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Fall of Elen'thalas (Krimson & HeavenSundered)

Living in isolation didn't mean that Ezza was not up to date on the important happenings of the world, so she was indeed aware of Zaria's capitulation. It seemed that she'd been fortunate enough to hop off that ship just before it went down. However, learning that Arcadia had plans to march against Elen'thalas, now that what most certainly news to her, if it turned out to be true.

The elves' involvement with the barbarian hordes that had been assaulting Arcadia's southern border for years was a barely veiled secret to anyone with even the slightest knack for politics, so the motive was obvious enough, and now with the Zarians having been neutered...Ezzaraith supposed that it made sense. The elves would not expect their northern neighbors to jump out of one war straight into another, so there was a window where the humans would have the element of surprise.

She also hadn't expected Seth to be the Crown Prince of Arcadia himself, having figured him for some more lowly member of the royal family. That certainly changed things to some degree, and put his request into perspective when he finally came out with it. Still, it hardly sounded any less absurd.

"You cannot be serious," Ezza exclaimed, looking like she'd been on the verge of bursting into laughter. "You want me to fight for you? Surrounded by an army of Arcadians? So that every soldier who lost a cousin, brother, father or son by my hands can line up to run me through with their blades?" She actually did burst out laughing at that point. "I confess that I may be a bit peculiar, but I'm not stark raving mad, you know? What good would any form of payment do me if I'm dead?"
 
"In Arcadia, we respect strength." Seth's tone was ever calm, features composed, not even wincing at her rather derisive reply. "And I've shown you the utmost respect...am I mistaken about your strength?" A question he did not allow her to answer before he continued. The question merely to goad her. Ezza seemed the cautious sort; that was good, brashness was attractive in a common soldier, but not in those who reined in the hounds of war. He needed to know that she was capable of more than mere, wanton destruction, and so far, he was quite convinced that he made the right choice approaching her.

"You shall have the right to ride besides me; a seat in my war council. Discipline and obedience are the motto of my legions, and they shan't disrespect a direct command from their commander." Switching gear for a moment, promising protection and honor even after he's questioned her strength, the prince ever a master at diplomacy, wielding all the tools at his disposal with ease. "And if one or two is foolish enough to raise his blade against you...well, there is only one fate for those who dare to disturb the vaunted discipline of the Arcadian war machine, and I shall see to their just desert personally."

He took a few more bites at his sandwich, having polished off almost the entire thing by now. "I've given you quite a bit of information, no?" Another bite, "I would think the wealth of information those knife-eared racists have would be quite attractive to a practitioner of magic."
 
So, he really was serious, then. And Seth's offer was actually far more enticing than anything that Ezza could have imagined. A position of power and influence, potentially even greater than the one she'd been vying for prior to her falling out with the kingdom of Zaria - and on the winning side, no less. That alone would have been enough to whet the sorceress' appetite, presuming that the Arcadian soldiers were as disciplined and loyal to Seth as he claimed.

The prospect of plundering Elen'thalas, however...now that was a truly unique opportunity. Ezzaraith herself had no love for the xenophobic elves who were known to be extremely hostile against draconians - even more so than towards humans - so there was certainly a great amount of appeal in seeing them fall as well. And there was even more.

Before all of the unpleasantness which led to her 'betraying' Zaria, the sorceress had, purely by chance, discovered some obscure passages in an old tome, hinting towards an ancient and apparently forgotten history between elves and draconians. That imbecile, Edwyn, had attacked her and destroyed the book in the process before Ezza could get anything concrete out of it. All because he feared the humiliation of losing out on the position of Grand Magus to a lowly half-demon. His foolishness had cost him his life instead, and Ezzaraith her position within her former kingdom. Nobody would ever believe or care that her actions had been in self defense, the bottom line was that a half-demon witch had murdered a human, so she had elected to exile herself before giving them the chance to burn her at the stake.

Having scoured through hundreds of books since then without the least bit of success, Ezza had all but given up hope of discovering any more clues to her race's past, but if she could get her hands on the entirety of Elen'thalas' secrets and knowledge...

"Hmm, I suppose they could possess a thing or two of some value to me," the sorceress conceded, though of course she kept her true enthusiasm heavily tempered for the time being. Standing up from the fur rug, she leisurely strolled back into her bath to clean herself for the second time that day, the water warming back up with little more than a thought from her.

"And you would be willing to trust a known traitor with horns and a tail, your Royal Highness?" Ezza asked in a slightly mocking tone, trying to prove that she was not easily impressed by mere titles.
 
