Verdant Skies

Making Arashi's favorites for dinner, Iris hummed a soft tune as she moved about the kitchen. The scents of various spices and ingredients filled the air as she worked through the semi-complicated recipes. She wanted Arashi to be comfortable and content tonight. Her mind went to the pair of letters that now lay on the downstairs sitting room desk, she hadn't read them though it'd been highly tempting. Part of her had wanted to know what Kouen and Koumei had written Arashi, she wouldn't read the letters until after Arashi had.

Plating the food and calling for her son, Iris smiled at him as he plopped down in his seat while Sirius dove into the bowl filled with tender meat scraps she'd set up for him. Taking her seat at the table, she watched as Arashi's eyes widened at seeing his favorite foods scattered across their small dining table. Head darting to look at her, he asked, "Mama, did something good happen at work?"

"No though Lady Scheherazade did mention she might need my help with a small project," Iris still wasn't sure what kind of project that could be, "I thought it would be a nice change if we ate some of your favorites, Hatchling. Especially since a certain someone we both know did say you were finally getting a hang of your training daggers," Arashi flushed as his chest puffed up, "So eat up,"

His eyes were filled with excitement and pride, Arashi eagerly dug into the meal before him and Iris was quick to follow him. As they ate, Arashi regaled her with tales from his day at school and what he'd done during training with Muu. When they finished their food, Arashi helped her clean everything up and they retreated into the sitting room. Grabbing the two letters from her desk, she saw Arashi give her a curious look, "Mama, what are those?"

"Letters, Hatchling," Iris settled down beside him on the couch, "Arashi," She watched his head tilt at the fact she'd used his name rather than a nickname, "Do you remember that conversation we had? After those kids tried to bully you?"

His face fell at her words, Arashi's wine-red eyes turned a bit sad and he looked away from her as his arms wrapped around himself. Iris's heart ached at the sight and she wanted to forget about this conversation. Nodding his head, he spoke softly, "Yeah, Mama. It was about why I don't have a daddy like everyone else," He curled his fingers tightly into the sleeves of his tunic, "You made a mistake and had to leave before either of you found out about me..." He frowned softly and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, "Why?"

Biting back the urge to sigh, Iris realized that Arashi had probably made certain assumptions after that day which killed her. Her chest tightened as she reached out to hug him, she spoke softly, "Before I go any further, Dragonling, I want you to understand that conversation was to give you some basic understanding of what happened back then. Somehow, I get the feeling you've made a few assumptions that aren't exactly right," Arashi glanced at her face with a look of guilt on her face, "It's my fault for not trying to talk you through it any further. I'd wanted to wait a bit longer. Just until you were a bit older, it just never quite works out that way."

"Mama, what do you mean?" Arashi turned to face her with a frown on his face.

Thinking through what to say, Iris spoke as Sirius laid down with his head settled in her lap, "Back then a very complicated mess was going on in a country known as Kou, I was unfortunately right in the thick of it thanks to who I was running around with at the time," She set the letters off to the side and began carding her fingers through Sirius's fur, "Due to certain information and the fact I was stressed out from certain events that had happened before getting said information, I got it into my head that there were far quicker ways to solve the situation that didn't need certain people knowing about it," She let out a sigh, "I was wrong and it only seemed to make things worse,"

"Seemed?" Arashi's brows knitted together, "That's the word...it looked like something was worse when it wasn't?"

"Exactly," Iris smiled at Arashi feeling a burst of pride, "I only found that out recently through your Aunt Kougyoku, Uncle Hakuryuu, and Judar," Arashi frowned at her, "It wasn't quite a fight, but I got into a slight argument with your..." She hesitated for a moment before deciding it was time to rip off the bandaid, "Daddies," Arashi's eyes widened in shock, "At the end, once I understood how badly things could go for them, I left in hopes of keeping them safe from the backlash of my actions. They apparently could have dealt with my actions and did so though my leaving made it a bit hard for a while. Since then...they've been looking for me. And without realizing it since they've only recently learned about you...you,"

Blinking those wide wine-red eyes of him, Arashi radiated a sense of disbelief as he stared up at her. Confusion flickered through his eyes and across his face, he shook his head softly, "I...Daddies? As in, I have two...?"

