Kianna straightened as Cale entered her face unreadable in the freshly setting sun. What appeared to be an elderly human slowly made his way around the room, his gnarled hands lighting the various torches and lanterns. Cale bowed deeply to which Kianna replied as with every person, "Rise."

Cale stood erect, "Obere Amian master Elizon and mistress Kianna. I have come to say that I have completed my task." He spoke with courage but he was quite fearful of how they might react to not only him successfully completing the task but also speaking their language.

The four elves, Kianna and Elizon and their guards, all appeared to have been shocked into silence and for a moment, nothing was said. Elizon regained his composure, clearing his throat, his look darkening slightly, "And how is it you have come by such knowledge and assistance in my city?"

"I am eager to learn and so I have." Cale responded diplomatically, thinking that Jasmine did not want them to know she had helped.

"And who are these elves that have so graciously agreed to support you?" Kianna asked, her voice wavering with frustration.

Cale gave a small nod of his head, "I do not know last names..."

"We do not use last names. Elves are recognized by profession. Give us their name and their job, IF you know it." Elizon interrupted, sitting back and relaxing slightly, obviously thinking there was no way this foolish prince could possibly know all of that, unless someone was helping him.

"I have spoken with Sonya, the florist and herbalist, Havali who sells small animals with her husband and daughter, and Antion, the shaman and carpenter." Cale answered, hoping he had correctly assessed each of them. The one that he was least sure of was Antion. He knew only that he made figures and idols but beyond that, it was educated guessing at best.

"JASMINE!" Elizon roared, standing and a moment later, the doors opened and in walked Jasmine.

"I am here Elizon, no need to yell." Jasmine said quietly with a bow of her head. She knew Elizon would know it was her who helped the moment Cale mentioned Antion. She, however, had been prepared with her response when Elizon asked the question.

Elizon stepped over to Jasmine, fury written across his face and he spoke only one word, "Why?"

"Because one of his friends is my son and I have lost him once and will not do so again." Jasmine answered calmly, folding her hands in front of her.

Elizon stepped back, looking as if he had been slapped. He knew there was no way around this and with anger and slight betrayal in his eyes, he sat and put his head in his hand, his elbow resting on the arm of his throne. He waved his other hand, indicating that Kianna was to take over.

Kianna gave an ever so slight nod of her head, "Very well, boy. You have fulfilled our requirements and so we will fulfill your request. Your traveling companions may remain here; however, you must leave at first morning's light. You are dismissed."

Cale gave another bow, "Thank you. Annanae Amian master Elizon and mistress Kianna." With that, he left, Jasmine following close behind, a look of triumph on her face. Once out of earshot of the guards on the way to Lakuna's room, Cale looked at Jasmine, "Thank you. And I apologize for getting you in trouble; however I managed to do that."

"Elizon knows that the only way Antion would ever help a human, is if he had no other choice, or if I asked him to. I have been told that Antion was the one that found and healed me that day in the forest. He is a good friend of mine." Jasmine explained, smiling fondly at the memories of her and her friend, "Now, Cale, you said you had a question?"

"Ah, yes." Cale hesitated, not sure if he wanted to know the answer but he took a deep breath and asked anyway, "Why does my father have such a prejudice against elves?"

Jasmine grew sad and giving a heavy sigh, answered slowly, "Cale, you must understand, it was through no fault of your own. Although, he used Avey's death as a trigger to start the war he had wished for so long. You see, your father has hated elves since your mother's passing..."

When Jasmine hesitated to continue, Cale stopped walking and looked at her, "Why? You can tell me."

Jasmine stopped walking as well and waited a moment before turning, saying as she looked at Cale, "Your mother's healer was an elf. In fact, it was Antion. He tried his hardest to save her but by the time your father had agreed to even let Antion see her, it was too late. When he stated that there was nothing he could do, your father, in a fit of rage, attacked Antion's son, grievously wounding him and telling Antion to save his son before chasing him out of the kingdom. Antion's son died in his arms as they ran through the forest away from the guards."

Cale gave a small gasp, trying to process everything, "Antion? And his son? My father...By God in Heaven, what has my father done? To accidentally slay someone is one thing...I mean, I knew my father was cruel but...I have to do something. I have to make this right, somehow. I will slay my father before he harms another."

"Cale, your father is far more powerful than you think. I have seen some things that he does not know I have. I will speak more with you later if you wish, but for now, I would very much like to see my son." Jasmine said anxiously, and when Cale nodded, began to walk again. "Perhaps you could introduce us? It has been so long, I doubt he remembers what I look like."

Cale gave a laugh, "You are nervous to see your own son again? I do suppose I understand. I will introduce you." Jasmine gave a nod and from there, they walked in silence until reaching Lakuna's room. Cale and Jasmine stepped inside, "Eric, I'd like you to meet..."

Eric turned and he paled slightly as Cale spoke, "Mom?" His voice was quiet, scared, as if speaking too loud would make her disappear. Tears sprang to his eyes and he blinked them back. The others stared as Eric and Jasmine stepped into an embrace and both began to cry.

"I have other news as well." Cale said quietly, more to the others of the group, "You will all be staying here. The master and mistress have already approved it. You will stay here and be safe from my father, including you Titus."

Titus stood quickly, shaking his head, "Absolutely not your highness. I will not leave your aid for my safety. I have taken an oath and will complete it."

Cale stepped forward, placing a hand on Titus's arm, "My dear friend. You HAVE taken an oath and I understand that. However, I am not going to have my father kill you for any reason. That being such, I ORDER you to remain here and care for Caymen. As per your oath, you must obey any order given by the one you have sworn to serve."

Titus pulled away slightly, a slight sly smile on his face, "Unless that order conflicts with my other duty to protect my liege. Therefore, your order is overridden as per my oath."

"I will not be in danger Titus, and I can suspend you or even release your from duty. You will remain here and care for the others. They will need it here." Cale responded, his heart heavy at having to say goodbye to his closest friends. He knew he had no other choice at this point though. It was either say farewell to them now and see them live, or say goodbye at their execution. With the order, it made Eric's decision that much easier, leaving little choice in the matter, despite his emotions.

Araya wept silently, obvious relief flooding over her, Sam holding her in support and giving a small nod of thanks to Cale. Caymen looked away, words stuck in her throat while Titus chose to say nothing, instead retreating to a dark corner. Lakuna, sensing something needed to be said, came forward, "We will take care of them Cale. I give you my word."

"Thank you Lakuna. It has been a pleasure knowing you." Cale responded and before he could say anything else, he heard Eric quite clearly.

"You mean I'm dating my step sister?! How gross is that! Well...I mean...I guess it could be worse. Hey Cale! Remember your cousin Donovan? Didn't he marry his mom?" Eric said, confirming his own question with a nod of his head before returning to his conversation.

