Nárion's golden eyes were alert, studying his surroundings. He was in the forest that surrounded a small village. He was trying to make sure that he was keeping silent so as to draw no attention to himself. He wondered what the Elves loved about the woods. He personally found nothing appealing about the woods. The Dragon hated being in his Elven form. It felt as if he was hiding what he was. He doubted that he'd ever be able to see his home again. He couldn't give the evil Dragon King a reason to hurt his mother. He had vowed that after his father was killed that he'd protect the only family that he had left. The Dragon could hear the sounds of children and village life. He briefly wondered what it was like to be an Elf. Even though he'd been hiding for many years as an Elf, he'd never really lived as one. He refused to live in a city, preferring the wilds. He was always very uncomfortable any time he was inside a building. He'd not ever felt that way before he'd left home. Perhaps it was because now he could shift out of this form.

Nárion pulled out a worn book out of his pack. Leaning against the base of a large tree, he opened the item. As he read, sadness struck his heart. How he missed his home. He wanted to go back..to have his old life once again. What had he done to upset the ancestors so? They were obviously punishing him for something. This was the only thing that made sense to him. Why else would Lorn have sparred him. Had the Dragon been smart, he would have just killed him off. As he read, Nárion felt a small bird land upon his shoulder. He turned his eyes to the creature. It was an Alarca, a brightly colored bird that represented luck. It was rare for such a creature to be seen in the lower lands. The Dragon eyed the creature for a moment before going back to his book. His thoughts were getting the better of him once again. Was he doomed to forever pretend to be a elf? Would Lorn ever be defeated? Was his mother even still alive? The Dragon did not know the answers to any of the questions that seemed to plague his mind.

Alandra had already been busy most of the day. Already she had sold the remaining skins from her hunt yesterday and she had even found time to buy a few trinkets of her own. It was nearing time for her to embark on her evening hunt. She switched her hunting times every couple of days or so just because she needed a little more variety. As she gathered her hunting and gathering essentials, the small wolf pup she had recently adopted came sniffing at her heels. She squatted down by him and gave him a pat. "You're not old enough yet to accompany me on hunts, Tama." The pup gave a whine and had pleading look in it's eyes, but Alandra wasn't willing to relent. Hunting could be a dangerous activity, even for Alandra who was expertly trained to do it. With a passing glance back at the pup, she pulled her quiver and bow around her shoulders and stepped out from her home.

As she left the safety of her village, she breathed a sigh of relief. She loved her home and her people, but nothing could compare to the pure wilderness she often ventured out into. Here, nature was at it's finest making trees as tall as the sky and a challenging terrain, all untouched by human or elf alike. Unfortunately, humans began to build their cities and towns ever closer to elven settlements and their advancement took it's toll on the forests. With a sigh and a shake of her head, she cast aside the depressing thoughts and focused on the task at hand.

She pulled her hood over her head, concealing her snow-white hair that was out of place even among her own people and pulled her bow from her back. Now all she needed to do was to find some prey. She walked about for a while, collecting berries and tracking the prints of the Taruka, a deer-like animal, as she went. Finally she came upon a small herd of taruka and she crouched silently studying her prey. A crack sounded and they all scattered just as soon as she had taken aim. "You must be kidding! Whoever did that will pay dearly." she thought as she stood. She followed the direction from whence the crack came. Soon she came upon tracks much like hers, though she was sure she hadn't been this way in a fortnight. Wary, she ventured on with her bow at the ready.

Not much longer, she spied a figure sitting against a tree. The figure appeared to be male and his ears betrayed him to be an elf. She relaxed her grip on her bow and warily approached the stranger. He had an Alarca sitting upon his shoulder and she cocked her head to the side. They were uncommon in this part of the area and she couldn't help but wonder what it was doing here. As she contemplated the significance of it's presence here she turned her eyes back to the elf. He was reading a book which she thought very strange. Why would someone be reading in the wild? It made no sense. She cleared her throat to get his attention and spoke "Not very many come this way, everybody recognizes this as my hunting place. What are you doing here?" Her tone was defensive and wary. She had never seen this elf in her village before and they never really got many newcomers.

Nárion's golden eyes turned quickly upwards, towards the figure that had spoken to him. He regarded the Elf closely. A small smile crossed his sharp features. "I am merely a wanderer, My Lady. I do not hunt so you needn't worry about that." he said. He wondered if this female had realized yet what he was. Usually his eyes gave him away and often he would forget to watch his words. The Dragon had not moved, the pretty bird still sitting upon his shoulder. "Tell me, little one, what is your name." he said. At this, the Dragon slowly stood. The bird quickly flew off. He watched the creature as it made its way to the sky. They sky..where Nárion truly belonged. Sadness briefly crossed his face before he turned his attention back to the female. He'd not expected to come across anyone. It had been a while since he'd had to deal with Elves. He'd been unlucky enough to end up being in the company of Humans as of late. The Dragon slowly moved towards the right a few steps, being careful not to startle the girl. "I'm Nárion though my name would most likely mean nothing to you." He bowed to the Elf, a sign of respect. He hoped that she would realize that he meant her no harm. He was far more concerned about the scouts that he'd heard that Lorn had sent searching for him. Why the Dragon King had done this after so long was a mystery to the Prince. Was he a threat to the King? Nárion did not know nor did he think that he'd find out any time soon.

"Forgive me for intruding upon you land. I will be gone soon. Worry not." he said, smiling at the pretty Elf. Out of all of the races that Nárion had come into contact with, he had to admit Elves were quite fascinating. They were immortal as were his own kind. Magic truly was an amazing thing. The sound of the village echoed throughout the woods. The Dragon wondered if this Elf was from the nearby village. Deciding to push his luck, he asked, "You wouldn't happen to live in the nearby village, would you?" He kept his eyes glued to her, staring her down. Though he could have easily pulled out his beautiful black sword, Nárion decided to not bother with it. He did not fear for his life. Death would be welcomed. He was miserable in the lower lands. He wanted to spread his wings...to fly. To go home. To find love. To live.