Nodding as she kept her eyes on Arashi to gauge his emotions, Iris smiled softly at him, "Yes, Hatchling. Around the time when you came to be, I was with my two treasures, your fathers. They are Aunt Kougyoku's elder brothers named Kouen and Koumei," Arashi's eyes were wide as he peered at her, "They sent these letters to you," She gestured to the letters that had been set aside, "Ever since they found out about you, they've asked so many questions, Arashi. They want to know you...want to meet you,"

"T-they want me?" Arashi whispered as Iris's heart felt like someone was stabbing it, "R-really want me?"

Hugging him tight against her side, Iris nodded as tears burned against her eyes from how small his voice was. Feeling Arashi's small body tremble against her, she held him close and pressed soft kisses to the top of his head. A low thrumming sound echoed from her chest, the beast within her loathed that their child was feeling so troubled over this even if there was little they could do. Arashi's world had shifted on its axis, after all, the boy now knew that he had two fathers out there that wanted him. No matter how intelligent or mature of a five almost six-year-old he could be, Arashi was still a child and this was a lot to process.

Speaking as she felt his trembling start to die down, Iris's tone was gentle, "Yes, Arashi. They really do," She watched him shift to peer at her face, "Want to read those letters, Hatchling? Or wait a bit?"

Biting his bottom lip, Arashi's eyes flickered between Iris's face and the letters that lay beside her. She went to assure him that they'd be waiting for him when he was ready only for Arashi to ask, "W-will you sit with me, Mama? And help me with any of the big words and stuff?"

Nodding as she grabbed the letters, Iris promised him, "Of course, Dragonling."

Taking a moment to show Arashi how to open the letters, Iris watched him carefully sniff the parchment, and his nose twitched at the scent coming off of it. His brow furrowed at the unfamiliar writing, she bit back a laugh as he looked at Iris with a pleading expression, "Mama, can you read this one to me? And show me how to read it? I...it's really hard to make any sense of it."

Giggling softly as she nodded, Iris took the letter from him, "Sure, Hatchling. This letter is from Kouen," Arashi sank into her side and played with Koumei's letter, "Now..."

While pausing every so often to answer a question or explain why a word was pronounced the way it was, Iris watched Arashi's features shift as she read Kouen's letter. Genuine affection and sincerity filled each word, Kouen was curious about his son and wanted to form a bond with him. He was eager for the day they'd meet for the first time. As she read the words to him, Arashi's body sank further into hers and his fingers reached out to touch the parchment. His expression shifted to one of warmth and open curiosity, she handed over the letter after reading the last few words.

There was a soft smile on Arashi's face as he traced the carefully written words, he looked up at her with a content gleam in his eyes, "Kouen...he sounds nice, Mama."

"He's one of the best, Hatchling," Iris's chest was warm as she hugged him, "Do you wanna read Koumei's now or take a break?"

"Let's read it now," Arashi broke the seal and unfolded the letter with an eagerness that made her giggle, "I-" She covered her mouth as his nose wrinkled, "Why is their writing so...fancy?"

"They are royals just like Kougyoku, Hatchling," Iris reminded him, "It's just how they write,"

"It's weird," Arashi pouted for a moment before shaking his head, "Can you help me again, Mama?"

"Sure and later on we can work on helping you read these on your own, alright?" Iris offered earning a nod.

Taking the letter from Arashi, Iris began reading to him once again. Much like Kouen, Koumei's words were laced with genuine affection and sincerity though, yet it was written in a style all his own. There were far more frequent questions from Arashi, Koumei used larger words within his letter and ones he'd never encountered before. He asked more questions about Arashi's hobbies and studies which almost made her want to laugh. There was no doubt in her mind that Kouen and Koumei both wanted to meet Arashi in person, the letters made it quite clear they longed for the day. Handing over the letter as she finished reading the last word, she watched Arashi as he murmured, "Koumei uses a lot of big words, Mama...Kinda like Myr when she's trying to irritate Lo'lo. He's not used to being around kids, is he?"