Cale gave a chuckle and walked away to his makeshift bed, laying down and closing his eyes, feeling several pairs on him but pushing that away. He fought back his sadness, knowing this was likely the last time he was going to see his friends but knowing they were safer for it. Eric had always been like a brother and he knew that Eric was torn between his brother and the woman he knew; at least deep down, that he loved. Seeing his mother alive and well would make the decision that much harder and so Cale made it easy for Eric, at the cost of his own heartache. He knew Titus would try any option he had to try and remain with Cale but he would find an equal amount of options against it. If Titus returned with him, he would be executed for failure to protect or some stupid excuse. Not a second thought would be given to the man who risked his life numerous times for the king, his kingdom or his son. His father would not care in the slightest who had done what; one failure was all it took to give his father an excuse to kill someone. Why had he not seen how horrible his father was before? Exiling Eric's parents, killing how many of his own men, killing Avey...That was his childhood friend's name; one that he would not soon forget. After some time, dawn broke and he gathered his things to leave, his friends still sleeping and so he tried his best not to disturb them.

Cale went to the stables, mounted Meza, fleeing the city and returning to his prison. His father awaited him with open arms, his leering smile falsely comforting. It had fooled him before but not anymore. They spoke quietly and his father ordered him to his room but when Cale turned his back, his father put a knife in it.

Cale started awake, gasping for breath, beads of sweat on his brow as he looked around in the early light of dawn. Calming himself, he realized he must have fallen asleep and for a while at that... Standing and picking his way between the various sleeping forms on the floor, Cale quickly made his way out of the beaded doorway and followed the path through the awakening marketplace and to the guards at the throne room. "I must speak with Elizon."

"The master is not currently present. Goodbye." The elf responded, not bothering to even look at Cale.

"Is there a way you can...?" Cale began but was cut off before he could finish.

"The master will not be present for some time. Goodbye!" The elf stated with emphasis on the final word.

Giving a frustrated growl, Cale turned and walked away pondering his next idea when he caught sight of a small path leading away from the throne room and into the forest. It was his last hope and he took it, jogging along the quartz path, the stones shining dimly in the quickly rising sunlight. The path paid off and it took him to a building much like Lakuna's room this one, however, was far more elegant and spacious looking, resting at the edge of a small lake. He did not hesitate more than a fraction of a second but that was enough for a guard to come out of nowhere to attack him with no warning. Taking a small gash on his forearm, Cale countered the elf's next moves, tripping him, and rushing through the cloth that served as the door to the building. "Master Elizon! Jasmine!"

Elizon woke with a start and with unmatched speed, seeming to be only a mere moment, was at Cale's back, a dagger against his throat. "You had better speak quick young prince before I spill the rest of your blood." He growled, pressing the dagger slightly harder into Cale's throat.

"I wish to amass an attack against my father and his kingdom." Cale summarized his desire, barely breathing, let alone moving all the while hoping that his single sentence was enough to, at the very least peak Elizon's interest and listen to the rest of his plan.

"Elizon! Release the boy." Jasmine hissed, pulling on a robe and coming forward, "Hear him out before you decide whether or not you want to kill him."

Elizon waited almost a full minute before releasing Cale, sheathing the weapon but not yet setting it back on the bedside table. "Speak quickly human or I draw my weapon yet again."

The guard which Cale had tripped had finally recovered and burst into the room, weapon ready and eyes searching. His rage and fear for his master and mistress' safety was disarmed with wave of Jasmine's hand. The guard tried to splutter out some words but a sharp look from Jasmine cut him short and caused him to give a nod. "Very well, mistress, your majesty. I will be just outside, should you need me."

Once the guard left, Cale gave a nod and indeed spoke quickly, "With your help, I wish to send emissaries to the other Elven clans within a day's ride of here. I want them, and your clan to amass an attack against my father. His tyranny needs to end now; unless you want him to eventually hunt down and kill the rest of your people followed by the other clans. He will not stop until the elves are all but extinct. I implore you to help save your people not just of your kingdom, but of your entire race."

Thinking for a moment before setting down his weapon on the bedside table, Elizon responded simply, "And what makes you think that the other clans would even consider helping you¸ much less my people?"

"I am sure that they have heard of my father's actions. And if not, then surely they will aid their brethren in bringing down a monster." Cale pleaded, "If nothing else, consider what he has done to your people; do it for Avey and the countless elves he has slaughtered for his own selfish gain."

"SILENCE!" Elizon snapped his voice commanding and frightening, "Leave my chambers now. I will have someone escort you to your father's forests."

"But sir..." Cale began, only to once again be interrupted, as seemed the norm for elves.

"No, I will assist you in no way. Leave my chambers now." Elizon said, turning and walking back toward his bed.

As he was walking, Jasmine came forward, placing a hand on Elizon, finally showing her position of power, "Elizon, do not be foolish. You have the chance to save our people and because of your prejudice against this boy, you are condemning us all. If you choose this path, I shall return with Cale to face his father's wrath."

Elizon stopped walking and turned around, "It is you who is foolish Jasmine; placing your trust in this boy. He is much like his father. And if you return to the land of the humans, without our magic with you, you would age for as many years as you have been here, all in a moment. That kind of stress on your body could kill you and if it did not, his father surely will."

"So be it but I will not stand idly by and watch the people I have come to call my own die because you are too stubborn to accept that you have misjudged the boy." Jasmine spoke clearly, her poise unwavering as she finally asserted herself. She had always been content with sitting by and listening to what her husband would say or do but enough was enough; she had worked too hard and grown too fond of the Amian elves to lose them now.

Elizon gave a small sigh and seemed to think things through for a few minutes, Jasmine waving off the guard who had hurried in once again at Elizon's shouting. Finally, he turned and looked at Cale, "You think I would so easily trust the son of our most hated enemy?" A small smile played across his lips as he then walked a half-circle around the young prince.

Cale remained composed despite the little hairs on the back of his neck tingling at the knowledge of the enemy whose cruelty he had seen standing behind him, "I did not expect your trust. In fact, I expected to be murdered the moment I stepped foot in your city and with good reason. My people have been far more than unfair to yours. However, I will do what I must to prove my intentions. I can not say my loyalty to you for if your people came after my friends, I would lay down my life to defend them. However, I would give my life without hesitations to defend you and your people against my father and his soldiers."

"You are brave, young prince. Why is it that you do not turn to face your enemy when he stands behind you? I could have cut out your heart several times over by now." Elizon questioned, moving slowly around to stand in front of Cale and gently putting his dagger on the nightstand.

"Elizon, dear, don't you think we'd best discuss this later in the day after we have had time to think things over?" Jasmine inquired, pulling her robe a little tighter and shifting her weight to the other foot.

