Gisa Kriemhild

Gisa turned around as her hair was tugged, expecting just about anyone but the dark elf. She might have said something mild about him tugging her hair except his words stopped her. The one time she says something innocent and it had to be taken the wrong way. She rolled her eyes and would have teased him before just turning away when she found her lips stolen away. She shuddered, dark memories floating to the surface. She would have reacted violently but she found for once, someone else would first.

Even as gisa's claws were released and half raised Naer was between her and the dark elf. She frowned, confused for a moment at his defense of her. A maiden? Her? Ha... Still Naer was like that. All it required for such terms was the right body part, no matter how scared and bruised it might be or how wild the heart above it. She lowered her hand slowly and looked between the two, uncertain. Letting them fight seemed unwise... but why did Naer fight for her anyway? He knew she was strong enough to do so on her own. Did he wish to protect ark perhaps? or was it something more. She felt a rise of panic at the thought, no.....he couldn't want her. It wasn't allowed!

Lalita 'Lia' Tien

"Call me Lia" She responded with a half smile, clearly appreciating the other's compliment of her horse. As she heard a scuffle she glanced over at the group, sighing as if bored. Two men fighting over a woman? No.... the dark elf had always given such hate towards the demon it was clear. Perhaps trying to make one man or the witch jealous? She shrugged, it was a scene played out in her bar often enough she cared little one way or the other. She turned back to Nenet as she mounted her horse.

"We can leave any time your ready" She said cheerfully, clearly intending to leave the others behind. She didn't think she needed any bodyguard. She was surprised though, a demon who would desire so badly to cause harm yet stop herself.... it was an interesting thing to see. Oh well, any interest she had was over now. It would be a mere common brawl now she figured.

Nenet turned back to the group as Lia did, watching the demon calm herself somewhat. So she wasn't one to just start violence randomly, that was good to know. She still didn't understand what was going on, though. "I had thought they would come with us," she said, voice calm but questioning. She looked at Lia again, whole body shouting her confusion. "And should you not stop them? I know horses are easy to scare." The stallion beneath her just twitched an ear. She wouldn't step in, herself, of course, it wasn't her place. But it seemed a thing to be stopped...

The dark elf reeled back, his eyes narrowing and fists clenching, as Naer pulled him from Gisa. His hand lifted up to strike at Naer in instinctive reaction to the assault upon his features, but something stopped him. "Naer get a hold on yourself, this isn't the tournament!" Sophronia had followed behind the sun elf and caught the gist of what had happened. She stood to the side, leaning against a stall and peering seriously at the dark elf in warning. He shook his head, and let his hand fall to his side limply. Even if she hadn't voiced a word, Ark would have halted his attack.

"You want to know what right I have?" demanded Arkerril under his breath. "Well what right does she have to keep you completely to herself, making it impossible for any other to compete for your heart? Don't give me that bull about you belonging to her; your heart is yours alone to give, and it doesn't seem like you've given it yet!" His golden eyes blazed as they moved to glare at Gisa angrily; this was truly the root for his hatred of her.

"She's kept me from having an equal chance at winning your heart. What freedom is there in that, Naer? Even when we spoke, she was always there, hearing every word when she had, has had, all this time alone with you without any kind of damn interference from anyone at all! There is no fairness in that, and yes I kissed her, because I was afraid, and desperate. It didn't give me any damn right, but fear and desperation will make people do crazy things." Arkerril halted his tirade, closed his eyes, and turned away.

Soph wanted to go and give him a hug, but she knew he didn't want that. This did answer many of the questions she'd been wondering since meeting him ... And now she wondered all the more how things would turn out. She let out a sigh, feeling some guilt for what she'd imagined earlier, and unknowingly hurting her friend in the process. Green eyes moved to eye the others involved, pausing curiously upon the demon. The blue haired woman seemed confused, and somewhat afraid ... Maybe she needed some reassurance too?