Alandra watched him closely and regarded him with caution. Upon closer inspection, his eyes were and unusual shade of gold which was unheard of in elves. Perhaps this man was a shapeshifter of sorts, she wasn't sure, but he didn't seem like he could bring her very much harm. "I am merely a wanderer, My Lady. I do not hunt so you needn't worry about that." the stranger said with a smile. This made her feel relieved. The last thing she wanted was for someone to take her rightfully earned land. The stranger spoke again asking for her name and standing. She stepped back giving him plenty of space. She was taken back when he asked for her name. She was fairly well known in these parts for her excellent game after all. "Well, surely you may have heard of me, my name is Alandra, daughter of Adarien Artanis. He seemed distracted as the bird took flight. His strange eyes darted towards the sky.

After a brief moment of sadness, he turned his attention back to her. He seemed wary of her as well, stepping slowly to her left. "I'm Nárion, though my name would most likely mean nothing to you." He said and bowed. She had a faint recollection of the name but could not recall where she had heard or read it before. Perhaps her father told it to her long ago when she was a child as a bedtime story. "I have heard it somewhere before" she said with a confused look and a scratch of her head. Realizing she still had her cloak on and that it was rather rude, she pulled it from her head, revealing the white hair beneath it. She gave a bow in return to his own, out of politeness.

He pulled her from her reverie as she tried to recall his name by speaking to her. "Forgive me for intruding upon your land. I will be gone soon. Worry not." She would have loved to have him stay longer, just so she could look upon his handsome face a little longer. From the distance, sounds of her village at play could be heard. Tonight, her village was celebrating the festival of Loint and the revelry could be heard from quite a distance. The handsome spoke again asking if she was from the village. He gave her something of an unsettling stare as her waited for her answer. "I am," she said glancing to the side. "You seem to be very weary. We are celebrating the Festival of Loint tonight and you are more than welcome to join us." She was unsure if she should really be extending an invitation to him, but she hadn't seen a newcomer other than the children in a century.

"You seem to be very weary. We are celebrating the Festival of Loint tonight and you are more than welcome to join us." Alandra said to him. Nárion eyed her closely. He really shouldn't venture into the village. It was likely that someone would realize at least what he truly was. He was curious though. He'd never been to a celebration in honor of the earth god. He debated silently for a few long seconds. He smiled then at the Elf. "Thank you, My Lady. I would love to. I must admit that I've never been to a celebration in your earth god's honor." he said. Of course he'd let a few things slip, wondering if she would say anything about it. He allowed Alandra to lead the way back to her village. The Dragon took in all of the sights as they walked. He wanted to make sure that he'd be able to get away if he needed to. He made sure to keep at least a bit of distance in between them. He didn't want to upset her or anything like that. He was still smiling. Not many had ever tried to even speak to the Dragon, especially the ancient Elves. His damn eyes were always giving away what he was. Now that he was thinking about it, perhaps this wasn't such a good idea. He'd already come this far, though. No sense in turning back now. He just hoped that Lorn didn't have any spies anywhere near.

---

It seemed to take forever to reach the village. As they entered, Nárion could feel eyes all upon him. He had gotten quite good at ignoring such looks. His hair was quite darker than most Elves and just add his odd eye color and he normally was stared at until he would leave a city. As he looked around, the village was decorated in honor of the god they were celebrating. Earth toned banners and flags were everywhere. Children were laughing and playing. Nárion smiled. He allowed Alandra to lead the way. He was unsure of where they were heading and didn't want to just leave the girl. "Your village warms my heart." he said, eyeing the pretty Elf. "It's been a long time since I've been around so much life. It makes me long for my home." Sadness had creeped into his golden eyes. If only he was strong enough to rid the world of Lorn. He could go home. Rule the Dragons as he was meant to.

He had accepted her invitation to join in the celebrations, however he had said he had never enjoyed a Loint festival. If she was doubtful of his being an Elf before, she was certain that he wasn't now. No elf alive had never missed out on a Loint festival. She was still unsure of what he was however. She had heard of powerful human "mages" who could possibly be capable of transforming themselves, but it takes great tolls on their lives and some features could not be changed, such as their eyes. She had never heard of any humans with golden eyes, the few she had seen had brown or blue eyes. She began to question why she had invited this stranger in the first place. He could jeopardize the whole festivities with just his presence. Then again, she did take pity on him. He had seemed as if he had been traveling for ages and looked very lonely and sad.

As they walked to her village, she couldn't help but take more notice of his golden eyes. They were such an unusual hue and Alandra was she there was some correlation between his strange name and the strange color. She kept a watchful eye as they made the trek through the dense terrain. He made no move to harm and even made an effort to keep his own distance which she appreciated. He did seem very anxious and kept darting his strangely beautiful eyes to and fro, as if looking for something or someone.

---

The moment they had stepped foot into the village, she could feel all eyes on them. The tension in the air was nearly tangible and she attempted to ease it by giving a few reassuring nods here and there. Some relaxed, namely the women, while the men seemed to tense further as she and Nárion passed by. They were probably threatened by his appearance, thinking that a new handsome face might cause their women to question their companionship. Alandra would have to agree with them. The more she looked at him, the more of his handsome details showed themselves, from his plump lips to his well-built physique. She blushed and turned away from him so he could not see. He spoke suddenly, pulling her from her thoughts. "Your village warms my heart. It's been a long time since I've been around so much life. It makes me long for my home." Sorrow laced his eyes as he spoke. "I take it you're not of elven descent. Your eyes are strange and you have never attended a Loint festival, so tell me stranger, what are you?" Her intention was not to be so blunt, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her. As she had asked her question, they arrived on her front doorstep. From inside, you could her her pup, Tama, barking, having sensed the presence of something new.

