The breeze was clean with a sweet smell in the air. Taking down the  decorations from the ceremony the previous evening had increased the level of activity. The sounds of bodies and carts shuffling around softly permeated area. The courtyard was still empty. Only himself and Navaska were out this early attempting to avoid the public gaze of the other castle residents and guests. A small leaf tickled his left ear and he reflexively looked up in its direction. A figure moved away from the east tower window in the distance.  It was the only building that peaked over the edge of the garden wall.  Anyone who lived Zeneth enough knew who that was. Soter had before always tried not to concern himself their permanent guest. He had picked here today to meet her because in the past he knew no one would believe the words  Someone in his position couldn't afford to be looked at as associating with the spawn of a traitor. He sighed and looked back at the only person he truly cared about. "Perhaps you should head back to your suite." He brushed his finger down her jawline.

Navaska was more than beautiful, she was glorious. Her Djarrte,  was just as beautiful as her Savvadi. Her long blonde hair was pulled back to reveal her markings. Silvery snowflakes danced and mingled up her neck by her ears and across her hairline. A single pearl shape shone from the middle of her brow. Her eyes were a striking bright blue. She had plump cheeks and a wide jaw that made her slight cleft chin adorable. To have such an elegant physique and youthful mien – it drove him mad.

"Mars... Are you embarrassed to be with me?" Natalia smirked jutting her chin out at him. "You are acting like you don't want to be seen with me." She swayed  a little from side to side turning from him. "I am beginning to wonder if you really-"their lips met as she turned back to face him. Mars cuffed his arm around her back and pulled in her tight.

He slowly pulled away from the kiss. Her cheeks with flushed and she gazed up at him. "Don't pretend like you don't know what is at stake. There is no guarantee we will win each other. If too many know of us.... We could be purposefully separated... The whole point is to even the odds for lesser gons and agons – and you.... well there is no agon more beautiful and more elegant. As the next in line for Key marrying you would be more than advantageous. It is because I don't want to lose you." He whispered softly in her ear pulling her in close again. As he pulled away he noticed the devious smirk on her face. "You weren't being serious, were you?" He chuckled.

"I couldn't help it – you are always so serious... Are you upset?" She twirled away pulling up the train of her coat.

"No... Just... Nevermind that. Let's go." Soter took a glance around. The sun peeked over the edge of the east tower. The courtyard was already mostly decorated in preparation. The cobblestone had been swept and polished. The hedges that line the back wall of the castle and squared around the space had been trimmed. Red and gold lace was draped all around. Servants began to emerge with baskets and spread rose petals all around. The lanterns that were at each corner had more red and gold ribbon twinned from the top to the bottom. Any tribe would proudly represent their colors should their family hold the Center seat. It was expected. Still for Soter, it felt strange. He was only 8 the last time he live here. At first he could barely remember what it looked like. It had taken place during the W'eisi reign. His father held a post here.  The only real memory he had from then was meeting Navaska. He had never forgotten her, but he had only met her again 10 years ago. It didn't take long for their love to blossom and he had hoped their families would match them before the event. However, it seemed they were waiting on this. They didn't want to match him – they wanted to ruin him.

"Soteramose, are you okay?" Navaska asked, putting her hand on his forearm. She brushed his hair away from his face and gazed at him intently.  

Suddenly he saw her face go pale. She looked like she had seen something, so he looked behind them but there was nothing but a row of hedges. 

"I need to go back home for a while. I rushed out here to see you after I got word of the announcement. But I need to settle a few things before I come to live at Zeneth if I go back now I will not be too tired to return the next rune. "

"Seven days? You need that long to finish" he started but he stopped himself when he saw the look on her face.

"Mars... I love you" She caressed his face softly. She gazed at him sincerely and the air softened. "I will be back soon." She ran off and went to the clearing that was usually used for moments such as this. She untied the white fur pouch  tied around her waist; in which she kept her drake seed and placed it around her neck. It nearly touched the ground as it hung. She activated it with a silent whisper and transformed her clothes fading slowly as she transformed and the pouch lighting up as the seed inside glowed white.

