darkSpyro

"I know where we can go once we're all done with this," Ilasi said. "There is a mailing system here - the only problem is, we don't know exactly where Shade would be..." Ilasi thought for a moment, but couldn't immediately come up with a solution. "Maybe we can ask once he gets back. We can at least prepare the letters right now."

With the business taken care of, the wyvern holding Angora landed roughly with her in its clutches, before letting go of her. As he did so, the king began to mount his own wyvern once again. "Guide the creature to Orcford," the king said. "Place hexphage on it for now. Further instructions will be issued to the men there later." The rest of the men mounted their wyverns, preparing to take off, indicating for Shade to follow.

Angora got up as soon as she was dropped, simply cleaning herself with a neutral face. If everyone wanted to humiliate and break her, she was willing to demonstrate that she wasn't going to let anything get to her. Her façade dropped soon when she heard that the king wanted to place that infernal disease on Shade again.
"Sire please! Shade has just demonstrated he has control. The collar is enough restriction. I think he has had enough hexphage for a lifetime. His anatomy is not like other dragons. You could cause some serious, maybe even permanent damage and his powers may not be the same." Angora said, knowing Shade was a space dragon, so that must mean his body probably didn't work the same as earthly creatures. If the king wanted his powers so badly, it was best if they kept that sickening fungi away from him. The collar was more than enough limitation.

Quote: A Guy

"I know where we can go once we're all done with this," Ilasi said. "There is a mailing system here - the only problem is, we don't know exactly where Shade would be..." Ilasi thought for a moment, but couldn't immediately come up with a solution. "Maybe we can ask once he gets back. We can at least prepare the letters right now."

"Well, somebody probably knows where he is. He's s bit of a celebrity after all. Gracias Ilasi." Maverick said with gratitude, handing her a piece of paper and an elegant looking pen while he took another paper and a feather with ink to write his own letter. Shade left quite an impression on the city, so he had no doubt somebody must've known where he was right now. Paper and pen at hand, he took a little while to make his since he wanted it to be as perfect as possible. And once he was finally done, he waited for Ilasi to be finished so that they could leave at once.

"You know, it's too bad we can't stay in Redwater. I was so looking forward to teaching you to ride Dahlia on your own." he added as he folded the letter, demonstrating he was still willing to keep that promise.

The king thought about Angora's suggestion for several moments. She could just be lying again - but what if she was telling the truth this time? Was it a risk he was willing to take?
"Leave the hexphage off for now," he ordered. "If he proves to be unstable, utilize it. Do I have any questions?"
All the king's men shook their heads. "Good," he said. "I have other preparations to attend to - including accommodations for a very special guest we will be having, if all goes well. We will see if Silvianesti will want to push their aggression once the matter is settled."

Ilasi handed her own letter over to Maverick with a smile. "Well, there's always some other time," she said. "There will be some pretty rough seas ahead - I hope she can handle it. Now let's go see if we can find Shade." Ilasi began to wander off, not really knowing where she was headed.

Maverick followed Ilasi as he put the letters away in his bag, being respectful enough not to read hers.
"Let's take Dahlia Ilasi. We'll reach the mail faster." he suggested as they took the gangplank, with the dirt buffalo dozing off below them.

Quote: A Guy

The king thought about Angora's suggestion for several moments. She could just be lying again - but what if she was telling the truth this time? Was it a risk he was willing to take?
"Leave the hexphage off for now," he ordered. "If he proves to be unstable, utilize it. Do I have any questions?"
All the king's men shook their heads. "Good," he said. "I have other preparations to attend to - including accommodations for a very special guest we will be having, if all goes well. We will see if Silvianesti will want to push their aggression once the matter is settled."

Angora let out a quiet sigh of relief, not having expected that to work. This was the second time the king had listened to her. As much as she disliked the young monarch, he was easier to talk to, and far more tolerable than Sere, whom she despised with a passion. After the king was done talking, she glared at Shade, and once again, communicated through telepathy.
"Be grateful for the break Shade. I trust you finally have control of your powers. I believe you when you say you do. But if it's all a lie, I won't be able to save you anymore." Angora expressed, almost as if giving him an ultimatum. Shade's behavior and power have been giving her and Maverick nothing but trouble lately, some that have almost lead to their deaths. Angora has been doing everything to save Shade, but it was becoming too much for her. So much hatred. So much abuse for defending someone like him. She was hated long before that incident, and her life for much worse after it. And if Shade returned to being the same beast who couldn't handle his own powers, that would be the ultimate breaking point for her, and she knew it. She was so sick and tired of trying to clean up Shade's messes.

"That sounds pretty fun," Ilasi said. "Hopefully nothing in the city scares her while we're on..." When they reached Dahlia, Ilasi stood by her, patiently waiting for Maverick to help her mount on account of her unfamiliarity.

Meanwhile, as the day went on, Laszur finally had his team of trustworthy galuds assembled near the current demilitarized zone. As much as they preferred night missions, the princess was unlikely to be out and about at night - she would be holed up in the castle, most likely, which would make their mission much more difficult. After reviewing a general draft of the plan, Laszur gave his galuds the order to mount their wyverns. He had full confidence in the mission succeeding - it had to.
Once the galuds were ready, Laszur led them into the sky - the wyverns' lithe forms, though not as strong or resilient as Veris, allowed them to maneuver through tighter spaces more easily. Immediately, they began warping the light around themselves, becoming invisible to sight as they flew. They would seek to land in a clearing in the great forest - from there, they could move on undetected, and would ideally be able to return to their wyverns if they moved quickly enough (though they were prepared to continue on foot if the wyverns were taken.)

Quote: A Guy

At Raclaw's behest, Latnok carefully began to secure the components of the double loop system. Before long, they were as secure as he could make it without making Chester uncomfortable.
"There we go," Latnok said. "Give it a try now. Start nice and slow, and see how it goes."

Raclaw gave a thankful nod as Latnok obliged-- and Chester was once again secured into the double loop system. It was an the same feeling as before; the collar and the attachments working in synergy with each other as promised. Raclaw, for his part, could feel a similar tension as the attachments (and thus his collar) pulled on each other. It was a feeling similar to when he had helped haul the cannon components, only the 'cargo' was much more precious this time around. "Are you ready Chester?," he asked looking back at the secured Beagle. "I'm ready.," Chester confirmed as the Beagle-mounted fur dragon stepped towards the water's edge. And as he looked towards the water-- he ascended into the air, within the limitations allowed by local law.

As he flew over the water keeping within eyesight of Latnok-- he started slow as recommend as to first see how the new attachments would behave. Chester remained as secure as ever and was actually enjoying himself. As Raclaw gradually increased his speed, the leads remained tight and kept the precious cargo securely in place. "Go faster Raclaw!," Chester shouted as Latnok observed. And upon an suggest to test its ability to handle tight turns-- Raclaw did just that and flew almost on his side as if he were about to skid the water with the tip of his wing. Chester, had he not been secured, would've been dangerously close to falling off. And yet-- the loops, leads, and other components all remained tightly secure. "This-- this is awesome!," Chester shouted as he stuck his tongue out not unlike an originary Beagle sticking his tongue out of a carriage window. But of course-- he was no originary Beagle. He had chosen an Fur Dragon as one of his best friends and master. And not many Beagles got to roam the skies...