Nárion followed Alandra closely yet far away from her so that they were both still comfortable. It seemed to Nárion that they were fast approaching a home. He though that perhaps it was the Elf's. He wondered why she would bring him there. She didn't know him. He could easily kill her and noone would ever catch him. When the she-Elf spoke again, it surprised him. "I take it you're not of elven descent. Your eyes are strange and you have never attended a Loint festival, so tell me stranger, what are you?" For a long moment, Nárion studied Alandra. He was risking so much by just being in her village and yet she wanted to know what he was. What could he say? The truth? No..or could he? He was calculating the risks. If Lorn had narrowed down his location, it was likely that he would have his scouts in all towns and villages in a near radius. What would the Elf think once finding out what he truly was? It wasn't everyday that a Dragon was in the low lands.

He turned to face Alandra, his golden eyes staring intently at her. His gaze softened a bit. "My Lady," he started, attempting to make sure that he was sure about telling her. "I am a Dragon. You must swear to me that you will tell no one. He must not find me." He was staring into the Elf's eyes, hoping that she would realize how serious he was. It was then that Nárion heard a sound coming from the building that they were standing in front of. The Dragon backed away a bit, unsure of what the noise. "What sort of creature is in there?" he asked, eyeing the door. He wasn't sure that he liked the noise. It seemed to put him on edge. It seemed to the Dragon that many of the Elves were still watching him. He quickly straightened up, attempting to appear as if the noise hadn't bothered him at all. He turned his gaze back to Alandra. "I would tell you everything, but i can't..not out here. They could be watching." He'd decided to tell her everything. He didn't care if she threw him from her home or not. He felt that because of her kindness towards him he owed her at least this.

Alandra regarded him closely as he contemplated telling her what he was. He seemed extremely hesitant about and again kept glancing about with his brilliant gold eyes. After a few seconds of silence, he finally spoke, staring into her soft green eyes. "My Lady, I am a Dragon. You must swear to me that you will tell no one. He must not find me." If her curiosity was not piqued before, surely it was by now. He stared her down, daring her to say a word to anyone. Telling someone had not even crossed her thoughts. Who would she have to tell anyway? Since her parents died some time ago, the only people she had talked to was the merchant and her childhood friend, Crissida, and even then only once or twice a month. No, she had nobody to tell, nor the desire to do so. "I am an honest person and I always keep my word. I swear to you that I will take this to my grave." She could sense his unease, but tried to give him a kind, reassuring smile.

Nárion's head darted to his left, staring intently at her house. Tama was still yapping away and the noise seemed to startle Nárion greatly. He even backed away and Alandra let out a small chuckle. Nárion stood defensively as if he had never heard a wolf pup barking before. She glanced towards the village square to see that they were still being watched. She gave them all another nod and smile as if to say everything was fine and many people dispersed, their curiosity going unsatisfied. Nárion had straightened up, putting on a brave face for the remaining crowd. He turned back to see her still laughing silently at his false bravado and spoke again."I would tell you everything, but I can't...not out here. They could be watching." He had mentioned someone watching only moments ago and yet she had already forgotten. Deciding time was of the essence, she opened the door to her home. "Please, be my guest."

Tama ran out as soon as the door was opened and hurriedly began sniffing at the newcomer. Alandra gently pushed Tama away from Nárion and scooped the pup into her arms. After Nárion crossed the threshold, she came in behind him and closed the door. It was getting on in the evening and so the little house was quite dark. "Oh sorry, hold on a moment, let me light the candles." she said setting Tama back down. He quickly went back to sniffing the man. She fiddled around in her bag for a flint and after successfully locating it, lit a candle. She then went around with said candle lighting all the others in the small space.

The new light revealed a rather small but cozy hut. Most prominent was the fire pit in the middle with a small table sitting next to it. In the little loft a small straw bed lay with quilts all messed up. The rest of the room was in disarray as she felt since it was just her and Tama that there wasn't much reason to keep clean. Embarrassed, she quickly hung her bow, quiver and bag on a stick beside the door and went around picking up stray garments from the floor and quickly putting things where they go. She cleared a seat at the table for him and offered it to him placing a small mug of water in front of him. She sat opposite him, Tama curled at her feet. She was eager to hear about this man's tale, but didn't want to rush him.

Nárion had frozen for a second as the small creature had ran out of Alandra's home. He watched as the Elf had picked up the creature. He eyed the two for a second before making his way into the girl's home. The Dragon slowly stood in one spot, watching as Alandra made her way around, lighting candles. As she was gone, Nárion looked down at the creature that was now sniffing him. He'd seen them before but now that he was trying to recall what the creature was called, his mind was blank. Wolf. his mind yelled to him. What was a wolf pup doing here with the Elf? It was really none of his business. As light filled the home, his golden eyes took in everything. Her home was quite..warm feeling. He liked that he could tell that someone actually lived there. His eyes flicked to the Elf as she quickly began picking up a bit. She quickly returned to clean off a seat for him. He smiled at her, trying to show her that he had not cared about the small mess. He gently sat down, and waited for Alandra to join him. He watched as she'd brought him some water and the proceeded to sit down. He thought for a moment. What was the best way to tell the girl about his past?

