darkSpyro

The day proceeded, with the locals making various offerings of food throughout the day to the crew - various dishes involving a myriad of fish, fruits, and vegetables. It would seem that many different crops were brought to the islands, and the soil fertility was not incompatible with them. Though the dishes would be really large by human standards, they were evidently made with the minotaur crew in mind, presumably under Kesivara's orders.
Leoquin certainly didn't complain about the food. Latnok wondered for a moment if he was essentially complicit in slave labor by accepting such food, but realized that turning it down would create much more trouble than the token gesture would be worth.
That evening, Latnok, Leoquin, Raclaw, Chester, and Risar took the walk to Alithe's abode - the island still being relatively warm and humid even as the sun went down. The enforcers, big sticks always in their hands, eyed the visitors carefully, but didn't stop them.
After they came in, Alithe shut the door, looking out the windows. "Welcome, once again," he greeted. "This is my home, as you can see." Though not much (if at all) bigger than many homes in Aelinon, it was bigger than many places on the island - seemingly a perk of his position.
"So I take it you didn't bring is here just for some... tea, or whatever it is high-class people do," Latnok said.
"Of course. There are things I'd like to show you..." Alithe answered, as he looked around at the others.

Maverick felt quite at home with the food, very different from what the minotaurs usually served. The island had quite a large variety of crops. Even if the people were literally slaves to the dragoness, at least this showed that they ate well at least. He felt kinda bad for accepting the food, believing that someone else here might need much more than he did, but he figured the islanders barely get any visitors, so there was no harm in trying. Huntress was much more hesitant though, taking small bites of food to make sure they weren’t poison. She didn’t want to believe the islanders would try to kill them in order to feed them to their disgusting Queen, but after seeing Maverick eating, she figured she didn’t have to worry about any poison. Still, she took small bites just in case.

She went outside to see Latnok and his pets, plus Leoquin and the captain leaving towards the island, in the company of Alithe. She didn’t exactly trusted the man, but doubted anyone would care about what she thought. Maverick also went to the main deck, wanting to enjoy the view and the ship being on a standby after so many days navigating. He went to where Huntress was, even if he knew he’d probably regret being near her.
“This place is quite something else. The temperature here is perfect, and the crops truly are marvelous.” he said, trying to find some conversation. Huntress simply yawned.
“Meh. Whatever you say. It would be better if there wasn’t a bloodthirsty monster living nearby.” she said after an exasperated sigh, not wanting to bicker this time but still wanting to get her point across. Maverick sighed as well, but more quietly.
“Escucha, I don’t know what a dragon did to you exactly, but you can’t demonize an entire species just because of the action of one.” Maverick explained, really wanting Huntress to let go of the hatred, but she frowned.
“Oh really? And is your friend any better? Accident or not, it doesn’t change the fact that he caused much death and destruction. A dragon wiped my entire family. And the one living here is enslaving all these people and killing those who don’t please it. Yeah. What magnificent beasts.” she said mockingly, finding Maverick stupid and naive for defending the monsters.
“Well, that’s just half the story. I don’t know what was going through the mind of the dragon that attacked your family, but maybe it was just looking for food? Just like the Queen here. She probably doesn’t know how to hunt and needs the people to feed her.” Maverick explained, trying to create excuses for the dragons. It was only after he talked that he realized how idiotic he must’ve sounded to her.

Huntress clenched her fist, and glared at him.
“Is that the best you can do? Are you listening to yourself!? You’re actually defending those monsters! So what? Are we suppose to just let them live and cause all the deaths and destructions they want? Or in this case, letting them enslave and kill whoever they hate? Let people suffer generations of misery because of a beast that forces them into this horrible labor!?” Huntress asked, finding it despicable that this mongrel would give an excuse to dragon actions. But of course, what’s to be expected from the son of a pirate? Maverick pondered hardly, and while he felt bested, he still tried his best.
“Listen, they are just creatures trying to live. Most might not have the most ideal life or morals, but what if we can teach them? Don’t they also have a right to live? Just like us? Like... like... behemoths? They eat people too and cause much destruction, yet they are allowed to live among us.” Maverick expressed, remembering the giants in the conversation. Being a fan of behemoths, Huntress didn’t take his accusation lightly.
“Behemoths? Are you seriously comparing those winged abominations to the regal behemoths!? They eat people, sure, but they only eat criminals and the dead. People that deserve it or can’t feel a thing anymore. Their size mean they can cause much destruction, yes, but they don’t cause it for the heck of it. They only use it at war! To defend their allies! Nothing more! You won’t see them destroying random villages or dining on innocent people!” Huntress pointed out, almost slapping Maverick for trying to compare behemoths with dragons. Maverick didn’t need to be slapped, cause he already felt the sting of her words. She was right. He has never seen or heard about behemoths attacking randomly. Now what’s he suppose to say? Huntress has only seen the bad side of dragons. How could he ever convince her to give them another chance?

Maverick had goosebumps as soon as he heard his voice, knowing where this was going.
“Runt... why do you keep appearing out of nowhere!? Are you obsessed with interrupting private conversations!? Let dragons show their gentle side. You mean lower your guard so it can be more easy for them to aim for the kill! Hah! As if! I can’t believe you keep saying we should abandon these people to their fake happiness! Oh wait, yes I can. You’re half dragon... or so you say! You’re right. Only the captain gets to say if I leave. But you know what, he won’t, cause he and the rest of his minotaurs have showed me more kindness than all of you non-ones combined! And you...!” Huntress turned to Maverick!
“If you want to have a real conversation, make sure this other mongrel is VERY far away!” she said furiously as she stormed off, Maverick pleading her to stay, but he couldn’t stop her. She returned to her cabin, wanting to be very far away from the faun hybrid and that idiotic creature.

Once again, Maverick missed another chance to befriend Huntress.
“Lo siento señor Icestorm. She’s a beautiful woman. But she’s so full of bitterness. I’m very sure she hates you. Us. You really should work on your timing.” Maverick recommended, this not being the first time Icestorm’s interruption made Huntress even harder to approach. Even though Maverick knew he didn’t mean it, Icestorm kept jeopardizing his attempts to befriend her, but in all honesty, he was glad for the interruption, since he was getting nowhere in that discussion.

Alithe took the group into his personal room - which had a bed, made from the materials available on the island, and a desk, where his documents and writing utensils were kept. It was a simple place overall. Not hesitating, however, he pushed the bed over, revealing several loose stones under the floor. Moving them, he revealed a dark passageway, going on a downward incline.
At that point, he grabbed a torch from the wall, already lit for the evening, before leading the way down. "It might be a tight fit for the minotaur, and I'm not sure your... uh... fur dragon friend can fit - but it gets wider past here," he said. "Everything we have preserved - kept safe from brine and prying eyes." Alithe began leading the way, stepping down the pathway, with Latnok following.

"No worries-- I'm compact.. erm for a dragon.," Raclaw reassured as he folded in his wings and just barely managed to squeeze his way into the opening, following Latnok's lead. Risar managed to do the same via bending down so that his bull-like horns didn't clash with the low ceiling with Chester easily making his way past both 'beasts.' It was fortunate that Raclaw was large enough to ride (at least for one individual and a dog) and yet small enough to fit in spaces that larger dragons wouldn't, allowing him access to to many areas that your usual mount wouldn't be. As Risar bent down, a slight 'clang' could be heard as his two chain links hit one of the tight walls.

Sometimes Raclaw wondered why the proud Minotaur had never gotten those removed, but than again.. did he ever attempt to rid himself of the collar? The answer to both was no and they both, perhaps, had their reasons. And it wasn't exactly an question many dared to ask. "The secrecy is understandable.," Risar commented. He once again seemed unphased by his 'burden', his nose ring/attached having long been an extension of himself. Pets (most pets) didn't think much of their collars unless the subject came up; they would've long accepted such things. Perhaps it was the same for former slaves and their own 'bonds'? And perhaps it was even nostalgic in a way? A reminder of his old master to whom he clearly liked in a way?

Raclaw couldn't exactly say much-- he had willingly locked his own collar. Permanently. And even before his current friendship with Latnok, he had kept his collar despite having the option to leave it behind. It would've been as 'simple' as not wearing it or at least covering it up, but the former never came to be and the latter had only occured for a very different reason. And he could sense that Risar still had find memories of his old master; it wasn't out of the question to think that the minotaur had developed a similar association similar to that of him and his own 'bonds.' A collar, a couple chain links-- were they that unsimilar?