Elizon momentarily turned his attention to his wife, "I wish to hear what the boy has to say, Jasmine. Are you not the one who has wished me to hear him out? Besides, his answer may just determine his fate."

As Elizon's gaze returned to Cale, his wife's followed, a slight frown on her face, "Choose your words carefully, child."

With a boldness that took both Elizon and Jasmine by surprise, Cale looked Elizon square in the eyes and spoke confidently and clearly, "Because I knew you would not kill me, despite my fears. Before you respond, I shall explain," Cale held up his hand, cutting off Elizon and receiving a slight shocked and offended look, "I knew you would not kill me because if there is even the slightest chance that what I am saying is to be trusted, even the slightest chance to save your people from my father's terror, then you would take it. You would do anything for your people, as I would do anything for my friends."

Elizon pondered Cale's words in silence for a few minutes before finally speaking, "You are wise beyond your years, boy. We shall speak this tomorrow."

Cale acknowledged his dismissal and gave a bow, "Have a pleasant evening your majesties and I apologizes for the intrusion."

"Get some rest, Cale." Jasmine said rather quietly, offering a small smile, "And have someone dress your wound." As Cale left, she removed her robe and lay back down.

Cale stepped into the warming sun, taking a moment to breath in the crisp breeze coming off the lake before taking a look at the stinging from his arm. He was acutely aware of the guards standing behind him as he peeled back his sleeve frowning slightly. Looking over at one of the guards, he spoke in an almost casual tone, "Hey, sorry about tripping you; just kind of fearing for my life there." He gave a small chuckle, kneeling down and digging through his bag for anything alcoholic to clean off his arm. As he dug, someone knelt by his side and placed a hand over his wound, healing it with ease.

He looked up to see the guard he had tripped by his side. "I heard what you were saying to the mistress and master. If you are sincere, I would fight beside you and help ensure your survival. You seem like a rarity amongst humans." The guard then stood and held out his hand, offering it to Cale.

Cale looked at the guard's hand then up into his face, taking his hand and standing, "Thank you. It would be an honor to fight beside someone who takes his duty as seriously as you. I fully intend to put a stop to the reign of terror my father has caused. I was so blinded by my love and duty to him that I was not able to realize his cruelty."

"For my people's sake, I pray to Her Grace that you succeed. Allow me to escort you back to Lakuna's quarters." The guard stated, nodding to the other guard who took his place at their door.

With a small smile, Cale agreed, walking with the guard and watching the lightening sky. "What is your name, soldier?"

"Calawyn," The guard answered, saying something in Elvish to another guard in passing and continuing, "Named after the guardian of our forest."

"A strong name; I do hope it does not come to war but I want the elves to be prepared in case it does. If it does come to a war, at this point my father will surely win. The imperial army numbers in the high hundreds; far more elves than I think I've seen in the city since arriving. Hopefully, I can find a way to solve this without bringing it to a war." Cale talked quietly, thinking about the consequences should a war arise, "I have been the cause of far too much death already."

Calawyn stayed silent for a time, feeling the remorse and pain in Cale's voice. It was true that he and his people did blame Cale for many of the Elven deaths but even Avey's death was not directly his fault. He had been young and had been, even if he had not known it at the time, building a bridge between the two peoples. Finally, he figured out the words to say and spoke just as quietly as Cale had. "I think what you are doing is very brave. It takes much to do this."

"Bravery and stupidity often times flow hand in hand." Cale said with a small chuckle, "I expect to meet my end in this fight but I do hope I can stop things before you all do as well."

As they reached Lakuna's room, Calawyn stopped and looked at Cale, giving his parting, "I believe you will find a way to resolve this. Annanae laru Cale."

With a small bow, Cale responded with, "Annanae Amian Calawyn." With that farewell, Cale stepped into the room, giving a silent wave of greeting to Lakuna who had risen with the sun and picked his way over to his bedroll. He lay down to try and rest but sleep had already visited him once that night and refused to return. His mind began to wander to the different possibilities he could be facing from war to his own death at the hands of his father. If that were the case, he only hoped he could do enough damage to bring his father down as well or at least give the elves enough time to mount a force large enough to stop the army. He knew that if he carried through with this, his father would declare war and hundreds upon hundreds of his father's men would march into the forest, torching and destroying everything in their path to get to the elves. The elves may be able to defend their city but not forever, especially not against the catapults and trebuchets his father had ordered built.

Cale lay there until his entire party had risen and begun feasting on the breakfast laid out before them. He joined them but his stomach was in knots so instead, refusing to allow him to eat and so he decided to walk over to the throne room to await his audience. Shuffling along, Cale nearly ran into Jasmine as his mind drifted along it's thoughts but fortunately for them both, he snapped back to the present just in time.

"Good morning Cale." Jasmine offered a friendly smile, adjusting the various weapons she carried so that they were less likely to stick Cale. "Do you often let your mind wander?"

Cale rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile before offering, "Would you like some help?"

"It would be very much appreciated." Jasmine responded, allowing him to take the weapons from her and began walking, gesturing to a building at the end of a series of bridges, "To the smith if you would."

"Of course." Cale gave a nod, following along and noting that the weapons he carried appeared to be human made. "Where did you get these? They look like our smith made them."

Jasmine held aside the curtains at the door to allow Cale in, to which he gave a nod and stepped through sideways. The inside of the building which sat musty and heavy with the smell of fire and metal looked much like the rest of the city but something caused Cale to pause a moment upon entering. His nose wrinkled a little at the heavy stench but what really caught his attention and made his jaw drop was the man who turned to greet him. A big and burly man standing almost as tall as Titus but easily twice as strong, dark curly hair cut short and a very large mustache neatly trimmed stood before him, looking exactly like the smith in his father's kingdom. "Put them on the counter, boy." The man's gruff voice fit his features rather well as his deep set and dark eyes watched Cale and looked to Jasmine, "What is he doing here?"

"He offered to carry them for me since your apprentice ran off." Jasmine frowned slightly, tying back the curtains to allow in some light and allow the smoke out. "You need more ventilation in here. It reeks."

The man gave a sigh, pulling off a pair of thick black gloves and holding out his hand to Cale. When Cale took his hand, the man closed his around Cale's, encompassing it entirely and gave it a rough shake, "I won't say it's nice to meet you, young prince but it is nice to see what my brother has talked about. My name is Miguel. Of course you know my twin brother Hector; although as far as you know, I do not exist."

"Twin? Well that does explain a few things..." Cale questioned slightly, mulling over the details of what he knew in his mind, "Like how Hector was able to work the day after that accident with the horse...?"

"You bet your ass that's how. If your father had found out that my brother crushed his hands, he would have cut his head off." Miguel almost seemed to grow slightly larger as he spoke, clearly upset by this topic. "We've been swapping on and off for years now, ensuring we keep our heads."

