before. When not training alongside the soldiers, she worked alongside Kouen, Koumei, and Ashe to plan out various strategies they would be using during the coming days. Ron often joined them after his training and revealed that he carried a mind that could rival Koumei's own at times. Often their planning session carried on late into the night, she found herself falling asleep leaning against Ashe's shoulder or Ron's long after the moon had risen while stubbornly refusing to leave until someone else did.

As it got closer to the day Iris had predicted Lord Habi would be healed enough to function, the scouts started to get aggressive and actively tested the defenses of both camps. Tensions rose higher with each new attack, it was clear fear and doubt had begun gnawing at the hearts of the soldiers and magicians even if they tried not to show it.

Iris's fingers twitched as she heard yet another fight break out between soldiers. The sounds of raised voices and clashing weapons penetrated the fabric of her tent easily. The delicate marble she had been levitating between her fingers fell to the table with a soft thud as she abandoned her practice. With a low sigh leaving her lips, she left the tent intending to find the source and perhaps take a chance to actually put her newfound control to use. As she stepped into the fading sunlight and her eyes began to adjust, the chaotic scene unfolded before her. Soldiers engaged in a heated argument, their faces contorted with anger and frustration.

Taking a deep breath as she raised a hand, Iris tugged on her magic as she pulled on the mental image of what she wished to happen. With a faint crackle, a shimmering blue barrier flung itself between the arguing soldiers and separated them. Startled yelps echoed through the air as the men were tossed back, she winced as some of them hit the ground harshly though put on a stern expression as the group that had surrounded the brawling soldiers began looking around. Calling out in a stern tone, she gave the group a look that Ginny often called her 'Dragon look', "Enough!"

"W-what?" Was muttered by the men who were slowly rising from the ground.

Striding forward as she lowered her arm and let the barrier fall, Iris kept her voice stern, "We are all on the same side here. Fighting amongst ourselves is counterproductive, and it weakens our defenses. We have a common enemy, and we must stand united."

There were a few murmurs of dismay though most lowered their eyes and looked away from her with shame clear on their faces, the men who'd been brawling put their weapons away with sullen looks on their faces. One of them muttered, "I...we just..."

"The situation is frustrating," Iris softened her tone and saw multiple faces perk up, "Trust me when I say that you're not the only ones feeling this way. The Princes, Lady Ashe, her men, my companions, and myself feel frustrated," She laid a hand over her heart and offered them all a warm smile, "But you have to understand that everyone is doing their best. No one is doing less work, you might believe they are," She saw a few of them giving one another a guilty look and let out a soft laugh, "Trust me, I sometimes feel the same way when it comes to my friends, but everyone has their jobs to do,"

There were a few soft murmurs before the crowd of soldiers began to disperse, Iris found them patting her on the shoulder. As the last soldier departed for their duties, a familiar voice rang out from behind her, "That was impressive, Iris," She turned to see Koumei walking up with his hands tucked into his sleeves, "It looks like you've managed to get your magic under control."

"To an extent, I still have much work to do, but...it's useable," Iris's cheeks flushed at the praise and a grateful smile curled across her lips, "But I am confident that I'll be able to use it in battle now,"

"That's good to know though you shouldn't stress yourself too much over it," Koumei reached her side looking as if he wasn't bothered in the least by the chaos that had just unfolded, "With your weaponry skills, you're quite deadly without it," He smiled lightly while letting his eyes run across the soldiers who had retreated, "I wasn't just speaking about your magic though," He looked at her as she eyed him inconfusion, "Much like En, you seem to have a way with people. I almost didn't believe your friends when they said you could inspire even the weakest-willed person to do something."

Cheeks surely resembling Koumei's hair at that moment, Iris let out a low huff, "I highly doubt I'm that inspiring, Koumei," She crossed her arms and looked away from him, "I just didn't see a point in allowing them to fight. We need to be united right now after all."

"True enough," Koumei let out a low chuckle and she glanced at him.