Navaska was a W'eisi, and therefore used ice Rahisi. Otherwise known as an ice dragon. She had a long neck and scales that appeared as soft blue and white diamond shaped pearls. She had white fur down length of her back. Her long horns at the top of her head looked like white ivory antlers. She had a long maw and two front fangs that almost curved under her chin. She had a long physique but not as long as the Onixxeaun. Her front and back paws had large white claws that tapped one= the ground beneath her. Her large wings connected to her back thigh with an extra flap were covered with feathery white fur on the back. The white pouch could barely be seen blending in with the fur around her neckline.

 Navashka flew at her full speed. She tolerated the heat this time of year but it wasn't her most comfortable. She flew high up so she could feel the cool air on her scales. Her wings slicing through the clouds at a high speed. She felt herself exhale. Ice crystals forming from her breath in puffs and falling away behind her as she soared.

"eeeeaaaaahhhhk" something whined from behind her. She turn her neck to look behind her but all she caught was the edge large back bird wings.

"Come with us" a voice barely creeked out from her left.

Whoosh! In front of her was a flying creature with the face of a woman with blacked out eyes and slimy skin covered in feathers. Her arms were big black wings her arms and body shape of a woman covered in feathers. A harpy.

Her mouth opened all the way to the sides revealing a black beak. She screeched. "EEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKK!!" Then the harpy flung at her.

Navaska dodged out of reflex but she swung right into a murder of them. Before She swirled through the air blowing ice Rahisi at them until they froze and fell through the air. She flew up and away but she was surrounded by a horde. At first one by one they came at her gnashing and pecking at her. Scraping her scales with talons on their feet. Then before she knew they were all over her and she was falling through the air. They continued to climb around her until she encased in a ball and she could nothing but darkness.

She felt herself thud on a cold dark ground and the darkness slowly peeled away. She was in a bed of black feathers. Two black slimy vines came at her from the shadows. She tried to fight them off but the moment they wrapped around they were draining the rahisi out her. She bit them off but she couldn't draw up enough rahisi to use any of her talents. Creeping around her legs and tugging at her wings they trapped her more and more. She felt the energy draining from her until her Djartte was dissolved. She fell to ground naked with her drakeseed completely silenced on the ground next next her. The white pouch beat up and barely hanging on the threads that led  from her now small body on the ground.

The slimy black vines creeped away from her slowly.

"Mmmm, as delicious as I remember." a deep voice cracked in the dark "You have been sulking around up there plotting something. Don't think I haven't forgotten our agreement."

"I want my throne." she barely made out in a whisper

"You can have your throne, but the truth of Zhagozie and all the rest shall be mine in the eternity to come"

"Get in my way again, and I will warn them about you. You won't stand a chance." She growled struggling to push herself up to a stand. Suddenly the small pouch seemed as heavy as a ball and chain around her neck. 

"By the time they decide to fight, they could all stand against me, they will still fall" It darkness laughed.

"What if they aren't alone?" She tilted her chin up in defiance. She could not risk to show any fear, otherwise she could get bullied into a servile position. 

"Careful winter ageless. If you are dead, you can never have your throne... But I will make sure the Zheragons refuse to take help from anyone, and no one will come to rescue a dragon" 

Suddenly the darkness reaches out and she is surrounded. She gasps realizing the very air has been swallowed. She struggles to breathe and just when she reaches for her throat the darkness releases her. She is naked in the snow facing the edge of a cliff. Knowing she has no energy to transform Navaska tries to step back. However, the snow slides on the ice underneath her and she falls backward as she is pushed by the snow toward the edge. 

"Aaaggghh!!!!" She screams out in anger and reaches out grasping with both hands until she finds a slab of icy rock that was jutting upward.  It was just in time as entire lower half was hanging off the cliff. The fog just thin enough to reveal the terrible height such a drop would be. The slab is sharp with ice cutting her hand as she holds on. The snow now enveloping her as it rushes of the the face of the Cliff. It continues to fall around her and tries to breathe steadily and hold on as starts to slow down.

Once the snow has abated Navaska tries to transform. 

She grunts "Grrrah" as she strains...but her rahisi is gone. 

She yells and pushes with all her energy as grip begins to fail. 

She begins to fall...

Navaska lets out an awful scream as she barely pulls wings out her back. Her wings flap vigorously to give herself enough lift and get back to the edge. The wings immediately retract back under smooth pale skin and she lays there drained and naked in the snow. In front of her a snowy mountain. Behind her where the cliffs edges faces, the fog eases a apart more to reveal W'Eishildur standing in the distance.