Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1078 - 1077 - Duty of a True Lord

Lind was imprinting a jade slip from some notes he had made in his office when Teegan finally came to him. Chu was curled up on a couch napping but she was no doubt aware of their guest.

Katara was resting under his care while Ranger was finally on his way back. It had been 3 days since the dragons arrived.

Lind had rebuffed them twice but at least they had not been making a nuisance of themselves. Three of them had helped move materials that allowed him to help build up and Forge some buildings.

Lind only ever did government or support buildings. The infrastructure of the city was almost complete in what seemed record time but he knew it was due to the foundation surviving as well as it had.

He looked up and saw Teegan looked tired. He also saw something else.

"Congratulations." She blinked at him before a warm smile spread on her face.

"Petryn is thrilled. I can already tell it will be strong." He smiled warmly at her as well and ran his hand over her belly. His senses told him nothing but good news. Emerald Qi flared slightly which surprised her but she blushed at it.

"Better safe than sorry. Perfectly healthy so I want that damned tainted Qi to stay out of them." She bowed low but he waved it off. "So, how are your guests?"

He did not claim anything in this city aside from his office. His only authority was as a guest elder and a Maester of his fields too. It gave him considerable authority at the moment but he did not abuse it.

She sighed before looking at his tea set steaming on the table near the couches. He nodded and they both sat as he served her.

"They have not taken your ultimatum well. They will not defy it but they demanded I ally with them to get you to go to the tribes to the west of the Empire. It is not wrong of them to ask. My race memory–" Lind looked up sharply at that and she froze.

"I do not care if they have stone tablets from God stating I should do anything. I am me. I will not conform simply because they expect me to. The situation of the entire layer takes precedence over their damned tribalism." Lind did not have a race memory exactly. He was a progenitor so he was establishing a new race all on his own.

He really wanted to meet another one of his kind as his children, while sharing his features, did not share his unique situation. The only dragon, Hei, was a darkness dragon despite having 2 parents who always had all 6 natural elements.

He had easily incorporated the other elements later but the fact remained that was what he was. He also took after his mother more than Lind.

If he was a progenitor, where was his race going to come from exactly if not his children? He understood his wives were part of the equation but surely he was not expected to impregnate as many dragons as possible?

"While you are free to act as you wish, the fact remains you do have a duty, True Lord." He narrowed his eyes but waved at her to go on. The Spirit Temple had told him much the same but circumstances had not really prompted him to do much in the 1st layer.

The Cataclysm had rendered most of the dragon clans to bare bones if not outright exterminated. Rebuilding the layer became far more important to all over anything else.

"A True Lord is not beholden to any tribe or clan, that is always true. Yet, they are expected to settle disputes between them and the other races." Lind's eyes narrowed. She knew that would mean revealing what he was to the world.

She looked troubled as she seemed to ponder something.

"I am not sure how they will treat you if you ignore them but I agree with you that our current situation takes far precedence over normal concerns. They can respect that too if you explain it." He sighed as he tilted his head back to look at the ceiling.

Duties of a True Lord. He had not really done anything aside from imposing his will here or there, but that was all. He had settled disputes but as the leader of the Frey Clan and the ally of the supreme powers.

Frankly, he was also undisputed as the benefactor of the realms for destroying the Realm Refiner. Very few would argue his place there at least.

In the 2nd layer, however, he had little support save his guest elder token and what his status as a Triple Maester gave him. He had no Clan, no allies, and only what Petryn would let him do currently.

The dragons, by sheer numbers, could over power the Heavenly Maiden Sect if they wanted so he knew he could not act like a child. Yet, the Corruption came first.

"What exactly do they expect from me?" He saw Teegan frown but then sigh as well as she downed her tea.

"It is not so much what these envoys want, but their ancestors. Like my clan, many western tribes have lost their ancestors as you suspected. Some were in seclusion and were protected by Law Bindings to isolate them as they try to break through." Lind nodded as he understood.