There was a warmth in Koumei's eyes, it was mixed with admiration, but-Iris mentally shook that thought from her head as she reminded herself that now wasn't the time to read into such things. They were liable to head into battle within the next few days. No matter what thoughts Luna and Ashe kept trying to put into her head, she couldn't let them stick no matter how much they made her chest flutter.

There was a growing chill in the air as he strode through the camp, the darkness felt suffocating even as it acted as a balm to the stress that had been growing within him as of late. Rest had evaded him, the thought of their coming march weighing on his mind as they had finalized the plans earlier that day. Anticipation warred with worry, the knowledge that both Kouha and Iris would be on the battlefield alongside him had sunken in. Despite knowing both were incredibly skilled with Iris having stepped onto a proper battlefield, he was unable to prevent the worry from clawing its way through his chest.

With each step he took through the camp, he heard the soft sounds of restless sleep. It seemed that rest had evaded not only him but many in the camp. The warriors and magicians under his command were preparing for the inevitable clash with the Goulon Empire, and the tension was palpable. Mind drifted to Kouha, the reckless little brat who often ran head-first into danger with little thought. Coming to the Goulon Empire and becoming entangled with Iris had begun to change that, the boy had started thinking through some of his antics. Not all of them, the boy wouldn't be his younger brother if he became cautious, but he'd become more mature.

Mind shifting towards Iris as he thought of her, the determined witch had started to gain concrete control over her magic. She hadn't celebrated that fact and worked to increase her control instead. Never slacking for even a day, she worked herself to the bone. When not working on her magic, she sparred with the soldiers or helped with the planning. Always on her feet or doing something, he hadn't seen her just stop for a single moment since that day in the forest. While inspiring to see, he felt worry and unease seep through him.

As he walked through the camp's center, a sense of unease rolled across him. Kouen couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss as his eyes scanned the darkened camp around him. The night was eerily silent, and the usual sounds of the camp at rest were absent. Chill running down his spine at that thought, he picked up the pace and darted towards the wall. As his foot left the center of camp, the tranquility was shattered as alarm bells began to ring out from the walls of their camp.

The camp erupted into chaos as the unmistakable sounds of a nighttime attack filled the air. Torches were lit in a hurried frenzy, and shouts of alarm rang out. Goulon soldiers, their armor glinting in the dim light, had infiltrated the camp under the cover of darkness. Instincts kicking in as he spotted the first enemy soldier, Kouen unsheathed his sword and dove into battle while rallying the panicking men around him. As the clash of metal on metal echoed through the camp, the desire to find Iris and his siblings kicked in. Capable as they all were, the chaos of a surprise attack could overwhelm even the most skilled.

Hours passed as they fought against the Goulon soldiers, Kouen felt a sense of relief when the remaining enemy soldiers finally retreated as dawn began to approach. Looking over the camp, he felt a small sense of pride at the fact they'd held up against such a surprising attack though worry clawed its way through him at the fact his siblings and Iris had been out of sight the entire time. Moving through the camp and pausing occasionally to give words of encouragement to various soldiers, he finally came upon his brothers speaking Ginny. The three wore tired expressions though Koumei offered him a small smile as he approached, "En-"

"Entei!" Kouha slammed into him earning a grunt, "You have to heal Iris,"

Coldness swept through him at those words, Kouen's breath stuttered in his chest as he looked over at Koumei. Koumei cleared his throat as he explained, "From what we managed to get out of Kouha, she got in the way of an attack meant for him. All he heard was her shouting about something behind him before being shoved to the side," A pained look entered his brother's eyes, "According to Neville who's working on her right now, she took a sword to her arm and the wound is rather deep. She apparently played it off as something minor to Kouha, but-"

"She collapsed," Kouha whined in panic, "Please-"

"Where is she?" Kouen demanded looking between Koumei and Ginny.

"In there, but-" Ginny gestured to the tent that Iris shared with her female companions.

