Brise

"It's no good," Rusty growled with frustration. "We can't spare anyone right now!"

Tess looked at her second-in-command thoughtfully, then turned to the rest of her inner circle. Her eye's lingered on the empty place Ignatius used to occupy, but she shook it off and focused on the task at hand.

Turning to Adara, she waited for the skydancer's inevitable refute.

Adara lived up to her expectations, "This will be the first time Clan Aria Echoes has participated in the Games. We must send someone or risk being seen as weak. However, I do concede that this transition is putting a strain on everyone. Every dragon has worked long hours since Starfall. I can't think of anyone to send..."

A voice, light and airy, carried into the room, "Then send me."

Tess and her council turned towards the entrance to the room to see Brise standing in the doorway. She was quiet for a long moment, then removed her mask and smiled.

"Ridiculous!" Uriel bellowed, "We can't send a diplomat to do a warrior's job! You won't last a day!"

"So if I fail, it'll be what's expected of me," Brise replied cheerily. "However, if I even make it past the first day, if I outlast even one pirate or warrior, imagine the message it'll send about our Clan. Our wandering diplomat, out-doing other clans' best candidates. It would peg us at above-average in the attributes you wish to build our reputation on."

She turned towards Adara and Rusty and continued, "And to further your points, I am the only dragon with nothing to do right now. With the Battle of the Bay raging, there's no safe way for me to cross the steps, and our aren't exactly interested in diplomacy at the moment, anyway." She chuckled in a way that reminded Tess of twinkling wind chimes. "I must admit I'm going a little stir-crazy, actually."

"She has a point," Shepherd conceded. He turned to Adara, "If you can spare her, I say let her go. You said so yourself: sending someone is better than sending no one."

Adara thought on this for a moment, and answered, "I can see to it that what little work Brise does have is taken care of while she's away."

"Preposterous!" Uriel boomed, "We can't seriously be considering this! I'd sooner go myself than send what'll likely be an embarrassment!"

Tess finally spoke up, "I need you here, Father. I need everyone here, but Adara and Shepherd are right. We need someone to go." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. This was her first major decision as Clan Leader, she realized. If she was wrong...

"Whatever you say goes, Tess," Rusty assured.

Tess opened her eyes and looked at Brise, "You will go. Uriel, give Brise a crash-course on combat before she leaves. If you find the time, Brise, be sure to speak to Kennesaw as well. If combat fails you, perhaps magic won't...Show the Isles what Clan Aria Echoes is made of."

Brise's grin widened and she donned her mask once more. "It'll be my honor," she intoned. She turned to go, wondering aloud, "I wonder what the arena will be like...I can't wait to see!"