Driks’ showy entrance wasn’t entirely irrational, time was of the essence and flight was the quickest way to reach Dover. As it stood, they already were forced to meet up en route. Fortunately Castle Oxzen, Driks’ lair, was fairly close to the conference location. This meant he didn't need a large caravan to travel there, and could be more discreet in his arrival. A simple carriage and mounted escorts was more than sufficient for the distance they had to journey. This also meant no one who was watching would notice the addition of another horse or two to Driks' delegation.
He gave Dover enough money to purchase two of the trading post’s finest horses and detailed instructions of where and when to meet. He was mostly confident the duo would be presentable when they arrived. From what he had seen so far, Cynder seemed to be a good balance for Dover. Without her, Dover would be just as likely to capture a bear, or worse, and use it as a mount. Then again, she did have a fiery temper as well, he thought as he rubbed his still sensitive cheek. Shrugging he figured it would all work out and dismissed his concerns, choosing to focus on more pleasant topics.
The wagon he traveled in was on the smaller side, though no less luxurious than larger models. Its carefully crafted suspension promised a smooth ride, and it had room for four to sit comfortably inside. The benches were thickly padded and the windows were magically tinted so the passengers could see outside while preventing curious looks from outside. The stallion pulling the carriage was a powerful creature who would greatly have preferred to be ridden, but was chosen because he projected a more majestic air. He was guided by the villa’s stable master, a girl he had saved from a village that specialized in horses. She had joined his staff after realizing that women were actually valued less than horses in her home village. Working for Driks was the only way she would be treated with the proper respect.
Fawn accompanied Driks inside the carriage. While she would normally love the chance to spend some quality time traveling with him, she understood how important this meeting was and was completely focused on her executor responsibilities. She was dressed more severely than normal and had piles of paperwork and supplies on the bench next to her.
For a typical gathering he would have taken his current favorite guest with him, but Fawn had completely rejected the request. She had a vague idea of what to expect from this meeting, and while it would normally be perfectly acceptable, even expected, for a noble to bring a guest along, this conference was likely to get out of hand. The new girl was still adjusting to the knowledge of dragons and Fawn feared this conference would be overwhelming to say the least.
As Driks didn't employ any men, it was unfortunately impossible for him to bring a traditional butler or assistant along. Since noble society generally viewed women as luxury goods, Fawn was relieved that Dover would be joining. Despite, or perhaps due to, his rough personality his presence would ensure the others treat Driks with the proper respect.
Driks’ current escort consisted of three members from what he affectionately called the Goddess Squad. Though as a dragon he had little need for guards, as a noble of the land certain things were expected. That's why despite most of his home being deep underground, his public villa was heavily fortified. For appearances he'd gone with the traditional castle look - moat, large walls, the usual. He had also bound demons to mannequins and statues for day to day defense. Still, in the event one of his guests wanted to learn the sword, he encouraged them. There was no reason a woman couldn’t be as formidable as a man, it was just human stupidity that they weren’t accepted.
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Due to his flirtatious nature he had originally wanted his guard uniforms to emphasize their femininity. He had even outlined his request to Dover during his tenure training his girls. Though Dover confirmed his request was possible, he bluntly rejected it. He refused to teach Driks' armorer to make "Attractive death armor". Despite pushing back initially, Driks quickly abandoned the idea when Dover explained how form-fitting female armor actually steered weapon strikes into kill locations.
Dover instead delivered a practical prototype which was instead made attractive through etching, dyes, and using the smallest pieces of leather which were practical. Sophia, the head of his guard, wore that now. From a distance she looked like a normal soldier, but up close it looked quite stunning. Any armorer could recognize its sturdy construction, yet it could pass for the clothing of a noble as well. The other two women had simpler armor as the first was literally painfully expensive. Each suit was still masterfully crafted. Driks looked forward to when his own leatherworker was as skilled as Dover and briefly considered hiring him for additional training before shuddering at the cost and dismissing the idea.
Knowing that Dover would be providing ranged attack power, the guards were equipped for close combat. They had finely crafted longswords at their hips and heater shields on their backs. The shields were emblazoned with Driks coat of arms, the symbol a deep black against a light green background with a dark green border. Having watched their training for years, and seen the hell Dover put them through, he was confident they would have the fortitude this meeting would demand. He just hoped they wouldn’t have to raise their swords against any fellow humans yet.
The trip went smoothly as these roads were highly secure and any potential bandits would likely have gone after more ostentatious or slower targets. When they were a day's travel from the destination, Dover and Cynder arrived promptly on time. They had just finished setting up camp when the sound of hoofbeats could be heard. The horse which entered their view was large enough that Driks briefly worried Dover had done what he’d feared and captured some monster, but as it came closer it became apparent it was simply a large warhorse. Dover and Cynder were both riding it, with Dover handling the reins and Cynder doing her best not to fall off. The two of them rode into the camp and Dover effortlessly dismounted before assisting Cynder down.
“We’re here. What’s for dinner?” Dover demanded.
Seeing the looks they received, a mix of anger from Fawn and amusement from Sophia, Cynder felt the need to speak up. “We had a very long ride, made more difficult by it being my first time on horseback, so please forgive My Guide’s brusk greeting.” Focusing her attention on Fawn, she figured it would be an appropriate time for some flattery as well. “My Guide has told me about the masterful job you do keeping your Lord under control, I would be most eager to receive any advice you could share.”
Cynder had said exactly the right words. She recognized the look she saw in Fawn’s eyes, she’d seen it on her own face often enough. Though they seemed to be constantly at odds, it was no wonder Driks and Dover got along so well. Though each had different motivations, they were surprisingly similar in how they approached life.
Since Dover had already met, and in some cases trained, everybody present, the only introductions necessary were Cynder. After that, they settled down for the night and prepared for what promised to be a memorable gathering.
