Arrival

Chapter 3: Dragon- News

January, 1093 A.D.

\tTraining Kysael in the arts of scent and track hunting, hunting animals and people alike, wasn't as difficult as I had thought. I taught her to braid her growing hair to keep it out of her way, and it was embarrassing for me to admit that I'd had my mother give me lessons on how to braid so that I could teach Kysael. She often had issues with her hair getting in her face, but she was still very skilled despite that.

\tI had to be sure that, during her training and missions, she still maintained the appearance of a young lady. I made sure that she stayed bathed regularly, as the king often had her busy training and on missions and errands for him and did not care whatsoever for her hygiene. It made me sad to know that I was one of the few who cared about her as an actual person.

\tAnd yet, as she adjusted to being a weapon of war, having to shadow me the king...she was also facing other.... complications that no one else seemed to care about or take into account. The king often made hideous, ugly, vulgar comments about what he could do with her in his spare time, how she could truly service him, how she could have more use for him.

\tThe comments put things in her mind, made her think dirtier things, and it made things more...shall we say, difficult, as the person who was raising her.

\tI supposed it was because I was in charge of her, and I was raising her, but I had to help her learn how to deal with her.... developments.

\tShe was changing from a young girl into a teenager, and as such, her body was now going through changes that had me at my mother's door more often than not, asking questions, guidance, advice.

\tKysael was a great learner when it came to hunting, but when her teachers at the school had started teaching manners and etiquette, that was an entirely different matter.

\tOf course, since she had been removed from the school, the task of these matters fell upon myself and my mother, who often stayed with Kysael while I was working, if Kysael was home and not on some chore for the king.

\tKysael struggled to understand the concept of being a lady, and of puberty.

\tI had tried to explain to her, with my mother's help, that it was because she was becoming and young woman, and that women had to go through these changes in order to marry and reproduce, one of the most important factors in Elven society.

\tAnd yet...she couldn't understand, because the king had forbidden for her to marry or reproduce with anyone in the city. The only action she would ever see in the bedroom was if he decided to allow it.... or to implement it himself. The thought made me enraged.

\tMy vow had been to marry her when she reached that age, but I didn't know if the king would allow that or not.

\tKysael, though, thinking about what she was facing and going through, thought about marrying, mating, men...reproducing....

\tOften.

\tImagine a young Elven Lord, who had never been married or had children, who had never had much dealings with young women at all, really.... trying to raise a young Woodelf-Wraith hybrid girl and teach her about her body and puberty and....boys...

\tAs her body continued to develop, it was extremely awkward when I would happen to be coming over to visit Kysael in the evenings and I would hear her… rehearsing what she may say, in the event that she got to speak to a boy. I would cringe, hating that I was catching her during intimate moments of fantasy with herself and some dream boy that she had imagined for herself.

\tI knew that Wraiths married and mated even earlier than elves did. By their standards, it was as soon as a female started their monthly cycles that they were ready to mate and reproduce, not at the age of sixteen as it was in the Woodelf city. That would mean that it was already time for her to be married, in their culture.

\tI tried to keep in mind that the Wraiths were a Dark Realm species, and as such, they were much more.... sensually and sexually inclined than that of the proper, high class, high standing and stuffy Woodelf race.

\tAnd imagine how awkward it had been for me, in my position, to have to teach her about her monthly cycles when they had begun only a short time ago...

\tIt was only natural, I supposed, that she would begin having those.... types of feelings.

\tMy mother, unfortunately, was a proper, elegant Woodelf lady. She could not help Kysael with this problem, and was quite perturbed and uncomfortable with it, in fact.

\tFinally, I came by to Kysael's home late one night to hear her. She was being quite loud, in fact, not taking any care. I realized that she had fallen asleep with her windows open, and she was simply dreaming. But I'd had enough, and I decided to approach her about the situation at last. I unlocked her door with my spare key, and I slipped into her home, rushing quietly to the windows and securing them.

\t"Lord Dragon...?"

\tI sighed, and looked over to her as she was sitting up in her bed, watching me with tired eyes. I could see multiple questions there, but I knew that my presence was not one of them. She often woke to find me in her home, either covering her with her furs so that she would be warm, or bringing in fresh supplies for her that the supply carriers refused to bring to her door step and simply left at the edge of her property.

\tShe no longer questioned finding me in her home at night. She knew that I would come whenever I could after my work, to ensure that she was safe and healthy and had everything that she needed. That had simply always been my way.

\t"What is it, Kysael?"

\t"I've had another...uncomfortable dream," she whispered, and I could see her face, red even in the darkness, and I could practically feel the heat rolling off of her.

\tI sighed.

\tSometimes, I almost thought that Darah, another proper Woodelf lady, had been almost lucky to not have to face this situation.

\t"Kysael...." I started, hesitating. I tried to think of what I should say to her. "Come on, let's go have some tea." I helped her out of bed, and we went to the kitchen and I put on a pot of tea. "The...dreams...are occurring more often now, aren't they?"

\tShe nodded. "Almost every night, my Lord."

\t"It is.... perfectly natural to have these dreams."

\t"But your mother-"

\t"I know what my mother has told you. I know that she is not comfortable with it. But you are different. You are.... special."

\t"I know. I'm a weapon"

\t"That isn't what I meant. You are a Wraithling, Kysael. The Wraiths are a much more.... sexual race than we are. Young ladies in the Nae, or Woodelf, culture do not.... have wet dreams," I told her, my face warming up.

\t"Oh. Ohhh..."

\t"There is nothing wrong with it," I told her quickly. "You are perfectly natural, Kysael."

\t"I'm....burning," she told me. She gripped the front of her tunic, below her stomach.

\tAnd I knew exactly what burning she was talking about.

\tMy face is burning, I thought to myself.

\tKysael had always told me everything, but that was what I got. I was the one who was raising her, in any case. If I didn't teach her things...how else would she learn? I was one of the only ones teaching her.

\t"It is.... supposed to be that way," I said, treading cautiously, looking anywhere but at her.

\t"Oh," she told me. "How...how do I...?" She sighed. "This is so embarrassing."

\t"Do not be embarrassed," I told her. "It's natural."

\t"It doesn't feel natural," she grumbled. "How...how do I make the burning go away?"

\tI sighed, looking at her finally. "Well....normally, I wouldn't tell a young lady such a thing, and it is something that is typically considered to be only for young men, and frowned upon even then. Though of course, I know that there are young ladies who do it, but it isn't.... well, it normally isn't suggested, and it normally isn't.... approved."

\tHer eyes lit up, and she looked like I was about to tell her some amazing secret.

\tIf only I felt as excited as she looked, I thought, my face on fire.

\t"You can.... relieve yourself," I told her, trying to get it out of my mouth as quickly as possible. It left a bitter taste in my throat, and I looked away again.

\tThis wasn't a conversation that I wanted to have.

\tOf course, Kysael did not understand right away what it was that I meant, and of course, I would further have to be humiliated to make her understand. I sighed, and I had to strongly refrain from rolling my eyes.

\t"You know where it is that you feel.... that burning?" I asked her, unable to meet her gaze.

\t"Yes, my Lord."

\t"You can.... touch yourself, there." There. I'd said it. "If you start doing that...you should be able to figure out what it is that you do from that point onward, and know how to get rid of the burn."

\tShe smiled at me, so innocent in her inquiries and her thoughts that I couldn't even be angry about the situation. It truly wasn't something that she understood.

\t"Now, let's get back to bed," I told her as I took her tea cup and set it off to the side for me to clean up after she went back to bed. "Go on," I told her.

\tShe bowed lightly. "Thank you, my Lord."

\tI sighed, watching her walk away, back into her bedroom.

\tI had always told her that I would be there for her, and that she could come to me with anything.

\tI just hoped that she figured the rest of this out without having to make me have awkward late-night conversations with her.

\t.... It wasn't but a couple of nights later, that I came by after another long, late night at work to hear things that I absolutely and certainly did not want to hear.

\tI had stood still outside of the front door, freezing in place and closing my eyes, trying to block out the sound of her light noises. It was the first time I'd ever heard such sounds come out of her, and I realized that this was the first time that she was doing this. I could tell from how surprised she sounded in her small little gasps.

\tShe was so inexperienced, and it made me feel odd to know that she was doing that...and in that moment, I remembered my oath to marry her if the king allowed her to marry.