Naer scowled, brows furrowed and his visage was one of fury and only a little confusion. "Your own actions are what make it impossible for you to vie for my heart, Arkerril. Your words are true, when you say my heart is mine to give. It is mine to give and I will give it to one who is worthy of holding it." His voice had softened the slightest bit, but it still held that authority, Naer was completely in prince mode and didn't seem like he would be slipping out of it soon. "What does it matter if Gisa is near when we speak? Her hearing what we speak about does not prevent you from trying to win my heart. You talk nonsense Arkerril." Naer's body trembled ever so slightly but he would not relent or back down.

He stepped forward and grabbed Arkerril's wrist when the other began to turn away. "You will not turn your back to me when I speak to you!" Naer did raise his voice when he said that, but only slightly. "Fear and desperation of what? Do you fear that you cannot have my heart, Arkerril? You are the only one barring the way to my heart. Do you not see that? Do you not understand that?" Naer released Ark's wrist and sighed softly. "Can you not see that when you are cruel to my friend it hurts me more deeply than if you had stabbed my heart with a dagger. My friends should not be enemies with one another. Arkerril, why do you continue to try and turn Gisa into your enemy?"

Naer watched the dark elf carefully, almost expectantly. "Gisa does not want my heart, that is plain for everyone to see. She teases because she is a playful creature, but at the same time she pushes me away. She is even slow to accept my offer of friendship. So I cannot understand why you think she is preventing you from winning my heart." Naer was exhausted already, emotionally, but he hid it well. Gisa would know though, she always knew things like that. He glanced at her for half a moment, his heart ached in ways he couldn't explain and he fully realized now that he had been more than just a little jealous when Ark kissed Gisa. Still Naer continued to hold himself up straight, the authority of a royal rolling off of his posture in nearly tangible waves.

Gisa Kriemhild

Gisa's face slipped easily into a blank mask, beautiful but unnatural for it's utter emptiness as the two spoke. Her face held nothing, even her eyes dead. She knew Ark blamed her for Naer's lack of love for him, but she didn't know he was so foolish as to not realize treat her as a toy was not a way to fix that. Hell, the only thing using her as a toy tended to do was get a person very dead, very fast. Hell, if she didn't care for Naer so much she would have attacked him even now but instead she merely dropped her hands before crossing her arms over her chest.

As she watched Naer, however, she could not help but wonder at the change in his personality. It reminded her so much of those who would normally despise her and made a flicker of intimidation ride through her. Yet at the same time, seeing him strong and vibrant and sure of himself and what he felt..... seeing him as he had always truly been and always truly would be made her heart swim with emotion, with want. Such strength and purity side by side was a rare thing and it called to her, but she knew it was not hers to have. As Naer spoke his certainty that she had no desire for him or his heart she felt it ripple through her. She wanted to comfort him, but that pain only meant that part of him had started to feel for her things that would only lead to his harm. Conflicted, confused, and just a little lost she still kept her mask.

"No..... If he wants time alone with you, let him have it. Just do not leave the Inn and whisk him away Arkerrill." She said coldly to them both, her voice as empty as her face. She just felt so tired, so tired of living a mask and pushing away her own wants. She could not say she loved Naer yet, but she did now denying herself the ability to try was becoming more difficult and painful then she had ever expected. She turned and instantly leaped on her horse once her words were done. She shouted 'come on' to the girl and began to race on. She stopped her horse only once at the edge of their sight and glanced back towards the two.

Lalita 'Lia' Tien

"If they will, they will, if not they won't... and my horses easy to scare? Never." Lia laughed, seeming utterly disinterested in the drama unfolding. She only looked up as Gisa shouted and began to leave. She tilted her head to the side and shrugged as an unreadable expression passed over her gaze. Pity? Thought? Both? With Lia it was hard to tell. Still she only turned to Nenet and smiled warmly.

"Looks like it's time to go. Don't worry so much, things will work out!" She said reassuringly as she reached over to squeeze the other womans shoulder. She then leapt on her horse and was starting after gisa, wanting to keep up. She knew the demon would not wish to speak, only ride and feel the wind. She saw no reason not to give the demon this if she desired it.

