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Scales and Honor: Darkened Skies

Chapter 15: Interrogation

Like a cold wind's kiss a tingling sensation ran under Veledar's mighty scales as he looked to the princess with an aura of curiosity. Krotos wiggled beneath his paw but he held the gryphon firm as his companions sat for a moment of lingering silence. It was Merlia who broke it with a hearty laugh.

“Can ya run that by me again magician girlie? I didn't tink I heard ya right the first time! " The dwarf scooped a bit of the stew she had been brewing. One that Veledar took pride in that he helped make, for he caught the doe. He of course had eaten the rest of the thing before returning with a smug grin. Leaving the rest to the others. The dwarf's usual cheerful smile was accompanied with eyes narrowed into a warry stare. “Ya said ya be the princesss of Lumara? Now ain't that a wee bit o coincidence. Ya'll haf ta join the club lassy."

Veledar unwound himself from the blue gryphon below him, retracting his tail and nearly knocking over Lyndis in the process as it brushed against her boot.

“Watch where you swing that bloody tail you clumsy scaled oaf!" She playfully smacked his scales but he ignored her. There would be time and a place to get back at her later. His eyes widened in interest as he inspected the human mage before him. From her boots to the circlet around her head he took in every inch of her body. Her well kept purple tabard, her pouches that lined her belt, to her gold clasp that held her onyx colored cloak together. She didn't approach any further which was a good sign she wasn't entirely hostile, but it also meant she was warry of them as well. He of course didn't mind. If indeed what she said was true, then that meant she was the spawn of one of his most hated foes.

“That I did dwarf. I've been trailing you for weeks now." She chuckled, casting a warm smile to the rest of them as if they were long lost friends finally reunited. “I was starting to think we'd never meet and exchange words!" She patted the black gryphon who slunk closer to her. His body was slightly tensed, his tail slowly swishing behind his hinds as his apricot eyes were going to each of them. Studying them with precision. He could see the wariness in those spheres, the growing concern that lurked beneath that bundle of furs and feathers.

“How we're you following us Nivra?" Shandalar strode forward, giving the woman a deep bow. To Veledar's shock and bewilderment instead of her usual stern self the elf had a great large smile. One that nearly spread from ear to ear and made the dragon's snout wrinkle at how wrong it looked.

“Funny you mention that. The dragon couldn't be scryed on for a reason that eludes me. It first confused me to no end and left me wondering how we were going to end up finding him. It was rather the predicament it was."

He swung his tail as he padded around the clearing, trying his best to seem disinterested in her words. He rolled his eyes , a begrudging thanks going out to the Emerald lady. To which no doubt she was cackling like a mad dragon right now at being useful. He kneaded the grass with his claws, looking to the sunset in the distance. The long flowing rays that were erupting over the hills like red-orange magma, it covered the sprawling land and gave everything a warm glow.

“Before we get any further with these questions. I want a spell put on the area at first." Lyndis spoke loudly, her voice taught. Veledar turned to see the half-elf was glaring daggers at the other princess, her arms crossed firmly like an iron gate to her heart. He figured it wasn't something like jealously at no longer being the only princess around. He knew better then that, but it didn't stop the amusing idea of both fighting over being the best one. He nodded in agreement as he slunk over with a swaying tail.

“I agree with Lyndis here. The king has been my…Our enemy, caused us much misfortune and heart ache." He snapped his snout towards the increasingly nervous looking Nivra, whose eyes flickered in a moment of hesitation. “Who else knows what could have been in the king's plans. She could be an assassin meant to finish us off."

“Precisely!" Lyndis gestured to him with her hands. “Even the bloody dragon gets it!"

“Hey!' He hissed at her, glaring as the woman tossed him a small smirk across her lips. It was settled, he would definitely be getting back at her later.

“Course she seems to be an awfully poor assassin if she comes in and introduces herself like she did." Arcturus said calmly, hand on his chin as he inspected the mage up and down with his eyes. “But a spell could not hurt. I presume you are referring to the truth zone that our cleric can conjure up? Though by the way she speaks and holds herself. I think she's telling the truth about this. Spell seems just like a waste."

“ Yea but it can't hurt to be too bloody sure. Too many things happening around here that are strange." Lyndis gesturing to Asterion with a thumb. “So zone of truth spell. How bout that princess?" Lyndis sneered. “Would ya be willin to put up with that spell? Let it affect ya and answer the questions we got? Then we can sit down and have a nice chat with all the niceties and handshakes."

The mage sat for a moment of silence, pondering the words with upmost care. With a heavy sigh she lowered her head. “I hardly have a choice. If that's the only way you will talk to me, then that is the course of action I must take. What must I do?" She sat down with cross legs in the grass, Voidwing settling down onto his haunches beside her with his tail wrapped around her.

“Just let the spell effect ya. There will be a small tug in the back of your mind. Let it spread through your bones like a fish through water. It only makes you tell the bleedin truth, so nothing hurtful. Then we can figure out why you claim to not be helping your deceased father." She rose a brow, her voice laced with skeptism. “That is if your father is really dead and not just planning his next step for our demise."

“Father is truly dead, for it was I that killed him." She replied calmy. “I entered his personal chambers and did battle with him. It ended when Voidwing ripped out his throat with his beak and I disintegrated the body. He had to be stopped…For the betterment of all counties, including my own. His ideas and policies were too radical and leading us to ruin."

Well that was….unexpected. He minded his snout as the others gasped. It had already been said by the gryphon Skywing in his travels, but this confirmed it. “That is a fine story little girl." Veledar growled softly, giving Asterion a flick of his tail. “We can ask the same question when you're under the spell of truth." He snorted in irritation at the sheer idea of her deeds. Kill her father? What kind of child would be wiling to do away with their parents? They would have to be heartless, wreck less, might not even worth trusting anyway. That kind of person could stab you in the back if It was their best interest.

Although her father was turning people into those crystals. And he sent the woman to steal from you. It's partially his fault your book is gone. He wrinkled his snout at his thoughts. Of course, they wouldn't allow him to simply hate her. They had to bring up good points.

“Everyone else agree that the zone of truth spell is to be used?" Arcturus asked, his calmness a pleasant thing to have. The dragon almost grabbed him and snugged him close against his scales.

To Veledar's relief everyone agreed with the plan. Everyone save Feku and Shandalar that was. The kobold didn't know why they were doing it, as the princess had come to help. Shandalar wasn't enthusiastic about it and seemed readier to accept the human's words at face value like Arcturus. Which he considered a tad strange, but he brushed it off with a refolding of his wings. She wasn't trying to stop the plan, so her thoughts were little more interest to him then a moth fluttering by.

Nivra had laid down her staff by her side, the gnarled wood touching the grass softly as her pack thumped next to it. She looked to be relatively calm, though he thought she could just be hiding it very well. Her gryphon on the other hand looked to him, his feathers starting to ruffle in a way like Krotos' when he was annoyed or nervous

“This is the only way gryphon." Veledar hissed, opening her pack with a claw and sticking his snout down to inspect it. What he found inside was nothing of great interest. Some dried fruit, waterskin filled with liquid, pieces of manila parchment with notes scribbled on them in a messy font. Lastly, he found her spell book bound with a thick leather belt with a large silver buckle. He cast aside the pack, tapping his tail on the ground as irritation tickled his scales. It was almost like he wanted something to be wrong. Justify why he looked to her with such mistrust. His thoughts were pulled to Arcturus and their time at the estate.

Blood doesn't determine one's destiny. Just look at Arcturus. Dragon slayer now your love. He snorted, taking a few strides back before turning his neck around to glance at the paladin watching him. How those emerald spheres traced every scale, no doubt admiring his beauty in the firelight. That's different. Veledar snapped back to the calm looking mage, something didn't sit right in his stomach as he looked to her, and he was going to find out why. Something that stirred inside his stomach like a caged beast threatening to free itself. “Are you ready yet?" He curled his neck around as his companions had strolled over to form a loose ring around the sitting mage and gryphon.

“So, after this you will trust me?" Nivra rose a brow, her hand rising to brush at Voidwing's fur.

“Meerly the first step your highness." Lyndis replied sternly, turning to Asterion with a frown. “Cast the spell, let me know if she bleedin resists. If she does, we send them packing without hesitation."

That seemed fair enough. Veledar almost smirked as the gryphon's beak parted as if he was going to say something in protest, but his human girl silenced him with a raised hand.

“Understood." She nodded, swallowing as the bull began his movements and chanting. “Then we can have words why I'm here." She looked up to Veledar, her eyes lingering longer then he'd have liked. It wasn't exactly a bad look, but one that was filled with desperation as she searched his snout. Her eyes almost pleaded him to help her.

She's the enemy. He mentally told himself, running a talon through the dirt as his tail swished behind him. No mater how sad she looks remember that. Her father tried to get you killed. He tried to kill your mate. “Yes human. We can't wait to hear what you have to say after traveling all this way to find us." He rolled his eyes. “It better not be that you're an assassin sent to kill me, cause you're doing a pretty poor job. I would never consider hiring you if it were the case. I'd rate you a three out of ten for being one." He smiled at her when the mage and gryphon looked as if he had grown three heads. Good let them be confused.

Brilliant lights sprung up from Asterion's movement in the form of tiny sparks. They arched through the air around him, the dark shadowy greens lightning up in brief flashes of white. The light spread from his fingertips, encasing the entire area in a warm haze. It flowed out and caressed everyone like a tender lover, even spreading up Veledar's scales and making them feel as though they had been dipped in a luke warm bath.

Just like the rogue had said the dragon started to feel a small tingle at the base of his skull. One like a tiny insect had landed on him and was scurrying around. He could have resisted the spell if he focused hard on it, but why would he waste the effort? He let the feeling build and grow until it had flowed all to his nose and made it itch something awful. When it became too much he sneezed, facing his snout into the sky and letting out a thin gout of red-orange flames that swept away the white glow in its intensity.

“Wow." Nivra gasped as cleric finished the spell with a loud snort, her eyes brimming with wonder as she looked to the dragon's form. It almost made him like her a tad more. “Never seen that up close…Was breath taking…Truly beautiful."

Now she's just being unfair. He wanted to coo at the compliments, but he bit his tongue. “Sneezing?" He wiped his snout with the back of his paw, letting out a snort of skeptism. “I hardly think that's true princess. If that's what you really are."