Cale nodded, "I see. Good for you. My father has no business treating people the way he does."

Giving a laugh, Miguel put his oversized hand on Cale's shoulder, "And what exactly do you intend to do about it, boy?"

Cale waved under the sheer weight of Miguel's hand but steadied himself and stood proud, "Well, hopefully I can end this without a war but if it comes to that, I plan to prepare the elves with every bit of knowledge about my father's army, land and castle."

"Boy, how can you prepare others when you don't even know the truth yourself?" Miguel asked, despite Jasmine shaking her head.

"What do you mean the truth?" Cale asked, tilting his head slightly.

Jasmine then placed her hands on Cale's shoulders, steering him out of the building saying as she did, "Farewell, Miguel. Cale, I will answer any questions you have as promised." She led him to a fountain and sat on the edge, giving this small sigh. "You wish to know the truth about your father?"

Cale sat beside her, adjusting slightly so as to be able to look her in the eyes, "How much more can there be? I know that he is a murderous and cruel man."

"There is something far worse." Jasmine said quietly, looking away for a moment. She took a deep breath, folding her hands in her lap and looked at him, "Cale, myself and several others believe that your father is responsible for your mother's death." She paused for a moment, judging Cale's reaction and wondering just how much he would believe her.

Sitting up a little straight, Cale's breath caught in his throat and he felt the all too familiar rush of cold fear tingle across his body. "My mother had some sort of disease..."

"That is what your father told you. Antion believes it was a very deadly poison he has seen from the darker lands. It is very commonly used with those who practice the darker arts. Thinking over the things that had happened around then, it all makes too much sense. The servants were always very careful and specific about giving your mother and me our drinks. I think your mother found out what was going on. She would always switch drinks with me when they weren't looking, saying how I was to protect her and she feared there was poison in her drinks. We laughed about it but I fear she had not been joking and was instead trying to protect me. Antion believes that your father did not realize what was going on until it was too late to stop and by the time your father allowed him to see your mother; the poison had done far too much damage." Jasmine explained quickly, her hands toying nervously with the fabrics of her dress. She couldn't make out what was on Cale's mind but she hoped to the Gods that he believed her. This information could change the very plans against his father and could quite possibly save his life.

Cale sat in shocked silence but as he thought it over, he realized that it made perfect sense. The times he was forbidden from leaving the castle, he would wander the halls and every once in awhile, would find his father's study unlocked. He knew he was not supposed to be in there but curiosity finally got the better of him. He remembered that before he was caught by one of the servants and ushered out, he caught glimpse of a book with strange symbols on the cover, "If what you say is true...then he is possibly far more powerful than I thought but that still does not change the fact that he needs to be stopped...but why would he try and kill you, of all people? There were so many others."

"I was a threat to his power. Your mother and I were very close. She cared for me very deeply and as such, my husband and Eric were spared from your father's laws. He wanted fear, she wanted respect. He showed cruelty, she showed kindness. I believe he feared losing his power, his reign and decided to put a stop to the one person who he thought was whispering in her ear. What he didn't see was that your mother was a wild and strong spirit, with or without me." Jasmine explained quietly, "Of course, this is all speculation. I don't think I will ever know for sure."

"Very well. I supposed it is time to figure out how to counter dark magic and figure out what to do about him." Cale stated firmly and giving a nod, "Thank you."

Jasmine gave a sigh of relief, standing and pulling Cale to his feet, taking his arm and once again leading him through the city, "That he does and now that you are armed with this new knowledge, Antion may have some things that can help you. First though, you have an audience with Elizon and the mistress."

Looking up at the sun, Cale swore under his breath, quickening his pace slightly, "I completely lost track of time. I hope they aren't too upset with me."

"I'll ensure them that it was my fault. I kept you distracted and don't you dare try to argue." Jasmine said matter-of-factly, matching his pace with ease and passing several groups of elves all whispering about something.

"What were they talking about?" Cale asked, turning his head to look at one of them. Though he did not understand what they were saying, their tones sounded urgent, if not a little worried.

Jasmine gave him a small tug and stopped in front of the doors to the throne room, instructing the guards to open them before looking at Cale, "Antion and I will explain that later. For now though, let's get to your audience."

Cale gave a nod and walked in beside Jasmine, cringing inwardly at the looks on Elizon and Kianna's faces. He gave a bow and was told to rise rather quickly but before they could speak after that, he began, "I apologize for my late arrival. I was learning disturbing news about my father and his practices so that I may hope to be better prepared to deal with him and lay down as few lives as possible."

"Tell me again of your plan." Elizon instructed, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees, resting his chin on his clasped hands.

Looking around at what he could only assume was a council of elves then at the guards and finally resting his eyes on the two before him, Cale took a breath to steady his nerves and spoke loud and clear, "Ladies and gentleman, I come before you humbled by even your way of life. I stand in awe of the way you coexist with nature instead of live against it and your peaceful existence simply fascinates me. However, all of what you know is in danger of ceasing to exist. My father will bring his war to your very doorstep and his weapons of destruction and his sheer manpower would eventually overwhelm the city. If that were to happen, I can guarantee that the people my father does not torture and murder he would place them in servitude." This received quiet chatter from around the room until Kianna held up his hand to silence them and gave a wave to Cale to continue. "I wish to stop this from happening. I want to send correspondence to the surrounding Elven clans and anyone else who might be able to assist. I want to ask them to send any soldiers they might have to aid you in case of war. On top of that, I alone would like to return to my father and pray that God gives me the strength to end this before it turns into a war."

Kianna shifted in her throne, moving her hands from her lap to the arms of the chair, "And how are we to believe you? What if we do as you suggest and upon returning, alert your father to the entirety of the plan?"

"With all due respect your majesties, there is no way to completely know whether I am telling the truth or not. However, I will say this and I do hope you listen completely; your daughter was my best friend for the little time I knew her. I still have nightmares about what happened on that day. I hated my father for years for what he had done, not even knowing just how far his corruption had gone. If I could, I would trade my life for hers but unfortunately, the only thing I can do now is try to make up for what I caused. I know that if I had simply followed my father's rules, your daughter would be alive and you have no idea how much pain that causes me. Even if I were lying about this, I have come to find out that my father is also the cause of my mother's death even if your daughter's death were not enough cause for my desire for justice, my mother's murder would be. Besides, I'm the best hope you have of surviving this. It is only a matter of time before my father decides to attack and destroy you and the other Elven clans." Cale left in the wake of his speech, full silence throughout the room. Talking about Avey and her death had been outlawed years ago by the king and queen and yet here this human prince stood yet again drudging up the past.

