The Hearts of Dragons (Closed for DarkWarrioress)

[DarkWarrioress]

"I know it's asking a lot, but would it be possible to arrange some private time in the spring, or at least as private as possible? I know it sounds silly, believe me I do, but I can show you if it would put your mind at ease."

“Of course, Prince Lucian. How thoughtless of me. My apologies. There is a dedicated bathing area not far from here if you’d like to use that…. or I could take you somewhere more private if you like. I tend to use the last myself and if it will not make you too uncomfortable, I will stand guard nearby. It is one of the laws our queen set down that no man, woman or child shall enter the bathing area without a guard, who shall remain a respectful distance away to insure privacy yet close enough to render aid if needed.

She stayed his hands when they moved to the ties of his cloak, covering his own fingers, with a shake of her head.

“Unnecessary, Prince Lucian. Do you need to stop at your hut for anything? If not, we can go directly to bathing place I spoke of.”

Her mind’s ease meant little where this man was concerned. She had been chosen to accompany him on his journey through their jungle. Yet, some small part of her mind was curious, she admitted to herself.

 

[Lucian_Devine]

Lucian was admittedly relieved to hear Zarya's words. He knew it was more than a little selfish of him to ask for privacy when an entire village needed to bathe, but all members of royalty knew that some secrets were truly better kept secret.

"No apologies are necessary, Miss Zarya." Lucian started simply with a smile. "It has been an..." He paused, searching for the right words. "...eventful day, to say the least. That said, I think the more private location sounds perfect, and no, it will not make me uncomfortable to have you stand guard. It's actually refreshing to hear about such a law. I've known a fair few royals, and most are so detached from their subjects that it's...disheartening.

Zarya staying his hands by covering them with her own actually surprised Lucian, but it wasn't an unpleasant one. He naturally noticed the smooth softness of her hands first, followed immediately by the contrasting rough hardness of calluses next. His gaze lifted from where it had lowered to look at the ties of his cloak, and he smiled at her, even as he thought about how she truly had the hands of a warrior. "No, Miss Zarya, we don't need to stop at my hut first. We can head straight there, and leave at your leisure." Even though he spoke, he made no move to separate their hands or hasten them along.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

"No, Miss Zarya, we don't need to stop at my hut first. We can head straight there, and leave at your leisure."

Zarya gave a small nod of her head and hastily removed her hands from his chest. She was more than aware of the state of her hands. They weren’t fit to touch anyone. They were rough and calloused from her time with the sword.

“I’m sorry, Prince Lucian,” she stammered, unconsciously wiping the palms of her hands on the outer sides of her thighs, “This way, please.”

They made a slight turn and headed into the bush, following a small worn trail to the nearby lake. A few yards from the lake itself, she stopped and gestured for him to continue.

“I will wait here, Prince Lucian. You may continue and be rest assured of your privacy. Please rejoin me when you are ready to return.”

Zarya waited for him to leave her before she squatted down, her eyes watching and her ears listening. Early night was settling in as the moon started to rise to cast a pearly iridescence upon the water and bathed the starting night sky as the stars started to winked down upon the mortals of the land. Zarya sat upon the ground with her legs folded, settling in for a wait as the Prince indulged in a bath. She knew first hand how relaxing and refreshing a bath could be.

 

[Lucian_Devine]

"There truly is nothing to be apologize for, Miss Zarya." Lucian said softly with a smile, trying to find the young woman's gaze with his blue one. "You have been a most gracious hostess, and an exemplary ambassador for your people, truly." He lifted his right hand to his heart and gave a slight bow of his heart to emphasize his point before nodding in response to her words and following her.

Lucian made a mental note of the path he and Zarya made, despite the darkness, just trying to get as good of a mental layout of the surrounding area as possible, just in case.

The lake that Zarya led him to was beautiful in the moonlight, and Lucian nodded to Zarya as she motioned to it and stepped past her.

Even just the act of walking up to the lake came with a bit of tension for Lucian, knowing what was coming next. He did of course trust Zarya, but he so rarely did what he was about to do that he always felt a bit anxious when he did it. When he reached the shore, his hands dropped to quickly undo the ties holding his cloak closed. He pushed the cloak from his shoulders, letting it lay where it fell as he took another step forward. The emerald green dragonscale armor caught the moonlight immediately, and reflected that light in every direction as he moved this way and that. He took a deep breath as he lifted his arms to grab the neck of his chest piece. The dragonhide was firm, but had just enough give to it to slide over his head as he pulled it so. His short black hair disappeared for a moment beneath those scales before the chest piece came up and off, revealing a plain white cotton shirt beneath. He laid the chest piece on the ground with all the care in the world, infinitely more care than he'd shown the cloak, before shucking his shirt, revealing his broad bare shoulders, sculpted chest, and toned muscular core. The leggings of his armor came next, after he kicked his boots off of course. They had the same slight give that let them slide past the hips they'd been custom made to cling to. He wore plain white cotton pants beneath his armored pants as well, but paid them no heed as he once again laid his leggings down beside his chest plate with something akin to reverence. When the cotton pants joined the disheveled pile that was the rest of his clothes, his toned and wiry legs would be bared to the world. He shamelessly took a moment to stretch, lifting his hands to the sky and letting out a low groan before stepping forward and letting the delightfully cool water touch his feet.

