The Princess and the Serpent (Dawnbreaker x Silvamoon)

[Dawnbreaker]

The Kortharian Valley; a forested elven shire protected on all sides by tall and steep mountains. Many know of this land reclused by nature herself but few ever travel there whom are not born there. The Valley is a vast elven paradise, covering several hundred square miles of untouched wild lands with only two ways in or out; one to the north and one to the south. Many small settlements lay scattered across the wilderness, radiating out from the great elven city of Korthallies which rests in the dead center of the valley. Despite the songs that are sung of this place beyond the mountain passes and the tales of the unspoiled beauty that echoes through the counties beyond the Valley’s wall-like peaks, the Kortharian Valley is not a safe place to live unless you reside in Korthallies itself.

Elves are not the only sentient creatures that inhabit the valley; they are simply the only civilized creatures. Orcs have always inhabited the valley alongside the elves, warring against the frailer races and taking what they wish from the elven people when left unchecked. Minotaurs are rare and solitary beasts in the valley but they are not unheard of. Some orc war parties have even been reported working with the massive furred creatures but these rumors would seem farfetched to most. Centaurs, like minotaurs, are rare but they are usually quite peaceful; usually being the operative word for travelers to keep in mind. Carriers of the lycanthrope disease are perhaps the rarest of threats but the valley has seen its share of werewolves, and werebears in the past. Goblins, gnolls, and kobolds inhabit the mountains around the valley and often venture from their lofty ‘settlements’ in search of… well, no one really knows. These creatures, while sentient, are barely so. Who is to guess what goes through their little brains? Most simply assume that they come in search of food. Perhaps the most terrifying of all is a new rumor that has spread through the Valley like a wildfire; a rumor that a green dragon now calls these lands home.

Of course, many other threats of a non-sentient variety roam the wilds as well. Wild wolves and bears have always lived alongside the elven people in their natural home. Oozes hunt along the valley’s river systems, scavenging on anything and everything that they can absorb into their horrendous goopy bodies. Wyverns often come into the valley from the mountains to hunt, as do mountain lions. Then, of course, there are the trolls and ogres; both in forest and mountains. Rare and formidable beasts, even the brutish orcs give these monsters the space that they demand.

Despite the harshness that these lands can hold, the elves have long refused to surrender their ancestral homelands to the other less intelligent beings that also lay claim to the Valley. They stand, tall and proud, among a myriad of savage humanoids, ferocious beasts, and wild animals. The elves have long won any war that they might have been fighting against the beasts of their home and now serve as the guardians of these lands. They have even transcended the social and cultural barriers that the surrounding mountains might impose on their kind. The primary road that travels through the valley from north to south connects their capital of Korthallies to two major human cities of different kingdoms, making Korthallies an important trading hub and bringing great wealth to the elven people. While the elves, themselves put little importance on materials such as gold and silver, the human kingdoms do. The humans might think that they are using their elven neighbors for their trading routes but the elves have benefited from the trade arrangements on a grander scale through the purchase of weapons, armours, and even specialized training from the humans. Their greed makes them far too easy to sway.

Unfortunately for the elves, there now lies one great threat to their kingdom. The rumors of the dragon in their midst are far truer than anyone would be comfortable with. In recent weeks, the forest has become even more dangerous than usual. The animals, being the closest to the forest, sense the presence of the dragon and have grown restless. The orcs, who rely on hunted wildlife as a food source, have also become more restless in response. The minotaurs and centaurs have become more violent, fearing whatever has gotten their home in such an uproar. Wolves, bears, and oozes have been seen far closer to settlements than they would have in the past, driven into boldness by the evil presence tainting the forest air.

There could have been no worse news to the elven people than the presence of this great reptile. Green dragons, while being easier to deal with than their other chromatic brethren through diplomatic matters, were no less evil and dangerous than their cousins. They revel in the suffering of mortal beings, inciting warfare and bloodshed beneath the shadow of their wings. They are strong and cunning beings, capable of melting entire forests to the ground with their acidic breath but they prefer to take their time and manipulate other creatures rather than outright killing them. A living being can offer a dragon much more enjoyment than one who is already dead, after all.

Only time will tell what the future holds for the elven people. Will they become the victims of a dragon as so many civilizations had before or will they be able to ward off its terrors and ultimately end the young wyrm before it does irreparable damage to their valley or their people?

 

[Silvamoon]

The elven woman sighed in boredom as her carriage rattled along the rutted dirt path that led from the central city. It wasn't often that Arwyn had to travel back home, usually leaving the day-to-day running of the manor to her elder brother, but she had gotten an urgent letter from a stewardess mentioning that something had been terrorizing their livestock and to please come at once. The woman didn't know what they expected her to do, but at least she could appease the family servants by appearing in person instead of sending someone in her stead. It was such a tedious process, going home, that Arwyn almost thought not to come, but finally there had been a lull in the social season that allowed her to travel home for a few days.

The journey itself took nearly a full day, and as the sun neared the opposite horizon the noblewoman was nearly ready to jump on the nearest horse and simply gallop the rest of the way. Instead she sat primly in the rattling carriage, her emerald skirts spread across the plush bench artfully. Arwyn was quite beautiful, even among the elves. Her hair was long and as gold as cornsilk, and her eyes were the dark blue of the night sky. Her nose was gently sloped, and her lips were rose pink. Although elves are generally tall and lithe, Arwyn still managed to boast a beautiful hourglass figure with the usual help of corsets. The low cut neck of the gown accentuated just how full her chest is, along with just how narrow her waist is. An emerald pendant that matched her dress was nestled between the swells of her cleavage, and the elven noblewoman mindlessly toyed with it as they neared her family manor.