Nárion seemed to take a few long moments to think of how to talk to the Elf. He finally looked up at Alandra, holding her gaze with his own. "I am Nárion Blackscale and I am the only child of Rihtarion Blackscale." he started, pausing for a moment. Rihtarion was well known throughout the world as the ruler of the Dragons. There were not many that knew of his passing or of Lorn. The evil Dragon had made sure to keep as much as possible a secret from the world. "My father was a good King. A kind King. He ruled for a very long time, teaching me as I would one day need to know how to rule in his stead, should anything ever happen to him. About five hundred years ago, my father was slain by Lorn the Serpent Slayer. It is forbidden for our kind to kill one of our own. Lorn did not care. He'd killed before. He'd killed my father in such a way that his death wasn't questioned and allowed for Lorn to get away with the murder. He took my mother for his own and banished me from my home. He told me that if I ever returned that he would kill her and then me. I spent quite a long time wandering the lower lands, far from the mountains that I used to call home. It wasn't until about one hundred years ago that Lorn began sending his scouts after me. He must have decided that I'm a threat to him. I've not been able to really rest in such a long time. I have to stay alert. He can't find me. I know that I must sound a coward to you..but..he has destroyed everything that my father worked so hard for. His past doings must be brought to light.." The Dragon sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. I should leave. Staying here only increases the chances of his scouts finding me. I don't want to put your people into harms way." He should have stood then, but he was just so tired. He wondered if Alandra had realized that he was, in fact, a prince..the true King of the Dragons. He kept his gaze on the woman, trying to read her.

As Nárion told her his tale, she was rapt with attention. His origin explained why she had heard his name before. Her father told her bedtime stories as a young girl about the Great Dragon King Rihtarion Blackscale. How he ruled both kindly and firmly and how he was well respected by all the lands. He had a wife and son both beautiful and terrible to behold. It was her belief that Rihtarion was still King of The Dragons and her shock of his death showed on her face. Upon further reflection his murder and Lorn's subsequent rise to power made more sense to her. The way her father spoke of Rihtarion, he would not seclude himself and impose such horrible rules over his own kind. And now here seat his son, The Dragon Prince, in her petty hovel sitting in her rickety chair. She felt obligated to apologize again for the state in which her home was in. "Had I realized that I was in a prince's presence, I would have cleaned a little better." she mumbled low.

As his tale ended, Alandra was overcome with pity. To always be moving from place to place always watching over your shoulder for assassins must have been a nightmare, not to mention the fact that his mother must always be present in his mind. She could not even imagine the terrible life he had led thus far. He sighed and spoke again "I'm sorry, I should leave. Staying here only increases the chances oh his scouts finding me. I don't want to put your people into harms way." Nárion seemed ever cautious, keeping his voice low as he spoke. He looked as if he was ready to stand but she jumped from her seat pushing him to sit back in his own. "I'm sure that staying the night will not bring spies to my doorstep and we elves know how to defend ourselves. The humans have seen to that. Please take this short respite to rest and regain strength. I will prepare dinner." she said and went about gathering ingredients. She had no idea what dragons ate but she was certain that meat was on the menu. It just so happened that she had purchased a fine chicken that morning and was planning and roasting it for dinner. As she prepared the spit over the fire and cleaned the chicken, she gave Tama the less than desirable bits. She prepared a small salad for each of them and had some potatoes to roast as well. She placed the chicken on the spit along with some potatoes for the both of them. As she turned the spit, she struck a conversation with the Dragon Prince. "Do you have any plans on how to take back your throne?"

Nárion had been about to get up and leave the poor Elf. He'd already risked too much by allowing her to show him kindness. They could easily see her as being of high importance to him. He'd spent such a very long time trying to remain alone. It seemed, that at last he'd fallen. Alandra had almost seemed to enthrall him from the moment he'd seen her. She was..different from most Elves that he'd ever come across. The thought had almost brought a smile to his face. As he'd been halfway standing, Alandra was above him, pushing him back down into the seat. He was looking at her shocked. "I'm sure that staying the night will not bring spies to my doorstep and we elves know how to defend ourselves. The humans have seen to that. Please take this short respite to rest and regain strength. I will prepare dinner." she said as she began getting their meal ready. Nárion almost didn't know what to say. He'd never been in such a situation before. "If you are certain. I truly do not wish to bring harm to you or your people." he said softly. The Dragon still wasn't sure if this was such a good idea. He didn't know what he would do if he was found here. He wouldn't be able to shift into his true form, being forced to fight in his Elven form. He tried pushing the terrible thoughts from his mind as he turned his golden eyes to Alandra's form.

The female Elf was busying herself around the spit. As she worked, she said, "Do you have any plans on how to take back your throne?" The question threw Nárion off. Did he have a plan? He wished so badly that he did. As a Blackscale, Nárion followed the laws laid down by the ancients so very long ago when the Dragons first came into being. He was forbidden from killing Lorn. He couldn't even be seen near Ialeos, for fear for his mother coming to harm. As the Dragon sat at the small table, thinking, he realized truly how helpless his current situation seemed to be. "I'm afraid not. I cannot kill Lorn. I will not forsake the laws of the Ancients just because he has. I refuse to fall to his level. Right now, I'm afraid, I'm only biding my time. Until I can come up with a way to overthrow him, I'm stuck here, in the low lands." He sighed heavily. He felt so lost right then and he was sure that it was easy to see. For once, the Dragon did not care. He was tired of this life. He wanted so badly to be able to stretch out his wings and fly through the beautiful skies. "I'm sorry. Please ignore me. In such desperation it is best to think for some time before deciding anything. I would want to succeed..not fail. Whatever ends up being the best course of action, I'm sure that it shall reveal itself in time. Thank you, though, for your kindness. It's been such a long time anyone has been so nice to me." he said, smiling at Alandra. It was true. He couldn't recall the last time that he'd been able to even sit at a table, let alone have a meal at one.

Alandra watched intently as many different emotions passed over Nárion's handsome face. She wondered if she had overstepped her boundaries by asking if he knew how to solve the problem of taking back his throne. He seemed hesitant to speak, but after a while he finally responded. "I'm afraid not. I cannot kill Lorn. I will not forsake the laws of the Ancients just because he has. I refuse to fall to his level. Right now, I'm afraid. I'm only biding my time. Until I can come up with a way to overthrow him, I'm stuck here, in the low lands." He hefted a sigh. "I'm sorry. Please ignore me. In such desperation it is best to think for some time before deciding anything. I would want to succeed...not fail. Whatever ends up being the best course of action, I'm sure that it shall reveal itself in time. Thank you, though, for your kindness. It's been such a long time anyone has been so nice to me." He seemed extremely genuine as he said this and he even smiled, the first one she had seen from him. It intensified his handsome features and her heart skipped a beat.