Ignoring whatever else she had to say, Kouen strode towards the tent and walked inside. Inside the tent, the air was filled with the scent of ash and iron as tension filled the atmosphere. Laying on one of the cots was Iris, she was deathly pale with several wounds besides the one Koumei had spoken decorating her skin. Blood oozed out on the cot beneath her, she wore not a stitch of clothing on her torso as Neville stood over her. Humming as he waved a thin stick about over Iris, the sandy-haired man paused for a moment as Kouen's steps faltered, "You didn't listen to Ginny...But I am somehow unsurprised, Prince Kouen."

While part of him felt something at seeing Iris half-naked, Kouen was more worried about the injuries decorating her body "Where did all those injuries come from?"

"I could be sarcastic, but that would be quite pointless," Neville lowered his hands and turned to grab one of the glass vials beside him, "My sister much like your youngest brother still holds true to her younger self though it is measured now," He uncapped the vial and began coaxing Iris into drinking it, "When it comes to those she cares for, it becomes more prevalent. And without her magic to act as a proper shield, she uses her body," He set the empty potions vial down, "Some are from becoming distracted when one of us becomes endangered during the fight, and others...others she gained while ensuring those she loved wouldn't be harmed,"

Part of Kouen was touched that Kouha was among that number, he pushed that aside while moving closer and setting a hand on the pommel of his sword, "The work you've done so far...can it tolerate the magic of this world?"

Head turning to finally look at him, Neville's brown eyes narrowed in thought before he nodded, "Yes though I'd need to monitor such a thing...why?"

"I'm sure you heard of what I can do," Kouen tapped the pommel of his sword, "Allow me to heal Iris,"

Eyes locked on him, Neville stared at him for a long moment before finally nodding, "Very well though I will be watching. If I say stop, you must."

Despite the irritation biting at him, Kouen inclined his head and unsheathed his sword. Calling upon Phenex, he felt his female Djinn respond within seconds. There was a concerned coo from her, the female Djinn murmured with worry over the various injuries she found and began to heal. Exhaustion began to tug at him as Phenex finally proclaimed that she'd managed to heal Iris, he sheathed his sword as Neville began examining the now unblemished skin. Pressing a hand to his head, he muttered, "Did she pass out or did you do something to make her go unconscious?"

"She was on the verge of it, but was trying to for herself to stay awake," Neville pulled his wand away and covered Iris with a thick fur before picking the witch up, "Once she was stable enough, I gave her a mild sedative. She should wake up within a matter of hours,"

"Good," Kouen dropped his hand as Neville set Iris down on another cot, "I...I'll check on her later if she doesn't come to see me,"

"Of course," Neville nodded to him and Kouen turned to leave, "Though Prince Kouen, a word of advice," He paused and glanced back at the other man, "I have seen how both Prince Koumei and yourself look at my sister. If you plan to pursue her, I won't protest as she is her own person. My only request is to be...careful. My sister has never loved anyone nor has she been loved by another before. Even familial love was strange to her before our friends and myself came along," The man's brown eyes bore into Kouen's dark red, "Do not harm her,"

There was an unspoken threat there, it was almost amusing. Kouen felt the urge to smile though kept his lips in the thin line they had been since he'd entered the tent. Inclining his head, he turned from Neville while replying, "I have no intention of harming Iris. On that, you have my word."

Fingers curled around the reins of her horse, Iris rode between Ashe and Kouen with the combined armies marching behind them. Despite the late-night attack, they had only been delayed for a day and had begun their march. They planned to take over two cities and the handful of villages that surrounded Astoria before finally going after the capital. There was a tension in the air, a lingering thing from the attack that had occurred though no one addressed it. Every so often Kouen cast a concerned glance at her, he never voiced what was on his mind though which sent a small bolt of irritation through her.