“I'm a princess!" She exclaimed, thrusting a finger towards him with a smile. “See? I could say it, that means I'm telling the truth dragon!"

“Only partially." He replied, holding his head above like the regal creature he was. “The spell does indeed make you tell the truth, but only to what you truly believe. Say someone had enchanted you to think you were the princess. Then you would still proclaim it." He tapped his tail, smirking away at his magical knowledge.

“Well look at you!" Lyndis laughed, “You can sure listen when we describe the spell nights ago!"

“Shush you." He pounded his paw against the ground, snapping his attention to the Lumarian princess with twitching frills. She recoiled at such a display, a moment of fear gripping her as she stared into his eyes. It had been awhile since he'd done that, a brief hint of guilt stabbed at him, only to be stuffed down when he thought to her father, the nation she was from, and what they had done to him until this point. It made snorting and glaring down on her that much easier.

“So, we should have asked this before we cast the spell, but what do we ask her now?" Arcturus chuckled, his words seeming more obvious then they should have been. “Besides the obvious questions and such?" The others soon had their own ideas on what to ask as they gathered together and talked among themselves about what to say.

Leave it to them to get the process backwards. While they were talking among themselves he strolled ever closer to the human mage and gryphon. With a lowered snout he crept towards her, letting a snort of warm air brush aside her hair. He ignored the black gryphon that shifted his weight, muscles tensing as if to pounce. The kittybird seemed very protective of this one, enough to take on a full dragon on his lonesome. He would have to remember that for the future.

If there is a future with these two. “Why and how were you hunting me? “ He growled, swishing his tail behind him and nearly knocking over Feku who had decided to stroll by. “I don't tend to like people that come looking for me. They tend to want to bind me up in chains, ship me off to their people and try to execute me."

“Wasn't dat how you ended up in your predicament with yer current lover?" Merlia suddenly asked, grabbing a bowl with a raised brow. It seemed she had decided to stay out of the conversation the rest were having.

“Merlia!" He hissed, irritation flowing beneath his scales like water. “That's beside the point!:

“Well I was jus curious is all. Makein sure ya aren't trying to add another human to that relationship of your-“

He cut her off with his wing, making sure to harden his gaze to Nivra. Enough to make her think twice before trying to lie or conceal the truth from a dragon such as he. He ignored his thoughts reminding him that she was being compelled to do so.

“I.." Nivra trembled before his piercing gaze, her gryphon scooching ever closer against her, his apricot spheres an almost mirror of the dragons own, fearless, with purpose, he would die for this female. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to no doubt compose herself. When she opened them her trembling had lessoned, and she stared right back into the dragon's eyes with a gulp. Within those blue spheres he saw a flickering fire of determination. One that would fuel this young tiny human to seek him out after all those many miles. But he saw not only that, once more he saw a desperation in them, one that pleased for his aide.

Why did humans have to have adorable faces such as that? It made it increasingly hard to say no to anything they asked for. He mentally had to remind himself to hate her. Though even he was finding it harder to listen to such things.

“I needed your help in fixing my country dragon. I started my quest to win your friendship and ensure that this army of dragons you're supposed to bring about doesn't come to destroy the nation I hold dear."

“That's it? The same drivel that your father spouted to my paladin about my death bringing the greater good?" He rolled his eyes, looking away from the hurt girl with a snort. “You think if I had an army of dragons at my beck and call I'd have had my book stolen by your country? You think I'd have been captured by that dashing humanoid there?" He motioned to Arcturus with a wing talon, flashing the human a wink the mage could not see. “But no human." He snapped back to her with his gaze hardened once more. “If that's all you came here for, then you can rest easy. I won't summon this mythical army of dragons to destroy your vile county." He tapped the ground hard with his paw, turning away from her without a word and roll of his eyes. The very idea was preposterous. Ever since the Emerald Lady it was prophecy this and future that. He was sick of it. He hated the future. He decided how things were going to go. Not some mystical destined force that was stringing them all along like little marionette puppets.

What about Arcturus? The questioned passed through his mind like a biting winter's breeze that stabbed at the base of his skull and worked its way around his horns. The speech about fate was poetic. Nothing more then to express how I felt about him. He held up his head proudly, shifting on his haunches as he curled his tail around him, twitching the tip ever so softly against the ground.

“That can't be it!" Nivra called to him, her eyes glinting in the fire light. “Just a, I won't destroy your kingdom? Do you know how far we've traveled?"

“What did you expect?" He yawned, scratched the back of his skull with a wing talon. “Some sort of desperate struggle to get me to agree with your demands? Does it shock you to hear that I have little interest in destroying anything?"

“By the way you two go at it I'd bet ya want ta destroy that mate of yours!" Merlia laughed loudly from behind him, he snorted and rolled his eyes, ignoring her as he flicked his tail in her direction.

“Regardless little mage. I have said my piece and you've heard me. It that's all you wanted out of this meeting then you got it." He made a sweeping motion with his wings as if to shoo her away like some pesky fly that had over-stayed it's welcome. “Then be gone from our presence. I hate to say it, but our allowances of pesky princesses and novelty gryphons have already been filled. We have our own quest to continue, and yours seems to reek of side quest material." He wrinkled his snout, “And I hate those."

“Novelty gryphon?" Krotos' piercing squawk echoed around them as the gryphon ruffled his feathers, shooting to all fours with a claw thrust right up at the dragon. “I am more than a novelty you big red brute!" The blue and grey gryphon trotted over, flicking his tail against the dragon's tan plated chest with a beak raising snort.

Veledar let out an intimidating growl from his throat. One that said he wouldn't hurt the gryphon, but one that at least warned him for the road ahead. He would get his revenge the next time they wrestled, maybe even rap the bird's beak with one of his claws. He knew how he hated it. When Nivra's eyes widened, and fear flickered in them at the growl he realized his slight error. While the others were more used to his usual dragon like sounds, the wet eared princess was not. She probably thought he was going to rip the gryphon to pieces in front of her just for the tail motion. He didn't have long to think about it as Krotos curled his head around, staring defiantly into his eyes with his own.

“I'll show you novelty." He grumbled, padding over to Nivra with a raised beak and settling down onto his hinds. The dragon almost smacked his rump for such a display but held himself in check with his next calming breath. The gryphon would probably mis-interpret the gesture and instead make a joke about him liking it. Might even lower himself and raise his tail as a lewd gesture of teasing.

“You're named Nivra right? You're truly the princess of Lumara?" The blue bird's beak turned to the side, his tail swaying over the grass like a blade. His voice was lower and more gravely, like he was trying to sound tougher than he was.

“Yes, we already established that did we not?" Nivra replied sweetly. “Or we're you not listening like the others?"

“I was listening!" Krotos clacked his beak. “I was just getting the standard question out of the way!"

“Stop doing the voice gryphon." The dragon snorted, rolling his eyes. “You're normal voice should be sufficient. No need to mask it with things. It's tiring to the senses. It makes you sound ridiculous."

“I'm not changing my voice!" Krotos turned to him in protest, giving the dragon a dirty stare as he did not cease the changing of his voice. Now he sounded like Asterion usually did. That stern forceful voice that made one think someone was as tough as nails.

“What is your name then? I think it was Krotos? “ Nivra asked, drawing the gryphon's attention from the dragon for at least the moment.

“That it is." The gryphon chirped as she gave him a smile. He placed a claw to his feathery chest, rippling his wings in a show of pride. Veledar rolled his eyes at the display. “What else did they say about me?"

“Nothing too much I'm afraid. It usually talks about the dragon over there. You're a minor foot note." She winced, clearing seeing how Krotos' pride suddenly deflated, and his ears splayed. “You are just mentioned as the city guard that left his station to join them.

“Oh." The gryphon shifted his weight, composing himself with a grumble. “You would have left your station as well when you found out our nation was turning people into mana crystals." Krotos held up his claw, showing off his wrist band with a faint glowing gem at the center. “This used to be my flight companion Gus." The gryphon's mood darkened as his eyes followed the swirling light beneath the crystal's surface. “Before your father and his fowl magicians turned him into this." He lowered his claw when the princess' eyes looked on in regret, then snapped his beak to her. “It was then that I decided to bring down our nation's ability to create such things. How could I not? Especially when they were doing it to many other innocent people besides my Gus?"

“Sorry." She said softly, not looking into the accusing eyes of the gryphon or that of Veledar's friends.

“Now, how we're you able to follow us? The dragon had something done so that scry spells cannot work on him."

“We…" Nivra composed herself, taking on reserved air and quick closing of her eyes. She rummaged through her pack, pulling out a thin blue feather tipped in teal. “Used one of your feathers actually."

“Where did she get that?" Veledar lowered his snout, eyes focusing squarely on the gryphon like some sort of prey animal. The gryphon plucked the feather from the princesses hand with widened eyes and a curious chirp leaving his beak.

“I second the dragon's question."

“We got it from a tavern owner back in Trost." Her words came softly, sounding like she wanted to chuckle at some oddity, but awkwardness of the previous topic prevented it. “The man claimed you gave it to him."

“You did what?" Veledar snapped his jaw as a flash of anger coursed through him. He didn't gasp like the other of his friends though, who seemed honestly shocked. “Why did you do that? We were supposed to be laying low until we got out of Lumara!" He pulled his head back with twitching frills, partially glad it wasn't his fault this time they were tracked after. “And I did so much work to avoid getting spotted!"

“Well." The gryphon's ears splayed as he admired the feather in his hands. “Funny story about this."

“You were hitting on the bar-keep!" Merlia shouted, drawing groans from all Veledar's companions, including one from the dragon himself. “I tink the exact words were. 'If you want to try being ridden by a gryphon you can have a go at me!"

“He said I looked handsome for the evening!" Krotos squawked, beak flashing to each of them. “What was I supposed to do? I was being polite! Besides I didn't hear you complaining at the time." Krotos snapped to Merlia, “You seemed all set to help me along."

“So?" She chuckled, taking another sip of her soup. “I wasn't the one who gave da man one of yer feathers!"

Oh he's definitely getting his beak tapped later. “Next time." Veledar hissed, “Think before you give parts of yourself away to random people. Especially when we are trying to remain hidden gryphon."