He didn't follow her ascent, seemingly content to finish his food. But those watchful crimsons studied her expression ever carefully; the sorceress was good at hiding her thoughts, but the experienced general still could discern a thing or two. She was interested. How much? He wasn't sure. But he would gamble a lion's share that something about the elven knowledge enthralled a magic-practitioner such as her, that was, after all, the premise upon which he was banking on. Even her lukewarm agreement was accepted with grace; he smiled ever charmingly. The following words were unnecessary. It was clear as day that her mind had already been made up...but she seemed wanting to be sweet-talked into the deal.

"I don't trust you, much as you don't trust me."

He had many much more diplomatic variants up his sleeve...but to one seemingly as guarded and as intelligent as her, there was nothing more persuasive than the simple truth. A pause, letting his words sink in, before he smoothed over the assertion.

"Beyond the fact that we've yet to assault each other..." A small laugh, remembering with some amusement at the woman's earlier demonstration of prowess. There was a fair chance she could have killed him then...not without serious injuries of her own, of course. Seth was smart enough not to see shadows where there were none. "But is there any point for the likes of us to speak of trust? I haven't harangued you about your history...because frankly, words mean nothing to me." He stood then, fetching her discarded skirt, and pacing over to the pool.

"Actions speak loudest. I shall earn your trust, much as you are expected to earn mine..." Offering the sorceress her garment, he continued. "I assume you've made your decision? I've already prepared a steed for you at the base of the mountain." Words that spoke to his confidence in this encounter.
 
Try as she might, Ezzaraith could not really find any faults in the Arcadian prince's answers. As lofty as the man's ambitions seemed to be, he also seemed surprisingly grounded, a rarity for members of any royal family based on her own experiences. From her traps earlier to her pointed questions now, Seth had expertly navigated every hurdle while maintaining his composure. Even that fact that he'd come to meet her himself in person spoke volumes about him. Ezza would of course remain wary, but for the time being, it was hard to deny that she was taking a liking to him.

"Fair enough, my sweet prince." She waved the offered skirt away dismissively, then loosened the laces of her bodice and pulled it over her head, allowing her generous breasts to spill out in all of their natural glory. If they were going to be riding, then she would want to change into more appropriate attire anyways after getting clean. Tossing the bodice to the side of the bath, Ezza submerged herself below the water for a few seconds before reemerging and running her hands through her hair to slick it back away from her face.

"If you're half as skilled with that blade of yours as you are with your..." she trailed off, eyeing Seth's crotch shamelessly, "Then you must be quite the fearsome warrior in your own right. Do you actually possess the resources necessary to engage in open war against the elves, though?" Ezza inquired in a less confrontational tone, this time out of genuine interest and curiosity rather than as another test since she'd already signaled her intention to accept Seth's offer. "Not that I don't enjoy a good challenge or anything," she added, raising a playful eyebrow at him.
 
A hearty laugh served as his reply to her inquiry. The rejected skirt was discarded carelessly as Seth leaned casually against the wall, waiting for her to get ready. As for his martial skills or his resources...she would simply have to ascertain herself. In truth, it was simply impossible to estimate what was actually needed to succeed in this war, hence him hunting down the reclusive sorceress. The xenophobic elves had done a terrific job blocking off his spies, and he had very little idea what resources they possessed. In an open confrontation, in spite of the number of legions laid low by Zaria and barbarians, Seth doubted the frail elves could stand up to his battle-hardened troops. But even that idiot Ralith Silverdawn surely knew better than to engage him on open fields, particularly given Arcadia's renowned cavalry. No, it wasn't numbers that he was worried about, but rather a guerrilla warfare within forests, the elves' natural domain. He would be foolish not to recognize just how good those knife-eared bastards were at archery. And beyond that, magic, something every non-practitioner feared. The acute lack of information at his disposal bothered the experienced general, but this, he chose not to share. Not yet, at least. He wasn't about to lay bare his cards to a near stranger, even if she had been a great fuck.

Their descend down the mountain was thankfully uneventful, a journey made much quicker by the fact that he didn't have to toss a stone ahead of him every few steps. A wry smile on his face as he remembered his ascent, laughing to himself as he realized the damage he must have caused to her fortification. But that hardly mattered now, as she herself had chosen to abandon the wilderness, accompanying the ambitious prince upon his daring quest.

