"Not my fault someone masked their scent," she chided under her breath as Izzavin pointed out that she had lost track of him. She knew his appearance, she knew the face that went with the smell and when she saw the face and smelled nothing, she knew something was up; she didn't know what he did, but he had done something.

Her eyes were locked on the woods beyond as the male picked himself back up. He moved towards her, putting his hands on her hips before positioning himself behind her to adjust her stance. Her form moved lower to the ground, her nails growing out into sharpened claws, though they weren't hooked as much as standard birds of prey, they were longer like a reptile's but harder and sharper.

Zalanna could feel Izzavin moving away from her, shifting her eyes she watched as he took the same stance beside her. When he instructed her to breathe in, she closed her eyes and did just that. She focused on the smell, pushing away Izzavin's scent, looking deeper into the woods. She heard a noise next to her and when she opened her eyes, the male was returning with a deer-like creature between large fangs.

If she weren't focused, she would have applauded the male, but he instructed her that he wouldn't be able to help her more than that in this case. She nodded, closed her eyes again, but this time, she listened. Off in the far distance she heard something moving; eyes opening, she pushed off, her claws raking deep marks into the soil.

Zalanna used the trees to bound from, propelling herself forward. As the sound grew louder, she pushed herself to use the branches as her form of ground, bounding from one to the next. Though not as fast as Izzavin, she was quick enough that her bounding barely moved each branch as she went. She heard a growl and roar below her and dove out of the trees to confront the creature she was tracking. Her own fangs grew out, her slit-pupiled eyes focused on the creature before her and she hissed at it while on all fours.

Before her was a large, brown Grizzly bear. The creature rose up to its two feet and roared at the much smaller figure, but only for a moment. The creature fell back to all fours and let out a more pitiful roar. Zalanna slowly stood up, her fangs receding as she looked at the pained beast. "What ails you, my friend?" She asked the bear, head tilted as she walked towards it.

The bear let out a low moan before turning slightly to reveal a trap around its ankle. Zalanna's brow knit together as she moved towards its back leg. "Oh, you poor thing," she cooed as she knelt down beside it. "Let me get this off of you." Gripping the metal bear trap, the woman pulled it off the creature with ease, Izzavin not lying when it came to her strength. Helping the bear's foot out of the trap, the woman then forced it closed and twisted the metal so it wouldn't be able to trap another creature, before tossing it aside.

Turning towards the woman, the bear planted a sloppy lick atop her head, tangling her hair and moving it every which way. The Grizzly seemed to mewl at her as it took a seat before her, four small bear cubs wandering out from the tree they were hiding behind. A wide smile formed on the woman's lips as she picked up one of the cubs. "Ooooh, what lovely babies you have," she cooed, snuggling one of the creatures against her cheek.

The cubs began pulling themselves into her lap, climbing up the dragon woman as their mother seemed to just watch. All of them froze when a snap was heard not too far away. The large bear let out a low growl; Zalanna set the cubs down and they quickly moved to hide behind their mother. Eye narrowing, the woman slowly got up, though she kept her stance low, claws growing out again.

She pushed off the ground again, using the first tree to push herself back into the branches. Whatever was making its way through the forest was near and she planned on getting the upper hand on it, quite literally. She moved quickly through the trees and as she could hear the creature nearing, she shoved off one of the branches, pushing herself towards the beast.

It was her body, not her claws, the collided with a form easily smaller than the bear. The strength she put into her launch was enough for the two to break through a low hanging branch and pin them to a tree, her target a bit deeper than the woman's own claws. Fangs bared, she looked down at her catch and gasped, "Izzy! I'm so, so, sososososo sorry." She was a good head and a half higher than he was as she pulled her claws from the tree, dropping herself to the ground.

The bear family seemed to slowly follow along behind the dragon woman for as she was pulling the male from the trunk of the tree, they made their appearance. "But look Izzy, I saved a bear!" The woman seemed proud of herself as she waved toward the massive creature. One of the babies waddled up, poking its head between Zalanna's legs, getting it stuck in the process. Not caring on freeing itself, it simply sat where it was as the other plodded around the male, momma bear staying near the blue haired woman. "She was stuck in a trap and I saved her!"

When Zalanna took off, Izzavin went to preparing the meat. Even if Zalanna managed to hunt something, he wouldn't allow his precious catch to go to waste. He would cook and smoke it, drying it so it was easier and lighter to carry.

Or at least that's what he had every intention of doing.

Instead, a firm hand smacked his face. In seconds, he went from sitting pleasantly to kissing earth (again). With low growl, he spun his head around to snap at whatever slapped him. Only, just as his teeth looped around the land that slapped, he drew back and whimpered.

"Tsuri," his eyes became large and puppy-dog like. He knew not why she slapped him but there must have been a good reason.

"Izzavin Larrak," the redhead stomped her foot, "did I seriously just see you having Zalanna grind on you?" Arms crossing over her chest, she eyeballed the man. "Well, did I?"

Hand reaching up to his horns, he scratched the hair around them. "Grinding?" The confused look on his face a dead giveaway that modern lingo was lost on him.

"Yes, grinding." She was seething at this point. "Her ass all up in your junk."

When she put it like that, Izzavin knew exactly what she spoke of. "I was merely showing her the st--"

Another slap came to the face. She drew back her hand again, only this time Izzavin grabbed it.

"Stop it, Tsuri." His firm grip was enough hard enough to cause the woman serious pain. It was in that moment that Tsuri realized that maybe slapping a dragon wasn't her wisest of decisions. Thankfully, Izzavin wasn't an ass. Releasing her hand, he snorted before shifting in his jacket. "And what's your problem? You sent her to come find me and now I'm teaching her how to hunt."

"Right," she growled before taking a seat beside the dead animal. "And I suppose the lesson on love came before that?" Tsuri's voice was sorrowful now and her face was hidden from Izzavin. She was most certainly crying at this point.

"Tsuri," the green haired male scooted closer. He placed an arm around her hips and pulled her in. He knew she wanted nothing more than for him to love her but Izzavin couldn't. There were just so many reasons, spoken and unspoken, that he couldn't love the woman. "Stop. Please, you're only making this worse."

Her orbs, watery from crying, looked up into his unaffected gold gaze. She always hated how passion never seized his eyes when he spoke to her. And yet, when he teased with Zalanna, there was such love to be had. It made a lump in her throat form and her stomach became a large, open pit. "I just don't understand, Izz. Why don't you love me. Everyone else does. Everyone but you."

"Tsuri," he cooed while nuzzling her forehead, "I do love you."

A glimmer of hope flickered in her eyes, but faded quickly at his next words. "It's just... you've always been a sister to me. Your parents adopted me for a short time. It would just be.... And not to mention, green... red... we would always clash!" He rested his forehead against hers. He forced a smile in an attempt to rectify the situation. He knew this would be hard on Tsuri so he tried to at least look nice about the whole 'friend-zone' thing.

"Yeah, I guess it would be weird. I mean, we did write a pact so many years ago that we would be blood siblings. Wouldn't want to mar our youthful pact with my selfish longings."

With an eye roll, Izzavin pulled back and snorted. "Right, because I'm really worthy of loving. If you recall, I have some not-so-pleasant sins to my name."

"Those can be forgiven. Trust me, Zalanna is the kind of woman to look past those demons. If you let her in, she'll let you in, Izz."

"I don't need to let anyone in, Tsuri. The last person I let in, I killed. I won't do that. Not again. I'm done hurting those I love."

Brows furrowing, he glanced at the sky above. Something was off. Zalanna hadn't returned. "Uh, don't suppose you want this?" He glanced down at the meat. "I have to go rescue fair maiden because apparently she has no sense of direction."

Tsuri smirked before nodding. "Ah, yes. Wouldn't want you to lose your girlfriend. Best run along. I can certainly use the meat since you stole my girl."

"She's not my girlfriend. I did not steal her."

"Keep telling yourself that, handsome." Quick kiss on his cheek, she ushered him off into the woods to find his missing princess.

---

"This woman..." he looked around the area, "has no idea what she is doing. She passed this spot three times going in three different directions. Hunting her is like hunting a toddler. They have no rime or reason for their movements."

Letting out a sigh of defeat, he massaged his temples before slumping off in one direction. "If I were an idiot, which way would I go?"

It didn't take him long to find her trail again. Soon, he was peacefully wandering down the way she went, doing his absolute best to avoid getting his horns caught in the undergrowth and branches. The major downside to being this tall was the fact that his horns were at branch-level. He was constantly having to duck and dance around leaves, branches, vines, and the whatnot to avoid getting all tangled up.

Too bad his hard work didn't matter. As he was ducking, a force came out of nowhere and slid his body not only into a tree, but also right through it. Now wedged awkwardly in a tree, he let out a moan. Eyes slowly opening, he spied something completely foreign to him. Honestly, he had no idea what was white and silky. What animal would come crashing out of a tree in--OH MY GOD. BOOBS!

Face beet red, he shot it to the side at Zalanna plucked herself up and off his face. Embarrassed as he was, she seemed not at all concerned. Clearly she was oblivious to her exact placement--and there was no reason to tell her just what she had done.

Squirming lightly, he growled before having his glance fall on the cubs that were now gnawing on his ears. "I really hate you," he said plainly to the woman. "I should just take you back to Tsuri and be done with you." She would need to grovel to him at this point. He was rather fed up with how everything had played out in the past hour.

Sucking in his breath, he wriggled his rear until he was able to squeeze his way out of the tree, as it was obvious that she wasn't going to help. She was too busy giddily playing with the bears. Finally free, he miscalculated his stepping and ended up tangling his horns in a mess of vines and branches.

Eye twitching, he held in his rage. His fingers contorted and his lips curled back to reveal a pissed off expression. But he told himself to be calm. There was no need to explode on poor, little Zalanna. She was having fun. She was being innocent and cute. BUT SHE WAS CONSTANTLY BEATING HIM UP! First the face-plant, then going through a tree, and now having his horns stuck. Yes, yes she was going to be a complete nightmare to deal with.

