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Rated: XGC · Campfire Creative · Other · Other · #1143195

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[Introduction]
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Alydee sighed to herself as she heard the noises coming from her companion. She glanced down to see if the dragoness was okay to see her looking at her. What could it be?

"...What is it, Kira?" she rolled over and rested her head on a hand to keep a easier look on the dragoness.
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*
Rose Dark Thorn 19 hours ago Kira looked down into her lap, a rather deep blush creeping up into her cheeks as she thought of what she had planned to do. She didn't realize the youwarkee had been still asleep. "Nothing. Nightmares," she said lowly, lying back down again with her back turned to Alydee. Why was she being so needy?
Alydee sighed, she hadn't a clue why she was saying thus but..."Do you need me to hold you? I used to want someone to do that when I had nightmares..."
The youwarkee laughed, "Of course not. I actually like you being close." She frowned to herself at that, "But that's the strange thing about it."
Alydee smiled to herself as she closed her eyes, lazily resting an arm about Kira's waist. "Try and forget about those nightmares, Kira. Nothing is going to happen."
The youwarkee awoke face to face with Kira. It took her but a moment to shake the sleep out of her eyes long enough to realize that the dragoness had her arm looped around her own waist.

She heard her stomach growl and she sighed. Great...now how was she to make breakfast with Kira's arm around her waist?
Alydee pushed herself away from the dragoness as their lips met, a deep blush rising in her cheeks, "Gods, Kira!" she spoke in surprise, "You're going to frighten me to death if you keep doing that...."
Alydee shook her head as she quickly got up and collected herself, "No, no...it's okay. I just..." she blushed, "Wasn't expecting it."
The youwarkee rolled her eyes, "I would hope you feel secure. It's not like I'd let someone do something to do. I mean...I'm just not like that!"

She grumbled on as she set about making breakfast.
Alydee looked at Kira for a moment, nonplus, "I didn't catch a single word, Kira."
Alydee smiled, "Better than I thought I would, that's for sure. I usually don't sleep with anyone near me as I said before...it's different with you and it's quite a bit odd to me."
The youwarkee shrugged, "I suppose it must happen to people for some reason. A sort of chemical balance or something? ...Or maybe we're both real tired."
Alydee sighed and shook her head, "I've never been good at that sort of thing, Kira...what makes you think I'd know the difference? I'm quite the blockhead when it comes to these things."
The youwarkee blinked several times, blankly viewing the dragoness for a moment before plopping down on her rear and crossing her legs before her, leaning forward to think. "...I suppose I have. I just don't put too much thought into it really. I mean, there's quite a bit on my plate at the moment, what says that I need anything more?"
The youwarkee set her cooking tools down and came over to Kira, wrapping her arms about the girl for a moment in silence. "It's okay, Kira, that's all over with now. I just never thought of it that way..."
Alydee laughed at that as she gave Kira and extra tight squeeze before standing up to get back to the meal--hopefully before it burned. "...I could name a few choice characters that I've met."
The youwarkee stuck her tongue out at the horse for a moment before turning back to the food, "I suppose...but I was thinking of Drez and my father, Eyrion for starters. Both of them weren't even drawn off when they first met me...and that was a sight, believe me!"
Alydee shrugged, "I know, but those are the two that stick out the most in my mind. There are others...just not as important to me, really. People I've met along the way."

She pulled the cheese off the fire and came to sit next to Kira with the meal. "Bon Appetite."
The youwarkee shrugged, "I suppose I have a one-track mind. There's not been much time for me to contemplate mates. I mean, if I had one, that would mean I'd have to settle down for one. I doubt I could do that."
Alydee laughed at that and shook her head, "Do you really think there's anyone out there like that? As far as I know, most men would want their woman at home all the time. Tending to the house, the kids, and letting adventures to them!" she scoffed at that.
The youwarkee looked at Kira quizzically, "Why wouldn't it be a man? I'm the heiress to my mother's position...I have to have a child."
Alydee couldn't help but grin, "I was sort of hoping I would one day do just that. Then Mother would have to leave me along and focus on Drez."
The youwarkee laughed at that and shook her head, dipping a piece of bread into the cheese, "I don't know if I know anyone that can do all of that...well...I mean, I don't know if they do or don't. That's not something I look into with people."
Alydee grinned, "I'll bet Dreiha is set on making us a couple. No doubt my mother put her up to it somehow."
The youwarkee shrugged, "I don't really know...and part of me doesn't really care. Whatever comes comes. Well...in this matter at least."

She eyed the terrain about them for a moment. "Which direction should we go in today?"
The youwarkee grinned at that as she stood up for a moment to take a good look at the direction they'd be going. "Sounds good to me! I like traveling with you, Kira! It always takes me forever to decide on things like that."
Alydee rolled her eyes in good humor, "Come on, Kira! Forget about it, okay? There'll be plenty of time to figure it out. But right now...I just want to get going!"

It was only a matter of moments before the youwarkee had everything cleaned and put away in the saddlebags.
Dreiha snorted as Alydee pulled herself astride and leaned over to help Kira up. "You and Dreiha seem to be enjoying yourselves today." She spoke in a manner that all too easily showed her disinterest in it.
The youwarkee shrugged, "Fine. Be that way then. I just don't care to talk about romance all the time. There's a gazillion other things to speak of, you know."

She kicked Dreiha in the direction they were headed.
"You sure about that?" inquired Alydee as she glanced over her shoulder.
The youwarkee sighed as she looked about the terrain for a long while. "Do you even know what's out this way, by chance? I really want to get a couple more sets of clothing before long. I've never been a good seamstress and both my own and your set of clothing aren't going to last very long at the rate they're wearing."
Alydee sighed, "Then I guess you're it for mending these almost-rags. I don't really see much use in trying to fix them, but I guess we don't have much choice, do we?
"Unless you know how to make clothes out of grass and weeds," mused Alydee idly.