\tMy body felt hot. This was what she would sound like, in such a case....

\tI sighed softly, making my way quietly backward so that I didn't make a sound, and I turned and left as silently as I could. I didn't wish to intrude on her private moment.

\tI sighed, and I crossed my arms as I leaned against a tree nearby.

\tAnd I felt like I was boiling alive, my mouth curling into an uncomfortable frown as I listened to her light sounds grow into muffled, airy cries before there was a sharp muffled call, and then it got quiet.

\tI waited about half an hour before I went to her window, peaking in to check on her.

\tShe was back asleep, but her hair was tussled and her face shined lightly with a thin coating of sweat, and the blankets were rumpled.

\tI sighed. I was going to have yet another uncomfortable discussion with her so that I could tell her that she would need to learn to control her volume. And to try to remember to shut her windows.

*

September, 1095 A.D.

\t"Lord Dragon!" A thirteen-year-old Kysael called. She had just gotten out of class from my mother, as she was no longer allowed in the city school, and I tried to come by to be sure that she was alright after my mother left her before I had to go to my next shift of work. I jumped out of the tree that I was in, and landed on the forest floor in front of her.

\t"What is it?" I asked her, kneeling in front of her. The top of her head was level with mine, considering that she was so short and I was so tall. I tried to prepare myself for whatever it was that she could tell me.

\tShe smiled, twirling her braid around her hand. "A boy on my way home from the river told me how pretty I was today!" Her cheeks flushed. "But then his parents grabbed his arm and dragged him away..."

\tI chuckled. She always came to me, with everything that happened to her, and it gave me a sense of purpose. It made me feel confided in. It was unbearably uncomfortable in some situations, but that was alright. And despite that she was being trained as a weapon and tool for the king, and most of the people in this city treated her like an enemy, she still thought of having a future, and would blush and smile at those thoughts. It showed that she was still partly herself.\t

\tWe'd already made it through much of the awkwardness. "Well, he is right. You are very pretty. And how rude of his parents," I said softly. I knew that there were a few families who lived out in this area of the forest, close to the river. It wasn't often that Kysael had run ins with them, however, so today she was especially excited that she got to see a young boy her age who was innocently unaware of who and what she actually was.

\tHer cheeks got all the pinker, and I smiled at how cute it was.

\tShe was even wearing a gown, fancy that. She normally wore tunics and pants. She was such a tomboy.

\tShe rarely wore feminine clothing, despite how many dresses I and my mother had gotten for her, but there was nothing masculine about her face or hair, at least. She was beginning to blossom into a young woman.

\tHer waist was gaining definition, and her chest was just beginning to grow, making her bring more and more stories of boys noticing her back home, to my ears.

\t"Really?" She asked, shyly.

\t"Have I ever lied to you?" I asked her, and she shook her head. "Well, what do you think of the boy?" I asked.

\t"Well....he's nice, but he's not what I want from a man!" She folded her arms, trying to look sassy.

\t"And what, pray tell, are you looking for in a man?" I asked, amused.

\tAnd then she smiled, and met my gaze. "I want a man just like you, Lord Dragon!"

\tI gaped at her a moment. "Just...like me?"

\tShe nodded enthusiastically. "I want a man who is brave and passionate, strong, a man who is well respected, I want a noble, loving, devoted and honorable man. And I want someone who can love me, love me enough to let me keep my markings uncovered and let me be his lady!"

\tI smiled at her. "You will meet the right man, someday."

\t"But...I've kind of always thought that I had the right man already, but I've been too scared to actually.... tell him that." She played with the fabric of her dress nervously, the toe of one shoe pointing inward toward the other foot.

\t"Oh? And who might that be?" Though I had a feeling that I already knew her answer, it still surprised me to hear her voice it.

\tShe covered her face with her hands, and giggled. Then, with a bold exclamation, she squeaked "You, of course!" before she ran off.

\tLeaving my mind buzzing and my heart fluttering. She really thought that I was the right man for her, that she already...had me?

\tI had vowed to marry her, when she reached the marrying age. I knew the agreement that I had with the king, with our families.

\tBut then, the king had forbidden it. We were trying to find a way to change his mind, though, to let her find a man who she could come to love and to love her in return...

\tSurely there was a man somewhere in this city that would have the same level of honor and dedication that I had, right?

\tI smiled in spite of myself.

\tBut she was only thirteen. She had centuries of life left, and if she could find another to love, then I felt that may be better than being stuck with me for eternity.

\tShe would find someone else, I hoped. It was just because I'd always been around her, helping to take care of her, watching over her. I'd raised the girl.

\tI wrote it off as just a phase, a crush, and that it would pass. It seemed ironic though, that she would want me...when I had already sworn to marry her in just another three short years.

\tAnd once again, that was only if we could convince the king to allow it in the first place, but I'd made the vow all the same, even if I couldn't fulfill it.

\tBut I vowed to myself in that moment, that I would always remember what she wanted, so that I could make sure that if she did meet a man before we were to marry, he was what she wanted.

\tShe deserved that much. And if she wanted a man just like me, and he wasn't actually me, then....

\tI would make sure that the man she chose loved her even more than I did.

*

December, 1097 A.D.

\tI sat in my chair, my ankle resting on my knee, the daring young Assassin in front of me on his knees, holding his gaze to the floor.

\tI knew why he was here.

\tHis gaze rested on the floor, waiting for me to acknowledge his presence, to be given permission to lift his head and speak to me.

\tHe knew the custom for asking for a maiden's hand, that you were supposed to approach with caution and the utmost respect.

\tThat, and I also held a higher position in this city than he did.

\tI rolled my eyes, sighing. "You may approach, boy."

\tHe lifted his eyes, leveling me with a serious look. I saw the glow in his throat as he prepared to use his ability of persuasion on me, and I held up my hand.\t

\t"Don't you dare try that trick on me."

\tHe chuckled, keeping his cocky gaze locked with mine. "You are smarter than the King, I'll give you credit where it is due, my lord."

\t"Yes, well. We both already know why you are here."

\t"I would expect nothing less of you."

\t"Out with it then," I demanded.

\t"I am here to ask permission for Kysael's hand in marriage."

\t"And what do you think you can offer her? Assassins often have to leave for months at a time to complete their missions."

\t"It pays well," he concluded.

\t"It does," I agreed. "But Kysael has been along for long enough. She deserves a more.... present partner."

\t"Like you, my lord?" He asked, and I paused. I met him with my eyes, giving him my attention. "The king let a bit of...sensitive information slip with me earlier," he told me. "He told me how the great Lord Dragon of the Huntsmen clan had vowed to marry her when she was but an infant. I wonder, how would she feel knowing that the man she holds in such high esteem already had her entire life planned for her?" He let out a scoff, and a dark chuckle.

\t"It seemed to be the only option at the time," I told him. "It's not any of your business."

\t"You know, the King told me that I needed to get your permission to court and wed her, or else I wouldn't be here. I was raised proper, and that is the only reason I am being respectful and asking for your permission first."

\t"I do not approve of you, if that is what you are getting at."

\t"And who would you approve of, other than yourself? I've seen the way you look at her, my Lord. No one on this earth would be good enough in your esteemed opinion. I have to wonder; do you actually love her in that way? In the way that man loves woman?"

\tI was out of my chair in an instant, holding him up to the wall with a tightened fist in his collar, my eyes burning. "I love that girl more than you could comprehend, and it goes above and beyond such base, vulgar physical desire... Do not ever question my intentions with her again if you want a future with her," I said. He nodded, and I dropped him, stepping to glance out the window into the forest. "If it is her decision, she may marry you. But if she tells me that you used your powers on her, that she wasn't sure until you talked to her.... I will end you."

\t"It will be her choice. I will not persuade her."

\tI nodded. "Get out of my sight, then."

*

September, 1101 A.D.

\tThings had been rough since August.

\tKysael was always bothered, distracted, depressed. Kelose had still not talked to her.

\tMy patience was beginning to wear thin with the boy. I remembered when she had met Kelose, and I remember how strange it had been, to see her so immediately drawn to him while knowing, in the back of my mind...that I was already her fiancé, in a way.

\tI had already tied myself to the girl, and she was developing feelings for someone else. I stayed out of it, because I felt that she deserved a chance at happiness.

\tKysael was a special girl. Nobody knew how special she was.

\tI watched her hunting in the forest at night, after the sun had gone. She was beautiful and haunting.

