Between Heaven and Earth [Gladis & StainedCrimson]

[Gladis]

Honestly, René had half expected the dragon to laugh at him. Instead his request was met by a rolling shrug and… agreement. His heart skipped a beat, and he felt slight tinge warmth he couldn’t quite explain. It was kind of like getting drunk, minus the numbing buzz that came with it. As he raised his head to look at Lan, there was a strange combination of relief and anxiety written all across his face. Relief because now he knew he wouldn’t have to face it on his own – anxiety because he still had to face it, and knowing that made him nervous. Even so, the corners of his lips pulled into a warm smile.

 

”Thank you,” he said softly, picking up the bowl which he’d only been poking at nervously up until that point, ”for not making fun of me,” because surely, anyone else he knew would have, ”a-a-and for agreeing to help me out.” His cheeks flushed bright red, and before he could say or think anything else, he shoved a spoonful of porridge into his mouth. Why he felt so embarrassed he didn’t quite know. Perhaps because the thought of getting naked with Lan still was enough to make his heart race – only now that he was sober he felt a lot more self conscious about it. Or perhaps it was because he kind of liked it, even though he was plenty aware that he wasn’t supposed to. Although perhaps the knowledge of that only added to the excitement.

 

As he finished his meal, René was only half listening when Lan informed him of his plans for the next two days, and the answer to the dragon’s question almost came quicker than René had time to process it.

 

”Later is fi-” he cut himself off mid sentence, his gaze dropping to his lap. No, later was no good. His mind was made up now, but if he kept putting it off chances were he would change it again. He knew it was better to get it over with as soon as possible – before he lost the courage he’d worked so hard to build up. So he shook his head. No matter how much his inner coward wanted to put it off, later just wouldn’t cut it. ”No… now is better! I think... I-if you don’t mind, that is.” He got up, his back straight, chin raised and hands behind his back. Putting on a brave face, gave a firm nod of his head.

 

”I am ready!” Then his entire posture collapsed, folding in on itself as he added a bit less confidently. ”Presumably…”

[StainedCrimson]

Lan raises an eyebrow at the other's shifting mood but nods. "Very well then, let us go." The dragon stands and takes their dishes to the kitchen for cleaning later. "After you are done, should you feel up to it, perhaps you might get started on the library." He suggests idly remembering the other promising to do such for him and that René had been very excited about the task. The dragon figures that the other may just need reminding of something positive to make this slightly more tolerable.

 

Thinking on it brings a question back to his mind. "Do your people not regularly bathe?" He asks honestly curious about the other's culture. Granted Lan bathes a little more frequently than some, a culture difference due to his more sensitive sense of taste and smell, but most others still practice frequent bathing practices and will do so about every two or three days.

 

Soon they reach the bathing area and once more enter the small chamber with the hot water. "Be mindful to get out if you get too warm. I hear it is possible to faint from getting overheated." Naturally the dragon has no such concerns or worries, but his concern would be the opposite. Were he to get too cold for too long he would be at risk of dying from his inner flame going out.

 

Lan stands to the side as the other undresses and holds out his hand towards René while making their way to the bathing area. Being mindful of making sure his sleeve is pulled back, the dragon moves with the other to minimize impediment of movement but lets the smaller male hold on as long as needed without complaint or comment. Once done teh dragon assists René out of the bath then lets motions him to follow. "It makes no sense to get clean then dress in dirty garments. While your clothing will not be done for some time yet, I will keep the chest here for you to use until then. Just be mindful of washing and drying the clothes properly."

 

He pauses with a tilt to his head. "I believe there might be a book or scroll that details care for different fabrics in the library somewhere. Otherwise the next time we go to town you'll have to ask the tailor."

[Gladis]

René expression lit up at the mention of the library. He smiled, eagerly nodding his head. ”I would very much like to do that!” He said, trying – yet failing to contain the excitement in his voice. When asked about his people, however he paused, a slight frown crossing his features. ”Of course my people bathe regularly!” He said, appalled by the idea of not doing so at all. ”Just not every day. Once a week will generally suffice, although if necessary it’ll be more than that. As a child I would often run off in search of bugs and such, and come home covered in mud and dirt. Needless to say I was made to bathe quite often. Although according to my sister I was not nearly as bad as my brother in regards to that…” he trailed off as he realized that they had reached the bathing area.

 

He swallowed hard, his gaze fixed on the steaming hot spring as he tried to gather up the courage. He fumbled with his clothes, and it took him a bit longer than usual to get them off entirely. Even so, he did not complain this time around, and once he was done gratefully accepted Lan’s hand. He took a deep breath.