Elizon cleared his throat, regaining his calm and cool composure before leaning back in his throne, "Step outside young prince, we must discuss." Without waiting for a response from Cale, he looked to Jasmine, "I would like you to remain here."

Cale gave another bow and walked out, listening to the rising whispers of the elves as they snapped out of their shock. He had hoped that his pleas were convincing enough to save these people. He hoped that he could stop his father and not just for the elves; his own people had suffered for years and the vicious hands of his father. He longed for them to be free and happy and for himself too. Perhaps he might even leave the monarchy and put someone else in his place, which is assuming he survived the end. Perhaps, if he was lucky, once all this was all over, maybe he would get a happily ever after.

A group of elves nearby caught his attention and he drifted closer, trying to see if he could make out any of the words they were saying but once one caught sight of him, the entire group moved away. He frowned slightly and walked over, standing beside one of the guards at the door. It was then that he realized just how short he really was in comparison to the guards or perhaps it was how tall the guards were in comparison to the other elves. This guard easily had a foot on him in height but was slender as though extremely agile. Resisting a comment, Cale turned his eyes forward, looking out over the entire city. He exhaled in awe, as he had not yet noticed the view from the palace and found it stunning. You really could see the entire city from the front steps of the palace and more than that. He realized he could see all the way into the forbidden part of the forest and with a sickening feeling, he noticed a serene lake in the distance. With Elven eyes, he knew these people might very well have witnessed the playing and death of Avey. With that, he took a seat on the ground beside the guard, placing his head on his knees and closing his eyes against a feeling of nausea.

After awhile, the guard standing next to Cale spoke, causing him to jump, "The master and mistress will see you now."

Cale had forgotten the guard was there and had not heard anyone indicate that he was to return but trusting the guard, he walked through the doors that were now held open. The room suddenly seemed so much larger than it had the previous times he had been there and the elves seemed so much more terrifying. He was sure that he was going to be sick but he tried to show no signs of his fear. Once again bowing and standing upon command, Cale looked to the king and queen for the final decision.

"You appear ill." Elizon commented before giving a small smirk, "No matter, we have made a decision. We have agreed to send riders out immediately with requests and a possible call to arms. However, before that is to happen, we must formulate a treaty. You ARE a dignitary from the human lands, after all..."

"Understandable, but just know that I have no power over my father and his people. Any truce made between us will simply be between us, unless this should go well. Then I shall love to formulate a truce between our kingdoms." Cale responded, relaxing slightly at the talk of a truce. At least now, he could ensure the safety of his people and if all went well, the peace of their two peoples and possible establishment of trades between the humans and the elves.

Elizon waved a young woman forward, setting up a small table and chair, placing an inking set and parchment on the table, she then sat in the chair, poised to write. "We, the Amian elves agree to aid you, Prince Cale of Amarelle in bringing down the tyrant king of Amarelle along with keeping the humans, Samuel Weaver, Araya Sinclair, Caymen Luiz, Eric Townsend, and Titus Crowley safe and secure in our city until such time that the human king is either removed from power or killed. In exchange, you must agree to a peace between our people with no future war so long as you live and reign as king and your guarantee that you will try to end this conflict with your father without war if at all possible. You must also agree that should you betray us, this contract will be paid in the blood of your friends."

Cale listened carefully and felt this tinge of anger upon him bringing up the potential of his friends dying but he saw no flaws in it, so long as he held up his end, which he fully intended to do in the first place. "I wish to add a couple of things, if I may." Upon Elizon giving a nod, Cale spoke up once again, "I also want your guarantee of the safety of Araya and Sam's child regardless of whether I betray you or not, seeing as how it IS a child and has done nothing. Also, if I am killed trying to fulfill my side of the bargain, I still wish their safety and I wish Titus to take my place as emissary. If I am killed trying to fulfill it, I will not have forfeited my side of the bargain but will have paid the ultimate price trying to complete it."

Kianna leaned toward Elizon who leaned toward her in response and they whispered quietly amongst themselves before sitting upright once again. This time it was Kianna who spoke, "We will agree to the second half of your addition however, should you betray us, we will not be leaving Samuel and Araya alive. We WILL leave her alive long enough to deliver the child which will be raised by one of the humans residing in the city with no knowledge of his or her true parents."

"I can accept that. I simply do not see the need to kill children, regardless of their heritage or lineage." Cale responded, looking over to the scribe as her quill scribbled away on the parchment.

"If there is nothing further, let us sign." Elizon stated, standing to move to the small table but was halted by Cale's words.

Cale stepped forward slightly, "Not just yet. I know how your mind works to some degree, your majesty. I should also like to add that if it comes to a war and your people win, that my people would be free to leave the land or even remain free on their own land. As such, that would also go to say that if it comes to a war and my father is killed but the army is able to repel the rest of the attacks, that either myself or one of my guards will be able to take the throne and command the army to halt any further action, and preventing any further bloodshed. I wish to avoid as much death as possible."

Elizon stroked his chin, before giving a small nod, "Very well. Our land is our own, as is our kingdom. If there is no cause for a death, then so shall we refrain from causing it. Is there anything further, your majesty?"

These last two words were spoken with a slight sneer sending a tingle down Cale's spine but he though a moment more before speaking once again, "Actually, yes. Regardless of what happens, our kingdoms belong to us. If the humans are defeated, a human king or queen will be put in place to rule the humans and vice versa with the elves. As you said, our land is our own as is our kingdom. No slaves, no unnecessary deaths, no pointless trouble."

The scribe wrote in this last bit upon an approving nod from Elizon who then took up the quill and signed his name, holding it out for Cale. "You are very thorough young prince and have quite the sneaky thought process."

"When you have the man I do as a father, you learn to." Cale responded as he accepted the quill and scratched his name in beside the Elven king's. He relinquished the quill to Kianna as she approached and allowed her room to sign her name. "If possible, I should like an escort through the dark part of the forest to make my journey home quicker. From there I ask that said escort make it appear as though I had been attacked by wild creatures from the forest. I will need to look the part, lest my father think I'm lying."

At this, Elizon have a wicked smile and when he spoke, sounded far too delighted. "Of course you shall have an escort, young prince! I am positive Kianna here would be honored to take the job."

Cale felt a slight sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach and knew he was in for a serious beating which he also felt he deserved. Swallowing the anxious knot appearing in his throat he gave a nod, "Very well; as long as she feels she is safe taking me to the human lands. I do not wish harm on her."

"You need not trouble yourself. I am more than capable of protecting myself if I need." Kianna responded, now looking at him almost eagerly. Before she had married Elizon, she had been one of the fiercest warriors in Amian-Pall. Amian-Pall was the official name for the city, referring to the darkness that covered the land hundreds of years prior like a pall and never left certain parts of the regions.