"I don't think so," Iris shook her head as she watched Arashi look between the letters, "You alright, Hatchling?"

"I...It's a lot, Mama," Arashi admitted as he looked up at her, "But...I have two Daddies, right? And they want to meet me," He smiled slightly as Iris nodded, "And that's more than I've had before," She inwardly winced and tried not to show it on her face, "I mean having you and Siri is awesome, but...it never stopped those kids from trying to tease me,"

Her heart hurt over the fact Arashi was still hurting over those taunts, Iris hugged him tighter. She pressed a kiss to the top of his head, "Sweetheart, you are completely valid in having those feelings. It does not make me feel great knowing that they are there, but it's okay," Arashi looked at her in surprise and she smiled at him, "So do you want to write them? Or wait a bit"

Biting his bottom lip, Arashi shook his head, "I want...to wait a bit. Just until I've had time to let all this sink in if that's alright, Mama?"

"That's fine, Hatchling," Iris gestured to the two letters, "Why don't we go put those in your treasure box upstairs? Just until I can convince Uncle Neville to make you a proper letterbox," Arashi nodded with a grin, "And we'll play some games for an extra hour tonight?"

"Okay, Mama," Arashi hugged her tightly before getting up and starting for the doorway before pausing, "Mama?" Iris looked at him as he hesitated, "I-would it be possible for you to tell me stories about them?"

"Of course," Iris nodded softly as Arashi grinned brightly, "Now go put those letters away, Hatchling,"

As Arashi raced off, Iris looked down at Sirius with a weak smile, "Well that turned out better than I thought it might," She had imagined more screaming and crying, "Though now I need to figure out how to tell him those stories in a PG way...don't I?"

Considering the fact many of the stories she had of Kouen and Koumei either involved battles or ended up with them in bed towards the end, Iris would have her work cut out for her.

"Iris, do you have a moment?" Muu asked as Iris started making her way through the halls towards Lady Scheherazade's room.

Adjusting the crate in her arms, Iris glanced at Muu as he reached her side, "I have a meeting with Lady Scheherazade, Muu," He visibly winced and looked a bit regretful, "But if you're willing to talk while we walk, I can spare some time for you."

Nodding as he began walking with her, Muu's tone was soft, "Thank you, Iris. I've been meaning to speak with you for a few days now, but between our schedules-" He shook his head with a sigh as they began walking up a small flight of stairs, "It's been difficult."

"Busy," Iris let out a soft snicker and smiled at him, "So what's up? Did you need me to talk with Neville because one of your men did something stupid again?" She raised an eyebrow at him, "If it's Lo'lo or Razol, I'm not going to do it because they deserve to deal with whatever consequences they've been dealt,"

Chuckling as he shook his head, Muu's smile widened, "No though I'll try to remember the next time those two try to complain that Neville won't heal them," They turned a corner and began ascending another set of stairs, "My concern is about Arashi," She faltered and had to adjust the crate in her arms before it fell, "He's been acting a bit off these past few days. While I have tried to subtly question him, he'd been quite reluctant to share, so has something happened at home?"

Frowning at those words, Iris knew it had to be the letters from Kouen and Koumei though she needed more information. Adjusting the crates once more, she looked at Muu, "Can you tell me a bit more about how he's been acting, Muu? I might have some idea of what happened, but this will help me confirm it."

Giving her a curious expression, Muu crossed his arms as they began ascending the final staircase towards Lady Scheherazade's office, "He's become withdrawn during our lessons and his focus is off. Given that we are starting to transition towards live blade work with his daggers, it's quite dangerous for him to do so," Iris winced at that, "Anytime I've questioned him on it, he's brushed me off and merely offered that he was a bit tired. While I bought that the first time, the fact it's happened during each of our lessons during the last few days is making me suspicious."

