* * *
Back at the caer, Vivienath Okrath noticed the pair coming up. �Mine, who is that coming up the path with Kervet?� she asks her bond. �What are you talking about?� Delwyn asks looking down. �I don�t know. Never seen her before. � She answers. �She will make a good rider.� her dragon states before lying back down again. �What�s that supposed to mean?� she asks but gets no answer from her dragon. Looking again she notices that Kervet is leaning against his companion. �Better go get the healer.� And she leaves her dragon to sun herself.
* * *
Two women come out when they reach the caer, one of them definitely a healer, �What happened?� she asks looking at the burn on his side. �I found him.� Dax said not really lying. �Where?� the other woman asks. �In the woods.� �Questions can wait for later. I need to take him in and get that cleaned up.� The healer interrupts. Taking Karvet's arm she leads him away, Dax gladly sliding out from underneath him.
After they are out of sight, the other woman turns to her. �Did you just arrive here?� Taking a little by surprise at the woman�s inquiry, �Yes.� she says quickly. �Where are you from?� �Oh, nowhere and every where.� She says hoping it would suffice her curiosity.
* * *
�Really?� Delwyn asks not quiet believing what she�s hearing. �Careful mine.� Her dragon cautions her rider. �Well?� She asks ignoring her dragon. �Yeah, I like to travel a lot.� The girl answers lamely. �Ah. What�s your name?� Delwyn asks, figuring out that wherever this girl�s from she�s not likely to tell her. �Dax.� �Well Dax. Why don�t I show you around?� She offers hoping that a tour might make her forget herself enough to let something slip.
It wasn�t until later that she realized that this was a bad idea. She ended up showing her all around the caer and Dax hardly said a word the entire time. Keeping her answers short and not letting anything slip. She could find anything wrong with her, but nothing seemed right ether. Her strange clothing, and colors didn�t help. Even the way she talks doesn�t seem right, like she�s not used to using her voice.
�I suppose you�ll need to talk to the stewardess about quarters?� Delwyn ask thinking she finally found a way to catch her. �I suppose.� Dax answers, though hesitantly. �Ah, so I was wondering, what was the last cear you were visiting? The closest one I know of is Cear Kavolon. Is that where you came from?� �Uah, I�ve been there.� Dax answers.
Backing away from her, �Who are you?� she says fiercely. �What are you talking about?� Dax asks with perfect innocence. �There is no Cear Kavolon. I made it up. Now who are you?� she asks again this time a little more gently. Instead of answering she runs. Going after her, it proves a lot harder to keep up then what she thought it would. It�s not long before she loses her completely. �Dame it. ��I told you to be careful mine.� Her dragon says. �Shut up.� She yells in rage at her own stupidity.
* * *
She didn�t know where she was running to, all she knew was that she had to get out of here. Running for the exit, a few people called out to her as she passed, but she paid them no mind. Reaching outside she just keeps running until she�s back in the woods and under cover. �What am I going to do�what am I going to do?� she keeps saying to herself until she nods herself to sleep.
* * *
�Dame it. Dame it.� She keeps saying to herself as she walks down the halls. �I know where she is mine. Shall I retrieve her?� �And what good would that do? I�ve already scared her into never coming here again. We force her to come back. She�ll probably run first chance she gets. We need to make her come to us.� �And how do you plan on doing that mine.� �First we need to find out more a bout her.� as she heads into the healer room.
�Is Karvet awake?� she asks the assistant healer. �Of course, why?� �I need to talk to him.� �Of course, right in there.� And she points the way.