Words could not describe how good the water felt on his skin. He barely noticed the cool temperature as he waded in, even when he got to and past waist level. It just felt so good on his overheated skin that had layer upon layer of dried sweat that he'd been unable to find time to properly wash off of late, until now. He dove beneath the surface, relishing the feel of the water as it covered the last bit of his skin that truly needed it's touch. When he breached the surface once more, he cast his head back and just basked in the feeling for a second before finally getting to work and giving his body a thorough scrubbing.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Zarya settled down to wait for the Prince to bathe. Her back was to the lake, her eyes and ears alert. She heard the soft rustle as he undressed. Roguish images of what he might look like with armor and under clothing stripped from his body, might look like. Being totally honest with herself, foir the first time ever, she was tempted to turn and look but she did not. Prince Lucian trusted her and she would not betray that trust. The next thing she heard was the soft disturbance of the lake water and she knew he was entering the lake. Zarya took a deep breath while closing her eyes and then slowly exhaling. Opening her eyes, they lit upon a thick twig, which she retrieved. Sitting down upon a rock, she withdrew her dagger and began to whittle upon it all the while listening for any intruder who might happen along, beast or man.

The moon, in the meantime, reached its zenith. Its rays cast a pearly glow not only upon the lake’s surface but also upon the land as well. The frogs and crickets that had stopped their songs as the humans invaded their space, had now determined the humans of no threat and resumed their nightly songs. It brought a small smile to Zarya’s lips as she listened to them. They also were a good indicator or would be, of any intruders should any approach. Glancing up at the night sky, she found the stars blinking at her. There were so many of them. Ancestors or so she had been taught. One day, she too, would become a star in the heavens when her time came.

Her head turned slightly toward the lake as she heard Lucian disturb the water by diving beneath its surface. The grin on her lips grew. She knew, all too well, that feeling. Zarya's eyes caught a glint of green on the shore. Something reflected the moonlight. His armor, perhaps? But green? It was none of her concern... for now.

She also knew when he surfaced and began scrubbing his body with the gentle sand found beneath his feet. Zarya continued to smile as her fingers that held the dagger nimbly worked on the piece of wood.

 

[Lucian_Devine]

Lucian found that the sand, even smooth as it comparatively was, was perfect for scrubbing away the grime of his flight from Ascalon and through the forest. It didn't scrape or chafe even the irritated bits of flesh that had been whipped by tree branches, but rather just scrubbed the dirt away, leaving the tanned flesh shiny and clean. Even the process itself served to be a relaxing one as he got every bit of himself he could reach, taking his time, doing it right, and generally just letting everything else drift to the back of his mind, even if it was just for these brief moments.

When he was done with his bath, Lucian waded slowly from the water, but only so that he could grab his boots and go back in. He carried them above the water level and set them on a large rock that had a rope strung over it with drying cloths hanging from it. He then pulled himself from the water, choosing this spot over the beach so that his feet wouldn't get covered with sand and dirt before he could get them in his boots once more. Once he was out of the water, he just stood there and gave a good and long stretch, savoring the rare moment of relaxation before forcing him to pull down a drying cloth and starting to dry himself. Knowing that Zarya had been more than generous, he went about the task quickly and efficiently before wrapping the cloth around his midsection, sliding his feet into boots, and walking around towards the rest of his clothes.

Lucian slung the drying cloth over his neck and grabbed his cotton pants first. He then pulled one foot out of his boot so that he could slide it into the leg of his pants and plant it right back into his boot. He then did the same thing with his other foot before temporarily abandoning the rest of his clothes so that he could go back and hang the cloth up on the rope to dry. When he got back to his clothes, he naturally bent down to grab the cloth shirt and put it on, but as he reached for his armor, he hesitated. He swallowed hard as he knelt beside it and reverently traced a hand over the small scales, even going as far as to trace fully around the slightly larger scale at the center of the chest. So many thoughts went through his head, chief among them wondering why fate, destiny, or whatever higher power one believed in had chosen him for this. It would have been so much easier to just die with the rest or go along with his father and brother, but...

With a soft sigh, Lucian lifted the armor over his head and slide his arms and head through, letting out another sigh as the familiar weight settled on his shoulders. He rolled his shoulders and let his arms fall to his sides, letting the armor settle where it felt most natural before reaching for the matching dragonscale pants and putting them on the same way he'd put on the cotton ones, right down to pulling his foot from the boot just long enough to do so before putting it back in.