Mixed emotions had been bubbling through her since she'd woken up, a strange mix of gratitude from Kouen healing her once more, loathing that she'd even needed help, and a strange longing that she couldn't quite place. Longing that was often mixed with warmth, Iris found that it was a feeling that had been appearing with Koumei as well. Stealing glances at Kouen and Koumei, she found herself thinking back to the conversations she'd had with Luna and Ashe. The possibility that there might be something brewing within her. Swallowing at the thought, she shook her head and looked forward.

"Iris," Ashe called to Iris and she turned her head, "We should be closing in on the city soon. Remember the plan?"

"Mhmm," Iris hummed as her lips pulled into a slight smile, "Let someone grab my horse once we get close enough and head into the trees with Ginny. I'll transform into my dragon form and wait until you have Luna send us the signal to show ourselves,"

"Right on point," Ashe grinned at Iris.

"You will also be landing beside us and waiting until we give the signal before doing anything," Kouen reminded Iris earning a nod, "Is Ginny prepared?"

"Yup, we went over the plan this morning," Iris was eager to stretch out her wings, "Is Kouha still pouting about you not allowing him to ride on my back?"

Snorting softly as a smirk curled across his lips, Kouen raised an eyebrow at her, "It's Kouha."

"So definitely pouting," Iris giggled alongside Ashe, "I'll make it up to him later,"

Soon enough they were riding into sight of the city and Iris was handing over the reins of her horse to Xioabel, she darted for the trees with Ginny on her tail. The ginger-haired witch cackled as they reached the trees and began searching for a clearing large enough for Iris's dragon form, "This is going to be epic, we haven't had a chance like this in...fuck, months?"

"Six months, two weeks, and...five days?" Iris snorted at Ginny's raised eyebrow, "I do keep track besides it's hard not to remember the last time, Gin. We burned down a literal castle,"

"True," Ginny shook her head as they finally came across a clearing big enough, "Well...looks like it's your time to shine. I'm going to get comfortable while we wait,"

Waving Ginny off, Iris moved to the clearing's center and settled down to meditate. Her eyes closed as she took a deep breath, it took a few moments to focus on the connection with her dragon form. Powerful instincts surged forward in waves, the world around her blurred as she focused on not allowing herself to be overwhelmed by those instincts. The dragon within her roared to be let free once more. Crying to be allowed the chance to touch the sky above them, the desire to rend their claws through Lord Habi and burn him to ash thrummed within her chest. Minutes passed as she calmed the dragon within, the instincts slowly returned to where they normally resided within her and she finally allowed herself to transform.

Veins burning pleasantly as her magic surged wildly with the transformation, Iris's eyes snapped open as she transformed for the first time since the festival. The difference between back then and now was palpable, the magic filling her veins raced free as she shifted without trouble. In a matter of moments, she was transformed into her dragon form. There was a shout from Ginny as she craned her head back, the thrumming in her chest and sheer joy that radiated from every inch of her body made it hard not to roar.

Forcing herself to hold back, Iris swung her head about and peered at Ginny. Perched in a nearby tree, the ginger-haired witch looked awed as she gazed at her. Shaking her head, Ginny let out a laugh, "You're bigger now, Iris! And your scales look a lot brighter."

Head tilting at that, Iris looked down at herself and a purr left her throat as she eyed scales decorating her forelegs. Verdant green with swirls of darker emerald darting through, the sun made her scales gleam. Lips peeling back into a reptilian smile, she nodded to Ginny. A silvery-blue glow caught her attention and she turned her head to see Luna's patronus rush into the clearing. The hare darted to Ginny, "We're ready for you."

Offering Iris a smile as the hare disappeared, Ginny hopped down from her perch, "Ready to go?"

Nodding as she bent down to allow Ginny to climb onto her back, Iris waited until the ginger-haired witch signaled that she was ready before getting up. With a few careful steps, she took off towards where the armies were waiting. As her eyes locked on the armies, she took a deep breath before finally releasing the roar that had been waiting in her throat since she'd first transformed.