When the horses came to a halt Arwyn had to restrain herself from simply jumping out of the carriage, but instead she waited for assistance. One of her maids was waiting for her, and before the woman could even open her mouth Arwyn spoke. "A bath. I need one desperately. Have clothing sent down to the river, you know the spot." Indeed it was a small rocky grouping just by the edge of the river that one could sun themselves on and dry after taking a dip into the river. Watching the maid scurry back into the manor house, Arwyn turned and headed down to the river. It was only a minute's walk from the house, but the tall line of trees shielded the rocky grouping from any prying eyes. Glancing behind her to make sure no one had followed, the woman stepped out of her heeled slippers and dipped one dainty foot into the rippling water.

 

[Dawnbreaker]

Though Arwyn had not been followed down to her bathing spot nestled within the natural fence of tall stones which shielded her from nearby prying eyes, she was not as alone as she would have probably liked. In the depths of her river-side bath rested a creature that the elf would not have usually worried about in this area. Known to sentient society simply as ‘gray ooze’, this mindless, viscous puddle of sludge hunted mostly in the river-side caves of the Kortharian Valley and the surrounding mountains. Rarely, if ever, had one ever been recorded hunting in the broad daylight like this; it was bound to happen with the tension in the forest as of late. Nothing seemed quite right anymore, though some of the more prestigious elves might not have noticed the plight of the Valley. The more that the elven people grew in wealth, the less they seemed to truly be connected to their ancestral home. Greed was a new concept to the elven people and it affected them in dangerous ways; much like their human neighbors.

The ooze would have been near impossible for the elven noble to see from her place along the bank of the river. Not only was it hidden in the dark, deep water half-way across the river but the very nature and color of its body made it appear to be nothing more than a wet rock when it was still. In the river, all rocks were wet. Even its natural home of the cave system would not have offered such brilliant camouflage at all times; not like this river did. Of course, being blind made camouflage a hard concept for the beast to comprehend. There was little need to not be seen when your prey literally cannot see past their own noses in your pitch-black home. The ooze, however, was not affected by the blackness. Noone was really sure how these creatures saw, but none who had ever encountered one could doubt that they are very aware of any prey in their vicinity.

This ‘blindsight’, as the humans refer to it, had already alerted the ooze of Arwyn’s presence and it was now slowly sliding along the bottom of the black water toward the bank. The ooze had been surviving on fish for the past few days now, being deprived of any substantial meals like the deer or wolves that used to enter its home seeking shelter from storms. It knew that whatever it was sensing now was much larger than the tiny fish and would serve as a much more satisfying meal.

 

[Silvamoon]

Finding the water of the river refreshingly cool after the long and dusty carriage ride, Arwyn wasted no time beginning to disrobe. It was difficult, without a maid's help, but the woman was too impatient to wait for one of her ladies to join her. Instead she deftly reached behind her back and began to loosen the laces that held her dress tight against her body. Without help it was a tedious process, but one that consumed her whole attention. Even if she had the ability she could not have detected the danger that lurked beneath the rippling water, so distracted was she. Instead, finally finding success against the tricky contraption the emerald velvet of her dress fell to the floor in a rustling heap. Arwyn now stood in her corset and petticoats, her feet bare against the springy grass that covered the riverbanks. She stepped away from the pile of fabric and stretched her arms over her head, soothing the tensed muscles from the long ride. "This shall be divine..." She murmured to herself, while shedding the multiple layers of petticoats until only one thin sheet of fabric encased her hips and legs.

Shaking her blonde hair out and then twisting it up into a knot, the elven noblewoman began to wade into the cool water clad only in skirt and corset. Although the area was secluded it had been some time since she had been home, and she didn't know who could have discovered her secret spot in that time. For propriety's sake she remained mostly clothed, although the point was moot because as soon as the fabric became waterlogged it also became translucent. Still unaware of the dangerous creature that lurked so far from it's home, the woman waded into the water up until her waist was submerged. Arwyn had been correct, for the water did feel wonderful upon her dust covered limbs. Mindful that her maid would be arriving any minute, the elven maiden took a deep breath of air and then sank under the water to wet her whole body. She broke the surface a moment later, spit out an unladylike mouthful of water, and then began to wade back to the shore.

 

[Dawnbreaker]

As the elven noblewoman cleansed herself in her secluded little area of the river, the hidden ooze crept its way out of the murky depths and toward the disturbances that the elven woman was creating in the water. It was a wonder, really, why these beasts were not water-skulking hunters. Not only did the river provide it with the most amazing camouflage known to the natural world, but it also enhanced its senses. The ‘blindsight’ allowed the creature to ‘see’ just as well under water as it could in its natural home but here, under the waves, it could also feel the disturbances in the water better even than the fish. Its viscous body rippled slightly with the water with each wave sent through the pool, giving it an even better way to judge the location and size of its prey. In this case, Arwyn.

As it neared her, it felt her submerge completely and stopped. With her body finally having been fully submerged and having sent the full brunt of her disturbances through the waves like a perfect mental image for her stalker, the ooze knew just how big she was. It couldn’t pass up a meal like this. Slowly, it crept closer and stopped directly behind her. It spread its body along the riverbed in a complete circle around the noblewoman as if it were laying a trap. It would have her the next time she submerged. That is when it would strike; when she could not call for help.

Though the ooze was not what the elves, humans, or even orcs would call ‘intelligent’, it was blessed with the basic instincts of a hunter. It had one chance to strike, it knew that. If that chance was missed then the prey would either run or call for help. It was the simple workings of the very natural world that it was born from. Well, technically, an ooze isn’t ‘born’ but you get the idea. This creature, though mindless, still possessed the basic instinctual programing that it needed to survive.

It was then, after the creature had spread itself around her in preparation, that the elven woman began to wade back to the bank. Being a patient hunter and knowing well that it would get that one aforementioned chance to strike, the ooze moved with the elf. It left its form spread around her as they moved as though it were merely her shadow. Unfortunately for Arwyn, movement in water created ripples and ripples distorted vision. It would be difficult to see the creature moving alongside her until she had made it from the water; if she made it from the water. It would wait and see if she fell into its trap but if not, then it would strike once she had reached knee’s depth in the shoreline.