Lips pulling back into a grimace as she sighed, Iris rubbed at her face as she admitted, "I don't blame you, Muu. And something did happen," He gave her a worried look as they reached the top of the stairs, "Kouen and Koumei have been sending letters to me. And after a bit, I decided to let them do the same with Arashi as it was time," Muu's eyes widened, "Before I gave him the letters, I finally explained what happened and the fact he has two dads to him. Granted, it was in a mostly kid-friendly way," She adjusted the crate, "He...reacted better than I expected and we read the letters. He decided to take some time before writing them back, but I'm pretty sure he's thinking about what happened. That's something Mei and I had in common back then, I'm pretty sure En did too though he tried not to show it."

His expression shifted from concerned to understanding as he shook his head, Muu let out a soft whistle, "That would explain a lot, the poor had a lot dropped on his shoulders even if you were trying to do it gently," Iris winced and Muu placed a hand on her shoulder, "The sheer fact he didn't have a gigantic reaction says a lot, Iris. Even if I'm not a parent myself, I can tell you're doing an amazing job," She smiled weakly at him, "I'll adjust the training session and make sure Arashi knows that I'm there if he needs any extra support. Even if he just needs an outlet for any angry feelings,"

Letting out a low laugh, Iris remembered the few times that Arashi had gotten angry at Muu during a training session and actually shifted into his dragon form out of said anger. Where most would have gotten scared shitless, Muu had simply tossed away his sword and began wrestling with Arashi. The half-Fanalis had needed a semi-intense healing session from Neville afterward due to the claw marks and burns that littered his skin. But Muu hadn't shown any fear, the man had enjoyed the impromptu wrestling match and so had Arashi once her hatchling had calmed down.

Clearing her throat, Iris smiled at Muu, "I'll keep that in mind, Muu," She began heading towards the door, "Thank you for being patient."

"Think nothing of it," Muu assured her with a chuckle, "You're a wonderful friend and Arashi is my student. Granted, you do owe me dinner later," She raised an eyebrow at him as he knocked on the door of Lady Scheherazade's office for her, "You flaked on Arashi's training a few days ago,"

"I was a bit distracted," Iris defended herself while walking into Lady Scheherazade's office when the magi bid her entrance, "But I suppose that's fair. Want to try out that new place in the artists' district?"

"The one by the fountain?" Muu asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That's the one," Iris grinned as she moved to set down the crate, "They have southern sea beast meat on the menu and I liked the last of it in Sindria,"

Cupping his chin, Muu finally nodded after a moment, "Alright, we can go there. We should bring Arashi along and use it as a way to celebrate how well he's done as of late."

Iris nodded with a light grin and waved as Muu headed off. She turned to Lady Scheherazade as the magi cleared her throat. The blonde raised an eyebrow at Iris, "Making dinner plans, Iris?"

"Muu brought it up," Iris defended and felt a surprising flush of heat coat her cheeks, "Anyway, I brought up the reports you asked for alongside a few supplies,"

Nodding as she gestured for Iris to sit down, Lady Scheherazade stood from her desk and moved towards the low table where the crate had been settled down. The magi glanced at her with a slight smile, "I'm just a bit surprised," She frowned at the magi, "You do intend to get back together with Arashi's fathers after all, do you not?"

If she'd been drinking anything at that moment, Iris would have either choked or done a spit take. Giving the magi a look of shock, she burst out, "The fuck are you implying?"

"It just seems like you've gotten quite close with Muu since arriving, Iris," Lady Scheherazade's smile was sly and Iris's eyes narrowed at the magi, "I wouldn't blame you for it either. He's quite the attractive man-"

"While I can fully appreciate that fact," Iris would fully admit that she'd ogled Muu more than once, "It doesn't mean anything, Lady Scheherazade. We are just friends," She crossed her arms and gave the magi a look, "Now, did you just call me here to grill me about Muu or are we going to get down to business?"