She contemplated how she could possibly help him as she gave the spit a final turn. She plated the food on simple wooden plates and set one in front of him. She found a bottle of elven wine in the corner and filled his empty water glass with it. She sincerely hoped he enjoyed the meal. She had never really been the best at cooking, but a few centuries had given her enough time to practice. She sat down opposite him with her wine and plate. As she ate, she had a sudden thought. With a complete calm she said "Well, if you can not kill him, perhaps I can." Her face betrayed no emotion as she stared into his golden pools.

Nárion gazed intently at Alandra as she finished cooking and readied their plates and cups. He would not admit it to the Elf, but it had been such a very long time since he'd had an actual meal. He was looking forward to it. As Alandra placed the plate of food and drink in front of him, he gratefully bowed his head to her in thanks. Though Nárion was a prince, he was as kind as his father. The Dragon only needed to find the fire that would cause his heart to burn. To give him the drive that he so desperately need in order to be able to stand up to the evil Dragon ruler. As the two beings ate in silence, Nárion kept glancing at Alandra. At last, she spoke to him with such calm that the statement she said almost sent chills down his spine. "Well, if you can not kill him, perhaps I can." She was staring into his eyes now, most likely trying to see what he thought of her idea. He spent a long moment thinking over the possibilities. It had been such a very long time since a Dragon had been killed by the low landers. The Prince wondered if it was even possible. Of course he'd have to take her to the Dragons and in doing so, Lorn would most likely kill his mother if he found out. The idea was a wonderful one, though. He was forbidden from killing his own kind, but Alandra was not. Such a tempting off, the she-Elf had given him a way out of going against the Ancients.

At long last, Nárion smiled at the woman. "I appreciate the offer, but I could never place you in harms way. If you were found before killing Lorn, they would not kill you quickly. I couldn't ask you to do such a thing for me. It would be terrible of me, I'm afraid." he said, holding Alandra's gaze. He wanted so badly to be able to allow her to do as she seemed to want. He just wasn't sure if he'd be able to live with himself if something happened to her. He smiled at her, trying to show her that he did truly appreciate her offer. He wondered how she would react to him trying to reject her offer. "Besides, the only way that you'd be able to kill him is if he was in his Elven form, and up in Ialeos that is so very rare. The only time that Lorn would be in this form would be if he was inside the palace, his chambers." he said, a puzzled look crossing his features. Perhaps Alandra's plan could work. He decided not to say anything yet, wishing to see how she would react. His sharp canines were showing a bit as he'd spoken. Normally, when in the company of Elves or Humans, Nárion would try and hide his teeth. Yet..around Alandra he didn't care. He felt almost comfortable around her, which puzzled him. He'd only just met her.

At last Nárion smiled an responded. "I appreciate the offer, but I could never place you in harm way. If you were found before killing Lorn, they would not kill you quickly. I couldn't ask you to do such a thing for me. It would be terrible of me, I'm afraid." He gazed at her while he spoke. Blue eyes found the golden. She had already set her mind to this task, and she would not falter. He smiled trying to show her that while he thanked her for her generous offer, that he was not ready to risk the life of someone he just met for his own gains. Clearly he did not know who he was speaking with. She held her tongue for the moment, seeing that he had more he wished to say. " Besides, the only way that you'd be able to kill him is if he was in his Elven form, and up in Ialeos that is so very rare. The only time that Lorn would be in this for would be if he was inside the palace, his chamber." He looked a little confused, as if he was questioning the veracity of her plan after all. He was silent now, but when he was speaking, she caught sight of his extremely sharp canines as they glistened in the light. She hadn't taken much notice of them before, but now they seemed bigger.

Having stayed silent over the matter for much to long, Alandra could now speak her mind freely. "Please excuse me in advance for what I'm about to say. I've never been very good at staying silent like a Lady should. I am a grown woman. I have lived 2000 years, without assistance from you or any other being. I am at liberty to decide what I can and can not do. Do not consider this task one am undertaking for you, but one for your kind. Lorn's reign of tyranny must be ended before his reach extends to us in the lower lands. I am merely being proactive in ending his life. As for the issue of killing him, I will find my way around that. I already have a plan set in my mind." She had finished her rant, but she took in all of what she had just said. Perhaps she should have held her tongue, or at least spoke a little more politely. After all she was in the presence of a prince.

Nárion tilted his head to the side as Alandra began speaking. "Please excuse me in advance for what I'm about to say. I've never been very good at staying silent like a Lady should. I am a grown woman. I have lived 2000 years, without assistance from you or any other being. I am at liberty to decide what I can and can not do. Do not consider this task one am undertaking for you, but one for your kind. Lorn's reign of tyranny must be ended before his reach extends to us in the lower lands. I am merely being proactive in ending his life. As for the issue of killing him, I will find my way around that. I already have a plan set in my mind." The Dragon remained silent for a long time. He wasn't used to being spoken to in such a way. His golden eyes were resting upon Alandra, as if trying to figure out why she would dare speak to him in such a way. And yet, he wasn't angry with her. He couldn't be. If what she was saying was true, she was only worried about Lorn spreading his rule.

The Dragon finally spoke to Alandra. "Forgive me, My Lady. How foolish of me to assume that you are incapable of taking care of yourself. I shan't stop you..if this is truly what you wish to do. But..you must allow me to come with you. You'd never reach the Dragon City by yourself. I do not think that your kind have the ability of flight." He fell silent again, continuing to eat. "You do realize that by joining me, you are condemning yourself? Lorn will have you hunted as well..until he is defeated." he said, a last effort at trying to dissuade her from her new found quest. Finishing the meal, the Dragon waited for Alandra to finish as well before rising from his seat. He did not allow her to stop him. He gathered the dishes and took them to the small area that was used for washing the dishes. He slowly began washing their dishes, remaining quiet. He wasn't angry but more surprised at how the woman acted. She was unlike any woman he'd ever met. He found it fascinating and wanted to get to know her. Once finished with his task, he returned to Alandra, smiling.