Eyes glancing to the heavens, he growled. "If this is your punishment to me, I would honestly prefer death. Had I known watching your daughter would impact my health, I never would have stolen her egg."

Without giving a rat's ass, he jerked hard. The pain that erupted around his skull was excruciating, but at least his horns were free. Wincing, he dropped to his knees and held his head. Damn, why did it have to hurt to much!

Holding his head a few seconds more, he finally recovered and rose. Brushing off the leaves and dust, he straightened his jacket. Izzavin's golden gaze fell on Zalanna. "What," he said knowing full well that his horns were probably wrapped with leaves and vines. At this point, he didn't care if he looked ridiculous. He was just ready to get out of here and eat something, anything!

"You could've asked for more help," Zalanna mumbled as the male growled something she wasn't paying attention to as she picked up the bear cub that was seated behind her. How was she to know that he couldn't handle pulling himself out of the tree the rest of the way when she had already done most of the work? She pet the little cub until she heard a rather large cracking noise from in front of her.

A large smile crept to her lips as she looked to the male. When he questioned her, she merely handed him the cub saying, "Look, they're cute." The small fluff ball then proceeded to whack at the pine cone that was tangled in a vine and part of a larger decoration and branches, leaves and vines between his horns.

She then glanced behind him and saw that the deer he had caught was not with him. Giving him a puzzled look she asked, "Lost your kill?" She then shrugged, not entirely caring for the answer as she said, "Bears can fish. I'm sure our lovely momma wouldn't mind helping us out, right momma bear?" The creature let out a cooing noise as she turned to head back towards where Zalanna had rescued her from.

Following behind, she glanced back at the still-decorated male, a smile on her face. "Come on nature boy, we don't want to keep her waiting," she teased before turning to catch up with the bear.

She indeed let the group to water, plodding into it as the cubs stayed on land. Zalanna followed the creature out there, eager to see how she would catch the fish. Climbing onto her fuzzy back, she lay on the bear watching her watch the fish until one carelessly swam too close. Dipping her head under water, the bear started hunting the creature; her sudden movements after it throwing the Princess into the water.

She was only under the water for a few seconds before breaking through the surface in a fit of giggles. The bear looked back at her, fish in mouth. As the bear went to take the fish to the surface, Zalanna dove under the water's surface again, swimming towards a deeper pool as she couldn't catch fish in shallow waters like the bear had.

Swimming deeper, there were larger fish and Zalanna targeted one of those. Her fangs grew as she swam after it and try as it might, the creature couldn't escape the dragon. Lunging at it once more, her fangs sunk into the creature's scales and Zalanna was soon surfacing with a fish about as long as her arm.

Making her way to the surface, she took the fish from her mouth as she reached a depth that she could walk in. "Look Izzy, a fish!" She announced proudly as she walked up the shore, setting the large fish beside the smaller ones the bear had caught.

Of course she had to have sassy comebacks to his grumbling. If she wasn't a princess, if she wasn't cute, and if she didn't happen to hold his attention hostage, he might have been able to keep up his anger. However, her soft features, gentle laugh, and lovely form were just enough to deter the bad mood. Her calmness was truly soothing and it paired nicely with his personality.

As she handed him a cub, he found himself rubbing noses with it. It was downright adorable. And the way it swatted the stuck pinecone, why it made the stern man act like a dad reacting to the birth of his first son--giddy as hell.

Blowing lightly into the bears face, it swatted at him. With laugh in tow, he nuzzled it before putting it back on the ground to scurry after its mother. Zalanna wasn't too far behind either. She really was a strange one. She was so quick to accept, never processing potential consequences.

With another sigh, he shook his head. "Okay. I guess being alive to witness this isn't as bad I as said. Your daughter does have her moments." Ducking, he gingerly followed after the monty crew.

In no time, they were at the water's edge. As Zalanna learned from the bear, Izzavin went to work cleaning off his horns. He had no idea he had gotten that stuck! No wonder Zalanna was laughing at him, and the cubs too. Flowers, leaves, branches, pinecones... was there anything he didn't get caught in there? He shook his head and saw needles and what looked like a bug fall off too.

Raking a hand through his hair, his attention jerked forward when he heard a splash. Instinct kicking in, he lunged to the water's edge. Ready to dive in after her, Izzavin was thrilled to know that Zalanna was 1) laughing and 2) knew how to swim.

Letting out a breath of relief, he sat back on the bank's edge. He saw no need to get wet if all was well so, instead, he kicked back and let his back rest against the warm, gray stone. It was nice to just bathe in the sun and soak up the rays. Why, even one of the cubs found his lounging acceptable and planted his fuzzy little rump beside his neck. Giving the cub a good scratch, he lazily let out a yawn before shutting his eyes.

Ah yes, finally some peace and qui--

"Look Izzy, a fish!"

No. There was no quiet with this woman around.

She caught his attention so he shifted upright to see Zalanna soaking wet in her white attire. Naturally, the cloth clinged to her form beneath, revealing more than Tsuri would allow. Not that Izzavin would complain! And the fact that Zalanna showed little interest made the dragon less concerned. Dragons could be sexually devious creatures, showing off their form to taunt and toy with possible mates. And then there were some, like Zalanna, who were just too naive to realize just what she was showing.

Shaking his head, he continued to roll up on the rock. It was now or never. A sly smirk crossed his lips and, in seconds, he was tackling the princess right into the water.

He made certain her head was clear of rocks and her body wouldn't get injured in the process. It was easy to do for his speed was enough to push them right into the deepest parts of the stream.

As their bodies went down to the abyss-like bottom, Izzavin kicked up and found his way to the water's surface. When he broke the water's surface, a shower of water came raining down. His eyes were aglow with delight as he treaded water. Everything about this moment was perfect. Why, even the sky was as blue as could be with the purest of white clouds.

Splashing her lightly, Izzavin laughed. "I'm so sorry, your highness. I must have slipped." Moving closer, he felt her weakened powers slowly pass into him. It was just enough of a boost that he could blow a beam of light into the air and cast a rainbow over the stream they swam in. As the ray particles fell into the water, the colors of the rainbow seemed to seep into the stream. Soon, color exploded all around them.

Izzavin hadn't expected it so he was drawn in by the magic of it all. Lips forming an 'o', he merely gasped at the beauty around them. And, much like in a movie, when his eyes fell on Zalanna, he couldn't pry them away.

Just as Zalanna was going to look over at the male, something collided with her, sending her flying back into the water. It took the woman a few moments to regain her barings and after she did, she swam to the surface. She ran a hand over her face, wiping away the water as Izzavin apologized for 'slipping'. Looking back towards the shore, which was quite a ways away, the blue haired woman laughed. "That was quite some slip."

The woman pulled herself onto her back, floating on top of the water as the male moved closer to her. Her eyes watching the sky, her face lit up with joy as she watched the beam of light move upwards, rainbows soon showering over them like colorful rain. Feeling as though someone were watching her, Zalanna turned her head towards the male, though as her gaze moved, she saw the bear family plodding away. Waving to them, she allowed her body to sink back into the water.

Watching the bears walking away with the large fish reminded the woman. "Oh, right, you were hungry Izzy, let's go eat," she said, a smile on her face as she looked over at the male. She then swam past him, making her way back to shore once again.

"Oh yeah," he said bashfully as she reminded him of his hunger. It was odd how one little thing such as hunger could be pushed to the side by having a bit of fun. The company he kept certainly helped keep his mind off things. But he needed to stop thinking like that. It's not like he stood a chance. She was a princess, he a traitor. There was no way in hell they would happen. Still, he cherished every second he could spend beside her, especially the more intimate moments where the proximity was almost too close.

As she climbed from the water, he sprawled out lazily on the shore. "So hungry, can't..." he huffed, "move." Hand groping the shore, he tried to pull himself toward the fish but stopped. Pretending to have fully exhausted himself, his belly roared and he immediately popped up and moved to the first.

"Raw or cooked?" His brows hitched up as he asked her how she wanted to eat. He was fine either way because beneath the human face laid a dragon stomach. Cooked or raw didn't phase him, but he didn't want to upset her stomach. If she wasn't used to such things, there was no need to turn her stomach inside out.

---

After a nice dinner, Izzavin decided it was time to begin their journey to the caves where Faith resided. It happened to be on the same continent so they wouldn't have to worry about flight just yet. "If we got this way," he said while pointing to the map, "we should be able to reach there in about four days. Granted," his head turned to the skies, "I'm not sure about this weather." Looking at Zalanna, he cocked a brow. "You're a wind dragon, can you read the weather? Will all be well? Or should we seek a more traveled path to avoid getting caught in the rain?"

As it was starting to get dark, the green haired dragon also suggested that they take up a place to sleep. He was totally fine with sleeping in nature but didn't think it proper for a princess to do as such. Finding a quaint inn just off a well-traveled path, he paid for their stay.

"Rest up and we'll continue our conversation in the morning. Why don't you think on some more questions you have for me." Izzavin's room was practically attached to hers--a wall and door stood between them. He specifically requested this so, if there were issues in the night, he could run to her aid.

Though, truthfully, Zalanna might be the one to run. It had been years since the queen had quelled his nightmares. It would only be a matter of time before dark dreams would taunt his slumber again.

Zalanna was just getting to the fish when Izzavin was pulling himself from the water. She laughed slightly, shaking her head as she sat down to watch him. His stomach came to life a moment later and he was up and towards the pile of fish. When she was asked how she wanted the fish, she crinkled her nose saying, "Don't cook it, you'll ruin the flavor." She then took one of the fish and took a seat at the rock. She took her time picking the scales off the creature, setting them in a neat pile; it was a habit that drove Rita insane, but they were Zalanna's favorite part, they held no real nutritional value but they were like candy for her. Then again, her usual refusal of eating cooked foods also bothered the red head from time to time.

