[ POST 100!!! WOOHOO! For the sake of speeding things along, I'll go on ahead and make a few implications here. ]
The uniform that Risen was wearing was different from the one she had been wearing before. She wore a mithril jacket underneath a blue long sleeved jacket. The collar and the cuffs of which were accented with a simple gold pattern. Rather than a skirt, she wore a pair of pants. They were the same color as her jacket, with two, gold accents on either side of the seam going all the way down to the bottom, then circling around the bottom. On her feet she wore a pair of lightly armored boots. Around her shoulder was a gold chain that held a white, cape like cloth over her shoulder. Embroidered on the cloth was the royal seal of sable. Risen rather liked this new uniform better than the other. It was much easier for her to move around in, just as light as one would expect elven-made clothing to be.
The sky dragon escorted the princess out into the hall, then flawlessly navigated the halls of the palace and leading her ruler to the ballroom. Inside of the room were the other competitors from the selection trials that had been accepted into the royal guard. Like at the ball the night before, they were all giving Risen dirty looks, obviously still bitter about the choice that the elven princess made. Each of them wanted Risen's position for one reason or another, but none of them would be able to serve Kiara in the same ways that Risen did. Not just because they were men, but because they didn't have the same devotion that Risen did to the princess or to Sable. Fame and fortune were mostly their reason for wanting the position.
Risen escorted Kiara all the way up to the throne, where the princess would take her seat. The dragon would be standing beside the throne as each of the other knights were officially given their title, then, she would accept her title of Royal Guard and would be granted a new sword that had been forged specifically for her, it's blade enchanted with the most useful magics for a fighter of her caliber. This uniform, that weapon, and the official title of Royal Guard would solidify her place at the princess' side.
If there were any question about where Risen's devotion lie, the only thing that the princess would have to do is ask the young dragon. She had been nothing but honest with the princess up until this point, and would continue to be up until the very end.[/list:u][/list:u]
Tilting her head, Kiara watched as Risen led them towards their destination with no trouble, taking the main route that was probably showed to her. While that had been nice, she also wondered if the Dragon knew where everything else was, so that she could send Risen on errands for her. It was obvious that if she had the guardian wander the hallways, then the other woman might memorized their geographic layouts, but that would take too long in one day for it to be useful. Perhaps it would take time, but if she was going to take them on a journey towards the new or hidden land, then there was no need for the palaceâ??s layout. The fact that Risen was going to be physically tested so soon would be something to be admired for and pitied, as not many of the new royal guards had to embark on such a tedious journey.
When the reached the throne, the princess just moved towards the further seat next to her parents, before motioning for Risen to just stand somewhere near her. It wasnâ??t customary for the royal guard to need to stand right next to their seats, but since Risen would have to join them soon either way, she was sure that there was no point for the Sky Dragon to move to a seating area and then stand up again to get â??knightedâ??. All around, she could see eyes on them, some dissatisfied to see the Dragon next to her, as they might have not approved of this choice. Risen wasnâ??t the strongest and perhaps, she wasnâ??t the most beautiful creature that there ever was. However, that was in the eye of the beholder, and for the Elvin Princess, she saw Risen as someone rather charming.
Relaxing against the chair, Kiara smiled at her parents as the King and Queen moved to seat themselves, before glancing around and waving towards the others to calm themselves. Once everyone seemed to quiet down, her father stepped up again to speak to others. Today was an official ceremony to announce the newest royal guards and to celebrate the new Dragons that has become part of Sable; in the formal and traditional setting instead of the loose partying the night before.
â??Risen, relaxâ?¦itâ??s just a few words and weâ??ll be on our way to pack.â?she informed the other woman, wondering if Risen was worried at all about leaving Sable so soon. When the time came, the King motioned for the Sky Dragon to come to get â??knightedâ??, before asking among the children who wanted to go the most. Glancing over to her guardian, she smiled and announced that she would enjoy the task to test her guardian.[/list:u][/list:u]
Was Risen worried? Not really. Nervous? Maybe a bit. They would be leaving Sable traveling to an unknown land. No one knew what to expect from that place that had been closed off from the rest of the world for God knows how many years. Would they be welcomed there? Would those people attack them thinking that they were enemies? If such was the case, defending the princess was her number one priority. She would have to give her all to ensuring that the princess was safe - she would have to take a close look at the people who approached the princess, learn who could truly be trusted and who could not, and if it came down to it, she would have to strike down anyone foolish enough to brandish a weapon with the intent to hurt her ruler.
When her time came, Risen went through a ceremony that was a little different and a little longer than those of the others, and was granted her title as Royal Guardian. Afterward, she was given her new weapon and took her place by Kiara's side. The matter of the new land was discussed and Kiara arose, declaring that she would like the opportunity to travel there and that she would like to do this to test her new guardian. Afterward, several formalities were exchanged with the other members of the royal family, then Risen left with Kiara and headed back to the princess' bed chambers. They needed to be packed and prepared to leave by the morning. This left them plenty of time to do as they needed, and time for Kiara to do whatever with her guardian she wished.
"Is there anything I can do to help you prepare," Risen asked. If so, she would take care of what Kiara needed of her. Afterward, she would go and make sure that she was ready to leave. Risen did not have many belongings here in the first place, as all she brought with her for the selection trials were a few changes of clothes and her weapons. All she had to do was put those things in the bag she had. Of course, she would probably have to act as the in between, going to make sure that all of the little details had been taken care of - that their transport was stocked and ready, that all of the knights were prepared for the journey as well. Whatever tasks she was given, she would take care of so that the princess would have to worry about a thing.[/list:u][/list:u]
After her father announced that it would be alright for her to travel to the new land, she tilted her head forward as if to thank him. In a family that was always in the view of others, they were rather formal when it came to certain things, even with each other. Only small pockets of time would allow the family to be more than that, and even fewer would she see it from her father than her mother. The King was a ruler before he was a familyâ??s man, so it was expected that he had to hold back his affections for the most part. That didnâ??t bother her though, as she had lived enough winters to understand that sometimes, duty came before pleasure, and kingdom came before family. It didnâ??t even hurt her as much as it had used to when he would give her just a brief glance, for she now knew that the brief glance was already pushing the boundaries of the Kingâ??s ability to give more time to someone than another.
Standing up, she bowed as gracefully as she could to others, before joining the ceremony for a few moments with Risen. The Sky Dragon didnâ??t appear to be completely sociable, but she wouldnâ??t push that, as the princess knew that being social with someone or others was something that the person had to strive for themselves. Instead, she just smiled and greeted everyone, before stating that she was rather tired and would like to return to her room to rest. It was reaching a late hour in the day, and while the other was going to stay up, Kiara would rather have retired to her room. On the way back to her chambers, the blonde princess mentioned to a guard that sheâ??d like for the boat to be scheduled and prepared by tomorrowâ??s evening, for they would be sailing off as soon as they could.
