Unlikely Alliance-Closed

Ahn heard the defeat in her voice as she talked about changing her plan. Taking a husband was not what she originally had imagined for her conquest of her peoples' fear and ignorance. She'd said as much. However, her original idea was causing her severe distress.

Deciding not to comment on her marital statement, he knew she'd ask the following question, especially given his apparent knowledge of the creatures she was out to prove herself with.

He took another bite of the rabbit and spoke through it, shrugging. "When you travel, you meet people, you hear things. They may not be meant for your ears, but if you shut up and listen, you learn all manner of things you may not have realized before."

A few seconds passed. He hesitated to reveal what he truly was, though the woman's despair was difficult to ignore. With his abilities by her side, she could accomplish everything she wished - well, maybe not changing minds regarding his kind - and even more. However, knowing she'd been in the presence of the very thing she'd come to conquer might be too great a temptation.

"Yes, traveling does afford one a certain access to knowledge and the ability to learn about a vast amount of things I suspect. How fortunate that you've had those opportunities. She slow rose to her feet and began to remove her armor and weapons. She was indeed defeated. If the dragon chose to attack, she knew that she wouldn't even be a slight match for him. If the nomad wished to, she could probably defeat him in hand to hand. But from his mannerisms and complacency. She didn't feel that he was a threat either.

"You're welcome to camp here tonight and share the fire if you wish. I'll be headed back in the morning to look for another solution. I appreciate you listening to me vent and whine about this and that."

"It's no burden at all. You're a lovely woman. Both from a physical standpoint and from your consideration for your people.

"I wish there was something I could do to help you."

Rosa blushed from his compliment. "I appreciate you saying so. Not many would think that it's my place to be concerned. If I followed the advice of my council, it would be that I should simply shut up, and do as i'm told like a good girl. As for helping me, you have by allowing me to discuss what lays heavily on my mind. Without words you have allowed me to see the error of my plan, as well as point out that the murder of a noble creature, no matter how just I may think my cause, is still not worth a life. As far as what you could do to help, unless you're secretly a prince with a dowry that would be interested in helping me rule a kingdom. Well I think you've done more then enough. So thank you."

Even in the flickering firelight, Ahn could see the woman's reaction to his compliment. It was one of the things he liked about humans: their vanity. Even when a demure response was received, you knew it was actually based in pleasure. Such reactions could be quite charming, as it was in this case.

"Your concern for your people is quite admirable. Too many of your kind look only for what they can get from those who have nothing.

"I've learned over the years that it's quite helpful to be a good listener. Much of the time, it isn't answers that are being sought, but merely the ability to get frustration out of your system.

"I'm afraid I'm no prince with a dowry." Though, the thing he didn't say was, he had riches that could fund a hundred armies for a hundred years. "However, I am not without resources. As well, I have no place I need to be, so would you mind if I accompanied you wherever you go next?"

When he said 'your kind', she found it a bit odd but then dismissed it as him referring to royalty. She listened as he talked. There was such a pleasant way his mouth turned when he spoke words. She sat thoughtfully for a few moments thinking about the best way to phrase her reply.

"Although I would welcome the company on my trip back home, I am afraid that it may be met with violence."

She pointed to the now barely visible graves.

"My cousin, who has named himself King with the hope of my assassination. Has already sent one group of men to behead me. There will more then likely be another attempt before tomorrows end. I do not wish you to put yourself in harms way for one you've just met, nor could I in good conscious ask you to. It was my decision alone to venture out on this now deemed fool hearty quest and thee owes no loyalty to my crown or person"

Ahn smiled at the woman's concern. "Don't fear for me. You don't live as long as I have and travel as far as I have without becoming familiar with violence. These are anything but peaceful times, and one does not live long in them if he doesn't learn how to deal with those who believe the only way to get through life is to prey on others..

"Perhaps I could help if your cousin springs more surprises on you. Let's say: I choose to travel in the same direction you are going, and should our paths diverge at some point, so be it."

What did he mean by 'you don't live as long as I have'. He couldn't be more then 25 or 30 at the oldest she thought to herself. But perhaps it was simply that he had done a lot of traveling in his short life and had experienced the brutality of the world they lived in. Still it was curious how he considered himself aged.