As he stood there, bathed in moonlight, Lucian couldn't help but wonder what a sight he was to behold, not for vanity's sake though, but in general. He hated keeping the secret, even if he knew he had to. So, with a soft sigh of resignation, Lucian bent to pick up his cloak, pausing briefly to knock some dust off before swinging it around himself, knowing full well that the moon's light reflected off of the scales in every directed for exactly nobody to see before it was smothered by that cloak. He started to walk towards Zarya, his mind wandering as his hands worked the tie at his waist.

"I'm ready when you are, Miss Zarya." Lucian said as he approached Zarya, making no attempt to conceal said approach. His hands hand finished securing the tie at his waist and moved on to the tie at his neck. "I truly can't thank you enough for this, but I do promise to try." He said with a smile, even if he wasn't sure if she'd be able to see it. "I didn't know how much I truly wanted to bathe until I felt that water on my skin. It's hard to find the time for such things when you're on the run, let alone truly feel safe enough to do it. So truly, thank you."

 

[DarkWarrioress]

"I'm ready when you are, Miss Zarya."

She had heard him come out of the water and knew he would soon join her so when she heard his voice, she stood up and glanced in his direction. He was dressed again with his cape thrown around his shoulders once more. The only indication he had of his bath was his wet hair. She inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement.

“You’re quite welcome. I’m glad I could be of service.”

She tucked her whittling in her pocket. For a brief moment, the world around them stood still. Even the frogs and crickets stopped making their music. Zarya turned and after waiting a moment for the prince to catch up with her so they could walk side by side, they resumed their walk back the way they had come. Their feet made barely any sound on the ground as they walked. The moonlight bathed the way back to the village. Zarya raised her face to the moon, which was now riding high in the black sky.

“Prince Lucian,” she started softly, “do you know why there are stars in the sky?”

Her voice was reverent as she stared up at the very objects she was speaking of.

 

[Lucian_Devine]

As Lucian approached Zarya, he couldn't help but notice that the forest around them went silent. It only lasted for a moment, with even the frogs and crickets ceasing their constant music, but he couldn't help but smile, before shaking his head to clear his thoughts and moving to finish closing the distance to her. Her steps were as silent as a cat, and he did the best he could to match them, even if he couldn't help but feel a bit like an oaf just for having to do so. She made it look so effortless and easy, but he would have been stepping on every twig and loose leaf if it wasn't for the moonlight bathing the path and leading them back to the village.

The sound of his name coming from Zarya drew his blue gaze to her, but he found her looking upwards. Her question followed his name as his gaze followed hers towards the stars and the moon above them.

"Truthfully...?" Lucian started with obvious hesitation. "No, I don't, but I was taught to believe in the gods, and shown their likeness in the stars as proof that they are watching over us. I believed it when I was a child..." He slowly shook his head. "...and I even want to keep believing now." His gaze lowered briefly from the stars to the ground at their feet, his hands fidgeting with the waist ties of his cloak as he brushed a stray rock from the path. "I just see things though, things that make me wonder. Why would such beings birth a most evil man totally healthy then let him live a full life, grow old, and die, but birth another child defective when that child, and the man he grows up to be, just want to do right by his family and friends, but dies young? What sort of divine beings would allow, or worse, make such things come to pass?"

As Lucian voiced his final question his blue gaze lifted back towards the stars as his right hand lifted subconsciously, albeit briefly, to his heart before falling back to his side as he continued to walk beside Zarya.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

She had her answer for him ready. She stopped moving and just stood there on the path. She laid her hand on his arm gently as she continued to gaze into the heavens. Her voice was low and reverent.

“Without the stars, the heavens would be completely devoid of light and it would surely blanket the world in darkness.”

Her gaze turned to meet his.

"I just see things though, things that make me wonder. Why would such beings birth a most evil man totally healthy then let him live a full life, grow old, and die, but birth another child defective when that child, and the man he grows up to be, just want to do right by his family and friends, but dies young? What sort of divine beings would allow, or worse, make such things come to pass?"

She gave him a soft smile. Her own eyes were just as soft and gentle.

“Lucian, no one can predict why the Divine does what it does. I have always been taught that there is a purpose for all things and all people even if we can’t comprehend that purpose. It all comes down to faith. We must have faith that all things will come out as is designed.

I’m sorry if that lacks wisdom and or comfort but it is as I have learned and even if there are times when my faith is sorely tested, I look to the heavens and find comfort in the Divine.”

 

[Lucian_Devine]

Even as Zarya stopped on the path, Lucian had continued to walk. He'd heard her words about what the night would be like without the stars, and while he couldn't help but agree, he was still surprised when he felt her hand on his arm. He allowed himself to be drawn to a stop and turned his head to look at her, a curious look in his blue eyes. He saw the small smile on her face and the gentle look in her eyes, and a smile came to his own lips even before she started to speak once more.