The guard nodded and moved to do as Kiara asked, before she turned to enter her room to relax with Risen following her. Pausing at the foot of her bed as she took out the clip she had placed in her hair, Kiara tilted her head and stared at her guardian.â??You do not â??helpâ?? me prepare, Risen. You are to pack and prepare everything I might need on this journey of your own accord, while I rest tonight. Also, it is â??may you help me prepareâ??, not â??canâ??. I know you have the ability to do aid me, neh?â?she playfully teased, knowing that the Dragon was probably being polite, but at the same time, she wanted to teach Risen manners and formalities as well. It was small things like the order or choice of words that could make other royals in other lands think that she was uncouth, so Kiara would aid in teaching that as well.[/list:u][/list:u]
Risen payed attention to what her ruler said carefully. She was told to pack everything that the princess may need on her own, while the princess rested for the night. And then, she was given a quick lesson in grammar. In her village, she had not had the esteemed privilege of attending a school. Such an honor was only granted to those who came from families of a higher class than the one she had been born in. Though the young dragon was uneducated, she was willing to learn the error of her ways and become better for the sake of the princess. The last thing that she wanted to be was an embarrassment to the princess, nor did she want to say or do something that would land herself or the princess in an unfavorable position in the new land.
"Ah, yes, I understand," Risen said softly. She stood and thought for a moment, her copper optics scanning the contents of Kiara's room. What would she need to bring with her? Clothing was and obvious thing. The dragon also thought that she would also need parchment, and her pens and inks. There was no doubt in the guardians mind that the princess would be writing many things down and sending letters back here to the kingdom letting the King know how things were going in the new land. What else would the princess need? Kiara told her to prepare things of her own accord, but Risen was not quite sure of everything her ruler would need.
She could only think of the necessities, nothing outside of that. If there were anything more, would the princess speak up and let her know? Somehow, Risen doubted that. This seemed like yet another test, and yet another one that she would fail miserably. As discouraging as that was, the dragon had no intentions of just giving up on this task, not by a long shot. She finally went to work packing all of the things that she could think of a few minutes after she had been told to. Clothing, both relaxed and formal, over and undergarments, pens and inks, parchments, and other little things. When she was finished packing what she could think of, she took a step back and thought long and hard about anything that she could have missed. Unable to think of anything, she turned her attention back to the princess, who had been watching her the entire time. This was the moment of truth - had she done a good job? A bad job? A decent job?
Risen was hoping for the best, but preparing herself for the worst.[/list:u][/list:u]
While Risen moved to pack her items and whatever she thought was necessary, the princess moved towards her cabinet of clothes to find a suitable evening gown to rest in. Each outfit was of the finest material, but she was sure that for the travel, none of them would be needed. Just basic necessities and perhaps a few things here and there, but other than that, she didnâ??t expect to need more than simple clothing. Picking out a creamy white gown, she set it on the bed and began to strip herself of the outfit she wore for the ceremony. Risen was now officially her guardian Dragon, as well as one of the Royal Guards. However, instead of the first trials such as battle training and etiquette lessons, the Sky Dragon was going to be traveling with her towards the new land and testing her skills there. It would prove to be a harder and tougher lesson to be taught, but with Risenâ??s determination, she hoped it would be enough.
The other woman was somewhat weak in her mind though, but that was easily fixed with training and a few good spars with some of the Royal Guards that would be traveling with them. Since they were going to be traveling by boat, that meant that they would have to train in only close combat, while during the breaks, Kiara planned to teach Risen proper etiquette. It would not do to land in the other kingdom and show that even the royal guardian was nothing more than a hick woman with no class and little training. The Sky Dragon had potential to change all of those things though, so she wouldnâ??t worry too much about the start, so much as the journey and the end results.
Sliding the nightgown on, she ruffled her hair from under her neck to sooth it out, before turning to face Risen, the same time the Dragon turned to face her. Raising an eyebrow, she made it seem like she had been watching the other woman work the entire time, but in fact, she had been pondering other things and staring outside of her large windowsill.â??I hoped you packed the essentials. Weâ??re traveling on a boat, so there is no need to carry anything else for luxuryâ?¦â?Kiara narrowed her eyes at the look that she spotted on Risenâ??s face. The Dragon looked like she didnâ??t know what to expect, as she probably doubted whether she did a good or bad job.â??Wipe that look off of your face, Risen. As my guardian, you are to emit only a regal look as well as confidence. In fact, thatâ??s not just a look, but a feeling. Youâ??re more capable than you think you are, and unless I give you a specific instruction, Iâ??m sure youâ??ve done well. Be confident in that.â?the princess smiled, shaking her head at the Sky Dragon.
â??Come, itâ??s almost time to go to bed. Shall you be staying in bed with me tonight or will you rest in your own room?â?the blonde asked, truly wondering where the guardian would prefer. Moving towards her bed, she slipped under the covers and stretched her arms slightly.[/list:u][/list:u]
When she was scolded once again, Risen couldn't help but think that it was to be expected. But the words that came out of Kiara's mouth were not the words that the guardian had been expecting to hear. She was telling Risen to be more confident in herself, and to look like it. No only that, but the princess was trusting that her guardian had done a good job of packing things up, and made it known that if she needed anything in particular done at all, she would have said so. Afterward, a smile appeared on her face, which instantly made Risen relax. This was the person that she had sworn to protect, and now more than ever, she was happy that it was. The following question was one that surprised her, not because it was asked but because of the timing it was asked.
Risen still needed to pack, but she didn't have many belongings. At the most she had a spare uniform, her old uniform, and the clothes that she brought with her from home. Nothing too fancy, just simple clothing. It was all cleaned and neatly folded by the servants, so she could easily pack it all within a matter of minutes and be ready to go at any time in the following day. Kiara had the guard relay tell the others in charge of the upcoming voyage to be ready, so that was less work that Risen would have to do for the night. She was sure that she would be busy during the following day, making sure that everything was in order for them to depart. The only thing that was really left to do right now was to answer her ruler's question.
"If it's alright, I would must rather prefer to stay here with you," she said softly. The dragon enjoyed the comfort of lying in bed with the princess, and wanted to be close to her at night so that she could carry out her duties. Sure, there were the guards outside, but that was no reason for Risen to get comfortable and slack off on her duties. If something happened and the guards were taken out, Kiara would be left alone and defenseless. Should something happen - though Risen hoped it didn't - she wanted to be there to protect the princess. Ever since she had been here in the palace, she had yet to have slept in her own room now that she thought about it. And that would not be changing anytime soon.[/list:u][/list:u]
Lying down onto the bed with her head resting on the fluffy pillows, she played with a few strands of her hair while waiting for Risen to answer her. The Dragon had every right and reason to not spend the night with her, as she would have to pack and prepare many things for the journey. They were going to be away from Sable for quite some time, so it wasnâ??t as if things were going to be easy and smooth sailing from the moment they left. She knew there were plenty of things that sheâ??d want to bring with her, such as luxury items that would have been nice to use while stuck on a boat for a few unknown days to weeks. However, Kiara had to be realistic with herself and didnâ??t attempt to bring things she knew she wouldnâ??t need. Having Risen pack her items for her meant that things that were going to be brought with them were just necessary things.