"That's an idea with merit. If we happen to cross paths on the road we do, if we don't we don't. Either way we'll let fate or destiny choose." smilingthoughtfully she stirred the fire.

"my name is Rosa, how shall I address thee?" she asked as she began to pick up her armor and slowly rise. As she waited for his answer she placed her armor and weapon beside her bed beneath the makeshift tent.

Ahn liked that she enjoyed the idea of his traveling with her.

"You may call me Ahn," he replied as he watched her moving about the campsite, gathering her accoutrements and putting them all together. He greatly liked watching her move. The clothing she was forced to wear to accommodate her armor clung to her curves, highlighting just how feminine a form she had.

"thats an interesting name, I don't think i've heard it before, from which region does it hail? " she asked settling herself back down by the fire.

If only there were such a way to make him a prince. His forward thinking was exactly what she needed next to her on the throne.

"My actual name is much, much longer, and certain parts of it are extremely difficult for many to pronounce. I shortened it long ago. As for where its origins lie: I was told it was the name of a long ago leader from a land that was mere legend when my people were young. Quite possibly, it was the name of the first of my kind to give himself one."

The rabbit had been taken from the fire long ago. Rosa had offered it to him, and he knew it would be bad form to refuse. The now-cold flesh would be less palatable than even the fire-warmed had been, but he didn't want to raise suspicions or insult her hospitality by letting the food go to waste, so he tore off another piece and slowly chewed.

"In the society I come from, leadership is not defined by gender. Then again, we are mainly solitary, coming together only in times of great crisis. When those crises arise, woe betide those we have banded against."

'There he went again', she thought as he said 'a long time ago' . Still she kept the interested look on her face without giving any particular reaction. As he continued to talk thinks started to slowly link together like a puzzle. 'the first of his kind'. It was true different cultures had different beliefs. But the shortening of an unpronounceable name from the first of his kind?'

Still as he talked it was his last statement that seemed to put it all together. She had read something in very similar words. Something that had resonated with her so well she had read it over multiple times. '
'leadership is not defined by gender. Then again, we are mainly solitary, coming together only in times of great crisis'. Then it hit her. It was a quote from a dragon the author of the book had interviewed. It wasn't word for word from what was written of course. But it had been what had given her the notion that she could actually step outside the boxed zone of their society and rule on her own.

She wasn't going to however call him out on being a dragon. Possibly he was even the dragon that had inadvertently, or perhaps with purpose had saved her. Her emotions were fluctuation, she should fear for her life. Yet if he wanted her dead he would have probably already killed her. If he wished for her to know what he was. Then he would tell her when he felt he could trust her. After all she had told him what her quest was. even if she had renounced her intentions, it didn't mean she couldn't change her mind when faced with an opportunity. But she did mean what she had said.

As she listened to him talk for another hour or so her eyes began to drop. "i'm afraid I must call it a night" she said with a yawn slowly rising from her log.

As tired as she was she slept lightly. Her eyes opening at random sounds through out the night. Morning soon came and she couldn't help but yawn in her greeting. "I hope you slept well" she told him.

Ahn sensed something change in Rosa as he talked. He felt he had probably revealed too much, even if he hadn't come right out and said anything. Still, she hadn't picked up her sword and attempted to kill him right there, so he felt no need to consider her a threat. If the time came, I would dispatch her. He'd tasted human before - both in a sexual manner as well as dinner - and suspected she would be quite delicious in either capacity.

When she announced she was ready to sleep, he let her settle in as he merely stayed at the fire, watching her. When he was sure she was asleep, he rose, then moved away from the camp, to prevent startling her horse. He then took to the skies and began hunting.

The rabbit Rosa had shared had been fine, but what he preferred at the moment was two or three of the wild cattle that roamed the lands many miles away from where the ambitious young woman slept.

The hot, pulsing blood and quivering, fearful flesh felt and tasted good in his mouth. A rabbit could fill the stomach of his human form, but the only way that remained true was if he maintained that form indefinitely. It wasn't something he preferred to do. Humans possessed far too many limitations. They had many advantages, but the idea of remaining human was incomprehensible.

Once his hunger was satisfied, he flew a while longer. He didn't need much sleep, but when he did, it could be for months. He knew she expected him to be there when she awoke. She stirred a little when he walked back into the camp, and he took up a pose that resembled the notion that he may have slept a bit, and merely watched the embers of the fire throb and pop until Rosa awoke.


