Coniugis

Coniugis spends his days in the Spire researching the origins of magic, and how to replicate many kinds without natural abilities. He often comes off as a bit stand-offish and impulsive, but all who know him and tell that when he cares about something (or someone), he goes all out.



A Distant Voice



Coniugis was never quite as gifted as the other members of his family when it came to the magic of the sky or sea. Sure, he could manage normal spells just fine, better than most, actually, but when it came to his family's special gift? None, nope, nada, zilch. In his heart he felt a tiny bit of anger towards the gifted ones, but he always did his best to ignore it.

One day, when the sun was high and the clouds were gone, he joined several other Sunset's descendants in visiting the matriarch's home to help with preparations for the reunion. He wasn't quite sure why he came, he only knew that something in his mind urged him to. He was content setting up a few stalls, when his eyes finally fell upon him.

An older Imperial, the one with the silk shop. Coniugis' cousin a thousand times removed, but now his body was screaming that there was something important about him. "Run, don't let him see you," "Approach, you must ally yourself with him," "Kill him," "Join him," the thoughts all ran together at once. He was paralyzed in place until he heard one last, simple, thought:

"Do what feels right." The Skydancer payed attention to what the Imperial-August, he finally remembered, was doing. August was speaking with another Imperial, much younger but frighteningly similar in looks, his son, perhaps? Was there any reason to be scared of a maker of silks that had pleasant conversations with his son?

The choice was made instantly. "Hello, it's August, right? I don't think we've ever spoken."

. . .

The pursuit of knowledge was always important to Coniugis, so it was a surprise to none when he settled in the Spire. Soon after moving in, there was an incident that required the Spire dragons to work with those in the Lab.

That's when he met Morada. The issue had mostly resolved itself, so he got lots of time to talk to the scientists. They were all interesting, sure, but there was something about her that forced his attention away from Fingunt's ramblings of moss or Glitch's drawn out retellings of past experiments.

She was a princess, friend to power and deceit, someone who his family would never approve of, yet he was drawn in closer by the second. She told stories of her grandmother, a wicked, vain, and cruel woman, but in the way she spoke, there was a hint of admiration.

Eventually, the conversation turned on him. "So what about you, Coni?" she asked. "What's your family like?"

He explained how he was related to August, and said a bit about Sunset. "And my family is huge, nearly everyone is an artist of some sort. I'm afraid I don't fit in much with them, I've barely got any of their brand of magic."

The young (not young, just stuck in a weird eternal youth situation) Fae spoke up, "Wow, you're telling me you've got a grandma who isn't crazy? Couldn't be us."

The room was filled with laughs, but he couldn't keep from glancing over to Morada from time to time. He also got the feeling that, when he was looking away, she was glancing back at him.

Eventually, as the sun sunk lower into the sky, it was time for him to return back to the Spire. Before he did, though, he was once again struck by impulsiveness. "Talk to her. Now."

"Morada?"

"Hm?"

"Can I talk with you for a moment?"