Even the back of a dragon sounded like too much for Cain, but it was better than talons. He figured he would have to trust Kirin a lot if he was ever to allow the other to fly him anywhere. He smiled in thanks. "I'm grateful. I would like to send some things later, when my last journal is full." That was all he said, not reacting to the idea of his mother visiting. He didn't have the heart to say that such a thing would be impossible.

"So what is in your journals?" He asked as they made their way back towards the secret entrance to his quarters. "Though you don't have to tell me if you don't want." He said opening the passageway again."

At first Cain didn't respond. His journals were personal, but then he realized that he didn't mind the idea of sharing them. Still following behind Kirin, he shrugged past his resistance and spoke. "They're exactly what you would expect from a journal. I've been chronicling my journeys since I started. I keep notes, personal stories, some drawings, and pressed plants in there mostly. I put as much of the travel as I can down on paper." There might have been more to the story than that, but he thought he had said a good amount there.

"that's wonderful." Kirin said with a smile. "I'm sure your mother enjoys them." He walked back up the passage. "I'm surprised the guards didn't coming looking for me." He grinned.

Even though Kirin's words were only placating ones since he couldn't know what his mom thought about the journals, he still found himself smiling. She loved the journals after all. He chuckled slightly as he grinned at Kirin. "Maybe they just got bored of chasing after you!" he said. Cain was certainly glad that the guards had never caught up with them. If it was because of the secret nature of this passage, then he should send up a silent word of thanks to the creator of it.

"Maybe," He said laughing as they stepped back into his office. "I am going to have to be good for awhile to placate them." He opened the door into the main part of his living quarters and gasped seeing his mother there.

"I hear you have been causing your guards to have heart attacks." She said trying to be serious but a smile tugs at her lips. She has the same coloring as Kirin though she is of slighter build.

Seeing a strange person in the room, Cain took a careful step back behind Kirin. He wasn't trying to hide exactly and he didn't want to look like a silly kid doing so, but he couldn't help but put some distance between himself and the stranger. He looked between the dragon woman and Kirin, question in his eyes. "Hello?" Brilliant, but that was all he could figure out to say.

"And who is this handsome young man?" Kirin's mother asked with a gently smile.

"This is Cain. Cain this is my mother." Kirin said with a smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Cain. You may call me Mathilda."

Cain eyed Kirin's mother warily. This was something he was not expecting. He knew he was going to meet her at some point, but this was much earlier than he would have guessed. She seemed kind, with a voice that reminded him of his own mother. He cleared his throat so he could speak clearly. "It's nice to meet you ma'am. I've heard good things about you," he said, glancing over at Kirin.

"I am glad to hear that. Though I have heard my son is being very naughty today." She said with a laugh,

"You know I have always hated being confined and watched."

"I know sweetheart. I was on my way for a visit anyways when the guard found me. He was very flustered."

"I have already deiced to be good, for awhile." He said with a smile.

This cozy conversation between mother and son was making Cain feel out of place. Over the course of the day, he had started to feel like he belonged here, like he was a part of Kirin's world. Now he felt the opposite. He was just someone standing there awkwardly with nothing to say. He nodded his head courteously to Mathilda, then turned to Kirin. "I think I'm ready to sleep. Can you excuse me?" he mumbled.

"Oh Cain I'm sorry I didn't mean to ignore you." Kirin said feeling bad. He hadn't meant to alienate him. Mathilda watched the two of them, she could tell Kirin cared about this young man.

"If you will excuse me my trip was long and I could use some rest." She smiled as she headed to her quarters.

Sighing, Cain looked at Kirin. Was it that obvious that he felt alienated? He felt bad for projecting his feelings that much and he shouldn't have cared, but he did. "It's fine. It's your mother, you should spend time with her," he said shaking his head. "But I really am tired." He'd agreed to sleep in a spare bedroom here right? He looked around, wondering where that would be.

Kirin didn't feel like it was alright. He felt as if he ruined the end of a wonderful evening. "Let me show you to your room." He said offering Cain his hand.

Even though Kirin offered his hand, Cain ignored it. He pretended like he didn't even notice the offer as he followed Kirin to the room he would now be staying in. Acting childish and stubborn made him feel more like himself and it cheered him some. "Why is everything so luxurious here?" he said with a shake of his head.

Kirin lead him hiding the hurt he felt, though he knew he had nobody to blame but himself. Kirin chuckled a bit at Cain's comment. "I have often wondered the same thing." He said with a smile. "Your bathroom is here." He said showing him the door next to his bedroom door. "I hope you sleep well. "Call me if you need anything." He turned to leave.

Kirin was already walking away before Cain replied. "Thank you for letting me sleep somewhere nice like this," he said even though he would prefer to sleep under the stars. It gave him a warm feeling to know he had a place like this available to him though. "I'll see you tomorrow." Cain then turned and slipped into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. He took the blankets off the bed and spread them out of the floor. He was more comfortable there were he could feel the firm ground right beneath him.

"You're very welcome. If you ever want, I could arrange for you to sleep outside in the gardens." He s." He headed to his office his mind to busy for him to be able to sleep. He had decided to send a message back saying he was not looking for marriage at this time. He knew eventually he would have to settle down and marry and have kids, but he knew deep down now wasn't that time.

Cain chuckled to himself as he settled down in the blankets. The gardens would be nice, he was sure. Perhaps he would talk about that with Kirin later, but for now he was going to try to sleep in this unfamiliar luxury. If he was going to be here for a long time, he might as well get used to it. The strange and unfamiliar scent of the room filled Cain's nose as he drifted off, the unfamiliar comforting now rather than frightening.

After getting into his night clothes, Kirin got into bed and laid there staring at the ceiling. Before he knew it he had drifted off to sleep. His dreams were filled with Michael and Cain. When he woke the sun was just rising. He wrapped a robe around himself and went onto on to the balcony.

Normally Cain woke with the dawn, but that was because he was so exposed to the sun. The morning rays didn't reach him until a a few hours into the morning and even then, he felt unsure that it was morning. Most of the room was still painted in dark hues. After a long stretch, he finally rolled to his feet and changed into the new clothes that Kirin had supplied. They were well fitting, but bothersome because he wasn't used to them. He managed to stop himself from plucking at them though as he peeked his head out of the room. He looked around and caught sight of Kirin standing on the balcony. Cain slipped quietly up next to the other man. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Kirin said with a smile. He was dressed at this point. "Did you sleep well? I have sent for breakfast to be brought up." He was glad that Cain was here with him.

Cain nodded. He had slept far better than he expected inside. He yawned a little, covering his mouth as he smiled. "Breakfast sounds good. How about you, did you sleep well?" he asked since it was only common courtesy.

"When I finally got to sleep I did." He said with a smile. Just then there was a knock on the door. "That would be breakfast." He headed to the door. He opened it and a servant came in with an assortment of food. "I wasn't sure what you liked so I sent for many things."

Cain chuckled as he looked at the many different kinds of food. It was more food than either of them could finish since Cain wasn't in the habit of eating heavily. "I'm not picky, really. I eat whatever I can get," he said as he sat down and picked up and interesting pasty that looked to have been baked with some fruit. He was going to get fat if he ate things like this all the time, but it tasted good. "You don't have to treat me so special," he said after a second of thinking. He was fine with being the random human who had somehow found his way into Kirin's life, or mostly fine with it anyway.