Maverick looked at the island, knowing that somewhere out there, there was a giant female dragon that acted as quite the harsh monarch. If he didn’t have a family, he would venture out there and try to meet her and maybe convince her to treat her subjects differently, but knew it wouldn’t be a good idea. His priority was Huntress. Luckily, despite her hatred, she didn’t seem interested in going after the dragoness either. After breathing in some fresh air, he decided to say something else to Icestorm, trying to be as gentle as possible.
“Escucha señor Icestorm, señorita Huntress might not be a very pleasant woman, but I want to believe I can change that. I’m certain she didn’t have a very good life, which is why she is like that. Por favor, next time I talk to her, don’t come near her. You’re not... doing a very good job in helping her like you.” Maverick pleaded, hoping he didn’t sound rude. He was afraid that Huntress wouldn’t want to talk to him again, cause every time they did, Icestorm would come and interrupt them.

That night, Angora planned to sleep in Julian’s place, not wanting to be alone. Being inside her own room would only depress her further. It was so refreshing to know Julian liked her so much. If only the rest of the Guardians could be like him. But she knew she was asking for a miracle not even Orion couldn’t fulfill. For now, she settled on sleeping. She caught the sleep fairly quickly. She was so tired. As she slumbered however, she couldn’t stop having the same dream over and over again; Cymbal attacking her and Veris savagely mauling him, with her unable to do anything. If only the event had never happened...

Maverick understood, but he wanted Icestorm to understand another side.
“Lo sé señor Icestorm. But if you seem mean and keep interrupting like that, you’ll just make her see dragons even worse. You have to learn to calm down. I don’t think she’s a bad person. Just... quite bitter. Heh, kind of reminds me of Angorita when I first met her.” Maverick commented, remembering Angora was not as different. Was in fact, quite worst, but he managed to change her, or at least help her change by herself the rest of the way. Icestorm was also reckless, and too prideful, and knew how much in trouble that could get him and other into, which is why Maverick wanted him to cease the interruptions, otherwise neither of them might never befriend Huntress...

Maverick realized how hard it was to convince Icestorm. He might beat Angora in stubbornness.
"That's not what I mean. What I mean is that you have to calm down and ignore her no matter what you hear. Even if you have a right to be angry, she will just keep hating you if you keep confronting and interrupting her like that." Maverick explained, wanting Icestorm to understand, but was afraid that with him in this voyage, he might never befriend Huntress. It wasn't the first time he interrupted one of their conversations, and it seemed like h was on the verge of making a habit out of it. He wanted dragons to be seen as nice, but he wasn't being successful with that attitude.

At her cabin, Huntress was throwing thing around in anger. It was the only way she could vent at a time like this. She was really hating Icestorm, and they hypocrite wanted her to give dragons a chance when he was not attempting to be an example. Not that he would count since he's only half dragon and a very pathetic size. She was winning that argument too, until that abomination interrupted yet again. She wanted so badly to hear Maverick say that she was right and that everything she said was the truth, but that idiotic creature ruined everything. Just why did the captain invited him? And she thought the Guardian was going to be the worst crewmember here.

Grabbing some materials from the shelves, Alithe laid them out on the table. Among the materials were journal entries, notes, and various sorts of documentation; though many were original, some of the material had to be transcribed due to their age.
"Here.... see for yourself," Alithe offered, indicating some of the documents. There were so many; from records of military engagements, to records of agriculture, to personal accounts of great events.
Quickly looking a few of them over, Latnok could see exactly where Alithe was coming from. "These things would contradict the story the Queen has been pushing," he noted.
"Indeed, they would," Alithe said in agreement. "And that is why I must be very careful on when I choose to reveal them. The average people, they won't understand - but the scribes will be able to corroborate this information, should I present these documents to them. That is not something I can afford to do until the right moment approaches."
"To think you have to live with all of this knowledge, not being able to share it, instead having to push some twisted version of the truth to keep people compliant..." Latnok imagined that it would perhaps be better for Alithe if he was just as ignorant as everyone else on the island. For a few to have borne the burden of knowledge for so long - a monumental task, indeed.

Back at Orcford, Draikon was going through some of the data he gathered about the satyr girl, having been so distracted by his work that he almost forgot he still had Angora to take care of once she arrived to his place. He would have to get a room for her... if she was still alive. He seriously believed Veris wouldn’t let her live if he found out about her plans, one hundred percent oblivious of the unnatural and miraculous event that took place several hours ago. But he was so submerged in his research that Angora didn’t matter as much as before anymore. If she was too stupid, then perhaps she wasn’t worth it, not especially since there’s a more interesting matter to pursuit.

Angora was sleeping better in Julian’s place than she ever did in her own little room. Not only of the fact that it was spacious and the bed was more comfortable, but also because she had company that wasn’t Neo. After Maverick, Julian was the human she loved the most. It was a shame that he had to experience whatever horror he did through the Ishulgites to earn the kindness and humility that defined him. He was the complete opposite of Latnok. At least she could have a companion in that base that wasn’t an animal. Still, she couldn’t stop thinking about Veris. How was he sleeping? What was he thinking? Was he still hating her for leaving despite the fact that he still cared enough to save her life?

Despite being more comfortable in Julian’s place, it still didn’t save Angora from having a few nightmares, particularly the one where all the wyverns somehow escape to maul Veris for being friends with a prey and attacking one of his own while Cymbal devours her in front of him as revenge. She’d open her eyes before he could swallow, but she was still tormented by the image of Veris being attacked by the vengeful horde. She really wanted to visit him, but it was the middle of the night. She couldn’t interrupt his sleep... if he was getting any. Plus she doubted he was in the mood for seeing her, so it was better to just wait for morning to come. Somehow, she would have to find a way to cheer him up...

Quote: A Guy

Grabbing some materials from the shelves, Alithe laid them out on the table. Among the materials were journal entries, notes, and various sorts of documentation; though many were original, some of the material had to be transcribed due to their age.
"Here.... see for yourself," Alithe offered, indicating some of the documents. There were so many; from records of military engagements, to records of agriculture, to personal accounts of great events.
Quickly looking a few of them over, Latnok could see exactly where Alithe was coming from. "These things would contradict the story the Queen has been pushing," he noted.
"Indeed, they would," Alithe said in agreement. "And that is why I must be very careful on when I choose to reveal them. The average people, they won't understand - but the scribes will be able to corroborate this information, should I present these documents to them. That is not something I can afford to do until the right moment approaches."
"To think you have to live with all of this knowledge, not being able to share it, instead having to push some twisted version of the truth to keep people compliant..." Latnok imagined that it would perhaps be better for Alithe if he was just as ignorant as everyone else on the island. For a few to have borne the burden of knowledge for so long - a monumental task, indeed.

Raclaw couldn't help but to agree with Latnok's assessment. To take his own past into consideration, he had lived in a blissful albeit ignorant state concerning who/what he was in many of his early years. For a time-- he had considered himself to be little more than a dog, albeit a slightly strange one, and had been completely content with that "knowledge." But then everything had changed. The truth (at least part of it) had been revealed him and he had started to want *more*. He was no longer content with simply being.. he wanted to explore more, he wanted to know more, and (for a time) he had wanted to leave to go out on his own. It didn't matter that his life as it was "before" was a happy one; it was no longer enough and nothing aside from severe memory loss could ever revert him to that previous state.

"A burden-- both to have to hide the truth and, for the others, to eventually be told the truth.," the fur dragon spoke. "We could tell them now, but that wouldn't be enough. Without the immediate means to do more.. they will have been burdened for nothing. They will have still been 'stuck' only to just finally realize it and without the means to do anything about it.," he then added. "Hmm.," Risar nodded in agreement. "At least they aren't being physically hurt. But if they knew now and if the dragon queen took revenge, than they would be. And it will have been for nothing.," Chester added his input with Raclaw translating the canine 'barking' for the others' sake. The two collared 'canines' both had their history and their own herders to get past.

Having presented his materials, Alithe began meticulously returning them to the corresponding shelves. "It's not easy... but this has to be done," he said. "I will continue to wait until the moment arrives - and should my time come, my son will soon be prepared to continue in my stead."
"Right," Latnok said. "Though Aelinon isn't much likely to care for a place so far away, the Ardent Guardians certainly will - and we're not going to allow this to stand. So let us learn what we can - when we come again, we will come prepared."
"that is as much as I can ask for," Alithe replied gratefully. His expression eased, as if a great burden had been lifted off his shoulders. "Now, I think it best you return to your ship for now; don't want the enforcers poking around too much. Nosy bunch they are."

Ilasi set down her violin for the night. She was already missing her husband dearly - but she knew, or at least hoped, he would come back before too long. The same nature that made him so lovable also meant that he could not stand idly by when he had the opportunity to help a close friend out. She would continue to practice with the violin he bought her - and perhaps once he came back, she would have a nice song to play to greet him.