At her "I hope you slept well," he replied, "I had a very satisfying night, thank you.

"So, I assume you are going back now, to find this dowry you hoped for last night."

"dowry?" for a moment she was confused at his question. Then remembered how she had mentioned a prince with a dowry. Rolling her eyes she shook her head. "

"It is not a dowry I seek, but simply a prince who will rule by my side and have forward thinking. The dowry, that is just simple tradition to appease the counsel. In truth If I could find one as such, who could even create the heritage required. I would pay him in the weight of his body in such bobbles and such, as well as return the dowry. After sufficient time had passed to create the required laws to allow me to rule on my own."

She smiled and left it at that as she gathered up her camp. With her roll placed upon the horse and her armor once again in place she mounted her horse. "Well Ahn, this is farewell, unless our paths cross again. May you live a long and free soaring life."

Giving him a knowing smile she then put her helmet on and clucked her tongue to push her horse forward. She wasn't in any hurry to return. She had to find an alternative plan. In retrospect she could have asked Ahn to play her captive, and gain her place that way. But that would have meant confronting him with what she believed him to be. He might even consider the proposition an insult. All she could promise him was bobbles for his trouble. He hardly seemed petty as that.

His views of her kind were correct for the most part. But she couldn't change what she was, nor would her kind change over night. If she didn't find a prince that would take the backseat, or at the least rule as her equal it would all be for nothing anyway.

Stopping during midday to water her horse and take an apple from her bag. She sat and reflected over the man she suspected to be a dragon. Once again he could have easily killed her, yet he seemed genuinely interested in what haunted her. She would not hope that their paths would cross again, for she was sure he had more interesting things to do then ensure her safety back to her kingdom. But it was kind of him to request to travel with her.

With her break over she once again mounted her horse and began her journey once again. The sun was beginning to disappear when she stopped to camp for the night.

Ahn just sat and let Rosa prepare. There was nothing he could do to help, anyway. When she clapped her metal sheath onto her body, he was disappointed, for armorers hadn't quite figured out how to make armor for a woman. Yes, there was accommodation for her breasts, but it was sloppily done. Regardless of that one feature, she still looked quite masculine with such protection in place.

Her farewell, and the slight, knowing glint in her eyes as she said it, gave him cause to think she'd ciphered her way in to what he truly was. Still, she didn't come right out and ask, for which he was grateful. There were other creatures who could lay claim to many of the statements he'd made, so he believed there was still some question in her mind as to what his true nature actually was.

Nevertheless, he let her ride off, and only when the sounds of her retreat began to fade from even his hearing did he change form and take straight to the sky.

There was still enough light for her to hunt for her dinner. She had her fill of rabbit, but couldn't be picky when needing food to survive. Luckily she came across a wild turkey. It would require a great deal more to clean it. But in the event she had company, she would have more then enough. Well figuring if he was in human form. She let a smile cross her lips as she began to walk back to camp and it quickly dropped as she found her cousins men waiting for her.

"Looky here" one of them goaded eyeing her up and down like a prize. "We've been looking for you lassy, our King wants you out of the way."

She eyed the men and counted, there were 7 that she could see, possibly more. Dropping the turkey, she pulled her sword from it's sheeth.

"You picked the wrong side boys" she told them.

"Oh when we disarm you, we're gonna have some fun with you before we end your life."

"I'm sorry that you won't live long enough to try that." she said with a strength and confidence.

It was then that four more men stepped forward revealing themselves. Before she knew what she was doing she let out a piercing scream "Ahnnnnnnnn"

The wind whipping past his silver and black scales felt wonderful, as it always did. From so high, he could see the edge of one landmass and the beginning of the next, just off on the horizon. His conversation with the idealistic young woman had lasted far longer than he'd expected. To be honest, what he'd expected was a large, single-minded man, who couldn't change his mind once it was made up. Had it been, he'd have had little compunction to revealing what he was and more than likely either cooking the man in his metal suit, or simply biting his head completely off, stripping off his armor, then eating the rest of him. This Rosa was a different matter entirely.

Thoughts of her had popped into his mind once more when he heard something. It was a familiar voice, and it called his name. Even though he was miles up, he heard her.