 

[Silvamoon]

Having come to the river directly from the carriage and without any supplies there wasn't much Arwyn could do to cleanse herself until her maid arrived, so the elven woman contented herself with simply sluicing the water over her skin and hair to get rid of the majority of the grime. Having completely submerged herself in water, the garments that she had worn to protect her modesty were now extremely immodest. The thin silk petticoat clung to her hips and legs, revealing just how shapely she actually was beneath the layers of her dress, and the corset simply accentuated her hourglass shape. As Arwyn waded back to the shore she held that soaked skirt away from her body, allowing her legs a little more freedom as she began to emerge from the water. Her dark eyes scanned the shoreline narrowly the closer she got, discovering that her maid still had not arrived.

"Where is that girl?" She grumbled to herself, needing the lotions and soaps that she had brought with her to finish her bath, along with a fresh change of clothing. Sighing lowly to herself and brushing wet strands of hair from her neck, Arwyn didn't know she had stepped into a creature's ambush until she felt something constrict around her legs. "What--??" The noblewoman yelped as she became off-balanced, tripping forward into the shallows of the river with a splash. As soon as she hit the water she knew something was wrong. Something thicker and more viscous than water had broken her fall, and when she tried to push herself up her hands seemed to sink into whatever this substance was. "What is this?!" Arwyn shrieked, her limbs flailing as she tried to push herself upright. "Help! Someone help me!"

 

[Dawnbreaker]

Realizing that its prey was not going to make herself so vulnerable again, the ooze began to stretch itself out in front of the elf. When Arwyn neared the bank, the ooze closed itself around her legs and brought her falling down into the sticky cushion of its body. As she struggled against its nearly inescapable form, the ooze began to wrap around her body and mold itself against the elf’s form. Though she was small enough to dissolve through absorption, the creature knew that allowing prey to make such noises would alert other potential prey and even other predators; she could not be allowed to continue calling for help.

The ooze used its uncharacteristic strength to pull Arwyn down into its body and pressed itself against her face as it surrounded her. Little effort was needed for the malleable beast to force its way past the elf’s lips and into her mouth and throat. Slowly, the beast was surrounding her, molding itself to the contours of her hourglass figure and pressing further down into her body.

As if the thought of being eaten by this protoplasmic beast wasn’t agonizing enough to the noblewoman, now she could not breathe and the creature was beginning to secrete an acidic compound. Everywhere where the creature touched, which was everywhere not covered by cloth at this point, including the length of her throat, began to tingle with a burning sensation. The acid did not seem strong enough to dissolve her skin just yet, but her clothes were beginning to melt away to leave even more skin exposed for the creature.

 

[Silvamoon]

When she had been a child Arwyn had fallen into a puddle of mud that had sucked up her hands and feet into it's sticky center, and she had likened this thing beneath her to that until she felt it begin to creep up and encase her limbs. As soon as the elven woman realized this she began to scream even louder, her muscles burning with fatigue as she worked even harder to free herself. Nothing seemed to work, however, and instead of releasing herself from whatever this was she seemed to sink down further into it. Although she managed a few more shouts for help, it wasn't long before she had fallen even further into the water and into this creature, and then the sticky goop that encased her limbs rose to cover her entire face. Her next scream for help was choked and muffled as the thing wormed itself past her lips and down her throat, making Arwyn panic and begin her thrashing anew.

What even was this thing? Her frantic brain was asking itself as her struggles began to cease due to lack of oxygen. Surely someone would have warned her of dangers that lurked around the manor, despite her hasty leave. Arwyn couldn't focus on these thoughts for much longer, because she was distracted by a sudden burning sensation that occurred whenever the slime touched her bare skin. Even her throat was burning with this poison, and she could feel the thin silk of her skirt beginning to dissolve as the burning intensified. Soon the woman began to see spots and darkness swimming at the corners of her vision as she went longer and longer without oxygen, and she could only hope that her damned maid arrived soon and could pull her out of this...thing.

 

[Dawnbreaker]

Seconds could have quite easily seemed like hours to Arwyn as she was slowly being dissolved by the ooze which had coated her entire form by now. Her peticoats and corset which had been left upon her form to retain some part of her dignity were now just a memory. Then, as if everything that had happened up until this point were not frightening enough, the ooze began to crawl into her body through every opening that it could. Her throat was already full of the foul-tasting goop but now it was pressing against her ears, seeping up into her nostrils, pushing its way into her tight anus, and sliding past the outermost reaches of her womanhood. Not only was this creature choking and burning her but now it was violating her as well.

Surely by now, her skin was beginning to glow red from the irritation of the acid. One could probably akin the look and feel of the ooze-burnt skin to that of a bad sunburn. No living person could possibly guess the terror that must have been filling this elven noblewoman as the life was slowly being choked and burned from her.

Not wanting to lose its prey to any aid that might come to her earlier cries, the viscous creature began to drag Arwyn back out toward the center of the river. Having lived here for some time, the elven woman would most assuredly know that if the creature made it out to where the rocks dropped off out near the center of the river then noone would be able to help her. If the beast made it out to the center, where there was a sudden twenty foot drop in the depth of the river, she would never be saved. Of course, at the rate that the beast was moving, Arwyn would slip out of consciousness and die of suffocation before it got there anyway.

More precious seconds passed, drawn out as if they were years, and the elven noblewoman’s handmaidens did not rush to her aid. Noone was coming to help her, noone was coming to save her; she was really going to die here. That is how it must have seemed to the noblewoman up until the very last second of consciousness when, miraculously, whatever had a hold on her was gone. The ooze was simply gone. Instantly, she was surrounded by water, not sticky goop. Instantly, there was nothing in her throat and nose preventing her from taking in a lungful of life-saving breath.

