She was almost reluctant to move through the portal, but catching her breath, the dragon slid through, moving to Sha'uri's side slowly.

A gentle nuzzle to her friend's hand, then she glanced about still a bit warilly, before speaking with her teacher.

I wanted to come back to school Sha'uri.., and I had to get out of the lair for a little while, after all, Aurthur and father are digging out new rooms for the haven.

I did miss you Sha'uri.., smiling and purring as she was pet. The little ones are doing just fine, already Tempest is chasing his brothers and sisters around, quite a little clawful that one is.

A curious glance around the area they hand landed then, though she remained at Sha'uri's side, keeping a bit of distance from the group of students.

Aurthur thought up the idea of taking in abandoned and orphanned children one day when he watched how the hatchlings seemed drawn to me, peering into the stable then at the horses and the colts.

How has Tina been?

I would have no idea who he takes after Sha'uri..., giving her friend and teacher her best innocent look. Its good that she's studying, and yes, we are opening an Orphannage, theres plenty of room at the lair.

Especially now since Aurthur and my father have been digging out more rooms, plus with the wards, and protection spells around..

She still was peering toward the horses,though the dragoness remained at Sha'uri's side, almost seeming to be trying to keep her distance from the animals.

Snicker.

"You an those looks.. Icer you are no more innocent then.. me!"

Sha beamed a big 'ol whinning smile. Then whispered out of the corner of her mouth, noticing Icer eyeing the horses.

"Just don't eat my horses. They get a little upset about that. They'll be fine so long as you don't. They're used to certain dragon kind..."

Wink. well, they were her horses.

Then she looked up as Lyndra came through the portal. She stepped up on to the wagon for a bit of height as the students gathered round.

"That's it... Gather round. Welcome to my home... the Citadel of Mysteries."


She waited for them to settle round her....

::he wouldn't see Cadence because she was still hanging onto the back of his robes and had been there ever since he darted off. She simply cleared her throat and fluttered her wings to carry herself again, now that he wasn't running like a bat out of hell... she did point up towards the mistress, though, now that she was talking...::

I don't eat horses, Sha'uri.., she almost seemed skittish around the animals, moving to keep a good distance from herself and the stable, then blinking, and grinning as she spotted Lyndra, Gabe and Cadence.

::she covered her mouth to keep from giggling. It was kinda fun annoying Gabe and she couldn't help but use a little magic to make him feel as if something or someone was on his back again, or trying to get there by the light finger strokes as if grabbing onto his clothes. She flew over behind Sha'uri, though, seeming to listen::

I don't eat horses, Sha'uri..,

Craving them is something she understood, but being skittish of them caught her attention. She had no clue why any dragon would be skittish of a horse unless perhaps something happened when one was very very young. Her horses were not like that, they were special. She would address this to everyone.

"That's it... Gather round. Welcome to my home... the Citadel of Mysteries."

She glanced between Gabe and Cadence, supressing a grin. She knew full well the teasing games the two played constantly, but so far it hadn't involved others or caused damage... too much. So she let it slide.

"To your left is the barn and stables area and next to it is the forge. Beyond them and the hill there is a small lake and wooded place. The Citadel actually goes about a mile or so in all directions from here. In the summer months... which you will be witness to the event, we take the Citadel up into the sky. Yes, it flys. It also travels through space."

She left out the dimensional part.

"Back to the stables... Here at the Citadel we have a special breed of horses. My horse, Nightstar, was initially a gift from a dear friend and I have since come across others and started my own stock of the magical breed... which will now be used at the Academy as well. They are called Firebrand horses. They are taller by about half a foot, stronger, faster... in fact when they run it appears as fire beneath their feet, thus the name. It is not fire, however, and does not leave in its wake smoke and flame. It is part of their magical nature."

She paused.

"They are also intelligent creatures though not quite as much as you and I, but perhaps that of a child. They understand things more then the animal instinct. They choose one rider and bond with them using an empathic link. That doesn't mean they won't let others ride them, it just means they won't bond. They are extremely gentle, if not playful.. though watch your toes, they tend to step on them if you get them in their way. They can also make excellent war horses though that does take special training."

Grin.

"To the right is the main building, the courtyard and behind it is the Sanctuary to Corellon... the gardens. Before we head in there, are there any questions for here?"

She waited patiently.

She grinned to Cadence.

"Some refer to him as a God. He is the one I serve, who guide me as I guide others. If there are no more questions?"

She lead them through the stables, the forge area and back out to around the backside of the Citadel where the gardens were attached in what seemed like a circle shape. As they went through the gardens, it was clear that it was a bigger version of the one at the Ravensheart Academy, a crescent shape garden. But this one was different, bigger and instead directly attached to the building, it was snugged to an aread called the Sanctuary, a circular shape that together with the gardens formed the shape of a moon.

The Sanctuary part was like a valley. There was a stream that ran through the gardens and came to a waterfall in the center of the crescent, falling down about fifteen feet to a pool in the middle of the wall in the Sanctuary. In front of the wall was a dias, an alter. From there the ground sloped upwards with rows of benches and an isle in the center leading up to a set of double doors. These doors led into the Citadel itself. There were paths in the gardens that led along the outside of the circle to were these double doors stood.

Sha'uri paused here by the double doors.

"Any questions here?"