That Rosa called his name told him two things: One, she was in grave danger, and two, she knew what he was. For a moment, he thought about ignoring her cry. What did he care who ruled a human land? In the blink of an eye, this band of humans would be gone, and another would take its place. They would feud, kill each other, and the cycle would continue.

However, in the short time he'd been with the woman in her camp, he'd grown fond of her. That she was quite lovely, by human standards, helped very much. In his many years coming among them, Ahn had come to appreciate the female human form, and Rosa had a very nice one.

Folding his wings in tight, he let gravity take over. When he'd dropped several thousand feet, he cast them wide again. letting the wind halt his progress. From where he was, he easily found Rosa once more. She was surrounded by several men, who were almost twice her size. She was putting up a brave front, but the fact that she'd called for help told him her confidence in besting this many men was far lower than she would have hoped.

Landing some way away, he transformed back into his human form and approached the scene. The men leered at the small armor-clad person in the center of their circle.

"I heard my name," he said nonchalantly. "Rosa, is that you? Your friends don't look any too friendly."

"I thought you might" she responded to his hearing his name. "I believe they would like to behead me, though i'm not sure a pike would flatter me so well. I did bring turkey for dinner if you'd like to stay after we've buried them." she said with a smirk in her tone.

"This isn't your fight nomad, i would back off if you value your life" one of the men said over his shoulder to Ahn.

"Really now, all of you against one woman, I hardly think that's a sporting event. I mean, do you really lack the confidence that even one of you could take me? That's actually quite a compliment to me, or an insult to yourselves." she said trying to goad them.

One of the men took the bait breaking formation to charge at her. She was ready and quickly impaled him upon her sword. "come on boys, you've got to have one better then that poor fool." All attention was now back upon her to give Ahn the advantage if he chose to help her out.

Ahn knew Rosa knew. It didn't matter so much. He'd given her everything she needed to piece together the puzzle. Most others he'd encountered had been too blind, or too dense, to catch the seemingly innocent comments that led to the conclusion she'd rightly come to. However, she'd assured him she'd changed her mind in regard to her original quest, and he believed her. It wasn't that she posed that much of a threat, anyhow, much as she might like to try.

He stood as one of the men took the wild initiative and attacked. Not surprisingly, Rosa dispatched him quite handily. She then taunted the rest, calling into question their manhood, in bringing such an overwhelming force against one opponent. Even if that opponent hadn't been female, such a lopsided battle would have been overkill.

"I agree. It certainly says quite a lot for the men of your tribe, that you feel it necessary to bring such numbers against a single woman. Perhaps the woman isn't the one in the center of your circle, after all."

Ah, ego. Especially the male human ego. Ahn so enjoyed how fragile it could be, and how defensive those who thought themselves manliest of all tended to become when it was called into question.

"So," he went on. "If you don't mind my asking: when you urinate, do you all stand, or do you squat?"

A growl came from the biggest, broadest of the men standing near Ahn. He spun around with amazing agility, considering his size, sword raised. "I'll show you who squats when they urinate," he rumbled as he charged.

Ahn let the man come. When he got close enough, Ahn stepped aside, putting out his foot, and giving the man a push as he went past. The man's feet went out from under him, and he flung himself headlong into a boulder. The man's helmeted head bent at an unnatural angle and there was a terrible crunch as his body continued to move after his head had stopped.

The huge man crumpled to the ground and moved no more.

"Anyone else want to show me his cunt?" he taunted mildly at the remaining men.

As Ahn grabbed their attention with further masculinity challenges she took the opportunity to run through another of the soldiers. She had no doubt in Ahns ability to defend himself. Even though he appeared to them as an unarmed human.

"You're going to die bitch" another soldier screamed at her before he made his move with a lopsided approach. Switch hands she attacked him from the opposite side that he would expect and dropped him.

The amount of her cousins soldiers were dwindling down by the minute. Their next attack on her was a group. One managed to give her a deep gash where her armor met, but she continued on with the adrenaline pumping through her. She remembered thinking that he must have gotten her armies rejects because their manner of fighting was more brawl then refined.

The amount of blood loss began to make her a bit light headed, and weak making her lose her footing. As she scrambled to try to get to her feet the remaining three took advantage. With two pinning her down the third made a charge at Ahn.