The woman listened patiently as Izzavin instructed that they started making their way to the first of the trials. A four day trek, that wouldn't be too bad, her and Rita had taken longer trips going from town to town. She nodded slowly before the male directed a question to her. The weather? Zalanna rolled her eyes up to the sky, it was indeed clear, but that wasn't what she was looking at, or rather, more as to what she was feeling for. Her head lulled to one side as she said, "The weather shall be fine if it's only four days." Her eyes then fell back to the male. "A storm will start rolling in late that day and the fifth to the seventh day it shall rain, or more, it will storm." Weather reading was easy for the woman, it was something that Rita relied on quite often.

Izzavin's gate was much larger than her own and in the silence, the woman wondered if it was something to do with his race as he did mention their speed before. She had to walk twice as fast to keep up with him, which wasn't something that she minded. As the sun started setting, he had decided it was best for them to sleep and started making their way towards an inn. Zalanna's eyes were instantly tracing over the building and taking in all the scenes once they were inside; her and Rita never stayed in an inn, they usually stayed within the trailer for it had everything that they needed.

Once they parted ways, Zalanna crawled into the bed in her room but couldn't fall asleep. It wasn't that the bed wasn't comfortable, for it truly was; nor was it the darkness that they in the room for darkness did not bother her. Rather, this was the first time in all her life that she was in her own room. She couldn't sense the heat from another a little ways away, nor could she hear the peaceful breaths of another sleeping.

She had no idea how long she had been trying to fall asleep, but sitting up and looking outside, she saw the moon high in the sky. Gathering up her blanket, Zalanna made her way to the door between her and Izzavin's room; he had left it cracked open in case anything happened. Peaking in, she saw his form on the bed. Slipping quietly into his room, she made her way over to his bed and climbed on top at his back. Wrapping herself in her blanket, she laid down with her back against his. As the feeling of having another sleeping near by comforted her, Zalanna was soon able to fall asleep.

Izzavin made note of her little quirks, mulling over them as they walked to the inn and later thinking of them as he went to sleep. It was unusual for a dragon to pick off the scales of a fish. Most just wolfed down the thing, calling it a day. But the way she took to eating it made him wonder if Tsuri had taught her the finer ways of life. Not that Tsuri would eat raw meat, but rather savoring the so-called 'best part' for last. Although Tsuri would deny it, as kids, she would always eat the meat first and the veggies or fruit last, claiming that they were the 'best part.' Izzavin never saw a reason for it as everything always tasted good to him. After all, he was a male dragon and he didn't have time to be picky with his food!

The other oddity that made him smirk was her pace. Or rather, the pace she tried to take when walking with him. He was tall so naturally his strides were far and wide, but he was also a dragon of speed. Why, if he were to enter a human's 5k walk, he might be disqualified for speed walking, or almost jogging. Still, the way Zalanna swung her arms and forced her legs to keep up was enduring. She didn't complain, rather she just did what she could to not fall behind. Sure, from time to time he did stop so the woman could catch her breath, but even then she didn't whine or whimper. It was as if she enjoyed the challenge, and this made Izzavin like her all the more for Tsuri was known for her constant protest.

As he laid in his bed, he glanced from time to time at the small crack between the door and its frame. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. As a guard, he figured it wise for he would hear someone slip into her room. But, as a man, he wasn't sure an open door was giving off the right message.

Er, well, it was definitely the right message but it would go right over the girl's head. Not to mention, Izzavin knew he stood no chance. There were other dragon princes out there. And, with angled eyebrows, he knew full-well that they would run into some on their journey. There was no way a royal dragon wouldn't smell out a true royal, a royal of the celestials.

Not wanting such imagines to ruin his slumber, he went back to how she completely overlooked the colors in the water. She also didn't seem too concerned with his exact species of dragon. Did she know? Or did she assume all dragons were of her own kind? No, nonsense, he sent her books about the breeds, species, and elements. Perhaps she assumed he was of the earth clan? He did have green hair and almost 95-percent of knights or guard dragons were of earth descent.

Ha! He smirked in his sleep. If only she knew he too was a rare breed of dragon. He knew not why he was a white magic dragon, but he assumed it had to do with his mysterious father. The man his mother never spoke of but, from the look in her eyes, she loved him dearly.

As he dreamt of happier days with his mother, the darkness started to seep in. Pulling his head into his chest, he tried to fight off the scene that started to glitch its way into his happy frolicking.

A shudder shot down his spine and a cold-sweat took hold. Hands gripping the sheets, he fell deeper into the nightmare-turned-reality as his mind vividly played out the moments leading up to his mother's death.

Then, out of nowhere, came a shimming cyan butterfly. As it flew across his view, the scene started to change into what looked like a mountain top. Mind forcing his view up, he saw the aurora borealis in full bloom. Then, to his side, came a light squeeze. Gaze shifting down, he spied a beautifully gowned Zalanna. She appeared... older, more refined. And based on the crown atop her head, he assumed it meant she had finally regained control of her kingdom.

The dream Zalanna said not a word, only falling into him with a smile painted on her face. Her eyes reflected the glow of colors from above, gleaming pleasantly at him with such delight and love. She seemed so at peace, as if things were finally as they should be.

Slowly, Izzavin's body started to relax. His breathing returned to normal and his body absorbed the sweat as his body temperature reverted to its natural state. Head uncurling, it butt into a pillow. Perplexed, he peeled his eyes open to inquire why his pillow had magically vanished from beneath his head. He half-expected to blame himself for he knew he thrashed wildly when gripped with nightmares. Only, when he felt the warmth of another at his back and gentle breathing of her, Izzavin smirked.

Carefully, he turned over to stroke her cheek and brush her hair. Knowing that she was unable to sleep--after all, why else would she have joined him--he began to whisper in a lullaby-like voice the very song her mother used to sing to him. Only, unlike her mother, Izzavin chose to sing it in the tongue of the guards. It sounded foreign, almost like the language of Tsuri and her culture, only it was a tongue spoken by dragons bestowed with the duty of protecting.

As his lullaby came to an end, he rolled back over. With sand in his eyes, he yawned. Before he knew it, he was sound asleep with that same dream of the Northern Lights guiding him to the morning's sun....

As she slept, Zalanna could feel a gentle touch on her cheek and shifted closer to whomever it was that was touching her. Her mind swirled with a tune, one that she didn't understand but still filled her head with images from and land unknown to her, the land that Izzavin had told her about. Dragons flew about a land full of greenery and prosperity, some even donning human riders on their back and yet, even with a rider, there was so sense of domination between either being, but cooperation as they flew through the skies. She nestled closer to the person beside her, her mind lost to the world of dragons even as the song ended.

A mix of the sun peaking just over the horizon and the woman's internal clock, Zalanna started to stir just after sunrise. Rubbing her eyes, she blinked them a few times, her features having become fully human again. As the room started to come into focus, she looked towards the wall closest to her; it was a wall she was unfamiliar with. Jumping with a start, her back bumped into something behind her. Sitting up, she spun around to see Izzavin laying beside her.

Her pulse slowing, events from the previous day started to set in. Letting out a sigh, she rested her forehead on her drawn up knees as she just let everything sink in. Even the next day, the woman found it difficult to believe that she was any sort of royalty; she had nothing to prove such a thing.

As the world around her started to settle around her, the woman reached her arms into the air, her spine bending backwards as she stretched as long as her human form would let her. Letting out a content sigh as she did, she allowed her body to fall back onto the bed, her eyes rolling over at the male's form. Unsure as to what would be his standard waking time, the woman didn't want to disturb him. She figured he would wake when he was ready to wake.

The second she jumped, Izzavin's eyes were open. Narrow little slits darted across the room to spy whatever caused the princess to freak. However, when he spied nothing and she seemed to calm, he smiled. "Doth thou princess forgeteth her quest?" he said in a teasing manner. Like her, he had no qualms with waking in the morning.

Springing from the bed, Izzavin mimicked Zalanna's stretching. Like her, he bent his body back as far as he could before he would forever be stuck in a contorted way. Next came a yawn that pulled back his teeth. Snapping them shut at the end, he forced his shoulders back one last time until they finally popped.

Dragging a hand through his hair, he lazily closed his eyes before moving around the bed and heading toward the dresser where he tossed his attire for the next day. Before scooping it up, he peeled off his rich charcoal undershirt. As his upper body became completely exposed to the young princess, she would--if she dared to look--make note of some of Izzavin's unique features.

It was plainly obvious as to why he always wore the jacket. His shoulders were pointed, very inhuman like. They weren't drastically pointed, but they were certainly not the rounded features of humans. If anything, his shoulders seemed to have three small points that fell into what looked like one large point.

As eyes fell down his body, they would spy that his elbows mimicked his shoulders. They too were oddly pointy, also having three points come together as one. His upper-arm was ghastly in appearance. It was as if he had no fat for all you could see where his muscles and bone. It looked alien. No, dragon-like.

His spine, though not having the protruding spikes like Zalanna's attacker, was very visible. It didn't help that Izzavin was insanely skinny, almost malnourished looking. Though, based on the muscle mass on his arms, this was likely not the case. He truly was a skinny little bastard built for speed.

Unlike his cheek, Izzavin's back and arms bore no visible scars. Clearly he was careful with his fights, likely not picking any he couldn't win. Then again, maybe he was just that good. He was a Royal Guard after all!

Still, perhaps the most shocking feature of Izzavin was the fact that, despite always wearing a jacket, his skin was still a golden tone. At some point, he must have stripped away the jacket and shirt to dye his skin with the sun's rays. But he didn't seem to be the kind of man to flaunt his looks so when would he find time to bathe in the nude before the sun?

If Zalanna allowed her eyes to trace his form again, she would spy two silver cuffs around those alien-like forearms of his. They were easy to bypass with such robotic-looking arms to gasp at. Not to mention, they blended in so well with the shadows his lizard-like arms made.