With a low sigh, Lady Scheherazade set a hand on the crate, "Business would be for the best, we don't have much time," Iris sat up at those words, "Normally, I wouldn't even think about involving anyone else, but..." The Magi's lips pulled into a wry smile and the blonde looked far more tired than she'd ever seen her, "I do not have many options. Not when things have gotten to this point and it's unlikely that I'll even have more than a full year for this plan to work."

"What's going on, Lady Scheherazade?" Iris asked feeling a bolt of concern wash over her.

"To put things bluntly, Iris, the real Scheherazade is weakening," Lady Scheherazade admitted as she moved to sit down beside Iris, "My body had been alive for over 267 years at this point," She was shocked to hear that as even wizards rarely reached two hundred years old without great difficulty, "And it's likely that this time next year, my body will breath it last from what I've felt within the Rukh,"

Pressing a hand to her head, Iris felt a sense of disbelief, but it was overshadowed by an acknowledgment from her inner beast. Somehow the dragon within her had sensed what the magi was saying, the fact that the beast was saying it was true sent a deep pang through her chest. While they hadn't gotten as close as she had with Judar, she still considered the magi an ally and friend to a point. Lips pulling into a frown, she murmured, "Somehow, I knew that already," Lady Scheherazade raised an eyebrow and she pressed a hand to her chest, "My inner dragon sensed it and has...accepted it for a while. It explains why I've felt...sad in your presence for a while now."

"I would say do not feel sad, but I feel like that would be a moot point," Lady Scheherazade smiled slightly, "It's odd to know that a dragon feels sad for me,"

"My inner dragon rarely acknowledges anyone," Iris snorted softly and felt a faint burn at the back of her eyes, "Does anyone know?"

"Not yet, I plan on telling them slowly," Lady Scheherazade leaned back in her chair, "Muu will be among the first to know..." Iris inwardly winced as that would crush Muu as he loved the magi deeply, "But before any of that can happen, I need you to assist me, Iris. This body, it doesn't have the strongest connection with the Rukh. It hasn't for the longest time though I've little ability to switch between my clones any longer as there are few left,"

There was a bitter taste in Iris's mouth as she heard those words, she hadn't realized that the magi used clones though it explained how she was still moving around after all these years. She crossed her arms, "You need me to blend the Rukh and my magic together for something?"

"One of my clones was modified a long time ago," Lady Scheherazade explained, "I had done it as a sort of experiment for myself to see if it could be done and as a just in case," Iris slowly nodded while eyeing the blonde carefully, "I will be further modifying the clone. You will assist me in adding certain protections and communications into him," She blinked in surprise at the gender, "He will be sent to Magnostadt after he's been born and I've had a few days to ensure his health,"

Biting her tongue, Iris found herself wanting to protest at the fact they'd be sending what would essentially be a newborn into what would likely be enemy territory. She had to ask though, "Why Magnostadt? I'd understand if it was Parthevia as that seems like the most troublesome country at the moment, but Magnostadt seems a bit odd, Lady Scheherazade."

"As of late, we have been getting reports of a rapid increase of magical tools appearing in the hands of regular humans," Lady Scheherazade toyed with her staff, "When examined, we have found Magnostadt's symbol on the tool,"

Clicking her tongue in disgust, Iris muttered, "Fucking idiots need to stop leaving calling cards, I swear," Lady Scheherazade covered her mouth with a soft laugh, "I would protest that it could be someone trying to frame them, but they're the only country of Magicians in existence. And while the Kou could possibly do something like that, they're too proud to slap someone else's symbol on their handy work," She sighed heavily, "While I don't exactly want to agree to help, I will. You are an ally and someone I've begun to consider a friend. If it will make things easier on you, I'll do my best to assist."

"Thank you, Iris," Lady Scheherazade offered her a relieved smile.

Looking up from his paperwork as a knock sounded on his door, Kouen bid whoever it was entrance. He offered Kougyoku a small smile as she walked into his temporary office, "Kougyoku, it's good to see you. How was Sindria?"