"If you so say, your majesty." While concerned for her safety, Cale also feared for his own knowing that she hated him and knowing he would deserve whatever she decided to do to him. He only hoped that it would allow him to survive long enough to go through with the plan. "If possible, I wish to leave immediately."

Elizon gave a nod, "Your friends and your horse will remain here, safe and sound. You are to take nothing with you that you would not carry on the run." He motioned to a guard who came forward to escort Cale and Kianna to the edge of the forest. "I do not suggest speaking to your friends. It will cause undo frustration and emotions and take an excess amount of time."

Cale gave a nod of agreement, "Perhaps you'll give them a parting gift?" At a nod from Elizon, Cale asked the scribe for a piece of parchment and the quill and wrote out a quick letter, folding it and sealing it with wax from the candle on the scribe's table. "My horse will be safe here, yes?"

Elizon gave a nod, "An animal is an animal, no need to do it harm. My daughter would likely have me dethroned should I do something to an innocent animal, of course not meant for eating. Now give me your letter. I shall see to it, delivered."

"Thank you." With a bow, he handed the letter to Elizon and quickly followed Kianna and the guard. Glancing back, he watched as Elizon walked away with his letter in the direction of Lakuna's room. He tried to make small chat with Kianna and the guard but neither responded and so they walked in silence to the edge of the city where the guard departed to return to his post, leaving Kianna and Cale.

Without so much as a word, Kianna marched off into the dark, her figure quickly melding into the darkness. Cale ran to catch up to her, not wanting to lose sight of her for too long in this place, knowing he would never find his way otherwise. Her pace was quick but because of Cale's long legs, he managed to keep stride, not saying much at first but after some time, tried to strike up a conversation. "So..."

"Hush." Kianna cut him off after barely the first word left his lips. She seemed focused and intent on not talking to him; her eyes so intense, much like Elassë.

Cale ignored her attempt at keeping him silent and spoke up once again, persisting through her hushing, "She has your eyes but she looks more like her father. Not like..." He stopped speaking as Kianna stopped walking and whirled around to face him.

"What part of hush do you not understand, boy? I do not want to hear you speak about my children again, am I understood?" Kianna's voice held a threat behind it, hissing some of her words in a venomous tone.

"I AM sorry." Cale said quietly and began to look around the forest in silence, indicating he was done talking, for now. They marched along for hours, Kianna slowly gaining ground as Cale's body became achy and tired. He was used to extended physical activity from training and exploring the forest but it was the pace that was getting to him. Finally, Kianna slowed her pace some, allowing Cale to catch up for which he was grateful. He feared being left behind in the darkness, not knowing which way he was going or even from which he had come. He thought again of the lake he had seen from the palace; the way the water glistened in the sunlight, even from so far away and the way the trees formed a shaded canvas over a small part of the lake. That was where Avey and he had swum on occasion. He hated himself for years because of what happened to her and for years he felt like he owed the elves. Perhaps this was his chance to make things right. Perhaps he would even find friends amongst the elves, even if he was unable to live with them or decided to take the throne. Friends like Lakuna or Elassë or maybe even some of the elves who had once been citizens of his father's kingdom. He had a lot to make right and he feared there was far too little time to do so. Antion, for example, had tried to help his mother only lose his home, his son and who knows what else. He knew he could never make up for the loss of a child but perhaps he could offer some sort of recompense; anything that might help with the pain and anger towards his father.

As his mind wandered yet again, something slammed into his chest, knocking him flat and out of breath. His attention quickly snapped to the present to find Kianna on top of him on her back, grappling and fighting with some sort of scaled creature, it's fangs dripping with venom, tail whipping back and forth as it tried to tear her apart. Yet another creature he had never known existed from the dark side was now trying to kill them. He pushed against Kianna, rolling her off of him and drawing his sword bringing it into an upwards arch and narrowly missing Kianna as he took this creature's head off. Its body fell limp onto Kianna's body, blood pooling on and around her. Cale quickly set his sword down and rolled the rather large creature's body from Kianna, dropping to one knee and beginning to examine her for wounds.

Kianna waved him aside, pushing herself into a sitting position as she wiped away some of the blood on her arm. There stood a small scratch no bigger than the head of an arrow but already it was bleeding profusely and looking much like it smelled, foul. She gingerly touched the wounds but as she touched it, her flesh bubbled and stuck to her fingers, pealing it away as she withdrew her fingers. "This is not good."

Cale looked at her arm then looked at her, "Give me and order and I shall follow it." As he spoke, he grabbed his sword and cleaned it, ensuring that all the blood from this thing was gone before putting it back in its sheath.

"You are a foolish boy that keeps your head in the clouds rather than here on the ground." Kianna snapped, moving until she was propped up against a tree. She looked Cale dead in the eyes and pursed her lips before speaking again, "If you truly wish to help, you need to return to the Elven city. This venom will spread until it dissolves and devours my body. Once it is in your blood stream, even an amputation will not stop it."

That last sentence answered Cale's unspoken question, and he hesitated a moment before he gave a nod, "Very well. Tell me how to find the city and I will go." He decided against responding to her first comment, instead choosing to deal with the important matter at hand.

"Follow your heart. Your friends will lead you there. Acade llewyn." Kianna leaned her head back against the tree, closing her eyes against the pain.

Unsure what she meant, Cale took his parrying dagger and placed it in Kianna's hand, also taking his shirt and placing it over her. He knew that it would not do much but he hoped that it would keep her warm enough in the cold and dark forest. He now wished he had brought his cloak instead of leaving it with the rest of his belongings. He thought for a few moments, giving a slight shiver as a small gust of wind tickled his neck but despite running all the ideas of what she could have meant through his head, he could figure out nothing. As he turned to try and ask her what he meant, he felt this pang in his entire mid-section from his stomach to his heart that made him almost double over and cry out. He turned away from Kianna, trying to stand straight but upon turning from her, the pain lessened. Suddenly he knew exactly what she meant and began running, first awkwardly and unsteady but soon with his hands out in front of him, fast and bold. He was not nearly as fast as an elf but he did well enough for a human and with this strange newfound internal compass he made quick work of the distance between Kianna and the city. He stumbled into the light emanating from the lanterns outside the city and crashed to the ground at the feet of the guards, looking up only to find weapons in his face. Out of breath, Cale managed to sputter a few words. "Kianna. Help.." He pointed back toward the forest, trying to stand and breath.

"Where is the mistress??" One guard spoke, dropping his weapon and hauling Cale to his feet in what would quite possibly turn into an aggressive manner. The second guard ran into the city, leaving the first to deal with Cale.

Cale managed a deep breath and then a second one and was able to speak clearly. "Kianna is injured. We were attacked by some sort of scaled beast easily as large as me. She has some weird cut on her right arm." There were more details about what happened but he guessed the guard was only interested in the important facts, as he should be.

