Ara of Qi's Story

Phoebe makes her way through the crowd. She looks around than enters an alley way. She heads all the way back and takes a right. Behind an odd abandoned shoe repairer. She slips in the broken boards of the building. Phoebe makes sure no one followed her and places the board over top of the hole.

"My gosh people are cheerful today." She whispers to herself. She walks up near the old entrance way and looked out sure were a lot of people out and about. She goes back to her bag and lays out the extra food she'd brought.

Phoebe leaves them on the barrel, and exits the building the way she came. She looks through her bag to see if she has anything else she could leave.."nothing." Phoebe goes over to the hole and moved the board out of the way and exited. It always gave her joy and a warm heart after she does these kinds of things.

This are the things phoebe does, kids with no home usually go there to sleep once in a while she brings them some food. Phoebe takes a deep breath and walks toward the crowd of people, She sighs, before entering the big crowd she looks to her left to see the wanted poster of Ara.."Poor thing..She doesn't need any of this. She's just been through seeing her father die." She whispers to her self.."Maybe i can help her out..though i have to find her first." She looks around and folds it up and places it in her bag.

She hoped the search would only last a little bit longer. walking around was becoming more dangerous by the day. Guards were being extra vigilant and stopping the girls that passed to compare them to the lost princess's posters.

Ara sighed and turned around. It was safer to liner in the crowds and keep unseen but this was no way to live.

The more she thought about it the more it stressed her out...

Suddenly a group of children ran past her and knocked her over, her hood fell and the people were staring. One women looked at her and back at a hanging poster. Ara's eyes widened. The women began to open her mouth to call out to the guards but Ara quickly got up and dashed away.

Hour later

News spread like wild fire that the princess had been seen. The Minister of Justice announced a reward for anyone who finds her and turns her in.

When phoebe heard the news that the princess had been seen. She knew there was hope of helping her..she smiled at that. Phoebe got a lantern and headed out. Not many people would be out and about. Once outside she started looking for places she might be hiding. A few minutes Ito searching phoebe was stopped by a guard and examined her along with the poster. After he figured out it couldn't have been her, he walked on patrolling. "If I were a wanted princess where would I be..." She whispers to herself. Phoebe went in every alley way, and couldn't seem in find her.

Except there was one place she hadn't checked yet.. She decided to check it out anyway even if it was a dangerous idea. She was about to enter the alley way where women won't really wanted. She put her lantern up to lighten her way as she made her journey into the alley way. " I really hope this isn't a waste of my time." She whispers. The men would star at her as she walked by, she would hear footsteps behind her. Phoebe stopped and tuned her head to look back, they were following her. "Wonderful.." She says. And continues to walk on through the alley.

Phoebes lantern was dying and she didn't have any spare lint to restart it. A little ways up about half way the lantern completely burns out and she's left in the darkness. "Well this is just great.." Phoebe puts up he hood. She wouldn't know who was approaching her or know where the insane men are coming from...she signed "i better be right about her being here.." She whispers

Ara noticed Phoebe entering the alleyway and thought it was quite odd. That lantern wasn't going to last much longer. Women only come down here for no good reasons. Ara had somehow managed to steal cloths for herself to change her appearance. With her hair tucked into a hat, Ara looked like a young boy.

Phoebe's lantern was dying and Ara knew she would have to quickly move in. Homeless men were dangerous, especially in this area. The unknown women was a fool to come here. but none the less she was here and in danger.

"Keep walking miss..." Ara appeared beside phoebe at the same time wording off a approaching old man. Phoebe would have noticed him after he turned to walk away. When the man was gone Ara looked back at Phoebe and smiled. "If I were a girl I wouldn't be coming here alone miss... What brings you here? not that its any of my business..."

Phoebe looks to her left and sees a young man or so she thinks. "I'm not so sure I should tell you..you might eat me out to a guard" she says looking the young mans way. She and him keep walking in the darkness. " to be honest if I weren't here for a reason, I'd never would have stepped foot here.."

She admits. Phoebe smiles in the darkness. " its good to know to all men in this alley aren't..uh messed up." Phoebe tells him. She peers behind her and doesn't see the men following her anymore. She sighed in relief.