Shaking her head, the youwarkee shifted in the saddle and sighed to herself. It would be a most uneventful day from the looks of their direction.
The youwarkee shrugged, "What's there to tell? I lived in an elven village most of my life until I was booted out by my supposed father. Then I made my way to my mother's inn where I found out that she'd known about me all along." A dark look covered her face as she growled, "That's when I took off. I'm never going back."
The youwarkee growled as she turned to glare at Kira, "Who's side are you on, anyway? My mother's or mine?!"
The youwarkee growled as she turned back. Of course she hadn't. Why should she even expect an explination from her mother? She'd known where she was for years...why hadn't she bothered to explain herself then?!
"I doubt Mother would have the power to do that," she grumbled with a shake of her head.
The youwarkee shrugged, "I would think that that would be obvious. She is the Child of a Thousand Years, the Leading Legend Keeper, not to mention the Last of the Youwarkees. Sort of makes her a bit more powerful than someone like you or I."
"I don't want to hear any more of it!" snapped Alydee without even looking back at Kira, "Just because your mother may have done all that, it gives my mother no excuse! She's a Legend Keeper, Kira, a Legend Keeper! That means she ought to have known better!"
Alydee watched Kira leave for a moment before huffing herself and kicking Dreiha to keep going. Her horse refused to move. "Let's go, Dreiha," she growled, "All that I've been doing recently is bicker and I'm sick of it. Let's leave."

Still, the horse refused to move.
With a snort, Dreiha bucked and twisted about, sending Alydee flying off of her back. "By the Legends!" shrieked the youwarkee as she started to pull herself up to glare at the horse, "What do you think you're trying to do!? I'm not going after her! Now...hey!"

The horse started trotting off after Kira. "Get back here!" ordered Alydee as she marched after the horse."
"Dreiha!" warned Ali as she finally huffed her way to the top of the hill, "Stop right there! I'm not..." she took a deep breath, "I'm not going to chase you all day!"
Dreiha ignored Kira as she trotted right by her without even looking at her, the youwarkee hot on her trail.
"I'm going to break your legs if I catch you!" cried Alydee as she finally gave up and plopped down where she stood, "I'm sick of this!"
"I don't care," mumbled Alydee childishly, "I don't want to have anything to do with any of them! I'm never, never going back!"
"My butt is not scrawny," growled Alydee as she stood up and tried her best to look for herself.
The youwarkee made a face as she followed after Kira silently. The dragoness did have a point, but she didn't want to think about that now. Why should she? Well...all right, she ought to, but she just didn't want to.
"...I'm sorry I snapped at you," mumbled Alydee as she came up beside the dragoness. She didn't look at her. "I shouldn't have been so snappy."
The youwarkee sighed, "Yeah...but I started it. I'm always assuming too much of people and things like that."
The youwarkee sighed, "Yeah...I know," she grumbled a little at that and watched Dreiha continue on without them, "But she's still a stubborn horse."
"More like annoying!" she said the last word as if it were directed at the horse. Turning back to Kira, Alydee shook her head, "She was like this when I left too...I think she wants me to go home."
The youwarkee rolled her eyes, "Dreiha's been with me for years, Kira. I don't think she recognizes the inn as home. If anything, she'd think that the stable she used to live in when we were in that elven village was home!"
Alydee shrugged, "Let's just drop it, okay, Kira? I don't want to complain and argue with you anymore."
It took a moment of inner struggling for Alydee, but she remained quite.
The youwarkee merely rolled her eyes as she continued after the horse, "...Do you think buying a horse for you is a good idea once we get there?"
"I'm more worried that she'll get tired," answered Alydee, "She's a breeding mare, so she isn't really meant for traveling."
"Comes from rather good stock," mused Alydee for a moment as she studied the mare, "I wonder if she's one of Mother's horses..."
"Well...whatever," surmised Alydee as she huffed, "Dreiha! Will you slow down?! I'm not going to go any faster!"

The horse slowed down a little and looked back at them before moving on.
"Only when she thinks I'm being stubborn or something," answered Alydee, "So...yeah!"
Alydee growled a little as she tossed her hair out of her way again, "It's a lot nicer riding to wherever you want to go, but Dreiha usually won't listen if there's somewhere she thinks I ought to be."
The youwarkee glared at Kira before shrugging and looking away, "If you consider it that. She's the one that might know for sure...but I've left her to go my own merry way enough times that she knows better than to try and boss me around all the time. But she's headed towards a town, after all. I can't argue with that."
"...And what's that suppose to mean?" Alydee spoke sharply with a pout forming on her lips.
Alydee rolled her eyes, "I wish you'd stop saying that. I don't want to have anything to do with her!"
"Hey!" Alydee watched her go for a moment before bolting after her, "Wait up!"
Alydee growled as she matched pace with Kira, glancing at the dragoness once in a while as they raced over the hills like a stampede of buffalo were on their heels.
Alydee opened her wings with a grin and zipped past Kira, "I win!" she called back.
Alydee laughed as she skittered through the sky easily, egging Kira on as she spun circles about her.
"Course!" answered Alydee happily, "I love flying!"
Alydee ordered some meals to be sent up in a couple of hours and arranged for a couple of baths. "I hope you have a policy for peeping toms and such," the youwarkee eyed the innkeeper for a moment before getting a nod, "There's an extra hundred in it for you if you manage to find some passable food too. None of this stuff I'm seeing coming out of your kitchen right now."
Alydee glanced over at Kira for a moment to see her talking with a rather drunk man. Perhaps Kira had other plans for the night. "What would it cost for an extra bed?" she turned back to the innkeeper, "I mustn't be rude, after all."
Turning about at the sudden outburst, Alydee spotted something she knew wasn't right. Anger flared faster than she'd thought possible as she walked over to the drunk in question. Her eyes turned white and a sort of crackling whispered in the air as she lifted the drunk by the scruff of his neck and hauled him outside.