“Can't believe I'm agreeing with the dragon, but yea. That was real focken stupid." Lyndis sighed, placing her fingers to the bridge of her nose.

“If we're concerned about me giving people things, then you're really going to be angry at what we did back in Roselake." The gryphon leaped back from the half-elf's back hand rebuttal. “It worked out anyway. All we got that came after us was a princess and her little gryphon."

“I'm not that little." Voidwing mumbled softly, pressing up against Nivra with splayed ears.

For the next minute the rest of the adventurers, Veledar included decided to poke fun at the gryphon for his ill-thought deed. The dragon had made several jabs at the gryphon not actually being in control of his actions, but rather the bird's balls and sheath were guiding him more then his brain. He had cackled into the night with a paw smack to the ground and leaving the gryphon rather ruffled and looking upset.

“It is often in times like this I wonder why we're even friends." Krotos replied with a raised beak, looking away from the others with an irritated chirp. “Now princess." His brown eyes fell to the gryphon who was now getting his ear caressed softly. Veledar thought nothing of it, he after all enjoyed having his face tended to in such a pleasing manner. Krotos must have seen something he hadn't, cause the gryphon soon was chuckling in a manner that suggested he knew some dark secret.

“Have you two mated yet?" The question came bluntly to the shock of everyone gathered. Even Veledar was left doing a double take at the gryphon's words. He nudged at Arcturus with his claw to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Of all the questions they needed to ask the pair, this was the one the once guard had deemed important. So, his ridges stitched together as he glared at the stunned group, reminding himself he shouldn't have been surprised. Though he would never really tell the gryphon this, he was somewhat curious to hear the answer for himself. Part of him felt jealousy that he hadn't been the one to ask it himself.

Damn gryphon

“Krotos!" Lyndis was the first to shout as the mage's cheeks started to turn a bright crimson. Word's starting to fail her as she seemed unsure how to answer such a bold inquiry.

“Not yet." Nivra admitted, chuckling awkwardly as Voidwing let out a surprised meep with splayed ears.

“Why not?" Krotos cocked his head to the side as Lyndis stomped over. The cheeky blue bird avoided her with a swaying tail as she tried to smack him lightly on the back of the head.

“Really Krotos? Really? Of all the questions to ask them. This was what you asked?"

“But it was important!" He clacked his beak, striding around the captives and refolding his wings against his back.

“How do you bloody figure that?" The half-elf rose a brow, leaning her weight back and crossing her arms firmly across her chest. “I'm sure it was really important." Her voice filled with skepticism that hung in the air like a heavy fog.

“I was curious!" The blue bird gestured to Nivra and Voidwing with a wave of his claw. “Who else wanted to know?"

There was a series of dismissing answers to the gryphon's question, until Veledar rose a claw, pressing it against his chest. “I actually did, but It wasn't the first thing on my mind. Leave it to a gryphon to get his priorities mixed up."

“Aha!" Krotos chirped happily, casting the dragon an amused glare. “You're just jealous that you didn't ask it first!"

Damn him. “No." He replied coolly, trying to mask his real thoughts on the matter. Thankfully Nivra managed to distract the gryphon.

“I was waiting on him to make the first move actually." Nivra turned back to Voidwing, who had pulled his head back in surprise. His hinds were shifting the weight as he nervously flicked his tail.

“Is that true?" Voidwing asked suddenly, Veledar almost surprised that he was capable of speech.

“Yes." She answered back, cupping the gryphon's beak in her hand. Within her eyes was a tenderness that Veledar knew too well. For it was the one he was sure was in his own when he looked onto the paladin his heart beat for. Yet another reason that his mind suddenly poked at him, trying to make him not hate her. Both the princess and gryphon burst out into awkward laughter as they gazed onto one another at the absurdity of the questions.

“Why hav't you made the-“ Lyndis hand managed to latch onto Krotos' ear, slowly tugging and bringing the gryphon with her away from the sweet looking pair of gryphon and human. “Hey! I wasn't don't asking my questions!"

“I think you're bloody done. I think we can give them some focken privacy in that little regard, can't we?" Lyndis hissed, only stopping when Krotos was yards away from their captives and giving Lyndis a cross look.

“Okay, okay." Arcturus sighed, resting a hand on Veledar's scales as he shook his head. There was a hint of red in his cheeks, and a sense of embarrassment in his soul. “I apologize for the gryphon princess…Honestly I had this speech prepared for the dragon."

“Hey!" Veledar growled, nosing at the man's back and nearly causing the paladin to tumble over onto his face. Thankfully the man caught himself with a light-hearted chuckle.

“What? I half expected it would be you that would cross the line with the questioning one day! Admit it. “ The man composed himself, giving the dragon a coy smirk. “If not for the gryphon's quickness, it would had been you to ask such a thing."

The human had hit it on the head. Just like he always seemed to do. “No." He replied calmly, looking away into the sky with a snort and twitching frills. “I wouldn't have." His tail tapped the grass moments before Arcturus' brief chuckles soon gave way to laughter.

“Sure, sure dragon."

“Go on and ask your questions you metal skirt wearing ape." The dragon hissed, swishing his tail and tripping the human into the grass. “Just try to not fall before the princess there."

“That happen often?" Nivra giggled as the man rose up, dusting himself off of lose grass with a reddened face. She rose her hand to her mouth, as if to fight off a louder bit of laughter that was bubbling inside of her like a boiling pot ready to rumble over.

“More than I'd like to admit. Usually its about me knocking thugs over with my tail or tripping over my own limbs on the ground. Or how my tail seems attracted to every loose article of metal to catch and knock over." Veledar quickly snapped his maw shut, looking away as his scales began to heaten around his cheeks. It prickled his scales as the princess suddenly laughed, echoed by that of his friends. He hadn't meant to say something like that. He had meant to dismiss her words, possibly even admit part of the truth to her. Why had he suddenly blurted out his thoughts like a screaming monkey?

The spell. His eyes widened into surprised cerulean slits as the others seemed to catch on with small gasps. “Oh, don't act all surprised." He waved a claw to them. “You've been with me for quite some time. Next thing you tell me you'll be surprised that I'm in love with this little dragon hunter that I have by my side."

This time it was Nivra's turn to gasp. “You're in love with Arcturus?!" Her jaw fell open as her eyes traveled to the red-faced man and back to the dragon's snout. “That certainly wasn't in any of the reports! A dragon hunter falling in love with the beast he hunted? It's like a love story right out of a novel!"

“Hmm." Veledar rolled his eyes in amusement. “If it were, it would be a tale for the ages my dear. Besides, those reports couldn't tell you a scratch about me. If they are the ones that Arcturus brought to me when we first met, then they are filled with nothing but lies and slander to my good name." He curled his head down to look fondly to his grinning human close to him. The man's warm expression bringing a moment of warmth to his own. He nosed him gently, and delightfully Arcturus' hands started to rub and caress the sensitive scales around his nose.

“Since we're being so truthful Lyndis. Who has better butts? Gryphons or dragons?" Krotos' voice sprung back into the night, a mischievous ring to it.

“Oh gryphons to be sure." Lyndis replied calmly, her eyes suddenly widening as she realized what passed through her lips.

“AhA! Awk Awk awk!" Krotos leaped away from her in glee. “Only speak the truth princess! It will set you free! I never knew you fancied gryphons more!"

“Two can play at that game gryphon. Do you fancy the dragon?" Lyndis shot back with a poking finger and lewd smile.

“That I do, find him rather sexy. What I wouldn't give to be under him and…-Hey!" Krotos stumbled backwards, “No fair!"

Veledar smirked as the chatter soon devolved into his friends asking personal questions to one another that they might not have answered usually. Lyndis admitted dragons had better cocks, Krotos chirped that he wanted to fool around with Arcturus, Merlia mentioned the time she spoke about how handsome Asterion was. Arcturus mentioned enjoying tending to Veledar's maleness. That one made a pleased rumble leave Veledar's throat as he nuzzled the man despite trying to seem regal to the captive wizard.

“Enough!' Shandalar shouted, her voice thundering through the clearing like a mighty storm. Her hand was practically shaking as anger swirled around her face. “Can we please get back on track and ask my apprentice why she is here exactly? Forget the nonsense being tossed around by the spell? You are aware that if you focus on it you can fight off the compulsion to tell the truth?"

“So why were you and Vishta cross with one another? Merlia asked with a grin. “Lyndis went inta length about how you knew each other."

“That's because we were both enchanted and ended up falling in love for two months before the spell was taken off." The elf's hands suddenly shot to her mouth, her eyes narrowing into an icy stare that seemed to chill the very air. Everyone suddenly burst out laughing, Veledar included in his growling sort of way. He extended a wing and pulled Arcturus closer into his grip with a tapping tail.

“Did we miss something?" Voidwing watched on with raised brows and eyes gleaming in confusion.

“How do you get anything done?" Nivra asked, gesturing to Veledar's cackling companions.

“Trust me." He wiped at his eyes with the back of his paw. “I've been asking myself that the same question since I've met all of them. It's one of the reasons I charge them for my services."

“If remember correctly dragon, you work for me now." Arcturus nudged at his scales with a chuckle as the others continued about something containing pixies and peanut butter.

Oh you want to play this little game Arcturus? He smirked at the paladin, lowering his head until he was gazing fondly into those emerald spheres. “Oh, my wonderful Arcturus. We both know who is the dominant one." He licked the human's blushing face with one long swipe of his tongue with a lingering, lust filled growl. One that told of promises yet to come. It wasn't hard to picture the nights together that they had spent blissfully pressed up against one another, with their un bashful expressions of passion being echoed into the night. The hard part for him right now was not presenting. That would have been quite embarrassing for himself, if only for the fact he was trying to be better than the lewd gryphon. He snorted a plume of warm air through the human's hair, watching it ruffle in a most delightful way as the knight he adored rose his hand to tenderly caress his scaled cheek.

“Focus!" Lyndis' voice cut through his beating heart like a bath of ice water. The rogue strolled over, pushing aside Krotos who had tried to bound over and ask yet another lewd question to the captive pair. He had only gotten out half a syllable before Lyndis shut his beak, holding tight and glaring daggers into his eyes. The gryphon wisely didn't protest this with a sound, but instead splayed his ears and pulled out of her grasp with a defiant clack of his beak nearly in her face.