She knows this is a dangerous place where women shouldn't usually be all by themselves you never know what these men would do if they can get the opportunity. Heck phoebe wouldn't even know what to do In a situation like that. She has to admit if these young men hadn't had come along she would be in some serious trouble with all these men.

"Why interfere only to turn you in?" Ara laughed and quickly cleared her throat knowing she would have to change her voice consistently. Her laugh was the first hint Ara wasn't a boy. Hoping Phoebe didn't notice Ara continued "People are cruel... we have to learn the hard way to not trust anyone..."

Ara was relieved her disguise worked and wanted to keep it that way. "Is your reason really worth it i wonder..." Ara didn't leave phoebe's side. Though she could have Ara's legs wouldn't do so. Blame it on her kind heart, or her lack of friends at the moment.

"Maybe you should go home and search when its... i don't know light out."

"It'll be harder to find Ara in day light...I don't want to turn her in or anything i just want to help her...she must be so scared always having to hide." Phoebe says, when she hears the man laugh, it sounded more female than male. She looked at the young man closely..." Wait a second.."

She stops in her tracks and looks at him..."your not really a man are you...your Ara..." She finally says. "I have to admit to would have never known if you hadn't had laughed.." Phoebe smiles.."don't worry I'm not turning you in or anything i just want to help you" she adds.

"you have no reason to be afraid of me...I can tell you that for a fact." She smiles at Ara..she just hopes she's right about the whole thing and not just a random man she's taking to..than she'd feel pretty awkward. and embarrassed that she even had said it. She laughs nervously ..

When Phoebe mentioned her name Ara stiffened. Now this women was more carefully examining her new companion. Shit... Ara thought. Phoebe was right about Ara not being a man but it was crazy to jump to the conclusion that she was in fact the princess...
"Keep your voice down... you know how many homeless people would love to get their grungy hands on a reward?"

Ara looked around to glare at a few men attempting to ease drop. "If I was the princess, miss you think I would be dressed like this?"
She gave Pheobe a soft nudge out of the alleyway. "Not here" Ara whispered quiet enough so only Phoebe would hear.

"My name is Ari... don't call me Ara around anyone ok? as long as i pull off being a man i don't get caught... so... you are?"

A lightning bolt whipped between Ara and Phoebe, slightly showing the mace of the lizardfolk standing there, his mace emitting the blue glow. Then a bright light would shine beside him, coming out of a brown cloth sack. Soon the lantern, round as a ball excepting the handle, rolled between the two. Around them stood a circle of homeless men, all of which looked ready to strike, with their heads now turned at the lizardfolk coming into view.

Uven walked into the light on three legs, his one hand holding up the mace. He was dressed in little, a loin cloth and the brown cloth bag hanging from his belt. His body was covered in markings, some slave marks while the others were tribal mage markings. He sucked in a great volume of air as he stood up, nearly 7 feet tall, and let loose a loud, deep roar.

Now the homeless men were showing signs that they were regretting their last decision, scattering when a second one was hit with a lightning bolt, sending him into a wall. As they scattered, Uven moved towards Ara. He spoke, his deep voice struggling to form words that were not in draconian, "You smellll diiiffferennnt." He was now sniffing and circling Ara, his forked tongue occasionally showing itself. "You loooook faaaamiiiiliiiiaaar." He spoke again, stopping to look Ara closely in the face.

Uven then swallowed deep, clearing his throat and focusing on human words. "You are not the only one to ever be displaced."

Suddenly there was a flash of light and Ara could see the homeless were getting ready to strike. Thankfully Uven stepped in just in time to scare them away. Ara had not been careful enough and thanks to her new savior everything was going to be ok.
Then she looked at him and noted he wasn't quite human... a reptilian man... Ara stared in awe. "Amazing!!!" she muttered.

When he spoke Ara was baffled, not because he could speak but what he said.
"Smell different?" when Uven started examining her more closely Ara stiffened. "I... don't know what... your talking... about..." Ara paused after she heard what he said next. "What? Im sorry for my rudeness... but... who might you be... sir?"

"You smell different. Your stink comes from another place." Uven stated, showing the focus on his words. It was obvious that he struggled to form the words, but also slightly apparent that his mind was far more powerful than his body made it look.

