Early the next morning Jessa heads out to the hiring grounds, which are located off to one side of the market. The side opposite of Alaric's shop, so she makes her way through the early dawn light through the mostly empty plaza. 

She makes her way to the hiring grounds and finds herself greeted by other guards. She is shocked to feel herself picked up and swung around. When she is set on the ground she turns and swats the man that picked her up and treated her like a rag doll.

When she realizes that it was Nathan she squeals and hugs him tight. "How long have you been here?"

"Got in the day before yesterday. So you were able to get hired immediately after I left?" Nathan asks genially. He hadn't liked not working with Jessa and having to leave her behind.

Jessa rolls her eyes and snorts. "No, dumbasses wouldn't hire me the next day either. It wasn't until near the end of the hiring time the following day that I was approached by the caravan master, Dale? Have you heard of him or worked for him before?" 

Jessa waits for Nathan to respond, "No, I've heard rumors. He's not the most honest of the masters to work with. Be careful with him. Did you get your wages?"

"Yeah, I think he was too terrified to try to cheat me of them. We ended up having Prince Dhiren come with us and his entourage. We had a little sparring match and they stopped backbiting about me after they saw me go against the prince after watching the prince go through his guards like it was nothing."

"Damn, what I wouldn't give to see that." Nathan says a bit bitterly that he wasn't able to see the demonstration of the human going against and holding her own against the elven prince. The prince is well known for his fighting ability.

"There was an assassination attempt on his life."

"Shit! He wasn't hurt was he? It wasn't any one from the caravan that you were with was it?"

"He wasn't harmed, I was. I was able to deflect the arrow."

"Bullshit, Jessa, you took the arrow meant for me." Dhiren says coming up to the two.

"Dhiren, what the hell are you doing here?" Jessa demands shocked more than anything about seeing the prince up so early.

Dhiren smiles and turns to the male standing next to him. "I came to see if you would like me to get you some breakfast. Who is your friend, Jessa?"

"Ahh, Dhiren, this is my friend Nathan, the one I told you about." Jessa explains a bit more rapidly than she normally would, but she could detect some jealousy coming from Dhiren. The last thing she needs is for Dhiren to be jealous of her male friend.

"Nathan, this is Prince Dhiren, prince of the moon elves."

Dhiren smiles happily at the introduction. "Nathan, I would like to thank you for watching out for Jessa since we are no longer able to have her with us in Silva."

Nathan relaxes at Dhiren's words, he had felt the jealousy as well and was not sure what to do about it. "In Silva? I thought you were raised outside of Silva?"

Jessa shakes her head, "No, I was raised in Silva, by General Kallen Brightblade and his wife high priestess Sorid Brightblade."

"You are human, why then do you bear their last name?"

"She was raised from infancy by my general. There is reason why she was given the writ when no other human has. You are her friend and so are welcome to visit Silva with her anytime you are together. She can show you around if you would like." Dhiren truly is pleased with the help this young human has given Jessa and so gives him unprecedented entrance, with condition, to Silva.

"It would be an honor to visit Silva and be able to see it's beauty. I have heard it described by the few merchants you have allowed in and a few things Jessa has let slip."

"Wonderful! Would you be interested in breakfast as well, young Nathan?" Dhiren asks genially.

Nathan smiles faintly, "Thank you, Prince, but I've already eaten. Perhaps another time?"

"Of course, Jessa?" Dhiren turns back to his girlfriend once more.

"There is an elven food vendor that will show up in about an hour or so. She makes food nearly as good as Sorid, if you can wait for breakfast until then?"

Dhiren sighs in relief. "I won't have a problem waiting, however, would it cause you two problems for me to wait here?"

Nathan thinks about it a bit, "No, I don't think it will. Her being seen talking to an elf, even if they have no clue who you are, will increase her chances of being hired."

Dhiren smiles once more, "Good, what about you?"

"Won't hurt me either, but I am already well established as a guard here." Nathan replies with a laugh.

Dhiren nods satisfied. He wouldn't do anything to hurt Jessa's work. That would be counter productive to everything.

"Did Jessa tell you?" Dhiren asks in the silence that falls after Nathan's statement.

"Tell me what?" Nathan queries.

Jessa sighs, "No, I haven't had time yet."

Jessa looks to Nathan, "I don't want this to get out, I don't know if it will cause me problems or not and I don't want to take chances. Dhiren here has asked permission to court me and I said yes."

"Wow, I can honestly say that I didn't see that one coming. Congratulations to you both. So how much longer will you be working a lowly job with us?" Nathan teases his friend a bit.

"For as long as I feel it necessary and he decides that he wants me." Jessa tells him, in an irritated voice. 

"She still isn't sure that I really want to court her or that she will be accepted by my people. There are far more that accept her and even like her than she thinks, but she is correct, there are those that will need to be accustomed to the idea of her being their crown princess. That might take some time. The convincing and getting to know each other will take some time since she will be working at the same time. We won't have much time together. That won't be fun."

"I hope that you both find happiness in your decisions." Nathan tells them still a bit blown away by their announcement.

"Thank you, Nathan, that is sweet of you." Jessa says smiling.

She turns to Dhiren, "Nathan is the one that introduced me to the sweet rolls you like."

"Oh, then I need to thank you even more. Those are the best human food that I've ever had."

"You like them?" Nathan asks stunned once more. Elves aren't known for having sweet teeth.

Dhiren nods happily. "They are quite delicious. Jessa gave me a fresh one as a courting gift and I couldn't have asked for anything better."

"Have you tried them fresh from the oven? I like them just about any time, but they are best fresh hot from the oven."

