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Robin said. “Wow they are all coming. Wait you said Royal and at dinner. So how? And does that mean you met the rest of her unit how about the dragons?”

Wane said. “I will be there, that was a bit of why I called as everyone wants to come, for all it will be a dull. Your father says that there is plenty of room for us and that I am not to even think of staying any where else.  I well be there in about two weeks and staying for the month. That will let the family do some shopping and site seeing. Therefore I still say that is too long for you to put us up. A week is one thing, but six is to long even for family. So just how is Gale tied to a royal family and which one? I am not surprised she is a rider, I thought she would be and was wondering why she wasn’t at the temple. She was always fastened with the dragons and I was sure she could hear the wild ones. She always knew where to look to see them when you were out here.”

Devlin said. “I haven’t seen any of the dragons yet, but no doubt will before long. I have met the members that are here now and will met the rest. I am expected to hang out in the common room a few nights a week. Vale has said that if I don’t he will be dragging me over, that it is important to Gale. She is worried that I won’t like them, that I don’t want her around. Or so I gathered. One of her bond mates was already a captain and his was a royal unit, so sis’s is because of the bond and his unit is really hers. However as she wants it is set up to function independently. It is confusing, but seems to work well.”

Wane said. “So she is making your Riderner unit inside of finding one to join.” He laughed. “She always said she was going to be in one, but I bet she is a bit stressed at how it is coming about.”

Devlin nodded. “She is embarrassed about all of it. She told me she wasn’t going to start her unit when she came here. However the only one she fit in with was the Slivers, which is her bond mate’s so she would end up in charge. That wasn’t what she wanted so gave up and formed her own. I found out that it was royal as Sara, another person who is training with them, was worried that her father was going to assign a body guard to her for the conference. Sis told her that she would just tell her father that she would have Sara in uniform during it. that would protect her better than a guard as no one is going to mess with a member of one Idras’ royal forces. Besides I would just help her loss the guard, that if I couldn’t do it on my own my brothers would gladly help me. Therefore giving him some else to worry about.”

Wilbber said. “Just why would you be helping her? A little early to be involved isn’t it? so what is she like and you had best bring her over.”

Robin says. “Sounds like fun, you had best let me know, as I do want in, should there be a guard to duck.”

Devlin laughed. “Sara is a first year med student as well and most of our classes are the same. So there is going to be enough to make him wonder just what is going on. She was moved into the room across from mine, just to make it better. Gale wanted her in the wing. Two others are training with us but they were not moved as they are not expected to last. However most are not going to look at it like that. It is going to be interesting. Sara is the daughter of the king of Willburg. So us being seen together a lot is going to get talk. No it is nothing but a way to be a distraction, but it is a good one. Her father is not happy that she is taking the battle magic class and is going to be upset that Gale is letting her train with the team. Even though it is just so she will be safe at the field hospitals and has no plans of going into the actual battle zones. She knows that would just put everyone at risk, but working in the hospitals won’t, and that way she can help.”

Wane said. “So what has Gale said about your plan to go into combat, however fast the med runs might be? After all she was clear that you had no business even thinking of active service that you had best do your rotation in a support position. And why only some of the unit? So she went to Idras or is it just that the bond-mate is from there?”

Devlin smiled a bit. It was good to see that he had been worried, just not wanting to let on. I didn’t think he believed Gale was dead but couldn’t get him to talk. “She hasn’t said much, but then I met a member of her unit when I first explored the campus, before I knew she was here. As he was helping me learn my way around just why I was taking the classes so that might have helped. If she thought I was planning on trying to fight she would have told me off. She went to Idras and is only here because her first two bonded were already enrolled and she wasn’t going to make them change their plans, which makes even more sense when I realized that one of the bonded had a unit.  Steve and some of his Slivers are not here, they should be back soon. I think it was a family thing that is keeping him, but I’m not sure.”

Wane smiled. “I had best go, but will talk to you soon. The others are like going to be calling a lot with questions over the packing. They are excited for the trip. Clearly I should have suggested we took one before. I don’t know why we haven’t. It is no further than the fair we go to each summer after all. Have a good night.”

Erin said. “No problem, we will be happy to help and there is more than enough room. This house is bigger than yours, I do believe. I don’t know just how many they thought were in the family. It will be good to have you hear for the holiday. Have a good night.” After the call ended she said. “So what is Sara like and when are you going to bring her around? It will do you good to have some friends here.”