“I think we should take this somewhere else from minds that can't bloody stay on task for five focken minutes!"

“I can't help it if I was curious!" Krotos squawked, “Just ask Merlia! She wanted to know too!" He flicked his wing to the dwarf who was sitting by a turned over log, frozen mid sip of her stew like this was some grand play to witness. She was staring at them with a joyous smirk as the small tendrils of steam coiled around her head like little wispy serpents.

“That's besides da point!" She waved them off, taking a loud sip of her stew as Feku sat down beside her, wiggling her feet as she cuddled up to the amused looking dwarf.

“Krotos!"Lyndis pointed to the pot of stew resting above the campfire. “Get over there and enjoy the damned stew while the rest of us gather what little braincells we have left and finally try and ask the princess here any questions not pertaining to her bloody love life alright?!"

“How come the dragon gets to stay?" The gryphon shot back, flicking his beak up as he fluffed up his feathers, almost as if he had been done some great injustice that demanded years upon years of grudges. “He's just as bad as I am!"

That was taking it a tad to far, at least in the dragon's opinion. “Now I resent that kittybird." Veledar grumbled, holding a claw to his beautiful chest as he rose up onto his hinds. “While I may have the occasional lewd thought or two and love enacting them in my head it is not the only trait that defines my magnificent personality. I know when to ask such things. Not let my lust drive all my actions like I am some giant dick." His snout wrinkled as several of his companions snickered, trying to hold in a fit of laughter. He looked to all the amused faces, only Asterion and Shandalar seemed unaffected by his words. “Oh the rest of you can get thoughoughly mounted." He stomped his tail, scaly ridges on his brow narrowing.

“Now calm yer feathers birdy!" Merlia called the gryphon over with a wave of her hand, patting the ground beside her. “The real reason dey don't want ya over dere is ya too pretty for dere eyes! Ya might be a distraction to da others! Besides, we know you can take being left out. Ya have a strong back bone ya do. But the dragon dere? He's nothin but a big red baby that won't stop his mewing until he gets what he wants. Take it was the lesser of two evils. We'd rather listen to yer complaints over his anyday." She flashed the dragon a coy smile, enjoying the irritation she brought him with such words.

He simply glared at her, meeting her stare with one of his own. They both started to chuckle away with a tap of his tail. He might never truly tell her he enjoyed these little bouts of words with her. That wouldn't stop him from say chasing after her or teasing her to no end, but it brought a glimmer of amusement to his soul.

“Got something ta say big red?"

He snapped his jaw at her before opening it and protruding his tongue out at her. With a nod of his head and most excellent rebuttal completed he wiggled in place, returning his gaze to the gathered mortals with a lingering snort. Now that his pride had been wounded he could thankfully go back to the matter at claw. Lyndis was deciding who else could stay to question the kneeled human before them.

“Why am I staying exactly?" Arcturus brow rose as he peered up to gaze long fully to the dragon. “I think she was telling the truth before the spell. I have no other questions for her."

“Cause." Lyndis tapped the man's chest with the back of her hand and giving him a laugh. “If we got our brightness here I want you close by to rein him in. He always seems better behaved with you in his immediate bloody vicinity."

“So you're suggesting that I control him?" The man crossed his arms, leaning up against the dragon with an amused smirk. “I think you have the worst impression of my abilities."

Veledar lowered his head, teeth gleaming as he smiled to the rogue. “You have it wrong little rogue. It's I that controls him with my dragon like charms." He chuckled in little growls as Arcturus playfully punched his snout, one that he retracted and knocked the man over with. “And yet you keep playing this game little mate." He cooed, poking the sprawled-out man with his snout, snorting air onto his chest. “You're going to convince the assassin over there that you enjoy being on the ground for me."

“I'm not an assassin!" Nivra protested, finally getting in a word. Voidwing on the other hand had his beak tilted to the side, like what he was witnessing wasn't even real.

“Asterion.." Lyndis sighed, holding her fingers to the bridge of her nose. “Do you have any questions for her?"

The bull shrugged, “She seems honest enough. Usually I am best at getting information from resisting people." Asterion cracked his knuckles, causing the rogue to let out another lingering sigh of a woman at the end of her ropes.

“Can you maintain the spell from the campfire?" She waved out, telling him to get going when the cleric gave her a quick nod and flick of his tail. “Though don't go too far! We'll holler if we need more from you!" She called out as the minotaur strolled over to the others, quickly taking a bowl of stew and practically plopping next to them with a grunt.

“How about miss enchanted to fall in love with a kobold?" Veledar turned to the stern elf, her gaze just as much as she glared back to him. He could tell she was trying to keep her emotions in check by the way her body was slightly tensed. That little slip of the tongue probably made her more warry than usual.

“Can we please get back to the questioning of my apprentice and not worry about things that happened into our past? We all have things that are embarrassing, or we'd rather like to forget. I am not an exception to this rule dragon. Or shall we go on into lengths about how you had relations with your adopted sister?"

How did she… Veledar grumbled as he remembered the spell. How he had forgotten that slipped from his tongue he would never know. “Fine." He snorted, looking away with a smack of his tail on the cold earth. He shifted his body so that he was standing on all fours proudly over them as he stretched his body limb by limb. He rose his hinds like a cat as he flicked his tail out, letting forth a long tongue curling yawn as he half opened and refolded his wings against his back. With a wiggling of his talons and satisfied snap of his jaw he was ready to get the rest of this interrogation over with. However, when he looked down all his friends were gone. They had dragged the princess away from the campfire and closer towards the setting sun.

Figures. He wrinkled his snout as he began to pad over to them, already a string of insults or jests coming to mind with each stride of his mighty paws on the ground. They couldn't even wait for the most important person of their group. “Decided to start without me eh?" He growled playfully, slinking around them with an amused snort. “This will be yet another fee you've forced me to add to my list. I hate doing it, but you force my claw on the issue."

“Oh snap ya jaws dragon. I know you don't really have a fee in your mind set up for us." Lyndis waved him off, not even looking away from Nivra. “We didn't want to wait all night for you to finish you glorious stretching as it were. You kind of take bleeding forever in that regard."

“I do not!" He snapped. How could she say something like that? The idea was utterly ridiculous. He stomped his paw harshly on the grass talons slicing through the earth like an unprotected chest. “I take the correct amount of time that any dragon should take to do so." He paused, a moment of hesitation flickering across his snout as he summoned up something good, something dragon like from the recesses of his mind. “So that his delightful companions can grace his scales and marvel at the sheer beauty of his scales. How could I deny you the ability to do that?" He grinned, holding his head high with a light flick of his tail to look regal. That sounded right of course.

Lyndis just sighed, giving him a sympathetic smile. “Hate to break it to ya yer brightness. But the only one here who was bathing in your beauty or magnificence was your mate over there. Not to mention taking a gander at all of you." She gestured to his hind end with a finger, drawing out a chuckle from Nivra.

“I was watching him stretch." Smiled Nivra, “And I found his scales quite beautiful actually. They sparkle like little rubies in the firelight."

And there she goes surprising you with compliments. He nearly cooed at the sweet words. He darted away his snout, instead looking to the shadow filled lands in the distance. It was getting harder and harder to hate that little human the longer he focused on her. Quick, distract yourself to remain indifferent. “Good of you to notice Nivra. It is pleasing to know that you're not blind like poor Lyndis here. Who I might add wouldn't be able to recognize beauty if it came up and bit her square on the haunches." He cast an amused look to the arms crossed rogue, letting a throaty chuckle radiate from him and linger in the air like a cloud.

“For your information Crimson." She thrust a finger at him. “I've seen beauty, just not from your scales. Mine is more emerald and onyx. Wears a bloody blue scarf and has more polite bones in his body then you do! And for the record, he did bite me on the haunches!"

He chuckled at that, the mental imagery of the green dragon most amusing. “Of course, princess." He growled with a dismissive wave of his paw. “Red is a much better color then green. If you had an eye for beauty for such things you would know this. I don't think too little of you for having such a handicap. I take solace that I was able to seduce one of you into realizing how great red was." He flashed Arcturus a smile, one the man returned and made the dragon's heart flutter in his chest.

“Oh go get foken mounted." Lyndis snorted with an amused grin. She waved him off, turning back to the patiently waiting princess before them. “So, you're saying you just killed your father? You admit that freely?"

Nivra nodded, not even pausing at the words.

“And you're okay with that Arcturus?" Veledar turned to the human, a grim satisfaction settling into his paws. The world would not miss that man's passing and neither would he. If anything, his death would be a good thing for the world and dragons. One less person that clawed away at his beautiful scales demanding his rapid departure from this plane. “You're okay with this? I thought you were a man of law and honor? Or am I to believe you are taking more after me in that regard?" He tilted his head to the side as he teased the paladin with a sly grin, slowly inching his snout closer and closer to the mortal he held dearly in his heart. On the man's face he could see the words eating away at him as he stared at the princess and her gryphon. Concern was etched across his face pooling in his eyes like waves of worry in an emerald sea “He should have gotten a trial in a perfect world." Arcturus sighed, raising a hand to caress under the dragon's chin before turning to the others. The concern that plagued him seemed to wash away with a knead of the dragon's scales. “But we do not live in a perfect world. He had done some terrible things under his leadership."

“Like he was creating mana crystals out of innocent people."

“Precisely." The paladin gritted his teeth. His eyes brimming with a flickering flame. Veledar pulled against the man with a growling chuckle as that made the shadow that had swept over Arcturus fade as if the morning sun had risen. “He demanded the death of Crimson Sky here." Arcturus looked up, hands going to Veledar's probing face with a smile. “My dragon, one who had never been the monster that everyone claimed he was. One that has admittedly been a smug bundle of scales but within beats the heart of a good soul. So, in a way…I'm glad your father is dead. Perhaps without one such as he, you can finally turn the country around."

“That's what I thought as well!" Nivra snapped her fingers, “But he had more paladin of Lumara."

Arcturus rose his hand, silence fell. She looked rather confused by the display, as if she had done or said something wrong to upset the dashing man. “I'm a paladin of Lumara no longer." His words came confidently as his wandering fingers traced Veledar's scales.