She set him down there as he turned about, cursing at her, swinging a fist at her face. It never finished it's travel as the entire apendage splattered on the boardwalk.
Alydee came in, calm as ever, not a speck of blood on her. She smiled at the innkeeper who was watching her with wide eyes, "I'll take the keys now."
"Of course," grinned Alydee as she ushered Kira in the door in front of her, "Why?"
The youwarkee shrugged, "I have a thing against males. Especially drunk roudy ones that try anything with a girl...especially..." Alydee paused and frowned for a moment, "Hm..." she looked down at the keys for a moment before glancing back up at Kira, "Um, nevermind. I'll be back in a moment."

With that, she turned around and headed back down the stairs.
She came back with a couple of drinks, her frown replaced by a grin, "I told the innkeeper we were not to be disturbed."
The youwarkee set the drinks down on a table by the fireplace and eyed it curiously, "Do you want a fire?" she inquired, turning around to look at the dragoness.
The youwarkee smiled, "Well, if you change your mind, just say so. If this is the first day you've ever experienced such good quality living, then I'll be sure to pamper you. That way you can't possibly say you've never had it good!"
"What trouble?" laughed Alydee as she took a stroll about the room, "I don't mind living it up once in a while. Besides, I have a guest with me today and I'm ought to roll out the red carpet once in a while!"

She winked before flinging herself onto the bed with a muffled giggle. "Gods! The bed's even sleepable!"
"I don't see why not," answered the youwarkee without even looking up, "It's big enough for even my parents to sleep without bumping into each other."
"A butcher knife?" Alydee sat up to look at Kira in disbelief, "I didn't know their relationship was so..." she raised a hand as if trying to magically conjure the word she was searching for, "...so...."
"I doubt that," smiled Alydee wistfully, "He's probably all ready got a girl in sight. Sort of makes me feel jealous," she huffed at the end.
The youwarkee didn't answer as she rolled over to stare up into the soft, white canopy of gauze over head.
"Just thinking," mumbled Alydee. A frown was on her face as she thought of her brother, Drez. Gods, how could she have been so blindly stupid? She'd been so happy to be home and eager to meet her mother then. How had everything gone so terribly wrong?
"Oh Gods," Alydee's voice sounded horrified, "Please let there be only Zale and Drez!"
"It would if they were at the inn," answered Alydee sullenly, "Or for that matter, anywhere else that I've been!"
"Like what?" mumbled Alydee dolefully.
The youwarkee shuddered, "Oh Gods! Thank goodness that's not happened to me, at least!"
The youwarkee gave her a dull stare, "Like that'll happen. What if they're related to me as well?"
She rolled her eyes as she flopped onto her stomach and looked at the dragoness with her chin in her hands, "Did it ever occur to you that youwarkees look like a human and elf mix? And that our wings are only there for either the entire day or the entire night?"

As she spoke that, her own wings vanished in the last light of the sun.
The youwarkee shrugged, "I don't wait for anything. It takes to long otherwise. Besides, I'd never actually let anyone that close."
"Loved?" repeated Alydee as she rolled off the bed and landed on all fours, her hair spilling about her, "Since when is love an issure? I've never bothered with it in my life!"
The youwarkee stood up and huffed, "Why would I?"
The yowuarkee laughed indifferently at that as she came to sit beside Kira infront of the fireplace, "My parents ought to be a good example of that one! Mother doesn't even let Father close enough for a kiss half the time and they are suppose to be in love!"
"Hey," Alydee scrambled up and caught Kira's arm, "That's not fair. I didn't say I wasn't up for romance. I thought we were talking about love! I'm not that crazy not to like the odd flower or chocolate, Kira!"
"Not always," answered Alydee stubbornly, "I can like one and not the other."
Alydee wondered why she felt compelled to go to Kira and coddle her. "You're certainly making me feel terrible now, Kira."

The youwarkee pouted as she scooped Kira into her lap and rocked her gently, "And I really don't like this feeling."
The youwarkee chewed on her cheek for a moment, "...Love causes compromise, Kira..."

She hugged Kira tighter for a moment, "I would never want to change the way I live for anything...even love."
Alydee sighed, "Do you really think there's anyone like that out there, Kira...? I've traveled far and wide and I've yet to find even one."
The youwarkee huffed as she let Kira go and flopped down on the bed, stomach first, next to her, "I would think that love wouldn't let me do that...not that I've ever bothered to prove that belief."

She eyed Kira through a sideways grin, "Are you saying you're interested or something? Because being hit on by a girl would be most interesting to me. Prove to Mother that there's no way I'll follow in her footsteps--if nothing else!"
Alydee snorted, "You'd have to do a bit more than talk, to convince me you were interested for one!"

She rolled over onto her back and kicked her feet up as she scanned the room aimlessly, "What's more, if you were interested--I'm taking it that this is all hypothetical--then I'd be a little surprised. I've practically threatened to kill you all ready."
The youwarkee rolled off the bed with a rather light scoff, "I would most definitely have to disagree with you saying I've been anything close to kind! And as for you trying to convince me. I don't know."