Ahn was letting Rosa take care of as many of the attackers as she could. He knew she was capable, but now the men were torn as to who to give the most attention to, with how easily he had dispatched the largest of their group. The armored men largely dismissed him, being as Ahn carried no weapon.

He saw Rosa take a lucky shot from a clumsy blow, but she fought on bravely, taking down more attackers even with her injury.

When another man turned toward him, again Ahn let the man charge, but this time, he grabbed the man's arm and held on, letting the man's momentum pull him off his feet. Ahn swung him around once, twice, then released him toward two of the three men advancing on Rosa.

The awkward clamor of metal armor against metal armor rang through the air as three more attackers went down.

A red river ran down Rosa's armor, and he saw her stagger, then go to a knee. Ahn stepped up to one man and placed his hands on either side of his helmeted head and pushed. A sickening, crumpling crunch later and this man fell to the ground. Then next got the same treatment.

The last man had turned his attention from Rosa. She was no threat in her condition, but obviously this stranger was much more than he seemed.

"Who are you?" came the muffled query from inside the metal sheath. "What are you?"

Nonchalantly, Ahn replied, "For your purposes, I am merely this one's friend," he pointed in Rosa's direction. "As well, I am your doom."

With that, he simply held out a hand and placed it on the man's breastplate. It wasn't a particularly good set of armor, but from its condition, it had protected the man through several skirmishes. Ahn's hand began to glow, and soon, the metal glowed around it.

Glowing iron began to slough, and Ahn's hand then passed through metal to the padding beneath, which caught fire and the man started to scream. Once the padding had been burned through and Ahn's red-hot hand touched bare skin, the screaming intensified.

The man fell to the ground, still screaming, writhing and twitching in agony. Rather than kill him, which he could easily have done, Ahn pulled his hand away from the man's chest and leaned over him.

"Take a message back to your master," he said, still very calmly. "Tell him if he insists on trying to take her by force, that he must do it himself, and to stop killing his own men to cover for his cowardice. Use those words, for coward he is, to send so many men to take down one woman while he remains safe in his citadel.

"Go, before I finish what I started."

Though the man was in excruciating pain, he got up and staggered away.

Ahn came over to Rosa, who still knelt. He removed her helmet, which revealed her pain and tiredness. He then began to remove her armor, then the padding. The padding was soaked in blood, and the linen shirt beneath. Finally, he removed the shirt so he could see what kind of injury she had.

It was a fairly deep gash. A few inches farther up, and a major blood vessel would have been hit, and she'd have bled out in a couple minutes. As it was, though, it didn't appear any organs had been hit, so she'd heal.

"This will hurt," Ahn said as his finger began to glow red. He placed it against the cut and began to cauterize his way down it, stopping the bleeding...

It is one thing to have read all about dragons and their supposed abilities. It is another to see it first hand. Any doubts that Ahn was simply a human had diminished upon his arrival. The first is that he heard her cry. She had a feeling he would be somewhat near, and if he wasn't his superb hearing would pick up his name. The second would be how quick he arrived. Not breathless, nor worried, but so calm and casual.

If that wasn't enough the way he cut through the soldiers with barely any effort. Then of course the last one which she was able to see clearly. He had penetrated the mans armor with nothing but his hand. It had glowed fire engine red and passed through like a knife through butter. Not only was the mans scream of agony to be heard as a result, but the sound of frying flesh and the smell of it.

Now it was just them. The other man had scurried away with his freedom that Ahn had given to him. He removed her helmet and began to unlatch her armor. Once lifted off of her she gasped at the air having felt stifled in the confines of the heavy metal. Then the blood soaked padding lifted from her sticking to her shirt which pulled on her injury. She groaned with pain as he began to remove her shirt. her arm covered her breasts in modesty as he examined her wound.

He was kind enough to mention that it would hurt as his finger began to glow. She turned her head and stifled her screams as long as she could before they escaped as her flesh burned to seal the wound. Tears streamed down her red face as he finished. "thank you" she said weakly as she tried to put her shirt back on.

It took some effort and a bit of assistance from Ahn for her to manage to get it back on. It was the last bit of energy she had and found herself swooning in a faint.