\tShe could be cold. Sharp and sweet like a sword, all of her sorrow and grief, all of her pain locked inside of her in a secret place while she portrayed something entirely different to these people that didn't know her heart, her true heart.

\tBut when she fed from me, I felt her heart quivering. And I watched her cry in the darkness alone as I watched over her.

\tI had lived for one hundred and twenty-one years in this city. And nothing had ever infuriated me more than to see Kysael hurt or upset....

\tNot even Kassiel's execution.

\tKelose was only hurting her more the longer he waited to tell her the truth.

\tI finished teaching the arching class for the day. My father had passed on the teaching of this class to me, since he had gone on to teach the hunting unit. And so now, the arching unit was my responsibility.

\tAnd then, I had to go straight to the medical clinic afterward each day. It was quite an adjustment for me. I hardly had time to visit Kysael anymore.

\tToday, however, I had my assistants taking over for me in the clinic, and so I had time to swing by Kysael's and let her feed.

\tSince I had fed her the first time, this had become a regular routine, and we kept it secret. I let her feed so that she wouldn't starve. The guards never questioned me while they watched from the outside of her home, knowing that I visited her regularly, always. And now that she had grown to earn so much trust from the king, they were rarely watching over her home anymore, anyway. No one suspected us. They had no reason to do so, because she had been hunting animals still, and when I arrived at her home, she would cook for me and I would eat it. I began eating almost all of my meals at her home. We quickly settled into this routine.

\tAnd I didn't really mind. The only thing was that I had to heal myself on top of drinking more water and eating more food to replenish what I had been letting her drink from me. But with how much she hunted, it wasn't a hard task to replenish myself.

\tI waited by her tree for her, since I knew that she would be arriving anytime now.

\tAnd sure enough, she came a few minutes later, dragging a buck behind her.

\t"Hello, Dragon. I was expecting you." She threw the buck over her shoulder, and carried it up to the door, and I followed her and waited for her on the balcony-porch to open the door for us.

\t"Is that why you caught the stag instead of the usual ducks or rabbits?"

\t"Yes, I thought since you come over so often to see me, I would catch something larger so that you can actually have something to eat as well," she said wryly, knowing that the guards were listening. I found it odd that they were here, because they usually were not. Something must have happened. I assumed that Kysael would tell me once we entered her home and the guards left.

\t"That isn't necessary, thank you." I motioned her inside. "Let's go in, I wanted to see if you had some wet stones so that I can sharpen my swords," I told her. "It seems that I have misplaced my own, and I need to sharpen the blades, they're getting dull."

\t"Sure, I think that I have one of those inside," she said, opening the door. "Come on in."

\tWhen we stepped inside and I shut the door behind me, she groaned.

\t"I get so tired of them," she said harshly. Her face was dark, her eyes glowing silver in the light, and I was all too aware of her heritage in that moment. "I can't even go home today without escorts! I need for you to grab the deer from outside, would you please? I forgot to bring it in."

\t"Of course." I opened the door and pulled the buck into the tree, then shut the door behind me. "I have your meal ready," I said, and went to shut her curtains before holding out my arm for her.

\tShe shook her head, and came to stand in front of me as I sat down in a chair.

\tShe bent over me, and tugged my head to the side as her face went to the junction of my neck and shoulder.

\tI felt her tongue first, warm, and then a numbing sensation before she pierced the skin with her fangs, and I flinched slightly. I suddenly felt a strange wetness drop onto my skin and run down onto my tunic.

\t"What happened to you today, Kysael? For you to cry in front of me..."

\tShe didn't respond. She only continued drinking the blood from my neck. Heat rushed to my head, and it spun from the dizziness. It was such a nice feeling. I wondered idly what it felt like for her when she drank from people.

\tFinally, she finished after a few minutes and she pulled away, leaving the trail of my blood down her chin, a sight that left me feeling ice cold and yet burning hot at the same time.

\t"Kysael?"

\t"I took this buck to the man that had asked for Drakul to hunt one down for his restaurant today. Drakul told me to deliver it to him. I did, not really thinking about anything. I had direct permission to be in the inner ring of the city, after all. I wasn't really thinking. I had a signed order from your father… But the man who had ordered the deer refused to pay me, saying that he refused to eat anything that was caught or delivered by a blood sucking monster, and proceeded to slam the door in my face. I went back to Drakul, and he told me that he would handle it and that I could just keep the deer for the trouble." Tears ran down her face. "The spat got me in bonds and escorted home. Once we reached my property, they finally untied me. Will I never be accepted, Dragon? After everything that I have done to help this city, to be good and....and....and people still treat me this way." She sniffled. "I let that idiot king run me ragged and for what? To spend my life being spat on and despised. They think that I'm some lawless monster."

\tMy heart clenched. "I am sorry that this happened, Kysael. I know that you aren't a monster-"

\t"But I am!" She sobbed, hugging herself. In that moment, I wished to comfort her, but I held firm to my place. "Look at me! I'm covered in blood, the blood of the one who has always protected me. I am covered in your blood, because you are so kind to such a dark creature like me that you would let me feed on you just to help me."

\tI smiled. "That is just who I am, Kysael. And I will always be kind to you."

\tShe laughed. "Thank you," she said through her tears. "You are amazing."

\t"You're not wrong," I chuckled. I healed the wound on my neck before I stood. "I need to get going," I said. "I have other errands to run. I will be back tomorrow after classes," I said, and I gave her a kiss on the cheek. And then I was out the door. I was angry, and I needed to get away from her before my negative mood impacted her further.

\tAnd I had not lied, I didn't return home right away. But I didn't actually have errands to run. I decided to go by the restaurant to which I knew that she was referring, and saw my father there, arguing with the owner.

\tI'd had a feeling that he would be here.

\t"You can't just simply send that Wraith here to deliver important food to important people!" The man shouted. "No one wants to touch what she has had her filthy, bloody hands on!"

\t"She didn't catch that deer, and she was wearing gloves! I sent her here, and then you refuse to take your order from her or to pay her? Don't come crying to me when your customers begin complaining about the lack of stag you have to serve tonight!" My father said, his tone deep and commanding and harsh. "That girl was only doing as I had instructed her to, she didn't even touch it with her bare hands. What a waste of her time, that poor child could have simply taken the buck home and eaten it. And that is exactly what I told her to do when she brought it back to me and reported that you had refused to take the order or to pay for it!"

\t"No one in this restaurant wants to eat anything that girl has had any contact with, Drakul. Next time, don't have her deliver my orders. I wouldn't have made any money on that deer simply because she touched it!"

\t"That is absurd!" My father shouted. "Don't even think to order from me or my students again. If you refuse to accept your order from her, then you refuse to accept your order from the rest of my students and myself."

\t"What?! You can't do that-"

\t"I can and I am," my father said. "Rest assured, until you offer that poor girl a public apology, we will not have any further business with you. And that goes for any other meat vendors in this city!" My father said, raising his voice for the bystanders around us. Then he noticed me. "Ah, Dragon. Did you just come from Kysael's?"

\tI nodded. "Yes, I did." I looked at the owner of the restaurant. "You should be ashamed. You and everyone else who mistreats her so badly. That girl has done nothing but follow orders from your king, running errands for your king and your city for the betterment of everyone and everything in it, and you all refuse to have anything to do with her. You all even go as far as to refuse to let her buy things from your shops, refusing money! You would give up coin just to refuse her. You are all pitiful." I sighed, and turned back to my father. "Try not to make a scene, father."

\tBefore I could leave, he stopped me. "I actually need to speak with you, Dragon." He led us off to the side, and waited until everyone went back on their way before speaking to me. "Kelose is fixing to graduate, in only a few days."

\t"What? Already? But he hasn't been in that society for nearly as long as it should have taken for him to graduate, not for a few more months."

\tHe nodded. "Rekium told me. Kelose should be back any day now from his solo-quest to assassinate a high-ranking criminal. And once he does, he will graduate. And then, Lunariel and Kelose are going to be leaving to go to her home, in Irasil. Kysael is going to need you more than ever before once she learns that not only has she lost him forever, but now she will more than likely never get to see him again. It will break her. You have to be there, to help her through this. She is already distracted enough. I fear that this may ruin everything that she has worked so hard for."

\tI sighed, nodding. "I understand. I have always and will always be there for her."

\t"Good. Now, I bid you goodnight, son."

