"You know the dragon language?" he asked surprised.
I nodded "Can read it, write it and speak it. It was one of the things I spent years on back in Riften. I have a few books on it if you're interested." I said honestly.
"No need, I don't have any interest in the language itself despite it's potential uses. Still I am curious where you found this little ones egg? Something like that usually isn't just lying around." he said casually.
I shrugged "I got lucky." I said not actually answering.
"I see, well so long as it doesn't bring harm to your fellow mages I'll allow it." he said getting up.
"Before you go Archmage, there is something else." I say quickly.
"Yes?" he asked with an intrigued expression.
"I had an idea that might help Winterhold regain it's previous glory and help the mages of skyrim get accepted a little better." I say seriously.
"I can't promise that anything will come of it but you have my attention." he said seriously.
I nod in understanding "Well I noticed that the biggest problem Winterhold has is food. Given the clime being quite harsh crops don't grow here and need to be imported. But what if we could change that?" I asked.
"That's an interesting but dangerous question. Modifying life like that is nearly never successful and the less said about changing the weather itself the better." he said sternly.
"No need for any of that. What I mean is creating a greenhouse that uses the same principles as this courtyard. The outside is unaffected but the inside? That's perfect for plants. We can start small just to test the idea if you want. I've already scouted out an area that would serve this purpose well." I said eagerly.
"I must admit I hadn't considered such an approach before. It doesn't sound like it would require too much from the college either. Well done young man!" he said approvingly with a smile before he left.
I let the little one frolic a bit longer after that before heading back to my room to prepare for my first class. I could only sigh as I discovered something terrible with the little thing, it was TOO energetic. It just couldn't settle down to save it's life. I ended up wasting magicka just to summon spectral rabbits for it to "hunt" because otherwise it got into anything and everything in my room.-
Normally you'd think "oh it's just a newborn so it can't be that bad".
WRONG
The dragon blood was strong in the little monster because the longer it was up and about the more familiar with it's own body it became and there was some power in that small form. It hadn't spoken any words yet so I was fairly certain it didn't have the gift of languages that actual dragons had but it did seem to understand speech to a degree so there was hope.-
I had to have summoned no less than twenty spectral rabbits before the time for the lesson rolled around. The spell wasn't very expensive in terms of magicka but casting it every time the little monster "killed" the thing was a bit annoying.
"I swear to the gods I'm going to create a self repairing, animated teddy bear for you to play with. Or maybe figure out how to miniaturize a troll? Either way something too durable for you to destroy." I muttered looking at the happy butt wiggle of the thing as it dived off my bed onto the last spectral rabbit I'd summoned.
It was all cute and stuff because there was no mess to clean up but if these were actually rabbits there'd be blood and gore all over the place because the "kills" were NOT clean. I used [telekinesis] to pick the thing up and float it along behind me as I headed for the hall of the elements for the lesson. It just chirped happily and tucked it's legs under it with it's wings outstretched as if it were flying all on it's own. -
"It's so cute!?" a familiar female voice squealed excitedly from nearby as I left my room.
I sighed as Mina hurried over with arms outstretched to snatch up the little thing. I didn't let her though and made it float higher just as her hands were about to reach it. She didn't give up easy though and made a few more attempts before pouting at me angrily.
"It WILL bite you and I'd rather not have to explain why you are missing a chunk of flesh or gods forbid a finger or two to your father." I said bluntly.
"Ah but it's just the cutest wittle thing, yes you are~!" she said talking to the little monster like a baby towards the end.
"I'm serious Mina it tried to take a bite out of Archmage Aren earlier. It will absolutely try the same to you." I warned sternly.
"Maybe it's just hungry?" she suggested not giving up so easily.
"It's a carnivore, you're meat." I said giving her a deadpan expression.
"That's a risk I am willing to take, gimme the baby!" she said aggressively.
"Fine, but ONLY after I get to the lesson. I want witnesses to back me when it bites you." I said giving up.
"Yay!" she yelled excitedly while the little monster just has a glint in it's eyes that says it's wondering how she tastes.
'Once I get to the lesson this will officially be her problem.' I thought mentally wiping any responsibility off myself.
She trailed us to the hall of the elements where I spotted a few other students gathered up along with Phineas Gestor, the conjuration master, waiting for everyone to show up. He was a middle aged Breton with pale skin and darkened skin around his eyes from the corruption of Oblivion from long term unsafe exposure to it. His head was bald at the top and had short thin brown hair starting above his ears and circling the back of his head.-
He was also unnaturally thin, like he was starved. His gaze passed over me then to Lokjun and finally Mina before he spoke.
"I had heard you were actually going to start attending lessons. Had many of us worried you'd turn into one of those hermits that inevitably get themselves killed or worse." he said calmly.
I chuckled "I apologize for that false impression. I was just so focused on trying to sort my foundation that I neglected practical learning. I'll be trying to be better from now on." I said assuringly.
"Very well then. Now what is that unusual creature you have suspended there?" he asked motioning to Lokjun with his chin.
"My familiar, Lokjun. It's new born so I need to keep it close for now. And out of the reach of people it might try and take a bite of. Speaking of she's been bothering me to let her try and touch it but I don't want to deal with the inevitable injuries, can I ask you to stand witness that she brought it on her self?" I said and he raised an amused eyebrow.