She wandered about the room aimlessly. Gods, Alydee just couldn't keep still during long conversations like this...they made her antsy.
"A conversation is never stupid," answered Alydee plainly, she turned to look at Kira with such a school teacher look about it, it might have looked ridiculous on anyone else.
The youwarkee shrugged as she kicked a charred log in the fireplace, "You prove to me it won't make me have to settled down for good and maybe I'll think otherwise. But I'm not going to become someone's meek and subserviant wife or whatever for anything!"
"You sure about that?" Alydee raised an eyebrow at the dragoness, "Children aren't the only things that can get in the way. I'm sure a woman would insist that I stay home to keep from dieing on some trip or whatever."
"Is that your way of saying you're interested?" inquired Alydee as she came to over to the bed, swinging about on the bedpost before Kira, on arm holding her from flopping down on the bed face first.
"And what if it isn't?" Alydee spoke defensively, looking at Kira with such venomous rebellion in her eyes that it gave her words a second meaning--what if I don't choose to be what I am?
Flopping down on the bed, Alydee kicked her feet up, tossing her mane of curls out of her eyes, "I'm not afraid of showing anyone what I am..." she curled a lock about her finger and stared at it. She wasn't going to tell the dragoness that she didn't want to show herself to herself.
"Usually isn't," mumbled the youwarkee before sighing and sitting up.

For a moment, she was silent, listening to movement just outside their door. Kira didn't seem to even notice.
"Kira..." Alydee's voice was whispered iron, "Get away from the door."
It was only a moment before Alydee had the ill-clad man by the throat up against the wall. Her face was stone cold as she eyed the man with every thought on killing him for the intrusion. "You'll regret that before you die," she whispered darkly as she raised the struggling man upwards with one hand.

Pupils flashing white, she looked as demonic as any albino could. "You have one chance to geto ut of here. Will you take it?"
The man kicked his feet about, doing his best to nod. In a moment, he was flung out the door,the youwarkee kicking it shut. Spinning back to the door with her hands on her hips, she hollered, "And stay out!"
Turning back to Kira, Alydee tried to grin, "Sorry about that, Kira. Are...are you okay?"

She leaned against a post at the foot of the bed, watching the dragoness.
The youwarkee sighed, "Yeah...I know. I need to tone my emotions down a bit. Not an easy task...do you want me to sleep outside?"
"I'd say more like contempt or something," huffed Alydee as she crossed her arms before her, indignant at the thought, "I'd be down right hurt if someone thought I'd hurt them without reason. Well...okay..." she shrugged with a wicked grin, "As long as they were female, there's no worry."
The youwarkee grinned, "Maybe I do. But that has nothing to do with it."

She tossed her curls out of her face and walked over to the window. It was a rather quiet night outside, "...I just don't want to follow in my Mother's footsteps."
"I meant about my Mother's past," Alydee gave her a sardonic smile before plopping down in the chair before the fire, "She wasn't even my age..."
Alydee leaned forward with a frown on her face. She was silent for quite some time before she finally mumbled her answer, "She was gang raped."
"If you keep all men at arm's length, then there's no problem," Alydee shrugged.
Alydee rolled her eyes with a huff, "Maybe. But I'm not looking for a mate, Kira. I'm just looking to avoid what my mother's done with her life and forget how she's ruined mine."
"Exactly," answered Alydee sourly, "She just left me things on the doorstep! Tossing whatevert she wanted at me; making me think that there was someone out there that cared about me..."

She stormed across the room, feeling caged as she spoke, "She left me on a riverbank as a toddler! Not even worrying if I even survived! What kind of mother does that to her first born child?!"
"Leaving things on the doorstep to the only parents I ever knew isn't love," growled Alydee as she dug her fingers into the wooden beam under the window, "Expecting me to take over her entire--ridiculous--enterprise is...."

She spun back to Kira, "She doesn't care. All she thinks about are those stupid legends!"
"If anyone is an idiot," answered Alydee coldly, "It's you, Kira."

She stared into the dragoness' eyes with such a blank and unfeeling look it could have swallowed Kira whole. Turning away, she walked to the door. "I'll be right outside if you need anything. Good night."

The door clicked shut, leaving Kira alone in the room.
The youwarkee grumbled as she settled on the floor in front of the room. Stubborn dragoness!
It wasn't long before the youwarkee was asleep. The sounds of the patrons below ebbed and flowed as the hours went by, but Alydee wasn't the least bit aware that Kira was gone.
Early hours of dawn game and the youwarkee stretched. She looked about her groggily for a moment before realizing why she didn't recognize anything around her. Memories of the argument last night ran throug her head and she quickly got up, pausing for a moment to try and unwrinkle her tunic and come a few knots out of her hair.

"Um...Kira?" she knocked on the door cautiously.

There was no answer inside.
"Great," growled Alydee as she grabbed their possessions and looked out the open window, "She could be anywhere by now...."

Whistling for Dreiha, she slipped down the roof and onto the saddle, "Do you know where she went, Girl?"

The horse snorted for just a moment before hurrying off out of town.
"Hello, Lovely," cooed a gruff voice.

Metal shackles caught her arms as she looked up at the owner of the voice. Black, tangled locks hung limply about his golden-toned face. His eyes were wide and green and his toothy smile portrayed him as a gentleman. His clothes were flamboyant and covered in shining jewels, looking anything but normal to Kira.

He turned her about and she was face to face with a crew of some twenty or so women in irons, just like her. Few looked to be of the same kindred, but they were all clothed in the same flamboyant nature as her captor. "Get used to your new home, Girl," the man grinned, "I have a feeling you're going to be staying for quite some time."
"Morris!" a female voice came from the driver's seat, "Get that girl into uniform! We'll be there in a day's time!"
Morris pushed her back with the rest of the girls and settled on the back end of the wagon. He mumbled something before pulling out a flask and drinking what smelt like sour milk.
Alydee spent the day trailing through the forest. She past some ten or so caravans, each one eying her in a way she was most definitely not comfortable with, but none bothered her. She wondered what part of the realm she'd wandered into now, "I hope you know where you're going, Dreiha," she growled.
"Could you choose one direction and stick with it, Dreiha," grumbled Alydee from her perch, "I'm tired and you're constant meandering is making me a little sick."
Dawn came with the youwarkee waking on horseback, a sore neck and a rather unhappy body overall. "Oi," she grumbled as she massaged her neck, "No wonder I hate traveling like this."