Perched nearby, atop one of the tall rocks, was a young human man who looked to be in his early to mid-twenties. He stood at about six feet, perhaps a few inches more, with a toned and fit physique. His skin was dark in comparison to most of the elven townsfolk and his hair was darker, a rich raven black. Brown eyes peered down at the elven noblewoman, now likely struggling to catch her breath, from a face that seemed a day or two overdue for a shave. His attire was simple; plain linen boots with brown leggings and matching robes which were not tied shut in the front. The only thing really noteworthy about this man was the buckle on his belt; silver with a swirling blue jewel. Where he had come from was anyone’s guess. Perhaps he had simply appeared there. After all, the ooze had simply vanished without rational explaination.

The Human Man​

 

[Silvamoon]

With each passing second Arwyn felt like she had been trapped for an eternity. Her lungs worked uselessly to suck in air, and only succeeded in pulling in more slime. Whatever this thing was secreting, acid, she decided now, was eating away at the remainder of her clothing until she was completely bare. Every single inch of skin on her body was now being corroded by this acid, and if the elven woman could have screamed she would have. Arwyn knew she was a little...spoiled...perhaps, but she didn't think she deserved to die in such a brutal manner. At first the burning had only been a slight tingling, but now as it touched more of her skin in increased in intensity and therefore in pain. Now not only was her skin on fire, so were her intimate insides as the slime invaded every orifice it could. The intrusion of the burning ooze into her puckered anus and womanly area was horrifying enough, but it also began to seep into her ears and nostrils and wholly began to eat away at her formerly fair skin.

Soon the combination of no oxygen, pain, and fear began to press down upon the elven noblewoman and her consciousness began to fade. The usually vain woman could only spare one thought for whomever would find her discarded clothing on the bank and her missing body, and she hoped that her maid was whipped for dawdling. Just before darkness consumed her the pain suddenly vanished, as did the viscous sticky goop that had held her limbs immobile. Her lungs expanded almost painfully as she broke the surface of the water and took in a deep gulp of air, the raw skin of her throat where the acid had seeped still burning painfully as she breathed. Arwyn didn't even care about that pain, it was nothing compared to her inescapable relief at still being alive. After refilling her lungs with oxygen the elven noblewoman glanced around once to see where the slime creature had gone, before quickly sloshing through the water and back onto the bank.

She was uncaring that her body was completely nude, and she was uncaring of the fact that her skin was bright red. All Arwyn was focused on was getting back to the shore, and as soon as she reached the grassy bank she pulled herself onto it painfully and flopped to the ground. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as her mind tried to make sense of what had just happened to her. "What was that?" She murmured to herself, and then froze. In her haste to get out of the water she had missed the fact that a man was sitting atop one of the rocky outcroppings, only a few feet away from her. Arwyn let out another shriek and hurriedly crossed her arms over her ample chest, and debated retreating back into the water. "Who are you?!" She demanded of the human man, deciding as she spoke that she would rather take her chances against the man than go back into the river.

 

[Dawnbreaker]

“Aren’t we a bit demanding of those to whom we owe our life,” the human male retorted with a rather amused tone as he lowered himself to the stone upon which he had been standing. His form sunk slowly down until he had reached a seated position at the edge of the stone overlooking the elven noblewoman’s bathing spot and, in turn, Arwyn herself. Now seated, with his legs crossed and his large wooden staff sat off to the side, he continued. “Now, to answer your questions in the order which they were issued; that creature which came so dangerously close to digesting you alive is what we know as a grey ooze. I am quite surprised that you would not know this, my lady; they are quite common here in your humble Valley.”

The man paused, having answered the elven woman’s first question, regardless of whether or not that one had been directed at him. He was playing with her; an amusing game of cat and mouse between the disguised serpent invader and the seemingly helpless elven noblewoman. Though watching her be eaten alive by the ooze would have brought the wicked dragon a great deal of amusement, he had taken a leap of faith and saved her, relying on the mortal’s rationalism to be shattered by pure terror which would allow him to play with her psyche. It seemed to have worked.

“Now then, your second question, yes?” As he continued, that amused tone remained thick in his voice. “You really should introduce yourself first, my lady. It is just outright rude to demand the name of another when you have not yet given your own; especially in an instance like this. If I had not come along when I did, that gelatinous beast would have had itself quite the meal.”

As the serpent spoke from its place above the elven woman, his eyes drifted along her burned red form. She was well built for an elven woman; that much the serpent could not deny. She was, as the mortals say, attractive. On top of that, she seemed to be quite far along in the elven hierarchy. The clothes which she had removed and left on the bank were clearly those of a noble. She was probably spoiled and pampered. The dragon couldn’t help but recall being told that attractive and spoiled mortals always seemed to make the best toys before he had left his nesting grounds for worlds unknown. Though the act of saving Arwyn had come as little more than a whim, the great reptile was quite pleased that he had done so now that some degree of thought had been given to the act.

 

[Silvamoon]

Arwyn didn't know this man; she had never seen him before in her life, and her encounter with the river creature had made her doubly cautious of this stranger's presence. Slowly, and painfully, the elven noblewoman pushed herself up to a sitting position, being careful to still cover her chest with one arm and to arrange her folded legs carefully to preserve what modesty she had left after her assault. The man's amused tone of voice did nothing but irritate the already aggravated woman, and a scowl darkened her delicate features as she finally had the time to survey the human man before her. His skin was darker than her natural tone, and his hair was the color of dark ebony. His clothing was common enough, despite the fact that he wore no tunic or top to conceal his chest. What actually caught her attention and made her even more wary was the tall wooden staff that rested off to the side of the man. She didn't know if he was a mage of some sort, or what he was doing on her property, but all Arwyn honestly cared about was getting dressed and leaving this god-forsaken place for the security of the capital city.

Unfortunately for her the oxygen deprivation had taken somewhat of a toll on her, along with the acid burns, and the elven woman was feeling exceptionally weak. If she had been able to stand up she would have fled, but instead she could only sit on the grassy bank of the river and continue to reassure her lungs of the availability of oxygen. When the strange man began to speak again, Arwyn was surprised to hear him addressing the first question she had posed to herself. When he explained that the creature that had captured her was an ooze, and had been trying to digest her, the woman had to fight the urge to move further away from the river's edge. She had never heard of such creatures, most likely because she spent the majority of her time in the capital city and only concerned herself with frivolous and entertaining topics. "An ooze? What a horrible creature." She had to resist the urge to shiver as she thought of how close she had come to death, and how easily the creature had captured her.