Meanwhile, Risar stood at the edge of the ship and noticed something almost skidding the water just off into the distance. "Is that.. is that Raclaw?," the large minotaur thought out loud talking to no-one in particular. As Raclaw flew-- he had gradually expanded his range both testing the new upgrades and rather enjoying himself at the same time. One swoop almost took him directly into range of anyone watching aboard the Enduring Legacy. Indeed, it certainly looked like the familiar Fur Dragon and... Chester? It looked as if the furry pair might've even gotten some new accessories. What looked like an collar around Chester could be briefly seen as well as *something* securing the little Beagle onto Raclaw. As they flew-- the new activity also served to keep Raclaw distracted from any thoughts concerning his troubled formal traveling companions. And it had given him an excuse to flex his wings.

Quote: A Guy

"That sounds pretty fun," Ilasi said. "Hopefully nothing in the city scares her while we're on..." When they reached Dahlia, Ilasi stood by her, patiently waiting for Maverick to help her mount on account of her unfamiliarity.

Maverick carried her easily, carefully placing the mermaid on top of the docile buffalo.
"Don't worry Ilasi. As long as thre aren't any dragons or wyverns nearby, she should be fine. Besides, she's learning to control her fear and she's feeling very lazy right now, so the ride will be smooth." Maverick assured, untying Dahlia and getting up in front of Ilasi, beginning to guide her. Dirt buffalos weren't easily tamed animals, but Dahlia was so gentle in her throttle, that if it wasn't for the size difference, one could easily mistake they were riding a horse. As Dahlia went around the city, with a few passing people looking at the unique mount, Maverick lead her around according to Ilasi's instructions, looking forward to let Angora and Shade know he was fine, but sad at the same time to tell them he would be going out to sea soon and that he may not write to them for a while.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

Shade went to her and nuzzled her in compassion. “Thank you. I won’t let you down.” He lowered himself for her to climb of before following the kings men.

Angora didn't respond, climbing on with a neutral face. When she took off the sky, all the sadness she kept buried until now was finally showing up. She was crying severely. She didn't care if somebody saw her, hoping that her tears would be mistaken for the wind blowing too hard on her face. Why did life kept being so cruel to her? Why did everyone, especially the Guardians, insisted on breaking her and her attempt to have a family like before? Even long before Shade was her friend, long before the disaster happened, she was so severely mistreated. Wasn't defeating Darkmatter enough for them? Wasn't her attempts to be better enough? Why did Latnok, and now Sere, kept being so cruel to her? What else could she do to make them stop? How could they be so heartless? Sere was willing to let his own protégé behind on that island, and she was the one who insisted to go back for him. Yet that has never been brought up. Latnok didn't even know.

And then there was Shade. Her life was already miserable enough when he wasn't in it, but then she accepted his love and loyalty with open arms, and it made her life far worse. His lack of control, his recklessness and annoying overprotectiveness, all of it lead to their current situation. Even if it wasn't intentional, Shade had literally sabotaged her every attempt to let him out of every situation. That time in Orcford, instead of carrying her away, he decided to stupidly attack those galud soldiers. And when Blue's castle was destroyed, instead of going someplace else or let her wounds heal on their own, he idiotically decided to return to the city that brought them so much misery in the first place, even after knowing his powers were so unstable. It was on that very day that the dreadful destruction happened. For every awful mistake, for every reckless action, she had to bail him out, and she was getting sick and tired of it. And the Guardians, instead of helping them like they do with others, they conspired against them. Sere had never been cruel to her until recently, and in such a short while, he became worse than Latnok. When will it all stop? Did he wanted to break her to the point of no return? Will he and Latnok finally be happy then?

Leoquin was on deck at the time, not being particularly inspired to do anything specific on his break. "Wow - is that..." he said in wonderment - after a while, however, there was nonmistaking. The beagle was on Raclaw's back.
"Are you seeing that?" Leoquin asked Risar excitedly. "The dog must be having the time of his life!"
Latnok looked on in the meantime - he was quite satisfied with the results so far. The product was definitely worth the money he had spent on it - and now Chester would be able to follow Raclaw to many more places.

As the ride continued, Ilasi grew more comfortable with Dahlia with every pace. The attention they were getting made her somewhat self-conscious, but she didn't let that deter her. Maverick's assistance made her confident that she wouldn't fall off of the mount.
After a while, they reached a building with many soldiers stationed outside and in - with many people bringing packages in or out. "Here we are," Ilasi said. "This is one of the main hubs for mail. Getting set up to receive mail can be rather tedious, but sending it is pretty simple if you knoe where it's going."

Angora rubbed her eyes and proceeded to answer him.
"Just fly. I'll be fine." she replied rather harshly, having contemplated much of what has happened for the past months and blaming Shade for much of her current misery.

Quote: A Guy

As the ride continued, Ilasi grew more comfortable with Dahlia with every pace. The attention they were getting made her somewhat self-conscious, but she didn't let that deter her. Maverick's assistance made her confident that she wouldn't fall off of the mount.
After a while, they reached a building with many soldiers stationed outside and in - with many people bringing packages in or out. "Here we are," Ilasi said. "This is one of the main hubs for mail. Getting set up to receive mail can be rather tedious, but sending it is pretty simple if you know where it's going."

Maverick stopped Dahlia gently, tying her to a column of the building and carrying Ilasi off her back.
"Ok. Let's get started then. Only, oh wait. Oh no. Didn't stop to think of this. What address should we put? I doubt Oscurito will be in just one place. I didn't stop to ask where they were gonna take him. Should I just out to the Big, Black Dragon... oh wait, he's called Scourge of Redwater, isn't he? Can't say I'm fond of that name, but perhaps it'll be the only way they'll know where to send the letter." Maverick said, feeling ashamed he didn't consider the address before. Surely somebody from the mail had to know where Shade was at the moment. Or so he hoped.

After a gruelling flight, Sere and the king's men, with Shade in tow, would arrive at the towering stone walls and the great river which marked Orcford. Their destination was not for the town, however; rather, it was for the sectioned-off area outside its borders, which housed Shade previously. Waiting for them was the behemoth that had restrained Shade previously.
Once dismounted, one of the soldiers found Angora, to relay orders. "You will not be staying with the dragon," he said. "You can remain in Orcford, and will not be held prisoner. You will have visitation rights as we see fit." As Sere dismounted Veris, he overheard the soldier's words - not being particularly concerned. If anything, Angora was likely to try to free Shade in some way or another, and he would prefer that not happen. Shade was extremely volatile previously and even if the evil was purged from him, he was still very overprotective of Angora - a trait which led to actions which resulted in the death of hundreds.

Angora watched with fear and disgust the behemoth below them. She didn't want to see such beasts again, but with the Aelinonian, she knew that was impossible. Her attention was soon diversed with the soldier's comment. She was particularly furious when the king didn't spoke to her himself.
"Pardon me? The deal was for me to accompany Sh... the dragon at all time. Separate us, and he may become too depressed and lonely to do anything the king asks." Angora said calmly, but almost sounding like blackmail. The king wanted Shade's powers? She knew he wouldn't perform for him if he was isolated and forbidden to have at least one of his friends with him. She should've known they would try a dirty trick like that. Like in the ship, she was treated as nothing but a load, a stone that always got in the way, and as always, Sere didn't help her. Not that she needed him. She could take care of herself and Shade if necessary.