As Iris winged her way down and landed gracefully beside the armies, she spotted Ashe grinning brightly while Kouen smirked as a man covered in expensive armor nearly fell from his horse as it reared up. Settling down carefully, she released a puff of smoke as Ginny called out, "Sorry we're late! Zephi just needed to grab a snack."

Mentally rolling her eyes at the nickname Ginny was using, Iris focused as the unknown man finally managed to calm his horse. He barked out at Ginny, "You-You're one of the traitors! Get down from our guardian and allow the damn thing to do its jo-"

Letting out a deep growl, Iris felt more than a little pleased when the man went pale as his horse reared up again. Ashe clucked her tongue as she had Artemis walk forward, "Like many within this empire, Zephyrus was a slave because of my father. But times have changed and she is free just as many of those who were once slaves," The former princes held out a hand to the man who managed to calm his horse, "We are offering you the chance to join us. There will be no bloodshed."

"You're a fool!" The man hissed at Ashe, "Lord Habi will have your heads. That beast's skull will lay in his-"

Letting out a deep growl as anger surged from her dragon side, Iris bared her teeth as smoke poured from between her fangs. The man turned white as a ghost at the sight. Releasing a sigh, Ashe shook her head, "We will give you a few hours to think it over. If you decline then our forces will invade the city and take it by force."

Turning his horse around, the man began to race away while calling over his shoulder, "You will fail! If not here then somewhere further within the empire, you will lie broken beneath Lord Habi's feet."

Claws digging into the ground, Iris snarled though stayed where she sat. Ginny rubbed between her horns soothingly as Ashe approached on Artemis' back. The former princess asked, "Are you sure about staying in your dragon form for so long, Iris?"

Nodding softly, Iris shifted to lay in a more comfortable position. Ginny let out a soft laugh while jumping down from Iris's back, "She'll be just fine. If anything, she's happy to sleep in her dragon form since the sun's out right now."

There was a snicker as Kouha broke ranks, the stallion he was riding shifted nervously as it got closer though it didn't bolt. Iris closed her eyes as Kouha commented, "So she's like a cat? An over-sized one for sure, but a cat?"

"Pretty much," Ginny patted Iris's nose just below one of the horns settled there, "Guess we're in for a wait, huh?"

"Yup...I'm hungry, so let's eat some food," Kouha shouted earning a round of chuckles, "Though," Iris cracked open an eye and saw that he was giving her a look of concern, "Ah...Iris shouldn't miss out on eating,"

"She'll be just fine," Ginny assured Kouha as she moved away from Iris, "She made sure to eat a lot this morning before we left. If this drags on too late, she can easily switch back long enough to eat something though I doubt they'll make the wrong choice,"

"I wouldn't bank on that," Koumei shook his head at Ginny as he hopped down from his horse, "But to coin the phrase that Iris has used more, the ball is in their court,"

Letting out a huff of amusement, Iris shifted to get comfortable though kept an eye on the city.

Eyes locked on the city walls, Kouen's lips twitched as he watched through a spyglass as archers readied their bows and soldiers raced about to take a defensive position. At the city gate, a slew of men began to gather bearing heavy armor and weaponry. Lowering his spyglass, he turned his head and caught sight of Iris shifting to her feet. The rows of sharp spines on her back bristled and shivered with the movement. Fiery orbs of molten lava peered at the city as smoke coiled from a fang-filled maw, Iris's claws dug into the soft earth beneath her as she released a low rumble. Ginny glanced at her friend in concern, "Ris, what's-"

"It would seem," Kouen tossed the spyglass he'd been using to Seishuu, "That the city has decided that your proposal wasn't worth it, Lady Ashe,"

"So it seems," Ashe snorted softly as she got back onto her horse, "Shall we rally everyone and take the city?"