"This lizardfolk goes by Uven." He said while pointing to himself, "First a mage, then a slave, then a mage again. Now I find the displaced, taken, stolen people. Aid I give them to find that which they seek, the thing that puts them back together..." Uven trailed off, his words showing the same as he said "thhhaaat iiiissss howwww Iiiii coooommmme baaaackkk toooogethhhherrrr."

Uven then picked up his lantern, holding it in his left hand. His mace, with a spike on top and one that came out of the rounded ball's side like a beak, rested on his shoulder, held in place with his left hand. He then pointed his arm out down the alley, stating with renewed focus "No guards nor seekers walk the empty road beyond here."

"My stink? I don't know if i should be offended or what..." Ara didn't take it personally though she knew the lizard fold weren't treated very well by humans here. "Thank you for saving us Uven, we owe you one!"

Ara looked around glancing at Phoebe once then back at Uven... there was an awkward silence for a moment then Ara smiled.
"Well nice to meet you Uven, This is Phoebe and I'm Ara."

"All have a stink, a scent. Many cannot smell it, but there are those who can." Uven stated, checking his lantern for any cracks. He then nodded as Ara thanked him. After deciding that his lantern was in working order, he gave another check around the alley to make sure that none of the homeless decided that trying Uven while he wasn't attentive was a good idea.

After a short, awkward silence, Ara had spoken to Uven again, catching his attention. Now he knew her name, Ara. This definitely rung a bell. It was a name that he had overheard in more conversations than he could count, each with mixed opinions. "If your name is the name I believe it is, a quick exit is the best option. The clothed will be quick to collect the bounty for information from the guards." Uven spoke, as he began walking the way he had stated earlier. "No guards will ever come to this street. Not even the clothed dare to tread without having an escort of one who lives there."

Uven began talking again when he had begun moving. "Posters float down the roads to even here, carrying the scent of the high grounds..." Uven said, focusing on his words and pointing his mace at the castle. "You smell of the high grounds, but it is small, masked by the scent of poverty and refuge. You are displaced, it can be seen just as much as smelt, from how you walk."

When they first entered the road, it seemed calm, empty, and abandoned. Almost to the point that it seemed that it might be toxic, guessing by the streams of water and mud flowing slowly through the street and the general look of lifelessness. It was then that a hurried young man could be seen running down the street, with a bag as big as his head. He was moving at such a speed that he seemed to be going faster than he should be able to.

He slowed when he looked back to see no guards and hear no life. He slowly stood up, only to see the light from Eternal Lanterns blocking both sides of the street. Following the light was two lizardfolk on either side, armed with crude spears and loin cloths. Then the face of realization hit the man again. That was only moments before the spears took the flames of light from his eyes.

"You have entered the district in which the displaced of my kind seek shelter. Soon you will learn how to walk among us without need of an escort. Those who reside here have little good to say of your kind." Stated Uven watching the body of the boy being dragged into the alleys.

"Oh i see..." Ara didn't realize she stuck out like a sore thumb. "Your vary observant Uven..." Ara looked back at her castle for a moment remembering the times when she was happy. "This is it then Uven... I am reborn... no longer belonging to what you call high grounds."

For the first time Ara didn't feel like crying. She felt different. Like the piece in heart, and the innocence she once had no longer existed. Ara turned her back on the castle, no longer her home. Ara walked beside Uven, and for a wile it was a trek of silence. When they finally arrived Ara took the refuge in.

"I have very little good to say about my kind as well! my father was slaughtered while the crowd watched and ill add that their cheering indicated they enjoyed the beheading of my father." Ara had learned humans were both capable of kindness but also terrible things. "And the minister of justice did this all for the throne! Some justice... My kind is capable of terrible things indeed..." Ara paused... "Uven... did you have family?"

"Yes, and no. To the lizardfolk, the nearest settlement and its people are your family. We hatch, so it is rare that we would truly know what matting pair produced what child. To add to that, our training is chosen from birth, and after you finish that training you are free. When the slaving surge came, my entire people were displaced. My entire family, you could say.

But, give up not on your kind. Were my kind are one, no clear leader, yours is a kind that follows a strong point. If you were to point the right concepts into the air, you may have entire swamps at your disposal with few words. You have noted my ability to observe, and I have noted a leader without practice. One who is willing to put themselves before others. Show that you can lead, that you have a reason to leave, and who you can call, then your kind will follow." Uven spoke, as if preaching to a student, or a scholar. For once, he was beginning to find that his human speech was getting easier.