His personal guards, as anticipated, were waiting at the base of the mountain. A dozen royal guards clad in mithril plates, polished to a shine. They hardly even batted an eyelash at the sorceress, though there were a few stealthy glances at her horns and tail. But their no doubt burning curiosity was tightly constrained beneath layers and layers of discipline, and not a single guard spoke anything about the prince's draconian companion.

At Seth's command, a steed was brought to her. A glistening black mare, her well-proportioned muscles suggesting that she had seen her share of battles. The saddle made of plated-silver, the royal embellishing suggesting that this was in fact one of his own mounts. "Take care of Moonlight." He petted the horse, before handing the reins over, the mare whinnying affectionately at him, before snorting at Ezza with slight apprehension. An instinctual response, perhaps, to her superior blood. But he had picked Moonlight for her gentle disposition, one that showed as she readily yielded to her new owner.

His own steed, Sunfire, a towering chestnut stallion was brought to him, and little time was wasted before they set off, the waning sunlight upon their backs. To Strathrone, an outpost upon the Arcadian/Zarian border. What was once a bustling merchant city was now heavily fortified, the recent war taking its tow on civilians and soldiers alike. Their retinue was easily spotted by the tower watchmen, and the gates dutifully opened, blasts of horn signalling His Royal Highness' arrival.

Seth hadn't planned on the rather extravagant entrance, with curious citizens lining the streets, mothers pointing him out to their children. There were much murmuring about the sorceress riding but a step behind him as well, the woman's unique appearance quite likely recognized in a city so close to the Zarian border. But as the prince himself seemed at ease in her presence, the civilian kept their attitude reverent. A few murmured whispers, and that was all. He rode, high upon his stallion, head held high as befitting one of his station, smiling at his future subjects. Glancing behind at Ezza from time to time, to ensure she was, for the most part, at ease. She, after all, chose the company of Arcadian's Crown Prince, this much was to be expected.

A ride rather exhausting, considering that he sat ram rod straight through the whole thing, but one thankfully short as they reached the barracks. Their steeds led away to be attended by careful squires, before his personal guards made themselves scarce. There were soldiers strewn about the whole area; the practice field surprisingly populated, considering that they so recently won a war. But the vast majority was lounging about, those not in the mass halls or their resting areas were relaxing under the shades. Some playing cards, others chatting, wearing looks of contentment, one likely induced by the copious amount of alcohol being passed around.

The time was getting late; the sun slowly setting over the horizon. "Care to join me for dinner?" The prince finally offered, breaking the silence. A glance at a rather sizable tent, one clearly designated for him, based on its ostensible crimson fabric, a color signifying at least commanding rank in Arcadian military. "If you would prefer, I could have my men set at lodgings for you at the town hall. We are only making a short stop here to resupply; we leave at dawn tomorrow." The implication obvious. If she wished, he would of course furnish her with a room fit for visiting dignitaries. Or, she could spend the night with him, as the prince clearly intended to sleep not far from his troops.
 
Ezzaraith certainly had not planned for this eventuality in particular, but she had been prepared to leave in a hurry if necessary, so her packing was not an overly long ordeal. Apart from those that she most commonly used, all of her possessions were already kept stored within several Bags of Expansion, separated into different categories, so it took only a matter of minutes to pack up the rest.

The sorceress hadn't thought that she would miss her little mountain refuge until she was just about to set foot outside of it. Yes, it was a stupid cave out in the middle of nowhere, but it was also the first place she could call home that she'd ever really made for herself...and it was cozy, in a way. Still, any feelings of attachment or nostalgia were far from enough to make Ezza change her mind. Dressed in sturdy yet supple dark brown riding leathers, she followed Seth down the mountain until they reached his retinue of royal guards. It definitely felt a bit surreal, casually walking up to a pack of Arcadian knights without having the intent to kill them or vice versa, but they remained almost as still as statues.

Ezza's instincts told her that she could trust Seth's word, at least as far as her own safety from his troops was concerned, but one could still never be too careful. When her mount was brought forward for her, the sorceress took a few moments to get acquainted with Moonlight. Holding her hand out, palm up towards the sky, Ezza let the mare smell her before gently petting the magnificent creature along its neck. Ezza liked animals, usually more than she liked people, in fact. Simple, loyal, without malice, in a way she envied them. And they generally seemed to have a certain sense of reverence for her after spending a bit of time in her presence, so she and Moonlight would likely get along quite well.