Rosa gasped and whimpered at the feel of his burning her flesh, but she bit back any screams. She took the pain far better than the man earlier had, though he could tell it was excruciating.

Finally, it was done. The bleeding was staunched, and Rosa lay gasping, tears streaming down her face. Her gulping breath caught a few times, indicating that she was desperately clutching onto the ability to hold back open weeping.

After some time, she reached for her shirt and struggled to get it on. Ahn didn't bother looking away from her. He was not human, and therefore had none of the aversion to looking at others' bodies. Besides, what he saw was quite worth looking at, so why shouldn't he?

Rosa's pain was making it difficult for her to lift one arm, so she couldn't get her shirt on, however much she tried. Ahn reached over and helped. It was necessary for her to stretch out the arm she couldn't bring herself to move to get the sleeve on, so he gingerly moved it for her, even though her cries of pain told him it was quite an ordeal.

Finally, though, she was covered again. A small weary smile of thanks is all she could manage before her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed. Ahn caught her and eased her to the ground, then sat and rested her head in his lap.

Day began to creep into night, and still Rosa slept. He could hear and see her breathing, so there was no need to fear she'd lost too much blood.

As she slept, Ahn felt her shiver. The cold and heat never bothered him, so it was easy to forget these humans needed outside heat sources to keep their fragile bodies alive.

Easing her head back to the soil, he gathered several stones, a bit bigger than the size of Rosa's head, and arranged them around her. He then removed the iron from her lower half and placed it next to the rest of her armor.

Ahn then placed his hands on the rocks he'd circled her with and made them glow. Soon, she was surrounded by heat. Trusting she would be safe, he took to the sky.

There was not a stick of wood to be had where Rosa had been ambushed, so Ahn gathered enough for a reasonable fire and laid it next to her. He carried the bodies of her cousin's unfortunate soldiers and dropped them in the mountains.

This all done, Ahn then went hunting. It didn't take long for him to find a suitable prey. It took even less time for him to catch and kill it. While any other time, he'd have simply chewed the thing up whole, this time, he brought it back to Rosa's new camp. He found her horse and pack a little way off, having been frightened off by her attackers, but as such animals do, as soon as they feel they're far enough from danger, they're more than willing to stop and browse on whatever vegetation they can find.

Taking a knife from her pack, Ahn made a fire, then began butchering the deer he'd found for her. As she continued to sleep, he managed to get much of the animal cooked....

Rosa stirred as her stomach rumbled and the welcome scent of venison filled her nostrils. Slowly she opened her eyes looking up at the night sky. The crackled of the fire was a welcoming sound with the hooting of the owls. Turning on her good side she saw the glowing rocks surrounding her. Her eyes then went to the glowing fire and Ahns figure with a large deer.

"My turkey wasn't good enough?" she said teasing with a smile and slowly made her way to a sitting position wincing at the movement. The area was no longer filled with the bodies of the fallen. For that she was grateful. It was one less thing she would need to deal with.

"Thank you for your assistance today. I would be dead if it weren't for you and your..skills."

Slowly she managed to stand and make her way over to him to sit beside him. After seeing what he did with armor, and the fact that he saved her life. She didn't fear his intentions with her. He could have let her die a thousand times over if he had chosen.

"I think i'll camp for a few days and mend before i attempt to head back again. Are you sure that I can't entice you into being a prince from a forgein land for a couple of years until I get things turned around?"

Ahn pointed toward a mess of bloody feathers.

"Your turkey was trampled under several indiscriminate iron-clad feet, I'm afraid."

He continued to stoke the fire as Rosa thanked him for his assistance.

"You are most welcome. I'm glad my 'skills' could be of some help. Though, even with their size and weaponry, had they not so greatly outnumbered you, I daresay you could have bested the lot on your own."

Pulling a chunk of sizzling meat from the flames with a bare hand, he offered it to Rosa as she came around the fire and sat very close beside him.

"I'll accompany you if you like, but I don't know that anyone would mistake me for a prince of any stripe. Besides, it's doubtful that your coward of a cousin will allow this defeat to stand. It's a fair surety that he will continue to send others to die in his place, rather than confront you himself. And if one of his inept lackeys manages to get lucky, he'll take all the credit for dispatching you, as if he had a direct hand in it, himself."