The soldier seemed to have a response already prepared for Angora. "The creature will obey, or he will never see you again - and if he proves useless to us, we will discard him. And do you think he would want you to mourn over him?" The soldier was firm and confident in his tone - not showing any sign of doubt.

But Angora wasn't going to let the soldier get to her.
"He won't have to worry about me about anything. I'll take the visitation rights, but I will find a way to solve this. You think you can do whatever you want cause you have such influential political power and insane amount of magic and resources? How long will you keep abusing your own power? Shade killed those people, but it wasn't on purpose. He had redemption. He finally has control. He finally has a chance to redeem himself, yet you want him as a weapon. You are punishing him for killing people, yet you're training him to kill more? Where's the redemption in that? And you... how many have you killed in that arena, some that may even have been innocent and have been set up like that wizard that tried to do to me? How many have you killed in order to feed your giant beasts? You are so adamant in pointing fingers that you are blind to the bigger picture..." Angora lectured, with a voice so calm, it was almost scary. She wasn't going to wait for the soldier to give her his own opinion. She simply turned around, ready to leave, looking deeply at Shade and nodding quietly, promising him through telepathy that she will try to maintain the mind contact even if they couldn't see each other anymore. She wanted to speak to him personally, but didn't want the soldier to hear her.

Before Angora could leave, the soldier tossed a scroll case at the back of her head. "Think you're forgetting something," he said sarcastically. "It's a document giving you free lodging around here for a week. If you're a good little girl and still worth having around, we'll extend it as long as we need to." Angora's harsh criticism was, however, noted - and would no doubt factor into considerations of whether she should be kept around.

Angora was all the way tempted to kick the scroll back to his face to see how he liked it, but knew it would only cause repercussions, so she managed to control herself. She picked the scroll with her feet and lead it to her hands, refusing to crouch down like a beggar who just had money tossed to them. She wanted to say something, but once again resisted, suspecting that she already said too much.

Giving a final farewell to Shade, she finally left, heading to Orcford while avoiding eye contact with everyone there, especially Sere and the behemoth. Her frustration was so overwhelming, yet she had to keep it buried. But it was such a painful ordeal. She felt like a geyser about to go off, or a volcano about to become active. It was a very horrible feeling. She went to grab her neck, or at least what used to be there, and she remembered with painful memories that the orb that was once some sort of security blanket for her was no longer there. She had nothing, not her friends, not her orb. It was as if she was back to the beginning when she ran away from her parents. She had nothing then, not even her brother, whom refused to run away with her. And now, it was Aelinon that has taken everything from her. All she had left was a vulgar piece of paper that dictated her freedom, something that should be natural instead of written, and a spirit that wasn't much help. What more was going to happen? How much more misery did she have to face before life decided enough was enough?

Quote: A Guy

Leoquin was on deck at the time, not being particularly inspired to do anything specific on his break. "Wow - is that..." he said in wonderment - after a while, however, there was nonmistaking. The beagle was on Raclaw's back.
"Are you seeing that?" Leoquin asked Risar excitedly. "The dog must be having the time of his life!"
Latnok looked on in the meantime - he was quite satisfied with the results so far. The product was definitely worth the money he had spent on it - and now Chester would be able to follow Raclaw to many more places.

"I am--.," Risar said watching the flying Raclaw closely. "It would appear that Latnok took our favorite furry duo shopping.," the large minotaur then said keenly spotting the collar and leads securing the little Beagle to Raclaw. And to the observing Latnok, the new accessories would've appeared to be doing an seemingly admirable job keeping the little Chester in place. As Raclaw turned or did an otherwise dangerous manuevue-- both the leads and the collar would stiffen up thus ensuring the Beagle's safety. And upon resuming an more steady flight or glide-- the leads and collar would then loosen up ever so slightly thus ensuring the Beagle's continued comfort during long flights and the like. As Raclaw continued to to fly, having made up for lost time, he began to skid the water with tail and produced a Fur Dragon smile on his face. Chester, for his part, was sticking his tongue out and shouting out in excitement.

Leaving behind Shade and the sadistic soldiers, along with the beast and the treacherous, heartless Sere, Angora reached the city, placing her hood over her head. She wanted an isolated place to vent for herself, but it was going to be a long walk, and she couldn't exhaust herself further than she already was. She was to to cry, but she already spilled so many tears, she felt her eyes were dry. When she reached the lonely corner of an ally. she started to throw up, tired and fatigued like she never has before. She felt like collapsing at any time, so as much as she acted taking on an Aelinonian offer, she opened the voucher, seeing to her surprise it included every inn in the city and food. It was quite much for someone they hated, but she imagined they were just making her stay comfortable so that she would keep out of their way.

They weren't going to get rid of her that easily, but for now, she really needed some time to rest and think. Shade has been kept alive all this time, so there was no need to worry about him for now. Right now, she concentrated on finding an inn, and entered the first one she find. She didn't care about the aspect or quality. She just wanted a place to stay. She went to the counter, keeping her face hidden.
"A room please. I have this." she said presenting the paper, ignoring everybody there. She didn't know if she was being stared at or not. She just wanted a room and get it over with.

The inn Angora chose was of decent quality - it didn't have all the bells and whistles, but it had enough to keep one comfortable and satisfied. The structure, much like many other buildings, was made of brick, to prevent it from being set alight by fire launched over the wall. The innkeeper, not particularly caring about the visitor, quickly took the voucher. Reading it over, he identified the seal on it, and jotted down a number, presumably for tracking, before handing it back to her. "Up two flights of stairs, second room to the right," he said, unenthused. "Come back here if you want food."
The room would have a portrait of some historic battle in it, and a rather homey bed. There were some tables and chairs, for eating or whatever else may require them, as well as some shelves, with a few books like one may expect. What they wouldn't expect, however, was an otherwise unassuming red orb hidden behind one of them...

The behemoth gave Shade a low growl. "SO THE CREATURE RETURNS," it bellowed. "IT WILL LEARN TO SUBMIT. OTHERWISE, IT WILL BE FOOD FOR US. WE MUST KEEP YOU IN GOOD CONDITION FOR NOW. KING DEMANDS IT. AS LONG AS IS FEASIBLE. PLEASE, DO ATTEMPT TO CAUSE PROBLEMS. WE AWAIT THE CHANCE TO DEVOUR YOU." Though challenging Shade, the behemoth wasn't particularly hostile, seeming satisfied enough to leave Shade be - Shade wasn't going to be chained to him like last time.

"It's worth a try," Ilasi said. "Come, this way."
Ilasi led Maverick through the labyrinth of people and packages moving out and about, to eventually reach a line for one of the desks. There would be some waiting, with some talking to pass the time - but eventually, they were called up.
"Good day," the clerk said. "So what do we have here?"
"Some letters," Ilasi answered, as she presented hers.
"Okay, where are these headed?"
"Oh, that we're not quite sure... we're actually trying to send it to what we now know as the 'Scourge of Redwater'. Would you happen to know where he is being kept now?"
The clerk didn't care to ask why they were sending anything to him in particular - it wasn't his job, or his business. He just had to do what he could to make sure the letter got there. "That isn't information we're privy to at the moment," he said. "We just learned that he was apparently taken in by Aelinon this morning. Until we get an update on where he's currently being kept, we won't be able to deliver anything to him." Ilasi gave a small frown, somewhat disappointed even if it was just an attempt to see if they could make it work.