 

The moment he felt the hot water close around his foot, his grip around Lan’s hand tightened considerably. For a split second it even appeared like he was about to pull back, but then his second leg followed, and then the rest of his of his body. By the time he was sitting down, he was no longer clinging to just Lan’s hand, but pretty much his entire arm, eyes squeezed shut and his chest heaving and falling rapidly.

 

Yet the dreaded panic never came.

 

Hesitantly he opened his eyes, glancing about as he slowly but surely calmed down. As he did his grab of Lan loosened, although he never let go entirely. As it turned out, it wasn’t so terrible after all. Instead of panic he felt shame and embarrassment, his cheeks burning bright red as a soft, nervous laughter slipped past his lips. How stupid of him, to be scared of something like that. How dumb…

 

René allowed the dragon to guide him back out of the water, wrapping himself in a towel as he listened to the dragon speak about clothing. He nodded his head slowly to show that he’d understood.

 

”T-thank you,” he said softly, before addind, ”A-and I’m sorry. For all the trouble I have caused you…”

[StainedCrimson]

At the information that once a week bathing suffices for René's people, the dragon snorts while tossing his head back. "It is amazing your kind aren't anymore backwards than they are." He sniffs derisively but over all is pleased that his efforts to at least briefly distract the other had worked. "Though after all those daily bathes one would think that the habit would have stuck." Lan mutters to himself while shaking his head in bemusement.

 

Throughout the bathing for the other, the dragon watches René. Yes, part of it is to be prepared to pull the other out should the smaller male start panicking and risk drowning himself, but mostly the dragon is enjoying watching the light and water play about the other's form. He almost finds himself hypnotized by the sight until hearing René laugh snaps him out of it.

 

The dragon feels no shame for having all but leered at the other though. For him it is natural to appreciate beauty, and he has already told René that he is attracted to men.

 

When thanked and apologized to, Lan rolls his eyes. "If pulling you out of a river after you fell from your transport wasn't an indicator of how much trouble you'd be, I'd think I would have learned by now just from you falling into little mud puddles." He replies in a dry and sardonic tone while waving off the other's words. "Besides, is it not the responsibility of those with means and knowledge to assist others? Down here may be brutal and backwards to you, but there is a beauty to it."

 

He leaves the other to move the chest then holds out a mid-sized book to the other. "This goes over local fauna if I remember correctly. You will be assisting me with food and the like in addition to organizing the library. Considering I'd rather not get poisoned or rush you off to a doctor due to you eating something by mistake, do try to familiarize yourself with what's in it." The dragon drolls out in a dry tone before leaving René to get dressed and go do his own tasks.

 

Once outside the cave, the dragon shifts and begins his hunt. Launching himself from the mountainside, the large wings snap open and pull him up high on the air currents as he begins to circle outwards. Before he settles in on the hunt, however, Lan heads out to edges of his territory to survey them as he circles back. Due to his guest he can't observe his entire territory in one go just yet, as that would take several days or a week, but he can at least go over sections at a time until then. Today he goes with the southern portion. Outside of satiating himself with several deer, that he burned to a delicious crisp with his fire, little happens.

 

On the way back he kills two of his favorite boars and another deer. Gathering them up in his claws, and one in his jaws, the dragon heads back so that the kills can be cleaned, skinned and the meat properly stored while the hides are dried. Though the boars tusks make for wonderful jewelry or materials for various potions and the like. Settling down near his cave, he calls out after setting the bodies down. "René, do you by chance happen to have skills related to skinning or carving meat?"

 

While not overly hopeful, the dragon would appreciate the assistance with getting the task done quicker should the other have the abilities.

[Gladis]

René could tell the dragon was watching him. Although it helped with making him feel safer, it was also made him more self conscious. So perhaps his embarrassment was not solely tied to the shame he felt over his own actions. Even so he didn’t complain or ask the dragon to look away. He was hesitant to admit that he even kind of liked it. After all, who doesn’t want to be appreciated? He’d already established that he enjoyed having the dragon’s attention. Perhaps there were better ways of getting it than whatever he’d tried to pull last night.

 

”Perhaps…” he agreed, with caution. Although the dragon’s suggestion that those with power and knowledge should assist others was a morally sound idea, it wasn’t really how the world worked. At least not where he was from. People wouldn’t lend you a hand unless they had a reason to. So either you were born to success, or you had to work really hard to get it yourself. Usually a combination of the two. Not many were of the mindset that just because you could help someone, you should. It was often preached, yes, but how many actually lived by it? Not many, René figured. Especially not amongst the upper class. Even so, the dragon was right. There was a beauty to it.

 

Almost as soon as he’d finished getting dressed, he noticed Lan was holding out a book to him. Lighting up almost instantly, he accepted it, beginning to flip through the pages as he listened to the other speak.