"But of course," Kouen looked at Iris as the dragon-formed witch stood fully, "Iris," She turned her head towards him, "I trust that you remember our plans, so my only words to you now are this," She stared at him as Ginny climbed onto her back, "Survive this,"

There was a soft snort from the dragon-formed witch, Iris dipped her head to him before turning as she began stepping away from the armies. Within a few steps, she was in the air and taking off towards the nearby city with only Ginny for company. Turning his horse to peer at the armies behind him as Ashe did the same, he began giving the rallying speech. As Ashe chimed in and added her own words, the two turned as they raised their weapons to begin the charge. There was a brilliant burst of emerald green tinted flames just as they began their charge, the flames crashed upon the city walls as Iris flew in a wide arch. Even as she pulled back, the flames still danced across the city's walls.

Eyes widening as he watched the practical river of dragon fire tearing at the city's defenses, Kouen couldn't help but smile at the sight. The fiery attack had created chaos among the defenders, forcing them to abandon their posts as the flames consumed their barricades and structures. With the city's defenses in disarray, it was the perfect moment for their forces to charge forward. Just seeing their plans come into action and being performed perfectly sent a thrill of pleasure down his spine, he would have to thank Iris later for playing her part so well.

Urging his stallion to charge just a bit faster, Kouen didn't want to waste the chance Iris had given them. The twin armies surged towards the city gates, taking advantage of the confusion caused by Iris's fiery assault. The defenders, overwhelmed and disoriented, tried to regroup and organize a defense, but it was too little, too late. Encountering resistance as they reached the city gates, it was child's play to deal with the city's defenders as the men were disorganized and disheartened. Within the city's streets, the battle raged, but it was painfully clear to everyone that the attacking armies held the upper hand.

With her assault on the city walls finished, Iris with Ginny atop her back provided aerial support.

There was blood staining the dark blue carpet, Koumei stepped over the patch feeling somewhat unsure about whether it was dry or not. While the corpses had all been taken away in the hours after the final confrontations had finished, the Lord's house where they'd begun setting up their base of operations had been drenched in blood. The scent of dragon fire lingered in some rooms with an entire wing having collapsed due to the weight of Iris's dragon form when she'd come to back up Kouen and Ashe during the final hours of the confrontation. Lips pursing as he spotted the shattered remains of several statues and ripped-up paintings, the walls were blackened as he made his way to a pair of halfway-open doors.

Brushing one to the side, Koumei stepped inside to find Iris standing at the center of a relatively untouched room. There was some damage to the sparse furniture within this room, the red carpet was darker in some areas. Pausing mid-step as he saw the look on Iris's face, it was one filled with pain and anguish. Eyes staring unseeing at one of the few paintings that weren't covered by canvas within this room, she was trembling slightly. An ache raced through him at the sight of her, he had thought her earlier claims that she was fine after the battle hadn't been true, but this...it filled him with regret that he'd taken her word as it was. Clearing his throat as he stepped further into the room, he felt a pang of worry when she didn't even react to him, "Iris-"

"Did you know," Iris's voice held a note of pain in it, "That when we'd arrived, I took up painting?" Koumei blinked a bit at her words as his steps faltered, "It was one of the things that I'd kept up with even while in magic school. The one thing my relatives didn't hate about me," The bitter notes in her voice sent shivers down his spine, "So when we arrived and I realized that there might be a way to make money here with it, I decided to try,"

Koumei reached Iris's side and turned his head to look at the painting that she'd been staring at. An ocean scene spread out before him with a pair of mermaids singing on some rocks. Splattered across the painting were large flecks of crimson red, a pang hit him at the sight. He murmured, "You...The lord here had one of your paintings from before you were collard by Lord Habi?"

"After," Iris's fingers were clenched into fists as he looked back at her, "Bastard had me act as a wandering painter once. I..." A tear rolled down from her eyes, "It was a loyalty test and he burned all my paintings only that one..."

"Oh, Iris..." Koumei reached out and grasped her wrist before he could stop himself.