Raclaw and Chester soon landed-- the former having gotten his much needed exercise and the later having gotten his much desired thrill. Latnok would need to undo the leads, just as he had previously secured them.

With Raclaw finally landing, Latnok quickly came over to attend to him and their mutual companion. Fiddling around with the device, Latnok soon managed to undo the binding that kept Chester in place. "I could feel the fun all the way from here," Latnok commented - a true statement, on account of some of Raclaw's emotions being shared with him. "Let's not try to get too carried away right now - we still have the rest of the day to do whatever we want, provided of course we're not pulled off to do something."

"Por favor señor, just deliver the letters when you can. If I have to pay extra, then so be it. Por favor. There's no hurry. Just make sure it gets to him." Maverick begged, writing Scourge of Redwater in front of the two envelopes. The speed of the delivery didn't matter, as long as Shade received it. Since Maverick believed he was going to be with Angora, then he was under the impression she would receive the letters as well.

Quote: A Guy

The inn Angora chose was of decent quality - it didn't have all the bells and whistles, but it had enough to keep one comfortable and satisfied. The structure, much like many other buildings, was made of brick, to prevent it from being set alight by fire launched over the wall. The innkeeper, not particularly caring about the visitor, quickly took the voucher. Reading it over, he identified the seal on it, and jotted down a number, presumably for tracking, before handing it back to her. "Up two flights of stairs, second room to the right," he said, unenthused. "Come back here if you want food."
The room would have a portrait of some historic battle in it, and a rather homey bed. There were some tables and chairs, for eating or whatever else may require them, as well as some shelves, with a few books like one may expect. What they wouldn't expect, however, was an otherwise unassuming red orb hidden behind one of them...

As soon as Angora entered the room, the first thing she did was fall into bed, feeling exhausted and drained. She didn't noticed the orb at that moment, covering her face with her arm in shame. Despite being tired, she wasn't sleepy, and after a while, she even started to feel bad for having that comfortable room while Shade was most likely in a dark, damp prison cell. She was also thinking about the Silvianesti, about what could Aelinon could've done to them to be daring enough to attack such powerful society. But now their princess was in danger. She wished she could do something for them, give them a warning or something, but with Aelinon's resources and her bad luck, she imagined it wouldn't take very long to be found out and most likely punished for trying to help their enemy.

Starting to feel depressed just lying there, Angora wondered if she could distract herself for a little by reading a book. If there were history books there, perhaps they said something about the Silvianesti and their rivalry with Aelinon, one that she had no doubt the latter started. As she ransacked through the books, a rather large red sphere rolled to the floor, hitting Angora on a toe. It was a good thing it wasn't heavy, but it still work. A glance of less than a second, and Angora knew that was no ordinary sphere.
"What the h..." she started to say, choking. No! It couldn't be! How could it be? Her orb was thousands of miles away, underground in a remote island at the hands of a very peculiar man. How could it be there? And at that very room no less? For a moment, Angora thought it was part of the room decor, or her own imagination. but the shape, the size, the glow, even the feeling... Angora spent years with that orb to know when it was the real deal. This was too disturbing. Feeling like she was losing her mind, she started to search every corner of the room like a maniac, paranoid about the possibility that she was being followed...

Quote: A Guy

With Raclaw finally landing, Latnok quickly came over to attend to him and their mutual companion. Fiddling around with the device, Latnok soon managed to undo the binding that kept Chester in place. "I could feel the fun all the way from here," Latnok commented - a true statement, on account of some of Raclaw's emotions being shared with him. "Let's not try to get too carried away right now - we still have the rest of the day to do whatever we want, provided of course we're not pulled off to do something."

As soon as Latnok undid the bindings, Chester jumped off and resumed his place along his two beloved friends and masters. He now had a whole different perspective on what it was like to be a Fur Dragon. And if he could fly like Raclaw could-- he might be antsy to use those blanket soft feathery wings too. "Sorry, I couldn't help it. Sometimes it's nice just to feel the breeze beneath your wings.. and I know Chester enjoyed it.," Raclaw said with a smile as he looked down at the little Beagle. "That... that was awesome! I can't wait to do that again.," Chester commented overly excited. "Later perhaps. For now.. I'll you decide Latnok. Whatever you want-- we'll be game.," Raclaw then said letting the Guardian choose their next activity. Afterall, the beloved Guardian had just had to witness his two best friends feel free in the air -- and all while he was stuck on the ground.

The clerk thought for a moment. "I'll tell you what - just leave the letter here, and I'll make sure it gets sent out as soon as we have an update on where he's being kept," he offered. "Just leave the usual postage." He wouldn't appear to be much in the mood for negotiation on various different arrangements.
"That would be perfect," Ilasi said. "Thank you!"
"No problem," the clerk said. "We'll probably be hearing about the monster by tomorrow. If you want, you can come back and check on the status tomorrow. I'll be working here same time, same booth." The clerk gave the two a dismissive hand gesture, as he motioned for the next person in line to come forward.

With time to burn, Latnok tried to think of an activity that the three of them could all enjoy to some extent. He wasn't quite sure if another life-risking job was something worth doing at the moment... perhaps something with the potential for excitement, but not too dangerous.
"Hey, what do you guys say to fishing?" Latnok proposed. "I'm sure I can teach you a few things - and maybe Leoquin can, as well." Though Latnok was no doubt proficient in catching fish, he was certain that there were things the merman had experience with that he didn't - like shark hunting.

"There are no further tests for you at the moment," one of the soldiers said. "You might have a little more fun in store for you tomorrow, however. We'll let you stretch your wings out for a bit, and someone will bring you some meat soon. Just sit tight here - we won't restrain you as long as you don't try to attack us or escape." Some of the other soldiers looked disapprovingly - as if they were unsatisfied with Shade's freedom, but had to tolerate it.

The paranoid Angora searched the entire room, under the bed, behind the bookshelfs and even on the closets. She also touched the walls to see if there were any secret passages, but nothing of the sort ever came to be. She was alone, or at least, she didn't have the feeling of being watched. She tidy up some of her mess so that none of the cleaning staff would think she was a spoiled, destructive guest, so she made it look like they were ordinary messes.

Forgetting about the book she was searching for, she instead sat on the bed with the orb clenched firmly on her hands, and started to talk to it like she had in the past when she felt particularly sad.
"Well... you came back to me I see, like you've always done. Some adventure you must've had. Better than mine I'm certain..." Angora commented gloomily, wondering if the orb came back to her itself or if stranger somehow managed to find her location and delivered it to her. He had some bizzare magic, most likely even superior than that of the Guardians themselves, so it didn't surprised her if it was the latter. The orb would find itself to her when it got lost, but that one time, she gave it away willingly, so this occasion was special. This was something she wasn't expecting. Did this man was really following her? Was e still on the island, or somewhere in Orcford?

Quote: A Guy

The clerk thought for a moment. "I'll tell you what - just leave the letter here, and I'll make sure it gets sent out as soon as we have an update on where he's being kept," he offered. "Just leave the usual postage." He wouldn't appear to be much in the mood for negotiation on various different arrangements.
"That would be perfect," Ilasi said. "Thank you!"
"No problem," the clerk said. "We'll probably be hearing about the monster by tomorrow. If you want, you can come back and check on the status tomorrow. I'll be working here same time, same booth." The clerk gave the two a dismissive hand gesture, as he motioned for the next person in line to come forward.