Clearing her head, she nodded at the answer and scooted over to pat the side of her bed to offer it for the other woman. Tonight, she didnâ??t care for anything more than a simple press against one another to rest, but if Risen showed signs of need, then she would play with her Dragon. The princess knew she was the ruler in this bed together, and no matter what, she knew that Risen was going to be hers. If the Sky Dragon thought otherwise, even from a day of relaxation, then she would have to reaffirm with the other woman that there truly was a dominating and submitting relationship between them. At least, for now, while she saw Risen as nothing more than a guardian and a body to use.
Once Risen stripped and crawled into bed, she would move to curl up against the dark haired female, as the nights were truly getting chillier. With another body in her bed, she wouldnâ??t have to worry about lighting a small fire to keep the room warm.â??Have you traveled far before, Risen?â?Kiara asked conversationally, something akin to pillow-talk, as she just laid there, and waited a few moments before reaching over to rub her fingers over the other womanâ??s abdomen and massage the flesh there.[/list:u][/list:u]
The dragon stripped, as Kiara directed her to any time she was in her bed, and joined her ruler under the covers. Almost immediately, Kiara curled up beside her. If nothing else, it seemed as if Kiara was able to find warmth in the bed with her guardian. Those slender, skillful fingers of the princess moved along her abdomen leaving her skin tingling. It felt good to just lie here in the bed next to Kiara for once. Nothing sexual was going on and it didn't seem as if the princess had any intention of doing anything of that nature. The guardian was very happy about that, as she had stretched herself out quite a bit after being forced to fuck herself with her tail earlier that day. They were talking, just talking. Now that Risen thought about it, she really didn't know much about the person she was protecting other than little things that she observed about her. Maybe she would get to know Kiara a little better, and the princess would get to know her.
Growing attached to the other person could be dangerous when you had relationship like they did. Realistically, Risen knew that she would only be able to get so close to Kiara. As an elf, she would easily outlive her. And if she did grow too close to Risen? Should the dragon die, the princess would likely die of heartbreak. Being Kiara's guardian, the last thing that the dragon wanted to do was be the cause of her ruler's death. It was for the best that there was this distance between the two of them. That didn't mean that they should remain in the same place they were in now though. Surely, Kiara had been able to survive through many guardian's prior to her current one. She knew how to guard her heart.
"Only once, when I came here," she replied. The trip here had taken about a week. There were a few dragons who grew tired of the trip and flew off on their own to reach Sable, which Risen could have done herself, but she decided to take her time and take in the sights as they traveled. Seeing the country side that lie outside of the great forest that surrounded Sable, then Sable itself was actually a feast for her eyes. While she was wowed my most of the sights, and annoying the others she traveled with, she had been wondering about what kind of place Sable itself could be. Being in the Elven Capital was definitely something that she really enjoyed. Now, she was going to get the chance to go to the 'New Land', something that most people weren't likely to have the opportunity to do for a long time now.[/list:u][/list:u]
Tilting her head, the princess just stayed in her spot and continued to watch Risen as the other woman spoke. Her fingers rubbed small circles along Risenâ??s abdomen, enjoying their relaxing moment together without any burden and expectations. In bed together, there was nothing more than the alpha and omega, the Dragon and the Elfâ?¦ just Risenâ?¦and herself. Kiara had to wonder when the last time she allowed something like this to happen, as it had been quite some time since the last guardian. She had learned to protect her heart well, as the first death of her guardian and lover almost sent her to her death bed. That had shaken her world and made her realize that no matter how close she got to her guardians, there was a line that was unspoken or unmarked, that she was unable to pass. No matter how close she was, there was always that line that kept her from others.
Thereâ??s no other choiceâ?¦she told herself, drawing indescribable patterns on the nude abdomen, thinking about the most random things as she waited for an answer. In truth, there was no other choice. If she wanted to trust someone to protect her life at all hours of the day, they she hand to trust the person themselves in other aspect of life as well. But trust was hard to earn and give, so she constantly found herself losing a bit of herself whenever she bonded with a Dragon. It was best to distance herself from them a certain amount. Hopefully, Risen understood that, as she was sure the Sky Dragon knew that if they got too close, then there was a possibility that the princess could die when Risen died. That would have defeated the purpose of a guardian, now wouldnâ??t it?
Drawn back to the conversation, she smiled slightly at the answer.â??Iâ??ve traveled once as well, when I was younger. My father took me to your kingdom, in fact, so that I knew what kind of kingdom our Dragon counterparts were from. It wasâ?¦ beautiful.â?and it was, as the land wasnâ??t as dead and dried out as she had thought it was at first. It was there that she had met her first guardian as well. Shaking it off of her mind, she just moved to lie down on her stomach. Just thinking about another journey was already making her excited and leery at the same time. Elves only journeyed over water during the winter solace, where they traveled to the west and the dying land. With this journey, they would be traveling to the east over water, something that was unheard of.â??Massage me, Risen?â?she requested, leaving enough room for the other woman to use any excuse to not massage her.[/list:u][/list:u]
It was indeed a beautiful land, blessed by the Gods to be one of the super powers in the world. A prosperous place where people could make a good living themselves and with their families, a place that didn't have to worry about rainfall for crops, a shortage of animals on which to feast, or raids from bandits. Before the Elves gained such power in the world, the dragons ruled over all. That power was not relinquished to the Elven people, but shared.
They were smart, they were powerful, and they were good at what they did. Fighting, managing finances, various kinds of scholarship, magics, the arts. . .you name it, and they did it. When they discovered the Elven people facing certain doom, they leaders of both nations made a pact with each other. The dragons would protect the Elves, and the Elves would maintain a peaceful existence with them. Since the pact had been made, never did a dragon forsake that promise and give the Elven people a reason to doubt them, and the Dragon's continued to look over the Elves. To say that one group was more important than the other, or to try to rank them in order of importance was near impossible. Separated by Blood lineage and the lineage of the crown they may have been, their society and cultures may have differed, but when it came to political power, neither one had any more power than the other.
It wasn't until now that Risen thought about home, her family, what her parents must have felt upon learning that their daughter would be the new guardian for the Elven Princess? They must have been proud, and much had prayed that their daughter be watched over by the Gods. That was the kind of people that they were. Kind, loving people who wanted the best for her. A part of Risen was glad that Kiara had a chance to visit her homeland, and thought that it was a beautiful place. Why? She didn't really know.
Risen immediately began to do as asked and sat upright. She rubbed her hands together for a few moments, to warm her palms up before she began to massage Kiara. The warmth of her hands would help melt away the tension that mounted in her ruler's body since she helped Kiara relax earlier that day. There was no excuse, and no hesitation. The dragon was taking care of the princess not just because it was her duty, but because she sincerely wanted to. She would make the princess proud as they traveled, she would get better, and she would do her duties while they were away so that they could both return here to the castle in Sable safely.
The dragon's hands moved along Kiara's shoulders and lower back, where most of the tension seemed to be, her palms feeling as Kiara's tension practically melted away. "How does this feel," Risen asked. If there were tension elsewhere that she were missing, she wanted to know so that she could relieve it as well.[/list:u][/list:u]
Nuzzling her cheek against the pillow as she waited for something to happen, or perhaps, nothing to happen, Kiara thought back towards the Dragon Kingdom. The place was wonderful from what she could remember, with flourishing cities and areas that she had not thought possible. She had learned all about their union and why the Dragon people protected the Elves, but sometimes, she had to wonder why they kept to their promises. Of course, she didnâ??t doubt for a moment that the Dragons would betray them or turn on them, but one had to wonder. Kiara supposed that the gratitude might have been a factor, as without the Elves, the Dragons wouldnâ??t have had such a long lifespan.