Swooping to retrieve his clean clothes, Izzavin caught her stare. "These were gifts from your parents. All Royal Guards wear these. Your father presented the one on the left. It symbolizes courage and wisdom. To be a guard, we must be brave and smart. Bold and brilliant. Brawn without brain is useless. The left side of our body is supposed to represent the mental and physical sides of us." He stopped to shift his gaze to his right side. "Your mother gave me this one. It represents faith and love. We cannot defend what we do not love. And we cannot love what we do not believe in. The right side of our body is supposed to bring us balance both emotionally and spiritually."

He didn't turn around to face her, instead he moved toward the door with his clean and dirty clothes in tow.

"Your parents believed that, to be a well-rounded knight, we needed to embrace the four pillars of our kind. The paternal side, gifted by your father, reminds us how to be a man, whereas the maternal side guides us in our emotions of love and life. Although they no longer rule, these bans have remained. It means one thing, there heir, you, is alive. These cuffs bond to our bodies and can never be taken off. We were them until our death or until the royal bloodline dies. They are a constant reminder as to who we are and what we protect."

Opening the door, he stepped into the hallway before glancing back at the princess. "Why don't you wash up and when you're done, we'll meet for breakfast." Assuming she didn't have any questions, he would wander down the hall to the bathing pools. However, if she needed more clarity, he would linger until her thirst for knowledge was satisfied.

Zalanna looked over at the male as he sat up to stretch; he was either easier to wake than Rita, or just used to getting up that early. She watched as he pulled himself out of bed, much more gracefully that Rita would, that was for sure. Without so much as a warning, the man was pulling his shirt over his head; Zalanna simply rolled onto her stomach, arms under the pillow she rested on.

With his shirt off, a slew of features were revealed to the woman. There were bumps and ridges along his joints and spine, features that were not found on normal humans. The ridgies on his body looked as though they were fighting to break free, like his own human form was tired of being in such a state. Zalanna had recalled reading that a dragon's ability to transform varied from dragon to draon; the higher the magical level, the better the transformation.

Looking down at herself, the blue haired woman didn't find really anything that made her stand out other than her own hair color and pale skin. Looking back at the male and the details exposed, she began to wonder if her abilities were truly that much higher if she could conceal herself better.

As her eyes fell onto a pair of silver cuffs around the male's forearms, well, a cuff around one arm as the other was hidden in his own shadow, Izzavin began to explain their significance. Zalanna sat back up, wrapping her arms around her knees as the male began to move towards the door, pausing to continue once again.

He seemed to be ending the conversation, wishing to clean up before they ate. There was a question pegging at the woman's mind though and from her spot she asked, "How many guards are there?" It seemed odd that only Izzavin were around if they had the cuffs until death or until the royal bloodline ended.

Not wanting to dwell on that painful topic, he dug his nails into the frame of the door.

"Were. There were twelve of us."

And with that, he vanished into the hall.

Easing into the foaming water, he sunk to the bottom so only his nose on up was out of the water. Not uttering a word, he slowly scrubbed away the grim that littered him. Blood from the other dragons still clung to his horns and the blood of the herbivore was still visible in his hairline too.

Once he was done lathering himself up, the green haired man decided it was time to return. A fresh bucket of water dousing him, he shifted from the bath to the warm stones nearby. With a fresh pair of clothes ready, he donned himself in his usual attire--black pants with black leather boots and a gray colored shirt beneath his custom-made black jacket. Running his finger through his wet hair, he fixed it so it no longer looked like a messy mop atop a head.

As promised, when Izzavin returned, he brought Zalanna to breakfast. Their host was kind enough to prepare steak and eggs for the travelers, saying that it was a treat for such a beautiful pair.

When Izzavin rose to help the old man get something off the top shelf, the woman of the inn made a bee-line to Zalanna.

"My dear, you're quite the lucky gal. It's not every day a man treats a woman with such respect. He truly looks at you as if you were a princess. Cherish his love and you'll never be alone." Grasping Zalanna's hand, she gave the dragon-girl a firm squeeze. "Helps that he's easy on the eyes too. Ho ho ho, you are quite the lucky little lass!" Scurrying away before Izzavin caught wind of her match making, the woman hustled into the back room to retrieve the eggs and meat.

"Enjoys, sweethearts," she said in a tone aged with love. Turning her back to Izzavin, she shot Zalanna a wink before returning to the kitchen. "If ya cuties need anything, be sure to holla."

Izzavin, mildly amused by the title she bestowed upon them, just shook his head. He seemed happy, as if nothing where wrong. Only, when he noticed that Zalanna was acting rather unusual, he lost that chipper spark. His face fell solemn and the ghosts that plagued his eyes returned. With a long exhale, he drew a hand to the bridge of his nose.

"I suppose that wasn't very fair of me to end things on that note. I'm sorry." Cutting into the meat, he spoke. "To my knowledge, I'm all that's left. Gauss Auvryath made certain that those of us who were loyal to the Kennyrathem were slain. As far as he's concerned, I'm dead too. That night, those of us in the guard were targeted. Had I not been with your mother, I know I would have been next. But she a final request, telling me to save you and run. I felt like a coward, fleeing while my friends drew their last breath but I knew my mission was far more important than dying by the hands of the enemy. If you fell into Gauss' hands, he would have killed you. He would have cracked your egg and drank your yolk. With each gulp of the golden liquid, he would have grown stronger until the last of the Kennyrathem blood was gone."

Putting down his knife, he reached a hand across the table. "I...." He looked away. "I...." Pulling his hand back, he sighed again. It was hard to stomach eating but he knew he needed the food if they were going to take 4-days to get to the cave with the Bath of Faith.

"I can still remember their screams. I can see the look on their faces. The tears on your mother's eyes when it all happened. It's what taunts me night and day. The scent of scales burning. The tumbling of towers. The ravaging of your room. It's all...." His golden orbs glazed over. Small slivers of water pooled at the bottom lids. Sniffing in, he cast his gaze on the floor.

"I am a stone." He muttered to himself. "Unaffected."

The tears retreated and his emotionless gaze fell back in place.

"I had a choice. I obeyed orders. I can't change what I did but I can change what I do. I'm here of my own volition, not some oath I swore to your parents. I'm your knight, your guardian. Whether you want it or not."

Izzavin was quiet for a moment, though she could hear the wood groaning under the grip of his claws, splintering under the pressure. Zalanna felt her ears fall back as the male finally responded; his answer was short, almost curt before she left. She felt a cold fall onto her as her eyes watched the empty doorway; she had asked something she shouldn't have.

The woman eventually figured she, too, she clean up, though unlike Izzavin, Zalanna had no change of clothes with her. She followed the signs to the woman's bath and slipped inside. Dipping into the water, she peeled her clothing off as she sat in the warm water. It was refreshing, far different than bathing in ponds and streams, though even the cool water was nice. Using one of the bars of soap provided, the woman used it to clean some of the stains out of her clothing; blood and dirt seemed to cling to the delicate fabric but it wouldn't be able to withstand the dragon's cleaning abilities.

Pulling the fabric out of the water, she looked at it. It wasn't the same glistening white it had been, but it was close. Leaning out of the bath, she lay the clothing on a dry spot on the floor before returning to the water. She pulled the hair tie out of her hair, wrapping it around her wrist as she used the soap to scrub her long blue locks, fingers running through the to detangle her hair.

After feeling at least satisfyingly clean, Zalanna pulled herself from the water, returning to her still damp clothes. Picking them up, she looked around her before a warm breeze kicked up, drying the fabric the rest of the way. Pulling them back on, she did a once over and once satisfied, she began making her way back to her room where her and Izzavin met up again and they were off to breakfast.

The small inn was oddly not as dead as one would think with how far off the beaten path they were. People were talking and rather cheerful, not paying too much attention the green and blue haired people; then again, they weren't the only ones with strangely colored hair in there anyway. She was about to ask Izzavin more about that, something to get him distracted from her earlier conversation, when he got up to help someone on the other side of the eating area. She watched him for a moment, though another woman's voice cut in, distracting her from that.

Her eyes fell to a young woman, their host. She seemed quite gleeful to be waiting on the two as she gripped Zalanna's hands, talking about Izzavin. The first couple of sentences, her eyes drifted back towards the man, but as soon as the woman had mentioned how he treated her like a Princess, her blue eyes shot back to the woman, a look of disbelief on her face. The woman paid no mind to the look as she looked back at the green haired male, making a comment on his looks. Then, like a storm, the woman was gone, leaving a flustered Zalanna behind.

Izzavin had returned, though he said nothing, even when the woman came back and made a few more remarks about them. Was she taking them for a couple? Her eyes fell to the male, who was indeed quite handsome, but he was her mentour, a member of the Royal Guard. It was that thought that cause the woman's eyes to fall to the meal before her, recalling what she had said earlier. She slowly cut into the steak, not so much as a complaint out of her over the fact that it was cooked.

When the man started speaking again, Zalanna rolled her eyes to look at him, not fully on, but enough to just make out his features. When he said he believed he was the last one, her eyes fell to her meal once again. Gauss Auvryath, he wanted them all dead, the family and the guard. The way he spoke of her mother sending him off to save the egg and what Gauss's plans were for her before she was born made a pit in her stomach. She rotated her plate, putting the eggs the furthest away from her as she could as her face twisted in disgust.

She could hear the pain in his words, the images of it all playing in her head as though she were there. The cries and screams of dragons in pain, dying and the dead. They were slaughtered and killed without mercy; those that did it, led by this Gauss fellow? She could feel the tears pushing past her eyes at the images and how hopeless she felt in their task all of a sudden. This man, how long had he planned and prepared? Did he know she was still alive and was he preparing for that too?

Shaking her head, Zalanna took a slow deep breath. She couldn't let herself be afraid and doubt now, not when they were just getting started. Lifting her head, she rolled her eyes up, the last few tears sliding down her cheeks. She prayed up to the heavens, she prayed for guidance and courage, she prayed for direction and she prayed to her parents especially, that if what she were hearing were true, that they be with her through this journey.