Alana had retired for the night as well after a brief snack, also missing her father. She has done all of her homework without help today, something she almost never did. She knew that’s what her father wanted, so she wanted to obey while he was away. Not only did she missed him, but she found it tremendously unfair that she couldn’t accompany him on his adventures because of the dumb school. Just why did children had to spend so much of their lives in the stupid school? She felt like she was missing so much of life being locked up in a room for the sake of knowledge. What better knowledge there was than being outside learning everything in the flesh? It was such a waste. She wasn’t even in the mood to prank Tyrus. Sand Dune, Random and Opium all had work very early in the morning, so they couldn’t stay for the night this time. It was going to be some awful days not seeing Maverick in that house for a while.

The night falling and the centaur tired, the warriors escorting him arrived to a nearby village. Sergeant Farlo had managed to keep up for a while, but in the end, he was no match for the flying wyverns. The centaur didn’t want to be carried off, but even if he did, his weight was likewis going to slow down the two legged reptiles anyway. The king was still several miles away, so their meeting would likely had to take place tomorrow. Sergeant Farlo was quite upset. He wanted Danya back home safe and sound already, but knew better than to be against these people. He was just a strange foreigner in this place. Since it was night, galuds took over. After his wyvern landed to take a rest, King Seraos was met with some of his valued guards and was offered the choice of getting back to the palace for the night or find a nearby inn and be heavily guarded while the centaur stayed in the current village. It was getting very late and the centaur was still a distance away, so unless the monarch found the matter urgent, the meeting would have to take place the next day.

Fortunately for Farlo, Seraos took the opportunity to sleep in the fortress himself. The bed was nothing special, but Seraos wasn't the sort to care too much as long as it worked.
He slept soundly that night - for the most part. He had a brief dream of a sword hanging above him, but such an image soon passed. His guards woke him up early, per his request.
"Good morning, gentlemen," Seraos greeted them. "Another day, another step forward for the kingdom. Now, Sergeant Farlo should be arriving soon. Make sure everything is prepared." Seraos, despite being slightly nervous inwardly, maintained a calm mien.

Sergeant Farlo prayed that night for the safety of their beloved girl, hoping the king was as merciful and understanding as General Lyon once said he was. Danya was one of the few satyrs who could control the Pam flute’s magic, talent that was nearly extinct itself due to the fauns losing the ability due to the years of the centuries old oppression. Now that they had peace... at least for the time being, the magic was returning. Perhaps that was something he should pursuit when talking to the king. For now, he was sleeping soundly. Morning came, but the centaur was still asleep, having no dreams or nightmares whatsoever...

Despite the nightmares, Angora woke up full of energy. The bed and being in that pleasant room really helped, and much to her surprise, breakfast was already besides her. Julian likely picked it up for her, although he was nowhere to be seen. He was probably locked up in his lab again. She smiled, really loving the Guardian. The food smelled heavenly, but it was only natural for Guardians to have better meals than the caretakers. While she wanted to eat already, she took the decision of having her breakfast with Veris instead. The wyvern was likely with a lack of appetite like he has been for the past days, especially after what happened yesterday, but she knew for a fact that watching others eat often opened up the appetite of those nearby. So grabbing her plate, she headed to the wyvern’s food storage.

Picking up an extra ration, Angora filled up Veris’ cart with most of his favorite meats, wanting to see him like his gluttonous self again. Sere was probably not expecting her to work today after what happened, and was willing to bet someone else was working her shift, but since she doubted Veris would eat anyway, she proceeded. Even though no wyvern looked like they were going to hunt her, she still took precautions. If only these idiots could understand why she was friends with one of their kind, to the point where he would defend her the way he did. She didn’t bother trying to talk to them, though she wished she knew if it was because they weren’t intelligent enough to understand her or if they were deliberately ignoring her...

Heeding his advice, the group returned to the ship, not looking to make too many waves. With the sun already gone, moonlight and some torches were the only thing illuminating the ship. Latnok and Leoquin went to their respective rooms, looking to get some decent sleep for the day ahead.
Leoquin had a harder time sleeping than Latnok did - he was excited at the prospect of meeting other merfolk, and the thought of them potentially having leads kept him up for awhile. Even he eventually succumbed to the sandman in the end, however, having worked hard that day.

The next morning saw a similar procedure as the previous morning on the shores - as fishing boats came in with their catch, islanders were working hard and diligently to scale and cook all of the fish. Per what Alithe has said, this was a regular part of the island life - gathering fish for the Queen, who, unlike many other dragons, had learned to appreciate a cooked meal.

Maverick slept well, not wanting to bother waking up early since the cooking was better left for the minotaurs, not to mention the locals were probably going to continue sharing the food with them. He smelled the cooked fish but continued sleeping, not wanting to get up yet. It was more that what could be said about Huntress. She had wanted to sleep to wake up full of energy for today, but she failed. She knew she was going to need a nap later to recover, which she hated.

Once the sun was warm enough, Sergeant Farlo finally woke up. He was relieved that the galuds left, finding them too creepy. Anything humanoid with too many reptile features was scary. Little did he know that there was a dragon living close to his beloved island. But now it was not the time to get sidetracked in his thoughts. He let the guards on shift escort him out of the village and meet the king at last. As he walked, Farlo was practicing his bowing. Lyon only showed him once how people bowed to a king, so he wanted to get it right.
“What are you doing?” one of the guards suddenly asked.
“Practicing bowing. That’s what you do with a king, right?” he asked, sounding like a naive child. The guard raised an eyebrow to his closest companion, finding it ridiculous how a big ‘man’ like this centaur had no idea about how to address to a monarch. He must have such a limited life. They would have to keep an extra eye on him. They didn’t want Farlo to disrespect their king somehow just because he didn’t know how things were done in their land.

The morning started off as usual, with Lyon and Lydia being given the sorry excuse for flavored water that passed as soup. Until the King spoke with Sergeant Farlo, they would stay in the dungeon befitting those who would betray their nation - and there was no guarantee that they would be moved after that, if the King was not in a particularly good mood after the meeting.
With this particular dungeon sparsely populated - Lyon and Lydia were currently the only prisoners in it - the guards were rather lax in their patrols, and the place was often unoccupied by them for hours on end. They left soon after handing the duo their breakfast. All was as usual today, except for the wall giving a soft, continuous vibration.

Lyon and Lydia were already used to this life, although it had been harder for the mermaid to adapt. One thing is certain though, Lydia was certainly going to be unable to take her father's place as General like he trained her to do. Although neither of them cared about that anymore.
"You should've taken the centaur's offer." Lydia said quietly, feeling quite a lot of resentment for king Seraos for treating them like this after everything her father did for him. If her father had just taken her and himself to the secret island, they would be living peacefully, far away from the harsh and treacherous Aelinon life.
"My duty was to king Seraos. Nobody else. The best I could do for Farlo was to keep a promise, even if I knew the risk." her father replied, his only regret being how Lydia was dragged into this as well. He now wondered if he should've rejected the king's offer and accept death. At this rate, it seemed like he was going to die of old age in this horrible prison, so his top priority now was to get his beloved daughter out of here somehow.

The moment came for centaur to meet the young monarch he heard so much about. Even before Seraos properly close to him, he was already bowing, with the closest guard rolling his eyes. The centaur had spears pointed at him, and while he tolerated it for a while, he was starting to get annoyed.
"Will you please relax? I'm not here to hurt anybody!" he assured, feeling insulted that he had so many pointy weapons aimed at him as if he was a wild animal about to react. He imagined this was just protocol, but it didn't stop from feeling insulted. As Seraos came closer, he had to look down. Sergeant Farlo sometimes forgot he was quite a big guy. Not taller than a wyvern but close in size to an average sized troll or orc. And that was without standing on his hind legs. He could give a ride to five adult humans at best. But as big as he was, he genuinely meant no harm to anybody, not even to these people insulting him with their distrust.

Seraos approached Farlo, not being intimidated due to the complete confidence he had in his guards. With a motion, he ordered the spears lowered, and his guards complied - though they remained on alert.
"Good morning. Sergeant Farlo, is it?" Seraos greeted. "I pray you didn't suffer too much hardship on the way here? Down to business. I believe you've been meaning to contact us. Pray tell, why was your first envoy so... aggressive?" This was Seraos' chance to get answers - and he would be taking charge of this meeting.

The soft vibration in the dungeon slowly grew louder, until it was more of a low rumble. Something wasn't right - what could be causing such a noise?