Nenet shrugged, not wanting to push the issue further. Though it was good to hear that these horses would be harder to scare. She might take the chance to show Lia her other form. She spurred the stallion onward, aiming to follow the two women. The stallion was eager to run, and they soon caught up. Too soon, she thought, but it had been a long time since she'd ridden. "Where are we going, again?" she asked, projecting her voice to be heard over the thunder of hooves. Knowing where to hunt, she'd thought, but maybe things had changed.

"I don't feel worthy!" Came the dark elf's shout as he was stopped from turning away. "I've never felt worthy. You were a prince, and I was a bodyguard and as if that wasn't enough, you were and still are so kind, and good. I wanted to help you so badly back then, but I didn't know how and I hated seeing someone else doing what I couldn't. I may not have known it until now, but there it is." He stopped, chest heaving with the exertion of simply stating what he'd been keeping hidden within his heart for so long.

His eyes moved to Gisa's departing back, filling with surprise at her actions. It reminded him of himself so clearly when he had run from Naer and Gisa, from his own emotions and the realization of what he'd been hiding from himself. "I am truly a fool for saying this," murmured Ark to himself softly. "As a friend, I must say that Gisa's feelings are more then they seem. She's hiding them beneath a facade, as I did and have been doing for so long... That is my opinion." At last, the dark elf felt his voice break, and this time he did move away, turning his back to Naer to hide the emotions filling his eyes; this much of his pride he wanted intact at least.

It was tiring to feel so much and if he was tired then so too must have been the once elven prince. Again he didn't know how to help, again he felt helpless in the face of the ignorance, but there was nothing he could do. "I'm sorry, forgive me for not being able to help you ... like she can."

Naer watched Gisa leave, her voice had been so dead. He had only heard her sound that way once before, he wanted to chase after her but he still had this to deal with. "You are not worthy." It was probably a cruel thing to say, and Naer felt cruel for saying it, but he did not mean it in such a cruel way. Once more he reached out to catch Arkerril by the wrist. "Acting like a fool is the only thing that makes you unworthy. As for Gisa's feelings. I know more of what she feels than you might think, I can feel things through our contract, but she continuously pushes me away." He shook his head slightly.

"If you truly felt for me, then shouldn't you be happy that there is someone who can help me while you cannot? Or would you rather I have no help at all? If I am incapable of helping my friend, my heart would sing with joy if someone else who could help was willing to help. Still, what of you and your female companion? I have not angrily spoken to her, or kissed her in fear and desperation. I have not assumed that she is trying to win your heart or keep you all to herself. I have thought. 'How wonderful it is that Arkerril has a friend who can be there with him while I am not. How great it is for him, for friendship and good friends are great teachers and wonderful things.' But Arkerril you do not think that way when you see Gisa, you only grow jealous and angry, and I cannot completely understand why."

Naer would not let his shoulder's slump, he was not defeated, though this was exhausting for him. To deal with his own guilt that he was certain would never leave him, and then to deal with this emotional pain of his two friends not getting along. His heart had been lighter earlier when it seemed the two were getting along even the tiniest bit. How quickly that had shattered, Naer wanted to run. He wanted to make certain that Gisa was alright but he could not just leave Arkerril like this. He had to make sure Arkerril was alright too.

The dark elf froze as a hand caught his wrist. He didn't want Naer to see the tears running slowly from his unwilling eyes, but it was far too late for that as he turned once more to face the other elf. "You were my first friend Naer, please remember that. This accepting, understanding, heart you have is not mine. I can be cruel, and unforgiving, without remorse when the need arises, because sometimes that is the only way I had in order to survive." His failed attempt at trying to help only burdened his heart, since it seemed that it had been so misunderstood.