\t"I'll see you soon, father."

\tI ran back by Kysael's, just looking through the window to check in on her one last time for the night, and then I went home and went to my own bed. I had a restless night of sleep, when I woke up from a dream. A dream about Kysael, dying. It seemed that she died, in any case. She was frozen, lifeless in ice. How could she not be dead...?

\t When I awoke, it was just before dawn, so I stayed awake and got ready for the day.

\tToday was the anniversary of the founding of Havengrove city, and the classes today would be cut short to make time for the festival that night. I had been given permission to take Kysael to the festival and to the meeting I was about to attend to teach the young elves about the festival, so I swung by Kysael's home to pick her up, first. She was nervous, fidgeting at my side. But she stayed strong.

\tI made it to the arching class, and we all went and joined up with the hunting unit to listen to a very important spokesperson.

\t"Ah, good, Dragon's class is here. Now, everyone, we have a very special guest with us today, who has come to explain to you about our Founder's Day and the history of our people. Today, you have a chance to learn some quality information from the assistant of our Lord Of Knowledge, Arkasil. Today, we welcome Showyn to join us and educate you all on the history of Havengrove city."

\tShowyn stepped out from the shadows. He glanced nervously at my father, gave a slight bow. He gave me a slight bow, before he gave a very wary glance over at Kysael. That was a normal occurrence, however it always irritated me.

\tI had to keep in mind that Showyn was here for an important purpose, to teach the students the histories of our city and of the world, and there wasn't a lot of time to do this before the festival would start this evening.

\tFinally, Showyn spoke, addressing my father. "Thank you, master Drakul. It is an honor to be here. Today is the day that our city was founded, nearly two thousand years ago. Every hundred years, we hold a great festival in honor of this day, and have a mighty feast."

\tThe students made appropriate noises of awe. They had never seen the festival, none of them. They were all so young. They had heard stories of the grand festivals, but none had experienced it. I, myself, had only ever experienced one.

\tShowyn continued on. "But to understand the festival, you should truly understand its history. It began so many centuries ago, when the great Skyelf King Manwen, and his people, wanted to have other races of elven peoples. So, they fashioned a male and female body out of clay for each of the elven races, and asked the Great Creator to breathe life into them. The Creator took part of their spirits and abilities, along with His breath of life, and put it into each clay body. Hence, there became different races of elves."

\t"We've heard all about that!" One boy said, scoffing.

\t"Do you know the history of the elven races and their true names in their true tongues?" Showyn asked, rolling his eyes. The boy quickly stepped back, crossing his arms and looking off into the forest, sufficiently put in his place.

\tI was over a century old, and I had only briefly been taught those things.

\t"If I may continue, without interruption," Showyn scowled. "The Yahrayne, or Mountain Elves in the common tongue, strong and proud, who live in the mountains just hours north of here, Irasil the mountain fortress. They were the first elven race to be made after the Skyelves. They are smart, strategic, bold and aggressive. They are proud and powerful. They are strong fighters and even better blacksmiths. Our own blacksmith, Vintice, is a Mountain elf. What is their true name in their own tongue?"

\t"Yahrayne," Kysael answered first. Showyn glared at her for a moment, but nodded.

\t"That is correct. Continuing on. The Coraleye, or Ocean Elves of the deep Eastern Coast, who are smart and cunning, with beautiful colorations, in their under and above water city of Atlesian. They were created second, after the Mountain elves. They have gills, that allow them to breathe underneath the waves of their salty waters. They are stunning, and their high borns even have fins." He glanced at a student. "What is the name of the Ocean elves in their tongue?" He asked. "Since you seem keen on interrupting people?"

\t"Coralay?" The student asked.

\t"Coraleye. Pay attention. You will be quizzed on this information." He rolled his eyes. "Let's keep going. Nae, or Woodelves, brave and smart, in our city in the heart of Ulserin Forest, the city of Havengrove. We were created thirdly, after the Ocean elves. We are good climbers and hunters, good assassins and archers. We love healing and plants. Our people were created with the intention of being herbalists and healers, as well as hounds to hunt for the realms of men and elves alike. A rich culture. What is our true name, in our own tongue?" Showyn asked.

\t"Nae," Kysael said, a sad and tired tone to her voice.

\t"Correct," Showyn said. "The Raheine, or River elves of Riviv, the rare and hard-to-find. Fourth to be created, after the Woodelves. They have been branded Dark Realm for murdering anyone who treads in their rivers, and they have become sparse since then. Bounties were put on their heads. However, their underground city beneath the Riviv River is easy to find, it lies in the South. Each race was created and led to their respective cities by the Skyelves, the guardians of this Light Realm."

\t"Showyn, sir?" One student asked. "If they had all of these other elven races created, then how did the Darkelves come to be?"

\t"That is a good question," Showyn asked. "The original Dahrahm, or Darkelf, was the King's top War General, Kellerok, a man with secret desires for power and battle. He wasn't happy with the peace. And when they asked him to spare some of his powerful spirit to be forged into a new race of elf, he grew a dark, irate anger in his heart. He collapsed to the ground, and screamed as his dark hair turned to a light gray, and his tan skin turned to a dark gray color. His beautiful white wings turned to gray, webbed wings like that of a bat."

\t"What happened then?" One boy asked.

\t"He turned on his fellow soldiers, and fled, into the south. He began burning villages and torturing people, and found a wife to make his own. He turned people into Darkelves for his own amusement, so that he would have his own subjects and become a different kind of King. He began waging war with the Skyelves. To protect his people after several years of war, King Manwen gave himself up to Kellerok, this Darkelf King, and no one has seen the Skyelves since."

\t"What about the other races? Isn't there a Ranking System?"

\t"Sahyeen, or Skyelves, were the strongest and most beautiful of the races, in the great Celestial Peak city, the furthest city of the furthest northern peak of the northern mountains. But there are many different races, yes. Outside of the elves, there are the Sprites, fairy-like creatures that live close by the sea to the east in a city called 'FaeIsle'. The shapeshifting clans in the North-western mountain ranges, who have several different animals that they can shift form into and have all of those animals' abilities. Wolves are the most common of them, but there are a few that can change into something more powerful, like bears. Only the royal clan may turn into something even more rare."

\t"There are the humans too," one boy said.

\t"You are right, there are humans, of course, in their varying races, who live all over the world. Their cities are Elrien, just west of here, Elusil, which is just East of the Wraith city of Lykra just east of Havengrove. Then, there is Arthene, the city beside the Eastern coast.

\tThere are half and quarter breed elves, who created a safe haven of their own, away from persecution, a city called Elsael. There are dwarves, in their mountain mines of Dolinmuul, and the Orks of Lotar. The Barbarians, much like humans but much larger in the city of Korak. And then, the Wraiths, which are the top ranked race outside of the elven races. There is an actual ranking system, but I would have to look upon the scrolls at the library to inform you on the proper order. You are welcome to find me there later and educate yourself further. I respect the pursuit of knowledge."

\tOne boy, Grimoir if I remembered his name correctly, looked at Kysael. "You're half Wraith, aren't you, Kysael?"

\tI felt uneasy, but Kysael smiled and nodded. "Yes, I am."

\t"How does that make you different than us? What advantages does your Wraith blood give you, if you don't mind me asking?"

\t"My hearing, sight, and smell are much stronger. I am physically more powerful and more agile, and I am faster."

\t"Is it true that you have to drink blood and eat raw flesh to live?" Another boy asked, gulping as he held a hand over his throat.

\tKysael laughed. "Yes, that is true, but I have been raised by Lord Dragon to feed on animals. You don't have to fear any harm from me unless you are my enemy."

\tGrimoir spoke up again. "I've heard that you have Wraith markings. Is that true?"

\tShe hesitated. "Yes..."

\tThe classes "ooh"ed and "ahh"ed. They started asking her to show them, and I felt wary. She glanced at my father.

\t"It's up to you, lass, you don't have to."

\t"Well, Master Drakul, if we are expected to fight alongside her as our comrade, shouldn't we all know and understand one another?" Grimoir asked. And I had to admit that he had a point. I looked to Kysael, waiting for her decision.

\tKysael smiled. "You're right." She wiped her face on her sleeve a few times, and the concealant slowly came off of her face to reveal the deep, dark blue markings on her face.

\t"Wow!" Grimoir said. "And those aren't painted on? You were born with them?"