“Aggressive?” Sergeant Farlo repeated, wondering why the king was so quickly to paint them as violent. Was it, perhaps...?
“Sir. King. Um... your highness, we do not follow violence of any kind. The only violence we use is to defend ourselves from the harsh wildlife around our home and nothing else. I’ve come here for Danya, the little satyr you have in captivity. I’ve heard about the kick, but I can assure you, it’s just a misunderstanding. Our children are not violent, and if we do harm, it’s always by accident. We’ve lived centuries without bothering anybody, hidden from the world. All we want is peace. So please, bring our little tyke back to her suffering mother. I know you have mercy. She’s just a youngling. That is all I ask from you.” Sergeant Farlo asked, with his gruff voice, yet one that sounded very calm and patient. He suspected things weren’t going to be that easy, but this human was a king. He imagined he could make things easy if he wanted. Danya was just a child. He found it blasphemous how they could put a child in prison, but decided it was better not to give any opinion about how the handled things there.

Neither father or daughter noticed the rumble earlier until it became stronger. They had been distracted by breakfast and their conversation to notice, until now.
“... Daddy?” Lydia whimpered, becoming nervous. The prison never made such a noise before. What could it be?
“Easy my dear. Stay back.” Lyon said, evidently much calmer than his daughter. Could it be a large prisoner that was being escorted? It didn’t seem likely, but he was determined to investigate. The merman was noticeably skinnier and less muscular, but didn’t lose his military spirit. He followed the noise, wanting to know what could be causing such unnatural sound...

Seraos gave an eye roll, not even attempting to hide how blasé he was to Farlo's defense. "Oh, this nonsense again," he said, completely unenthused as he crossed his arms. "I would laugh at this joke of yours, if this pathetic excuse for an excuse you and Lyon have tried to pass off as reason wasn't so sad. I don't know how things work wherever you're from - but here, our children generally manage to avoid attacking guards by 'accident' after trying to break into restricted territory past them. Here, we live by the rule of law. And here... Actions. Have. Consequences."
Seraos didn't know if Farlo had heard the story already, but decided it best to explain regardless, as his arms settled again. "I gave the child a chance. Cooperate with us by telling us what I wanted to know about who sent her, and I would pardon her - otherwise, I would not intervene. She would not tell me. Convenient bout of 'amnesia'. And so, I kept my promise - I walked away. Or, more accurately, she was taken away. The courts meted out the punishment per the letter of the law. If there's one thing you must know about me, know this - I do not go back on my word."
Did Farlo take him for a fool? The meeting had barely started, and Seraos was already losing interest in dealings with these people. The guards looked on indifferently.

The rumbling grew louder and louder, until it was apparent - something was approaching. Were they boring through the thick rock that made up the cell walls of this dungeon?
The merfolk would find out soon enough. With a loud crumbling sound, the back wall in Lyon's cell opened, to reveal a tunnel slightly higher than the height of one man and about the width of two, and several galuds - some with staffs, others with various spears - in wyvernhide armor in shades of grey - not in the style of the military, however, but similar to what well-off mercenaries may equip themselves with. Immediately, one of them with a staff pointed to the prisoners.
"You two. Come with us if you want to set things right," the galud ordered hurriedly. As he did, another staffed galud broke open a side wall in Lyon's cell and Lydia's cell, such that Lydia could bypass the cell door. From the condition of the tunnel - not having jagged rocks littering the ground, but a smooth path, and cutting through rock as dense as the ones surrounding the dungeon - Lyon could perhaps recognize that these were no mere novice earth mages. Their skill bore an undeniable resemblance to the Earthbreakers, a specialist division of Aelinon's mages that facilitated its underground movements.
There were no guards immediately present - however, the sound of shattering stone walls would be impossible to mask. There would inevitably be a slew of sentries coming down before long.

Sergeant Farlo was confused... and disappointed. Seraos was not the kind, understanding king Lyon spoke about.
“Joke? Excuse? Lyon? What are you talking about? Why would I lie about anything? Haven’t I spoken genuinely enough? And amnesia you say? Was her head hurt? Why would our girl lie if it meant her freedom back?” Farlo asked, but then he wondered, was it possible that Danya was lying about her amnesia in order to prevent saying anything about their secret home? He dreaded to find out.
“Listen, please, just take me to her. If she has amnesia, I’m certain seeing me will jog her memory. Whatever injury she caused to one of your guards, I apologize on her behalf. If she was in restricted territory, I can assure you, she didn’t know. Our rules and yours are likely very different. How can you blame a child for an accident? Cause I promise you, that’s all it was. None of us would ever hurt anybody on purpose. All I want is for the dear girl to return home. If she must pay for her mistake, then let me pay it on her behalf, but please let her return home.” Sergeant Farlo begged, knowing that’s all he could do at the moment. He was surrounded by guards, and Seraos was clearly not the merciful man he was hoping he could be. Was it possible that he changed after the Ishulgite war? This human was very different from the human Lyon once talked about with so much admiration.

For a moment after the wall opened, Lyon believed this was possibly an escapee tunnel he didn’t know about, but it didn’t take him long to realize this was the work of magic.
“Come Lydia.” Lyon ordered, not sure what the value meant by setting things right, but based on how things were, they had nothing to lose.
“But father...” Lydia protested, not trusting these people, not to mention that it would look really bad if they escaped their prison when there was a high chance Seraos could release them by law soon.
“Let’s go Lydia.” the old merman ordered once more, wanting Lydia to be out of that horrible prison no matter the method. If she could be the only one to escape to the outside world, then it was going to be worth it. This might be the answer to their prayers...

Seraos shook his head. The centaur seemed earnestly desperate - but anyone who would defend an assault on his guards was, at the very least, not going to get sympathy from him. He wasn't an old man, but this case was the only time he had ever heard the excuse of someone attacking a guard "by accident." Was assaulting authority figures acceptable where the satyr was from?
"I gave my word," he insisted. "I will not interfere directly in her case. There may be... some flexibility in how I can handle her case in spite of that limitation - but we're going to have to become very familiar with each other." Seraos kept his cards close to his chest - he would only reveal a little at a time.
"Your suggestion sounds plausible, however," Seraos said in agreement. "At the very least, seeing you may make her drop this whole act of hers. I want answers. My guards want answers. They risk their lives to keep me safe - and if you think I can just look the other way when anyone does what she did, then you are, frankly, delusional. If you train your children so that assaulting authorities is acceptable, then that is a damning indictment of your society." Seraos had a feeling that Farlo would be a little more cooperative than the satyr was, at least.

As the galuds hurriedly led the merfolk down the tunnel, one of them collapsed a section of tunnel behind them. Getting through the debris would take extensive mining, or summoning an Earthbreaker, neither of which the dungeon was equipped to do on extremely short notice, making any effort at pursuit futile.
After establishing some distance, the galuds slowed down. It was naturally almost impossible for the merfolk to see anything; the most light in the tunnel was a dim glow from the two staffs, which was reasonably sufficient for galuds. One of them - it was hard to distinguish any of them in the dark - spoke.
"You're probably confused by all of this, now," he said. "I can't share everything right now, but I can tell you this - we know your struggle."
The galud would continue as the group kept moving down the tunnel - not before collapsing another section behind them, however. "What the King has done to you isn't right. There are many who feel that way - and you will see them soon. As you have said yourself, humans have some pretty significant issues. We have come up with plans, to address these issues." The walk would likely be awhile - hordes of wyverns would inevitably be in the sky looking for a tunnel entrance, or escaped prisoners, so an area reasonably far away would be natural.

While the centaur wasn’t very pleased with the answer, the fact that he offered flexibility, whatever that meant, meant there was still some hope. Why was it so difficult for the king to understand what he meant and what he wanted?
“Then take me to the one in charge of her. And you are mistaken. I’m not saying I encourage or agreed what happened to your guard. I can understand why it’s a great offense to you. All I want for you to understand was that it wasn’t done out of malice. I wouldn’t put it past me that Danya panicked and ended up hurting your guard in her fear. This is a world very different from the one we grew up in, and satyrs in particular get scared easily. I will answer your questions if it means getting her freedom back.” Sergeant Farlo assured, knowing how distressed her family was, and dreading to imagine what horrors Danya must be facing in her captivity, especially if she had amnesia. Seraos really seemed determined to label Danya’s amnesia as fake, and one accident from her part and he was all ready to see them as this evil society. Was he really that paranoid? Or was that one accident all the excuse he needed to use violence against them? Perhaps humanity hasn’t changed that much after all. While he was open to answer questions, he was really hoping he didn’t ask for delicate information like the exact place where they lived.