"I was trying to help you in the only way I could think of by mentioning her. It's too much to ask that I be glad as you can be to see another doing what I'm incapable of, certainly do not ask that of me now! I love you, and yet I spoke of the love I think she holds for you, the one you are always with and choose to follow at every turn! Is that not enough to prove myself?" Taking a deep breath, Arkerril forged on. "You always choose her, are so glad to be with her, of course I'm jealous when I wish that happiness might be caused by me. Of course I'm angry at the sight of her, because I'm afraid that I already have no chance."

He pulled his arm away, then wrapped it gently around the other man. "Just go." Arkerril found himself feeling rather resigned and saddened again, as he had before... Only now it seemed so much worse, because he felt as if he was pushing what he wanted to badly away from himself and holding it at arms length. With a small, somewhat forced, smile he backed away from the other man and tried not to snatch back what he had just done.

Sophronia couldn't take listening to the two of them anymore. She moved to her mare, mounted and heeled her away softly. The witch didn't take off towards where the others had gone, but took the opposite route deliberately. She needed time along to soother Arkerril's emotions from afar, because his turmoil was quite literally giving her a headache.

Naer sighed deeply. Arkerril did not understand. "What happiness do you speak of, Arkerril? I have not been happy since the events that have torn me from my home. There have been very fleeting moments of a hint of happiness and one of those fleeting moments had been when you apologized to us. That happiness had been brought by you. How quickly such happiness can shatter though, with just a few actions or choice words." He shook his head. "You see things that are not there, Arkerril. I have a new bow, that Gisa crafted for me, that too brought me only a moment of fleeting happiness. I am not glad. I am not happy. I am insane with grief and guilt and so far Gisa is the only thing that has kept me from harming others or myself while I am in such a state. That is the nature of our contract."

Naer frowned rather deeply. "So tell me, where is this gladness you see in me? Where is this happiness that I have that Gisa is giving me? Do not presume to tell me when I am happy or glad, or tell me who and what is bringing me happiness and glee when you have no idea how I truly feel. You have blinded yourself. Open your eyes Arkerril and see things for what they are, see me for what I am and how I truly am." Arkerril had wrapped an arm around him and told him to go. Naer scoffed lightly and pulled away. "Do not dismiss me so casually, we are not finished Arkerril." That brow furrowed as the exiled prince scowled at Ark.

Arkerril stared at the other man as if he had been stunned, and he had been. Even so, the stubbornness within his heart wouldn't allow him to back down so easily from the words he had spoken earlier, though he had been wrong in many a way. "You may be sad, insane, and feel guilty for something that was not truly your fault, but that will never change your kindness or your good heart. It shines through even now as you speak with me." He made a motion as if to reach out and pass a hand through the other elf's hair, but let it fall for fear that it wasn't welcomed.

"Please accept my apology, and my sincere wish that your sad emotions will leave you someday. I ... I hope you believe me when I say that if you ever feel the need, you can ask of me what you will and I promise to do my utmost to help." But Naer already had Gisa for that, reminded Arkerril to himself. Was there nothing at all he could do? "I am sorry for my mistakes," repeated the dark elf softly.

Naer caught Arkerril's hand when he reached out as if to touch his hair. For a few moments, he laced his fingers through Arks and held their palms flat against each other. "You are my friend, that in itself is more helpful than you realize." He let the dark elf's hand go. "Be kind to Gisa, it pains me when the two of you do not get along. You are both my friends, and my friends should be friends with one another." Naer almost smiled. "Of course I accept your apology, but right now, all I ask of you is to try to get along with Gisa. As for your mistakes, mistakes are a tool for learning. Learn from the mistakes and do not repeat them."

Naer took a slight step back, becoming slowly aware of a dull pain in his hand. He had never punched someone before, and his adrenaline had been running high but now all that was draining out of him. He was tired of this, but for now he refused to show it, he still held himself with certainty and pride. "I need to go. I have a weapon to test and much to think about." He would hesitate, as if waiting for an 'okay' from Ark to go, truly Naer did not want to just leave Ark there all alone but at the moment it seemed to him they both had things to think over.