\tShe laughed. "Yes, I was. It's a part of me."

\t"What do the markings mean?"

\t"Well," Showyn said. "Just like the elven races, there are different clans within the Wraith race. Every Wraith has black hair and pale skin, and bright blue eyes, of course. But, each clan has a different shaped marking on their face, all different shades of blue. That is to identify to others what clan they are from. Typically, the darker blue the markings, the more predominant and powerful the clan is."

\t"Do you know what clan my marking is from, then, Showyn?" Kysael asked.

\tHe held his chin. "Not right off hand...It looks familiar to me, to be honest. But I just can't place what clan that marking is from on the spot at this moment. It must be a powerful one, because it is such a dark blue. Even more dominant considering the fact that it is on the face of someone only of half Wraith blood."

\tHer shoulders slumped a bit. "Oh, I see. What can you tell me about them?"

\tHe gave a short laugh. "They are blood-drinking, flesh-eating, nocturnal creatures--which I am sure that you are already aware of--that travel a lot. They have an entirely underground city that spans over thousands of miles. They can surface anytime that it is night, and hunt. They cannot go in the sunlight, or else they will slowly and painfully be set aflame and turn to ash. They can last a few minutes before this happens, but only the strongest clans can last longer than that. The Royal clan can last about a half hour before they are caught on fire. Most of their culture are scavengers, travelers. They do not linger in one place long, and those that do tend to stay in the heart of their civilization, Lykra. It is their base city, in which usually only the higher clans reside."

\tI was very fascinated by the information. I had not been entirely aware of that myself. Kysael's eyes lit up, her mind swirling with more ideas and questions, but my father cut the conversation short.

\tMy father looked at the sky. "Alright, now, everyone, I believe that is enough for today. You are all dismissed and free to go home. Remember, the festival is tonight!"

\tAs everyone dispersed and I approached her, Grimoir came up to Kysael.

\t"I just wanted to say that...you should keep those markings uncovered more often," he said, smiling at her. "You're much more beautiful with the markings visible."

\tKysael blushed. "Thank you," she smiled.

\tHe bowed. "See you!" He called as he left.

\tI smiled at her. "I do believe you've made a new friend," I laughed.

\t"So, it would seem." She sighed. "I truly do not want to go to this festival. I always hate going into the city."

\t"Don't worry, Kysael. No one is going to be paying much attention to you," I said softly. "This is a very exciting time of year. This is a very special and sacred day to our people. I, myself, have only been to this festival once in my life."

\t"I always forget how much older you are than myself!" She laughed. "So, you went to the last one when you were almost my age, then."

\t"Yes, I was twenty-one, just a fraction older than you are now. It is a very fun festival, and I would love for you to go with me. So, it is decided. I shall pick you up tonight and escort you to the festival," I said in my father's accent. She laughed, clutching her stomach with the effort of her muscles from the laughter. Kysael didn't laugh often, and I liked the tinkling sound of it.

\t"That was actually a very good impression of him," she said as she began to catch her breath. "And fine, fine, I will go to the silly festival with you."

\t"Good. You need to get out of that tree house and get to have some fun."

\t"Well, then I had better get going. I need to get some errands done, and do some other things. And Kysael," I said, and she met my eyes. "Look nice."

\t"I'll see you then," I said as she left. And then, I made my way to the bath house, and then the tailor, and then back home to get ready.

\tI was very excited for this festival, myself. It was something that I hoped to get to go to many more of. The Founding Day Festival consisted of games, music, dancing, special deals from the shops, and then a huge feast before the king gave a long speech about how our city came to be, and then there was a magical display of fireworks at the end of the night. It was a grand celebration, and I could hardly wait.

\tAnd this year, thanks to my seat on the King's War and Advisory Council, I already knew what would be taking place tonight when he gave his speech. I had been quite surprised, seeing how this would completely change the city.... for as long as my father had lived, which was over five hundred years, this had never happened. It would be a big change, but hopefully would lead to a great future and good things for our people.

\tI sincerely hoped that no one would be unkind to Kysael during this event. She had just as much right to join in the festival as any of the others did.

\tTonight, certainly would be a night to remember.

\tI dressed in a light green tunic with dark green and gold trees embroidered onto the shoulders, a brown belt with a gold buckle around my hips. I wore tan, cloth pants stuffed down into brown leather boots.

\tI hoped that by the time I got to her home, Kysael would look presentable for the festival.

\tShe was a pretty girl, but she certainly didn't fancy dressing like a lady should, and I sincerely hoped that tonight, I would get to see a side of her that she rarely showed to anyone.

\tI got there within an hour, the sun just going down behind the trees. I knocked on the rounded little door that I always had to squeeze through, and within a few moments, she answered the door.

\tAnd I was floored by her appearance.

\tKysael wore a dark green, floor length gown with a light green and gold belt tied at her hips, the front of the tie going down to the ground.

\tThe gown had a high collar that was accentuated by golden embroidery.

\tHer hair was done up in a fancy low bun, and her marks were covered well by the concealant.

\tShe wore coal lined around her intense, icy, silver colored eyes, and a light rosy stain on her lips that blended well with her natural skin tone.

\tShe smiled at my expression.

\t"Do I look that unusual?" She said, grinning.

\t"I hardly recognized you," I said, genuinely surprised. "It truly is a momentous occasion, for you to dress this way," I laughed. "And here I was just hoping that you would look like a young woman," I chuckled.

\t"I'll have you know that I do happen to own several nice gowns, I just choose to wear my training and mission gear. I prefer it because it is more comfortable. And also.... I don't exactly have much time to wear clothes like this," she said softly.

\tI smiled, and held out my arm to her. She looped hers through mine.

\t"Since you look so much like a lady, we are going to act like you are a young lady. So, since I am your escort, I have to lead you by the arm to the festival."

\t"Did you just make that up?" She asked.

\t"No," I said. "Honestly. As a noble, I was forced to attend etiquette school as a child. And when a man is escorting a lady to any type of social function, he is supposed to lead her by the arm. It is simple courtesy."

\t"Such a gentleman," she laughed. "I suppose that going to stuffy schools like that when you're rich and well respected isn't completely wasted time and effort."

\tWe set out on our way, walking as we talked.

\t"Not completely, I suppose. It has its uses. Such as getting to escort a pretty young lady to a festival," I laughed. I took in a breath, and I smiled, looking at her. "You smell nice," I said.

\t"It was my great aunt's, a woman who I am told that I was named for, sort of."

\t"Oh? And who is that?"

\t"Kassiel," she said, and my heart stopped. "What? What's the matter?"

\t"I had...forgotten about her, almost," I said, my throat feeling as if I had swallowed a frog. I suddenly felt guilty. Just how long had it been since I had even thought of her? She had been my betrothed, and here I had forgotten that she was related to Kysael, even if it was extremely distant. Her brother's aunt was Kassiel, on his father's side. Despite the lack of strong ties, she still managed to look so strikingly similar to Kassiel in appearance, it was uncanny. "I was very close to Kassiel. She taught me everything about healing that I know. She was even more famous than I am....and I cared for her...very deeply." I smiled. "I was wondering why that scent was so familiar."

\t"What was she like?"

\t"Well," I began. "You look a lot like her with your markings covered. She had silvery blonde hair, as well, but not straight, instead with heavy waves. And with creamy skin. Her lips were a little thicker, and she was about the same height as you...and her body was a little more feminine..."

\t"You were with this woman, then?"

\tI startled. "Well...we were engaged."

\t"What happened to her?" She asked, her interest peaked.

\tI hesitated. "She was...killed."

\tShe looked at me, her eyes wide. "Why?"

\t"Because she broke a sacred law," I said, meeting her eyes meaningfully.

\tShe gasped. "Then....you and Kassiel...."

\tI nodded. "Yes. That's why I was so upset, when that happened with you and Kelose. I didn't want to see you meet the same fate." She stayed silent, waiting for me to continue if I wanted. "When she was executed, I verbally assaulted the King. Directly disobeyed him in front of the city, hoping he would kill me. But instead, I was publicly beaten and imprisoned until I was willing to comply with his demands. I was full of hatred and vile anger...until you were born. But then, your mother was executed for your heritage, and I was bitter and angry again. I was appointed to raise you in her stead, and raising you has made me a bit softer.