The old monsters wanted him to take his 'rightful' place as they saw it.

"What do they think of your husband?" His question threw her off as she did not understand.

"They do not care so far as I can tell but they do not share my enthusiasm to be sure." Lind nodded. He narrowed his eyes as he saw her look displeased. His attention made her sigh before continuing. "Two of the males expressed how they would take me after I gave birth so I could have proper offspring."

Chu shot up immediately as an aura slammed throughout the room. Lind looked at her sharply and she calmed down.

"It is not your place, Chu, nor is it mine. Teegan can handle it on her own." Chu growled but nodded. Teegan smiled at him and bowed once more.

Lind poured out tea for Chu and refilled the 2 other cups.

"I am fine explaining my position but only insofar as I have higher priorities at the moment. Further, I want the other tribes to meet me all at once. West, south, north, east, and so forth. I am well aware many are decimated but I will not have them ignored." Teegan smiled warmly at him.

"That may ruffle some of them but it is acceptable. However–" She glanced at Chu and blushed. Lind nodded but then looked firm.

"I do not care what elements they have. Is there a tribe or clan that will be an issue?" Teegan fidgeted a bit but then looked at Chu directly.

"Lady Chu, do not grow upset but there is no clan to support you. The enmity between the tigers and dragons is known to you, yes?" Chu nodded and did not look surprised.

"The petty rivalries do not concern me. My Husband and I will crush them!" Lind smirked and Teegan did as well.

Lind was about to speak when his eyes narrowed dangerously. He vanished from his room and appeared in the streets. Unlike a complete city, many of the streets were wide open on both sides so nothing was hidden.

Jur was standing between Oz and a well muscled man in brown robes sneering at them. She was bleeding from a glancing blow to the head!

"Pathetic cats should not stand in my way. That old man insulted my clan and will pay the price!" Lind did not act as Jur was far more mature compared to before. She was only a Sky Realm now but she was standing up to an Immortal.

He hid his presence from them all as he watched.

"He he he! You can only bully the infirm and the weak. Exactly how was I insulting the Stone Spine Dragons?" Lind huffed at the clear provocation but the man's eyes glowed as stone spears appeared instantly.

Jur grabbed Oz by the scruff of his neck and leapt in time to dodge most of them. The few that still flew moved in for the kill!

An emerald shield appeared around the pair that made the man freeze in place.

"Care to explain why you are attacking my daughter and subordinate?" The man's gray eyes widened in shock at his words. He stared at Jur but became confused.

"She is a cat?! Why do you claim her?!" Lind noticed 2 more dragons looking on but he did not care. He checked Jur and was glad to see her injuries were superficial.

"Lan and Bori, were you just going to stand to the side?" His words made the dragon jump as the brothers seemed to appear from thin air next to him!

"Sister Jur had things in hand. We would dare to interfere unless her life was in danger." Lan spoke but Lind narrowed his eyes. Exactly how was her life NOT in danger?!

Bori looked a little sheepish but the man was stunned as he had not felt either brother at all clearly.

"These cats are inferior–" An emerald clawed limb slammed the man into the ground with ease.

"You insult my daughter and my followers with ease. Before you speak again, I suggest you broaden your horizons." Lind's emerald eyes were glaring with only death in them. Jur smiled up at him as Oz chuckled.

Oz then froze as the glare was turned on him.

"I also do not recall asking you to insult our guests. You will apologize for that unless you have a concrete reason to tell me right now." The old man shook his head.

Lind nodded before grasping both and disappearing from the street. The brothers would be fine, clearly, so he took the weaker pair with him.

They appeared in his office as Teegan and Chu stood up at his return.

"We will be having a meeting after I calm down. Let them know, Teegan." She bowed low and quickly left the room. Chu took her daughter into her arms and smiled at him. Lind may not want to lord over the dragons but they had just crossed his bottom line.

Duty of the True Lord played a far second to the duty of being a father!