Lucian listened intently to Zarya as she spoke, giving her his full attention both as she spoke and a bit after, in case she wasn't quite finished. When he was sure she was finished, his smile widened a little more as he brought his hand around to cover her hand as it lay on his arm.

"You've still nothing to apologize for, Zarya." Lucian said softly before briefly tearing his gaze from hers to look up at the stars once more. "Yes, the nights would truly be dark and depressing without the stars, even when the moon is full, and it would only be worse during a new moon."

Lucian's green gaze lowered from the heavens, trying to meet Zarya's once more, the smile returning to his face once more. "Truthfully speaking, I envy your faith, Zarya. It has been a difficult flight from my homeland, on the run...all alone...and that faith really would have helped, even if I do fear their judgement when...my time comes..."

 

[DarkWarrioress]

"Truthfully speaking, I envy your faith, Zarya. It has been a difficult flight from my homeland, on the run...all alone...and that faith really would have helped, even if I do fear their judgement when...my time comes..."

Zarya shrugged a little.

“One just has to believe, Prince Lucian. I can’t imagine being without faith. I can imagine it would be very……lonely and all humans fear judgement. Did we do enough? Were we good enough? In the end, I believe that if we look back and find, honestly, that we did the best we could, were the best we could be, we have nothing to fear. We all make mistakes. We have to learn to forgive ourselves first. That alone is not an easy task.” She stopped moving and stood with him in front of his hut.

“Well, we are back again. Thank you for the conversation, Prince Lucian. If I know my queen, she’ll have had our supplies packed and ready for us come morning. Sleep well.”

Zarya felt a bit self-conscious. She had never really been talkative before. Yet, tonight, she had chattered on to the prince like one of the young girls in the village. She found herself squaring her shoulders and standing tall, giving him a small bow of her head before she turned and headed toward her own hut.

 

[Lucian_Devine]

Lucian attentively listened to Zarya, periodically turning his head to look at her when he was sure of his upcoming footing on the moon and starlit path. When she finished speaking though, he couldn't help but chuckle a little and nod at her words.

"Heh, yeah...that's the hardest part isn't it? We are our own worst critics after all, and that is doubly true when it comes to forgiving mistakes." Lucian said before turning away from her towards his hut as he and Zarya approached it.

"The honor was mine, Miss Zarya." Lucian said in response to her thanks. "Thank you for your time, your conversation, and your counsel." He said with a small smile. "I'll...take it under advisement." He returned her small bow with one of his own. "Sleep well, Miss Zarya..." Lucian didn't retreat into his hut right away though, but rather watched her walk away for a couple of second before finally ducking through the covering.

As Lucian prepared for bed, setting the fire, cleaning his weapon, and finally settling into the furs while still in his armor, if not his cloak, he couldn't help but reflect on how much had happened in the course of that single day. His body recognized it too as it managed to ignore both the excitement and the anxiety that the progress caused him as it fell quickly into a deep, peaceful, and dreamless sleep.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Once back in her own hut and snugly secured in her bed, her thoughts turned to Lucian again. She hadn’t mentioned this to him, but she firmly believed that wherever they ended up after this life, the greatest judgement came from ourselves. It was the harshest of all. A person could run from themselves but not for long. Eventually, we faced what we had done or not done in our lives and that judgement would not be denied no matter what excuse we tried to give……

Zarya yawned and rolled over onto her side, closing her eyes. Morning came early and Lucian and herself would need to be on their way. Zarya fell asleep wondering just what they were going to encounter. Sacred temples… and why did Lucian need to find them? What was he possibly looking to gain? And were they going to run into the very men he had been running from? So many questions and not enough answers. The very last thought to drift into her mind was that they would apparently find out soon enough.

Soft light filtered into her hut, making her open her eyes and rubbing them as she scrambled out of her warm bed. Part of her was anxious to begin the journey and part of her wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed. With a deep sigh, she got dressed. She sat on the edge of her bed to fasten her sandals to her feet before standing, strapping on her bow and picking up her long spear. Stepping outside she glanced in the direction of Lucian’s hut before she set a brisk pace to the dining hut and passed under the covering. The delicious smells of breakfast filled the air and with a slight smile on her lips she headed for her usual dining place. Sitting off to one side of her plate was a scroll. From the queen, she was sure. Reaching for it, Zarya unrolled it and saw that it was a map, of sorts. It was vague but then, she expected nothing less. If the map fell into the wrong hands.... of course, the answers were there, a person just needed to know how to read it and Zarya could. Rerolling it, she set it aside and reached out to fill her cup with cold fruit juice.