The guard let out a small gasp of shock and Cale saw in his eyes what he knew could only be fear. "May Her Grace help us."

"What IS it?" Cale persisted, having never seen any sort of fear on an elf before, knowing from various sources that they never showed it

"No time now." The guard answered before the gates opened and there stood Elizon, the other guard and a medic. The guard began conversing with Elizon in Elvish and Elizon's face changed from irritated if not angry to that same look of fear. He said something to the guard who ran off at once, shouting in Elvish.

Elizon then turned to look at Cale, "We must go immediately. Which direction did you come from?" Upon Cale pointing into the forest, Elizon broke off into a run with the guard and the medic, disappearing into the darkness much like Kianna had.

Cale turned and ran after them, wondering how the guard knew they would need a medic but dared not question now. It took all he had to keep them in sight, losing them at several points but catching a glimpse here or there. Yet again, Cale reached his destination out of breath and exhausted but this time managing to keep his balance. What he saw however almost made him ill. He had seen blood and death far more times than he could count but nothing like this. Half of Kianna's upper arm seemed to have dissolved into a bubbling and fleshy puddle and it was spreading. He made his way over to them, speaking breathily in quiet tones, "How can I help?"

"Stand guard. More are sure to come." Elizon responded, standing from his position and turning his back on Kianna. There was almost nothing but silence for a minute until a small group of guards rushed into view, taking position around the medic and Kianna, a second medic slipping between the guards to assist the first.

Almost as soon as they took their places, something leapt from the tree line, landing on one of the guards and before anyone could react, tore into his throat with it's jagged teeth. The next few minutes went by almost in a blur to Cale as swords clashed with gnashing teeth and tearing claws, the twang of bowstrings unheard over the shouts of men and squeals of the dying creatures. Blood and bodies littered the ground and few remained unscathed. Cale looked at the mess, his mind whirling as if he had spun in circles rather quickly. He felt this nausea arise in his throat but he swallowed it down, kneeling at Elizon's side. Elizon lay on the ground, blood seeping from a rather nasty gash on his shin. The bone was visibly broken in at least two places and protruded from his flesh but fortunately, Cale had knowledge of how to fix this, perhaps not in the ways an elf would but enough to save Elizon's life. He pulled off one of his wrist guards, holding it up to Elizon, "Bite down on this."

"Keep that out of my face and do not touch me. You are bound to do more harm than good." Elizon ordered, wincing and giving a small grunt of pain as he shifted slightly. His hands shook lightly, betraying his face and showing just how much pain he was truly in.

"Look, sir...your medics are busy trying to save Kianna and your guards from whatever this venom stuff is. Your leg is not a life threatening injury, if treated, but since this venom will kill them quickly; your medics are prioritizing the others. I can help with your leg but just for once, you need to stop being such a stubborn ass for just one minute and allow me to help you. I realize I am just a human but at this point, I seem to be one of the few that can help you." Cale blurted out, rather fed up with the arrogance and stubbornness from this man. He gave a huff of a sigh and took a deep breath, calming himself and was about to apologize when Elizon spoke.

"Very well, Cale. Do what you need to." Elizon took the wrist guard and bit down on the thick leather, wrinkling his nose at the taste and smell and closing his eyes.

Cale moved over to Elizon's leg, biting his lower lip as he examined the wound, judging just how bad it was. He had nothing to clean it with but he could at least set and splint the bone and try to keep it from bleeding excessively until the medics could look at it. Cale flexed his fingers a few times and took a deep breath before, as gently as he could, tearing the cloth of Elizon's pant leg. This small action caused Elizon to give a growl of pain, his hands clenching tightly. "I guess I don't need to tell you this is going to hurt..." Cale placed his hands on the still bleeding leg and prepared to set it, "I'm going to count to three and then I'll set it." Without even beginning to count, Cale snapped the bones into place resulting in Elizon letting out a string of words that even attracted the medic's attentions. Cale then proceeded to use his and Elizon's swords and the torn pieces of his pants to splint his leg tightly.

Elizon's breathing was heavy and pained as he looked at Cale, "You...are a..." He stopped speaking and lay his head back down, deciding against insults in anger and pain. "Thank you."

"You are welcome. I do apologize for insulting you as it was not my place." Cale stated, adjusting so he sat cross legged and looked at Elizon.

"Quite frankly, had you said that to me in my city I would surely have had you tossed out or worse. Seeing as though you have saved Kianna's and my life in the space of an hour though, I think it is forgivable." Elizon responded, wiping some sweat and dirt away from his eyes. "Perhaps you are not nearly the terrible being I once thought."

"I am glad you think that sir but I think you are wrong. I try my hardest to do what is right and be a good person but all I seem to do is put people in harm's way. First Avey then Elassë and now Kianna. Perhaps I am cursed and all this is for naught." Cale spoke, his voice sounding distant as though once again he were re-living the memories and forgetting all about Elizon's threats should he speak their names again.

Elizon pulled himself into a sitting position with a grunt of pain and looked at Cale, "You know Cale, I have always thought you foolish and you prove more and more each moment just how true that is. Avey's death was terrible and I will admit, changed me for the worse however, it was not your fault. You were being a child and trying to make a new friend and she knew the risks of being in that part of the forest. We had tried so many times to keep her in the city but she was clever and always managed to elude her guards." He wiped a dirty hand across his forehead, moving the strands of hair that had fallen free of its holder, leaving streaks of dirt that made Cale nearly laugh. A slight frown from Elizon turned Cale's pre-laugh smile into a straight face. "A human befriending an elf...what an odd concept, yet you put aside all your teachings from your father to befriend my daughter. I should have stopped it the day Avey came to me telling me all about her new friend but she was just so happy that I had not wanted to ruin that for her. I do wish we had been more careful but there had been no human/Elven incidents in many years. We had grown comfortable, lulled into this false sense of security." He grew quieter as Kianna began to stir, waking up from her semi-comatose state caused from the pain. "When Avey died, Kianna and I agreed it was best for us and our people to no longer share a life together but instead rule side by side as king and queen. My heart became cold and I became cruel, ever fiber of my being demanding justice for my daughter. The fact that she had died speaking of you and asking me to save you infuriated me..."

Cale gawked at him for a moment as he spoke these words, not fully comprehending them. When he spoke, he cut off Elizon's story, "I apologize for interrupting but did you say she died speaking of me? I think you must be mistaken..."

"I assure you I am not mistaking the details of my own daughter's death." Elizon responded rather indignantly. "What makes you question me?"