With her cheeks flushing slightly, Kougyoku admitted, "It was an interesting experience, Kouen. The city was vibrant and filled with so much life," She walked towards his deck holding something against her chest, "I've got a lot of stories to share, but there isn't much time before I have to return home."

"I'm aware," Kouen leaned back while raising an eyebrow at his younger sister, "So what brings you to see me? I would have thought you'd be spending time with Kouha before he left for Magnostadt,"

"I plan to," Kougyoku assured him, "But I also-"

Cutting herself off as a knock sounded at the door, Kougyoku shifted slightly as Kouen's brow furrowed. Glancing towards the door, he called out, "Enter," Koumei walked inside and smiled at Kougyoku, "Mei, is something wrong?"

"No, Kougyoku had a servant come and get me," Koumei answered, letting the door shut behind him as he walked deeper into the office, "So...?"

Clearing her throat as the flush on her cheeks deepened, Kougyoku spoke, "I'm sure Judar likely said something already as he's probably lurking around here somewhere," Kouen nodded to her, "But I saw Iris while in Sindria, we spent time together...I spent time with her son as well."

Lips pulling into a slight smirk, Kouen told his younger sister, "Iris sent a letter informing us of this already," Kougyoku's eyes widened before softening as her shoulders slumped in relief, "Apparently you have a gift for us."

"I do," Kougyoku nodded though a look of hesitation entered her eyes, "I...She entrusted this sketchbook to me. It's something extraordinary, Kouen," She held the object against her chest just a bit harder, "I-What's inside is amazing,"

Gesturing for her to step forward and hand the apparent sketchbook to him, Kouen held his hand out to her. Koumei stepped closer to his desk as Kougyoku slowly handed over a thick leather-bound book. Gesturing for Koumei to come around his desk, he looked at Kougyoku as she fiddled with the edge of her sleeve, "Thank you, Kougyoku."

Taking the sketchbook in his hands, Kouen examined its cover. The leather was mostly smooth to the touch with a few scratches and blotches from where ink had dyed the brown leather black. There was a thickness to the book, the hefty pages were edged with grey and black with small splotches of color in between. As Koumei stepped up to his shoulder, he opened it to the first page. There was a detailed sketch of a newborn baby lying in a pair of arms, the next few sketches followed a similar train with a varying amount of color added to them.

As he carefully flipped through the sketches, it became clear that Iris had silently captured the story of Arashi growing up within these pages. Each sketch held a boundless amount of emotion, he felt a deep warmth spawn in his chest as he watched each of Arashi's first moments frozen in time. From a newborn baby to a young child curious about the world around him, the sketchbook captured this journey with surprising clarity. He saw Arashi's first steps, the tantrums, the laughter, and everything in between it all. As Koumei's hand settled on his shoulder and squeezed, he could tell his younger brother was just as touched by this.

There was more refinement as Arashi grew older, the boy starting to train underneath a man Kouen believed was named Muu. Friends were pictured within the sketches, the frequency of Sirius across each page was more than a little amusing and it showed just how deeply the wolf had bonded with their son. As the final pages came about, he could see that Arashi was growing into his dragon form. His lips pulled into a smile at seeing just what it looked like even if the image was on paper, the creature was in flight though the next scene had it wrestling with Sirius. On the last page of the sketchbook, Kougyoku is sitting with Arashi while Sirius lounges in the background.

Closing the sketchbook as he absorbed all the images he'd seen, Kouen knew he would likely have a hard time keeping his eyes off that book. Looking at Kougyoku, he smiled softly as Koumei said, "This was worth the wait."

"I would have been back sooner, but some things happened in Sindria and I had to make sure some friends I'd made were alright," Kougyoku rubbed the back of her neck with an apologetic smile, "But I'm glad you both like it. Arashi's a cool kid. If you'd like, I could tell you about him,"

"That would be nice, Kougyoku," Kouen gestured to the seat in front of his desk.