Alandra was worried she offended Nárion as was silent for a while after her rant. At least he was eating well, which gave her some sense of satisfaction. He had watched her a little unsettlingly as if he would strike her for speaking to him in such a manner. Then he spoke, and she let out the breath she was unaware she was holding. Forgive me, My Lady. How foolish of me to assume that you are incapable of taking care of yourself. I shan't stop you...if this is truly what you wish to do. But..you must allow me to come with you. You'd never reach the Dragon City by yourself. I do not think that your kind have the ability of flight." she chuckled a bit at what seemed to be his attempt at humor. He was quiet again, eating the rest of his meal. She had fallen back to eating her own meal, thinking the matter was settled when he startled her by speaking again. "You do realize that by joining me, you are condemning yourself? Lorn will have you hunted as well...until he is defeated." She was unsurprised at his final attempt to discourage her from the impending journey.

"I must confess," she said walking to the small area she had set up for washing dishes with him "I am being a little selfish by doing this. I grow bored with doing the same things, day in and day out here. My routine has not changed in two centuries. The most eventful thing that has happened thus far was finding Tama," she said pointing to the wolf pup who was happily chewing on a bone from their meal, "and you." she finished. She had blushed a little at her latest bold statement and turned away, trying to distract herself by playing tug-of-war with the little wolf.

After her moment of embarrassment had passed and she had successfully wrestled the bone from Tama's strong jaws, she turned back helping him finish the dishes. "You may sleep in my little bed tonight. I'll set myself up a small pallet down here to lie on with Tama. Do not worry about intruders. Tama may be small, but he is very strong and I will have my bow and arrows beside me, just in case." She said with a small smile in his direction. She hoped that she could convey to him a sense of safety, so that he could rest more fully.

Nárion had been surprised at Alandra's statement of meeting him had been one of the only exciting things that had happened to her. He'd said nothing at the time, deciding that perhaps it was better that way. He was brought out of his reverie when he heard the Elf speaking to him. "You may sleep in my little bed tonight. I'll set myself up a small pallet down here to lie on with Tama. Do not worry about intruders. Tama may be small, but he is very strong and I will have my bow and arrows beside me, just in case." He smiled at her gently. "You are too kind, My Lady. I will see you in the morning?" he asked. After listening to her answer, he bid her a good night. He was beyond exhausted, not having a real nights rest in so many long years. The Dragon slowly left Alandra, easily finding his way through her home. Once finding the small bed, he eyed it for a short moment. It had been so very long since he'd slept in a bed. He almost didn't want to..afraid that he would never want to sleep in the wilds again. Sighing softly, he gently sat down and laid down, not bothering to remove his boots or sword. It didn't take long for him to fall into a deep sleep.

---

It was bright and early when Nárion awoke. He remained laying upon the bed for some time, trying to drag out the moment when he'd have to return to the wilds. Alandra was most likely still bent on joining him, though the Dragon just couldn't understand her reasoning. To him, she should be frightened of the unknown and yet she was welcoming it with open arms. The thought brought a smile to his face. She was so very different from any being that he'd ever met and this seemed to make him want to learn more about her. Stretching, Nárion slowly sat up on the bed. He sat there for but a moment before standing. He straightened his clothing and hair, making sure that he looked presentable. Once happy with his appearance, he made his way back to Alandra. "Good morning." he said softly. He eyed her closely, his golden eyes intense. "When were you wishing to leave?" he asked. He wondered if they were going to eat first or if she preferred to head on out. He'd already lingered here for far too long. It was only a matter of time until Lorn's scouts found him. He didn't like staying in one place for too long and he'd already stayed in Alandra's home longer than he felt comfortable doing.

Alandra was happy to see that he had not protested against getting a good's nights sleep. He seemed to enjoy protesting her quite a bit. She responded kindly saying that yes, she would see him in the morning and watched as he found his way to her bed. She spread a blanket on the floor, and laid down, bidding Tama to come and keep her warm. She buried her face in his warm fur, thinking on what would happen tomorrow. She was unsure about taking Tama with them, but she had no one to keep an eye on him and she didn't want to leave him, after all, she had grown quite fond of the pup. Soon she found herself drifting to sleep. She had tried to stay awake a little longer, so that she could listen. Nárion's paranoia had gotten the better of her and she tried to remain ever-vigilant. Unfortunately, her attempts failed and she was asleep before long, dreaming of camping in the woods and playing with Tama.

---

She woke with the dawn, as she always had. She checked on Nárion only to find him still fast asleep. He was quite handsome, even in sleep and she found herself staring for too long. She went back and cleaned the blankets from the floor. Tama, too, was still fast asleep in the floor where she had left him. His legs were twitching and he was whining. It appeared that he had been dreaming of chasing something. She smiled and gave him a pat and he jumped awake. Seeing that it was only her, he laid his head back down and before long, was back asleep. She busied herself, gathering supplies from around the house for their journey, waiting for Nárion to wake up.

---

After another hour or so, she could hear Nárion up and about. She patted her white hair down and checked her appearance in a small pocket mirror before he entered the room. She at least wanted to look respectable in front of him. "Good morning. When were you wishing to leave?" he said once he saw her. "Well, I've been up for some time, and have already gathered Tama's and my things together. We can leave now and eat on the road, or we can stay and eat here. Whichever you feel more comfortable with." She said, smiling. She was anxious to leave, but she didn't want to rush him. After all, this was the only relative comfort he had found in quite some time.