He was almost afraid to breathe as he watched Naer reach out to hold his hand. "I can try, but that doesn't mean I will succeed." Arkerril paused for a moment before continuing. "You should heed your own advice about mistakes, and learn from them. It took me a long time to leave behind the guilt for a childhood friend's sacrifice on my behalf, but you helped me with that."

The dark elf would have said no more if a dull throb upon his cheek hadn't reminded him of something."Wait." He slipped a small jar from the pouch at his waist and reached out to lather some of the soothing salve over the hand Naer had used to harm him. He pressed the rest of the jar into Naer's unharmed hand with a small smile of his own."Take this before you go." A flicker of panic and resignation slipped through his golden eyes as he felt a battle fever he remembered all too well.

"It seems someone, or something, ran into Sophronia and got her all riled up ... I too need to go before she gets into more trouble then she can handle." Though more then probably Arkerril would be the voice of reason for once, and save some people's hides from the woman's battle rage. It had come as a surprise to both of them the first time, but it had been a blessing within the canyon .. Now it could lead to trouble. He failed to realize that he'd let slip more about his true relationship with Soph then he'd ever wanted anyone save the witch to know, but it was too late for that.

"As long as you try." He spoke the words softly, and gave Arkerril a small smile as Ark spoke and then pulled out a small jar to put the soothing salve over his hand. "I am sorry I hit you." He spoke the words quietly but sincerely. Perhaps Naer should not have acted violently, but...He shoved the thoughts from his mind and took the jar as Ark pressed it into his other hand. When the dark elf spoke of his female companion, Naer blinked. Puzzling over the words silently. Ark was undoubtedly connected to the female in some way.

"Go with the wind and with caution." He nodded slightly to Ark and turned to his horse. He reached out and laid his hand against the horse's neck gently. It was a beautiful creature, swift and sure footed, and the elf was not entirely certain it was a normal horse though he really couldn't tell. It didn't feel to different, but he had not tried to connect with it the way he could with a forest or the creatures in a forest. He didn't try now either, he stroked the horses neck briefly before he mounted it, giving Ark a last look and nod before gently urging the horse into motion.

Gisa Kriemhild

Gisa sighed as she watched Lia lead the other young woman forward towards the forest once they had reached about a ten minute ride away. She had raced her stead as fast as she could but ultimately she felt a tug on her hair as if by some invisible hand and been forced to stop. She couldn't move any further until he grew closer. She had never tested the bond, but it seemed that despite the use of leaving a piece of herself with him she could still only go so far before the contract stopped her. She shook her head slightly and glanced back. She would wait for him now, still wearing that empty expression as she gazed forward once more.

She had never found an emotion she couldn't control but for a moment she had let it loose. Ark's forced kiss and being pulled back to her younger self had done it, she knew it. Still now the damage was done, she knew she had feelings. She pushed it away however, it didn't matter. She would take him to test his bow and then find some way to push him away later.... maybe a little teasing. That always worked and he had dismissed her as 'just a playful creature'. It was something she deliberately caused but strangely it had hurt.

Naer urged his mount to run faster with gentle words in elvish. He didn't know if the horse could understand the words, but it seemed to pick up on his meaning. Minutes pass as the scenery did until finally Gisa was within sight, a few more minutes and his horse was next to hers. When he got to her, he still held himself aloft, as any proud prince would. His eyes on her. Slowly though his shoulders slumped and once more he held himself as if he were defeated. His heart ached and he truly felt like crying, but Naer had been in thought during the ride to Gisa and he had come to a very clear conclusion.

Naer had been jealous when Ark kissed Gisa, and it had been more jealousy than anything else that had propelled him to hit the dark elf. He leaned forward on his horse, wrapping his arms around the equine's neck as he hid his face in the steed's mane. He inhaled deeply and sighed softly, still gripping that small jar of salve in his left hand. "Gisa, I don't like it when you push me away." He mumbled the words softly into the horse hair, not even sure if Gisa heard him and at the moment not really caring if she had.