Devlin shook his head. “She is nice and it is good to have a friendly face in the classes rooms. Like me this is her first year here, so we do have a lot tying us together, which is why it will give her father something to worry about. I will see if she will come over some time for supper, likely she will as she hates cooking.”

Erin smiled a bit. “So do you know just how Steve is related to Idras’ royal house?” He looked at her. “I have done some researcher on them, years ago for school, but I doubt if much has changed. I don’t think he could have won the place in battle so it has to be family. As those are the only ways to be a Royal unit. Though even with a family tie they must place high in the competitions, which is what makes them well known and slightly feared.”

Devlin said. “Sis did say there were some titles involved, but didn’t go into detail. She was worried that knowing that there were some was going to make me too scared to go home with her, She really seems a bit embarrassed by all of it. I hate to run, but I have a bit of reading to finish. Sorry to spring it all, but I wanted to be sure he would be here.”

Wilbber nodded. “He did need to know and so did we. I can see why you didn’t want to say it over the phone. Wall the Stars are a big deal, big enough that I have heard of them. I didn’t know they took high school kids, but it is a good deal. I don’t like the fact that you will be staying here that long, but you should take the offer.”

Wallace said. “I just wanted to know if it could be real. I need to know more before knowing if it is right. It sounds good, but also unreal. I just thought Uncle would know, but thank you that helps. The years away are a concern, but I think that what I would learn would be a help to everyone. It is not something to rush into. You have a good night Devlin. One of these days I might just have to join you and see if I can keep up. It would be fun to run with Sis again.”

Robin said. “You think she would let us? That would be fun, I miss her courses.”

Devlin said. “I doubt if she would mind, but you might want to wait until you know just what your school has in store for you. Gale said you would be doing your train on campus so it might just be you are on the course with them. Talk to you tomorrow, have a good night.” That time he made it out the door and back to his room.

A couple of days later he made it to the train field to see that his brothers were leaving the course. He waved at them as he went over to the gate to start his warm up. Looking around he saw that nether of the other two were there. Jack hadn’t been in the other class he had with him. Rand had been, but failed to show up at training yesterday and it was looking like the same today. That would make him a wash out. Not that it was unexpected, he was to hung up on his title to think he had to work at anything. However Jack had looked to be trying, he had even had real workout clothes on yesterday.

Robin came over to him as Wallace stopped to talk to someone in a black uniform. “You were right, I will be here just before you each day. Then it is off to arms training, but I had to take a minute to wish you luck. I do think that this course stand up well for the ones sis built. It is fun, for all I can’t make the last walls yet. It will be next month before I make it to the second course. I am surprised by how well done it is. How do you do?”

Devlin said. “I am just doing the first half at this point. Once I can make time on it then the next four get added in and so on. I washed out about the last fourth when doing the test run, had to complete it on the outside track. I am getting there but it is slow going, I lost a lot more of my agility than I thought. Not having woods to run in the last four years really hurt. Have fun in your arms class, try not to cut your arm off.”

Robin laughed. “No danger of that, see you later. This is looking to be better than I expected, but we will see how armed combat goes. I think Wallace will be moving over to the Stars and into the barracks soon. That’s who he is talking to now and he was on the second course for the run. I have no idea how he made it there.” He smiled and waved at Gale. “Hi sis, so did you have a hand in making that monster?” He pointed at the course.

Gale smiled. “Not the first one, I was happy with it but I did make a few changes to the next, and the third is completely my doing and I think mine are the only ones that use it. There are times when it is best that we are all on the ground and the dragons in the air rudderless. So that is what the course is about. Getting the grounders used to the riders being with them, as well as seeing we are fit for ground work with them, as tracking our other halves. It is not easy to be so split, but we are getting the hang of it. Have a good work out. It will start slow as they find you place. I do hope Wallace will go, it will be good for him. He will fit in far better there. He is one that just doesn’t fit in the class room.”

Robin smiled. “Like vock? I hope you will let me watch some runs. I do want to know how the coordination works. I wish there was an air unit around home, just because I am curious about the dragons. Yet scared to ask too much, not knowing what would be thought offensive. I must run, but would it be possible sometime?”

Gale smiled. “Once your schedule is set get with Hank here and he will get it worked out so that you can get in a training run with the ground as well as let you know when the other runs are.”

He said. “Really? Thanks I didn’t think you let me do more than watch. Later guys.” He waved and took off at a jog. Devlin shook his head and finished his warm up then at Beth’s nod started his run.