With the matter settled, Maverick gave the clerk a tip despite not liking how he called Shade a monster. But that's what everybody thought after what he had done, so he couldn't actually blame him. Now that the letter was finally in safe hands, Maverick headed to the exit with Ilasi, already missing his friends.
"Well Ilasi, where to now? We don't know when Sere will return to the ship, so maybe we have some time to do... something." he said with an air of melancholy, failing to hide how sad he truly felt. He had such wonderful adventures with Shade and Angora, and now he had neither of them. It was like the week he spent in that underwater Orcford prison, except he was free now and had Ilasi, but even with that, he still felt empty.

Quote: A Guy

With time to burn, Latnok tried to think of an activity that the three of them could all enjoy to some extent. He wasn't quite sure if another life-risking job was something worth doing at the moment... perhaps something with the potential for excitement, but not too dangerous.
"Hey, what do you guys say to fishing?" Latnok proposed. "I'm sure I can teach you a few things - and maybe Leoquin can, as well." Though Latnok was no doubt proficient in catching fish, he was certain that there were things the merman had experience with that he didn't - like shark hunting.

"Hmm fishing-- I wouldn't mind.," Raclaw said with a slight smile. "Agreed.," Chester added with a bark. He wasn't sure exactly how that would work between an Guardian, a Fur Dragon, and himself. However, he liked Leoquin enough and he did like fish. As the two happily followed, Raclaw briefly recalled memories of a certain exotic fish. He could still remember the delicate taste, texture, and smell of it. And even more so after having relived the memory on at least two occasions. They were probably unlikely to catch any Rainbow Fish today, but a small part of him could always hope.

It now became plain to Ilasi that Maverick wasn't truly as cheery as he let on. She tried to come up with something that would cheer him up, or at least distract from his current mood. "Hey..." she thought out loud as she came up with something to say. "You know, I'm sure they'll manage somehow. Angora isn't going to be kept prisoner unless she breaks a law, so I don't think you'll have to worry about her." Ilasi knew that such fear would be well-founded, however - between being a troll and having a brash demeanor, she was likely to give a bad impression to others, potentially to someone who was corrupt and went out of their way to find her guilty of something. However, Ilasi was hoping that Maverick's optimism would prevail in the end.
"And... you have me." Ilasi was tempted to reach out and give Maverick a big, comforting hug, but worried that he could potentially reject such a gesture with how he was feeling right now.

"Well, it's settled, then. Let's meet up with Leoquin," Latnok said. "Then we can decide where to fish. We could try fishing off one of the piers, taking a boat to the deep sea, or heading to one of the rivers." Latnok was on the move as they spoke - they weren't far from the ship, and Leoquin was already by the gangplank.

Raclaw nodded as they walked-- fine with any of the options. As Leoquin awaited them, Risar stood nearby just keeping an eye on things for the time being. As the trio of companions approached, Raclaw and Chester seemed rather pleased in having been given the chance 'flex their wings.'

After grasping the orb for a long while to make sure she wasn't dreaming, Angora's tummy started to growl hard. She was hungry. She only had Maverick's breakfast, and after the ordeal that was today, combined with throwing up earlier, she was severely dehydrated.

Hiding the orb in one of the interior pockets of her hooded cape, she went to the lobby, speaking with the same clerk that showed her to her room.
"Excuse me sir, I would like some food and beverage, please. Just get me anything." she said, not feeling particularly picky today. After eating, she was thinking on visiting Shade, but she doubted they would let him see him so soon. What could she do? She always had a plan, but this has been one of the very few times where she was at a loss on what to do...

Quote: A Guy

It now became plain to Ilasi that Maverick wasn't truly as cheery as he let on. She tried to come up with something that would cheer him up, or at least distract from his current mood. "Hey..." she thought out loud as she came up with something to say. "You know, I'm sure they'll manage somehow. Angora isn't going to be kept prisoner unless she breaks a law, so I don't think you'll have to worry about her." Ilasi knew that such fear would be well-founded, however - between being a troll and having a brash demeanor, she was likely to give a bad impression to others, potentially to someone who was corrupt and went out of their way to find her guilty of something. However, Ilasi was hoping that Maverick's optimism would prevail in the end.
"And... you have me." Ilasi was tempted to reach out and give Maverick a big, comforting hug, but worried that he could potentially reject such a gesture with how he was feeling right now.

Maverick smiled warmly, noticing Ilasi's desire to make him feel better.
"I don't worry about Angorita Ilasi. She's not someone that wants to break the law. All the other occasions were misunderstanding and... well, you know, her being a troll... but things are different now. Not only is she small, she's most likely famous now after her victory in the arena. I don't think that's an event anyone would be forgetting anytime soon." Maverick believed, now feeling rather ashamed that he didn't purchase a newspaper or something that announced her victory. He hasn't overheard people talking about her so far, nor he has seen any signs or news, but a large amount of time has passed, so that came to no surprise.

"I also believe in Oscurito. He did well on the journey back. Didn't get out of control once, not even with his powers returning. I trust the letters will reach him and Angorita well..." Maverick commented, his confidence and optimism returning.

"But look at me babbling. We can't fix what happened in the past, but we can enjoy the present and shape the future. Now then, what do you wanna do? This is your day." Maverick concluded, feeling rather guilty for making Ilasi feel like she had to cheer him up. He wanted to make it up to her.

"Eh, yeah, sure thing," the clerk said, as he cut out a section of pork he had almost just finished preparing. Grabbing an orange and a carrot, he threw those on the tray with the meat, and finished the assortment with a glass of ale he tapped from one of the kegs behind the counter. As he knelt down to hand Angora the tray, he finally got a chance to really identify her.
"Eh... you... no, you're not a goblin, just a midget troll. And you got a voucher? Must be that troll some old galud was talking about the other day..." The clerk got back up to resume his position at the counter.

Angora had been expecting something lousy and small,Mao she was rather happy to see a rather decent meal, especially after the clerk could figure out she was a troll.
"Yes, I'm a troll. A troll with a humiliating condition that has made me the object of much abuse. Heh, as if you could control what or how you're born. But don't think much about it sir. I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want to have a decent life." Angora assured calmly, not wanting the clerk to start treating her differently just because she happened to be a species that was object of much hatred. Her kind was no saint, but she was different and wanted everyone to see it. At first, she thought about eating in the peace and quiet of her room, but decided to have her dinner right there in the lobby, with the most elegant table matters she knew. She wanted those who contemplated her to see she was no monster.

But as she ate, she couldn't stop thinking about Shade. She knew Maverick was fine. Maybe a little too worried about them, but it was to be expected from such an exaggeratedly good hearted fool. Still, there was nothing she could do now. Shsde was under very heavy custody, and Maverick was in another city, but at least he was with Ilasi. She hoped Shade was being treated decently as well, given that the king wanted him intact. She couldn't know what the future held, but they've already faced so much. And she knew it wasn't over, so all she could do is pray for the best...