Nárion focused his golden gaze upon Alandra. "Well, I've been up for some time, and have already gathered Tama's and my things together. We can leave now and eat on the road, or we can stay and eat here. Whichever you feel more comfortable with." the Elf said, smiling. The Dragon allowed himself a gentle smile for the woman. "I believe that we should leave as soon as possible. The longer that we linger in one place, the more likely it is that we shall be found." he said softly. The Dragon waited until Alandra was ready to depart before slowly making his way out of her home. He remained alert as he slowly led the way from the Elf's village. It was still early enough that there were not many other beings outside. He was glad of this. He'd not wanted to feel eyes on him again. Although he was used to it, the feeling of being watched as if you were the threat did weigh him down at times. Nárion felt relief as the exited the village. He wondered why Alandra would want to leave her home. As far as he'd seen, it was a happy place. He would have given anything to be able to go home again. He really shouldn't have allowed the Elf to come with him. He was putting her in danger by allowing her to join him. Lorn would not care that Alandra was a woman or that she wasn't a Dragon. He would only see that the Prince had somehow gained a companion in his quest to return home.

As the Dragon led the way into the large forest that he'd met Alandra in, he couldn't help but eye the woman out of the corner of his eyes. Now, actually looking at her, he realized how beautiful she really was. He couldn't seem to understand why she wanted to help him. There was nothing in it for her. Lorn had yet to turn his gaze upon the Lower Lands and it would be many long years before he did so. He would want to make sure that Nárion was no longer a threat, first. So far, the Dragon Prince had succeeded in eluding the scouts sent by the King. He hoped that they wouldn't catch up with them. He knew that he could defend himself and Alandra if need be, but Nárion didn't want it to come to that. They traveled for some time before Nárion deemed it safe enough to stop long enough to eat. The Dragon slowly sat down against one of the large trees. He eyed the Elf closely, his golden eyes taking in her appearance. "I wanted to thank you..for everything. I cannot tell you how long it's been since someone has even spoken to me." he said softly. The Prince smiled at Alandra gently. "Come. Let us eat. It may be some time before we are able to stop once again." Nárion motioned for Alandra to sit next to him. He would allow her to ready their food since she was the one carrying the supplies. He hoped that they wouldn't need to cook anything for now, as it would draw in Lorn's scouts. He wondered, though, how they were going to sneak past all of Lorn's defenses to get to him. He wasn't sure what to do. Nárion was Alandra's only way to the Great Dragon city but Lorn would be watching for the Prince. His face was troubled as he thought about their quest. He was torn. If the King realized that Nárion was in the city, the chances of his mother being killed became very high. He sighed softly, turning his eyes back to Alandra.

((Sorry that it's taken me so long to reply..I was out of town without internet. :( Got married XD))

{OOC: Sorry I was out of town for work. Congrats on your marriage!}

Alandra followed after Nárion as they left the only home she had ever known. She was unsure if and when she would ever come back. She had latched her door just in case but she knew it was unnecessary. The people of her village had always been trustworthy. Once they made it to the outskirts of her village she gave a glance back in it's direction. She was sure to miss it, but she was confident she would see it again. If anything she was optimistic about the endeavor she had chosen to undertake. Tama nudged her hand with his nose and whined, signaling that they needed to continue on. The hair on the back of her neck prickled and she felt the disturbing sensation that she was being watched. Glancing around, she saw nothing amiss and turned back to follow Nárion.

It was well past midday before they stopped to eat a light lunch. As Nárion sat against a rather ancient tree, Alandra found a perch on a large fallen log not far from him. As she pulled a small strip of dried meat from her satchel, Nárion broke the silence that had formed. "I wanted to thank you...for everything. I cannot tell you how long it's been since someone has even spoken to me." This puzzled Alandra a bit. He was handsome and found it hard to believe that no woman in any village he had visited recently wouldn't try to get his attention, especially in the human villages where women had no shame. Moreover, how did he obtain supplies without trading with a merchant? "Come. Let us eat. It may be some time before we are able to stop once again." She turned back to bringing the food from her pack. She had not packed very much, seeing as how she could kill most of their food on their way. Assuming time was of the essence, she had brought along plenty of dried meats and hard, yet satisfying loafs of bread. She passed a few strips of meat to Nárion and a small bit of bread and fed Tama a small strip of meat. She herself only ate a strip of meat and a few bites of bread, knowing that much of it needed to be rationed out as their journey progressed. Nárion sighed. "Might I ask what bothers you?" She was very curious as to what was going on in his mind and figured that since they would be getting to know each other better on this journey, it couldn't hurt to ask.

{I'll be on vacation for a few days next week. Going camping so zero internet lol. Thought I'd give you a head's up.}

The Dragon ate slowly, flicking his golden eyes to Alandra when he'd heard her speaking. "Might I ask what bothers you?" The question surprised Nárion. He wasn't used to someone actually taking an interest in him or his feelings..or his thoughts. Or, now that he really thought about it, anything about him. Yes, when on those rare occasions that he'd had to venture into a town or village the women would flock about..until they caught sight of his eyes. Many Elves thought him to be a bad omen..the Humans thought him to be some sort of devil. He couldn't even begin to recall all of the horrible things that had been said to him over the years. He'd become used to it and now, faced with Alandra and her simple question, well..he wasn't quite sure how to react. Instead of speaking, the Dragon merely eyed the Elf for a silent moment. At last, Nárion smiled gently at Alandra. "I only was thinking of our path.." he said softly, taking care not to mention their plan. "And how our..future is..uncertain." The Dragon fell silent. He was suddenly eyeing Alandra strangely. He abruptly stood, turning in a slow circle. Almost as if he was looking for someone or something. Nárion hated feeling the eyes that followed him relentlessly. It had been wonderful the day before when he'd been able to have a brief moment of freedom from those that had been sent after him. In the past, the Dragon had been able to easily evade those that sought him. With the Elf and her pet, it would be harder. He did not mind too terribly, though. He was actually glad for the company. Turning to look at Alandra, he regarded the woman for a short moment. She probably thought his behavior odd and at the moment there really wasn't much that he could say to make it make sense.