One of the instructors said. “Never thought you would let a high school kid run with you, no matter how skilled, Lieutenant Goldwing. Are you getting soft? Taking on some noncoms and now a kid. You better watching it or you might start getting some recruits after all.”

Gale shrugged. “They are welcome to try, but I am not toning down my train any. Robin will listen, and it will only join the train when Hank knows he can keep up. There were no air bases around home so he hasn’t had a chance to be around dragons much. It will do him good and keep him from trying to sneak in. With my team I know he will be safe as will father, after all I was the one that taught him to hunt. That said it might just let them see that it isn’t imposable to meet my requirements, when a high schooler can manage the course, and he won’t stop trying to do so.”

He smiled a bit. “You just love keeping my office busy don’t you? Just wanted to let you know that you were right and it is being handled. I am also looking to see how it happened. It should have been seen before now.” He was looking at the course. “They are looking good out there. Sara’s father isn’t going to like it, he wanted us to change her mind not support her.”

Gale nodded. “I won’t worry about turning in his report then. However Rand has missed all training sessions for the last two days. He is washed. Sara won’t be going into the front, she has agreed to stay to the field hospitals. That will help with her father and the flirting between her and Devlin will give him a new worry. They are working out here because they know where they belong and why this needed.”

He nodded. “I will go call Lord Gunther, that way he will know what the problem is when Rand calls him to complain of unfair treatment. He is reasonable, thank goodness. I hope that relationship doesn’t cause you problems, but it will be good for her to have one.”

Gale said. “Don’t worry, it will play out fine. Both have other commits and are not going to lead the other on. I wouldn’t have encouraged it if I didn’t know them well. After all I promised to watch her. As silly as that is. Good luck with the phone call. Know that my orders were to make Rand sweat. So he is going to say that I was pushing him harder than the others as an excuse for not showing up.”

He smiled a bit and nodded. “I need to go talk to Phill and get his side of the broken arm. The girl is lucky it was just her arm, but I have to investigate just the same.” He turned and went on down the field to the flight area.

Gale walked over to the course and nodded a bit, they were looking good. Dev was picking up speed already. He would be finishing the second by the year’s end and then we can get him in some live train, if the battle magic is there. Graiven said he was making progress but need to unlearn a few things. I hope Dev wasn’t to upset about being asked to take the fourth year mage classes. I know he thought he was done with them. She called out. “Rand is washed, should he show up ell him to take a hike. Jack has transferred to a different school. Granit toss me that new rope for the forth and I’ll string it for you, I need the run.” She got the rope and started out, glad to see that they didn’t stop to watch, as the a few of the greens had done the first times she joined them. Those that had worked in other units were always a bit shocked the first few times to see the cap taking part, but she would be fighting so she needed the training just as they did and failed to see the point in doing it at different time. Seemed to her it only helped them to know that she worked just as hard as they did. They shouldn’t respect her less because she did always have a perfect run, it would only help if they realized she made mistakes just like everyone.

Chapter 5

Devlin head out to class only for a horn to sound, he jumped and looked around. “Back inside, get to the middle of the room.” He turned and went in, not even looking to see who had spoken. He didn’t know what the horn was, but knew that it wouldn’t have sounded without a cause. There was already a few in there and more came in behind him.

A girl ended and shut the door, putting a bar over it. “For those that don’t know that was a shelter order, meaning there is someone armed on campus that shouldn’t be. Likely over by the class rooms but we are on alert until the all clear sounds. Non fighters stay to the center of the room, armed members in the outer ring. Yes weapons may be summoned. Likely it is nothing as is usually the case, but best to safe. Relax you cannot be counted late or absent and any test or quizzes will be rescheduled. No off the chairs, but move the cushions to the floor. If told to go flat then lay down. Don’t make yourselves a target. There was to be a drill tomorrow of all things, just so you new ones would know this.” It didn’t take them long to get settled, most had already found places on the floor or were trying to stay out of sight as they got to where they wanted to be.

Devlin looked around and then went and set next to Sara. “Well as we are both here want to go over those notes?”

Sara nodded. “Might as well, I am just sure that there will be a surprise quiz soon.”

Willber looked around puzzled when the horn sounded. One students stood up. “That is a shelter order, all non-fighters need to get to the center and find a place on the floor, push the desks to the walls. Weapons summoned for the rest, and get the desks in front of the windows to block them. Hold off on the door.”