With the sun beginning to make its way down the horizon, the timing that Laszur hoped for was approaching. The Silent Spear had, in fact, been keeping tabs on many things in Silvianesti for a long time; more recently, their espionage had increased in tandem with the tensions between Silvianesti and Aelinon.
After her daily excursions into the city, Princess Nirsesh took the same route every day back to the castle she resided in. Though most of the route was within plain sight, with many variations based on where the princess was that day, there was a section of it that went through the deeper forest - the last stretch leading to the castle - which was always the same, and would have minimal elvish presence save for the princess and her escorts. Though Silvianesti was preparing for a potential war, they had not as of yet been attacked by the Silent Spear; they would not be prepared for a sudden ambush by invisible galuds. The element of surprise was on Aelinon's side. This was a trump card that could only be played once before the enemy would know to expect it; King Seraos had chosen as good an opportunity as he could to use it
As planned, Laszur and his galuds landed their nimble wyverns in a rather small clearing - somewhat far away from their destination, but with minimal possibility of interference. Dismounting, the squad set off on foot, cautiously maneuvering over the ground to minimize the sound they made, supplementing their movements with sound dampening magic. As they neared their destination, one of the galuds activated his invisibility, scouting the path ahead to confirm the location of the target.
It didn't take long for him to report back. "They will be within striking distance within the next few minutes," the scout said. "They show no signs of expecting anything unusual."
"Get into positions - a full surround," Laszur said. "I will communicate to you your targets before giving the attack order. Once I do, we will take all of them out at the same time - there will be no chance of us being revealed then. Once that is successful, one of us - I don't care who - will choke and carry off the princess, and we will make our escape. I will leave behind a scroll with the king's message as we escape."
The next few minutes of waiting was somewhat tense - despite Laszur's experience in such missions, being in unfamiliar territory was always nerve-racking, especially against an enemy with magic, who would reveal you and fight back if they knew you were there. Before long, the princess and her escorts - on foot - began to pass through the kill zone.
Using telepathy (on account of none of his fellow galuds being able to see his hand gestures), Laszur marked targets for each of them. As the elves moved further into the kill zone, the galuds moved closer, to be within striking range. Just a little more...
"NOW!" As Laszur gave the order, the galuds, after all were in range, each drove a spear into the throat of a corresponding escorting soldier before ripping it out, limiting their ability to scream before dying. Before the princess could even react to what had happened, one galud, just as Laszur had done to Maverick before, wrapped his tail around her neck, cutting off her blood supply and making her pass out. With the princess secured, Laszur and his squad began to make their way back to the wyverns.
For a rather important person, the elves had been lax with their security. They had obviously grown too complacent in their time of peace - at least as far as Laszur could figure. And that was one of the major differences between them and Aelinon - Aelinon was always prepared for, or at least expecting, an attack. Throughout history, they had to fight for their very existence at many a point in time. The Silvianestians, by contrast, had become satisfied with their peace. After these events, however... would the peace last? Laszur personally hoped so - it was the king's will, after all - but he would be fine with whatever happened. One thing was for certain - Aelinon was prepared for war. How prepared was Silvanesti for the war they were apparently instigating?

The night was quiet and still. After eating, Angora went around the city, looking at the sights and spectacles of the streets. But she really missed her friends. A toy store not too far from the inn had many playthings very similar to the ones Shade liked, making her miss him even further. Despite the city not being ugly and rather peaceful, even if it was crowded, Angora soon got bored of everything, mostly due to being too depressed for being alone. With the night soon approaching, Angora returned to her room after ordering some strong beverages, using her orb as a nightlamp and various candles to lit up the place. With nothing else to do, Angora proceeded to read some books, searching for something about the Silvianesti like she originally intended, though unfortunately, it didn't say much about them except images of their appearances and cultures, as well as some trivia. There was barely, if not anything about the reason for their rivalry, but one interesting passage said that, while powerful, they mostly liked peace and solitude. Why would the king want to attack a society that would rather be in solitude? She could only guess land or materials, or maybe even oppression. It just further convinced her of the king's greed and villainy. She still felt rather bad for the princess, but that wasn't her problem. She already had enough of her own. She still hoped the galuds failed in their mission though.

At Redwater, Maverick and Ilasi spent a marvelous time together. The hybrid rented a boat for an hour to explore a small lake near the outskirts of the city, and the mermaid took him for a little more underwater exploration with the special bubble, an occasion he never got tired of. Night was already upon them when they were done, and once the boat was returned, they enjoyed a nice spectacle of fireflies. Once the place got colder, they returned to the city, where they visited many places, eating candy and watching the street theaters. It was a spectacular distraction for Maverick, although deep inside, he still missed Angora and Shade. Still, he managed to hide it from Ilasi very well, not wanting to ruin their moment together and not wanting to make her feel like her company wasn't enough.

It did not take Dex long to find what he needed. He came back holding a little cube. ”Quite handy these things. Of course they have their limit, but before that these things can Copy any text inside books even. It is very nice to have some low level mages making their living in black markets selling stuff like this” Dex said and throw the agreed payment in a bag to The Hunteress. ” I am not going to raed this stuff here so lets get out. And Btw while you take me out think, I have more stuff like this if you are still interested and ofcourse that also means more money” Dex said and waited for them to leave.

As Mav continued to sight see alongside Illassi-- they wouldn't be the only ones enjoying their last days near the mainland. Having met up with Leoquin and arranging for an appropriately-sized boat, Latnok and company would find themselves surrounded by the deep sea. "Well Chester-- here we are.," Raclaw said with a smile and he continued to enjoy the company of Latnok and now Leoquin as well. When asked about their previous flight, Chester had been more than happy to show off his fancy new collar. The new collar alongside its counterpart around the base of Raclaw's tail would ensure that many such flights would be a possibility. And it was comforting knowing that neither of them would have to leave the other behind, unless the danger was truly too much. No amount of distance or even a long flight would force them to separate now.

As Latnok and Leoquin showed off what they knew, Raclaw listened carefully although his biology would mean that his own tactics would naturally have to differ. Upon Raclaw thinking of an new idea concerning his beloved tail artifact (which was now basically a part of him) -- he proceeded to extend an single spike out to the point where it now formed a long spear ideal for spearfishing when combined with the Fur Dragon's long agile tail. And it wasn't long till both Merman and Guardian alike were helping the beloved companion/friend maneuver the 'new' weapon. And thanks to the sight, both he and Latnok appeared to process their own internal method of detecting fish. Raclaw, for his part, was able to reveal the location of any nearby fish even those directly under the boat. And Latnok's foresight would prove useful in predicting the fish's movement when using the previous data. And by day's end-- the duplet of friends would've had their fill of fish before Latnok, Raclaw, and Chester would return to the Easy Eyrie.

After some light petting and general affection-- it wouldn't be long until the trio would gently close their eyes and the sun would would soon arise. Chester would once again wake up surrounded by both comfort and security, day two of his new collared life. And this time.. it would be Raclaw who would awaken first. His thoughts briefly wondered how Shade and Angora were doing before noticing the adorable Chester still soundly asleep under his left wing. He was glad to having saved the little Guy from a terrible life and terrible fate. He gently got up and observed Latnok -- his best friend, traveling companion, and owner after a fashion. He still had no regrets about allowing the man to claim him. And why would he? Despite the fauds that had occurred between them and despite the beloved Guardian's shaky relations with others, they had looked after each other since day one.