“He's a paladin of Bahamut now. The goddess of dragons." Veledar finished, trying to put into his words the splendor and the love he felt for the man. “She saw something your king failed to do and snatched up a fine catch such as he. Pity for your country really. To lose such a fascinating specimen." He rose his head, pulling the human closer against his armored chest with a chuckle and tap of his tail as he held his head proudly. “Together we shall meet out any vile foe that seeks to harm good dragons and humans alike."

“You only want to make a name for yourself!" the human squirmed, tapping against his firm forepaw with his fists. “Don't pretend to be a noble beast!"

“True." He snorted, “But where's the harm in earning vast amounts of fame and helping those down trodden that you blather on about?" He curled his head down to lick across the man's face. “Either way, we will still do it together."

“Oh, which there is no doubt dragon." Both the man's hands wrapped around the dragon's snout, pulling him closer against that chest that beat just for him.

Veledar's eyes closed out of instinct, the closeness and feeling of warmth making his eyelids close as he enjoyed the connection being shared between one another. Soon a purr began to work its way from his throat as his body felt all tingly and warm, like he had been wrapped in the finest, warmest blanket that he could have ever found within his mighty hoard. How he wished they could stay like this for hours on end.

“Oh my gods he purrs!" Nivra shouted, surprise lingering in her words. “Tha's so adorable I could practically die!"

“Gryphon's can purr too!" Voidwing suddenly squawked, snapping his silver lined beak into the air.

“Yea but it has more a bird like quality to it! He sounds like a giant cat!"

The dragon groaned, the moment of bliss being ruined of course by the squawking of the mortals around them. “Later I will have you alone." He whispered into his sweet human's ear before settling down onto his hinds with his tail curled protectively around the man he cared for. He motioned for the princess and gryphon to continue with a wave of his paw, a roll of his eyes, and a snort of irritation leaving his snout.

“My father went about more then just making crystals…He also formed an alliance with the undead that covers this land like a dark shadow." Nivra lowered her head in shame, a heavy sigh escaping her as she stared down into the darkened grass. “I just found out the other day. Makes me sick just thinking about it."

“What?" Lyndis exclaimed, suddenly finding her face start to redden as her hands trembled and shook.

Veledar himself had to do a double take, watching the half-elves face fill with a fury and rage that could have probably rivaled that of a dragoness who had her offspring stolen. He knew the Lumarians had some in their midst that were scum and deserved his flames, but ally with the undead? He didn't think anyone was that dumb. He had read stories plenty of the creatures and fought them to no end! To think that peace could be achieved with such mockeries of life was a grand delusion. One would have to be mad for even considering it.

“That's bloody insane!" Lyndis placed her hands on either side of her head as she began to pace before the Lumarian princess. “You expect us to believe.." She grimaced as she must have realized that the truth spell was still in effect. “Dammed focken Lumarians!" She tossed her hands into the air. “Why on the gods earth did you lot go and do that? First ya were stealing souls to fuel your mana crystal and I thought that would be focken enough…but….nooooooo. That wasn't enough! I bet one of yer bloody higher ups sat down one focken day. Gee how can we out do that travesty that was our crystals?" Lyndis lowered her voice, taking on the sound of an old man. “How about we ally with the focken undead? Can't see how that's going to bite us in the arse!" She snapped to Arcturus, casting the man a withering glance. “Honestly Arcturus, how'd you end up so alright in a country full of bloody lunatics?"

“That's why he's so valuable." Veledar grumbled, flicking his tail around the man as the paladin shrugged. The dragon followed the half-elf with his snout as she began chuckling to herself like a madman at the sheer craziness of the situation. His frills trembled ever so slightly as Arcturus rubbed his beard, his eyes darkening at the knowledge.

“Nivra…How'd you find out about information so damning?" The man clenched his hand into a fist, lightly shoving it into his palm. “ I can't be the only one to question…Why? Why would they be so arrogant to believe the undead would keep their word?"

Nivra sighed as everyone nodded, including Veledar who watched on with baited breath. “I was told by a commander back in Roselake. The one who piloted one of our mighty airships. With the way it's been hidden they must feel a small hint of shame about the prospect. It seems to have only been compartmentalized to the local troops, the generals, and apparently my father. Everyone else was left in the dark."

The dragon's tail trembled in delight, enjoying how the princess had said the last bit with such distain. That she found the idea as revolting as he and his friends thought of the subject. It was just another tally to add that this woman before him might not be the horrible monster of her kin. That like the rest of them, she was a victim of her own nation's machinations.

“They rationalized it to combat the sapphire guardians. See, after the surrender Lumarian generals did not have the man power to hold this land and keep the resistance in check. Thus, when the undead listed off their help they jumped at the opportunity. That way they could send their troops to the real battlefront, the one that has been struggling with Rothdell for all these many years." Nivra grit her teeth, a sudden flash of anger swirling within her darkened pools. The dragon wondered why she as the elite would feel such for those so below her. Perhaps she was more empathetic of the commoners that Arcturus always spoke about helping and supporting.

“Yea, yea I can understand getting help…But ally with the flipping undead?" Lyndis lashed out her arm. “That's a whole different level of crazy…Stupid..The undead are just going to backstab them like everyone else. They can never get along with the living! It happened long ago in my own people's history. Some local baroness elf that decided to take a section of the country for herself! It took the combined effort of my people and the dragon called the Swirling Storm to fight her off! Nivra…You're people have practically opened a door to the nine hells! The undead have to be kept down or they can spiral uncontrollably throughout this world!"

“Clearly her people did not get the message Lyndis." Veledar shifted his weight, half folding his wings. “Perhaps they thought they could handle the undead after their little scuffle with Rothdell? They do seem arrogant enough in their ways."

“That's…" Lyndis stopped mid pace, shock spreading through her face. “Actually sounds perfectly reasonable with them. Recruit the undead for now, then use their “superior" weapons and ships to destroy them later." Lyndis put a hand to her temple closing her eyes as if in physical pain. “My gods…They think they're in control of the whole situation, don't they? Bloody twats"

“It would appear so." Arcturus mumbled, leaning against the dragon's scales with a look of utter confusion on his brow. “How misguided they have become."

“Course the question then becomes dear Lyndis, if this was so important. Why did your family surrender in the first place?…Better yet.." The dragon snapped to her, letting a snort hang in the air as he gazed into her trouble filled eyes. “Why haven't they come anyway into these lands to stop the undead? Even if it was no longer part of their kingdom?" He turned to Nivra, seeking the answer from her eyes instead. “Can you tell us princess? What dastardly thing is your kingdom doing to prevent the destruction of the mortal world by undead monsters?"

“That…" Nivra clutched at her chest, looking away as if she couldn't even face the truth. “Is something I don't know. I wasn't really allowed into the fine details of military planning. My father didn't regard me and my abilities very well. He insisted that I stay at wizard colleges in relative safety. Far away from harm, never to be troubled."

“Great." Lyndis grumbled, “Another focken dead end. Just when I thought we were going to get some bleedin answers, the damned princess doesn't know. Once!" The half-elf cast her angry glare to the setting sun. “Just once I'd like to not be in the dark about things. Would it kill anyone to have more than a plan then let's wing it?"

Arcturus offered her some kind words, ensuring her that they had to keep looking for the answers. That while they might not have found them here, that they will eventually. They just had to be patient. Veledar and Lyndis rolled their eyes at such words, disregarding his optimistic tones with snorts and waves of dismissal.

Though despite this the dragon's attention was instead trained on the squirming princess before him. Though she had just shared this damning information with them that to anyone else would have brought comfort, there still was a look of guilt within her face. Something that ate away at her soul like rapid wolves. Voidwing scooched closer and offered her a reassuring nudge with his beak. Her eyes were locked onto the dragon's paws, her face scrunched up as if something was squirming just below her flesh, begging her to speak. Though perhaps she was just too afraid to speak it? He didn't relish the idea of what she had to say that it gave her such pause, but they needed to know. He needed to know. The itch in his scales wouldn't let him ignore it. So, while Arcturus and Lyndis had their little talk about the road ahead, he lowered his snout towards the ground and rose up to all fours, taking a lingering step forward.

“Nivra." He spoke sternly, his voice firm and strong. He let out a snort of air that washed over her hair as the air around him tingled with purpose. “What else lurks beneath your skin? You shiver and tremble as though there is more." He cocked his head to the side, peering into her eyes with twitching frills. They looked away and her face soured, as if a dark cloak had wrapped its way around her. He would have to press forward, use the reason she gave them to seek the truth. “If you want us to trust you then you need to speak it all. We need to know every sin that you know about your kingdom." He tapped his tail, watching as her eyes glanced back to him, a guilt eating away at her blue spheres.

“It's what he did to the dragons of our kingdom…" Her face lowered, hands folding against her lap as her form visibly shivered. “He led a campaign against your kind. In truth it didn't start with him, but he perfected the approach. He fueled the hunters that lived in our lands to seek out and slay your kind in droves." Her knuckles whitened as she grabbed at her tabard, looking up with wavering eyes. “I look to you and I don't even recognize the beast from the horrible stories told to me in my youth. I hear tales of your bravery and deeds across the land we traveled. All the souls you helped and for not even a speck of coin in return."

He almost reminded her that he was in no need of coin, but was in search of fame. He let her continue, no need to disrupt her as she poured out her soul to him. He watched on with keen interest as she continued, settling onto his haunches with a squirming tail.

“I feel shame in the deepest recesses of my being for what my country and kinsmen have done to you and your kind. I know it was not me that did the deeds, but within my veins pumps the blood of your enemy incarnate." She collapsed to the ground, almost as if in prayer before his scaled paws. “Crimson Sky. You're not the monster my land speaks of, or some great fire breathing demon or beast. You're not even like dread flame that came to destroy us. You're a noble dragon with a fair heart, and a damned hero…" The princess visibly shook, grabbing at the ground as if she were drowning and clinging to it for life itself. “I'm sorry Crimson Sky…I'm sorry."