She looked about to discover they were on the outreaches of a rather bustling town. There looked to be something very interesting going on in the town square. A sort of auctioning or something, but there was no furniture, merely people in the strangest getups she'd ever seen.
"Sold to Agitha Braxton!" the hammer slammed down and Kira was dragged off the stage.

Her eyes caught sight of Alydee on the edge of the crowd.
"We'll need to fashion some much finer chains for you," informed the elderly woman, "I can't stand those things one bit."

"Marshal!" she clapped her hands twice and a stout dwarf hobbled up to her, "Get this girl tidied up. And put it on my tab, I'm sure they'll listen willingly."
Alydee watched in absolute surprise as she watched Kira from afar. The number of people about her was enormous. Anything she did could get herself killed, if not Kira in the process. "Well, this is perfect," growled the youwarkee as she eyed the woman that had bought the dragoness, "It looks like we'll have to follow them home."
The chains clattered to the floor and a new set of shackles settled about her wrists. There were no chains attached. The braclets were silver and very light to lift. Matching bands were wrapped about her wrists and the dwarf hurried her out the door and into the next one.

This one had clothes of all sorts hanging and displayed. It was a bit crowded and Kira was practically plastered against the dwarf's side as they made their way towards what looked like a very fancy serving girl's outfit.
When they finally made it to the woman's house, Kira could hardly recognize herself. Instead of the strange bag-like dress she'd been in before, she was garbed in soft silks with white sleeves tied about her elbows with black lace. The soft brown bodice was comfortable and tied in the front with the same lace. A few frills of white silk traceda about her shoulders and above her breasts.

The skirts were trimed at the shin. A heavier brown cotton skirt was wrapped over the softer silken one underneath and a pair of soft brown leather shoes were tied on her feet. The strange outfit was quite comfortable, though it did seem rather odd.

"There you are!" the woman stood in the doorway, looking Kira over, "I was wondering."
"I don't know where you came from, Girl," the woman spoke over her shoulder, "But I've been in need of a maid for the upstairs to my manor."

They passed a slightly portly elf in a pressed and clean outfit that seemed of the same designs as both Kira and the dwarf. "That is Hans, my butler. He will be in charge of you. Your duties are to keep the upstairs clean and ready and, of course, the windows. I hope those wings of yours are usuable," she gave Kira a look that suggested she had ever expectation that they would.

They wandered through the halls and Kira had a feeling she was lost in a huge cavern, "Bulsic will assist you to move anything you are incapable of moving." They stopped outside a door, "This is your room, Child."

She glanced at Bulsic for a moment before turning to leave, "Your duties start in the morning. I'll have Utie come down to give you the full tour."

With that, the woman spun about and left her in front of the door. Bulsic left with her, the sound of the woman's seemingly endless prattle echoing back to her.
"Kira!" a hushed voiced came from the window to her room.
"Come on, Kira," called Alydee form outside, "Let's get out of here."
"Why...?" Alydee repeated the question as if the very word made no sense, "Just get out here, Kira. We're leaving!"
"Kira!" Alydee snapped, "Now isn't the time for arguing! Get out her or I'll do this the hard way and you're not going to like it!"
"Kira," Alydee grumbled, "Hurry up! They have guards out here you know! And stop asking questions!"
There was silence.

The youwarkee was plastered against the dark granite wall, wondering if anyone would not notice her against such a contrasting background. The dwarf, Bulsic, walked by without even looking in her direction. Alydee sighed with relief as she turned back to the window.

Perhaps it would be safer indoors...
A furry head peeked around the open door, "...Um...I'm Utie," a paw came to rest on the door frame as she looked in, "I was," she licked her snout cautiously, "was told to show you around?"

The creature was no more than three feet tall from the tips of her sooty black ears. She resembled a red fox for the most part, but her long bushy tail looked more like a squirrel's.
The girl seemed quite happy to discover that Kira seemed far from dangerous to her. "There's so much to this house," Utie rambled as she leaped down the hallway before the dragoness. She reminded Kira of a squirrel in that manner.

"I like the kitchen the best. Madam never goes there."
The creature shook her head, "The kitchen's for the servants. She bought every last one of us too. Hans is the only one that was bought as a slave."
"It's easy to do," grinned the girl for a moment, "Madam isn't too hard to get along with. You can't exactly climb up on everything and have fun like I can in the kitchen when Madam's around...."

They'd reached the upstairs by then.
"As long as we do our duties and all that," answered the girl before hopping into the first room they came to, "This is one of my favorite places! ...Well," She pouted a little, pausing infront of the piano, "At least, when Madam isn't around. She doesn't like anyone touching her instruments."
"Madam would be angry if you tried," pouted Utie again before scampering out of the room.

It was about an hour later when she finally led Kira down to the kitchen, "We eat in here. There's a lot of us, so we can't always fit, but Miss Damson loves cooking for us all. She's real nice."
"Do you have anyone close to you?" inquired Utie as she paused in front of the kitchen door, "....I did, but I don't think they ever found me. Would anyone come looking for you?"
Utie grinned, "I've a nose for things like that."

The door to the kitchen opened and the sound clattering dishes and merry talk enveloped them even before they entered. It wasn't exactly impossible to get absorbed in the mileau.
Utie was gone in moments, coming back with a warm apple for Kira, her own stuffed into her mouth so far it didn't seem to want to come out again.
"Haay pthee oo ayzz," she managed around the apple, finally biting off a piece a bit too big to fit easily in her mouth.
Utie nodded quickly before scampering to one side to avoid another servant bustling out the door with a cart filled with delicious foods. No doubt for the lady of the manor.
Utie looked up at Kira and smiled as best she could with a mouth full of apple, "Methiz Dansoon is ethee ood."