It wasn't long until Chester himself would slowly awaken; the living bed that was Raclaw no longer wrapping him in comfort. "Morning Chester.," he gently said as he observed the little Beagle stir himself awake. Elsewhere-- Risar had already awoken and was preparing the ship for Sere's no doubt soon return.

That morning, Angora woke up feeling drained and bitter. The bags under her eyes were not helping. Today, she was going to visit Shade, and hoped the dummy didn't do anything stupid while he was there. She wondered how he slept that night. As much as she hated the fact that he was in Aelinonian custody, she saw that he wasn't chained, and that they were allowing him a little bit of freedom as far as she could see before she left. Besides her was the orb, which she almost forgot she had back. Despite feeling rather down, she took the glowing sphere, and started to talk to it as usual... but her words weren't addressed to the artifact.
"Stranger... mine leader... whatever you call yourself... thank you." she said with honesty, doubting the mysterious man could hear her, but with magic like his and the fact that he had the orb in his possession for a while, she liked to think he listened. With what has been happening, she felt like this man was the very first person since Maverick who didn't immediately hate her upon meeting, and even seemed to have a genuine desire to help her. Not only did he gave the orb back, he also helped Shade on that island. His payment was the orb, yet there it was, in her possession again. It made her feel so good that there was someone out there besides Orion and her two friends that didn't despised her, and that heard her plea when she needed it most. Someone who didn't care that she was a troll, or a very moody creature. This mysterious man in the little while she knew him helped her far more than the Guardians did in all the time she has been with them, these people that claimed to help others. This feeling, it was nice. It even managed to improve her mood.

Quote: cyndego

It did not take Dex long to find what he needed. He came back holding a little cube. ”Quite handy these things. Of course they have their limit, but before that these things can Copy any text inside books even. It is very nice to have some low level mages making their living in black markets selling stuff like this” Dex said and throw the agreed payment in a bag to The Hunteress. ” I am not going to raed this stuff here so lets get out. And Btw while you take me out think, I have more stuff like this if you are still interested and of course that also means more money” Dex said and waited for them to leave.

Huntress didn't look too surprised or interest in the cube, practically indifferent to it. Perhaps she has seen them before, or has seen too many similar stuff to care. She left the archives with Dex, immediately taking the money. This little fox was apparently a gold mine. He delivered the money without trouble, and although she was pleased, she was willing to accept more. Once they were in a clearing near the black market with little to no people, she let Dex go.
"Well, that concludes one part of our bargain little friend. We shall meet again in this very black market. I'm pretty sure you have some busy days ahead of you with this new information, so let's meet in three days. I have other bargains to attend to." Huntress said as she left, some of her innocent demeanor from earlier faltering. She looked more like a greedy woman than a spoiled lady now, but it didn't matter to her anymore. In the archives, she overheard about the Scourge of Redwater returning. This was her opportunity to see the infamous dragon in person.

But in that very day, shortly after concluding her half deal with Dex, Huntress went to the Redwater port, only to learn that she had missed him and that he was now in Orcford. Her influence with the soldiers was enough for her to even borrow a behemoth for riding, but she wasn't going to do that yet. She still had other things to take care of right there in Redwater, and she didn't want to fail meeting with Dex. As the days passed, most of the gossips were about the dreadful black dragon, and the tiny troll that accompanied him, the same troll that was the talk of the city more than a month ago when she survived the fight with a behemoth in the arena. Not only did the king forgave a troll, he also forgave a dragon that caused much destruction around the beloved Redwater, a fact that baffled Huntress. The king was usually very strict and harsh, but lately, he seemed to be growing soft. He's forgiving dangerous creatures, and now there was the news of the duke being attacked in that very same arena. Huntress believed that it was because of the king being too merciful that other nations were daring to attack him at the heart of one of the most important cities of Aelinon. When she had the chance, she would talk to him. She knew him, but it had been several years since they last talked to each other. Even so, she wanted that conversation...

Quote: cyndego

It did not take Dex long to find what he needed. He came back holding a little cube. ”Quite handy these things. Of course they have their limit, but before that these things can Copy any text inside books even. It is very nice to have some low level mages making their living in black markets selling stuff like this” Dex said and throw the agreed payment in a bag to The Hunteress. ” I am not going to raed this stuff here so lets get out. And Btw while you take me out think, I have more stuff like this if you are still interested and ofcourse that also means more money” Dex said and waited for them to leave.

There would be no information about the organization Dex was tracking; however, what there would be a modicum of information on was the god they happened to mention - Ishulgu. The most relevant book Dex would have would be named, fittingly, Myths and Legends: Forotten Gods. There was not much information; it was more a very brief history of his supposed existence.
The story would read: According to information that can be found about Ishulgu, he is said to have originated as an ordinary praying mantis that survived extreme exposure to divine energy from the aftermath of one elf's attempt at ascending into godhood. With the event, Ishulgu is said to have become larger, stronger, more powerful, and more intelligent every day, eventually acquiring sapience. Realizing the devastating effects that magic of various races had inflicted on much of the natural setting, he made it his mission to restore nature to what it once was, using his power to manipulate nature to his will.
Eventually, however, he came to see that in his attempt to restore nature, he was disrupting the balance of many things - indeed, "balance" was not a simple, unmoving goal - and much of his efforts would come at the expense of sapient beings. Unwilling to directly interfere any further, he is said to have banished himself to another plane, being content with merely observing nature for all eternity.

That morning, back at the castle at Tal Rogas, King Seraos sat on his throne - which was rather bland and simple by typical royal standards - as he awaited the most important delivery of the morning. And he knew he would receive it - the Silent Spear rarely, if ever, failed to complete their objective.
It didn't take long for him to be satisfied. As the door to the throne room - which itself had almost the bare minimum for decorations, just enough to make one know that it was supposed to be an important room - opened, several of his men came in, dragging in the prisoner Seraos had been waiting for - the elvish princess, Nirsesh. As much as Seraos wanted to congratulate Laszur and his galuds for the operation, he knew that they needed their sleep - so he was fine settling for having them pass off the prisoner to human troops.
"Princess Nirsesh," the king greeted venomously. "Welcome."
"What is the meaning of this?!" the princess demanded. "Let me go!"
"You know exactly what this is about," the king said. "Silvianesti has been brazenly launching attacks into our territory - killing innocent civilians."
"We've done nothing," Nirsesh insisted.
"Tell me, princess - how stupid do you think we are? Oh, I know - you elves think you're so high and mighty, above everyone else. You see other races as inferior beings, more vulgar, less civilized. Hence why you think we would be blind to your attempts to move against us. But let me tell you this - your hubris will be your downfall."
"This is nothing but a front to start a war!" the princess said. "You are a bloodthirsty monster!"
"Still, you seem to think we're too stupid to understand what you're doing," the king said. "The giant spiders deep in our territory, killing our citizens? The plants that burst out of the ground to attack the duke of Redwater? We analyzed the magic - ancient elf magic. Drow magic, specifically. Tell me - this all happens after you bring your troops to territory we are securing, as you offer our enemies a safe haven. We know your army has been growing for some time. And you pick a time after we have been at war for a while - it is clear what you intend. But if you think that we'll just lay down and let your kind roll over us just because we've been fighting for a while, you're sadly mistaken. We have been fighting to protect ourselves for our entire existence - and we are prepared to continue to do so. Perhaps a demonstration is in order... once you elves see a glimpse of the power we command, you will back down."
The king gestured for his men to take Nirsesh away. They complied; all she could to was impotently protest.