The Dragons naturally had a long lifespan compared to other races, living a good few hundred years and some even further. However, in the histories, it was said that with the two kingdomâ??s union, the Elves gifted their light of everlasting life. Time began to fade away for the Dragons and soon, many of them were able to live up to thousands of years, staying younger longer. However, unlike the Elvesâ?? natural ability to never truly grow old, the light was unable to grant the Dragonâ??s immortality; just slowed down their rate of aging.
That had been a gift to thank the Dragons, but soon, they both found it useful, as the Royal Guards were able to live longer and protect them longer. Soon, things became a tradition, and instead of questioning the whys, they questioned the when. When was the next tournament for the next group of guards coming, or when would they get to meet and join kingdoms once again.
Such trivial mattersâ?¦ I shouldnâ??t even be thinking about these thingsâ?¦Kiara mentally chuckled to herself. The first step towards a unit failure was to seed any doubt about their partners. She would not be doing that, as Risen hopefully knew better than to betray her. When she felt a movement to her side and the dip in the bed, the princess was glad that the Sky Dragon took up on her offer. Two warm palms rested on her back, before firm yet gentle hands began to massage away all the stress and tension of the day. She found herself enjoying Risenâ??s hands much more than she had enjoyed massages by others; everyone had their unique and hidden talent, she supposed. This had been a request out of duty, which made her smile with contentment that Risen understood what it meant to be a guardian. Kiara needed a companion to protect her, not a mindless guard that was cut out of the cookie cutter.
â??This feels wonderfulâ?¦â?the blonde princess muttered, arching her back slightly so that her shoulders were bent in and her bottom was sticking upwards a bit. Her blonde hair slipped along her neck and towards the side so that it wasnâ??t all in the way of the massage. After awhile, she yawned softly.â??Ahâ?¦we best get some rest. I wouldnâ??t want to tire you before the journey.â?leaning up onto her elbows, she moved to give Risen a gentle kiss on the lips.â??Thank youâ?¦and good night, Risen.â?she muttered, nesting herself back down onto a comfortable position where she was half curling against Risen, before closing her eyes and falling asleep. Tomorrow, they needed to pack things of their own onto the ship, before they could set sailâ?¦ to the East.[/list:u][/list:u]
Kiara's sudden kiss caught her guardian by surprise. It was such a sweet and affectionate gesture, one that Risen hadn't been expecting to receive from the princess outside of their. . .other activities. Earlier that day, she had been kissed by Kiara, in a rather deep and heated way, but that was different from what just happened. A simple gesture that perhaps, touched Risen a bit more than it should have. "Y-Y-Your welcome. G-Goodnight," Risen barely managed to choke out, a red tint rising in her cheeks. The dragon settled into the bed alongside Kiara, one of her arms protectively wrapping around the princess' body. If nothing else, Risen wanted Kiara to feel both safe and comfortable as she slept.
The following morning, Risen woke with her arm still wrapped around the princess, holding the beautiful elf close to her own body. Their faces were just inches apart, a realization that made the dragon feel breathless for a moment's time. After swallowing the lump that formed in her throat, Risen sat upright and stretched, yawning as she woke. She made the few scales that she felt on the surface of her skin disappear, then popped her joints in order to loosen up a bit. After a good night's rest, she felt more than able and willing to take on anything that was thrown at her today. That was a good thing, because there were a lot of things that she needed to take care of by later that afternoon.
Risen glanced outside, noting the position of the sun. It was time to wake Kiara as well. Softly, she placed her hand against Kiara's shoulder and gave her a gentle shake. When she opened her mouth to speak, she came to a realization - the princess told her not to be so formal when they were alone like this, but calling her by her first name was too. . .familiar? Naturally, it was just fine for the princess to speak to Risen however she wished, but there was no way that the guardian could just call Kiara by her first name. That was just. . .odd? Disrespectful? She didn't quite know the words to use to describe it, but she knew that it was just wrong.
"Your Highness, it's time to wake up," she said softly. 'Your Highness' came across as too formal in her mind, but she didn't know what else to say. If Kiara didn't like it, she would speak up and correct her. That wasn't something that the dragon planned on growing accustomed to doing, making a mistake on purpose just to be corrected, but this was a more dire circumstance in her opinion. So she would let whatever happened here play out as it would, and would endure Kiara's wrath so that this was an issue that was sorted out before they got in front of other people and Risen did something to embarrass the princess.[/list:u]
Soft. It was the first word that she would have associated with the feeling of being wrapped by one of Risenâ??s arms, held like a delicate flower in the midst of their rest. Sometimes, Kiara had to wonder if she was some delicate flower, with thorns wrapped around her stem, and poisonous petals that protected the sweet and live giving nectar within. Perhaps that was what a princess was supposed to be, and that her unconscious training by people around her, finally fruited into what she was today. Whatever it was, she enjoyed this feeling for as long as it lasted, hours spanning by in the night as she acted as if nothing was going to harm her, as long as she was within Risenâ??s grasp.
By the time morning came, she was half asleep, her mind slowly waking up to the light of day. It had been strange for her to close her eyes to sleep, as most Elves kept theirs wide open to keep a search out for any lurking dangers. However, it had been a sign of trust to given Risen the privilege of protecting her while she closed her eyes; something she had done for other guardians in the past, to see how things would turn out. There were still other guards in the palace, and even more so, she knew that things wouldnâ??t escalate to horrible endings when they were in a safe area. It was just to see what the guardian would do though, and while some had passed, some had also failed, by doing something stupid such as doing something the thought she wouldnâ??t notice.
With the sun shining into the room and touching their flesh gently, she was mentally awake already, but had to wonder if Risen was. The hand on her shoulder made her body tense up slightly, before brushing it off as morning jitters, as she heard the soft tone call for her. Kiara parted her eyes and blinked them a few times at Risen, as if she had been awake all this time and hadnâ??t slept a wink. Her eyes were still shimmery blue, staring at her guardian with something other than curiosity.â??In my bedâ?¦â?because it was her bed. Risen had not yet earned the right to be considered part of this ownership.â??â?¦you are to call me by my name, Risen. I shall not be sleeping in any form or way with a person who does not see me for who I am, but a figureheadâ?¦whether or not you intended as such.â?