Although now she knew what the creature had been, Arwyn still didn't know who this man was or why he was here. His mirth only continued to rankle her mood, especially when he thought to berate her on her manners. "Who are you to demand my identity?" She called out to him, anger building in her tone. "You are on my property, human, and I suggest you leave before my brother comes and detains you!" The elven maiden wasn't sure if this man was insinuating that he had made the ooze disappear, but Arwyn didn't know how he could have done so without even touching the creature unless the man was, in fact, a mage.

 

[Dawnbreaker]

Though the great serpent had been in the Valley for several weeks now, perhaps even a small number of months, he had yet to encounter any situation that brought him this level of satisfaction and amusement. He had made it a point to stay away from the elves and their society, so far advanced in comparison to their orcish neighbors with whom they begrudgingly shared the Valley. The reptilian beast had, up until now, kept to himself and found ample amusement in toying with the lesser creatures of the Valley but not yet had he found himself so amused by a single being. Arwyn’s frustration seemed almost tangible to him and her body made for an attractive sight whilst they conversed. She seemed so prim and proper when she had first arrived at this place but that ooze had done quite the job of stripping any pride or decency from the noblewoman. On top of all of that, she didn’t seem all too knowledgeable of what dangers lie in her own forested home. This one was worth keeping an eye on for now; at least until he figured out if it was she that was this entertaining or if her entire race could be bent and swayed as she was allowing herself to be.

When the elven woman began to shout and scold at him for being so bold as to ‘demand her identity’ as she so clearly put it, the man’s right hand rose into the air as if to silently ask her to stop. Then he did the unthinkable, perhaps the most demeaning thing that he could have done to a fully grown woman of her social status. The fingers of his hand all curled in so that only his index finger remained erect and he moved that single finger back and forth as though he were silently scolding a child for doing something that it knew it shouldn’t do.

“Now, now my beautiful damsel, I never once demanded anything of you,” the man spoke in a clearly condescending tone. “All that I did was point out a social folly made on your part toward a man to whom you would have surely been killed without. Besides, if I were going to demand anything of a creature as breathtaking as yourself I would aim much higher than just your name.” That scolding hand lowered back into the man’s lap as he finished speaking and his head fell back; his gaze turning towards the clear blue evening sky.

“I suppose all of the rumors I had heard of the elven people’s generosity and social grace were all the romanticized ramblings of drunken fools. Now where am I ever going to find a place to stay…” It would have been hard to place what was truly meant by the man’s words as he continued to speak. Was he merely rambling to himself or was he trying to bait Arwyn into inviting him to stay at her home? It was clear, at the very least, that this man was not from around here; very few human lived in the Valley and they were too deep into the forest for this man to have walked this far in just one day. Heck, it would have taken most almost two weeks to penetrate the forest this deeply on foot. He had been here for quite some time; of that there was no doubt.

 

[Silvamoon]

The elven woman's rose pink lips were thinned down into a scowl the longer she had to sit and regard the flippant human male before her. The thought that he could be anything but a human did not even cross her mind, let alone the fact that he was actually a dragon in disguise. The only thing that gave her pause about him was the rather large wooden staff that remained at his side, and the fact that she knew absolutely nothing about the extent of his abilities. He hinted at the fact that he had been the one to banish the creature that had held her in its grasp, but the noblewoman wouldn't bring herself to ask him outright. Truthfully at this moment even if the stranger happened to be a normal human man it wouldn't take much to overpower her in the state she was in, the ooze's acid and the panic that had gripped her all but sapping her strength. Still Arwyn continued to sit and stare petulantly up to this human man, wishing he would just leave her already so that she could gather her dress and try to muster the strength to shuffle back to the manor house. The first thing she would do was march up to her brother and demand to know why she hadn't been warned of the dangers lurking on their land, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

Instead her ire was only fueled when the strange man seemed to taunt her even further by actually scolding her silently. If she hadn't already been red from the corrosive acid then blood would have rushed to her formerly fair cheeks in rage, her lips parting in outrage. "You!" Arwyn couldn't even formulate her thoughts properly to come up with a response before he began to address her again in such a condescending tone. Although the noblewoman was vain, even a compliment to her beauty was not enough to assuage her still growing anger. What annoyed her most, perhaps, was the fact that she didn't know what this person wanted from her. She was clearly affluent if he cared to observe her discarded gown, but if he was a simple raider than he would have already leveled his demands at her. Instead he chose to scold her, all the while tip-toeing around his motives. It was clear that the woman was very close to snapping at him, but his last wandering query to himself made her laugh suddenly.

"Are you actually asking me to offer you a bed in my home?" This time her own voice was condescending, mixed with a dash of incredulous. Arwyn ignored his jibes at her race, and focused her steely blue eyes gaze upon this human man. "You may allude to banishing the creature that held me in it's grip, but I have no proof you had anything to do with it's sudden absence, nor do I know your name or anything about you." Her years spent at the court and under the scrutiny of other nobles taught her how to project confidence, and those years of training were what kept the still nude woman from crumbling under the weight of the day's extreme emotions.

 

[Dawnbreaker]

The dragon suddenly found himself staring down the barrel of yet another choice that would have to be made out of impulse. He could continue to taunt this elven woman which would bring him more immediate amusement at the sacrifice of the chance to get close to her and observe her once she had settled down. On the other hand, he could comply to this small and fragile mortals wishes which my open the doors of her home to him at the cost of his extra playtime. For the great serpent, being an ageless creature with more patience than even the long-lived elven people, the choice was so very clear. If it would bring this elf amusement to place herself above him in the grand scheme of things then he would allow her. There would be ample opportunity to put her back into her place if he could get close to her and her household, after all.