Lydia was filled with an air of hope as she heard those words. How she longed to hear something like that. There were people here, rescuing them, cause they recognized that what was done to them was unfair. Maybe all those prayers to Orion were finally coming true. Lyon however, was having some doubts.
“I’m just here cause we have nothing else to lose. I don’t care if I make it or not. I just want my daughter safe.” Lyon assured, knowing that once it was discovered they have escaped, Seraos’ offer of freedom would be null and void.
“Don’t talk like that father. Here they are. These are our saviors. They’re right. This has been unfair. You gave up a perfect life for loyalty to king Seraos, and look how he paid you! He didn’t believe in the honor of a kept promise, nor in your word about the raise that rescued you being peaceful. How is that gratitude?” Lydia claimed, having lost respect for the king after the way they’ve been treated. She still couldn’t forgive the merciless torture she went through.

Lyon made a brief pause before answering.
“All I care about now is you my daughter. This is another risk we’re taking. Once king Seraos finds out about this, the deal he made about our freedom will be no more.” he reminded, but Lydia just grew angrier upon hearing those words.
“Oh wake up and smell the seaweed father! If king Seraos really wanted our freedom, then why were we still there? Why were we still in prison, eating that horrible food? Look at us! They were slowly starving us to death! If he had honor his word, we would be free by now, but we were still there!” Lydia reminded, firmly believing that the deal was to make them cling to false hope and keep them alive for as long as possible. Lydia had lost faith in their king. Ever since the Ishulgite war, he became more ruthless. More untrustworthy, and firmly believing now more than ever that everyone was out to get him, even some of his most loyal subjects. But as hard as it was to believe, the former general still believed in the young monarch. He still had faith in him. He only needed to be pointed in the right direction...

Seraos seemed to be more interested in hearing Farlo out for now - the centaur seemed like he was being honest, and his concern for the satyr girl actually seemed legitimate. Offering oneself as a prisoner in exchange for another, to be thrown in a prison where they would likely never leave, wasn't the sort of thing a covert operator would typically be willing to risk.
"Her prison isn't far from here," Seraos indicated. "You'll have to follow our wyverns, but given what's been reported, I think you'll manage acceptably for the distance we have to travel. Above all, keep in mind - I'm a man of my word. And I'm very willing to work with you, if you can help allay my fears and give me one less thing to rack my brain over when I'm trying to sleep. We can leave now, if you're ready." Maybe - just maybe - there was a chance for everything to work out after all.

'Oh," one of the galuds said, "I wouldn't count on showing yourself around anytime in the immediate future. You'll inevitably be outlawed once the King finds out what happens. At that point, they wouldn't bother trying to arrest you, or accepting your surrender - prisons are for those who are undergoing or have undergone the legal process, after all, and outlaws don't have any of those rights." One thing was clear - Lyon and Lydia were in for a penny...
"Not that it matters," another galud added. "The shameless bootlickers known as the Silent Spear might be willing to kowtow to thoughtless humans, but we won't. We're going to make sure you're vindicated. Speaking up against humans, or protecting others from them, shouldn't be a crime - and you two were punished for doing that. This has to end." The tunnel went on for quite awhile - it was clear that this wasn't dug in just one typical session of earth magic, but was a work in progress for awhile that finally paid off.

Farlo followed, with the saddest face imaginable from a creature with a face as intimidating as that one. The king really looked like he had too much on his head, and feared that even the most insignificant action of his part, like maybe scratching his nose, would be seemed as an aggressive stance.
“I do not know how life has treated you to be this fearful for your life, but I ask you, don’t label our people as an offensive society just because of an accident caused by a very scared child. I’ve heard many things about you king Seraos. The young monarch who took the throne at a very young age, won the war against those awful Ishulgites, and was capable of showing mercy to a troll of all creatures. When was the last time our kind bothered your people? When was the last time since you’ve take the throne have creatures like us assaulted one of your own? Let me talk to Danya and you will know, this was just a very unfortunate accident. Let me set your mind at ease and demonstrate to you we mean no harm. We have been living far away from humanity to ensure our survival and peace. That’s all we want. Fauns... they no longer exist, and we didn’t want to be next. We just want peace, and if it means living far away from humanity, then so be it. Once Danya is free and I fulfill her debt, you won’t hear from us ever again if it means your peace... and ours.” Farlo said with his calmest voice yet, already giving up on the possibility of humanity changing for the best. If king Seraos was capable of imprisoning a scared child for an accident, who knows what else he could do...

The weight of what escaping meant was finally weighing on Lydia’s shoulders. Lyon however, remained calm.
“Listen, if you really want to help us, then at least take my daughter very far away from Aelinon. Somewhere where she can be free. If we must have a debt to you for releasing us, then let me be the only one to pay it. Lydia shouldn’t be paying for my mistakes.” Lyon begged, knowing that even if Lydia had nothing to do with his treachery, she was just as guilty for being an accomplice. Lydia didn’t want to be without her father, but it was an order. Lyon wasn’t sure if he should be trusting people that went against the law, but he was desperate. They were literally dying in that prison, and trusting these random strangers was the best course of action.

Back at the Guardian’s base, Angora tried hiding her distress from Veris. He was once again with his back against the enclosure’s door, so she couldn’t see his face.
“Gooood morning Veris. Hey. See? I’m back. Not sure if someone has brought you food yet, but if they did, well, I hope you have space for a bit more. And look. I brought my own breakfast too. This time, I’m eating with you.” Angora expressed, dreading to imagine what was going through the wyvern’s mind right now. Despite the fight he was in, his injuries didn’t seem severe, and it looked like they were healing already.

Seraos didn't hide his irritation at Farlo's lecturing. Some traveler from some isolated faraway island where there was no sense of discipline could not even begin to comprehend the workings of an entire nation, and the weight that even small decisions of his had. "We're leaving now," he insisted, turning around to get to his wyvern without caring to appear polite.
He left quickly, reaching his wyvern, with his entourage taking off with him in flight as soon as he had secured himself. He was going to learn what he needed to learn - one way or another.

The galuds kept up the pace in the long tunnel, their expressions impossible to discern in the dim light. "I'm afraid that things are now a little more complicated than that," one of them said. "Once we've started... well, that's something we'll elaborate on once we get there. We'll be awhile - I hope your legs still work." As they kept moving, one of them would collapse part of the tunnel behind them every so often.

Veris looked away from Angora, keeping his face covered with his wings. Despite Sere's consolation, he was still very guilty and distraught from his actions the previous day. He was just a wyvern like every other wyvern... and he couldn't even keep his behavior in line like they could. He was a disgrace to his rider and caretaker and was going to be scolded for it - it hadn't happened yet, but it just had to. He was a bad wyvern, and bad wyverns who couldn't stay in line needed to face consequences.

Sergeant Farlo said nothing more, apparently the king being determined to take his words as attempts to spit poison. If only he had hidden that treaty. How could he had known Danya was going to steal it and attempt to do what he failed to do? How could he? If only that treaty was hidden. If only that kick hasn’t happened. If he and Danya get out of this alive, he was going to make sure humanity never heard about them or their knowledge ever again. They didn’t deserve it. If he knew his people, they would be getting ready to leave their island. Their very existence might be at stake. They would move away, like they have done for centuries. He followed the wyverns, hoping for the best. It’s not like he could do something better...

Lyon and Lydia followed, following the voices of their rescuers. Lyon didn’t know what else he could say to convince them to get Lydia away, but if there was one single thing that calmed him was that he has trained Lydia, so she wasn’t as frail as she appeared, even if she still needed work on her nerves...

Angora sat besides him, and started eating. It really pained her to see Veris this way, but she didn’t want to let her own emotions make his worse. She didn’t have to pretend to like the food, for it was so delicious. Darn Guardians really knew how to eat good. She chewed loudly so Veris could hear and motivate him to eat and get out of his sheltered wings.
“Mmm, see? I’m eating. And you Veris, you better not let the food spoil. You think you can cocoon yourself for long? Don’t make me come in there.” Angora said comically, believing that a little humor would at least make him reconsider his depression. It should be enough for him to know that despite what happened yesterday, she was still there, with him, and willing to fulfill her duties.

Seraos and his entourage landed without incident at the pens near the prison the satyr was being held at. Upon landing, one of Seraos' guards communicated the details of the visit to the prison guards, and they were escorted to the section of the prison where Danya was being held.
They did not, however, immediately reach her cell, instead opting to wait for Farlo to arrive. Perhaps the satyr would open up more if she didn't feel intimidated.