Her eyes fell back to Izzavin as she spoke, her words meant to empower herself as much as they were to empower him. "We will rebuild," she said rather than asked for if her task were true, that was what had to happen. "The throne will be restored and peace will fall to the world again; we won't have to hid anymore." A small smile graced the woman's lips, though she was scared, the more she learned the more impossible the task seemed.

"Hide. Uh," he leaned forward with a cocked brow, "do I really look like I'm hiding?" His voice was rushed and low, it was obvious that he was taking slight offense to her comment. "Green hair? Horns? I'm no idiot. If I wanted to hide, I would have dyed my hair black by now and I would wear my hair up rather than down. Hell, I would even cut off my own horns, if I needed to hide."

With scoff, he turned his head to the side. "I do not hide!" Nose to the air, he snorted. "Why would I? I'm goddamn handsome. And frankly, I don't care if Gauss and his goons are after me. I've survived the past 124 years with my face completely exposed. Why hide now? If they want me dead, they'll have to put up one hell of a fight. Not to boast, but I've yet to lose a fight. And yes, even without my powers or ability to shift. And no, I don't need to weld a stupid ass gun. Small blades are all I need."

Pulling open his jacket, some shimmering objects could be seen alongside the inside breast pockets. "So no, I'm not hiding. Never have been. Never will be. I have nothing to hide from. If someone wants to call me out on my sins or bring me down, I will not make it a challenge."

With a slight cringe he laughed. "Well, I suppose I used to hide from you, but I had my reasons." Using that as the segway, he went on. "I didn't want you to be exposed to all of this just yet. I've been trying to gather intel on Gauss and his men. I'm also doing my best to get you all the materials you need to regain your strength. Since you hatched without your parents, your blood isn't as strong as it should be. The bloodlines needs to be restored. There are treasures to collect, pillars to unlock, and friends to be made. You and I, we cannot take down Gauss and his army."

Leaning back in his chair, he gave the woman a cold gaze. "Do you think I've done nothing for 124 years? Ha!" He leaned into the table, causing it to shift a bit. "As if, I'm already gathered up the the Northern Clan of Ice Dragons. They're small in number but they pack one hell of a punch. I've also been negotiating with La'anish of the Arabian Desert. Her flight of sand and fire dragons are more than ready to march on your behalf. Oh," his gestures were truly dramatic at this point, "princess you have no idea what I've been doing while you've been growing. Trust me when I say this, I need no prep talk to motivate me to take down Gauss. The lies he's spewed and the crimes he's committed, I will make him pay."

Izzavin's lip curled as a snarl hissed across his lips. "You might be fighting for your throne and land but I'm not. I'm fighting for all those who lost their lives that night. I'm fighting for the kingdom that I turned my back on and I'm fighting for peace that my friends died trying to defend."

As Izzavin leaned in, Zalanna couldn't help but pull herself back, setting her silverware on the table as she tucked her chin down. Her eyes remained glued on the ground as he continued on his tirade, no doubt pulling the attention of the rest of the inn for he didn't seem to be keep quiet at this point.

Her hands were under the table, she could feel her ears growing warm as she gripped her fingers tightly. She tried to keep her breath slow and calm but the knot in her throat was painful; she couldn't lift her eyes to look at the man.

What purpose did she serve then? Clearly he had been doing fine with everything up until now. The words she had spoken, meant to encourage them both, fell flat, turning more to a blade than a shield for the woman. Did he think so little of what she was trying to acheive? That it was all just for taking back her throne and land? She lost a family she never knew, people who cared for her dearly, though she wasn't born died that night and now, now that she was trying to keep herself encouraged to go on after learning about their opponent, she was met with venom from the only person that has so far claimed to be a guardian for her? That knew the past that she didn't?

His hiss hurt and once he was done talking. Zalanna stood, her chair harshly scraping across the ground and with her eyes kept low, she turned away from the table and made her way to the door. It slammed behind her as her bare feet made contact with the cool soil, though it wasn't necessarily her that slammed it but the wind that was suddenly picking up.

Her long haired whipped about her face as she started walking in the direction they were planning to head on over the next few days. Though, only now the storm would be much sooner than she had predicted as the wind was no longer warm, but carried the coolness of a storm. She lifted her palms, pressing them tightly against her cheeks, wiping away the tears that had been falling for quite some time. Her gaze remained low, only high enough to keep herself from running into anything or anyone.

The screeching sound of wood on wood echoed throughout the inn. When had it fallen silent? When had all eyes landed on the pair? And when did he become so blind? As she fled, her tears flew onto the floor. The sound like bombs dropping to his ears. Each tear brought a numbness to his skull and soon a ringing noise drowned out all the other noises. Then, he was left with nothing but the cold realization as to what he had done.

The once cold features fell pale and his lips were now ajar. Disbelief washed over his face as he stared at the slamming door that greeted his malevolent outburst.

Why had he spoken to her in such harsh tones? What caused him to believe that she didn't love her kingdom, her family as much as he? So what if she wasn't alive? She never knew freedom and that alone was enough to fight for. But this was Zalanna, a sweet and innocent woman, much like her mother, who loved all. She wouldn't stop at freedom, she would stop only at peace. And there he was, boring into her like she only wanted the crown.

Zalanna was no Gauss. She brought hope. Brought feelings. she brought redemption. And Izzavin? Heh, he was putting up a nice blockaded. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn he still bowed to the storm dragon, Gauss. Just thinking of such made Izzavin's face transform again. His brows curved downward and that nasty look came back onto his face. It was the face he wore the night he took Zalanna's mother away from her.

Pent up rage erupted inside. He could not believe that he cast his hatred of Gauss onto Zalanna. They were nothing alike and yet, her he was, treating her like him. She sought salvation. He sought damnation. Complete opposites and yet he couldn't tell them apart.

With each passing second, his anger heightened. At this point, he could hear himself blinking. It was a dull thudding noise that ran in the back of his brain. Only then, when his eyes didn't blink, did he realize he wasn't hearing himself but rather her footsteps clashing into the ground beneath her feet. Even a wall and the bodies within couldn't keep his focus off her.

Since when had she become his life? He knew deep down that he had grown fond of her, but he never truly knew why. It was in that moronic moment of ill-spoken words that it finally hit him.

"Zalanna," his antics were highly bizarre for what man chose to jump over the table rather than going around it. Still, this was Izzavin. He did have green hair and horns, so it wasn't too far-fetched that he would be an oddball in all facets of life!

Grabbing his bag, as well as hers, he flew out the door. He need not lift his nose to the wind for his ears were still listening to her upset march toward the unknown. However, with quick glance to the heavens, he made mental note that he was likely to blame for the sudden change in weather. Celestials were known for their ability to follow a storm. He could only imagine what happened when you snapped at one and made her feel useless.

As he ran after her, Izzavin felt just too slow. Kicking off his boots, he quickly dropped them into his bag. Toed claws digging into the earth, a snarl seized his face. "Silly princess, did I not tell you I had speed?" She had covered a lot of ground in a rather small amount of time, which was impressive. Even so, that was nothing compared to what came next.

Like a lightning bolt, his body became a blur. Whizzing down the path and soon into the woods, he made an arc around the route. The whole purpose of this was to 1) not overshoot his target for he was truly as fast as lightning now and 2) to make sure she couldn't smell him coming.

Using a dab of the anti-scent potion, he made his way down her path just a bit further. When she eventually crested the hill, he would be there on his knee, awaiting her forgiveness. Of course, he didn't expect it to come easily so whatever came next, he would just bit his tongue and let it play out.

Or at least that's what he wanted to do.

Instead, he was unable to stay knelt. Stepping ahead, he stood with arm holding arm atop the hill.

"Zalanna," he spoke her name as if it were a melody.

With crestfallen expressions, he gingerly dipped into a kneel before his princess. His face already wore the look of guilt, knowing full-well that he was the cause of her pain. He seemed like a beaten dog, doing all he could to make his master crack a smile.

"I..." his golden gaze rolled up to met her blue orbs. Heart practically beating out of his chest, he froze. How could he apologize to her? Sorry would not suffice. What he had said and done could never be forgiven. And what killed him the most was knowing that he hurt her. He hurt her, the woman he claimed to cherish. How was that even possible? What kind of man did that make him?

Head rolling to his chest in defeat, he grit his teeth and fought back this tears. As far as he was concerned, his blew any and all chances of having something with this woman. Henceforth he would simply be her knight.

Leaves were rustling and beind blown off branches, smaller, weaker branches were snapping and falling to the ground as the woman walked, her face stained with tears. She finally lifted her head, watching the path she had taken hoping that somehow she would at least be able to manage getting to the first trial. Though she felt she was far from capable of saving the Land of Dragons, she wanted to try and save that which she did not know. She tried to imagine the parents she did not know and that they were indeed with her, guiding her when Izzavin had deemed her so unworthy. In her mind she created images of them encouraging her, walking with her. Of course, this didn't help the flow of tears any.

What would her parents have done in that situation? Zalanna didn't know; Izzavin spoke of her mother as caring, her father as fearful but at that point, she didn't know how anyone could have seen her as their child. She wanted to though, she wanted to believe for that gave her a place in her world.

She then stopped, her eyes cast up towards the grey clouds that were rolling in. "Is this what I'm supposed to do?" She yelled up to them, though they're movements offered no answers. She then fell to her knees and in a much quieter voice she said, "I don't even know if I am who I'm told I am." Tears slid slowly from her eyes and down her cheeks. She wanted that longing and emptiness to be filled, yet for all she knew, Izzavin could have been leading her off to her death. He could have been tricking Rita all this time, or they could have been working together; dragons fetched a very high price and for one with blue hair as she had, those were the rarest of them all, who could refuse that price tag.

Sucking in a breath she pushed herself to her feet, forcing herself onward. If that were really the case, she wouldn't go down fight. She would unleash everything that she could muster to avoid such an outcome. Still, that didn't encourage her goal of saving a Kingdom she knew nothing about, a Kingdom that had always just been a story, a legend.