Her statement was left with an understanding note that perhaps it was just Risenâ??s first time waking up with another person in general. Even if it hadnâ??t, it had been the first night that they had gone to bed with a peaceful atmosphere and woke up rather peacefully as well. Slipping out of the bed and allowing the silken covers to flow off of her body like water, she moved towards her cabinet.â??Do not dally, Risen. Go on and get ready, for we shall leave by the next dialâ??s turn.â?that meant they had a little under two hours, as the sundialâ??s â??turnâ?? was close to a marking. Dressing in a simple outfit that was a traveling style tunic and breeches, she pulled on boots and moved to her vanity to braid her hair behind her head. It was best to not let loose strands fly all over the place, after all. Meanwhile, she expected for Risen to get ready and refreshed before they left.[/list:u][/list:u]
Though she hated to disappoint Kiara after things had gone so well the previous day, Risen now knew how to properly address the princess. Calling someone born of higher stature than her in such a familiar way would be odd in the beginning, she wasn't naive enough to think that such a big thing would happen so smoothly. But it had to be done, because that was just what she had been ordered to do from now on. Being so formal with the princess would be taken as a sign of disrespect, after she had been specifically asked not to be that way, and would most likely be met with a punishment from her ruler. More things that Risen would have to keep in mind for the rest of the time she was here. In due time, such things were likely to become second nature to her - but today was just the beginning of her second day as a Royal Guardian, the day after officially receiving her new title. To expect perfection from herself was nothing short of lunacy, the dragon was well aware of, but setting such high standards for herself would only help her in the future. She hoped.
On command, Risen jumped up out of the bed and began to pull her uniform back on. The fabric, while lightweight itself, felt almost as if it wasn't there. It was unnaturally light, no doubt enchanted with certain spells to help with speed, defense, and mobility. If it weren't for the sensation of the cloth against her skin, she would swear that she were nude now. The cloth did feel good against her skin, light and silken, but the dragon couldn't help but think that it didn't feel anywhere near as good as Kiara's fingers did against her skin. There was just. . .something about the way that the princess touched her that made her melt every single time. In just their short time together, Risen had grown addicted to the feeling, and her body responded to the sensations on it's own, immediately relaxing.
It took the guardian only a short time to finish clothing herself, and a shorter time for her to make herself appear presentable before the other people within the castle. It seemed as if the princess had everything under control, and she had been ordered to go and prepare herself to leave. The dragon excused herself from the princess' company, and hurried to her own room to prepare her things. She brought with her the only possessions that she brought here from home - some clothing and her weapons. Packing took just a few moments, as her clothing had already been cleaned, folded, and put away by the servants. Even her weapons had been taken care of, their blades cleaned and sharpened, their handles changed slightly, adapting more to a style that would better fit her hands. After toying with them for a while, she tucked them into their sheathes and placed them with her belongings. She would come to retrieve them later.
The guardian hurried through the halls of the castle, eventually finding the people that she needed to be speaking with concerning the upcoming journey. They assured her that everything was on schedule, and that they would be ready to set sail whenever the princess was ready to depart. After things were explained at length, and Risen was shown around the royal vessel, she headed back to her room to retrieve her things, then, she came around to the door of the princess' room and the guards knocked on the door, ensuring that it was fine for Risen to enter the room before she did so. "The men at the docks wanted me to inform you that the ship is ready to depart on your word," Risen said softly.[/list:u][/list:u]
While Risen moved to dress and get ready, the princess took her time at whatever she decided to do. Even if the journey was going to be rough and sheâ??d have to cut back on a few things, she would still leave the kingdomâ??s walls looking as graceful as she could. It wasnâ??t a male dominance or female submissive image, but as the princess, she knew she had to have a certain imagine before the people of Sable. It just wouldnâ??t do if she looked strange, doing things that werenâ??t going to lift their spirits or reassure them that things were going to be alright. An example was what happened after every battle. The King would always usher the knights and guards off, roaring and cheering them on to give them the mental energy to survive and return. While on the return journey, the princess and queen were to greet them back, welcoming them with beauty and delicacy. The knights and guards had done well, so they deserved to know that their home had been waiting for them and had been preparing for their rest.
The female image was just of that. A woman could appear delicate or strong, representing a grace and strength at the same time, while most Elvin men were of just strengthâ??at least, in the Elvin standards, as other races seemed to think of the males as delicate creatures as well. Kiara often chuckled when men were called that from Sable, but found that even the Elvin males were able to knock down giants. Shaking her head of the thoughts, she brushed her hair out and braided it as best as she could, pulling a bit harder to tighten the strands and the lather band that held it together. A few strands of golden blonde slipped pass her fingers and framed her face, making her look like a female warrior instead of their princess. The blonde had only picked up the sword a few times in her life, never for battle, but for defending herself. Other than that, it was the job of her guardians to protect her, and the job of the knights and guards to protect Sable.
Now where is that womanâ?¦?she playfully wondered, standing up to wash her hands in the basin. When the knock finally came, she dried her hands with a breeze of air, sparked by the magic from her fingertips. When she gave the assurance, the guards opened the door to allow Risen to enter the room once more, before she was spoken to. As she hadnâ??t minded the straight forward and rather soft information conveyed, she would have to remember to train the Royal Guardian a bit more while they were on their journey. It would not due for Risen to speak to her like that in front of other members that were not of their own kingdom, such as the kingdom they were going to explore and visit. Customary, any rank below that of the princess would have entered and waited for permission before speaking, yet Risen was the first to break their silence.
â??Youâ??re fast on your feet, Risen.â?Kiara noted, observing that Risen must have been able to wandered further down before grabbing all her items and had enough time to come back and pick up the princess. Grabbing for a thick cloak, she wrapped it around her shoulders and left the hood down. Winter was coming, and soon, they would be traveling through snow, if it should come to the other kingdom.â??Shall we head down then?â?it was posed as a question, but she didnâ??t wait for Risenâ??s answer, before walking down the hallways towards the exit and the docks. The large ship that they were to be sailing on was surrounded by two smaller boats, as they were formatted in the navy protection system. Just a small trip, but they had to be careful, and hopefully, things go as closely to planned and peaceful as could be.[/list:u][/list:u]
Honestly, the dragon knew better than that. Coming into the room and speaking without permission was one of the most rude things that she could do. She let her emotion's get the best of her, anxious, excited, and nervous about the journey they would be undertaking. Going into a country that there had never been any communication with before, knowing not if the people who resided there were friend or foe, it was enough to make anyone nervous. Risen hadn't thought about what Kiara must have thought about this journey. It had to have been harder on her than anyone else - as the weight of negotiating with this country, observing it, and making decisions about it on behalf of the king all fell on her. Needless to say, Risen would be reprimanded for her outburst later, she was sure of that. And she would accept any punishment that she received knowing full well she deserved every bit of it.
Her copper optics took in the visage of the princess, who looked both dignified and powerful. As one of the royal family, such an appearance was to be expected. But more than that, it bode well to leave the kingdom looking such. To see their princess leave looking so strong and so brave would surely inspire the people, and ease whatever fears or uncertainties they had about the journey. Putting the people at ease and swaying their emotions was just as easy as that. Once upon a time, Risen used to be one of those people as well. But just in these last few days of being here in the castle, and at the side of the princess, she learned a few things. Not about proper etiquette, not about how to act as a guardian, but about things in general. The closer you were to those involved, the more you knew. And the more you knew, the more you worried. In a position of power, worry and fear were things that could not be shown. It was a weakness that an enemy could latch onto and exploit. Uncertainty was the biggest enemy of them all. It made you cautious and reserved, put you on edge, and at the mercy of an opponent.
Those were things that the dragon had been taught during her training prior to coming here, things that she should have remembered.