“My dear maiden, you truly must work on those manners of yours. It is unbecoming of such a ravishing beauty to behave in such an undignified manner,” the man took one final shot at her as he reached down to grip his staff. His great wooden focus in hand, the man rocked his legs forward and came dropping down from his position perched upon the rocks above and down on the same level as Arwyn herself. He stood there, not fifteen feet away, and swept into a low bow that one might have seen in the human royal courts when one was addressing a prince or king.

“I am the great sorcerer, Morvias, First Advisor to King Rorek of the Kingdom of Knullvale. I have traveled a great ways to see the beauty that your homelands have to offer, my fair maiden, and I am quite weary from my travels. I have not had a safe place to sleep since leaving my kingdom, you see, and a band of bandits made off with my provisions this morning as I was bathing a ways downstream. I beg your forgiveness and throw myself upon the mercy of her nobleness. You have my word that I will earn my keep.” Through the entirety of the man’s speech, he remained bent into that bow and he did not rise after he was finished. Being of noble blood herself, Arwyn might recognize this as a human gesture of respect and political submission. He probably would not rise until commanded to.

Though the man’s words might have been sufficient some of the elven commonfolk, Arwyn wasn’t commonfolk and more than likely would have dealt with visiting human nobles directly. As such, she might notice several holes in this man’s plea. First, the human kingdoms that shared borders with the elven Valley were Havenshire to the south and Agarnia to the north. Second, neither of their kings were named Rorek, nor would that have been the name of any nobles which Arwyn had ever met. Even if he had named a kingdom and king which Arwyn was familiar with, it was unheard of for the king’s First Advisor to leave the king’s side.

 

[Silvamoon]

Arwyn could not believe the audacity of this human man before her, and was very close to simply throwing modesty to the wind and simply picking herself up and walking away. Indeed she had even begun to do that, rising up on her knees and shuffling over to the crumpled heap where her dress lay. At this point the elven woman didn't even care if the serpent got a look of her body that only her former lovers had had. Her blazing red skin burned and ached like the worst sunburn she had ever had, and all Arwyn wanted to do was head right back to court and never return to her ancestral home. Before she reach her clothing, however, she froze and watched as the male slid down from the cropping of rocks. Although his continued jibes infuriated the noblewoman she bit her tongue and didn't respond, trying to conserve her energy for the trek back to the manor house. Somehow her maid must have misheard her orders, or gotten side-tracked, but the woman never showed up. Therefore Arwyn would have to drag herself back up the path, and she had no more time to sit and dawdle.

"I don't have time--" The woman began, intending to brush the male off and order him to go seek shelter elsewhere. When began to speak, however, she lapsed into silence again, her eyes wide with surprise. This man, Morvias, was the first advisor to a king? It seemed impossible, given his uncouth manner of addressing her and his continue antagonism. No noble, man or woman, had ever spoken to her so familiarly and with such obvious amusement. Arwyn listened in silence as he finished his explanation, her crackling nerves only slightly appeased by his deep bow. That, she could acknowledge, was proper and befitting of her status. Now that she finally had her explanation, the woman was unsure of what to do. If what the man said was true then no doubt she would have to offer him asylum in her property, but she wasn't entirely convinced that he was trustworthy. Also, she was still quite angry with him.

"How do I know you speak the truth?" She finally demanded of him, as she spoke still inching along to reach her discarded petticoats and dress. "Have you a token of this king, to prove your worth?" Arwyn was in a bind. She had never heard of the king of which he spoke, but she also wasn't very learned in geography. If she denied him hospitality now, and found out later that he had been telling the truth, than the woman would feel shame the likes of which his jibes could not elicit from her. It wasn't often that Arwyn felt bad or regretted something she had done, so now she had to tread carefully. "If," She paused, finally reaching her skirts and beginning to pull them on as quickly as she could, disregarding all modesty now. "You can prove to me your identity, then I will promise you a roof over your head tonight."

 

[Dawnbreaker]

For a mere second, the serpentine beast had believed that this elf had seen through his farce. It would not have mattered if she had, of course. Such a creature as the great reptile himself would not need the roof over their head nor would they need any other hospitality that this woman or her household could offer. Simple amusement would be all that would be lost and Arwyn wouldn’t have wanted to deny the dragon his amusement.

Fortunately, it seemed as though the elven woman was not quite as well versed in the world beyond her neighboring kingdoms. Knullvale was, in truth, a very real kingdom that laid far to the south. Three other human kingdoms, an orcish ‘kingdom’, and a great sea lie between the Kortharian Valley and the Kingdom of Knullvale. The far-off kingdom was a place radically different from the lush and fertile Valley. Knullvale was a kingdom consumed entirely by desert, lifeless outside of the oasis cities that lie scattered across its territory with an abundant supply of silver, gold, and gemstones buried beneath the sands. This land was the dragon’s homeland, though a green dragon was a very rare sight outside of the forests of the world. The deserts were the domains of the treacherous blue dragons and the noble brass dragons but the oasis of this harsh land could support a green with relative comfort.

Rorek truly was the king of this kingdom but whether or not this man was his First Advisor as he claimed would never be known to the elven woman. Knullvale had become reclusive over the past ten years. The king almost never leaves the castle, the three princes and the princess of the kingdom had all been exiled, and the entire kingdom was in a state of civil war. Knullvale’s borders have been sealed off to outsiders for several years now and unless you live within the hellish desert itself, your chances of learning anything about its politics are nearly non-existent. Claiming nobility from this land was nothing short of the perfect lie.

“I cannot provide proof to my identity, my lady,” the man answered Arwyn’s demands. He remained bent forward in the bow, having not been instructed to rise. “My lord’s kingdom is in turmoil, you see, and the exiled princes plotted against my life. I was instructed to flee so that my life would be protected from the usurpers and so that I could return in the future when the political conflict has been resolved and my lord once again stands tall and strong as Knullvale’s one true king.”