[Miss Damson is pretty good]
Gulping down the bite, Utie settled onto a stool nearby and kicked her feet back and forth, "Better than Miss Damson?"
"You mean the person that's going to get you out?" inquired Utie.

She looked down at her apple and then about at everyone else, "No one's ever come for any of us before..."
"But...you--" Utie was interupted by Hans as he came over to them. The little creature clammed up immediately focusing her entire attention on her apple.

"Young Lady," Hans spoke with his chin high, it could have been the collar, but he didn't even tilt it down to the side to look at her better, "I would advise avoiding this riffraff and settling into your new quarters. You'll be expected to perform your duties by yourself each day."

He gracefully made his way to the door, pause as he got there, a hand held high as if asking a moment's regard, "Oh yes, and Young Lady...Bare in mind that no one comes to Madam Manor unpaid for. There is no hope of escape."

Then he was gone.
Utie nodded vigorously as she chewed another mouthful, "Always," she gulped, "An' he's right too. No one ever gets rescued from here. There's never been anyone to come to the rescue."
"But...you," Utie paused to gulp down a mouthful again, "you have someone that got in without being paid for. Don't you know what that means?"
Utie shook her head, "No...she would had to break the seal..."

"Kira...?" Alydee's voice came from down the hallway.
Scampering after Kira, Utie nearly squeaked in surprise to see Alydee looking from one room to the next, calling Kira each time. "She's not a servant!"
"Come on, Kira," answered Alydee as she approached the dragoness, "No more arguing, let's get out of here now!"
"Um..." Utie looked about, getting more and more worried at each passing minute.

The sound from the kitchen was close, they could be seen. And what would happen if another servant spotted this strange albino-woman?
"Kira," Alydee hurried after the dragoness, "Will you just let me say something?!"

"...I know it wasn't right that I yelled at you at the hotel. I've never been right about anything and I want to prove everyone wrong..." They'd reached the room by now, the window was open, "Look, Kira, I don't want to leave you here."
The youwarkee fell back against the wall, blasted by what Kira had said, "....Ex...excuse me?"
"I would never have guessed," mused Alydee before sitting down, "How long has this been going on?"
"Needy...?" Alydee raised an eyebrow at that, "Kira, how could you think you've been even the slightest bit needy? I've never met a more selfless person in my travels."

She came to stand before Kira, taking the dragoness' hands in her own, "Anyone would be an idiot for not caring about you in return."
"...Kira, even my horse irritates me," the smirk on the youwarkee's face could have brought a chuckle to most anyone, "the point is that you care. You're willing to go out on a limb for someone you might not even know very well."
"Who said anything about [i]completely[/i] selfless?" laughed the youwarkee, "I said you were the most selfless person I've met in my travels. Everyone needs something, no matter how selfless they try to be."

The youwarkee brushed her pale curls out of her face, "By the Legends, I never thought I'd hear anyone tell me what you have, Kira...."

Shrugging that off after a moment, she raised Kira's chin so that they were looking at each other, her other hand clasping the dragoness' firmly, "I don't know how far this may go, Kira, but I'm willing to take the chance if you're willing to forgive me for being such a blockhead."
"Ali?" The youwarkee raised an eyebrow at that, "Is that a pet name, Kira? I suppose this shall be a great load of fun..."
"Can we go now?" inquired the youwarkee, "I don't like this place one bit."
The little creature poked her head out of the door next door, "...Are you leaving now? Will I ever see you again?"
Her ears perked up, "R-really!?"

Alydee eyed the character with a bit a curiosity. She'd never seen the sort of animal before, but she knew that her mother would no doubt know of the girl. "If Kira thinks it's a good idea, then I suppose I'll agree. Your name's Utie?"
[b]dragondancer[/b]

"No one cares," answered Utie as she skittered over to them, her ears twitching with excitement, "Can I really come with you? I haven't been outside in two years!"

[c:green]=======[/c]

[b]Rose[/b]

Kira crouched down to Utie, running a hand over her hair fondly. "I care about you, and I want you to come. You've been kind to me, and I don't take kindness from anyone lightly. I repay it in full."

[c:green}=======[/c]

[b]dragondancer[/b]

Glancing around Kira, she smiled at the youwarkee, "Can we go now then?"

It didn't take them long to sneak out of the house and off the property. If anything, the place seemed down right deserted as they hopped the final fence. Utie was so excite as she turned back to look at the house, she screeched and danced about the two girls, waving her hands over her head with glee.

[c:green]=======[/c]

[b]Rose[/b]

Kira found it hard not to laugh out of the amusement of it all. It was better to remain guarded until they were out of there, after all. It seemed to be some sort of trap...thought the dragoness hoped her suspicions to not be true.

[c:green]=======[/c]

[b]dragondancer[/b]

Dreiha trotted up to them and nudged Alydee playfully, knickered for a moment.
[c:green]=======[/c]

[b]Rose[/b]

When the big house finally faded from view, Alydee sighed with relief, "Oi, that's better," she grinned at Kira and Utie, "Where to, Ladies?"
dragondancer
"The Witchery Inn for Adventuring Hearts," growled the youwarkee as her fingers curled about the reigns, "I have no desire to go back to that place...."

Rose

"I know," Kira said lightly. "But if you bothered to listen to a word I've said about your mother, you'll at least go back and look for the truth of her actions instead of just assuming she didn't care for you at all."