Those were all reasons why she had been told not to look so uncertain when asked of things, to maintain a cool and proper demeanor at all times, to maintain confidence even when she wasn't. It wasn't just for her benefit, but for everyone's benefit. No one more than the Princess herself. The procession of the Princess, her Guardian, the Royal Knight's that would be traveling to the New Land, and the Knights that were escorting them to the ships moved through the castle and farewells were said. They then moved to the port, greeted by the cheers and well wishes of the people of Sable. Everyone was hoping for the best, and inspired by the poise and confidence of those leaving - no matter how big a farce either of those things were. Hearing those things come from the people was good for the moral of all that were venturing forth.
Risen occasionally stole quick glances at Kiara, and the boat they would be departing within. It was a large ship, one of the biggest she had ever seen before. It maintained an aesthetic beauty while functioning as what looked to be a military vessel of sorts. The smaller ships looked less decorated as the main ship. In terms of size, they were smaller than the main ship, and appeared to be more fit for combat. Arranged in a simple three-point manner, with the smaller ships there to protect the bigger vessel should anything happen to it. They were the first line of defense. The second line would be a group of knights that stood guard on the ship, the third line, the other knights, and the last line, the guardian herself. Should anything happen, anything at all, it was Risen's duty to take care of the princess. That was something that she planned on doing no matter what.
The procession ended as the ship was boarded by the last of the knight's, and of course, the Princess and her Guardian as well. The ramps leading up onto the ships were pulled aboard, and the crews of each immediately made preparations to set off on their journey to the east.[/list:u][/list:u]
Upon seeing the ships, Kiara blinked away any sleepiness she had left, as she needed to appear much more awake and sharp for such a mission. The princess hated going over seas though, as it wasnâ??t like land Elves to like the sea, when they would rather have the solid earth below them. Whatever the case was though, she would have to ride it out and trudge through, as Sable was asked to be one of the main kingdoms to visit and explore this place. With such a large fleet of strength around them, the Elvin kingdom was considered one of the stronger and having been everlasting kingdom around, making most of the other kingdoms turn to them for wisdom and leadership. Having the Dragon kingdom protecting them also made it easier to assert a standing in the world, as every kingdom needed a strong force behind them.
Taking a deep breath, she turned her gaze towards her guardian and smiled, both encouraging the other woman and asking for support as well. The princess wasnâ??t invincible and she had her own fears. No one was perfect and no one was flawless mentally or physically. For Kiara, one of her flaws was the fear of being on a boat for too long, as well as the call of the sea. The West had called a few times for the princess, making her worried that she would be leaving to beckon to its call one day. Sable wouldnâ??t have been pleased, and the life and duties she had to fulfill here werenâ??t done yet. Sometimes, she didnâ??t understand why the call was happening for her, as it usually only happened to those that were dying or had a different purpose in the next land. No one knew what was in the West though, as Elves were supposed to leave the dying land and start anew in the next. Why would one return after finding a better place, right?
But for Kiara, she wouldnâ??t want to do such a thing, and it made her fearful to leave the land that was already trying hard to flourish. Reaching out her hand, she grasped at Risenâ??s fingers, before slowly edging towards the large ships. Somewhat, she was childish in this aspect, and she needed Risenâ??s support and courage to get her onto that thing. Even though the blonde princess had been open to traveling to the new land, she was also apprehensive about it and almost fearful. But a princess could not show fear, so all that she showed, was the small gesture of holding onto someoneâ??s hand.â??Itâ??sâ?¦lovely, isnâ??t it? Quite majestic.â?Kiara noted, as they walked up one of the large wooden ramps to get onto the boat.
The sea was just beginning below them, making the ship rock gently and sway with the waves. Once they were on board, she held onto Risenâ??s hand like a death grip, but if one were to look over towards the princessâ??which many were already anywaysâ??they would see that all of her muscles were relaxed. The hand that held onto the Sky Dragon wasnâ??t uncommon to see, as the princess was naturally affectionate, but they wouldnâ??t notice how tightly she was trying to draw in courage.â??Are you ready for the challenges ahead?â?came the soft question, with the undertone question of Risen was ready to protect her at all cost.[/list:u][/list:u]
The people of Sable and the other Knight's weren't able to see it, nor did they seem to sense it, but Kiara was uneasy. Risen could feel it. The way that the princess gripped her hand, even the way she spoke, seemed to be different that before. Was this. . .fear? Kiara was afraid of traveling? It made Risen question why she stepped up to travel to this New Land in the first place. To do such a thing was not her place. She knew better than that. Fear wasn't something that Kiara had the luxury of letting stand in her way. The decision to venture over the ocean and to the New Land must have been harder to make than the dragon originally thought it had been for the princess. Having a new guardian who hadn't even been on the job for a week and deciding to make such a venture without knowing just how strong her protection was couldn't have been easy. But to be afraid of making the venture? That had to have been even harder.
It looked as if Kiara were willing herself to remain calm and composed for the sake of the onlookers, relying on her guardian for comfort and stability to keep up the farce. That was why Risen was here sure, but this was the first time that she was actually seeing the need for such a thing from Kiara. Her finger's slowly laced with those of the princess, giving her hand a firm and reassuring squeeze. So long as she was there, so long as she drew breath, she did not want the princess to worry about anything. She would be well taken care of. "I'm ready," Risen replied, showing a gentle smile to her ruler. Inwardly, she was hoping that her simple gestures would help Kiara relax even just a bit.
The sails of the ships pushed outward, and the ships slowly began to move away from the port, moving with the assistance of several magic users focusing gusts into them. Once a nice pace had been reached, they would leave the rest to nature. Slowly but surely, Sable became a dot in the distance and the vessels were moving down the river that would carry them to the ocean. The journey would be a long one, they all knew, but they needed to make the most of things. Risen escorted Kiara to the quarters where she would be staying while here on the ship. A large, lavish room on the top deck towards the back of the ship. There were several large windows, dresser's and drawers where she could tuck her things away, a table, a bed, fancy carpets. . .it wasn't too unlike her room in t he palace.
Risen was unsure of how she should go about this situation. Kiara was obviously uneasy, and would probably be on edge until they found solid land to stand upon once more. After her outburst earlier, the dragon was hesitant to break the silence between the two of them, but did so because she was concerned about the princess. "Are you alright," she asked, her concern showing on her features. Asking that while already knowing the answer felt. . .well, stupid, but she thought she would ask anyway. If there were anything in particular that she could do to make things easier on the princess as they ventured forth, she would do so gladly.[/list:u][/list:u]
The princess had been keeping the smile on her face, as she gazed outwards to the onlookers that were greeting them goodbye and a safe journey. They would be expected to return home as soon as they could, sending little carrier pigeons back and forth for word that they were safe and sound. When she felt Risenâ??s fingers tighten around her own, her smile became genuine, as she somewhat knew that the Sky Dragon was going to step up to protect her, even with her own fears. For a princess, she shouldnâ??t have had these fears, but that was alright, as she would learn to overcome them. Everyone was fearful of something, but only those who faced them would overcome them and learn that there was nothing to fear. Hopefully, Kiaraâ??s case was similar, as she prayed for their safe journey and a safe return home. Of course there was going to be some difficulties, as all journeys had twisted and turns, but she hoped that things would turn out for the better.