Iris's eyes snapped to meet his as she murmured, "I thought all my paintings were gone...lost because of the bastard only to find out one remains..."

Thumb running across Iris' hand, Koumei hated what she'd had to endure both underneath Lord Habi's rule and what he'd figured out she'd dealt with underneath her relatives. It was clear that her emotional wounds ran deep because of it and he loathed that she'd likely never fully heal. And seeing her trembling before that painting, the shadows of her enslavement staining what joy she'd likely felt while making it sickened him. Voice soft as he gazed at her, he kept his tone gentle, "Iris, I won't apologize as you've made it clear how much you loath pity. Instead, I'll say this, I will ensure you'll have the chance to paint again once this is over," Iris' eyes widened as a shimmer of tears appeared, "And this time, you will not have to fear that your work will be burned."

Pain and gratitude filled her eyes, Iris said nothing though her fingers closed around his. She looked away from him and turned to stare at the painting once more. Koumei stood beside her and jolted when she shifted closer to him. Leaning ever so slightly against him, a slight smile worked its way onto his face though he didn't comment. Eventually Iris broke the silence that had settled over them, she spoke in a soft tone, "I...I want to see if there are any more of my paintings here...Just...I don't..."

As she trailed off and looked at him, Koumei understood what the problem was and nodded to her. Iris didn't have the strength to do it herself right now and wasn't sure if she'd ever have that strength. So after guiding her over to the first canvas-covered painting, he assisted in uncovering it. As each painting was revealed and Iris's fingers tightened around his, he understood just which paintings she'd done. Many looked realistic while others were abstract, they all seemed to tell a story and held a sense of life to them.

By the end of it all, Iris had painted 23 of the 43 paintings within the gallery with 13 being completely untouched by what occurred. With trembling fingers, Iris looked over the last painting that had been uncovered and Koumei asked her, "What one is this?"

"I...A lord that was killed eight months ago asked for a scenic portrait of animals that aren't normally seen together," Iris's eyes were soft and her fingers trailed along the neck of a doe, "I...And I was missing our former world at the time," She looked at him and there was a soft look in her eyes, "Each animal here represents my parents and their friends...the true friends they had,"

"Would you tell me?" Koumei asked her.

Lips pulling into a soft smile for the first time since he entered the room, Iris nodded and used the hand holding his to show him which animal was which. With each animal, she shared a name and offered up a small story. Admitting to him with some that she'd only heard those stories from her godfather and read them in a diary from her mother that she'd been given by the man, she let out a soft laugh while telling him that Sirius had been embarrassed when he'd given her the diary. As the last story left her lips, she murmured, "I...I miss Sirius and Remus. If there is one thing I'm going to miss about the world we came from, it's them..."

"Maybe one day they'll find their way here," Koumei offered earning a sad look.

"Maybe," Iris shook her head.

They both turned their heads as the sound of Kouha shouting echoed through the air. Koumei let out a low laugh at the sound, "I believe he's calling us for dinner."

"I suppose so," Iris unwound their fingers and stepped away, "I...thank you, Koumei. I..." She blushed while brushing a piece of hair from her face, "I...I wouldn't have been able to do it alone,"

Missing the feeling of her hand in his already, Koumei's fingers curled together as he let out a soft laugh, "You would have managed it eventually, Iris. It's you after all," He looked over the thirteen paintings that were in good shape, "If you wish, I can have these sent to Rakushou where they'll be safe."

Lips pursing in thought, Iris slowly nodded her head, "I think that would be a good idea. I...I don't want them to become damaged."

"I'll have someone get it done," Koumei gestured towards the door, "For now, we should go find Kouha before he comes looking for us in here. While I doubt he would damage the paintings, I'd rather not risk it," A soft laugh left Iris's lips as she began walking to the door with him at her side, "And I for one am hungry,"

There was a low growl from Iris's stomach, the witch flushed as she giggled, "That makes two of us, the food I ate earlier after everything finished up wasn't nearly enough to satisfy me."