 

[Lucian_Devine]

Despite the soft light filtering into Lucian's eyes earlier than he would have liked, he couldn't help the sigh of content that slipped from. He'd gotten the best night's sleep he could honestly recall and made more progress in a single day than he had the rest of his flight from home combined, with the possibility of more progress looking very high.

With his armor already on, all Lucian had to do to be ready for the day was slide his feet into his boots, slide his cloak over his shoulders, and tie it in place.

Lucian stepped out of his hut and just basked in the barely risen sun for a moment, closing his eyes and taking a deep inhale of the morning air before opening them and starting to walk towards the dining hut he'd eaten in the night before. Even if he'd forgotten it's location, the delicious smells coming from it would have made it easy enough for him to find, smells that only got stronger and better when he pulled the covering aside.

It wasn't until he stepped inside the dining hut that Lucian thought about where to sit. He was still thinking about it, even as he grabbed a couple pieces of fresh fruit and a cup of fruit juice when he saw Zarya eating by herself. He hesitated for a moment, torn on whether to intrude upon her isolation before taking a deep breath and a step in her direction.

"Good morning, Miss Zarya." Lucian said, approaching the lovely warrior from the other side of the table, lest he somehow startle her and catch the sharp end of her spear. "May I join you, or do you prefer to eat alone?" As he asked he stopped behind his seat, but did not help himself to it, wanting her to feel free to say yes or no at her own leisure without feeling pressured if possible.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

"Good morning, Miss Zarya. May I join you, or do you prefer to eat alone?"

She gave a small start and turned her head to meet his eyes. The prince moved quietly. She filed away that small tidbit of information. It would serve them well in the future.

“Please. Join me. I didn’t expect to see you so soon, Prince Lucian.”

She gave him a small, warm smile and reached for the basket of fresh hot rolls one of the maids had just set down.

“Care for some bread?”

She set a roll on her own plate and set the basket down between them. The juice was cold and freshly made. There were piles of fruit cut up and set before them. There were eggs and meat also on platters but Zarya preferred to stick to fruit, juice and bread in the mornings. One of the maids brought a fresh pitcher of juice and poured some into the prince’s mug. Zarya studied the girl. It wasn’t because she didn’t trust the girl, it was just that he was a prince and she was very careful. However, Zarya knew this girl. She had watched the girl grow up into the maid she was now and just that quickly, Zarya felt old. Time just seemed to fly by without a care or a thought.

She wanted to speak with the prince about their first destination but this was not the place. Too many ears could be listening and that would not be wise. Once they were on their way, they could easily speak then. Zarya stopped one of the girls and asked if their packs were ready. The girl didn’t know but would find out and return to Zarya with an answer. With a smile, Zarya sent the girl on her way.

The young warrior kept an eye on the prince, offering him platter after platter. Before long the girl returned. Their packs were ready and standing by the door. They could pick them up on their way out. The young servant wished them well on their journey and Zarya smiled, thanking her.

 

[Lucian_Devine]

"Heh, I didn't expect to see you so soon either. I wasn't sure if I was being served in the hut or if I should come here, but once I smelled the food, I just couldn't resist." Lucian said with a warm smile as he took his seat.

"Mmm, yes please." Lucian responded as his hand reached for one of the fresh and hot rolls, his hand lifting it straight from the basket to his mouth, and his eyes drifting closed as he took that first bite, a low groan slipping from him. His eyes opened soon enough, but a similar groan came as he transferred the bread to his other hand and took a bite of one of the pieces of fresh fruit he'd grabbed.

"I am starting to see why you and your people love this place so much, and why you defend it so fiercely." Lucian said between bites and drinks of hot bread, fresh fruit, and cold juice. "Outsiders likely have a bad reputation for a wide variety of things among your people, and as much as I'd like to claim otherwise, most of them well-deserved."

Lucian normally liked to eat a light breakfast, but manners dictated that he at least try to taste one of each thing that Zarya offered him. The fact that each thing was as delicious and fresh as the last made it all the harder to say no.

When the young maid that poured his glass of juice returned and let Zarya know that their packs were ready, Lucian took that as enough of an opportunity to lean back in his seat. "Well, shall we, Miss Zarya?"

 

[DarkWarrioress]

They both spoke little and ate some.

"Well, shall we, Miss Zarya?"

She nodded in response even though she wasn’t entirely sure she was ready for this expedition. Armed with the map from her queen, Zarya stood, taking up her bow, slinging to her back as well as taking her spear in one hand.

“As ready as I will ever be, Prince Lucian. Let us grab our packs by the door and do you need to stop by your hut for anything before we embark?”

As they stood outside of the dining hut, Zarya looked to the skies. They were an azure blue with not a cloud in sight. From experience, she knew that the day would warm up all too soon so the faster they got on their way, the better.