Hesitating slightly, Cale began speaking slowly, having only told this story to someone who hadn't threatened him on several occasions. "When Avey and I were playing by that lake one day, my father found us. I...he was so angry." His voice was quiet and hesitant as if these memories truly made him sad. "He shouted and grabbed me to take me back home and Avey...she went after him to try and stop him. I don't think she understood who he was or what he was saying. He pushed her and she fell and hit her head and...there was just so much blood." Cale looked at the ground, fiddling with some sticks by his hand.

Elizon gave a small pained chuckle and if one looked at him, they could see that the pain was not caused by something physical, "Dear boy, I do not wish to speak of this now but perhaps later, I will share this story."

Cale gave a small nod, sitting down cross legged in front of Elizon, "With respect, your majesty, regardless of what happened or how, I am still at fault."

"Perhaps at a later time you will change your views. Just know I rightfully can hold no fault to you, no matter what I have said in the past." Elizon explained, picking at the cloth on his leg and trying to see the wound.

Leaning forward, Cale flicked Elizon's hand lightly receiving a very shocked and slightly indignant look, "Don't touch it. You'll only aggravate it. Oh, and as far as what we said about Elassë was true. We found her after she had been attacked by one of my father's archers. Perhaps it was foolish to follow her into this part of the forest but I must admit, we all were curious."

"Curiosity can often lead to death but I do understand what you mean. All of my children were the curious sort and I must say they take after their father. I myself was always a curious child which often led me into all sorts of trouble. I met Kianna on one such mischievous adventure." Elizon gave a little chuckle, thinking back years prior.

As Elizon was about to continue, a tired voice interrupted him, "I'm sure the boy doesn't want to hear about our old love story." Kianna sat resting against a tree, her arm and part of her side were scarred and disfigured to varying degrees. "Don't worry about me, I'll live."

"You always were a tough woman. Never one to just accept your fate." Elizon responded, looking over at her and giving her a charming smile much like he used to. "Even that one time..."

"The boy definitely does not need to know about THAT one..." Kianna interrupted once again, plucking out some putrid flesh from under her fingernails. "Perhaps we should discuss getting back to the city and who will be escorting him?"

One of the medics came over to Elizon and removed the splinting and examined the wound. Finding it properly set, he began to heal it, trying his best to clean it as he did. "Well sir, the young man did rather well at setting this but we may want to keep an eye on it for infection. I am trying my best but we were not fully prepared for such an emergency."

"Thank you Yalla." Elizon responded and allowed Yalla to help him up, testing his weight gingerly and realizing his leg held. "Wonderful job as always."

Yalla gave a small bow and returned to her duties, double checking Kianna's arm before moving to one of the fallen guards.

Cale turned to look at Kianna, "When I went for help, you told me to follow my heart. That my friends would lead me there and when I turned around to ask you about it I felt almost sick..."

"And you wonder what precisely happened." Kianna finished his sentence for him, leaning her head back against the tree having cleaned her fingernails. "How is it that you think us capable of finding our way in the darkest of dark?"

"Well, I assumed you knew your way or could at least see things here that humans can't with your heightened senses." Cale responded, absentmindedly rubbing the lobe of his ear. It was something of a comforting habit but it drove his father insane. "Or something like that at least. Hell, for all I know about elves, it could even be magic."

"That is precisely what it is. We have a sort of magic homing beacon. Our love for our people, our home is what draws us there. From even the farthest distance, we can find our way home so long as it still stands. It allows you to find your way back to where your heart belongs. I assumed your heart would be drawn to those who you would risk your life for. " Kianna answered, now taking a rag and making a feeble attempt at cleaning her hair and skin of the creatures blood. "These Savall are perhaps the worst creatures you can possibly encounter in the entirety of the forest. A simple cut can kill you within a matter of minutes if it gets you in the right place. Not to mention their fetid blood and venom is beyond sickening. Fortunately they only hunt in small groups and if enough of their blood is spilt it will repel others. Aside from their revenge factor, they are very intelligent but that revenge has gotten many of their kind killed."

"I did notice the smell...and what exactly do you mean by "revenge factor"? You mean they will attack if one of them is killed?" Cale asked adjusting his position to try and wake up his foot which fell asleep sometime during the conversation with Elizon.

Kianna gave a small nod, looking at one of the Savall bodies, "They are much like humans in that aspect. They seem to have strong family ties and all they want is revenge when one of their own is killed. Cale, I would like to apologize for my treatment of you. It was unfair and unwarranted. If we had been more attentive and tried harder to protect her...you were not to blame for her death. I see that now and as you have saved my life, I feel as though I owe you."

Cale moved once again to sit next to Kianna and placed his hand gently on hers, "Your anger was perfectly understandable. Regardless of who was at fault, the fact remains that I am a human and your child was murdered by humans. I only hope that one day, our two peoples will live in peace."

Giving a small smile, Kianna gave his hand a squeeze answering him quietly, "If you have anything to say about it, we will live in peace for a thousand years."

The other medic approached her and proceeded to place a hand on her arm, "Mistress, if you are able to stand, I recommend us returning to the city. It is beginning to get late and we do not want to be out here longer than we have to. We've got people coming to collect the dead and the Savall. Most of their venom glands are in tact."

"Excellent." Kianna responded, attempting to stand and gratefully accepting Cale's help when he stood. "Have someone escort him to his father's land. See to it that he is injured but not badly enough to not make it back to his father."

"Of course mistress." The medic responded with a small bow of his head, turning to face the approaching guards and directing them each with their own duties, including collecting the Savall bodies. The Savall, while toxic to ingest were wonderful sources of healing materials, venoms and poisons as well as weapons.

A guard walked over to Cale, eyeing his half naked form with discontent, "Are you quite done flirting with the mistress and ready to leave?"

Cale turned to face the guard with a look of confusion, "Flirting? I was doing no such thing."

Kianna laughed as she walked by the guard, placing her hand momentarily on his shoulder, "Parial, were he even flirting with me, I am quite capable of taking care of myself. If a Savall can't stop me I am not sure much could. Ooh, Cale if you would do a favor for me..."

"Of course your majesty." Cale responded, looking over to Kianna, his look of confusion turning more to one of questioning.

Kianna stepped forward, removing a necklace from her own neck and placing it around his, "Do not take that off."

Cale ran his fingers along the fine chain to the charm attached to it, lifting it from his chest to look at it, "What is this for?"

"It is a magical charm made by Antion. It is generally made for our hunters and warriors." Kianna responded, not fully answering his question the way he wanted but once again turned to Parial, "You should leave now if you wish to make a quick journey of it."

"Yes mistress." Parial turned to Kianna and bowed then turning away from her to once again face Cale. "If you are ready laru I should like to proceed quickly through here."

"Farewell your majesties." Cale bowed to Kianna and Elizon and turned to Parial, "Ready when you are. I might be rather slow at first though. My foot is still tingly."