He was moved partially by her words and display. It was not everyday that a princess from a land that harmed you came begging at your paws for your mercy and forgiveness. He almost wanted to nudge at her and tell her it was alright as she was no doubt on the verge of tears. “Of course, I'm not any of those things." He said calmly, swelling up his chest as a paw instinctively went to his scales. “I am a great dragon. One that will have his name sung in taverns across the land after I am done. They will hear about the transgressions brought against me and how I persevered despite them, and went onto even save a kingdom from the undead that plagues it. They will speak about how noble I was, how humble…" He ignored a brief chuckle from his friends who managed to catch the words. “They will even speak of how benevolent I was." He growled. “I even forgave the kingdom for stealing my possessions. I rather liked my possessions."

“You only bloody forgave them because you mentally traded that treasure for gaining Arcturus you big pompous belly of scales." Lyndis laughed behind him. She wasn't wrong in that regard, but he still curled his head around and gave her a glare and stick out of his tongue for good measure.

“Yes Lyndis." He pawed at the ground, snapping to the Lumarian princess with an annoyed look plastered on his snout. “Regardless…Nivra…What was the final straw that had you come here? Why after all this time come seek us out? Could you have not done so years earlier?" He scooched closer with narrowed eyes as the princess who had been cowering raised her head, practically inches from the start of his nose.

“I…" Nivra trembled as Voidwing wrapped a wing around her frame, comforting her with a gentle nuzzle and telling her it was okay to continue. She closed her eyes, taking a long calming breath before continuing with a straightened back. “There was a plethora of things." She grumbled, clearly thinking to something and hating it. Though probably not as much as he did. “One of which was how my father ordered the death of the indomitable aegis. One dragon that had been labeled a kind soul. One of the best, and my father sent knights to slay her like a common monster. Like she was one of dread flames ilk.

And in that moment, Veledar's world suddenly froze. The warmth that he had felt was suddenly sucked away as if the dragon had been plunged into an icy lake during the harshest of winter days. His heart sank like a stone as his tail trembled out against the grass, feeling the small slivers brush against him but his senses starting to dull. “What did you just say?" He said meekly, as the cold feeling pulled tight against his heart and sank into the marrow of his bones. His voice even cracked, something he had not intended, ignoring the concerned looks his two friends were casting to him. He didn't need to look into their eyes. It would only bring forth more pain. He knew they wanted to help, already the mental image of them trying to soothe him flashed before his eyes but he needed to hear the princess again. The terrible answer he knew deep down but didn't want to face as the truth was too terrible.

That his mother had died to the hands of the Lumarians. Somehow, he had ignored it, tried to push it away. Of course, that was how she had died. Everything that had plagued his life could be traced back to them. It was as if the very nation was hell bent on causing as much misery and despair to dragon kind as the lunds were. So, with a kneading of his claws the strong dragon felt weak. As if his very heart could explode from a mere touch, and tears start to leak from his snout at another utterance of the phrase, but still he needed to hear it. “That…Your father had her killed?" His jaw snapped at the air, the cold slowly running off his scales like the rain. Each moment he glared at the squirming princess his hide started to warm by the flames that lit within his chest. The image of his mother laying on the ground gasping in pain as faceless knights towered over her with sneers became all too real to the wounded dragon. He could feel the sensation spreading through his muscles, bringing new life into them with pure rage. It felt as though his body was ready to pounce. Ready to rip into something.

“Yes." She said quickly, shying away as she realized something was wrong when he took a forceful step towards her, letting out a harsh snort on the air.

“Your father had the dragoness who raised me killed!" His voice was taught as the edge of his vision started to blur red, his tail trembling in rage as his claws dug through the dirt. He didn't even care that she recoiled, Voidwing standing before him with a defiant keening cry and extended wings.

After all this time, the answer that had been right near him and he disregarded it. Blinded himself with his friends and Arcturus. Mere bandages to the hole that had been left in his heart since the cave. He could feel the ache as his limbs trembled, his heart pounded strongly, enough to want to leave him whimpering and crying like some wyrmling once more, and not the strong dragon he had grown into. “Just when I think I can mourn and move on. Things keep falling onto my scales!" He rose his head, flaring out his wings with a mighty swoosh. “How?!" He snarled, his voice snapped like a weapon ready to cut the woman's throat. His frills fluttered dangerously as he stared at the princess with a burning gaze.

“That's enough!' Voidwing roared back, flaring his own silver tipped feathered wings in return. Even if he was not as strong or big as the dragon he at least had the courage to mimic one. “I am fine with questions, but I will not let you hurt my princess! I will make sure you don't have a single inch of your snout dripping in your own blood!"

“Answer the question princess." He snarled, brushing aside Arcturus and Lyndis as they moved to try and sooth his scales with kind words and gentle touches.

“Crimson!" Arcturus voice was stern yet caring, carrying with is just as much warning as the gryphon's own defiant act. His eyes were narrowed, kind, yet firm. It was enough to cut through the anger, quell the storm enough for the vision of his to return to normal.

“Nivra." He collected himself with a deep breath, letting the blood that had been on the verge of boiling start to cool. “I need to know what happened to her." He settled down onto his haunches, lowering his head as his tail swayed weakly over the cold grass. “Please." His voice came in a whimper as he prepared himself for the coming pain. He wished that his soul had a mighty shield as strong as Arcturus' own to protect him. So, he did the next best thing. He snatched up Arcturus and Lyndis with half-folded wings, dragging his original companions against his chest with his mighty claws. The brief warmth and closeness of them helped fight the pain. He sighed in relief as the man's hands touched his scales, the mere pleasing touch as if made to sooth and settle his raging emotions. “Continue….please."

“She was turned into a mana crystal by my kingdom. Then she was placed within the metal chest of that dragon you and companions fought over my city." Nivra said sheepishly, hugging Voidwing close as she appeared to choose her words carefully..

That was all he could bear to listen to. Her words were like metal shards being dragged across his scales and cutting deep into him. In one smooth motion he turned away, violently shaking his tail and smacking it against a tree with such force that it tore the bark from it in several gashes. It of course made him wince in pain, but it was little minded. It didn't compare to how his heart throbbed in his chest. “I think that's enough for one evening." He snarled, starting to stride off with an anger filled snort as the others called after him.

“I'm sorry!" Nivra called out after him.

“You're sorry?" He turned to her, his blood close to boiling. “Your kingdom not only kills my mother. The dragoness who raised me, but then has the audacity to string her corpse up like some puppet of teeth and metal?"

The woman shied back from his words as if he had physically struck her, large tears forming in the corners of her eyes as the color drained from her face.

Good. He snorted, “Simple words will not do anything princess. You come to me begging for my help. If it were up to me." He flicked hi tail harshly, refolding his wings against his back. “I'd have an army come to destroy your kingdom. Bring down every mortal that had an ounce to do with her death. We would keep cutting or burning away the filth that permeated your kingdom until it was nothing but ash. It's only fitting after all. Nothing good can be left if your kingdom's leaders would treat a kind and benevolent dragon as my mother in such a way. She loved your kind you know. She did her best to protect and offer kindness whenever offered."

He flicked his head, watching as the princess cowered before him. It made him feel better with each hiss or snarl, every raging word that found voice within him. “When her son was killed by your people do you know what she did?" He snapped his jaw, towering over the princess and gryphon like some vengeful mountain of scales and teeth. He didn't even care that he filled their eyes with fear and guilt. “She killed those responsible, but she still felt guilty! She spent the rest of her days trying to make up for the souls she destroyed! Then…Then.." He nearly roared, stomping his paw as hard as he could into the earth. “Your people did that to her!" He ripped up the bit of earth below his claws, hurling it at a tree with a loud plop as it exploded into a shower of dirt. He gasped and twitched before her, his very limbs shaking as he maintained his glare and poured all his hate, all his frustration that he had felt in the past few months into this woman. She was the representative of her kingdom, so let her taste all his anger for them. “I hate your kingdom Nivra. And I can't wait to see it brought down when I'm done. It will be better for everyone."

“No!" She yelled back, somehow finding courage despite his fury. “I can't go back in defeat such as this! I came to find you dragon! To make up for all that my kingdom has done! I must for all the good people still in our country! All the people like your mate Arcturus, like that Gryphon Krotos! The nation you despise turned out people like that!"

“Mere diamonds among the decay." He snorted, turning away from her. “Coming Arcturus?" He asked with a slight growl, not even looking to know that the man he cared for was already jogging next to him to keep pace with his strides over the earth. He ignored the cries coming from Nivra, who had eventually broken down into pain filled sobs that were grating to his senses. He only peaked back to see that Lyndis had pulled her hand around the trembling princess and was leading her back to the fire with the rest of his companions. He felt Arcturus' hand touch his shoulder trying to sooth his aching heart. He knew the man was trying to help, but it was like trying to quell a raging storm. The man's tender touch not doing much in the face of such heartache. “Hop on." He demanded, lowering himself with a harsh snort. When the man gave him, a questioning look he flicked his tail in kind, staring right into his eyes.

“We going somewhere to think?" The human's hands went to caress his cheeks, sighing as Veledar glanced off into infinity.

“I have much to think on mate. And if I am going to face such things I wish to have you at my side." He nuzzled Arcturus, trying to not think about the lonely nights he had spent up in a cavern around the estate. The passage of time only seemingly longer as he had trembled and quivered at the prospect of seeing his human lover again.

He took the human into the sky, only giving a passing glance to the lingering light that clung to the earth in desperation. The purple and grey light that gave way to the dark void, appearing to look as though glass had shattered and the true face of the night had opened before them. His wings carried them into the darkened sky. They must have appeared to be just a darkened silloutse as his spread wings helped glide them over the rolling hills with lingering breaths filling his lungs. He angled his wings once they were high enough, swirling around the darkened clouds as the sun finally set below the hills and bathed the land in darkness once more. He felt Arcturus wrap his arms around his neck to stop from shivering at the cold air that wrapped around them. He didn't mind the stabbing of the ice daggers into his scales, the fire within him keeping him warm and feeling nothing but the ache of his heart and trembling anger that coursed through his veins.