\t"But you grew up with such a difficult life, and then made some decisions that could have made your mother's sacrifice and my years of effort and care for you worth nothing. So you see...that is why I was so offended, and I couldn't bring myself to do anything because I was frozen in fear. I should have stopped you before you did what you did. But I didn't have the strength. It was like I was afraid to watch Kassiel be executed all over again. I've seen.... far too many executions, Kysael."

\tShe stopped us short of the gates to the middle ring of the city, and pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry."

\t"It's alright. That was many, many years ago, before you were born. You remind me a lot of her. She never took no for an answer when she put her mind to something. She was such an amazing healer. She would heal anyone, no matter what race or realm they were from. She refused to let anyone be in pain or suffer. She was a very determined young woman.... much like you are about your fighting. Funny, I had never really thought about the connection. I made the connection, initially, when you were born. But I'd never really put much contemplation into it as you grew. But now, I can see how much you two strongly favor one another. It's nice to see that her spirit lives on in you."

\tHer cheeks tinged pink, and the guards opened the gate for us and we walked into the city.

\tKysael took in a deep breath when her eyes took everything in. Lanterns lit the city, music and dancing happening in the background.

\tThere were stands from different shops and bakeries, selling items and pastries, other stands that had games where you could win prizes. There were stands where you could buy fireworks, other stands where you could buy lanterns.

\tChildren laughed and played in the wooden pathways above our heads, while older children played games and couples danced around the music players in front of us. No one noticed us at first.

\tKysael looked around, her eyes bright with wonder. I knew that she had never seen the city like this. It made me feel joy, seeing her with such a happy and peaceful expression. She was so.... excited. And that, in turn, made me excited. It was so easy, when I spent so much of my time with her, to forget that she had never been allowed to be part of the city in festivals and events such as this. She had no experience with this.

\t"Would you like to dance?" She asked me, pointing to the circle of dancing couples.

\t"Do you know that one?" I asked, laughing.

\t"It seems to be a simple five step dance, repeating. It shouldn't be too hard to learn," she said.

\tShe tugged me over with her, and I shook my head at her silly, child-like wonder. She was young. And she had never danced at a festival. I supposed that I could humor her, at least for one dance.

\tShe was right, it was a simple five step dance that just repeated over and over to a fast-paced song, and it wasn't hard for her to pick up.

\tShe laughed as we spun, and it seemed as if she thought it was funny. It might have been.

\tEven with classes in the courting arts, I'd never been the strongest dancer. I preferred healing.

\tAfter dancing, we went and I got us some festival treats to eat, and we played some games.

\tHer mood turned sour, of course, when Kelose and Lunariel came into view, and it took might near all of my effort to keep her from getting completely depressed.

\tFinally, it was time for everyone to sit and for the feast to begin.

\tThe menu items ranged from turkey to duck, boar to deer. There were salad and vegetables, with rolls and fresh, golden chips.

\tKysael's eyes were bright and her smile large as we enjoyed joking with one another about how this didn't quite suit her usual diet, but she ate it anyway.

\tOnce the feast was settling down, the king stood on a stage to where everyone could see him, and he gathered everyone's attention.

\t"Happy Founding Day!" He shouted, and the crowd chorused those words back to him. "Today, we celebrate the day that Havengrove city was founded, over a thousand years ago. Every hundred years, we celebrate this day. Today, we also celebrate the one hundredth birthday of my son and heir to the throne of Havengrove city, Prince Emron! One hundred years ago today, I was given an heir to my throne. I became more than simply a king or husband that day, but also a father. Today is a very special day indeed.

\t "It is around his age that I became the king of Havengrove when my father handed the throne over to me. And so, because I am nine hundred and seventy-six, and I have been told that my time is nearing its end," he said, gasps and cries filling the air around us already. "It is with a happy yet heavy heart that I hand over the rule of our beloved city to my son. Hail your new ruler, King Emron!" He shouted, and Emron stepped onto the stage as concerned cries and voices erupted, but we all cheered nonetheless.

\t"Thank you, father. It is with great intentions that I take the throne from King Eranton, and become your new king. I know that we have a bright future ahead of us, and I look forward to it. I know that many of you have been under my father's rule for hundreds of years, and that this road coming to an end saddens and upsets you. But please, begin this new journey on this new road with me! I look forward to many bright, happy years as your new king. Happy Founding Day, and Happy Coronation day for your new king!"

\t"All hail!" King Eranton shouted, and we all repeated the words.

\t"You are all dismissed!" The new king said, and fireworks began lighting up the night sky. Instead of watching the show, however, I watched her. Her face was in awe, and I remembered that this must have been the first time that she had ever witnessed fireworks. Kysael's eyes shined brightly, reflecting the colors of the blasts up above our heads. I smiled at her wonderment. She truly was young, a child in terms of our lifespans, really...but there was something about the darkness in her eyes, the way that her eyes and her air were heavy with sorrow and pain from her life and her circumstances, that made her seem so much older sometimes. I often forgot how young she really was.

\tKelose came over to us, then, clearing his throat. His eyes were blue, and I watched as Kysael gave him a wary glance. "Kysael....may I speak with you...alone?"

\tShe looked confused, but nodded. "I'll be right back," she said to me softly. I let go of her arm.

\tAfter they were out of sight, I followed them into the forest. I was thankful that the guards were too busy cleaning up after the festival and watching fireworks to pay any attention to Kysael, and therefore she had a few minutes, at least, to have some sort of privacy.

\tI wanted to let her have her privacy, and I knew that her business was none of my concern...but I had to be sure that she was safe. I couldn't risk letting Kelose hurt her and not be there for her.

\tAnd so, I followed them, out to the outer most wall, near the gate, to a mossy place in a small clearing of the forest, near a stream. It was a beautiful spot.

\tAnd I remembered it well. It was the place that I had seen Kysael give herself, a part of her soul, anyway, to Kelose, before I had run from the scene those years ago. I knew now, after she had assured me herself, that she had not given him her virginity. He had insisted that she not. But the Soul Bond was no simple matter, either. And I couldn't allow her to do something so silly as she had done all of those years ago.

\tI kept my distance, so that they wouldn't notice my presence, and I quietly climbed a tree to look at them from a safe perch.

\t"This place...brings back so many memories," Kelose said softly. "Like when we began the soul bond, when I first let you feed from me." Heat rushed through my body. I couldn't tell if it was anger, shock, or fearful pain...or a mixture of all three. I hadn't thought that he would talk about it, but for him to outright bring up such a topic couldn't be a good thing.

\tI saw Kysael's face turn angry. "Why did you bring me here?" Kysael asked, her voice sharp.

\tKelose looked at her. "Why did you come with me here?" He countered.

\t"I don't have time for games, Kelose. What do you want?"

\t"I wanted to ask for your forgiveness."

\t"Forgiveness?"

\tHe stepped toward her, and as her body backed away from him, my own body tensed up. Kelose glanced up at my hiding place, and I knew that I was caught. He was an assassin, after all.

\tThey specialized in sensing people in hiding. I should have figured that he would see through me sooner or later.

\tBut it seemed to be of no consequence, as he didn't reveal me to her or make any motion to get me to leave in any way.

\tHis attention went back to Kysael. "You stepped away from me."

\t"Of course, I did. Did you think that you could just touch me like you always have? You're a married man, now. You can't have us both. You chose her."

\t"I did not choose her, Kysael. It was an arranged marriage. Not that it matters, now. It's too late. Its already happened."

\t"Arranged? You mean the king is the one who arranged that marriage?"

\tHe snorted. "Have you seen her, Kysael? Do you truly believe that I would want to be with the likes of that? Especially when I have a woman as stunning as you waiting for me? No, Kysael. I did not choose to be with that. Did you really believe I would?"

\tShe smiled. "I suppose not." She frowned again. "While that does make me feel better, it doesn't change anything. You are married. There is nothing that we...nothing that I can do with you now...It's over."

\tHe nodded. "Yes, it is. Unfortunately, I didn't have a choice in the matter. And unfortunately, I don't have a choice in what is fixing to take place, either."

\t"What are you talking about?"

\t"As soon as I graduate from the assassin organization tomorrow, Lunariel and I will be packing our things and setting out for her home in Irasil."

\tGrief struck across her face, and my heart clenched.

\tBut at least she was getting the news from him, personally.

\tAnd at least once he was gone, he would not continue to be present around her, making her suffer seeing him anymore.

\tShe wouldn't suffer his presence anymore.

