Sleeping Dragon under the grave

Tanja assured her that he served Heda loyally and faithfully and that he always would. Eske had no reason to disbelieve him. If not for the fact that Thuringwethil had accepted him without asking him much of anything she might have pressed him further. As it was, her intuition told her that he was being honest, though there might have been other factors (namely Heda's acceptance of him) at play. “Good,” Eske said fiercely. Even if she would have been the only one to intercept him and this was a real interrogation time would have proved if his words were true. No doubt if there would have been falseness in his words Heda would have been quick to deal with him accordingly. He told her that he was a Gona — the same as her parents — and that would fight for Drageda until his last breath. Despite herself, Eske found herself warming to him immediately. She liked those words. They spoke of unwavering devotion, and as a fellow warrior to a fellow warrior she appreciated the kinship the understanding created.

“Would you spar with me sometime, Gona? I would like to see your skill for myself.” She would have demanded he spar with her right then and there but there was an undeniable tickle of nervousness at the base of her neck. She wasn't ready for Thuringwethil to see her spar yet. For disappointing Heda would devastate her and Eske was not ready to face the chance that she might fail. Gyda told her that she would fail. She would fail again and again and that each failure was a victory in and of itself. She couldn't learn if she didn't fail. That didn't mean Eske wanted to feel the disappointment in herself. "So long as Heda welcomes you then so, too, do I." She decided with a wag of her tail — a sign of welcome.