In my dreams, hurried voices and thumping exclamations intermingled with the existential dread and misery of why I had lost my consciousness. The darkness was welcoming in a way. What seemed like years passed, until the dull grayness of my brainmeat firing back up seeped through. I blinked my eyes as I realized I was laying on the table in the Maesterium Hall, and all the Maesters were all awake.

That thought made me sit up quickly.

To my left, Maester Surmond apparently sat smoking his ornate smoking bowl. My sudden rising from unconsciousness like that must have startled old Surmond for he dropped his bowl and screamed at the top of his lungs. His eyes shot wide, and he slid his chair back quickly. The sound of the chair legs on the solid wood floor let out a horrible, terrible sound just as the bowl he was smoking shattered.

All the Maesters that were mingling around the Hall went quiet and stared at me. The echoing of the chair died. The tinkling of broken glass. A Maester coughed. Another sniffing his nose. Hogan, poor hobbled Hogan stood in the corner, hat in hand, staring down. He was bruised, clothes rumpled and dirty. The human, now garbed in makeshift clothing, sitting at the table. A look of bewilderment and terror showed true on its ugly, pale face.

As I began to comprehend my surroundings, a shaky voice finally broke the uneasy silence.

"Yoan! You're awake. We have much to discuss about this late evenings events."

Maester Joheph, High Seer of the Maesterium, ancient in wisdom and age, powerful in the Aetherarts, leader of the Maesterium Aetheric Arts Guild stared at me with eyes filled with terror.

That did not make me, a lowly Dyad Servant, feel any better.

"Yes. Maester. I'll tell you everything that I know." I replied, having scooted myself off of the table and standing up. I wobbled a bit, still light headed.

"Before I do that though, let me clean this glass up. Maesters, please, don't step in the glass!" I exclaimed, having made my way to the broom closet beside Hogan. I opened it, shaking, going through the motions of my daily, ever dutiful role as servant. The Maesters all murmured thanks and grunts, as I swept up the glass. I piled it neatly and swept it expertly into a dustpan, and tossed it into the flames of the fireplace burning furiously away nearby.

If there was anything in the Dyadic society, it was To Serve, before all else, Duty First. The rote actions calmed my mind. It allowed me to set the evenings events in the right order. I strode back to the broom closet, replaced the items, closed the door and nodded at Hogan. He didn't look up from the floor. A bit of ochre blood dripped from a slowly healing cut on his gray face. A pang of guilt washed over me. I placed my hand on his shaking shoulders, and he began to sob openly.

"Hush the Horken, Yoan. We will deal with him soon enough. Now come tell us what has happened. This human here..."

Maester Surmond had resumed his seat, placing a arm around the puny human. It cowered away, but did not attempt to flee. Surmond smiled strangely, eyes glazing over from the Aetherweed.

"...is to be taken care of and safe from any harm. Do you understand, Yoan?"

Maester Kilik stepped forward. Killik, Maester Ironjoiner and Grand Fabricator shook as he spoke.

"Yes, which is why it has been bathed and clothed, and Cook currently has appropriate foodstuffs prepared for it to eat. It appears young, at least for a Human, and male. The Brand though! Terragia be with us!"

Murmuring, quick agreements and mumbled cursing. I squeezed Hogans shoulder, and turned to face my Elders. I walked back to the table, pulled a chair out, and sat in front of the Human in question. It stared at me, then just let its eyes wander around the Maesterium. I ignored it, closing my eyes and trying to concentrate.

I gathered my wits and began to speak.

"I was asleep when Hogan startled me awake. I assumed he was just drunk, but he informed me of having found a Human. I followed him to the eastern root cellar. Passed out. That, Maesters, is all I know. Oh, and Drogons are surely coming."

The finality of my statement seemed to drape over the Maesters, as they mingled amongst themselves.

Maester Joheph raised his arms, and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"SILENCE!"

A hush washed over the Hall. The human, and Surmond pulled it in close. It barked and yelped, but didn't resist.

"We shall not panick! All will be well within our hallowed halls my fellow Maesters! Do not fret! We shall feed and care for that..." Joheph pointed at the Human, who had wriggled out of Surmonds grasp..."will be handed over to whichever Drogon comes and gets it!"