\tOnly his absence, thanks to the beginning of the soul bond that they had began several years ago.

\t"I see. When will you be leaving?" Her tone was strictly monotone, forcibly calm.

\t"At dawn, in three days' time."

\t"That is not much time," she choked out.

\t"I also have more...unpleasant news."

\tShe staggered away. "Please, Kelose-"

\t"Lunariel is expecting."

\tShe dropped to the ground, screaming into her hands. I tensed, but restrained myself from going to her side.

\tShe had still not sensed my presence, and I didn't want to make things worse. I watched as Kelose took out a vial of blue liquid that looked eerily familiar, and drank the entire thing.

\tHe swayed for a moment, but he shook his head and approached her, kneeling in front of her sobbing body.

\tHis eyes changed from blue to gold, and it was a horrifyingly fascinating difference to witness occur.

\tHe pulled her to where his throat was at her mouth, and she fought against him.

\t"No!"

\tHe sliced a small knife along the base of his neck, where the shoulder connected. "Drink."

\tFighting herself, she lost the battle and her lips met his skin. He moaned a guttural sound as she drank from him.

\tMy face heated. I shouldn't be watching this. This was an intimate moment. This wasn't for my eyes to see.

\tBut I had the strangest feeling that Kelose would be returning the favor someday, spying on me in an intimate moment....it was an eerie feeling.

\tAnd in this moment, I couldn't help wondering.... if that was how it looked when she fed from me.

\tSuddenly, she pulled back, her eyes wide and silver, the hunger glinting them. "What the hell have you done to me...?"

\tAnd then she slumped, and I jumped down from my spot in the tree above them to catch her before her face hit the ground, unconscious.

\t"Sleeping poison," I said. "Assassins train their bodies to become immune to the poison, and thus you had her drink your blood which had the poison coursing through it."

\t"How long have you been here?" He asked, an irritated tone to his voice, looking toward the city.

\t"Long enough...." I looked away.

\tHis golden eyes widened a bit. "So, you've been here the entire time, then." He sighed heavily, giving me a long-suffering glance. "Please take her home, Lord Dragon. I'm ready to get back home and get some sleep. I have a long week ahead of me."

\t"I will."

\t"And Dragon," he called to me after I had lifted up her unconscious body to cradle her against me to take her home. "Take care of her. I'm leaving her in your hands from now on."

\tI nodded. "I have always, and will always, take care of her."

\t"I know that, Lord Dragon. That's exactly why I can smile and step away," he smiled, and went back toward the city.

\tI carried Kysael to her tree in the outer ring of the city, unlocking the door with her key and taking her inside to lay her down on her bed of furs in her room.

\tHer eyes were squeezed tightly shut, her face in pain, as she breathed heavily and tossed her head back and forth.

\tI watched her for a while, before I got a wash cloth from the water basin and rinsed the concealant from her face.

\tThe upside-down crown looked so familiar to me...as if I knew which clan it belonged to, on the tip of my tongue, but I just couldn't place it.

\tThe dark, royal blue coloring was a stark contrast against her pale skin.

\tHer silvery blonde hair was still in a bun, so I loosened it and lay it out to be free of its bindings.

\tWavy from the previous confines, it gave her a different look than how it did when it was straight. It was wavy like Kassiel's.

\tThe candles in the room hit her face in angles that made her look even more like Kassiel, and I couldn't help but compare the two.

\tShe really did favor Kassiel.

\tAnd with the markings, it gave her an exotic air on top of the familiarity. She truly was a beautiful young woman.

\tI sighed. I continued to keep watch over her, trying to push the thoughts out of my mind. I didn't like where my train of thought was headed, and I needed to put a stop to it immediately.

\tAs the night went on, she would randomly cry out in her sleep, and it put me on edge. I had not been around her during slumber since she was a child, and I had not realized how much things had changed since then, I suppose.

\tWhat was she dreaming of?

\tWhat was hurting her?

\tI only wished that there was a way that I could comfort her.

\tThere were many things since her identity and heritage were revealed those years ago that had hurt her. I had heard tales of people throwing things at her.

\tOne woman had thrown a piece of pottery at her that had shattered on the side of her head, and I'd had to sit and heal her from that.

\tThere were whispers of men who had groped her as she passed, and others had shoved her down, many other things akin to that, and I had always found out the names of those men and made dark and dangerous promises as I held them against alley walls.

\tThreats that I would not have hesitated to carry out in her name, to defend her honor.

\tYes, there were many things that I had seen her face. And many things that I had not seen her face, as well.

\tThe poor girl had faced things that no normal Woodelf woman would have had to face, and I realized that with her upbringing and schooling as a child, that she had never thought that she would have to face these things either...until her entire life had been turned upside down. But then her identity had been discovered, and she had struggled.

\tBut things got even worse after Kelose broke her heart.

\tI still blamed Kelose for that. He had shown up and ruined things on that fateful day. And not only had the city hurt her and abused her in that time, but her own family members and clansmen....and Kelose himself, as well.

\tI didn't know if I could ever forgive Kelose for coming in and disrupting her life this way. It had permanently changed her, and she would never be the sweet, happy girl that she had once been.

\tShe would forever be scarred by what she had been forced to endure.

\tI continued to stare at her markings, enraptured by how smooth and shiny they looked in this light.

\tUnconsciously, my fingers made their way to touch them, and I was surprised to feel how cool and smooth they felt to the touch.

\tHer face was hot, but the markings themselves were ice cold.

\tThe sun began to rise after a while, and I began to panic. She was still breathing normally, but she was going to be late for classes. My father would be furious.

\tI gently shook her awake, and after a few moments, her eyes snapped open.

\t"What time is it?" She asked, taking notice of the light and bolting upright.

\t"The sun is rising now. You have some time. Go ahead and get dressed, and get ready. I will go on ahead of you and explain what happened to the king, so that he won't be so angry. I'll tell him that you and I partied a little harder than we had intended, that we consumed too much alcohol. I'll tell him that I insisted you get some rest, don't worry. I'll see you later, alright?"

\tShe sighed, nodding. "Same old routine," she muttered. "Sure. I'll see you later. Go on."

\tSadness took me. I knew that this was going to be hard for her. There wasn't anything else that I could say to her in that moment, so I went on without another word, heading to the king and my father and explaining the situation to them.

\t"I see. Well, it was her first festival, after all. It is an exciting time. I am glad that the two of you were able to have some fun and let loose. She has earned the relaxation. I'll let it slide for today."

\t"Thank you, your highness," I said, giving a deep bow for his graciousness.

*

\tAfter several days of being turned away at her door, I decided to give Kysael some space and leave her alone. A couple of weeks passed before I went to visit Kysael again, outside of my regular watch over her.

\tI would only watch over her home from a distance when I wasn't busy with work.

\tI was teaching my arching class when my father came, an unexpected visit.

\t"Father? What are you doing here, what about your students?" I asked.

\t"Never mind them right now. All of you," He motioned to my students. "Class is dismissed. You're all free to go home."

\tAs my students left, I looked at my father, concerned. "What is going on?" I asked.

\t"It's Kysael, Dragon. She's been skipping missions. She's refusing to answer the door, even to the King. I'm telling you, if that girl misses one more mission, the king will take drastic measures. She's already over a week behind."

\t"What?"

\t"You're usually watching over her, and usually you help keep her in line! Son, I need you to go and talk some sense into that girl. I understand depression, but this is just, plain and simple, unhealthy for the lass. Please."

\tI sighed. "Alright, I'll go and talk to her, and I won't take no for an answer."

\tI left, making my way through the forest that I knew so well. To think that Kysael was skipping missions, not talking to anyone...My father was right, where had I been? How could I have been so blind as to not notice?

\tI arrived shortly, and knocked on the door. "Kysael!" I called. "Kysael," I tried again. After a few more knocks, I busted the door open. "Kysael!" I shouted.

\tAnd then I rushed to look for her, scrambling frantically when I saw that Kysael was nowhere to be found.

\tI rushed out, trying to follow her barely lingering perfume to where she had gone.

\tIt was an excruciatingly long time before I finally found her at the waterfalls, in the pool of water at the base, all that was visible was her hair floating around her in the water.

\t"Kysael!" I called, rushing over to her. She couldn't hear me, of course she couldn't. I rushed to get to her, but before I could reach her, I could see her body start to sink down further. "No!" I was startled.

\tShe was trying to drown herself.