Nárion slowly approached Alandra and offered a hand to her, willing to help her up. "Come. I fear that we've lingered too long. Let us be on our way." he said softly, offering the Elf another smile. As he started walking, he remained a bit ahead of the Elf in hopes that if they were attacked, their enemies would hopefully go straight for the Dragon. Nárion remained silent, even when the pair had come to a crossroad. They could either continue on through the large forest or turn and head towards the wild openness of the world. Going either way would still pose the threat of being found. The Dragon finally decided that perhaps it would be best to stay close to the woods for now. He continued leading the way. After they'd been traveling for some time longer the Dragon spoke almost too softly to be heard. "I believe that it would be safe now for us to talk, if you still wish it." The Dragon was no longer feeling the threat of the scouts. Hopefully by continuing on through the forest they had lost them for a bit.

Alandra listened intently as Nárion spoke of his musings. How he was concerned over the uncertain future. "I find it best to just live in the present, don't you." she said quietly in answer to his own thoughts. He eyed her then stood and turned a circle, searching for something. While she thought he was being overcautious, his paranoia became easy to catch, and she too felt eyes upon her. She accepted his hand as he offered his assistance in helping her up. "Come. I fear that we've lingered to long. Let us be on our way." His voice was soft and the smile sweet, but it betrayed the caution in his voice.

As they walked, he remained a fair distance from her. She was perfectly aware of what he was doing and while it was gallant notion, it was foolish. Surely they would kill her just as soon as they would kill him, just because she would witness it. He paused at a crossroad and this allowed her to catch up with him. He turned in the direction of the deeper wood, probably preferring to stay more concealed.

The sun was beginning to set beyond the horizon when Nárion spoke again, barely audible. "I believe that it would be safe now for us to talk, if you still wish it." His voice had lost some of the caution he usually carried and she preferred it much more than the tone he usually took. She thought for a moment on which subject she would most like to breach and soon came upon one she thought she would enjoy. "I would like to discuss your childhood." She knew the topic would throw him, but she truly did want to know more about him and where he had come from.

Nárion turned his golden eyes to focus upon Alandra as the woman spoke at last. "I would like to discuss your childhood." The Dragon was surprised that out of everything that Alandra could have asked him about, she had chosen his childhood. To be honest, he'd never been asked to recount such a unimportant time in his life. He removed his eyes from the Elf, continuing to walk, trying to pretend that the question had not thrown him off. "Why you would wish to know of something so..frivolous, I do not know." he said at last, softly. He allowed silence to surround them once again. Perhaps, though, it wouldn't hurt anything to speak of his past to the Elf. She was only curious. He eyed her from the corner of his eye. He felt almost bad about what he'd said just a few moments before. "As you know, I was born to Rihtarion and Aya. I suppose..that I had a fairly normal childhood. I had lessons that I had to complete everyday. They were for anything that you could imagine, including for when the time would come that I would rule Ialeos as King. I breezed through all of these and by the time that I was one-thousand years old, I'd completed everything that I was required to know. After that, I took it upon myself to learn other things. Elvish and the common tongue were the first things that I taught myself. I quickly completed those as well. Then, I preceded to perfect my swordsmanship." He paused then, eyeing the woman once again, wondering what she was thinking. He doubted that he would ever know.

"I had a few friends when I was younger though only one that I trust still to this day. Calen is about the same age as I and he has always had my back. He is surprisingly the complete opposite of me. When he found out what Lorn had done, he was ready to off the mad Dragon. If I had not stopped him he would have forsaken our laws. I could not allow him to do such a thing. He is still in Ialeos, watching over the city for me. He informs me every so often of what is happening." As they continued walking, the Prince noted that it was beginning to get late. He led them off of the main trail and into the forest wilds. He made sure to watch Alandra, making sure that she was still with him. Once they'd reached far enough in that Nárion felt that they were safe, he informed the female Elf that they would remain there for the night. Nárion did not move to build a fire for fear of attracting attention to them. Instead, he gently leaned against one of the large trees and slid down to sitting against it. After everyone had settled, he continued on with his story.

"Anyway, there was this one time that Calen and I had been told by my father to remain outside for the day. I knew that something was up..he never made us stay outside unless there was a meeting or something like that. Well, we snuck back into the palace. There are many hidden passages in the palace and it wasn't hard to sneak through without being seen. So, we finally make it the portrait that hangs in the study, we're behind it. My father is speaking with Altandil, one of his advisers." Nárion had allowed his bright eyes to close as he spoke, the sense of calm slowly washing over him. He wasn't used to being this relaxed when out on the run. He did not understand it. What was causing this feeling? "They were discussing the future..mine, actually. Of how I was beyond old enough to be bound, or..what you would consider..marriage. The adviser was worried because I'd not openly courted anyone." At this he smiled. The adviser had been worried that perhaps he didn't care for females. What a silly notion. "They decided that I should be promised to Altanis. She was the daughter of said adviser. He was only concerned about getting his daughter into the royal family. Do not get me wrong, she is a kind Dragon..though I do not see the point in being forced to bind with someone I care nothing for. I told my father that very thing. He looked at me hard, for a very long time before he finally spoke to me, us now alone and in the study together. He told me, 'Sometimes we must not do what we wish, but what we must.' I could see that there was no talking my way out of it." he fell silent again. Altanis was no longer part of the living world, though he'd barely recognized that in his tale. He felt as if it mattered little. "Like I said," he said, his voice hinting at the sadness he was now feeling for the loss of those he'd held close, "It's all quite frivolous, like I said. My childhood was mainly filled with little lessons about life and besides running all over the city it was quite boring." He wished so badly to just sleep now, to pretend that he was back home, that his father wasn't one with the Ancients. He opened his eyes, holding Alandra's gaze. "And you? Your childhood, I mean. You will tell me of it?" he asked softly, smiling at the woman.