Veris hesitantly lifted his wings up just a little bit, to peek at Angora, before putting them back down. Angora didn't seem to be angry... and she was giving him more food. His own human hadn't been harsh to him, either - what was happening?
Veris was still withdrawn, but he had opened up just slightly - perhaps a little more coaxing would do the trick...

It would take several minutes for Farlo to arrive to the destination. He was taking the running almost like a competition, wanting to demonstrate he could run better than the wyverns could fly, but he only managed to barely keep up with them. A building was coming into view, the prison he figured, praying the dear girl was alright.

Lately, the satyr girl was neutral. She recalled some things, like her mother’s face, the whale that brought her and her siren friend Enton, but couldn’t remember their names. She truly believed the people here hated her, and were still adamant on the belief she was faking her amnesia, so why bother to keep trying to convince them? She was in this horrible place, which was worse than death. If they wanted to execute her, why not do it already? She spent most of her time sleeping, not wanting to think about time, or anything else for that matter.

Despite Veris lifting his wings, Angora still had to move her head to see his eyes. It wasn’t the reaction she was hoping for, but it was still progress. She doubted Sere scolded him, so Veris likely felt like this on his own guilty accord.
“Do you feel bad for rescuing me Veris? Or do you feel bad for... your companion?” she asked, but she really didn’t want the answer to that.
“I... really thank you for saving me Veris, but you shouldn’t feel bad about what happened. It was... a momentary reaction. It happens, right? I’m really sorry it had to happen. I wish I could’ve done something about it, but... I’m a troll. Your kind... eats mine. It’s instinct. You are special and intelligent, so you can overcome it, but don’t go hating your companions because they can’t do the same. It’s just... nature.” she explained, knowing what it was like to hate your own kind.
“Now go ahead. See? I brought your favorite meats. Eat something. Please?” she pleaded, hoping that little speech could make him feel better. Veris was already feeling miserable for her departure, and she was afraid that after yesterday’s event, he’d go on a depressing spiral that would be too hard or impossible to get out of.

Veris remained trepidatious, but was listening. He didn't immediately respond, being very unsure of himself; however, he gradually gave in, cautiously pulling his wings back to see the food on offer. Angora did not seem to be angry at him; no one was talking about "putting him down"; and the food really was tempting...
He licked his snout as he eyed the food; was it okay? Angora was saying it was okay... he was still just a little bit reluctant, however, and hovered over the offering as he hungrily eyed it.

Angora said nothing else, being done talking for now. She felt like she said enough for the time being, so she simply waited for Veris to respond on his own. She continued eating her own food, chewing loudly and swallowing visibly so that the wyvern’s own appetite would open up even further. Veris demonstrated yesterday that he didn’t hate her despite everything, so Angora made it her goal to return him to his old self, or at least mostly. She wanted for him to be happy again even if it was without her as a caretaker anymore. Now that he knew the risks she took for him, perhaps he would make a better effort to understand why she took her decision.

Sergeant Farlo finally reached the prison, and while he showed no signs of fatigue, the movement of his chest and belly indicated that he was still breathing with some difficulty. The people here looked so stoic. Either they weren’t impressed by seeing a centaur or they were too militarized to show genuine emotion. What a horrible life they must be living. And the prison looked so dreary from the outside. He cringed to think what it was like on the inside. He was really hoping humanity had changed for the better, but he was losing all hopes of that.

Very far away, Maverick was taking in some of the morning sun after a hefty breakfast. He hasn’t seen Huntress since yesterday, and probably won’t for a while. He figured she didn’t want to approach him, cause every time they had a conversation, Icestorm would come and interrupt them. It was hard to admit, but he was kinda angry at the little hybrid for hindering his attempts to befriend her, even if yesterday’s interruption was practically a save. He was angry, but was too kind to let him know.

If Angora was hoping that her conspicuous eating would goad Veris having some food for himself... then she was correct. Veris inched his head towards the food, before suddenly lunging at it and devouring it. When Veris was done, he stood up, looking down at Angora.
Angora hadn't scolded him or punished him. Angora didn't say that he should be put down. Instead, Angora brought him food, and was kind to him. She was the one apologizing, when he was the one who broke the rules. Even though she would be leaving soon... she still thought of his well-being to the end.
"I'm... sorry..." Veris finally spoke. "Not your fault. Others tried to eat you. I defend my caretaker... Other wyverns, they broke the rules... I broke the rules..." Even with Veris feeling justified in acting, he was evidently suffering strong cognitive dissonance when considering he broke the rules. Wyverns were bred and trained to be obedient - they had to be - and even the thought of being scolded by their rider or caretaker was enough to make them feel guilty.

The guards escorted Farlo to the section of the prison where the satyr was being held - somewhat deep, fitting of those who received such a long sentence. Seraos and his escort were waiting patiently as Farlo arrived.
"Good, good, you made it," Seraos said. "Down that corridor, make a right, and it's the fifth cell on the right. If you find something to assuage my concerns, I will be open to making a deal with you." Seraos wasn't needlessly cruel, but he was certainly going to get something out of this after what the satyr did.

Angora nearly dropped her food when she heard him. It’s been so long since she heard him speaking. It even made her shed a single tear in emotion, a tear she quickly wiped away in case Veris mistook it as her being sad.
“Well think about it this way Veris. If you haven’t broken the rules, I’d be digested into nothingness by now. I could’ve used my shield, but I was too tired. But don’t go blaming yourself about that either, you hear? I let you play with my shield on my own free will. I practically insisted, remember? This was all just a case of very bad timing. Who could’ve known that in the moment we played, Cymbal would be escorted in that time and would’ve decided to attack me... in front of you no less? It was bad timing is all. Cymbal will be fine. He has the best care in the world. Guardians have very advanced medicine. So don’t go blaming yourself. Like I said, being a troll, technically your prey, something like yesterday is too difficult to avoid. It’s bound to happen from time to time. I wish I could do something about it, but it’s not like anyone can control what they’re born as. Yet here you are, being friends with someone you’re suppose to eat, someone you instead chose to befriend and even save. Life can be very fascinating, see?” Angora explained, knowing that if Veris realized that she would be dead right now if he didn’t do what he did yesterday, his guilt might go away.

Sergeant Farlo followed the king’s instructions, feeling horribly nauseous as he walked through those corridors. So... this was a prison. Humans were naturally more advanced now if they were able to build stuff like this, but how could they waste their talents building such monstrous places? The only thing that relieved him was that Seraos was in a negotiating mood, so he had to play his cards well. He finally got to where the satyr girl was held.
“Danya? Danya! Hey dearie! Look who’s here?” he called, sounding like a proud uncle. Danya was dozing off, but went alert when hearing him. This was... this was...
“You? Yes.... yes. YES! I know you! Wait... do I? Yes I do! It was...” she pondered, remembering Farlo’s face, but once again, names escaped her. The centaur couldn’t help but sob. What did these awful men did to her? Not only did she not recognize him completely, but she was horrendously skinny! Who in their right mind would do this to a child? And they still believed her amnesia was fake? Couldn’t they see she wasn’t even managing to recognize him properly?

Despite how angry he was, Farlo made sure he didn’t insult anybody. However, he had to find a way to get her out of there, even if it was just temporarily.
“Somebody! Where are you? She needs therapy. She can’t even remember my name. This is not natural.” Farlo suggested, not seeing anyone but imagining there had to be guards nearby. He wanted her out of there and cure her. Farlo was certain that spending time with someone from her society would trigger all those lost memories.

Angora was making sense... but it was still difficult for Veris to reconcile what had happened. He had never been in a situation where disobedience was the "right" thing to do; could he really be forgiven?
"I... I don't... I don't know... I wanted to protect... but disobedience is bad. Very bad. But letting other wyvern eat you... even more bad. Both are bad. Bad must be punished... but no punishment?" Veris lowered his head as he struggled to think. Trying to wrap his head around the idea flummoxed him.

The sound of footsteps around the corner indicated that Farlo's entreaty was heard, and a guard soon came into view. "Therapy? What's this about therapy?" he asked as he approached. "You weren't brought here to play games. If you can't get her to tell us anything meaningful, then I'll let the King know that this is futile, and we'll send you on your way. After all, you have done absolutely nothing since you've gotten here, except sympathize with a violent felon who severely injured one of our own, make demands of us, and insinuate our King to be a craven. Nothing of value would be lost."
It would seem that the Aelinonians' tolerance of excuses was in short supply; they wanted answers, and they didn't want to jump through any more hoops to get them. It would also seem that Farlo's disdain of humans wasn't one-sided - the impression he made had been less than favorable ever since he arrived.