The dragoness looked at Alydee in a serious manner. "I've known Rayne all my life, and I know she's a good person. Just because she left you by a river bank doesn't mean she didn't love or care for you. If she really didn't, she wouldn't have bothered to make any sort of contact with you at all, and by that I mean leaving gifts for you every night, and keeping watch over you until you found your way to her."

dragondancer
"I suppose you're even going to say she wouldn't have had me at all if she didn't think she'd love me," the youwarkee rolled her eyes at that.

Rose
"I highly doubt she would have bothered having so many children if she wasn't going to care about them," Kira replied, answering Alydee's question easily.

dragondancer
"And not for all the blasted legends that each of us is suppose to deal with?" shot Alydee glancing at Kira before turning to march towards the inn. She always knew what direction it was in for some reason.

Rose
"That is not the only reason Rayne had children!" Kira snapped. "She loves all of you, legends or no legends."

dragondancer
"Yeah," scoffed the youwarkee, "I have every doubt that that's true!"

Rose

Kira rolled her eyes, casting an exhausted glance at Utie. "This would be why I assumed she didn't care whether I wandered off into slavery or not."

dragondancer
Utie cocked her head to the side as she looked up at the dragoness, "You don't sound very loving to one another though..."

The youwarkee growled under her breath and turned about, marching off in the direction of the inn without another word. The mare followed after her.

Rose
Kira shrugged her shoulders, followig after Alydee. "She has never really shown much affection to anyone but her horse as far as I know...and even that can be rare."

The dragoness sighed softly. "Being in love with that woman won't be very easy, that's for sure."

With that said, Kira fell intp a jog to catch up with the youwarkee, making sure that Utie was not far behind.

"Ali," the dragoness emphasized the nickname mildly. "When are you going to stop and think for a moment and realize that maybe she really does love you? How can you truly know for sure if you don't go and find out for yourself?"
"The fact that you're assuming she doesn't care, and you're not even giving her a chance to show it because you're too bloody stubborn to do so," Kira replied. "People do a lot of things...those things can hurt others....but that doesn't mean there's no love for those people."
"Yes," answered the youwarkee, glancing at Kira for a moment, "But people normally come clean and apologize for those things. My mother never once--in all the trinkets she sent me--never once said anything of herself nor her feelings of what she's done. I found her on my own accord and by my own powers. She might as well have never wanted to see me. Those...things she sent me..."

Alydee felt her lip tremble before she shook it off, "They might as well have been her way of paying for her stupidity of either leaving me to die or for ever having me in the first place."
The youwarkee grinned sourly at that, "I'm not one to slow down for anyone, Kira. Are you sure you could keep up? And what of Utie?"

The young creature's ears perked up at that as she bound up beside the dragoness, "What of this child? I have no doubt that Mother would be ready to serve her up as some sort of exotic dish...."
"I was thinking that the inn would be the safest place for the little critter." The youwarkee grinned at Kira, "Afterall, we're headed that way anyway. And, if you're right about Mother, she'll love the little munchkin from the start."
Alydee led Dreiha into the stables, nudging the sleeping stableboy with a foot after easing her mare into her stall, "Take good care of this horse, Boy," she warned, "I don't take kindly to poor treatment of her."
"Is the lady at the inn really going to cook me?" inquired the small creature worriedly. She glanced back down the hallway for a moment before nearly tumbling forward on the steps.
"Or eat me?" inquired Utie with a glance about the room Kira opened for her.
"Um...Kira?" the small creature peered into the room for a moment before looking up at the dragoness, "Will you be there...at the inn?"
"Because of her Momma?" inquired Utie again flopping on a bed with her tail sticking straight up.
"And when I leave?" the little critter sat in the middle of the bed as she watched Kira curiously.
Utie sat there listening to Kira as the youwarkee strode into the room. She watched them for just a moment before dropping her bags on the other bed and sighing, "Are you two hungry?"
"Can we have candied apples!?" Utie clapped her hands excitedly.

"Whatever you two want," answered the youwarkee with a grin, "The maid should be here soon to take our order. I've arranged for a bath to be sent up for all of us too. There's enough dirt on us to built a mud hut with!"
The youwarkee gave Kira a curious look, but shrugged it off as the maid came in. She was followed by two strong men carrying a porcelain tub. "I was told you ladies would be ordering room service?" she inquired with a courtsey.
The maid hurried out with the order. It would cost a great deal, but the youwarkee wasn't the slightest bit worried about it all. Besides, she had money beyond excessive. Well...thanks to her Mother, anyway. Perhaps Kira hadn't been too far off in her remarks about her mother.

There could very well be something to what the dragoness said. Either way, she was headed back there to find out. If her Mother proved otherwise, she'd never return. Not even if the inn fell to her possession in the years before her. She'd never come back...and she'd never follow the stupid legends her mother did with such consuming care!
"Ever wonder what could have happened if you'd lived somewhere else?" inquired Alydee randomly.
"I'm sure there's more than just Malise that could be changed," commented Alydee with a shrug, "I could have lived at home my entire life if things were different. Be a bit more like my brother...what was his name...? ... Zemeissi or something?"
"Doubtful," growled the youwarkee as she traced the markings on one of the bedposts, "I know she was itching to get a few words in when we first met."

"...You don't like your Momma?" inquired Utie as she sprawled on the other bed next to them. She was looking at the youwarkee with great curiosity.
"About as bad as having all the boys in town call you Winter's Heathen," grumbled the youwarkee. "I have no problem with what I am, but I don't...appreciate anyone that--"

"Calls you names?" interjected Utie as she lept over to the other bed, making the two girls bounce slightly with the mattress.
The youwarkee rolled her eyes, "Bunch of ignonorants."