With a weakness coating his scales more than he would like to admit he parted his maw, roaring out his sadness to the heavens above. He knew it was overly dramatic, but he didn't care, such loss deserved such an outburst as he held the roar for longer then he ever intended. He did so several times, his breaths coming in ragged gasps when he stopped, his lungs tingling in need, and the soul darkening dread that had wrapped around his heart never truly fading. It was like the wound he had worked so hard to help heal was ripped open and he was bleeding out across the land. Tears that welled up in his eyes were cast away with the wind battering against his snout, making him feel thankful they were up here instead of down below. He had enough of his friends seeing him at his most vulnerable. It was very ill-fitting to a dragon to be reduced to tears each month. These sorts of things should be spread out over ones lifetime, not shoved into a single year, let alone a couple of terrible months. Just a thing seemed wrong, disgusting to even think about as he beat his wings. That's when Arcturus whispered something soothing, rubbing his neck as he gasped for breath.

Despite his reservations or swears it wouldn't help it did. The storm was swayed for but only a moment as he beat the sky with his membranes, wishing he could rip apart the one who gave the order. It was to his grim satisfaction and irritation that the man was already dead. Done in by the very daughter he had created.

If only I had been there mother. He glared out to the thousands of stars, glad they had destroyed that metal monster over the human city. At least his mother had been put to rest. The mockery of her soul had been destroyed and passed on. Yet another reason he had to thank the human riding on his back. The one his heart beat strongly for, the one that he knew would never let him down. Not like the one begging for his help back at the camp. How dare she think he would ever help her after such news. His scales twitched as if assaulted by a great numbness as he turned in the air with a practiced grace, setting his snout towards the rocky mountains that towered over his friends.

Upon the rock covered slopes and jagged rocks of darkened grey The limestone deposits growing from the hardened earth like little weeds, as sections had been eaten away by the moss. It was as if nature was trying to swallow whole this entire place. One small step on its path to reclaim any section of the world back onto itself. Somehow part of him wished it would speed up, suck the humans of Lumara back into the earth and be rid of them. His eyes traced over the tall fur trees as he started to descend, his tail nearly brushing across the higher branches as he beat his wings. Arcturus said very little as he turned and shifted in the air. The man knowing at least when the dragon didn't want to share his speech. Instead the clever human moved with him, uttered soothing sounds that slipped passed his stern demeanor and promised him everything was going to be better. The hands that had started to work their way up his neck didn't help his frustration either. The human had known how to tease him with his fingers, something in this moment that made him feel a strange combination of irritation and pleasure. He decided to call the feeling pleasuration. Yea that sounded right. He didn't care if it made sense to anyone else, it made sense to him.

And that's all that really matters anyway.

He circled one of the many mountain tops, disappointed that it lacked any snow to cover its dusty looking rocks. It would provide the perfect cold for his human to cuddle close against him. Every shiver of their skin against his scales a love letter written for him in the human's tender caresses and heartbeats. How he wanted to just drape his wings with the human and burry his head into his chest.

How weak I must look. He chuckled to himself. On the verge of breaking down and the only comfort that I can think of would be the human I care for. He rolled his eyes, flicking his tail as he chastised himself for such negative thoughts. The human loved him after all. No one would judge you for the thoughts to your mate. Or I will smack them upside the snout for good measure Arcturus. No one shall make fun of the one I have chosen to be my mate.

With a pleased rumble he found a section on the mountain that was different then the others. It jutted from the peak like a jagged thorn. The surface being made of a worn stone that was flattened and appeared to like a large perch. It was large enough for two dragons of his size, so he had no concern in his mind when he circled, back-winging with a mighty gust and settling down onto his hinds with a snap of his jaw. He came to a bumpy stop as he trotted over the worn and scratched surface under his paws. A quick glance revealed that it was torn away, pieces scattered to the wind, and many signs of claws digging into the stone. Little valleys within a sea of cream. It appeared he would not have been the first dragon or creature to find comfort within this stone peak.

He scoffed at a draconic symbol for love. One that must have been carved into it long ago by a dragon couple. The only thoughts on their minds their care for one another, and not the future that awaited them in Lumara. He thought to adding his own symbol something to show the world he loved a silly human that made his scales throb in a most delightful fashion. Though with a grumble he stuffed back that feeling, reminding himself there was always time to do such things after he thought about the princess and the deeds of her father. The ones that made his stomach churn as worms wiggled beneath his scales.

Arcturus jumped off his back when he lowered carefully, the familiar sound of boots on stone not even phasing him as he gazed out to the rising moon and the stars that joined it above so high. Twinkling away as if unconcerned with the plight of mortals below them. He scratched a groove into the stone below him with a talon. If Bahamut was truly out there with the souls of dragons, she was doing a poor job of defending them from such horrible deeds. It was true she had chosen Arcturus to be her champion and given him the ability to form this bond with him to join his quest. Yet despite these things he felt incomplete. As if there was still more to do. The feeling left his snout wrinkled as his tail flicked behind him, a sense of unease radiating from his mind and making his snout to his horns start to grow numb.

He settled down onto some of the more flattened areas, avoiding any jutting stone that might have poked under his many scales like pesky thorns. He brushed aside any loose rocks or debris with his claw or tail, soon making the area practically smooth and clean of any dirt or rocks. He bet that even Krotos would have been impressed with the clean, no worry to be had of dirtying his feathers.

“So, this is the place my dragon. Looks quite serene and quiet…" The man crossed his arms, glaring out as he stepped close to the ledge. Veledar fought the urge to pull him back, citing that he was being too dangerous with his deeds. He held back with a twitching paw, not wanting to get the idea across that he didn't trust his human. So instead he slunk over, extending a wing to hide his readied muscles in case the human slipped or was caught by a strong breeze and sent stumbling and spiraling off the ledge like some rag doll. The man gestured to the campfire down below, a small flickering light within a sea of darkened green. “And the ability to keep an eye on your friends." He turned back with a raised brow. “Did you do this back as the estate as well?"

The estate. The mere thought of the horrible place and actions made Veledar's snout wrinkle and his mood darken even further. It was that day he had learned about his birth mother's death at the hands of the Lunds. He had been so angry that day. So lost within his mind as everything shattered around him like glass. He remembered recoiling in on himself thinking he would never be happy again, thinking that the paladin he loved would bring nothing but pain or sorrow till the day he died.

But you were wrong. He reminded himself, tail flicking to the stone as he settled onto his paws with a lingering snort. “I may have." He grumbled, staring down to the small blackened dots of his friends as they gathered around the flames. No doubt they were singing songs, telling stories, planning more of the adventure, or calming Nivra from the harsh words he had left her with. He held his gaze, not minding any of those things. He had meant every word, and her family deserved to face some sort of retribution against them.

Sweet words soon started to pour from Arcturus' mouth like honeyed water. Each soothing phrase or word bringing a hesitation to his lingering sense of hatred. The man's hands came next, a forceful counter attack to the heat that bound his blood. He had remembered cursing the man at first, glaring at him with harsh eyes. He had tried to tell himself now was not the time for such things. That he as a strong drake did not need the pity of some human his mate or no to be cast upon him. Though when he had investigated those kind and caring emeralds his words had suddenly failed. Every word that he had been ready to say scattered like sand before a gale. Instead he had pressed his head to his mate's firm chest, enjoying when the paladin's arms wrapped around his snout, holding him tight in an embrace that fought back the cold with each steady pounding of the human's heart. The heart that he recalled beat just for him.

He rose his head softly, ignoring the sounds of the forest in the distance as he tenderly licked the man he loved across his sweet and caring face. It warmed his heart when Arcturus' blushed, not even wiping away the sticky strands of saliva that clung to him and glistened in the moon light. “Thank you, my mate." He said softly, hoping to convey the love he felt with every word that came from him. He focused in the back of his mind on the bond, something to make his point known to the man who had given him everything. It was painful to look away to the rolling fields below somehow still covered in the thick sections of red and purple flowers. Bringing a semblance of vibrant life to the decaying land around them as it prepared for winter. He reached out with his claw, firmly settling it on Arctutrus' back as he sighed, pulling the man against him with closed eyes and a relieved sigh.

“Thank you." He said meekly, words coming almost in a whisper as the man stroked tenderly at his snout, whispering soft words of encouragement.

“Shhhh." Arcturus cooed, running finger around the scales below Veledar's eyes with the upmost care. “Everything will be alright Veledar.." The human pressed his cheeks to the dragon's scales, making it hard to think of anything else as a soothing warmth spread from his cheeks and sneaked its way through his bones and to his heart.

“I just needed a moment alone." He glanced down to the flickering fire, and those of his friends. How small they looked right now before the rest of the world. Yet they expected to change and do so much. It was amenable for such fragile and short-lived creatures. With a snort he shook his head, ignoring the words of his mind that Arcturus was one such creature. Something he would never be able to hold onto in the grand scheme of things. “Away from them…Away from her…Somewhere I could collect my thoughts and not be reduced to the snarling and snapping jaws of the beasts of your legends."

“You were quite harsh with her." Arcturus sighed, his lips forming a brief frown as he stared into the dragon's eyes. “You were that angry with me more than once. Each time we worked it out and you grew a little more. How can I be sure you didn't just regress in your actions? “ The man's palm pressed slightly against his cheek, tilting his head to the side. “You found out my family had murdered that of your birth mother. How can you have forgiven me yet still hold her…responsible."

The paladin really had to question to that? He snorted in a darkened amusement at the prospect. Somehow despite his usual thoughtfulness the idea seemed to have slipped his mind. “The answer is easy my paladin." He sighed, growling as he pictured the bloodied and beaten form of his mother before crimson rivers suddenly burst from her silver scales, and decayed into nothing but a worm-eaten corpse before his eyes. “I had gotten to know you beforehand…I spent so much time with you…We fought side by side against many foes…You saved my life….And I loved you." He pressed harder against the human's warm embrace, loving as he felt Arcturus' heart beat a tad faster with each moment they held the hug. “That is what made the decision so easy to make." His eyes narrowed as his thoughts started to stir the flames once more. “But with her…She did none of those things. She showed up in the blue and asked me to forgive her family…." This time it was his time to frown as he knew it disappointed not only the man he cared for, but that of his now dead mother. “She expected me to forgive her on her word." He snapped at the air, glaring down to the figures with a scale trembling hatred. “ It is ridiculous she had expected that to work. Those things requite effort, purpose. She has to EARN those things."

“When you speak in such a way it almost sways my mind." Arcturus replied with a lingering sigh. “Still though. She only came to you seeking help and acceptance. While you can stay angry at her, you didn't have to throw that in her face, and claim to see her kingdom burn around her."