Continuing on with hollow resolve, Zalanna started making her way up the hill and as she neared its peak, she froze. A breath was caught in her throat as she saw Izzavin kneeling before her, before standing calling out her name. Eyes wide, she looked at the man with fear in those blue orbs. The wind began swirling around her, creating a calm where she was but a wall all around her. As the breeze began to pick up to shield her, it gathered leaves and braches as well as small rocks. She couldn't run, seeing the man before her, though he looked sorrowful, she was rooted in place. She wanted to run but knew it was useless, he had already passed her at this point.

Head still facing the ground, he need not raise it to see what she was doing. As the air pressure around him shifted, he could sense a storm coming. Not one of Mother Nature's dictation either, one of Zalanna's own creation. The temperature dropped and, off in the distance, he thought he heard the familiar rumble of thunder.

If he was quick on his toes, which was he, he could escape all of this. Zalanna didn't need him, this much was clear. Tsuri had done a fantastic job in raising the woman. Zalanna was raised without a man and knight, so why did she need one now?

The wind continued to pick up and pierced his ears with its howling bellow. Blinking, he slowly shifted his stance, allowing the nails on his feet to root to the ground. If she were to launch an attack at him, he could at least try to stay still.

But, again, his mind ran off to fleeing. If she shot him with a gust of wind, he could vanish. Forever. And never have to deal with this woman and her kingdom again. It was his fault that it lay in darkness. It was his fault that the king lost his strength to fight. Had he not killed the queen, all would have been well. But no, he volunteered to slay the woman that helped raise him. He rose up and said he would do it and with a devious gleam to his golden orbs. It was he who brought peril to the kingdom.

Death, he deserved every bit of it. If she could suck away his life, he could finally end this miserably life he walked. He could forget about the lifeless eyes of his mother's corpse. He could forget the tearful eyes of the queen as she whispered her apology to him. And he could forget the sound of Zalanna's tears as he berated her for encouraging him to stand beside her.

All of this, he could finally forget.

As darkness swelled within, the nightmares returned. Only, this time they were different. Her bloody hand no longer reached for his. Instead, she snaked away, fearful of him. Zooming out of his vision, he saw himself caked in blood, her blood. A blade in his hands was laced with her blood. With disbelief, Izzavin continued to focus on the vision that played before him. It was just too much. Why had things twisted to this level? Why was it he who stabbed and killed his mother? He did her no harm! He was merely a boy, frightened with fear beneath a bed.

The fear immobilized him. No matter what Zalanna did, his body wouldn't flinch or move. He was a stone in a storm. Unaffected and lifeless.

Why, why was his mind playing cruel tricks like this on him? He forced the vision of him to drop the knife. As the knife fell, Izzavin watched as the little boy grew into a monster. Large, white wings were tainted black. Blood was spewed across the chest. And the mother that once was, was now laying dead on a throne.

Looking to his hands, Izzavin saw only soiled claws. No, what was that? Forcing the haze away he spied... a heart.

Eyes flicking to the body on the throne, he felt numbness wash over him. Had he really ripped the queen's heart out? He didn't remember that. He thought he stabbed her... not lunged his claws into her chest.

This was... this was all wrong.

All twisted.

This wasn't what happened!

As his hands trembled and tears blurred his eyes, the body on the throne shrunk. No longer a dragon, a woman with blue hair sat limp and lifeless across a blood red canvas.

Zalanna.

But how, how did she get there? And why didn't she stop him? How did she not fight back?

Staggering back in shock, Izzavin found himself sitting on uneven ground. Daring to gaze down, he saw what tore at him the most--the bodies of all those that perished the night he betrayed the kingdom. As the skulls of his friends and flight cracked beneath his weight, a rush swallowed him. Down, down, down he fell until his hallow thud echoed alone in the dark.

"Izzavin Larrak," a voice rich with vain broke from the darkness, "you have truly shown your worth. First you mother, then the queen, and now the princess. My, my, I applaud you on a job well done."

From the darkness broke a face, Gauss' demonic face. "Join me. Become my dark knight. Rise with me so we may lay claim to this pathetic planet. Together, we shall bring the world into the next Dark Ages."

Grit teeth, eyes closed, the satanic laughter of Gauss reverberated all around him. Shaking him to the core, Izzavin broke stance and clawed his skull. Ripping at his horns, which were stained with the blood of all those he had murdered, he tried to end it all. With each passing second, his nails grew longer and the cuts into his head thicker. If the madness from within the mind didn't stop, this would be the end.

"Izzavin Kennyrathem, my child, what ails you tonight?"

A light shined off in the distance. Pausing, he gazed toward it to see what lingered off in the corner.

"My queen, I cannot sleep. I keep seeing that night whenever I close my eyes."

"Then let me close your eyes for you. Let me sing to you the sweet dreams and pleasant lullabies."

Claws falling from his head, Izzavin remained lost in his visions. The pleasant song of the queen filled his head but was cut-off when a foreign voice spoke within his mind.

"Let the light guide you, son. Trust in the should-be Princess of Dragons. Do not let your fear stop you from following the path you were born to walk. Break past the walls and prove you've what it takes to become the Order this world needs."

Blinking, the color of the world came flooding back to Izzavin. Brows furrowed and confusion on his face, he glanced around to see just where he was.

A harsh wind chipped at his face, causing his mind to feel numb. Glancing down, he spied a lot of blood. His confusion grew for why was there blood? Eyes snapping forward, he saw that Zalanna was still welled up in her wall of wind.

If this isn't her blood then....

His horns ached, as did his head. With each pounding whip of the wind, he felt his body grow weaker. His stomach, in knots, seemed ready to spill.

Quivering hand reaching for his head, he drew back the hand to see what he feared. His own blood.

With painful groan, his heart sunk. Although those visions were just dark nightmares, they were enough to cause his external body to inflict harm upon itself. This cause him much alarm for if he could hurt himself, who was to say he couldn't hurt Zalanna.

"Trust in yourself. Trust in her. She will not abandon you as you fear."

The male's voice from before spoke again. Glancing around, he felt a strange ray of light shining down on him. Whatever it was, inner-conscious of whatnot, it was working.

Sucking in his breath, he rose slowly to his feet. Firmly, on tip-toes, he shifted forward. No matter how strong her wind, he wouldn't stop until he had reached the eye--her.

Step by step, smacking branch after dirt to the eye, he moved to her. Hand's reach away, he held his hand hesitantly at his chest. He wouldn't falter. He couldn't falter. She needed to know that he, her sworn knight, was in it for the long haul.

Eyes forced and forward, he phased through his barricade of wind. As it torn into his flesh, he kept on going. Blood from his head seemed to peel away, soon swirling out and onto the ground around her vortex.

Finally, as the air became impossible to breath, he touched her. His breath ripped away with the whirlwind around him, he felt his life slowly ride away with the wind.

Would she stop? He questioned her.

No, he forced that thought out. She would stop. This was a Kennyrathem. She was forgiving, just like her mother. She would do the right thing, just as he was doing the right thing. He wasn't giving up on her and he wasn't running.

The wind torrent had picked up to the point that between breeze and debris, Zalanna couldn't see through it; its fury clouded her mind as its intense power washed over, no, through and within her. Thoughts kept flying through her mind as rapid as the winds blew around her. What power do you have to rule a nation, they would whisper. You destroy all that you touch, just look at you. A large creature of darkness loomed over her; his size was massive, towering over the trees, its grin was wicked, just seeping with tales of destruction.

A deep, rolling chuckle that sounded like thunder reverberated in her ears. Just imagine what I could do with you, the voice taunted. Zalanna's breathing picked up; she did not recognize this voice, but it was dark and it was evil. The looming darkness became darker as it flooded over her, darker and darker until no light shone through.

Have faith, my child, a woman's voice echoed. A pinprick of light pierced the darkness. Faith. Courage. Wisdom and Love. You have those in you, but now, now you need faith. Believe, then like a bolt of electricity striking her, the light exploded all around her, a surge coursing through her body.

Zalanna's breath heaved as though she had been hold it for some time now and looking down at her arm, she saw a hand and soon the course of energy that struck her fell into place. "Izzavin," she whispered before her eyes widened as the torrent whipping around her came into focus. "Izzy!" She yelled and the winds stopped suddenly.

The woman fell to her knees before the torn up male, her hands gripping the side of his face. "Izzy," she cried. "I'm so sorry." She wrapped her arms around the taller male, the only thing going through her mind was the condition of the dragon before her. "I'm so, so sorry." She held him close, her face buried into his chest.

Exhausted, Izzavin collapsed into her arms. Second by second, his breath returned. With each pump of oxygen to the lungs, his color returned to his face and his eyes seemed to brighten. At her apology, the man could only hush her. She need not apologize for her actions for it was he that pushed her to this.

"Shhh," his gentle hands stroked her hair. "A princess never apologizes for her justified actions." Coddling her head in his arms, the green haired man found his smile. This, this is what he wanted most. To hold someone close and to never let them go. Granted, it was the fear of her leaving him that probably kept him from releasing her. Still, she didn't seem too eager to escape. At least not yet.

When it finally seemed time, Izzavin pulled away. Body sore from getting torn into, he winched. With grit teeth, he glanced down at his hands. They were raw and trembling for the skin was nearly peeled off. He could only imagine what his face looked like--chapped lips, burnt cheeks, and highly exposed wounds around his horns.

Stepping back, Izzavin knelt while raising a palm up to her. He bowed his head slightly before realizing that she had no idea what he was doing. "Uh, right." His golden eyes shot to her. "As a royal, you can will part of your strength to another. Although royals are the most powerful, they are not always the best of fighters. In times of great peril, a royal will gift their strength and magic to another so that he or she may fight in their place. After all, if the royal dies, the kingdom falls. It's wise for a royal to bestow their magic upon a trusted guard or warrior to serve in their place."