"Sounds good, where do I find these rolls? Jessa took off to get them yesterday and I didn't see where..."

"They are one of the early opening stores. Just go up that street and over one, the store front is on the left as you turn onto the street."

"Great, I'll bring you both back one. If you don't wish to eat it now, you can save it for later." Dhiren tells Nathan before taking off.

Nathan stares after the quickly disappearing elf. "Wow, when he decides on a course of action he goes for it, doesn't he?"

"I guess he does," Jessa says faintly watching Dhiren disappear in the direction of the bakery.

Soon after that they are approached by a caravan master. When Nathan tells him that Jessa is not only an excellent fighter but that she has a writ of passage through Silva the master is a bit incredulous. But he bites back his words when Dhiren appears suddenly at Jessa's side and hands her and Nathan a roll.

"What is your price," the master says after swallowing hard. He recognizes the prince. He's never met a human that is so calm around the prince, let alone one that the prince brings food to.

Jessa gives him her price. "When is the caravan to leave?"

"I'm still getting everything together, it will be another five days perhaps?"

"I stay with my grandfather, Alaric, you can send me a message at his shop. Are you familiar with it?"

"The old one? Yes, I am familiar with Alaric's magic shop. I didn't know that he had a granddaughter. I will let you know. Is is true about the writ of passage?"

"Yes, she is allowed to take caravans through Silva, but there are rules to doing so." Dhiren warns the over eager caravan master.

"Whatever the rules are, it is worth it. We will follow anything Jessa tells us to do."

"There is one more thing, sir, I will be returning to Silva the same time as Jessa here, would you mind having my company and that of my guards for the duration?"

The caravan master's eyes open wide at this. "You need not supply anything for us, we will bring our own supplies. We will also help Jessa range ahead. I just ask in return that Jessa be allowed to spend the night in Silva once you've gone through. There is a good camping spot for you and your animals just outside of the forest."

"It would be an honor, Prince Dhiren, to have you and your guards come with us." The caravan master gives his name and assures them all that he will let them know exactly when they will leave.

Nathan is unhappy at the delay, but is happier when Jessa tells him that he will be staying with her at her grandfather's place until they leave. "That includes meals, Nathan. My foster father would like to meet you when we arrive in Silva, so you will need to come with me then as well."

"Not just Kallen, you can bet your ass that Sorid will want to meet him too."

Jessa smirks, "You're right, Dhiren. Plan on having dinner at my parents place that night. Dhiren, will you be joining us?"

"I would love to, but it will depend on if there is anything I'll have to do once I return. I trust that my father will have things under control, but I won't know for sure until we get there."

With that the three go to Nathan's inn and collect his things before taking him to Alaric's house. Jessa then hightails it to Frosnak's house. She had assured Dhiren that the sweet roll had filled her up sufficiently for now.

Dhiren wasn't happy about that but acceded to her wishes and let her go off. He would rather put off the meeting with Alaric.

He and Alaric make sure that the room is sound proofed before they talk about the treaty.

"You do know that as crown princess of the gold dragons she is actually higher ranked than you, prince?"

"I am aware."

"You are prepared to marry a half dragon?"

"Your granddaughter fascinates me. The more I get to know her the more I want to know. I can't say that I love her, but I can see myself falling for her easily in the future."

"There is one more thing that is of great importance, Dhiren, should she ever take her dragon form she will be expected to fly and mate with a gold dragon. We are too few to be able to allow one of our females of child bearing years not mate and have dragon eggs. We are few, we are dying as a race."

Dhiren sits back white face with this new knowledge. "Does Jessa know what will be expected of her?"

Alaric shakes his head. "I haven't gotten that far in her studies, we are concentrating on the magic which she is excelling at. I think the ancient one has a hand in that.

"But that is neither here, nor there, should you marry Jessa and she gain her dragon form, would you be able to tolerate her flying and mating another?

"Because if you can't, then there will be no treaty. At least not as it is written."

Dhiren looks down and hides his tears, can he tolerate the idea of Jessa with another male?

"I will need time to think that over, Alaric, I'm sorry."

Alaric smiles at his response. "Good. I would have been worried had you been able to reassure me immediately. You care for her already. Search your heart, Dhiren."

"If I find that I am able to do so, you will not tell her about the treaty. I don't want her to choose me because of a political alliance. I want her to choose me because she wants me. Not for any other reason."

Alaric's smile grows even more. "Perfect! I wouldn't want to force her into this marriage if she doesn't find that she loves you. I tried to do that with my son and lost him, knowing my daughter-in-law and knowing Jessa. I won't make that mistake again. So you will need to do your best in winning her heart, Dhiren, if you wish to further this alliance."

Dhiren nods his head. "I will let you know once I know what my answer is."

"Very well, once you send me the treaty I'll sign it as long as all the conditions are met."

"Alaric, you need to let Jessa know, sooner rather than later about her needing to fly and mate a gold dragon if she can gain her dragon form."

"Yes, I'll tell her today in her lessons."

"Make sure you teach her a sleep walking spell so that she can take all caravans through Silva, not just the ones that she trusts."

"Very well, I will do so. I think I'll send Mel with her as well. That way if she is in trouble she'll be able to send for help."

Dhiren and Alaric look at each other, in perfect accord.

Now Dhiren needs to figure out if he will be able to handle her flying a gold dragon.

"If she flies a gold dragon, what will happen?"

"She'll lay a clutch of eggs, any where from three to eight of them. Hopefully there will be more than one female egg. We are few in number, and of those that are, only a handful are females." Alaric says sorrowfully.

Dhiren nods and leaves the room. He finds Jessa coming up to the shop and has her show him that elven food vendor.