As for the ride itself, it was quite uneventful, at least until they reached the Arcadian outpost. For whatever reason, Ezzaraith had expected their arrival to be a tad more incognito as opposed to riding through the front gates with trumpets blaring and a crowd forming to observe the big spectacle. Whether it was true or not, she couldn't shake the feeling that every single person had their eyes trained on her and that she was the topic of all of their whispering. Of course, it would have been a simple enough task to conceal her draconian traits through an illusion spell, but Ezza had sworn to herself long ago that she would never again disguise herself out of shame for what she was.

Thankfully, that whole ordeal was over with quickly enough, and she found the atmosphere within the camp to be considerably more relaxed and less unnerving. Still, that didn't mean that she was comfortable enough to desire her own chambers at the town hall, like Seth offered. The closer that she stayed to him, the safer she would be, not to mention that their were other potential benefits...

"Please, I would be remiss to refuse such a gallant invitation. And from a prince, no less!" Ezzaraith replied with a charming smile, the tip of her tail lightly grazing over his cheek as she walked by him to enter the tent. After stepping inside, she took her boots off before anything else, remembering that Seth had been respectful enough to show her the same courtesy. And besides, she was dying to get them off. Ezza then made herself at home, making a beeline for Seth's bed and flopping herself down on her back with a heavy, relieved sigh. "Riding always leaves me so sore," she commented, stretching herself out along her entire length like a cat that had just woken up. "So, where are we going tomorrow at dawn?"
 
He stayed outside for a moment longer, a beckon of his hand sufficient to summon an attendant, and a few soft-spoken orders conveyed his desire for dinner to be brought to his tent. The boy hasted away, a little awed, perhaps, to be in the presence of of the prince himself. He hadn't asked for much, actually. If Ezza was expecting fine dinning on a consistent basis, she unfortunately chose the wrong prince. Seth was extremely practical in these things. He ate healthily, but not lavishly. Meals hardly much more extravagant than what the soldiers ate, save perhaps, for a nice bottle of red on the side.

The squire had mentioned that it would be some minutes for the kitchen to prepare the meal, and, as the boy scurried off, he chose to join Ezza in his own tent as well. A wry grin as he found the sorceress appropriating his bed, one, to be sure, more than large enough to host the both of them.

"Make yourself right at home then..."

He offered, chuckling, a statement less intended as a directive, more to voice his amusement at finding her having down precisely that. Ezza wasn't shy at all; most would have patiently waited for him to say anything before even taking a seat, much less flop into his bed. But then again, most wouldn't have entered before Seth either. He took a moment to himself, undoing his own boots, and tossing his gloves on a nearby end table. The leather vest undone, revealing the embroidered silken shirt beneath. The kind favored by aristocracy, leaving much of his well-muscled chest bare, but covered his shoulder and arms.

"Tomorrow, we head toward Dawnridge, our closet stronghold nearest the Elen'thalas border." A pause, as he strode toward not her, but the table with multiple maps and other such texts laid out on it, examining his plans. "Of course, that would be more than a full day's right, three or four, perhaps, if weather permits. In the interim, we will camp."

A glance at her now, "I trust you will be fine with the amount of riding?"
 
The prince's tent was somewhat more luxurious than the ones Ezzaraith had stayed in during the Zarian campaign against Arcadia, but it was similar enough to bring back memories, some fond and others less so. Overall, though, merely being in the war camp was enough to fill her with an almost electric sense of excitement. It wasn't that she enjoyed war or killing per se - though for elves, she might make an exception - but she loved challenges, especially those that truly pushed her to improve her skills and to expand her powers. The sorceress was fiercely competitive, and what was war if not the game with the highest of stakes?

Propping herself up on her elbows, Ezza made no attempt to conceal the way that her eyes roamed over Seth's partially bared chest after he'd undone his vest. She hadn't thought about it before, but now that she was already there, lying on Seth's bed, the idea of fucking him in the middle of the Arcadian camp seemed surprisingly enticing.

When asked if she'd be fine riding for several consecutive days, Ezza was almost insulted. She'd done more than her fair share of traveling along the border between Zaria and Arcadia while participating in the war against his kingdom, so evidently she was more than accustomed to riding for several days at a time, even if she didn't particularly enjoy it. She chose to let it slide, however, replying with playfulness rather than irritation. "Hmmm, well, that would depend on how sore you leave me," the sorceress purred, smiling suggestively at him as she placed one hand between her legs, lightly caressing her inner thigh."