Risenâ??s answer was short and simple, but it sufficed as a calming tune. When the ships began to set sail out into the vast ocean, she swallowed softly and took a deep breath. Her crystalline blue eyes stared at the further distance, as their homeland slowly began to become nothing but a small dot on the horizon.Let us hope that this journey is safeâ?¦she gave a small prayer, before hoping even more that the destination wasnâ??t as dangerous as the journey could prove to be. The unknown land was a mystery, and the fact that Elves had little records on it, was rather strange. Elves were said to be the Firstborns, coming onto the land far longer than any other creature or man had been, and yet, there were some things that they hadnâ??t recorded down just quite yet. Was this land carrying things that were as old as them? Perhaps, but then again, nothing could be predicted yet, as not all of the land was documented down by Sable alone.
Her mind shifted from her worries though, both sea and land wise, at the question Risen had asked. Kiara stared at the guardian for the longest moment, scrutinizing her as if she had said something wrong, and the princess was going to punish her somehow. The look hardened on her face though, as she realized that she must have been letting her fears and worries show on her features.â??Iâ??ll be fine. Go help the captain with what he needs, and once finished, you may return to my quarters.â?because she wasnâ??t fine yet though, Kiara knew that having company would keep her mind off of the worrying things. With that order, she pried her fingers away from Risenâ??s, and moved towards her room on the ship. If she was scared and worried, it didnâ??t show in her movements, as that would worry the people on board.
Once in her room, the princess rested against the door, breathing once, before shaking her head to gather her wits. This was going to be a long journey for everyone, so she had to not be a burden for them. Moving towards the bed, she sat down and began to take small breathes to relax herself and wait for Risen.
Outside of the room and on the main deck, the captain stared off into the distance as he directed the ship out of the main river stream, so that they could pick up more speed in the ocean. His chocolate eyes gazed towards the princess, wondering if she was doing well, before they traveled towards the guardian Dragon. Garrick was an Elf of his mid-age, but as all Elves, he looked no older than Risen herself, being situated in his mid-twenties in body. The wind blew at his brown hair, as he raised an eyebrow at the Dragon and wondered what the creature was going to do, now that the princess was not at her side.[/list:u][/list:u]
Apparently, Risen's words were more troubling for the princess than anything. Or so she gathered after taking a look at Kiara. The expression she wore on her face was hard to read, honestly, but the dragon got the feeling that what she just said wasn't something that she should ever repeat again. At least, not out in the open like this. Concern showed on the face of her ruler, and that was something that worried her. She thought it would be best to just be open and ask if there were anything wrong, and had been intending to ask if there were anything that she could do for Kiara until the princess told her to focus her efforts elsewhere and return to her at a later time. Without a word, and without giving her guardian a moment to say anything more, Kiara went to her quarters and closed the door behind her.
To see such a display obviously worried Risen even more, but she knew it was for the best if she just focused on the task at hand and dealt with what came later as it came. That was the second mistake that she made today though. There would not be another, at least, if she could help it.
Risen turned and glanced back over her shoulder, her eyes locking with those of the captain of the ship even from this distance. She could feel his eyes peering down on her all of this time, and it gave her chills. As a warrior, that was a normal reaction to have to such a feeling. To be watched so closely and so intently could be the one thing that gives an opponent an edge in battle. Her look, however, was one of curiosity. No animosity or ill intent could be felt coming from him, which made her relax. Her hand grasped the scabbard of her weapon as she made her way to the staircase that would carry her onto the roof of the room the princess was staying in, the same platform where the captain of the ship was.
She approached the man as she would any person, in a calm and dignified manner, but made sure to show no ill intent of her own. Ship captains were just as good at picking up on such things as any warrior would be. As a fighter, Risen was talented, that much was for sure, but in social situations, she seemingly fell apart. Meeting people for the first time was always unreasonably difficult for her. If it hadn't been for the way that she and the princess first spoke with one another, she would probably be even more of a wreck around her ruler than she was now. Which was really saying something. "H-Hello Captain. Her Highness directed me to you, to see if there is anything that you might need. Or r-rather, if there anything that I can do to help," she said, trying her best not to stammer on like a fool.
It was considerably easier to walk around with a level head than ti was for her to talk and articulate herself in such a manner. That was something that would need work, she was sure of that much.[/list:u][/list:u]
Resting in her room, the princess wondered if she should have been nicer to the Sky Dragon. Risen had obviously been concerned for her, thus she asked for her wellbeing, but at the same time, it had been such an opened question that could have caused so many different reactions and emotions to surface from not only the princess, but the others that would hear. Kiara couldnâ??t admit that she was frightful of the journey in front of others, not in the open, and even in the privacy of their own room, she might not admit it to the other woman.
Risen was supposed to just know that there were dangers that Kiara feared, but that was a thought that was impossible to automatically know. Kiara knew there was no way that she could expect that of Risen, but in a sense, she knew that as a Sky Dragon, she was supposed to be discrete about learning the princessâ?? fear. Hopefully, the other woman would learn soon enough on this journey, and provide better questions and answers by the time they reached the other land.
Out on the deck, the Captain of the ship watched as the royal guardian moved closer, stepping with caution as if Garrick was going to stab her as soon as she got close enough for him to do so. She was calm though, rather stiff in his opinion, but then again, he went out onto sea more often than most Elves in Sable, so he lost touch with the culture there often. The man wasnâ??t as tall as her, in fact, he was probably just an inch shy of her height, but that was to be expected, as Risen was of the Dragon race, while he wasnâ??t fully Elvin. Being part human made him slightly appear older than most his age, and at the same time, it had some drawbacks that Elves naturally should have had.
Bowing his head slightly towards her and shaking off his thoughts, Garrick heard her comment and wondered if there was something for her to do. The ship had been prepared and all the workers were still on shift. Adding another person to the hands on deck wouldnâ??t be a hard thing, but it wouldnâ??t be necessary either.â??At the moment, we donâ??t need to have an extra pair of hands.â?he noted, gazing towards the shipâ??s deck to see if he was missing something that she could do.â??Itâ??s good to have you on board, as is it for the princess. Why donâ??t you go to the kitchen and gather something from the chiefs there for Princess Kiara to dine on? Breakfast must have been skipped by the princess.â?the brunette male suggested, knowing that Kiara probably hadnâ??t had anything after waking to here.
He had traveled many times across the sea, and sometimes, the princess had accompanied him towards small ports that they had to check out and see if thing were going as planned in their small territories. There, he learned from observation that Kiara probably didnâ??t enjoy going out to sea as some Elves did, but that was expected; not al land Elves adapted well to the sea. Gaze turning towards Risen again, he raised an eyebrow, as if asking why she was still here. Garrick didnâ??t think he had the right to order the royal guardian around, but he did have to wonder if Risen has fed the princess. The chiefs would fix something light though, knowing that heavy eating on the ship was unlikely and unnecessary.[/list:u][/list:u]
Since there was nothing else that could be done at the moment, the guardian would do as the captain suggested and retrieve something for Kiara to eat. Though she hadn't been with the princess all morning, Risen figured that he had to have been right. There was no way that she would have had time to do everything she did this morning and eat before she left. When she returned to the cabin where Kiara was, there was no doubt in her mind that she would be reprimanded for the list of things that she had done that morning, but it was all necessary. There were still many things that the young dragon had to learn. So far as dragons went, Risen would still be considered a child, despite her appearance. She was young, and inexperienced in a lot of things, but she still had plenty of room to grow and learn many new things.