\tI numbly plunged into the water, ignoring the pressure of the falls on top of me, and dove down to grab her. It was difficult, because I couldn't see anything in the midst of the water and I had to go purely off of feeling. I finally felt her arm and I gripped it as tightly as I could manage, pulling her out of the water and to the bank. It was only moments later that water came shooting out of her nose and mouth, sputtering out profanities as I brought her into the grass nearby.

\t"Kysael, what on earth were you thinking?!" My tone was sharp, and her body flinched. I forced her to look at me, and then I dropped my hand from her face. Her usually bright eyes were dim, lifeless. Her toned, tight skin was a little looser, not as young looking.

\tHer belly was much skinnier than the last I had seen her. Her tunic was tight to her skin, wet, and I could see blood seeping through in multiple areas...cuts all along her body, from head to toe, that had opened while she was in the waterfalls.\t

"Kysael," I began in a dark tone. "Please tell me that you didn't do that to yourself," I said, grabbing her arms.

\tShe looked away from me, not saying anything, and I took that as confirmation. I threw her arms away from me as if I had been burned.

\tI really hadn't been doing my job well lately, if she had been able to cut herself without me being around to notice it. For her to be able to go and try to drown herself without me noticing...\t

\tAngry at both her and myself, I snapped. "How dare you! How dare you hurt yourself this way! Have I not done everything in my power to keep you healthy and well taken care of? Your life doesn't belong to just you! You think that Kelose leaving the city gives you the right to hurt yourself this way, completely disregarding the feelings of all those who care for you? You should be ashamed!" I shouted.

\tHer body shook, tears falling to the ground, and I deflated immediately, feeling guilty. I forced myself to calm down, speaking in a softer tone.

\t"Kysael..." I hugged her. "I just don't want to see you get hurt, least of all by your own hand. Please, promise me that you won't do this again."

\tShe nodded silently into my chest, and as her stomach rumbled, I looked to make sure that no one was watching, and I pulled the chest of my tunic aside, letting her feed from over my heart.

\tI couldn't say why. I just reacted to her hunger. It was like some dark power that she held over me...and I wondered if Kelose had felt it, as well. With a slight hesitation, she bit into me.

\tMore tears poured down her face as she fed, and she sobbed between swallows. I stroked her hair absently, letting myself relax to the feeling of it. It was such a strange sensation, and oddly pleasurable to me.

\tIt was something that I almost secretly desired.

\tFinally, she finished, and I carried her back home, into her little house, and I laid her down on her bed of furs.

\t"My father sent me with a message as well. 'If she skips one more mission, the king will take drastic measures.' You need to return to his orders, Kysael. It has been good for you, helped to make you stronger. You need to go back. You're only months away from graduating and becoming a full-fledged huntress, and the king will allow you to come and go around the city as you please and not be so strictly confined to his orders. He will only send you on important missions. You will be in the clear. Do you not want to complete your goal?"

\tShe sighed, but nodded.

\t"Good. Now, I'll be back in the morning to escort you there, alright? You promise not to hurt yourself anymore, right?"

\tShe nodded, and I healed all of her cuts until they were nothing more than light scars before I left.

\tI went to return to my father's house, and I got there just as the sun was setting.

\t"So, did you just return from Kysael's?"

\t"I did, and she has promised to be back to receive her orders from the king first thing in the morning, as you requested, father."

\tHe pointed at my chest. "Did she do that?" Judgment was painted all over his harsh face.

\tI sighed. I felt foolish for not remembering to heal it, but I had been too distracted on her self-harming mannerisms to remember it. "I allowed her to do so."

\t"How long, boyo? How long have you been 'allowing' her to do that?"

\t"Two years."

\tHe gasped and slapped me across the face. "Dragon, you fool!" He said, shaking his head.

\t"I'm a fool for helping her?" I asked, holding my sore cheek.

\t"Do you not understand? She was raised to feed on animals, son. If the king found out that she had been feeding on people, let alone a nobleman, the nobleman that raised her, no less...they would execute her! For real, this time. If you want to risk your life feeding that girl, go right ahead. But don't be foolish enough to leave her house, which is consistently watched by guards, without healing or concealing fresh, mouth shaped wounds from plain view!" He scolded.

\tI instantly berated myself. He was right. How could I have forgotten to heal that? How could I not have thought about that myself? She could be in danger now, because I had not been thinking clearly. I tried to think back, and I had not sensed the guards at their posts tonight. I only hoped that they hadn't been around.

\tI sighed. "I will be more careful in the future. Is there anything else that you need?"

\t"I did want to show you this," he said, holding out a scroll to me.

\tI unrolled it, reading to the end, before it fell from my numb hands. My head spun, and my world turned upside down at the audacity, at the sheer force of what this meant. "You can't be serious."

\tIt was a request from my father and mother, and Kysael's mother, to both the previous and current king. The parchment was from when Kysael was an infant, but it had been updated, redone a bit. There were new lines, new stimulations to the contract. And the request...was to arrange for Kysael and I to be married.

\tMy heart raced as I looked at the parchment, now on the ground, to see that both the previous and the current king's signatures were both signed on the document, approving the request.

\tI knew that Kysael's deadline was up this year, as she was now nineteen. She had to marry before her twentieth birthday. But that was still ten months away. And I had already been preparing myself to tell her about my oath to our parents and to propose to her at the right time, before she turned twenty.

\tBut now, it had been taken out of our hands altogether and it was no longer within our control. We had no choice now. No more time to wait.

\tI felt betrayed. "You went behind my back with the kings to arrange for us to be married?" I asked, shocked. "We had already discussed this with Darah and the king years ago, father. And then the king forbids her to be married until someone showed interest in her hand, and he finally was convinced that her blood could be useful to our race. Then we agreed once more, after Kelose left her, that I would marry her whenever she hit that age. But she hasn't reached that age yet! She had already gotten her time extended. But that deadline isn't up yet, and Kysael isn't in any condition for this and you know how I feel about my personal affairs being tampered wi-"

\tHe threw up his hands. "What do you want me to do? Son, you were supposed to be married by the age of twenty. That is law. And the king has let you slide and let you slide, all because of your status and because of what happened with Kassiel, and then because you were busy with your healing business and refused to search for a bride. You have already had over a century of getting past the law. And Kysael has been allowed to slide by it for three years already!"

\t"But father--"

\t"No!" He shouted. "You vowed to marry her should she be unable to find another husband. And children are demanded by the age of one hundred. That is the law. You are plenty of years past that marriage and child-rearing deadline, and your deadline is coming up at the end of this year. And since Kassiel died, you haven't shown interest in one single maiden, be it a lady of the courts or a citizen! But you have shown nothing but loyalty and dedication to Kysael, and as it just so happens, Kysael is undesirable!"

\t"She isn't undesirable," I grumbled.

\t"No man outside of Kelose has wanted to be with her in any romantic way, and no other clans are willing to accept her. And she is beautiful! If a young, strong maiden as beautiful as Kysael cannot attract anyone naturally, then a forced arrangement must be made. And since you are already sworn to marry her and you are so dedicated to her protection that you have raised her, followed her around for her entire life just to watch over her, and since we are the only clan willing to accept her, and you are so protective over her that you have allowed her to feed from you, I didn't think that it would be such a huge issue."

\t"Perhaps if you had talked to me about it first--"

\t"I have! And you brushed me off. Listen to me, son. You are her only chance at a decent life, Dragon. What if she were forced on someone else? They may mistreat her mentally, physically...or worse. She deserves better than that. She deserves someone who will care for her. And I believe that it would benefit you, as well, or else I wouldn't have made the request. You had already vowed it. So, what is the problem?"

\tAs upset and surprised and outraged as I felt at the news, I could not find any argument against his logic.

\tI sighed. "Am I able to object or postpone the arrangement?"

\t"No. Only she can refuse it and decline the contract, and there can be no delay whatsoever. The king refused it."

\tFurther despair ran through me. I knew that she wouldn't be willing to refuse, considering that the king would simply force her into another arranged marriage. I was, truly, her best chance.

\tShe would know it, as I know it. She would accept it. I had no other choice, as I never did.

\tAnd neither did she, really.

\t"What is the date of the marriage, then?"

\t"December the tenth."

\tI held my chin, overwhelmed. "That is not much time to get prepared."

\t"Then you had better prepare quickly, boyo. Make your peace with this. It is what is best."