The Dragon Paladin

Chapter 13

The next morning I was sitting in my closet, sorting my jars and rocks.

"Ellie?"
It was Clara.
"Yeah?" I stuck my head out to talk.
"Would you like to help the other students and I today?" She asks. "We're split into two teams, one is decorating the beach and the other is working the gardens. Which one would you like to be on?"
I consider my options.
"Which team are you on?"
"I'm on the beach team."
I turn off the light, grab my boots and shut the door.
"Lead the way."

Clara chuckles at my enthusiasm. "You can leave...those," she gestures to my boots, "Trust me, you won't need them."
Then I realize I haven't seen anyone else here wearing shoes. I leave my boots behind, and jog to catch up with Clara.

Outside on the beach, I notice just how warm it is. But, I've already make my choice with my long sleeve tunic, so I simply roll them up and pair up with another omega setting up torches.
I decide to ask them what for.

"It's our biannual trade meeting," they say.
Male? Female? I cannot determine this ones primary gender. From their white hair, and the purple spots under their eyes, I can see they are Altean. Royalty, perhaps? Or even nobility? I remember seeing pictures of the Doniiran royal family at the library. They are Altean. And Altean royalty and nobility are marked by their white hair.
"And who comes to this meeting?" I ask, still trying to figure out what we're doing. I take a look around. Some of the team are drawing beautiful patterns in the sand, others seem to be working on decorating the Jetta with shells, continuing with stones from the sand to the pathway up the hill. Clara is working on the pathway.

"Well, we are hosting," my partner continues. "The packs who are visiting, as far as I know, are the Bloodstone Pack from Elvira, a pod of mers, and one of the packs from Hempdale. I forgot their name. But our Alpha's oldest daughter is marrying theirs in a few months, and that's about all I know."
Hmm, this is interesting. When they said 'Bloodstone Pack from Elvira,' there was a shiver down my back.

I decide to introduce myself.
"I'm Ellie," I say with my hand out.
My partner just stares. "Jax."
I sigh. "I'm sorry for asking, but...are you male or female?"
Jax looks up at me.
"I'm sorry, but I can't tell and I don't want to get it wrong."
Jax smiles. "I'm neither." They stab the ground with their shovel for another torch. "Ask my parents, though, they'll tell you I'm a girl named Jayla." The torch is pounded into the sand with force. "You are the first person to ask. The pack, in their confusion, simply refer to me with gender-neutral terms because they don't want to ask my parents."

This is an interesting story.
"May I ask who your parents are?"
Jax froze, tightening their grip on the shovel. "They're... important people."

Okay. Clearly not gonna open up. I have other methods to strike a conversation.
"Which dragon class are you?"
"I'm not sure. I haven't shifted yet, but Soldier says I'm likely to be a Tidal class. You?"
I shrug. "From what I've read, I'm probably a strike class."

Jax stops again and looks up at me. "You're a strike class?" Their face lights up as they drop their shovel in the sand and hold my face, studying my features, opening my mouth to poke my teeth. I am confused, as not two minutes ago, Jax was trying to hide. Either that, or they were uncomfortable.

I pull away gently, and shake my head.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It's just...I've never met a strike class. And I'm pretty sure you're the first one here in about 300 years!"
Beg your pardon?
"Who was the first?" I ask, continuing my work.
"No one knows for sure, but Alpha Will's family are mostly strike class."
I nod, trying to look like I'm paying attention.
"So Strike class dragons....hang on, what's the life expectancy for dragons?" I ask.
Jax shrugs. "Usually about 1,200 years, at most. The Merfolk can live about 500 to 600 years. The humans, thankfully, only live to about 70 or so."
I nod again. I'd nodded often during my conversation with my new friend.
We continue our chat while we work, going from setting up torches to erecting tents. It was mostly me asking the questions, and Jax answering. They didn't seem to mind, though. They happily answered my questions. I'm surprised at how much they know.