Gisa Kriemhild

"You two needed to speak...." she said simply, her voice still relatively empty. She suppressed a sigh as he leaned forward, reaching forward to stroke a hand down his back. Someday he wouldn't need her anymore, she was still sure of that, but he needed her now. So she leaned over as much as she could to simply stroke his back as the two nightmares stood as close as they could together. It was closer then they would with wings at least.

"You do look exhausted, maybe you did more then speak" She said in her usual tone and winked at him. She intertwined her fingers in his hair a moment and gave them a gentle tug to get him to look at her. At least she hoped it would get him to look at her. If he did she would give him a smile, either way she would speak again. Thsi time her words were a little more serious.

"We can test the bow another day, you can go back...... if you want to go rest. I can guard the girl"

Naer had pouted slightly at the response she gave him, though she couldn't see the pout as he hid his face against the horse. When she stroked his back he seemed to relax some, when she tugged his hair he did lift his head to look at her. "We only talked. My words were firm and certain, and I asked Ark to be kinder to you." He straightened, sitting back up on the horse. "I want to ride, I want to be close to trees for a little while." His eyes were on Gisa and he watched her almost carefully. "I shouldn't have hit him." A light sigh passed his lips and he watched Gisa, as if trying to read her expression, or rather the things she hid in her expression. "I am sorry if he hurt you with his actions, if I were faster perhaps I could have stopped him." A slight frown tugged at his lips.

Gisa Kriemhild

"You shouldn't have bothered.... it was just a kiss and I am suppose to protect you remember. My prince" She responded, showing him only her usual amusement and giving a slight mocking bow to him. He didn't need to know the pain that ripped through her every time she was touched by someone, used by someone rather, like that. For to her if it was not out of love it was just out of desire to use the other person to fulfill their own needs. It was over now, and she would treat it as such. She would be alright.... as long as she got them all out safely she could bare anything.

"Now come on, we need to ride. To be protected by my pet, so embarrassing" She teased, sticking out her tongue at him before she turned and began to ride towards the forest. She rode swiftly, Naer's horse automatically following behind. She glanced back to make sure he stayed seated well on the horse but that was all, she trusted her nightmare to keep him safe... and once they got to the forest he'd feel better.

Naer wrinkled his nose at her as she teased him and bowed mockingly at him. "It wasn't just a kiss. He did to you what I did to that girl when you and I first met, it was a shameful thing to do." He spoke the words quietly and for a moment pressed his hand over his heart, then he lowered that hand and shrugged slightly. "Besides, some pets often protect their masters." Once the horse had started moving again, Naer's posture changed. He straightened up in his seat and sat on the mount properly. Not slouching or laying across it's neck, though he could have easily ridden the creature laying across it's neck, Naer sat the horse properly. Like an elf of the forest ought to.

"Gisa, it made me jealous." He spoke the words, almost as an afterthought. As if he had considered not telling her, but Naer was an honest creature, and he would have told her soon if not now. So the words tumbled from his lips now. "I think I would get jealous no matter who kissed you, I hit him more from jealousy than anger." He chewed his bottom lip gently, he had been jealous, but why? Of course he thought of Gisa as his friend, she always pushed him away though so he wasn't certain they could be more than just friends. Was it a possibility? Naer shook his head, it was just too confusing to think about that sort of thing.

Gisa Kriemhild

Gisa started to tease him about their contract and pets when he had said the last thing she wanted to hear. For a moment she looked away, feeling herself feel both the heights of heaven and the depths of despair at such simple words. He couldn't be falling for her, not for her. It would ruin any chance of getting him back to elves and a normal life. No elf would allow one who slept with a half demon, a killer, stay with them. So she would have to hurt him, even if it made her heart tear just a little.