Angora only gave a warm smile, feeling so happy despite Veris’ guilt. Not only was he talking to her again, but he ate all of his breakfast. It was so nice to see him with a full belly once more.
“Well, you see? You just said so yourself. Both things were bad. And you chose... the less bad. You might feel guilty now, but you would’ve felt even worse if... I had... you know, been eaten, especially when you could’ve done something about it. Your master knows that, and knows that you did the right thing in the heat of the moment. I know... Cymbal got hurt, but so did you. If you had been easy on him, he could’ve hurt you even further, and get to me. You broke a rule, but so did him. Besides, it’s fine to break some rules if the circumstances are too extraordinary to follow them.” Angora assured, never been a fan of certain rules, and no matter what angle yesterday’s situation took, what Veris did was the best possible outcome. It was clear that Cymbal’s caretaker wouldn’t have been able to do anything about the attack, so only Veris could stop it.

Farlo was offended on how harsh the guard was. What’s with these people? There was no convincing them, and anything he did or said was apparently bad for them.
“It was just a suggestion, not an order. No need to get so defensive.” he assured, at a lost to what to do to make these men treat them decently.
“Alright. I’ll do the therapy here.” he then said, just in case the guard took offense at his comment too. Poor Danya would have to wait a while more in this awful place. These people wanted answers, but they weren’t even asking questions, so the best course of action was to trigger Danya’s memory and hope her information provided them with all the answers they wanted.

Sergeant Farlo beckoned Danya to come to him, grabbing her hands gently from the bars of the cell.
“Now then my dear, let’s take this one step at a time, shall we?” he said in his calmest voice before proceeding.
“Now, close your eyes. Think about why... and how you’re here. You see an island, right? A piece of paper maybe? And your friend... Enton...” Farlo said, with Danya opening her eyes wide. She knew that name.
“Enton! Yes... he’s... he’s my friend. He lives in the water.” Danya commented, remembering him well.
“He’s... a merman? No wait... something else. A... a siren. Yes! And he sings too! We make music together.” Danya said with a wide smile, brightening Farlo’s own.
“Yes, yes! That’s it! He came with you. Do you remember why? And what did you bring here?” Farlo asked gently, with Danya pondering very hard. It took a little less than a minute for her to talk again.
“Yes... there was this piece of paper on a table. I took it, and then... we, we travelled on a whale. The journey, it was very far. Um... yes, we came somewhere. I wanted to bring the piece of paper to someone. I... I don’t know why. I don’t remember what was in that paper, but I know it was something very important to me.” Danya said, that part of her memory still being foggy.

Despite everything, Farlo was being pleased with the results. It was going to be a process... a not too long one he hoped. He was pleased with the progress, but he doubted these people would feel the same. He needed a little more time to trigger her memory. While he could told Danya what was in that piece of paper, he preferred that she recalled herself. If he told her the contents, he was afraid that the guards mistook her remembering as something she was simply making up in order to get them to hear what they wanted instead of being truthful.

The guard, though out of immediate view, was right past the corner of the cell, listening. There seemed to be some progress, at least... he'd keep listening, but he nodded along, showing that he was satisfied with the development so far.
Seraos was waiting around where he was before, when suddenly a courier came rushing to him. Seraos didn't need to hear the matter to know it was urgent.
"Your Highness... Lyon and his daughter... they escaped!" the courier gasped out as he tried to catch his breath.
"...escaped? How?!" Seraos asked, being careful not to appear as if he was blaming the messenger. "Did an entire shift of guards let them walk out?"
"They were broken out," the courier explain. "Earth magic... skilled mages. Comparable to our Earthbreakers, from what I know. They tunneled through. Scouts were sent out, but they haven't yet located a possible surfacing point."
Seraos tried very hard to keep collected. "Good initiative. Keep scouting," he ordered. "Let it be know that I want Lyon and Lydia outlawed."
The courier nodded. "Will do, my liege," he answered. With their outlawing was also the implication that they were to be killed on sight; deprived of rights, it was pointless to capture them for a trial. With outlawry being such a powerful tool, Seraos was careful to use it sparingly, lest he come off as a tyrant.

Although Farlo couldn’t see the guard, he knew he was nearby. He was willing to share anything with the people and the king, as long as it wasn’t the exact location of their home. But if that was impossible, he trusted his people would be able to get away and find a new home at the first sign of trouble. They were already taking precautions far away from there as he gave the therapy to Danya.
“That piece of paper... it was very important to you. Why? What was in it that was so important to you?” he asked, wanting Danya to remember on her own. She pondered hard again...
“What was that’s important to me? Um... I remember the paper was about this size...” she separated her hands, managing to give the exact shape of the peace treaty when extended.
“Yes?” Farlo said.
“And... ugh! I’m trying! I know it was very important, but I don’t remember what it said!” Danya said discouraged, really trying.

Farlo realized that the particular memory was still too foggy, but instead of telling her what it was, he still decided it was better for her to recall on her own. He didn’t want her to remember the awful memory that brought her to this prison in the first place, although he knew he would have to eventually. For now, he took another angle.
“Alright, let’s stop there for the time being. Now then, tell me, who am I?” he asked, with Danya deep in thought again. It took a couple of minutes of watching his face closely before speaking again.
“You are... um... yes. I remember it was a name that started with an F. Or was it an S? You gave me lessons about... the dangers of a forest one time. You scolded Enton pretty badly that day for a prank he did to your belt.” Danya said, her memories of Enton apparently being the clearest. If that was the case, the siren boy meant a lot to Danya... and that’s when Farlo realized... if he ever hoped to bring her memories back in a healthy way, the best way to do it was through the friend she held so dear.

“Enton. Yes. Quite a duo you two are. He travelled by whale with you. That you remembered earlier...” Farlo started to say, but then, he was suddenly interrupted.
“PEACE!” Danya suddenly yelled, Farlo’s ears ringing.
“Oh. I’m sorry...” she apologized, using her normal voice and continuing.
“Yes. The piece of paper. It talked about peace. I still don’t remember what it said exactly, but it was something about peace. I took it from a table and I convinced Enton to travel through whale to a land far away. We spent days traveling. He didn’t want to go, but I insisted. Once we arrived, I left the beach, but he stayed behind...” Danya started to say, but then her memory started to be foggy again. And Farlo had his suspicions as to why.
“Danya. Do you know why you’re here? I mean in this place. Locked up?” he asked with some hesitation, with Danya closing her eyes to try to remember what came next. The people here said she had hurt somebody, but did she? Did she really do something so awful? Was she really that... bad?

The nearby guard continued to listen attentively. The progress Farlo was making was very good, it would seem. Maybe it was just a really elaborate trick of some sort? But then, what purpose would it serve to leave the document lying around randomly?
It didn't make sense - but it also didn't make sense that a child would be so audacious as to attempt such a thing. Braving the unknown like that when she was so jumpy that she couldn't help but kick a guard when scared? Maybe the islanders really didn't teach their children even a shred of discipline...

Veris gave Angora a perplexed glance. "I can... break rules? But sometimes. When there is bad and less bad... Less bad is okay. But only when a very bad thing is happening? You being food - that is very bad. So it is okay to fight other wyvern to stop you from being food?" As silly as the questions seemed, Veris had never been put in a position where he had to choose to break a rule to save his rider or caretaker - though he chose to protect Angora, he only knew that breaking rules was a bad thing and needed to be punished.

Danya tried remembering, but there was only one thing in particular she remembered.
“There was this... thing, this thing I played. And music came from it. Then I found myself someplace, alone. The guards, they said I hurt someone, but... I... I don’t know. Is that why they hate me? I didn’t want to hurt anybody, I swear! I don’t remember what happened, but... I wouldn’t want to hurt anybody... would I?” Danya asked Farlo, wanting reassurance from him very badly. The centaur concluded that hurting someone has been so traumatic for her that she blocked the memory, and the hit to the head just made things worse. While he hated the idea of opening up such memory again, it was necessary for the king, and Danya herself, to understand what lead her to be in this awful place to begin with.
“No! Of course not. I know you. You weren’t raised that way. You were scared, and likely panicked. You’ll hopefully have the chance to apologize to the guard in person, but for now, I need you to remember... but if you can’t right now, let’s get back to the paper. Do you know what happened to it?” Farlo asked, hoping the memory of the hit would came by itself by asking other things just like the memory of Enton triggered others.
“I... I don’t know. I don’t have it anymore.” Danya replied, really trying to remember what happened to it. Did she lose it? Or was it confiscated when she was arrested?