"Ignore what?" Utie looked at them, a little bewildered.
A wave of water cascaded over the dragoness as Utie plunged into her bath with a gleeful cry. The youwarkee stood in shock as she watched the water close over head, drenching her and all her clothes as it came down.
Arms stretched away from herself, she glared at the two of them between waterlogged layers of curly unmanagable hair, "I feel like I just came out of a tidal wave."
Utie giggled as she peered over the side of her tub, "I didn't mean to..."

The youwarkee tossed her heavy locks out of her face and shrugged, "Just remember....paybacks are fair play."
"Awww..." Utie pouted a little, "Where's the fun in that?"

"A tail-ful of soap might help," suggested the youwarkee with a mischeivious grin.

Another wave of water came over the dragoness as Alydee proceeded to catch the squirming squirrel and lather her up with soap and suds.

"No! No! No! No!" screeched Utie as she struggled to get away.
The squirrel plopped out on the floor, clean as never before. Her thin arms laced in front of her as she sat there pouting. She looked about as scrawny and terrible as a half drowned cat.

Alydee didn't even seem to mind. She peacefully stepped over Utie and approached her own bath, slipping out of her wet clothes and gliding into the warm waters with a sigh, "Now I can enjoy my bath in peace."
Utie pouted all the more, "No fair siding with her!"

The youwarkee couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her lips as she combed her hands through her own hair.
The youwarkee scrubbed herself carefully. Her white wings dipped slightly as she groomed them with painstaking care. Kira was done long before Alydee.
Slowly standing up to get out of the tub, the youwarkee let the water trickle down her body. Droplets tumbled down her length, shimmering with faint rainbows before she stepped out of the tub. She rubbed herself down and tossed the last robe on before turning to see Kira staring at her, "...What?"
"I'm practically an albino," Alydee rolled her eyes as she settled into a satin chair before the fireplace, "If anything, I might blind someone looking at me..."

"What's an aldino?" inquired Utie as she sat on the rug with the robe curled about her.
The youwarkee shrugged carelessly, "I don't think I really care either way."

Utie growled and crossed her arms before her, pouting. She was being ignored. "What an aldino!?" she repeated.
"You know I'll never let anything terrible happen to you, right, Kira?" inquired the yowuarkee absently as her hand trailed through the dragoness' long tresses.
"...Even if I do stay at home..." murmurred the youwarkee. She yawned after a moment and turned to see that Utie had crawled over to one of the beds and was sound asleep.
Alydee chuckled, "Mother's going to go through the roof when we get home."
"No one's allowed to tell me anything without my say so," smirked the youwarkee before scooting up against Kira as closely as possible.
Morning came with breakfast showing up moments after they awoke. The food they'd ordered last night had gone to waste, but the banquet before them now was more than adequate to make up for it.
The youwarkee smiled faintly, remember the strawberry shortcakes that her mother had made the day she'd come home. It'd tasted like heaven until she'd discovered everything--including who the boy across from her was.
"Thinking of home," answered the youwarkee sullenly, "And everything stupid I did there."
"And what will most definitely happen because of it," growled the youwarkee unhappily.
The youwarkee blushed so red she looked purple, but refused to say a word. What could else would happen but it be brought up time and time again? She had no trouble with people calling her names...but if someone were to bring something she'd actually done up like this? Gods, she hoped no one ever spoke of it again!
The youwarkee chuckled at that, "Sounds like something I would do...if I was married to him...."
"No..." mused the youwarkee absently, "But I'm sure that there'll be someone..."
"A little late for that," growled the youwarkee.
"That's never going to happen, Kira," growled Alydee as she rolled over and caught her wrists, "I never relax."
"Probably," mumbled the youwarkee, "But at least it'll be me that does it."
The youwarkee chuckled before tracing Kira's cheek with a had, "Rather brazen, aren't we?" she teased.
A snort was the dragoness' only answer as Alydee settled in and was soon out cold. That girl could sleep through the end of the world from the looks of it!
Alydee rose and quietly walked outside. Dawn hadn't come yet, but the early hours were the best times to practice. Holding her weapon ready, she studied the cheap metal blade for a moment. One day, she would have to buy one that was a trustworthy weapon.

Looking at the quickly erected scarecrow across from her, she wondered if there really was much use in practicing against the inanimate object. Balancing each sword carefully, she glanced up at the window for just a moment before setting in to her routine.
"Of all the-!" the youwarkee cursed under her breath as she tugged at her sword.

Her sword instructor had always told her she used too much force for such human-made weaponry. Perhaps she really ought to go look up her mother's aquaintance, Marin.

She managed to wiggle the blade out and she back up again. It was far to easy to work against an inanimate object, but it was a fair share safer than what other ways she could practice. The youwarkee calmed herself, eyeing her target for a moment in absolute quiet.

The light rustle of wind against the tufts of grass and the huff of a horse in the stable was the only sound before she twirled her blades before her, carefully slicing the barrel--metal rims and all--to shreds. The leather hat and burlap bag that had once acted as the head flopped to the ground in much the same manner.

Settling herself again, her swords angled inront of herself, she shook her long mane of curls back and quietly sheathed them. It was getting too easy to do things such as that.
The youwarkee glanced at Kira, wondering when she'd gotten there. Giving a shrug and a rather tomboy smile, she turned towards the dragoness, "I prefer using my hands, but it's important to know how to use a weapon well. That's what Fa... my sarrogate father told me."
Alydee shrugged, "Do you carry a weapon?"
"Using weapons is like riding a horse," Alydee turned away to pick up the mess she'd made, "You'll never forget what's important about it."

Tossing the debris next to the stable, the youwarkee paused in the doorway to look in. She could see Dreiha happily munching away as she usually was at this time. The stableboy had given her a healthy scoop of oats.

Smiling for a moment, the youwarkee turned back to see Kira standing in the road.

© Copyright 2006 dragondancer, (known as GROUP).
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