The man shifted his legs beneath him as he spoke and lowered himself into a kneeling position before the elven noblewoman. Not once did his head rise to look at her. Even in his kneeling position upon the wet stones of the riverbank, he retained his courtly respect. “I offer my sincerest apologies for my rudeness before. Though you did not display the common courtesies of the court yourself, you had nearly lost your life in the most grotesque of ways. You had every right to be cautious of any intruders. If you would forgive me and offer me a home amongst your walls then I would earn my keep.”

 

[Silvamoon]

It was true that Arwyn had been suspicious at first of his story, the foreign kingdoms vaguely clicking into place as a nation not bordering their own, but she was too distracted by her need to get away from the river that as soon as the suspicious thought had crossed her mind it was gone. She had finally reached her skirts and donned them, although the stiff fabric rubbed against her raw skin painfully and the emerald velvet gown didn't fit quite right without her corset and the ability to lace it up in the back. Throughout this she remained silent, noticing finally that the man was still bowed down low. Arwyn would have been lying if she said she didn't enjoy the sight of the man, Morvias, bowing before her. It was just another remnant of her court life, to enjoy seeing someone beneath her. As she struggled to situate her clothing in such a way as to cause the least amount of pain to her reddened skin as possible, the noblewoman listened with agitation as the sorcerer admitted that he could not prove his identity.

How then was she to know if he was trustworthy? There was no way to, unless she counted the fact that he had seemingly banished the creature that had held her in its grasp, and also the fact that he had not assaulted her in any way in her weakened state. Arwyn's patience was at and end, however, and she didn't have any time to waste bantering with him. "Rise." She told him impatiently, gesturing briefly with her hand. "Your story is a sad one, and I have no time to listen to the particulars." She paused as she shakily began to rise to her own feet, her curvaceous form braced against a sapling tree. The elven woman had actually intended to send him away, without the proof she required, but his apology made her stop short. The fact that he humbly apologized to her while still on his knees cracked her brash facade slightly, and with a sigh she changed her mind. "Fine. If indeed you can earn your keep then you may stay for a night." She was careful to specify the length of time he may remain in her property, although she didn't intend to stay longer than one night herself. After her ordeal in the river the elven woman was anxious to return to the safety and security of the central city.

"The house is that way." Wearily she pointed in the direction she had originally came from, through the trees. Without waiting for his leave she began to hobble in the direction she had pointed, bracing her tired body against every tree and boulder she could. Arwyn presented a very different picture than when she had arrived at the river. Her carefully coiled and braided blonde locks were undone and hanging lankly around her face, the edges singed in places where the ooze's acid had eaten away. Her skin was still a bright blushing red, and her dress was clearly disheveled and slipping down her chest without the support of her corset and the lacing in the back. Arwyn was in no mood to sit around and waste any more time.

 

[Dawnbreaker]

Once he had been instructed to rise, the ‘human’ man wasted no time in doing so. He had just parted his lips and was about to speak again when the elven noblewoman turned and began to hobble up in the direction that she had indicated. Watching her struggle with her clothes had been a bit amusing and watching her try to walk in them was equally so. The burns, being magical in nature, would have been easily treatable with magical healing powers but the dragon did not feel that Arwyn needed to be told that. If she already knew then she would just grow more agitated and if she did not then she would provide him with even more enjoyment. The dragon was a little anxious by now to meet the elven woman’s household companions. He feared that they would be kinder than this woman. If they were then one of his earlier questions would be answered; that this woman was, indeed, someone to single out amongst all elves as a plaything. If that was the case then he would need to find some way of convincing her that he was worth keeping around. She would be difficult to play with if he was kicked from her home after only one night.

“Is there no way to convince you to allow me to stay with you?” It was a bold and perhaps overly-blunt question, asked as he fell in line behind the woman should she stumble backwards. It would have been comical to watch this proud and burned woman fall back down the hill but catching her might earn him a point or two. “Surely a beautiful woman such as yourself could make use of a powerful sorcerer and judging by your attire, you are a noble of these lands. Would it not reflect well upon you to shelter a fellow noble from lands unknown? Surely, it would be good for your family name if I could spread word of your generosity once I have returned to Knollvale. My Lord would reward you handsomely. What my kingdom lacks in fertile farm land, we make up for with abundant precious mineral deposites.”

 

[Silvamoon]

Without waiting for any further reply from the disguised serpent Arwyn turned her back upon him and began to tackle the incline that led to her manor house. When she had been distracted by Morvias' appearance she had not been focusing on her burned skin, but now as she moved uphill the pain was returning with a vengeance. With every barefooted step she took the elven woman had to mask a wince, her whole body aching and raw. The noblewoman would almost have chosen a singular cut or gash over her whole body being in pain, but she did not get to choose the creature that had attacked her. She didn't even know what that thing had been, before the human man informed her, and as soon as she returned to the manor she would make sure her brother got an earful of her ire. As soon as she shouted at her brother she would send for a healer to see what could be done about the acid burns that covered her entire body.

Arwyn had been so focused on her plans as soon as she returned home that she had been unaware of how closely the man was following her, and when he spoke so suddenly she flinched. Raising a hand to her fast beating heart she turned her head to glare at him, already shaking her head negatively. "What more do you want from me? I offered you a place for the night, and moreover I will be leaving tomorrow so you will have to take the rest of your issues to my brother." The elven noblewoman was very proud, and so she doubled her efforts to mount the crest of the hill. She would not ask for assistance from this stranger. She continued to climb in silence, only partly listening to Morvias' tries to appeal to her. It was true that sheltering a foreign noble would look favorably upon her family, but she was determined to leave the handling of this man to her brother so that she could leave as soon as possible. "As I mentioned, my brother will deal with you." Finally she crested the top of the hill, and she could see the manor house a hundred yards away down the other side of the hill. With determination Arwyn gathered her skirts and began to step delicately down the hill, and when she came within 50 yards to the house she began to yell. "Brother! Come out here!"