The food packs were filled with food wrapped in thick leaves and water containers rounded them out. As Zarya hefted one to her shoulders, she realized they were not too heavy nor would become that way after trekking through the jungle for any length of time. Walking beside Lucian she wondered where this adventure would take them and what would they encounter. Zarya had never wandered this far away from home before, let alone explore these temples Lucian had mentioned, the very same ones she had located on the map entrusted to her.

“I believe we’re looking for the Earth Temple first, correct?”

Zarya glanced at the map she had unrolled just outside the village.

“We go that way.”

She pointed North and rerolled the map, tucking it back into her pack.

 

[Lucian_Devine]

Lucian rose to his feet as Zarya did, both as a show of manners and that he was as ready to go as she was. He watched as she took up her spear, and was about to speak up about his own weapons before she beat him to it. "Yes please, Miss Zarya. My weapons are still in the guest hut."

When Zarya hesitated outside the dining hut and looked up at the sky, Lucian couldn't help but marvel once more at the beautiful woman, her red hair shining in the rising sun. He hefted a pack just after she did, and couldn't help but marvel both at it's lighter weight despite how full it was, and it's make. It fit securely on his shoulders, but barely impeded the movements of his arms, something that he quickly tested when he was in his hut tying his katana to his belt. Everything felt good, secure, and free. He was even able to bend down and put the daggers into his boots with minimal effort or hindrance from the pack.

When Lucian emerged from the hut, he kept one hand inside his cloak on the hilt of his katana. Old habits really did die hard, but he made no attempt on Zarya as the pair walked to the edge of the village. "Yes, the Earth Temple first. I had strong reason to believe that it was somewhere in this forest, as my father's scouts had scoured the rest of the world and come up empty. This is the one place they could never penetrate, be it with military might, subterfuge, or diplomacy." He then nodded at her directions, making no move for the map, and not asking to see it. He knew that trust was a hard thing to earn but one of the easiest things to lose. He was more than happy to let her lead it it brought him one step closer to stopping his father, brother, and the demons he'd helped summon.

"Lead the way, and I'll do my best to keep up." Lucian said with a small smile, knowing that she was likely much better in the forest than he would ever be.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

"Lead the way, and I'll do my best to keep up."

She tossed him a friendly smile.

“You’ll do just fine. You managed to find us and you were still in decent shape. Earth Temple it is. From the look at the map, we’re headed North.”

As they began walking in a northernly direction, Zarya felt the urge to speak. Normally, she was a quiet one, preferring to listen to the wild life as she travelled. Maybe it was because today she had a human companion. Maybe it was the simple need to converse with someone, she wasn’t sure.

“In our culture, each of the cardinal points equate to the elements. North is Earth, South is Fire, East is Air and West is Water. It looks like we’ll be travelling for some time if all four temples are your destination. If I might ask, what is it you seek to find in the Earth Temple? And as far as I know, these temples have not been tampered with in ages. Getting in will not be easy. Aside from the jungle covering over it, there are supposedly traps within the temples themselves, not to mention monsters to overcome. Are you still sure you wish to go to the places, Prince Lucian? You… and I, I fear shall be countlessly tested.”

Zarya stopped talking as the path they were following disappeared and grew narrower. The day had shifted to the afternoon and getting later. By instinct, she took the lead and looked over her shoulder. It was a good thing she did. The prince was bound by hand and foot by jungle vines. The more he struggled, the tighter they became and more of them started to twine about his body.

“Lucian!”

She turned quickly and began slashing at the vines with a dagger. She not only had to fend them off of her person but also slash at those holding him prisoner.

“Don’t struggle. I know it is hard but please try. The more you struggle the tighter they get.”

She continued to hack away at the vines. The injured ones shrunk back and away until she could free him.

“Are you alright, Prince Lucian?”

Her eyes and voice reflected concern as she pulled away the remaining vines from his person.

“So, they aren’t fiction after all,” she glanced up at him, “as children our elders used to tell us that if we wandered too far from camp the vines would get us. I thought they were just a tale to scare us. I’ve never wandered this far north before so I had no idea.”

 

[Lucian_Devine]

Lucian was both happy to see Zarya's smile and happy to see that she seemed to be coming out of her shell, at least a little bit. So when she asked her question, he saw no reason why he should lie to her, even if he couldn't get into the full of the story just then.

"Truthfully, Miss Zarya, I'm not entirely sure what I hope to find, even if this temple is the true Earth Temple that I think it is. It could have some kind of weapon, armor, relic, artifact, or all of the above, any or all of which could be useless in the hands of anybody but the Champion of Earth, whoever that is. All I know for sure is that my father released terrible things into this world, and those terrible things fear what's in these temples and the champions of the temples. I know that it's dangerous, I do, even if I don't know how dangers, but I'd rather die trying to help than live longer continuing to run away."