That morning, several of the men woke Shade up from his sleep. "Good morning," the captain leading them said. "We're going to be flying out for some more exercises today. You'll get some food, and then we'll be moving out soon after. Impress u enough, and we might give you a day off."

With no response (as expected) Angora headed downstairs, feeling very hungry. Hiding the orb in the same place and with voucher at hand, she headed to the lobby, where the clerk was working as usual. She was rather grateful to him for not starting to treat her differently when he learned she was a troll, but then again, she guessed she was rather famous by now after what happened in the arena.
"Breakfast, please. Something strong. Ham, or bacon, something of the sort. And some orange juice." she asked politely, wanting some strong meat to be ready for the day. She was ver deep in thoughts, but maintained eye contact so that nobody would suspect she had much on her head.

Yesterday, just after they were done having some fun, Maverick rented an expensive room in a fancy inn so that they could sleep comfortably, leaving Dahlia in a horse pen nearby after asking permission from the owner. The duo on different beds, and that morning, Maverick got up first for once, ordering breakfast and giving it to her in bed.
"Good morning Ilasi. I trust you slept well. Here's some food. It's not like what I cook, but I figured you'd want something different." he said as he handed her a tray with toast, two boiled eggs, a croissant and grape juice, all with a rose in the middle. He wasn't very hungry that morning, so he simply ate a piece of bread with grapes.

"Sure thing," the clerk said, as he began to prepare the meals for many of the guests. On the main floor, news about the princess' capture was already beginning to circulate; there was no effort by Aelinon to hide what had happened, with the entire point of her capture being to send a message. It would be a bit of a wait, but Angora's meal would eventually be prepared as she had requested.

Ilasi had such a nice, relaxing sleep, that, though she didn't want to get out of the comfortable bed, she was very well-rested. She graciously took the food as Maverick offered it, feeling rather touched by the addition of a rose. "Good morning, Maverick. Thank you! The rose... did you add it?" she asked. She began to eat the food offered to her, starting with the croissant.

Angora heard about the princess' capture, and pretended to be indifferent about it. She was actually quite furious about the outcome. Either the galuds were too stupidly good at their job, or the Silvianesti had been too stupid themselves in their security. Either way, the outcome was a fact now. The little troll ate her meal in peace, wanting to find no conversation about the matter, or anything actually. As soon as she was done, she was going to visit Shade. The only thing that concerned her more than the soldiers was the behemoth guarding him. It was the same one that had faced her in battle. She was too ashamed to admit, but she developed a phobia worst than that of manticores ever since that day. The behemoths were a near undefeatable force of nature, and she knew very well that her victory in the arena had been to the king forgiving her life and nothing else. However, she didn't want to be seen as a coward. As soon as she visited Shade, she was determined to look at the behemoth in the eyes, wanting to fool him into thinking she wasn't afraid of him.

At Ilasi and Maverick's room, the young hybrid proceeded to answer the mermaid.
"They were given for free in the lobby. I figured it would be a nice touch. I wanted a blue one, but they were all out." Maverick explained, wanting to give her a blue one so that it would remind her of the sea, but it was a rare color in a rose and were usually the ones that people picked the most, so he only managed to get an ordinary red one.

As Raclaw and Chester briefly nuzzled each other-- the former observed that Latnok hadn't yet awoken. "Hey Chester--," the fur dragon gently said looking down at the little Beagle. "I'm going to get some breakfast for us and I'll be right be back. Keep Latnok company just in case he wakes, alright?," he then said to which the beloved companion nodded. As Chester soon laid back down, the bed 'comfortable enough' in comparison to his fluffy master, Raclaw proceeded to head towards the lobby where he relayed his request. He was instantly recognized as being the 'Fur Dragon with the Guardian.'

"I would like three servings of bacon, sausage, and eggs-- scrambled please. One plate and two bowls preferably.," Raclaw said as the staff hurried to fulfill his request. "Coming right up.," the clerk said as he found a comfortable spot to wait. And after a reasonable amount of time had passed; a cart was soon visibly being rolled in. "Your food... sir?," a previously unseen staff member spoke as he presented the requested offerings. He took one look at the 'guest' before quickly stumbling into his next line. "Would you.. uh-- Would you like me to help you carry these up?," he then asking after catching himself. "Yes please-- I'll handle the bowls.," Raclaw responding as they proceeded to head up. With one bowl in his mouth and another carried via tail-- the newer staff member helped him open the door and placed the plate near the bed before departing again. "Thank-you.," Raclaw responded as he placed the bowls down on the floor and waited for the aurora of breakfast to no doubt wake the beloved Latnok up.

"That will be a negative," the captain told Shade. "She will not be accompanying us. She will have the opportunity to visit you before and after the next exercise. This is important so that she does not influence the exercise - we can't have you becoming too comfortable with her presence, as it's not something you will have most of the time." The captain's voice was calm but firm, showing his unwillingness to yield on the matter without being threatening.

"Well, I really do appreciate the thought," Ilasi said, after giving herself a chance to finish the food that was currently in her mouth. "You know, I've always wanted to visit a place like this - it's every bit as fun as I could imagine. Or more fun, if you include a certain someone who's with me..."Ilasi gave Maverick a slight coy smile as she spoke.

Latnok gradually began to wake up from sleep - having gotten more comfortable than he was used to. He was surprised to see that Raclaw was already up, with the situation typically being reversed. "Good morning, Raclaw. Good morning, Chester," Latnok greeted, as he took one of the bowls presented to him by Raclaw. "You're up early, aren't you? Had some bad dreams last night?" he added facetiously.

After finishing her meal, Angora offered herself to put the empty platter where it belonged instead of asking the clerk to put it away himself.
"Thank you... sir. I'll be going out now. Please hold my room until I return." Angora said kindly, knowing that being polite was not the troll's way, but she didn't care about anything like that. Even though the inn wasn't of the best quality, nobody had mistreated her. The voucher was for any inn in the city, but she was thinking of making this place her only stay for the entire week the voucher lasted.

Quote: A Guy

"Well, I really do appreciate the thought," Ilasi said, after giving herself a chance to finish the food that was currently in her mouth. "You know, I've always wanted to visit a place like this - it's every bit as fun as I could imagine. Or more fun, if you include a certain someone who's with me..."Ilasi gave Maverick a slight coy smile as she spoke.

Maverick chuckled quietly, not wanting to be loud and interrupt her meal.
"Well, I wanted to bring Dahlia here, but the owner doesn't alloy any kind of animal here, not even a tiny puppy. It's one of their strictest rules." Maverick calmly explained, believing that such policy was to prevent animals from stinking the place.
"But Dahlia is fine. I saw the pen where she's staying and it looked great, plus I promised the owner a tip if she's treated well." he added, demonstrating how loose he was with money if it meant someone he cared about would be well.

He waited until Ilasi was finished before speaking again.
"Well, Dahlia is fine. Maybe she'll p,at with the horses until we come for her. But for now, we can either go around the city, or look what this inn has to offer. There's a duck pond in the back that has many tiny fishes, and the garden is spacious enough to do a few sports." Maverick invited, wanting to take advantage of the inn's activities. The stay there wasn't cheap, so he wanted to get his money's worth.