"Enough of that." Uven interrupted himself. "You have come to the home of the lizardfolk of this city. Here in the muck and grime and water, we can feel as if we are back in the swamps. None of my kind seek new buildings, dry places, or even clean homes. We stick to the swamp for these reasons, but good food is a concept that all peoples enjoy.

Many of these lizardfolk have stayed as more of a renegade force, hunting down slavers and those who are pro-slavery. Many who see our kind cower in fear because of this, not willing to see what we intend. However, we are no less xenophobic about our zone. Our kind needs no-one to protect us from ourselves, only from other species. This is something few others share, but to walk this street alone, safely, you will need to be marked. I cannot say that it will be pleasant."

Ara a leader? Growing up that idea was unfathomable even for a royal. Women were respected for the ability to give children. Needless to say it gave that much more pressure to have a son because only sons could be leaders. Uven's race might be different in that point. Female lizard folk could lead? Ara pushed the thought aside for now thinking she will find out later.

"Are you talking about your tribal markings Uven? I can't imagine those are pleasant... but in many cultures of my kind those kind of markings were a right of passage of some kind. A sign that a boy has become a man." Ara paused "I can't help but think... Uven, you seem to have a plan for me."

"Not all of the markings. Some are from the use of magic, ones you don't feel. Some are tribal, given before I can remember what they felt like. They told what I was to be trained as. The rest are slave markings, ink to show who owned me. Those were the real pain.

As for your marking, it would be something altogether different. The lizardfolk have many natural means of knowing when and where there is another close by. Scent and hearing are the main two, along side a magical organ. It is something only lizardfolk have, but it is not something that can't be 'caused' to happen in an individual from another people. You can imagine what it might feel like." Uven spoke, at first misinterpreting the question that Ara had asked.

After a short pause, Uven started back up, "You are of royal blood, if I am correctly using human terms. Everyone has plans for you. Your city's false leader plans for you on the death stage. The orks plan to ravage you if they get their hands on you. The homeless plan to use you for food money. The lizardfolk see a leader in you. We will the eradication of enslavement, but yet have none who would stand beside us. So, at this time, we strike quickly and quietly, while allowing none to step foot in our district without invitation. This is to the point that the guards don't patrol here, and often chase high end criminals here.

So, no. We don't have a 'plan,' we have hopes. We can see the ability, but lack the diplomacy that you also posses."

"You have hope that humans and lizard folk could live together in peace? and you have hope that I can actually help achieve that dream. Oh and yes... my lack of diplomacy... Most would say a wanted princess was useless." Ara paused and glances again at the refuge. All the ones who were once slaves, Uven himself was included. They were free now though and Ara didn't want to be the useless women she always thought she would become. "It seems my fate has changed Uven... but you seem to be more of the leader type than i am..."

Still even though Ara liked the idea of such a change she also wasn't sure she could do it. What could a Women really accomplish when all the ones in nobility would never listen to a simple women. It was an idea Ara was having trouble getting used to. But the more she thought about it the easier it got to remember permanently the kind of women she always wanted to become. From now on there would be no pressure on her to act like a fit and proper lady.

"I will do the best that I can, Uven."

A man was whistling as he was walking down a road, or the Lizard District. Usually somebody like him, who was a disgusting human, would be killed, thrown out if they were lucky. But. But, Baradakhus Taber Niler, the name of the man, had saved a lizard from a slaver. And then, not exactly welcomed, he was allowed to walk along, minding his own business.

And then he was shoved from behind, almost falling. Another man, with a bag, was running quite fast. Baradakhus could only laugh. He was going to die. And he did. Two lanterns appeared from lizards and spears were thrust into the man. He was dragged away. Baradakhus laughed louder, with a higher pitch. Oh, how he loved murder. He kept on walking...until he saw a lizard with a woman. "What is this? Baradakhus asks himself as he walks down Lizard Lane," third-person talking, all the way.

Baradakhus' curiosity overwhelmed him, he had to find out why, why a lizard-lizard was walking with a womanly-woman. He came up to them with a flourish with his hands and said, after hearing a few words, "Hello, my familiar fiends, how are you this grand night?"