Lucian truly did appreciate Zarya's conversation as the two walked. It made the journey and the strain of it more bearable of it. He of course didn't fault her when the conversation faded. Morning turned to afternoon, and afternoon turned to evening, and something that was very easy to forget was how much faster it became dark beneath the canopy of the trees, especially when the trail got narrow.

When the trail got so narrow that the two of them could no longer travel shoulder to shoulder, Lucian fell back without complaint, letting Zarya lead on. His gaze naturally lingered on her lovely form, but also occasionally caught on this and that. When his eye was caught by a strange-looking flower just off the trail, he extended his hand to touch it, not even giving it a second hand.

It wasn't the softness of the flower that caught Lucian off guard, but the sudden springing of vines around his hand. His voice caught in his throat as the vine crept up his arm and another lashed itself around his foot. He struggled against them, still unable to cry out, unable to do anything but pull against them as they coiled tighter, crawled higher, coiled tighter, crawled higher...

The sudden sound of Zarya's voice was enough to break him from the stupor caused by the vine, but not enough to stop him from fruitlessly pulling against the hold the vines had on him. He was breathing so fast that he was starting to hyperventilate, with only her voice managing to break through to him and help him calm down enough for her to cut through first one set of vines and the other to finally free him.

Lucian barely heard Zarya's words when the two of them stumbled away from the...whatever it was, but heard her he did. His eyes lowered to inspect his hands before nodding, and pull his feet from his boots and nod again. "I'm good...I'm good." He said softly, a little curious if she'd catch on that he wasn't concerned about the plant being able to squeeze harder than his armor could take, at least not quickly, but he'd worry about that later. "Heh, nope, they weren't lying, and note to self, don't touch strange-looking flowers." He finished with a wry smile before hauling himself slowly back to his feet.

"I suppose we better find a place to camp for the night, right...?" Lucian asked as he looked up at the dying light of the canopy above them. "...before it gets too dark too see..." He extended a hand down to her to help her up if she wanted to take it.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

"I suppose we better find a place to camp for the night, right...?"

She felt like a fool. She had been so intent on helping the prince she hadn’t noticed it getting darker. A quick glance toward the treetops insured the truth. Zarya took his hand and stood.

“Come. I know a place that will be safe for the night.”

She removed her hand from his and turned back toward the way they were going. Granted, she had never travelled this far north before, but some of the men in the village had. There was a small cave nearby that the men always used when they were this far north. Following the landmarks she remembered from talks, it wasn’t long before she found it. The climb wasn’t too steep and hopefully it didn’t tax Lucian.

“We’ll be safe here for the night. I’ll go gather some wood so we can start a fire. Would you mind going through one of the packs for something easy to cook tonight? I’ll be back shortly and don’t go too deep back into the cave. I can’t promise you it’s safe back there.”

She gave him a quick reassuring smile before dropping her own pack close to the entrance. Reaching for her spear, she sheathed it to her back and disappeared into the woods to find enough wood to get a fire started. She’d hunt up some more once they settled in for the night and she took first watch.

The night settled around her shoulders like an old, comfortable blanket. There was still a little light enough for her see the forest floor. Zarya loaded her arms with deadfalls and hurried, as best as she was capable of, back to the small cave.

Once a fire was started, the warmth and light from the fire bathed them. Her eyes fell on what he had pulled from the packs for their meal. It was simple enough fare. Zarya crouched and started to cook their meal for the night.

“Prince Lucian, tell me more about your father. Are we likely to run into any of his men on our journey?”

 

[Lucian_Devine]

Once Zarya was back on her feet, she and Lucian fell back into the rhythm they'd been in before, her leading while he followed, this time with his head on a swivel and more than a healthy amount of respect for their jungle that they trekked through.

When the pair reached their destination, or rather almost reached it, Lucian was genuinely surprised to see something akin to a cliff before them. It was fairly steep, but not sheer. Either way though, he wasn't one to complain, and dutifully followed Zarya upwards. He'd been surprised to see the incline, which was made of a mix of dirt and rocks, but he was all but shocked when he saw the cave open up before them when they reached the top.

Zarya's words pulled Lucian out of his own head, and he met her gaze before offering up a nod. "Sure thing, just be careful out there." He then moved to scoop up her pack after she'd left, and started rummaging through both hers and his. After surveying what all was there, he scooped out a wrapped package of dried jerky, as well as a small assortment of vegetables. He also took out the cooking pot and some water, figuring that a stew would make for a quick and easy meal. Even as, and of course after, he sorted through the packs, he kept an eye on the deep darkness in the rear of the cave. He didn't know how far back it went, and of course didn't know what might be lingering back there, and was in no rush to find out, let alone be surprised by it like he had been with the vines.