He looked to the side with a smirk on his face. "When it's time for you to reclaim your kingdom, I will be the one to fight Gauss--with or without your blessing. As many dragons will only just be getting their powers returned, they will likely need your guidance. And guiding and fighting is hardly easy." He smirked again. "We will discuss this in more detail when we're ready for it. Until then, you just worry about yourself and learning the culture. Leave the fighting to me."

Eyes on his palm, he explained the process. "Hover your palm over mine. Close your eyes and breath in the world around you. Find my chakra, my aura, and will your magic to me. You'll likely be able to see it. Magic looks pearlescent to the mind so you'll probably see some shimmering lights form a bubble around yourself. There are two means of sharing powers. The first is defense. With each push and pull, it'll slowly expand until it engulfs me. Once I'm covered in your magic, little will be able to hurt me as you'll be shielding me with the highest level of magic there is. However, as soon as you break meditation, the shield falls and, for brief moment, you're completely vulnerable. The other method, the one I'm seeking, is a transfer of strength. Focus on your palm. When it begins to glow, shift the energy downward into my palm. The brighter my palm grows, the stronger I'll become. Likewise, the weaker your palm grows, the weaker you'll become."

Shooting a smile up at her, Izzavin could sense the wonder she had in all he said. "It's a pretty extraordinary thing. Since your mother and I had a close bond, she willed the last of her strength into me the night of her death. It's how I was able to escape the palace without anyone seeing me. Her magic was so strong that it more or less erased me from the world. I was completely invisible to both eyes and scent. It was... amazing. In and out. No one saw me coming. And no one could get their hands on you."

Piping up again, he bit his lip. "A word of caution with this power. The weaker your bond to the dragon you're bestowing magic upon, the harder it'll be. Often times, a royal will mark one knight or warrior as their own. The bond between royal and guard becomes so powerful that the transfer of magic no longer requires careful concentration. Merely thinking his name will grant him the strength he needs."

"But we're not there yet. So for now, you'll just have to think hard about giving me some power. Not a lot though. I just need a little bit. Since I would visit you two to four times a year, I have more magic to me than most. Normally, I would be able to perform my ability but, due to taking on a torrent of wind, I'm not quite up to snuffs yet."

Easing back into his relaxed state, he closed his eyes. What was truly amazing was the fact that, during his conversation, he was able to keep his palm upturned and held high. Clearly he had patience, likely a sign of a well-trained guard knight.

Zalanna could feel the weight of the male fall around her as she sobbed into his chest. Stroking the top of her head, the man worked to calm the woman, telling her that she didn't need to apologize for her actions. Her hands tightly gripped his shirt as she shook her head; though he said her actions were justified, it did not mean that she had the right to attack him like that.

When he pulled away from her, her hands ached slightly from how tightly she had been holding onto him. Eyes dancing across the male, she was filled with a horror over what had happened. She had caused this, all this pain, which was what she thought as she was unaware of the demons that had plagued the male at the same time.

She watched him step back, kneeling before her, palm up as though he were expecting her to hand him something. From her spot on the ground, Zalanna looked around her for a moment, then back to the male, not quite sure what was going on at that point. Thankfully, Izzavin seemed to be aware of this as he lifted his head to explain it to her. She could part with her strength? Looking down at her hands, then back at the male she listened to the male. She had no idea the amount of power that still wasn't unlocked within her; while that was the most she had tapped into at this point, she thought that still did more than enough damage. The reasoning made sense though; she would sooner part with as much strength as she needed to keep the world falling into the state that it was at that point.

Her brows knit together at the thought of him fighting Gauss; she wouldn't let him to that alone, not when she had something to prove to everyone that fell and those that suffered because of him. His words, telling her to leave the fighting to him, told her that even when that fight came, he would probably disapprove of her involvement in combat.

As he went on explaining how to transfer power, Zalanna quickly began scooting towards the male. The dirt and rocks hurt her knees though, she she stood up and walked towards him. One hand was clenched in front of her chest as the palm of the other hovered over his hand as directed.

She closed her eyes, letting the world around them engulf her, engulf her senses. Taking slow, deep breaths she just let the world's energies flow about them. She slowly felt herself fall into those energies, searching for what he was describing. The power to transfer protecting and power; was this something that any dragon could do? Izzavin said royals could do it, was it just limited to them?

Zalanna could sense his facial expression change, his words no longer telling her how to do it but talking of her mother. She could feel a warmth fill her, a warmth that reminded her of the voice she heard that broke the windy torrent. Trust and faith, she had to believe. She had to believe in the dragon before her and she had to believe that she had the power to do what Izzavin was asking for her. He needed her power for his ability, but what ability was that? She knew very little about the male so doing the transfer could be very danger-- No, trust, she had to trust him.

She found the glowing, shimmering orb and bubbles that she spoke of. It wasn't too far away; was that because they were so close? But it was him, she knew it was for the feeling of that magic was warm and familiar. But how exactly did she transfer it now? The warm, comforting feeling that had come to her remained and everything just seemed to fall into place. The torrent.

It looked as though streams of air erupted for around the woman's feet. The wind wasn't destructive, but warm and full of energy. It flowed upward in a white glittering glow. It grew larger and faster as though it were building up power before Zalanna reached for Izzavin's energy. The power stream reacted to it and went flying at the male. Though as it neared his power, it didn't blast it or rush through it, rather it swirled about it like it had the woman. The warmth of its energy wrapping around the other as it seemed to dance.

As the last of the energy reached the male, Zalanna felt drained. A cold sweat dotted her brow and her breaths were short. Opening her eyes, her vision was clouded, her head felt light and dizzy. The world was spinning around her, though it also probably had something to do with the fact that she was falling.

A sudden jolt of energy pulsed through his veins. If this was a little bit of power, he feared what a lot (or all of it) would do. Eyes opening, he caught Zalanna's wavering just in time. Quick dash forward and he was holding the exhausted woman in his arms. She looked drained beyond belief, clearly unaware of just how much power she pushed from herself and into the male.

"Uh, Princess, I thought I said I only needed a little." Rubbing foreheads with her, he tried to comfort her. At this point, he didn't care what his nuzzling signified. He was beyond proud of her. She had managed to transfer her power, even if it was most of it, and done so without many issues. Well, save for the fact that it was too much, but how was she to know what too much was.

Once he was done nuzzling her like a cat, he pulled back his head and beamed down at her. Despite his body being littered with cuts, he looked unbelievably well. Like her magic was enough to shake him of his ailments and exhaustion.

"You're just lucky I so happen to be a certain type of dragon." Gingerly, he laid her body on a patch of grass. Slipping back, he dropped to his rump with his legs crossed over one another. Forearms parallel to the ground, he locked his hands together so only the index fingers pointed upward. Head bowed and eyes closed, he called forth his powers.

Body lifting from the ground, a warm glow spun around him. As it swirled to create a perfect sphere around the green haired male inside, Izzavin vanished until a solid golden orb levitated before Zalanna's eyes. Then, like the unfolding of a dragon's wings, the golden sphere broke apart and flew into the sun. As it raced away from the glowing body, the wings become translucent until they became nothing with the wind. All that was left behind was the glowing golden nude form of Izzavin. Although nude, his body revealed nothing, save for a pair of wings that seemed to spread out from behind him. As the wings opened further and further, the sun seemed to direct all its rays toward it.

Then, with the opening of his eyes, the golden gleam fell. Wings vanishing within seconds and Izzavin's human form, fully clothed, returned.

His toes tapped the ground and he seemed to move in slow motion as he came to. Blinking again, his eyes jumped to his hands. They were no longer scarred or red. In fact, all the injuries inflicted upon him were gone, save for the one scar on his cheek. His skin, flawless as ever, continued to radiate that buttery golden glow. He truly was a sight to see at this point.

Stepping toward Zalanna, he stopped just short of her. Palm facing her, his eyes closed before opening. When they opened, his eyes were completely white, glowing like the sun on a snowy day. Weird marks swirled around the hand that reached out toward her. Then, his fingertips glowed and soon the rest of his hand followed suit.

Gently, he tapped his index finger square on her forehead. In that very instance, the energy that was missing rushed back into Zalanna. Her strength returned, as did her color. The sweat danced away into the glowing white palm as did the look of exhaustion in her eyes. It was a perfect trade, strength for fatigue.

Swiftly pulling his hand from Zalanna, he closed his fingers on his palm. With calculated exhale, the white glow vanished from his eyes and hands until all returned to normal.

Blinking slowly, Izzavin turned his gaze back to Zalanna. "Most Royal Guard dragons are of the earth flight. Me? I was the exception to the rule. Your mother saw use in my powers. I can reflect attacks and unleash a heavenly beam of pure light on foes. But, more importantly, I can heal."

The fast return of her powers was probably unnerving so rather than waiting for her to regain her composure, Izzavin slid a hand beneath her. Hoisting her up, he carried her in his arms. If she protested, he had an answer. "You just drained yourself of everything. I just gave it back. Your body needs to rest a few minutes before you can just go back to walking. When you're ready, I'll put you down. Although," he glanced down at his torn jacket, "I could use the weight training. Unlike you, I'm not naturally gifted at being insanely powerful." Of course, he hoped she wouldn't assume that he was completely useless. Although not physically strong, Izzavin's ability to draw strength from both moon and sun was a great help. If he soaked up enough rays, he beam of light could really do a number on things--and that was the ace he would leave up his sleeve until his final battle with Gauss.

"So, since I'm sure you're dying to ask me more questions, ask away." His lips formed an 'O,' as if he realized something. "And since you did destroy my favorite jacket, I expect a new one. Unlike you, I'm too lazy to shift completely into a human. Can't have people seeing my lizard-robot arms."

The woman smiled breathlessly as Izzavin caught her, rubbing his forehead on her own as he told her he only needed a little power. "I did it though," she said softly as she leaned against him for support. She was so tired though, so she barely noticed when he moved her and laid her on the ground.

A certain type of dragon. Turning her head, she tried to focus on the male as much as she could, which was growing easier as her body started to calm down from the transfer.