 

[Dawnbreaker]

Though dragons were well known for their nearly timeless patience, this elven woman was really gnawing viciously on the serpentine beast’s nerves. He had socially submitted to her and offered her a convincing false apology but still she persisted to be quite unpleasant company. He was even beginning to regret saving her sorry spoiled ass from the slime monster, a scene that he could have just as easily ignored if he had not been curious of the elven people. She would pay for such disrespect and he would be quite sure of that. Tonight, he would see that her manor was overcome with madness and in the morning, as she fled, he would be right there with her whether she wanted him to be or not. If this woman thought that her own ire was something to fear then she was not long from being humbled.

When the two had reached the view of the house and Arwyn had started shouting for her brother, the pair was met with nothing but silence. No one seemed to be coming from the estate, at least not that the dragon could see. “Perhaps they cannot hear you from inside the house, my Lady. If it hurts so badly to walk then I would be more than happy to carry you the rest of the way.” Though it was a kind offer, the beast was almost positive that it would somehow offend the elf and that she would, once again, snap back at him though unprovoked.

The dragon was just eager to get inside at this point and see what it was that he was working with. Green dragons, like all dragons, had several magical powers and one of the powers of most dragons was the ability to force a mortal’s mind to submit to its will and do as it commanded. This was the key to bringing the dragon’s ire down on this household. If he so desired, he could turn the entire house against itself and then sit in the dining room with a hot kettle of tea to watch everything come apart in a matter of hours. Though this was a tempting prospect, he had a quite specific idea in mind.

 

[Silvamoon]

The elven noblewoman spared no further thought for the serpent that continued to follow her, her thoughts solely focused on berating her older brother thoroughly for not warning her about the dangers that lurked on their property, as well as her maid for never arriving at the river with the supplies she had requested. Her normal ivory skin was a raw red, her skirts were bedraggled and her cornsilk hair was a mess. Anyone who saw her would not believe that proper Arwyn could ever look so disheveled, and they would know from the dark expression on her face that something big must have happened. The next thing they would wonder at, no doubt, was the identity of the seemingly human man that followed her. That brought her thoughts back to Morvias just before he spoke up, and she only paused long enough to send him a freezing glare. The lady certainly didn't need or want his observations, and she would have rather rolled down the hill rather than let the strange human put his hands upon her.

"No, I'm quite fine." She said stiffly, trying to reign in her temper and not take it out upon their impromptu guest. Arwyn still wasn't convinced about the dragon's trustworthiness, but it didn't matter much to her because she would be gone by morning's first light if she had her way. Instead she continued to yell for her brother as she approached the manor house. It was a stately and tall structure made of red brick, and had been the lady's home for only a few years until she first visited the capital city. After her first glimpse of the wonders of that bustling place she had always been loathe to return to the countryside, and nothing had changed as she aged. "Brother?! Come out here at once!" Her voice rose in volume as she approached the front entrance of the house, her hobbled pace slowly slightly as she realized that no one was running to meet her.

 

[Dawnbreaker]

As expected, the elven woman was unnecessarily volatile even when presented with an offer that most other people would have found thoughtful and considerate. While this behavior seemed to irritate the dragon further, he couldn’t help but feel a pinch of intrigue toward this woman. She had been assaulted and nearly killed by an ooze no more than fifteen minutes ago. Though the attack was brief, it was also damaging and violent. Most mortals would not have recovered from such a thing so quickly but this bitchy elven woman seemed to be making a fine recovery. Sure, she wasn’t fully recovered physically; without magical aid that could take weeks. She was, however, unexpectedly fine mentally, save for the short-temperedness which could have been natural for her anyway.

As the pair neared the manor, someone finally emerged from the house. Arwyn would be able to recognize him instantly as her brother. They family resemblance was quite uncanny between them. He stood at roughly six feet in height with long blonde hair that fell halfway down his back. His facial features were soft and relatively feminine but then that wasn’t exactly strange for male elves. His skin was pale and his frame slim; this was definitely not one of the elven military guards. He was, quite clearly, just an average nobleman. Strangely, is clothes seemed to be just as out of place as Arwyn’s were. His pants were only half threaded and his ruffled shirt wasn’t even buttoned. Sweat dripped down his forehead and neck and as he approached, the unmistakable scent of oils filled the air. It would have been quite obvious why he had been so long answering his sister’s calls.

 

[Silvamoon]

The reason that the noblewoman was being so abrasive was indeed the fact that she had just been brutally attacked by a creature that she hadn't even been aware existed. It was true that generally Arwyn was a bit of a bitch, but she usually controlled the amount of venom that she spewed and tried to temper it with a more moderate demeanor. Her usual control went right out the window as soon as she dragged herself from the river after being assaulted, and instead of having a panicked and crying fit she channeled her emotional distress into being overbearing and rude. Arwyn was partly glad that her temper seemed to be finally affecting the man that followed her, his questions and suggestions trailing off as they approached the house. Still no one came to greet them, and her rosy lips were turned down into a firm scowl that would have looked ugly on another woman but only served to make the elven lady more fierce.

Just as she reached the front entrance of the stately home the doors flew open and gave her pause, and someone approached them. Arwyn new instantly that it was her brother, and although she had much to tell him she was taken aback at his appearance. Standing together it was clear they were siblings, their coloring and manner much the same. The lady stood at five foot eight, so she was slightly shorter than her brother. Before she could compose herself words began to fly in a hurry. "Busy I see?" Arwyn sneered at her brother's disheveled looks that almost could have matched her own harried state if he had been bright red. "So busy that you couldn't warn your only sister of the danger that has encroached onto our land?" By the end of her inquiry the lady was shouting, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I demand answers, brother! Why have you called me out to this forsaken place if you only wished to abandon me?!" She made no mention of the human that had trailed after her, focused solely on receiving answers of her own. Her chest heaved as she finally lapsed into silence, the emerald pendant she had luckily discarded before her bath now dangling back between her cleavage.