Lucian was naturally relieved when Zarya made her way back to the cave. He'd of course had faith in her ability to handle herself out here, but it was impossible not to be at least a little worried about her. He was of course worried about her for her own sake, but also because of the fact that he had no idea where they were in the jungle, nor did he have much faith that he'd find his way back to the village from here, let alone be safe there without being to explain what had happened to her.

Zarya's words made Lucian flush a little with embarrassment. His head bowed at first as he tried to think of what all to tell her, but he did eventually speak up. "He wasn't always like...this..." He started, lifting his gaze. "I mean he was never the best father, least of all to me, but at least he used to care about his people. I don't know what caused him to change, or even when it first happened. He just started talking about a seer one day. He didn't say who they were, where he met them, or let anybody see them. That was when he became obsessed with power, always talking about it, wanting more, wanting to protect ours from others, and the like. He talked about it so much that we all just sort of...got used to it. I mean it was all just talk and all for show...until the dragons." He shook his head as he bowed it, shame welling up within him and making his face flush.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Zarya looked up from stirring the pot.

“I do not know of your father but I would think every parent does the best they can with the knowledge they do have. They’re also people who can be influenced. It just seems like… maybe he’s lost his way. This seer. It sounds like he is taking advantage of your father for his own purposes.”

She stopped to taste the stew and nodded, reaching for the bowls that sit by the fireside. She filled one and handed it to him.

“Forgive me. I speak out of ignorance. I do not know of the situation.”

She smiled slightly and gestured to the bowl.

“Eat while it’s still warm.”

She glanced out of the entrance of the cave.

“It’ll get much cooler soon. We should eat and then sleep. We should find the first temple sometime tomorrow before the sun is high in the sky.”

She sat cross-legged at one side of the fire and ate her bowl of stew and wondered just what they were going to run into.

“Prince Lucian? Do you have any idea of what to expect in our first temple?”

 

[Lucian_Devine]

"I think you're right..." Lucian started softly, flicking his gaze upwards for a second before taking the bowl Zarya offered him and continuing. "...or at least I'd like to think so." He paused for a long time then, just staring at the ground before finally speaking once more. "The seer told him about a ritual that would give us the power to change the world. It sounded crazy, but we weren't allowed to meet the seer. So all we had to go on was the word of my father. He sent us after dragons, not one, not two, but ten, ten specific dragons, the largest of each race." He swallowed hard, but continued. "People resisted of course, but he was the king, and soon enough, ten-thousand men were dispatched, one-thousand for each dragon. It took less than a full cycle of the moon for it to be done, and over five-thousand casualties, but the job was done...

Lucian lifted his blue gaze then, his eyes filled with sadness as he sought out Zarya's gaze. "The ritual did what my father said it would do, just not how any of us imagined it. It turned a mirror into a portal, a literal portal. Nothing happened at first, besides the portal itself, which slowly grew in size. The day after it was formed though, we met the seer, or what claimed to be a seer. It was a demon, straight out of a nightmare, ten feet tall, skin as black as death, claws like knives, teeth like daggers, and blood red eyes."

When Lucian finished his story, his eyes slipped closed as he bowed his head once more. "Some men fought after that, charging at the demon. Other men fled, but the result was the same, a public execution. I stayed long enough to eavesdrop on my father and his seer talking. They spoke of temples, elementals, and champions, with the demon demanding to know if they'd been found or identified. The champions of the elemental temples seem to be the only thing the demons fear. I didn't truly comprehend everything they were saying, but I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. I fled after that, fled and came here." He picked at his food, eating slowly. "You ask if we'll see more of my father's men, and the answer is almost assuredly yes. It probably won't be here, and probably won't be tomorrow, but if they fear these temples and their champions as much as they claim, there will be soldiers looking for the temples and spies in towns looking for me. As for the temples themselves...your guess is as good as mine. I didn't even have think they were real at first, just another part of fantastical stories we tell children to inspire them."

 

[DarkWarrioress]

She silently listened as Lucian spoke and held her thoughts to herself.

Dear Mother. What have you gotten me into? I pray you chose the right warrior for the job.

When the prince had finished speaking, she leaned forward to stir the fire and spoke softly.

“Thank you, Prince Lucian. Now at least, I have a small idea of what we are going into. Deposing this demon will not be easy. By any means. I’m not even sure just the two of us is enough and he must be destroyed or sent back from where he came from. Hopefully, what ever we find in these temples will help us do that.

Your father had a good intention, I think. He just got corrupted by a demon. A clever one at that. However, I have learned that it takes many nations to change the world for the better. One man can not do it himself and certainly not with the aid of a demon. They are vile, evil creatures that will corrupt you and hopefully, if we can destroy him, whatever power he has over your father will be lifted. For now, we should sleep.”

Her blanket lay rolled up not far away. Reaching for it, she settled it on the ground, tossed another log on the fire and nestled down on her blanket for the night. Zarya glanced across the fire.

“Good Night, Prince Lucian.”