Larana hurriedly climbed over the rubble of her city and in the direction of the Northern Mountains. Her father, her real father, used to take her there when he was free from his duties as King. They would climb the glaciers and camp near the waterfalls, after they had hunted for their food. They were Larana's fondest memories of her father and the glaciers in the Northern Mountains were the only place she could think of that would be safe for her now.

She could hear the guards searching for her, yelling her name but she couldn't bare to face her people now. She continued to hurry around the destroyed buildings and avoided any guards she came across until she made it to the river that separated her city from the Northern Mountains.

She turned and looked at the rubble of Aragarthiel once more before she crossed the river using the old stepping stones that, after so long, still remained there.

She had nothing but the clothes on her back, her armour and her weapons. Luckily, after the many visits to the glaciers with her father they had built a cabin up there which she prayed was still there and if it was at least she would have somewhere to stay for a while.

Larana hurried up the mountain path and began to climb the steeper area of the mountain. She couldn't forget the journey up the mountains with her father so she easily remembered exactly which way to go. Her head snapped in to her left after she felt an unusual sensation in her mind that someone was there. She scanned the area with her new dragon vision and proceeded to scale the mountain after seeing nothing.

After nearly an hour of climbing and walking she finally made it to the small valley at the top of the mountain. It was still as beautiful as she remembered it; luscious green grass cushioned the ground beneath her feet and stretched out to cover the vast expanse of the valley. The trees were scattered across the valley. Sweet, untainted air filled Larana's lungs with neither the feeling of heavy fumes nor icey bitterness. She inhaled the minty smell of her surroundings and walked further into the valley, delighting in the familiar sound of her feet dragging through the crumpled leaves. She looked up at the pale blue sky with a ghost of a smile, the memories of her father flooding through her mind at being at their special place.

The crystal blue waterfall still remained where it had always been, the sweet-tasting water flowing down the river across the valley. The sound of the water crashing and splashing from the drop of the fall immediately calmed Larana and she almost forgot about the events of the day... almost.

That's when she saw it. The worn-looking wooded cabin that was built into the side of the waterfall and into the rock itself. After staring at the cabin, imaging all those nights she sat by the campfire as her father cooked the animal that they had caught for their supper, she took a hesitant step forward. She pushed the stiff door open and looked around. Nothing had changed... apart from the thin layers of dust that had built up over the past three months.

The small bed in the corner was still covered in her camping blanket from her last visit to the valley, the small table in the corner was still in tack along with the small bookshelf. The large metal chest at the bottom of the bed caught Larana's eye. She walked straight over to it and remembered what her father told her the last time she was here, "If you're ever in danger or if something happens to Aragarthiel you need to come here and you'll find everything you need to survive within the chest."

Larana reached up to grab the key that hung on the chain of her locket and used it to unlock the chest. She was glad she kept the key with her at all times now. Larana hesitantly lifted the lid and smiled at the contents.

Her father really did prepare for every occasion. She smiled as she pulled out her father's black metal bow and quiver of black-feathered arrows, she remembered the numerous times she had hunted with that exact bow as she ran her hand along the bow string pulling it back testing that it was still as strong as ever. She placed it on the bed and searched through the rest of the chest to see what her father had left her to use; there was a simple hunting outfit and gear along with new, lighter armour and fighting gear. In the chest there was also numerous daggers and throwing knives along with a few pouches of money and a few other items.

Larana stiffled a yawn and glanced outside at the sunset before she looked at her appearance; dried blood and filth clung to her skin, hair and clothes, her hair was knotted, her clothes were torn under her armour and her armour was dented.

She grabbed the simple hunting clothes that were in the chest; a pair of black leather breeches, knee high black boots, a navy blue tunic and a black corset with silver embroidery on it. She walked out of the cabin and towards the waterfall. Larana sighed and placed the clean clothes on the grass before she began removing her armour and blood soaked clothes and threw them on to the ground carelessly. Once she had ridden herself of her clothing and weapons she moved to stand under the water of the waterfall.

It didn't take long until Larana had cleaned every last speck of blood and dirt from her body and hair. Even though she had finished cleaning herself she looked down and the numerous scars that adorned her body after the confrontation with Cruzore. She was truly amazed that the dragon's magic enabled her to heal so rapidly and she couldn't help but wonder what other abilities she now possessed. She knew that she would have to seek help from those with a great knowledge of dragons, the elves, and the only elves that appealed to her were the Rivendell elves. She was already mentally planning her journey to Rivendell to seek the help of Lord Elrond.

Shaking those thoughts from her mind she moved out from under the waterfall and used one of the blankets as a makeshift towel before she got changed into the new clothes. It was beginning to get dark so she took the opportunity to collect firewood and within minutes she had started a small campfire outside the cabin. Her silver eyes glowed unusually bright as she stared into the flames whilst sitting in front of the fire wrapped in a warm blanket.

The sound of a twig snapping caused Larana to growl and jump up with two of her daggers in hand ready to attack whoever was there but upon seeing the figure she froze. Physically unable to move.

"C-Castro?" she muttered upon seeing her closest friend.

"Gandalf found me. He told me everything he did... everything that happened after you slayed Cruzore... I didn't believe him but after searching for you and not finding you I thought you'd come here," he said staring at her.

"What Gandalf told you is true," Larana muttered lowering her head.

Castro moved forwards not caring about her new appearance, not caring about what happened, not caring about what she had become. He just wanted his friend. He pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her protectively as she hugged him back tightly.

"I don't care about what happened... You are still Larana. You are still my best friend, Lara," he said placing a gentle kiss to her temple. "I've come to take you to the others."

"No!" Larana said suddenly stepping out of his embrace.

"What?" he asked, frowning in confusion at the Princess.

"I cannot face them. Not like this," she said a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"You are their Princess," he said.

"They won't want me as their Princess anymore! Not whilst I'm like this!" she said gesturing to herself with an animalistic growl.

"Why won't they, Lara?" he asked raising his voice, his blue eyes darkening slightly as he frustratedly ran his fingers through his longish blonde hair.

"Because I'm part dragon! I'm one of those creatures that have turned our people's lives to hell," she argued her eyes turning even brighter.

"They won't care. I don't care. You are still the same person I grew up with and just because Gandalf chose to save you in the way he did doesn't make you a monster," he replied sternly.

"Even if they don't care, which I know they will, I do care," she yelled. "I can't rule a kingdom... I can't rule over my people knowing that they are secretly judging me and secretly hate what I have become." Larana turned away from Castro placing her face in her hands as she began to cry silently.

"I've grown up with you so I know you are not going to change your mind. But if you leave I'm going with you, you are my best friend after all," he said walking over to her and gently pulled her hands away from her face. "We made a promise that we will look out for each other - and I intend to keep that promise. We will leave tomorrow and go on an adventure like we've always planned on doing. I will never leave you, you mean too much to me, Lara," Larana sighed shakily and hugged him tightly resting her head in the crook of his neck.

"Thank you, Castro. I already know where I want to go first," she whispered.

"Really? Where?" he asked.

"Rivendell."

"Rivendell? Why there?" he asked.

"I have some questions that need answering," she replied as she pulled away from Castro and smiled properly for the first time that day.

The two of them remained by the fire for the rest of that night and at the first sign of the sun rising they packed all their belongings including everything Larana had found in the chest and cabin.

The two of them spent the next few years traveling together and trying to learn everything they could about what actually happened to Larana. They fought orcs, wargs, goblins and any other evil creature they came across until one fateful day when the two of them were attacked and fled in different directions. The only problem was that they never saw each other again. Larana was left alone, just like she feared.