"My my my, and here you promised intimacy was only for the one you loved yet your jealous of someone kissing me. I do seem to have corrupted you with my teasing at last elf. I must have spoiled you too much" She responded as she forced herself to look at him and grin as if this was her plan all along. As if corrupting his morals was just a game for her, as if him being so prudish had simply made him a challenge. She then laughed, a deep dark sound only to turn away and spur her horse forward. She instantly let her hair hide her mask because for once she could not keep a hint of regret from her eyes. He could never be happy living a life like this....... a life with her. He had made that clear every day. He needed to go home, to some elfkin if not his own kingdom.

"I'm not corrupted." He spoke the words almost defiantly, with a taste of fear. Had she corrupted his heart? Was it possible that such a thing had happened? Naer shook his head fiercely and gently urged his horse to go faster when Gisa spurred her own forward. Naer didn't pursue the subject, he let it drop and he was certain that Gisa had not corrupted him. The more she pushed him away, the more he wanted to be pulled closer. It was a thing Naer did not fully understand, it would be silly if he fell in love with Gisa, so surely it could not be that he was indeed falling for her. Only time would tell really, and Naer always listened to his heart and the elf knew in time, his heart would tell him the answers to these confusing feelings.

Gisa Kriemhild

"You hit an elf kin for the sake of a demon out of jealousy, what else would you call it?" was her taunting reply but after that she would stay silent. She simply urged her horse forward to try and reach the forest where he would be too distracted to think of her or the answer to her question. His defiance on this point.. He really was getting stronger. She frowned to herself, pushing away the thought of her mother that presented itself. Love makes both stronger then anyone can be alone her mother had said in one of her poems. Naer too seemed to believe this when he spoke of friendship.

Could he be getting strength from it? Strength enough to fight her? to see through her? To see all the little things behind those pale eyes that no one else had ever seen. She shivered at the thought, half afraid of such a thing. No, she would not let him love her. She would not let him destroy her future or himself that way.... for to her one would follow the other. He could not live in the dark ...... he needed light and forests and such.

Arkerril shook his head at the other man's apology, knowing quite well that in the same situation he might have done much worse. He had done much more for even less …

For a moment he watched as Naer rode away, feeling in his heart that the battle was already lost. Even so he would still try. Sighing, he mounted his grey gelding and heeled it forward quickly towards where he felt Sophronia was. He tried to prepare himself for the sight of her covered in blood not her own, foes strewn about like broken dolls, but nothing ever did manage to alleviate the shock he felt at the sight.

When the battle rage took her, she was always so different from herself. This time with these strange insect creatures, was no exception. The dessert elf rode forward, letting his war horse dispatch the last few opponents while he kept an eye upon Sophronia. "There's no need to fight anymore, Sophronia. You can relax now, the danger's passed and I'm here to take care of you." He tried to soothe and convince gently with this wild being, staring at him with anger filled, empty seeming eyes.

Recognition seeped back slowly, and soon the young woman was collapsing in a heap by the wreckage of what she'd wrought. Arkerril leaped from his horse, dropping the reins to signal for him to stay there, to gather up the witch in his arms. Soon they were both back at the Inn, safely in their room, with Arkerril quietly making Sophronia as comfortable as he could.

Nenet brought the grey stallion to a halt, the greenery around them comforting. The tug was to the scar, but the forest felt more alive. "You had asked to see my other form?" she asked Lia, pulling her leg over to sit sideways in the saddle. Her dress crinkled up, showing quite a bit of her leg. Nenet seemed to not notice, absently playing with a bracelet. There was so much around here that was not as it seemed, and she'd only been around for less than an hour. The stallion snorted, turning his head to look at the being on his back, probably also wondering just what she was.

A created being, brought to life and form by a powerful mage. He'd told her, when she asked, that her soul had not been the one he was aiming for. But he hadn't regretted the mistake at all. Her own abilities stemmed from the soul of fire she had, as did the horn she bore. But he had never been able to tell her what soul she had. Who had she been before? Why did she have such a connection with fire? These questions always drifted through her mind, lurking in the shadows when she was focused on other things.