"So, what is our first order of business in Dawnridge?" Ezza followed up, her tone regaining some of its seriousness. She was all for having fun, but she was also very interested in plundering those Elven secrets, and so she was committed to making Seth's campaign a success, as long as it proved to be viable. And after his kingdom's triumph over Zaria, the sorceress had to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he knew what he was doing. "I imagine that we will be needing to find a way through the elves' pesky barrier before anything else, unless you've already taken care of that?"
 
Ezza was insatiable. Seth's gaze lingered upon that deliberately placed hand, the prince unconsciously whetting his lip at the seductive gesture; that was a come hither if there had ever been one. Rarely did a woman not outright submit to him in bed, and leading was something the sorceress already more than proved herself capable of. But to match his stamina on top of that? He was intrigued. His appreciative gaze divulged his interest, one the prince did not verbally acknowledge.

No, he wasn't going to throw himself at her like some kind of common animal. He was a prince, and she, his subordinate. Seth was well aware of the power in sexuality. If he indulged himself at merely that, it would inevitably be perceived as a weakness, a weakness he did not allow himself to have. That was not to say that he wasn't interested in what the sorceress had to offer; his interest was plain as day. But while all under the skies was about sex...sex was about power. And he wasn't about to allow Ezza to think that she could pull the strings by manipulating him with her feminine wiles, regardless of how sensually she was.

"Ah, that blasted barrier," he repeated, skimming some correspondences even as he answered her. "That actually is our first order of business, after you meet my other advisers in Dawnridge of course." A pause, scribbling something upon a scroll, proving himself more than capable of multitasking. "I was hoping a renowned sorceress such as yourself would be able to provide me with more information about the barrier...a stealth reconnaissance mission has already been planned should you need to examine it in person." A glance back at her now, indicating that elven magic, barrier included, was the precise reason why he sought her out.

"Your Royal Highness," a voice outside the tent sounded, "your meal has been prepared." A meal Seth soon fetched, thanking the squire and carrying it inside. A tray with two separate plates and utensils, accompanied by two glasses and a bottle of wine, but the portions were the same. A meal surprisingly un-extravagant, but quite healthy, featuring proportional portions of meat, vegetables, and grains alike. Seth placed the tray upon the table, pulling out two chairs, indicating that he clearly expected Ezza to get out of his bed and eat properly.

"We can discuss more over dinner. Afterwards, I follow a daily training regime - you can retire early if you want."
 
Ezza hadn't really believed that Seth would be so easily wrapped around her little finger, but it had still been worth a try. Judging from the way that his eyes bore into her, the prince was clearly not indifferent to her seductive wiles, but he was also playing the game, countering her more aggressive move with a defensive one of his own by deciding to focus on the Elven barrier. Exhaling, the sorceress allowed some of tension to begin dissipating from her body, although her womanhood did ache slightly with dissatisfaction.

"Such foresight," Ezza congratulated him for having the presence of mind to preemptively arrange for the reconnaissance mission to inspect the barrier, which would indeed be a necessity. "I am fairly familiar with the concepts in play, yes, being able to take a closer look would be greatly beneficial." The elves were crafty and greatly proficient in the arcane arts, so it would have been overly arrogant of Ezza to expect that she could just waltz up to their first line of defense and disable it without learning more about it and taking the necessary precautions first. Penetrating a barrier that had been put together by dozens - perhaps even hundreds - of the elves' greatest mages would certainly prove to be no easy task.

Their meals arrived before she and Seth could get too much more in depth on the topic, not that there was a whole lot left to say until she could inspect the barrier, unless she wanted to bore him to death by explaining the technical principles that allowed such magical forcefields to be created and maintained. Languidly, the sorceress removed herself from the comfort of the bed and joined the prince at the table. The meal was more plain than expected, but Ezza wasn't exactly accustomed to the highest of luxuries after her time spent living in the mountains, so she began eating without any complaints. Besides, she could respect that Seth didn't want to excessively indulge himself more than his soldiers while he shared a camp with them. Whether it was intentional or not on his part, it was clever, since it was things like those that garnered the troops' respect. That was a little lesson which most of the Zarian higher ups had missed, Ezza remembered.

"So, these advisers of yours," she said, placing her utensils down momentarily, "What am I going to be walking into with them? Something tell me that they couldn't possibly be as...open minded as you." Her lips curved into a slight smirk, and it was obvious that she was referring to more than just the fact that he'd recruited her for his campaign against Elen'thalas.
 
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