She could fight, but only by some strange coincidence, or fate if you believed in such a thing. Her father had once been a warrior. He possessed a lot of talent so far as fighting went. Knowledge was not his strong point, nor were formalities, but he was a skilled individual. That potential that he had was passed on to his only daughter, and despite the fact that he knew the life would be hard for her, he taught her the ways of a warrior anyway. Though her power wasn't fully developed yet, the raw talent and strength she was able to draw out was incredible to say the least. And with thorough training and guidance, she was able to overcome many older, stronger opponents with skill.
There were many things that hadn't been built upon because of this though, and it was showing more ever day that she was in service to her new ruler. Things like customs, manners, proper grammar, an exchange in formalities, proper etiquette, they were all foreign concepts to her. Risen had a hard time understanding a lot of things, not because she was stupid, but just because she was uneducated. A lot of work would have to go into making her the ideal guardian, but Kiara was doing an excellent job of training her new guardian. Risen was determined to do her best for the princess, and would not hesitate for even a moment to put herself between Kiara and any potential danger that would dare try to harm her.
"I'll do that then, thank you Captain," Risen said bowing her head toward the captain. She turned and headed down under the deck of the ship, following the scent of. . .something, until she stumbled upon the kitchen. She carried out a brief conversation with the cooks, who were almost instantly thrown into a frenzy upon hearing mention of the princess, and realizing that it was the new guardian who stood before them. They stopped what they were doing right then and there, and immediately went to work on preparing something for their princess. A time later, Risen was on her way back up to the cabin where they princess was residing. She was stopped by a pair of knights who stood guarding the door, who knocked and asked for permission for her to enter the room.[/list:u][/list:u]
Garrick tilted his head and chuckled a bit, wondering what the Sky Dragon was thinking of. The woman appeared to be so lost in her thoughtsâ??highly about the princessâ??that he was able to count the clouds as she pondered. Shaking his head a bit, he bowed his head towards her as she thanked him and then turned to leave. Yet another thing she had to learn, but it wasnâ??t something that was on records. It was common etiquette to know that when one left the shipâ??s captainâ??s presence, one had to claps the otherâ??s shoulder. But that was an Elvin formality that he didnâ??t care for much either, so he didnâ??t speak up. Instead, he just watched her wander away, thinking to herself, no doubt.
Inside of the room that Kiara was in, the princess sighed and relaxed against the soft bed. The flooring itself swayed here and there, reminding her at all moments of conscious that she was upon water, not land. She admired people like Garrick, as those were natural land Elves that had learned to find their â??sea-legsâ?, so to speak. Kiara knew she wasnâ??t going to find hers any time soon, but she knew how to tough it out as well. Standing up, she moved towards the vanity and sat down. The room here wasnâ??t too bad, similar to hers back at home, but closed in and much smaller. Sighing softly, she began to undo her hair and brush through it, as she needed not keep it in the traditional braid for when they were just traveling along the vast ocean.
Her attention was drawn away when she heard the sound of a knock, which made her tilt her head and hear that there was a questioning for Risen to enter. Rolling her eyes, she moved to open the doors and smiled gently at the two knights that guarded her room.â??Thank youâ?¦you may enter, Risen. Place that on the table.â?she stepped back and allowed for Risen to move towards the small table in the center of the room. The guards were given kind smiles, before the door was closed. Almost instantly, her smile vanished, and she frowned at Risen, as if the woman had done yet another thing wrong. Shaking her head, she moved towards the table and sat down, resting her chin in her hands.
Crystalline blue eyes gazed at the Royal Guardian, analyzing and lost in thoughts.â??I donâ??t know if you had been taught, but whether or not the Captain informed youâ?¦ the Royal Guardianâ??s job is to first check the entire shipâ??s parameters for any dangers and the like.â?obviously, the princess doubted that Risen could have done all of that so fast, and had time to get food. It wasnâ??t even a question, as it was a security basic that the Sky Dragon should have done and learned. However, Kiara wasnâ??t ungrateful, as she was rather hungry. Nonetheless, she knew that Risen couldnâ??t be careless.
Shaking her head, she gazed out of one of the windows and sighed.â??Never mind that for todayâ?¦ have you talked to Garrick about our first destination?â?with a trip as long as this one, she expected for there to be many stops. Some would be on safe grounds that they had charted before, and othersâ?¦ those were left to be in the questioned and worried minds.[/list:u][/list:u]
Being a Sky Dragon had it's advantages. Unlike most other dragons, her sensory and perception skills were much sharper, and much more accurate. Even without actively searching to see if there were any dangers, Risen had been able to pick up on what was going on around them rather well. Outside of minuscule points here and there, she didn't sense anyone or anything with any sort of aggression. So far as she knew, they were perfectly safe. But that was so far as she knew at this very moment. She, in fact, had not spoken with the Captain about where their first destination would be. Or much of anything outside of doing the one thing that she had been told to do - which was ask if there were anything that she could do to help out around the ship at the moment.
When she turned to face the princess, she noticed that her ruler did not look at all happy. Was it because she had done something wrong when she walked in here? Or what it because of the things that she had already done wrong today? It was painfully obvious that there was still much training and teaching that needed to be done before Kiara had herself the kind of guardian that she needed, but Risen was doing her best and continuing to do her best. Her efforts were not in vain, but they had been greatly outweighed by all of the things that she had done wrong. And there were two more things that were about to be added to that long list of things.
"Honestly, I haven't actively checked for any dangers here on the ship, but I have yet to pick up on anything out of the ordinary," Risen said, answering Kiara's first question. By anything out of the ordinary, the dragon meant things such as aggression or blood lust. If there were something like an assassin on the ship, they wouldn't readily let such things radiate from them. They would wait for an opportune moment before they attempted to strike. Until then, it would be impossible. What was more, should there have been anyone else here, a regular person and not a trained killer, who had any ill intent, she would have already found them and approached them to see just how big of a threat they were. "And I have not spoken with the Captain about our first destination. When I asked him if there were anything I could do to help, he told me that there was nothing more to be done on the deck, then he suggested I get something for you to eat. After I went below and picked something up, I came directly here," she said softly.
Unlike the other times before, she didn't appear to be nervous as she spoke. Her voice wasn't shaking, and she wasn't stuttering. There was, however, a slight twitch of her fingers as she stood before the princess, her intense blue eyes peering at her as if looking into her soul to be absolutely sure that her guardian was honest. She wasn't trying to be smart or anything, she was just explaining the things that she had done already. She made a mental note to herself, however, that she should check their destination often and keep the princess updated on everything. Although her senses were good, she knew that she would need to check for dangers in a more forward manner from now on. Her concern for Kiara had gotten the best of her, and was the only thing that was really on her mind. Rather than speaking her mind, and speaking out of turn, she waited to see what Kiara's reaction to her own actions would be, and would do whatever she was directed to next.[/list:u][/list:u]
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