Izzavin took a seat on the ground some ways away; he appeared deep in thought as his posture changed and soon, he was lifting off the ground, gold swirls whisking around him before he was soon engulfed in a sphere of golden light.


Her eyes followed as the orb broke into the sky, giving the appearance of beautiful, gold wings. She followed those wings back to the now golden male; the sight was too beautiful to even think about the fact that he wore nothing.

Zalanna blinked a few times as the view suddenly faded away, returning the green haired male back to his former appearance, and literally so for the wounds that had been inflicted upon him were gone. There seemed to be a glow about him that wasn't there before.

Her blue orbs remained locked on the male as he made her way towards her; was this the true beauty of a dragon? She didn't know. Her eyes fell to the glowing that started around his hand, the designs just as beautiful as the orb and wings from before. As he touched her, she felt a gentle warmth, almost like that of when she was transferring her energy.

Then it felt as though that warmth hit her like a wave. She felt it flooding over her, filling her up and reaching places that had felt empty. Even though her eyes were open, they saw nothing but golden light. Once the light faded, Zalanna had to steady her breath from the energy that filled her.

Izzavin started talking about the types of dragons usually in the royal guard before going on about himself and how her mother had chose him specifically. A warm, but still tired tired graced her lips as she said, "Mother was smart about picking you then."

When he picked her up, Zalanna's face flushed. "What are you doing?" She nearly shrieked as her hands quickly braced themselves on his shoulders. He wasn't going to let her down; which made sense, her legs didn't feel like they could support her at this point. She also had a hard time believing that he truly needed the weight training after what he endured.

She turned, burying her face in his shoulder to keep him from noticing the bright pink that was sure to have reached her ears at this point. But why hide? Why the blush? She didn't know for certain, but something told her she had to blame herself for the windstorm for that.

Izzavin didn't seem to notice, or at least he didn't say anything as he brought up how his form wasn't completely human. Letting an arm fall to trace his she said, "Keeping your dragon qualities isn't something to hide." She tilted her head to see the spikes the were poking at the shoulder of his shirt. "Rita never let allowed me to show any of mine, but I think being able to show them off is a proud thing." As she tilted her head, she bumped his slightly; she was growing content though.

She was silent for a few moments, pondering what questions she should ask him. There was something slowly tugging at her mind and before the words had time to form in her head she said, "Can you tell me more about my mother and father?"

"No, I suppose you're right. And I do believe I had so curtly pointed out this morning that I don't hide." He wore a straight-laced face, not giving into the fact that he caused this whole argument of sorts. "Still, too much exposure has its problems. Much like Tsuri probably told you, dragons are rare and sought out. People want to own us as pets or sell us to the highest bidder. Some want us dead as our scales, heads, horns, and claws fetch a hefty price. As I am neither full-dragon nor pure human, I would likely get shafted into slavery or get sold on the black market to experimental groups." With a sigh, he frowned. "So even though I want to wear this look proudly, I cannot. This body holds too many secrets and, in the wrong hands, could be your very undoing. It's best if I keep my unorthodox looks on the down low, like you."

Even though he was carrying the princess, his pace was just as quick as ever. Hill nor slope didn't falter his speed. Izzavin was consistent, almost predictable.

"And let's see. I can't say I know your father too well as I served on your mother's side of the guard. Er, maybe I should step back and explain the guard quickly."

Clearing his throat, he slapped a grin on his face. "As I told you earlier, there are twelve. Six on your father's side and six on your mother's side. Each had their 'knight of preference.' Your father's most trusted right-hand knight was an Earth Dragon named Cyrah. He's actually the one that helped train me. Very nice guy, you would like him. He and your father spent too much time together to the point that you mother questioned if he was going to leave her for his beloved Cyrah. Both were known to get too giddy and touchy-feely when drunk. Some rumors swept across the guard that your father and Cyrah were caught napping together one time, though we found no proof of this!"

He laughed. "Only reason I know all of this is because." He stopped to smile. He seemed proud, almost honored in whatever he was going to say next. "Your mother was training me to be her right-hand knight. I wasn't of age yet to accept that role so I was training under Cyrah. Her previous knight passed away at the age of 764. He had been serving her family for centuries. She was supposed to promote a knight by the name of Elvain, an Earth Dragon. However, when she found me on the streets and decided to bring me in, she decided that she wanted me instead. Oh did your father and Elvain protest! But your mother won't let them have a say in her knight."

Izzavin was still grinning, truly enjoying the story he told. "Why, I remember Cyrah egging your father on to the point of making fun of me. Saying that the royal guard was to be made up of only the toughest of dragons. That I wasn't cut out for it as I wasn't an Earth Dragon. They're massive creatures with stone-like scales that can endure a lot. And, compared to them, I was a scrawny little thing.

"Soon, all of the royal guard, all eleven were around me. They laughed and called your mother crazy. But, in that laughter, she reached me and told me to show them. So, I did. I transformed from man to dragon. As my wings flew out, all stepped back in awe. For as young as I was, my wings were large. Not to mention, my colors are a rare treasure. Pure white dragons, dragons of white magic, are just as rare as celestials."

He bopped Zalanna in the nose. "You're a celestial like your mother." And back to his story he went.

"As I stood before the royal family and their guards, your mother just beamed. Her grin went from ear to ear. She had silenced the nonbelievers. And, with quick retort, told them, 'See, I said he would do.' She was never the boastful kind but boy, the look on her face said it all. She had won."

Slowly, his smile faded. "I wish you could have met her. You two are so alike. You share her hair color and eyes, only yours are lighter. But you have your father's spunk and enthusiasm." He smirked. "I don't know much about your dad, but I can tell you that he was a jolly man. Very kind and welcoming. He loved to laugh. He had one of those laughs that would echo throughout the palace and cause all to smile. He was loud but enjoyable."

He started to laugh. "He was also a mess. Heavens, your mother tried so hard to keep the palace tidy. But he? Oh, I swear he spent more time knocking things down. He wasn't clumsy; he was excitable. But knew he limits, which humbled him. Even though he was the embodiment of Courage and Wisdom, he was never cocky. He knew his weaknesses and he had fear. He knew that, without fear, you couldn't have courage. And without bouts of stupidity, you couldn't be brilliant."

Setting Zalanna down for he had been carrying her for at least ten or so minute now, a blush caught his cheeks. "Uh," he glanced away and carefully pushed up her sleeve. Peeking back quickly, he let out a sigh when he saw he didn't make things worse.

"Anyway," he cleared this throat again, "your dad had bright hair. It was the color of fire--reds and oranges. He had steel gray eyes. As you're probably guessing, he was a Fire Dragon. And in his full glory, he was a sight to see. His body was a smokey ash color that seemed to shift and shimmer with the shadows and light. It almost looked as if he were made of smoke. And his wings? Ha! You could spot them from a mile away. They were alive with the flickering colors of red and orange."

He tilted his head to the side. "Well, the tips of your wings certainly resemble the colors of your father. Not to mention, I believe you had subtle hints of his orange and red throughout. Your base is much lighter though. White, I believe. Your mom wasn't as... light in color. If you ever looked to the sky at night, the colors above were her colors. Deep purples with flecks of silvery white. As a human, you look like your mom. But as a dragon, you took on your dad's colors. Granted, your species of dragon is the same as your mothers. You're just... not as space-oriented in colors as she was."

Zalanna sighed; though he was right about what Rita had warned her about, that didn't mean she liked it. To be forced into some type of hiding or risk whatever greed humans forced on them was a sad, sad fate. Her other had traced one of the larger spikes on his shoulder as images of dragons being pulled from their families flooded her mind. They weren't creatures to be bought or sold, they weren't slaves or trophies but humans were also the type to sell their own kind for profit as well. The woman had seen that before and it was why she wasn't allowed too far from the wagon too late at night.

Keeping her head on his shoulder, the woman could feel his voice vibrating even from where she lay. Closing her eyes she just let his words form the pictures of her head, though she had really no idea what to imagine. Two figures came to view, though she had no face nor appearance for them, then, 6 more shadowy figures stood to either side of the first two.

An earth dragon, what did those look like? If Izzavin could summon light, she imagined the earth dragons to be bulkier than he was. A smile formed on her lips as she imagined a carefree father and his favored guard enjoying their time together and what her mother's reaction must have been whenever she confronted them of going off together.

She started trying to imagine what these dragons looked like; how big was massive? A dragon essentially made of stone came to mind, but Izzavin gave very little details for her to try and imagine him. Smaller, that was all she knew.

Then, then he explained. Large wings, pure white; similar to her own coloring. Though, their magic was vastly different from one another. She turned her head, lifting it off the male's shoulder just in time for him to tap the tip of her nose. A Celestial? Was that what she was?

Zalanna then rested her head on the side of the male's, regardless if it made his story telling difficult, she felt comfortable there. She looked like her mother; the woman that came to view had her hair and darker eyes, she imagined she got her skin color from her too. It hurt somewhere in her heart that she was never able to meet these two, oh the fun it would have been to meet them, to see them first hand. The woman chuckled slightly as the way Izzavin described her father reminded her of Rita; it seemed she was always tidying up after the woman.

He was then moving her, setting her feet on the ground. This caught Zalanna slightly off guard and she quickly put her hand on his arm to steady herself. She probably should start walking for herself though.. She adjusted her clothing before looking up at the male, pulling her hand away. She hadn't noticed he had looked away to begin with.

As much as she would have loved to see the dragons known as her parents, to know what she resembled them even a little made her happy. She continued walking next to Izzavin, her legs growing less shaky after each step. She was silent for a little while, just imagining everything she was just told. "Did you love her? My mother, I mean." She asked, though as quickly as she did her eyes widened and she waved her hands in front of her, her face bright pink. What was she asking? Dragons mated for life and her question was very rude to both Izzavin as well as her parents. "No, nevermind," she then pulled back. She then tried to think of something, anything to ask to get away from that topic. "Um, what was it like to serve in the Royal Guard?" Yes, that was a good question, she nodded to herself.