Taking a seat across from him with a mixture of relief and excitement on her face, Kougyoku began to talk about Arashi and to a lesser extent Iris. It was clear that she'd bonded with her nephew during the short time she'd gotten to spend with him. Kouen inwardly smirked at that thought and sank back into his chair as Koumei took the sketchbook in hand. As his younger brother began flicking through the pages, they both listened to their younger sister. It was clear that Iris had raised a well-rounded young man with a penchant for mischief. While it was still disappointing that they hadn't been able to raise him themselves, he was pleased to at least have even a small glimpse into those small moments.

Hearing a knock on her door, Iris jolted a bit as it was long past Arashi's bedtime. Standing from her seat as she set down her quill, she walked over to the door and pulled it open to peer down at her son. Raising an eyebrow at him, she asked, "What are you doing up so late, Hatchling? You are supposed to be asleep."

Shifting nervously from one foot to the other, Arashi looked up at her from beneath his shaggy crimson hair. Speaking softly as he fiddled with the edge of his sleep shirt, he murmured, "Mama, I couldn't sleep. C-can I sit with you?"

Head tilting at that, Iris eyed Arashi for a moment before nodding as she reached out and picked him up, "Sure, Hatchling."

Returning to her desk, Iris settled back into her chair with Arashi sitting in her lap. Picking up her quill again, she resumed writing after gathering more ink. Arashi settled his head against her shoulder and was quiet for a long moment. Part of her thought he'd fallen asleep, she was proven wrong when he murmured, "Mama?" She hummed in reply, "Who are you writing to?"

"Your Daddies," Iris saw no reason not to be truthful.

"How come?" Arashi's voice was soft.

Pausing for a moment as she considered what to say, Iris resumed writing as she gathered her thoughts, "Well, Hatchling, your Daddies and I used to be very close before everything happened. And we all want that closeness back," She dipped her quill in the inkwell and pressed a kiss to the top of Arashi's head, "That requires a lot of work between all three of us even if Mama was the idiot in that caused this situation."

"Why not just go see them?" Arashi wrinkled his nose at the parchment.

Snickering as she realized his actual problem, Iris explained, "Because your Daddies have duties they need to do and so does Mama, we also have to be careful due to how certain things are within your Daddies homeland, Hatchling," Arashi gave her a look of confusion, "Mama made a few specific people very angry the last time she was there and they likely will not be happy if she comes back. Your Daddies are going to make sure there won't be a problem if I go back there," Arashi made a small noise of understanding, "But that will take time, Hatchling," He groaned softly and dropped his head against her shoulder, "There's also the fact that we're in Reim, Kou and Reim aren't friendly countries."

"How come?" Arashi asked with a frown.

"Because someone decided to be very stupid, Dragonling. A lot more stupid than Mama was," Iris saw the confused look on Arashi's face, "Your Grandfather is the idiot,"

"Oh...wait isn't he in charge of Kou?" Arashi asked earning a nod, "If he's an idiot, why is he in charge?"

Mentally snickering and hoping that her treasures wouldn't kill her for letting their son call their father an idiot, Iris told him, "It's something to do with royalty, Hatchling," She shook her head softly, "But let's get back on to the topic at hand," She gestured to the mostly written letter, "I'm writing to them to bridge the gap between us."

Biting his bottom lip, Arashi eyed the parchment for a long moment before asking, "Mama, I...would you help me write a letter to them?"

Heartwarming at that question, Iris nodded while setting her quill off to the side alongside her mostly completed letter, "Of course, Hatchling. Do you want me to be the one writing or do you want to try?"

"C-can you write it? I can't write too well," Arashi flushed as he shrunk into her chest.

"It's fine, Hatchling," Iris assured him while grabbing a few new pieces of parchment and a new quill, "If you want, we can even start working on your handwriting at home if they aren't helping you at school,"

"Really?" Arashi brightened as she nodded, "Please, Mama!"

Making a mental note to speak with Arashi's school about his lessons and seeing where he was struggling, Iris settled down to help him write the letter.