Sergeant Farlo asked himself the same question. Believing that insisting about the kick would traumatize her even further, he decided to stop the therapy for the time being and let Danya have some time to think by herself. She already made excellent progress, and some time alone was probably what she needed to recall what was left.
“Guard. Please let me know. Did you take something from the child when she was captured? A... document maybe?” Farlo asked politely, knowing that the guard was nearby, and using a gentle voice so that he wouldn’t take the question offensively since anything seemed to trigger these people. He wanted to ask about the pam flute as well, but the peace treaty was more important for now. He prayed that it wasn’t lost and was merely confiscated. If king Seraos saw the content, perhaps that’s all he needed for him to understand that their intentions for being here had been good all along.

While Angora had been pleased on how well she has managed to talk to Veris, he came up with a very difficult question. Now how was she suppose to answer that?
“Well Veris... how can I say this? I don’t mean that you should attack every single wyvern that attacks me. Not at all. I can usually defend myself. I did before, remember? Yesterday’s circumstances were... extraordinary, not only because Cymbal dared attacking me, another caretaker, right in front of you, but also because I was tired and wouldn’t have been able to defend myself that one time. Also, when you attacked Cymbal, your only thought was that you were saving me, not that you were breaking a rule. It was a sudden, unplanned reaction in the heat of the moment, and you can’t be punished for saving a life and for a reaction that was sudden, even if it broke a rule in the process.” Angora explained, that being the best explanation she could come up with against such a difficult question.

The guard immediately knew - or at least believed he knew - what Farlo was referring to. "You're talking about that invitation letter, right?" he asked. "The one where you ask to make contact with us? Scouts found it dropped somewhere while searching for our fugitive friend here. The King has it right now. That's why you're able to have this meeting now, instead of waiting for an appointment for gods know how long."
So all this time, Farlo thought he could just waltz in and see King Seraos on demand? It seemed these islanders were extremely presumptuous, either out of ignorance or lack of respect.

Veris needed a few more moments to consider what Angora was saying before his expression relaxed. "Breaking rules is bad... but I can break rules to protect? But only if you are tired. If you cannot stay safe, I help. But how do I know if I have to?"
Veris' understanding was definitely improving, even if it would take a bit more thinking. However, he had a different idea, to avoid having to worry about all that.
"I will tell other wyverns that you are not food. If they try to eat you, they will choose to fight me. If they know they will fight me, they will not attack you. Other wyverns do not like to challenge me. No fight. No rule broken," Veris decided. Little did he know, he wouldn't have to do that job - most of the wyverns learned that easily enough when they saw the fight, and those that didn't would soon learn from the other wyverns. They gave Angora a wide berth, and some even fled to the corner of their pens when she approached.

Sergeant Farlo didn’t see the treaty as an invitation per se, but he figured that’s how they interpreted it. The fact that Seraos read it calmed him a bit. It was lost, but thankfully it was found before the elements made it unreadable it seems.
“Ok. Thanks for the answer. How about a pam flute?” he then asked, knowing that with the document safe, the only obvious thing to ask was about the instrument. While he didn’t believe humans would be able to use the magic that contained it since only satyrs could, he hoped the flute wasn’t damaged at all. They were extremely difficult to make.

Angora chucked a bit when Veris said the first sentence.
“Well Veris, even if I had been able to defend myself, I doubt that would’ve stopped you. Seeing me in danger, even if I could get out of the way, I think you would’ve attacked Cymbal just the same. Like I said, it was a sudden reaction.” Angora stated, having realized how strong Veris’s protective instinct was.

She then got to the more serious point.
“But please Veris, don’t make enemies out of your companion because of me. I mean, It’ll be great if they stopped attacking me already, but I don’t want you to hate them, nor them you. Don’t you remember our first meeting? You were going to attack me too, and Sere stopped you. Not sure if you would’ve done the same with anybody, human or otherwise, but you get my point... but anyway... thanks again for saving me, and sorry if you have to feel so guilty for what happened.” Angora stated, not certain if past Veris attacked her out of predatory instinct or if he was trained to do that with any intruder, but a brief reminder would probably make him realize that he was in the same position once. She didn’t want to end the conversation with that memory though, so she concluded it with another apology and gratitude for stepping in and saving her when he did.

"Oh, a flute? Oh, yeah..." the guard answered, as he recalled just such a thing. "Yeah, she had some sort of magic flute. It was confiscated."
The guard shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "Hell if I know where it is now. Had some odd magic we hadn't seen before - researchers and scientists probably have it now, would be my guess. Studying it, disassembling it, whatever those guys feel like doing."
As kthe guard answered Farlo, Seraos waited patiently where he was, some distance away. Would this finally allow him to get the answers he sought?

The initial meeting between Veris and Angora contrasted starkly with their relationship now. She was right - but Veris had since learned what a wonderful companion Angora was. If only the other wyverns could also learn to, at the very least, not try to eat her immediately...
[b]"I am... pleased you are safe," Veris replied. He couldn't help but recall that Angora was going to be leaving, which tempered what would otherwise be a happy mood. Perhaps it would be best to not get too attached once again - but at the very least, he wanted to make sure that no harm befell Angora before she left...

Sergeant Farlo was getting used to the guard’s rudeness. Not only was he speaking lousily to him, but always treated him like an annoyance. Anyone would think he’d be happy to get out of the same boring routine... if that’s how things worked there. He grew extremely worried at the possibility of
the flute being disassembled, but chose his next words carefully.
“Well if you see the people who have it, can you please tell them to be gentle with it? It’s not very easy to make.” he asked gently, though not expecting an equally polite reply. He shuddered at the thought of another pam flute needed to be made because of these people’s paranoid curiosity. Fewer and fewer satyrs like Danya could use it’s magic so successfully, and even fewer that could build them.

Angora could see Veris was still not too happy, but he ate aplenty once more, and was talking to her again, so that was some great progress in her book. If only that idiot scientist could see how real her relationship was with Veris, and that he wasn’t simply some animal that worked for his own convenience only.
“Well, I can assure you I won’t be easy to hunt. I mean, you know that, right?” Angora said as she moved her body to show the shoulder bite she got from a previous wyvern.

But she wasn’t liking this conversation anymore, and was certain Veris didn’t either, so she decided to change the subject fast.
“Aaanyway, what’s done is done. Gotta change this water. I’ll leave you to rest afterwards. You got plenty to digest. And later, we can do... whatever you want.” she assured him, proceeding to remove his water to bring him some fresh, clean one. She still had to take her plate away, but since wyvern caretakers weren’t allowed in the Guardian’s cafeteria, she would have to leave it with Julian.

The guard shrugged once again. "You're asking the wrong person," he said. "That's way above my station. You'd have better luck asking the King himself, since you have his ear." Though he didn't seem particularly concerned, he was honest in his statement and suggestion.

"Okay... we can go out later, maybe," Veris reluctantly offered. He wasn't sure if he actually wanted to do anything - it would just make it hurt more once Angora left. She wasn't gong to stay with him forever, like he hoped, and she was just going to leave him, like other caretakers always did - but she didn't seem to dislike him. She still treated him with as much love and care as she always had. Was he really not the reason she was leaving?

Sergeant Farlo wasn’t expecting much of a response, so he didn’t act surprised.
“Alright. Noted. Now then, right now, we need to give the girl some time to remember. I don’t want to force the rest of her memories out or she might block them forever. Is there a room we could use? If not, then lock me up with her later so we can continue the therapy. I’ll see if the king is still outside to ask him.” Sergeant Farlo suggested, willing to be in that horrible place for Danya’s sake. Holding hands wouldn’t be enough. He wanted Danya to feel a full, comforting presence, so that perhaps it could trigger her memories further. Maybe doing a few survival trainings he taught her in the island would be enough to even remember him.

After changing his water, Angora left, having nothing more to say to him. After a nap, or any other activity, she would seek him out. Even if he ate well and was finally talking to her, things still felt too awkward. Veris still loved her enough to save her life, but she had a feeling he still resented her for leaving, even if he now had a better idea the reason of her decision.

For now, she wanted a moment alone, so she returned to her same, cabin, already missing Julian’s room.
“Well Neo... that went better than I expected. Veris is talking to me again, and he ate well at last after so much time. But... I know he’s still sad. Ugh! I swear if I knew wyverns ate trolls, I would’ve avoided him at all costs. I wouldn’t have given him food. I wouldn’t have... bonded with him.” Angora regretted, remembering how it all started. Did Veris knew he ate trolls the day he attacked her? Or was it just mere instinct without the actual knowledge? It didn’t matter. What hurt Angora the most was that she allowed Veris to get close because she was feeling lonely and unappreciated back then, and he was the only one who dared to approached her. If only she hasn’t been such a wimp. If only Maverick had shown himself much earlier. Things could be so different right now...