Walking in. She finds Karvet propped up on a bed. �Hope your doing better.� �Yes ma�am.� He says. �The girl that brought you back. Who is she?� she asks getting to the point. �I�m not really sure.� �Can you tell me what happened?� she asks sitting on the bed. �I was outside, I found a cave and thought to go take a look.� He begins. �I tripped and fell through this hole.� �A hole?� �Yeah, but when I got out I was in this maze of stone tunnels. I was looking around when I ran into this guy, really old, and dressed kind of funny. Anyway I asked him where I was when he started throwing these balls of heat at me. One of them hit me. That�s where I got the burn. When I looked up, this weird creature was attacking the guy. Pardon if I don�t go into the details. Next thing I knew she was picking me up and making me tell her how I got in. I showed her and we figured out how to get back. I guess I passed out because next thing I knew I was here.�
�I see.� Delwyn says after listening to his story. �That explains it some.� �What does it explain? Did she do something?� he says starting to panic a little. �No, she didn�t do anything. I spooked her and she ran.� �She what�? We have to find her.� Karvet says making as if to get out of bed. �Don�t you get up, the nurses will have my head.� Delwyn says pushing him back down gently. �She�s fine, Vivienath�s watching her.� �I thought you said she ran.� ��She ran� doesn�t mean she ran far. Besides where�s she going� to� go.� She slowly stops talking as an idea dawns on her. �Got to go.� She says getting up and out in a hurry. �Wait, what are you going to do?� Karvet asks watching her departing back.
* * *
While hiding in the woods she didn�t hear the footsteps sneaking up behind her. �I see you didn�t get very far.� A voice speaks up. Jumping to her feet she finds the woman from the cear. �What do you want?� she asks in panic. �I don�t want anything. I just want to talk.� �What about?� �I talked to Karvet. I know what happened. There�s nothing to be afraid of.� �Who says I�m afraid?� she protests. �Okay, my mistake. Anyway do you plan on living in the woods?� �Maybe, maybe not.� �You can�t be serious.� �Okay, maybe I�m not.� �Good so lets go.� She says and turns her back expecting the girl to follow. �So what kind of place are you from anyway.� �If you don�t mind I�d rather not talk about that if you don�t mind.� �Okay, what are you good at.� �What do you mean?� �We don�t hand out charity. The stewardess will want to know what you can do to contribute.� I can�t do much. But I learn fast.� �That�s good.�
Coming out of the woods. A beast is waiting for them. �What�s that?� she say panicked. �That? That�s just Vivienath.� �What is she?� �She�s a dragon. Your telling me you�ve never seen one.� �Not that big.� And it was true the largest thing she knew how to turn into was a weveren and they only reached about 25 ft max.
* * *
Looking at Dax with interest, �Are you sure about her?� she asks her dragon. �Of course I am.� Turning back to Dax. �You know there�s something unique about her.� �There�s something unique about everything.� �Yes, but what�s special about her is that her kind bond with a certain person when they hatch.� �What kind of bond?� �A mental bond. You can hear their thoughts and emotions, it�s one of the most amazing things in the world.� �Sounds nice.� �It is and you could be a part of it if you want.� �What do you mean?� she asks taking her eyes off of the dragon for the first time. �There�s a clutch right now on the sands that could use someone.� �And what would this cost me?� she say hardly believing what she was being told. �No cost. Of course you have to work here before they hatch, and you�ll be stuck here until it�s old enough to fly.� �That�s all?� �That�s all.� �Why not?� she says more or less agreeing. �I hope I know what I�m doing.� She says to her dragon. �Of course you are mine. How could you doubt it?� her dragon reassures.
* * *
Later back at the caer in the healer�s room, Dax sneaks in to see Karvet. �How are you?� she asks shyly. �Better, you?� he says not entirely sure what to say. �Fine, Delwyn asked me to stand at the clutch.� �She did? What did you say?� �I told her I would.� �Looks like we�re both going to try to impress.� �Oh, that�s good.� She says, and after thinking about it for a moment decided that it wouldn�t be bad knowing that he would be around. �I�ll see you around then.� She says.
Getting ready to leave. �Wait. Answer something before you go.� Kervat asks quickly. �What?� �Why were you there, in that place I mean?� She freezes on the spot, �You really want to know?� she asks. �Yes.� He says again, this time unsure. She hadn�t planned on telling anyone, but when he asked she couldn�t help but answer. �I was a slave to him. He made me use my power so he could harvest body parts.� Karvets face turned white at this. �He found me one day when I was out alone. Took me back to his manor and kept me there. That is until you came.� She says looking back at him. �All I did was fall in a hole.� He says brushing it off. �Still, I owe you my life. I wont forget that.� She says leaving.
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