“How can you say that?" He glanced to just one of the sparkling pools of water that shimmered in the moon light like some valued sapphire on the flowing hills. “When the nation she oversees has taken your friend. When they sent you to kill me? When they have done such things to other people in this evil pursuit of theirs? How can you sit here within my paws and say I cannot speak such things to her?"

“Because I know it was not all the people who did this." Arcturus' hand moved passed his cheek and to his frill, the other hand gently moving Veledar's snout so they were looking eye to eye for a moment. One that seemed to last for much longer as the dragon stared into those eyes. The viridian spheres that contained such warmth, such care for him he could not look away. “I know that you can be the dragon I know you are Veledar. One that would make your mother proud. Instead of thinking about it as she coming to you and trying to beg to make things right consider it another way. Why not have her make it up to you. Think on what a princess to be future queen could do for not only you…but for that of your kin forever? It only takes a single person to correct the mistakes of the past." He leaned forward, pressing his lips against to the dragon's. They held the gesture for a pleasing minute, Veledar closing his eyes in bliss as the storm practically died within his heart. “Just look at me my love. Be the strong dragon that I know you would be."

Of course, he would use the words of his mother. Somehow even in her death she had sent someone to ease him. “I…" He trembled in the paladin's grasp as his soft fingers grazed the sensitive surface of his frill. The human was right again, just like he always was regarding him. Some time ago he might have been upset the man was coming to know him well but instead it moved him. He nuzzled Arcturus with a low rumble, ending it with another kiss across his cute face. “Thank you mate. I just needed a time away from them…" He glanced back to his friends with a slow flick of his tail. “ I can feel the urge within my bones to continue roaring, to rip things asunder, to breath fire high into the sky until my body quakes and collapses under the effort. Instead I find myself here with you, hugging you close and fighting off the sensation with your words. It feels strange." He wrinkled his snout.

“Maybe because you're growing?" Arcturus' didn't waver in his conviction, neither did his eyes as his touch seemed to be going through his very scales. Though the man was trying to bend and shape his troubled emotions like that of a clay. He didn't pull away, closing his eyes and snuggling close against the human's chest with a renewed beating of his heart. One that his tail decided to mimic, filling the air with dull smacks as it battered the smooth stone. It was a cacophony of sound filling him, the beating of his heart, his rapid breaths, and the pleased deep rumbles that were tickling the human's finger tips.

He found the boiling heat within his veins had cooled, each tender second making sure that it was blown away with the night's wind. What to do about Nivra. His thoughts darkened only for a moment but lacking the shear intensity they had back at the campsite. He still felt the slight tremor of heat flicker inside of him, but it was but a candle to a raging inferno that it was. With a snort into the man's chest he realized he still didn't like the human girl who thought it was so easy to make things right. But it could be a start. He slipped a claw around Arcturus' back, massaging the warm man's back tenderly as his world narrowed into the knight's beating heart. “Thank the gods the others can't see me shaking like a little lamb right now. They might get the idea that their benevolent brightness is nothing more than a balling hatchling." He rose his head, eyes opening and glistening with tears as more images of his mother flashed in his paladin's eyes.

“They have seen you cry you know you daft thing." The man smiled warmly, wiping those misting tears with a gently touch. His fingers traced around the dragon's lower eyes, his other cupping his chin until they were gazing long fully into each other eyes. Veledar lost himself for a moment before the urge became too great. With a pounding heart he leaned forward, kissing that puny human that he loved like he had never before. He sighed with fluttering frills as he felt the stress melt away with each smack of lips against his snout.

“You speak truth as always." He rumbled, breaking the kiss with a happy croon. “And you pull me from darkness like a true hero of legend." He gave the man a smirk, nuzzling him across the cheek. “I knew you were special my mate. If only other dragons knew how wonderful. But as for Nivra…I won't forgive her right now."

“I wasn't asking you to like her dragon. What I was asking was for you to swallow your pride and work towards a better tomorrow. One that would have dragons no longer have to worry about being hunted for merely being dragons within Lumarian lands."

Veledar looked away, the man's words slipping under his scales and seeping into his heart. He focused on the little humanoid spec that had traveled so far to find him, sincerity in her eyes as she had pleaded and begged. Even when you spoke to her harshly her world looked to be crushed. Would I really just continue this cycle of hatred? “You are right." He snorted, pulling the human closer against his chest as he looked to the sprawling hills below. How they flowed casually with trees and bushes, small bats darting above them for evening meals.

“Aren't I always?" Arcturus looked up, placing a hand on his paw.

“No..You are wrong a lot." He chuckled, lowering his snout to play with the human's hair.

“You're right. I chose a grumbling dragon to be the target of my affections."

“Yes..That was a poor decision." He smiled, snorting aside Arcturus' brown fuzz. “But alas you have to live with it."

The man just giggled at the attention, scratching underneath his scaled chin. “That I will have to I suppose."

They sat there for quite some time passing the night in pleased silence and tender caresses as the moon slowly drifted over head. Veledar shared some stories of his youth. Some were minor things like his first flight or chasing his mother through the forest, but the man listened. He didn't cry, but the memories brought warmth to him as the man caressed and egged him on for even more tales to pass the night. When his throat had become sore he had ceased, yawning and raising himself with a flick of his tail. It was best they probably not fall asleep here, instead settling for that around the fire with his companions. That way they need not worry that he had simply run away and leave without him. That would lead to the annoying part where he would have to find them, and he didn't really want to put up with it.

So, after he picked Arcturus up in his paws and helped the sleepy man hold onto his neck he leaped into the sky. With a quick glide and careful few flaps, he was back down to the campsite, landing with a brief bump as he extended his hinds and back-winged them to a stop. When they strolled back to the dimly lit fire it seemed that only Shandalar was still awake. The others had fallen asleep in various positions sprawled out around the flames. Krotos had his beak draped into Merlia's lap snoozing away with a flicking tail. Lyndis had drifted off clutching tightly the scale around her neck. Feku had leaned up against Asterion who had his head drifted off to the side and his eyes closed.

The elf seeing his arrival shot him a narrowed stare, one that implied she was still upset with how he had spoken to her apprentice. He rolled his eyes in return, nudging the human over to the log the others were leaning up upon. “Stay here." He nosed the sleepy human's chest, giving him a reassuring lick across his face. He would be right back after all, he just needed a word with the princess. He turned to start to find her, not having to look far within the scattered lumps of his friends. She was near the outskirts of the camp with Voidwing's wings wrapped around her. Her eyes were locked onto the flames flickering tendrils, looking as if she were dazing out into infinity as he approached her with swaying tail.

“I won't be staying tomorrow." She said softly, not meeting his gaze and shifting within the gryphon's grip. “Your friends told me that I can trust you to not wipe my people out. I'm sorry for what was done to your mother…I have lost a mother because of him and I understand. I just wanted to do what was right. Improve not only my land but prove to myself that I could be the best we had to offer. That I could do what even my father thought impossible or didn't consider. Find the red dragon from this prophecy and turn him to our side."

“Leave?" He snorted, giving her a withering glance. One that made her wince, as he maintained it with fluttering frills. “Then I am truly disappointed in your choice human." He rose his head, acting as though he was truly hurt by her decision. “I thought you were of the mind of doing anything to help your kingdom and make up for it." He let out a long sigh, gazing away from her as the scent of his mother drifted along the wind. Within his heart he trembled as his paws began to shake. With a tossing of his head he fought to keep himself composed. She didn't need to see how hurt he was. “Your decision to come find me with the chance that I would accept your apology was brave. Something that I didn't think your nation capable of. Especially coming right from the spawn of such a dragon hating bastard your father was. It seems as though fate or even Bahamut likes to keep thrusting that point home into me." He looked down to his sharpened claws, knowing how much life he had already taken with them. “That we are not defined by our blood. If you want to make up for your kingdom and secure my help, then I have some demands."

“Some sort of payment?" She asked, giving him an inquisitive look. Her curious spheres tracing his scales as he stood proudly before her. “I will do anything to make it up to you Crimson."

“Then you will stay here with us and help me destroy your nations foundations." When she went to protest he held up a claw, folding out his wings. “What I mean to say is that you will help me make sure that all of your mana crystals are destroyed. No longer will your people twist the souls of others to fuel your kingdom. No more will dragons be bound into service and paraded around like metal puppets to serve their mortal masters." He stomped his paw with a brief snarl, but quickly silenced it as he didn't want to scare her. “And you will stop the stories of horrible dragons around your lands. We shall build a place where none of my kind must worried about being hunted for simply being a dragon. I would argue you extend the offer to any of my kin to be citizens of your nations. Just like the gryphons that became part of it long ago." If you can do that then we will be even for what your people and your father have done to my kind."

Nivra paused for a moment. Her face scrunching up as she analyzed his proposal. He might have considered her a fool if she had simply accepted without doing so. “We have an accord." She nodded, “ It will be good to be able to call you a friend after all this time!" She smiled, but he cut it off with a harsh snort.

“We are not friends." He snapped, “ The wounds your family has done to me run deep. Friendship with dragons can take time and work. We are not some simple beast that will call you friend after sweet words and gifts. We shall see if one day you are worthy enough for me to consider friend…Or even share my name." He looked away, looking all regal as he puffed out his chest with a flick of his tail over the grass. “I can call you ally for now. It will be good to have another wizard on my team."

“Then I thank you regardless." She replied softly, accepting his good night when he gave it.

With a roll of his eyes he slunk back to snuggle Arcturus with his paws. He trembled softly as he settled down with the man held to his chest firmly. He sighed in content as the human rested his head against him, closing his eyes and letting out a pleased sound of his own that nearly melted the dragon's heart. He leaned in to kiss the man's cheek. He knew not what awaited them with the princess on their trip to Struport, but he knew he had the courage to face it, and that somewhere out there in the stars was his mother looking down on him. He smiled, closing his eyes as sleep threatened to take him away, knowing that she was proud of him.

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Thank you guys for supporting me and to keep reading this story! Feel free to fav and vote when you finish, and if you feel like commenting and sharing your thoughts go right ahead. Even if you're not up to date with each chapter I still read them and respond when I can. ;3 Have nice rest of your day!