 

”Understood,” he said, and there was a note of excitement in his voice. ”I will make sure to study it thoroughly, so that I can be of help in the future.”

 

René did exactly that – spending a good part of the day huddled up by the firepit, book in hand. Again he found himself wishing that he had his notebook, because even though his memory was excellent, some of the information was deserving of a highlight. Perhaps he would ask Lan for ink and paper upon his return.

 

It was only when the dragon called out his name that René realized for how long he’d been sitting there, and how tired his eyes had become. His back ached and as he stood up, a kind of gross, tickling sensation traveled through his leg, to his foot. He grimaced, cursing himself for having sat on it too long. Nevertheless he headed towards where the voice had come from, limping until the unpleasant feeling subsided a few seconds later.

 

”Unfortunately, I do not.” He answered as he turned the corner. ”But I am willing to learn.”

[StainedCrimson]

Lan huffs as he shifts back to human form. "Just what skills do they teach you?" Shaking his head he motions for the other to follow him. "Very well, I see it is up to me to teach you then. First we need to get you a knife to skin them with." Going into the kitchen he finds the item the dragon was looking for and hands it to René hilt first. "Here. Be careful, it's very sharp." With that they go back out to the three beasts that the dragon had caught and brought back for them.

 

"Alright, we don't want to do this right at the entrance so follow me." Shifting back he grabs the three bodies and takes them some distance away and near a tree that has obviously been set up for what they are about to do. "Now then, watch carefully." The dragon meticulously goes through the process of blooding, removing the organs, and skinning the creatures to get the pelt off as intact as possible leaving behind the skinned body. "Now, this next part depends on what you intend to do with the body. This one I'll be putting on a spit and roasting for tonight's meal." He indicates the boar he has just finished using to show the other the process.

 

"As such it will remain this way. The others will be carved into sections so that some will be smoked, others salted, and some wrapped and stored for another day." While not anything like what the other may have, there is a section in the kitchen area that stays well below cold and can be used to store perishable goods for some time. A natural ice box of sorts. "The parts we remove will go in there to be be broken down into compost." He waves at a large dark pile that is made of various plants and dirt.

 

Lightly shaking one hand to clear off a few spots of blood, he turns to René. "I will go and get this set up on the spit as it will take some time to cook. Start prepping the next animal but wait for me before doing more than blooding it." With that he picks up the boar's body and heads back to set it up, and coating the flesh in a mixture of honey, herbs and spices. That done he goes back out so that the two of them can finish with the rest of the food so it can be dealt with and stored. After that the dragon will wash up before settling in for the night minus tending to the roasting meat.

 

Once the other animals are dealt with and the meat brought back into the cave, Lan shows the other where in the kitchen to put the meat depending on what they're doing with it. At the back of the pantry is a door that leads down to the natural ice box that has some slabs of meat on hooks and wrapped in a wax paper already in it, but they are closer to the door than where they put the fresh meat. "Always use the meat closest to the door first, and put the fresh meat further back." He states simply. The smoker and salting spots are near each other given little instruction other than when to tell it's time to remove something from the smoker.

 

Once the tasks are done he gives a small huff of approval. "Good. I'm going to wash before starting supper. The boar will take until morning at the earliest due to the size. You are free for the evening." With that the dragon heads off to wash off the blood, and after returns to the kitchen to begin making a simple dinner of meat and vegetables with some round pieces of bread.

 

After they start eating, the dragon looks at the other. "I will be going out to start looking for herbs and the like tomorrow. Are you joining me, or are you staying here?" He asks not really caring either way. Eventually the other will have to go to learn and assist, but it is not an immediate concern to the larger male.

[Gladis]

Learning how to blood, skin and gut game was a lot more difficult than René had thought. And also kind of gross. As someone who wanted to be a doctor, he knew he couldn’t afford to be squicked out by this sort of thing, and yet he couldn’t help but feel a little disgusted. Although he’d sort of known what the process was like, theoretically, he’d never actually witnessed it – much less been asked to participate. This was a butcher’s work – a job far below the status and dignity of a highborn nobleman. Even so he did not complain, trying to hide his feelings of discomfort as he carefully payed attention to what Lan was doing.

 

Despite his best efforts, René knew he must have looked incredibly pale when suddenly the knife was pushed into his hands and he was told to blood the second animal. Perhaps that was why Lan had told him not to attempt anything else and honestly – he was perfectly fine with that.

 

Needless to say, René felt a great sense of relief when finally it was all over. Being told that he had the evening off was even better, so whilst Lan was busy preparing dinner, René decided to begin undertaking the one project he’d longed to start all day – organizing the dragon’s library. Sure, he hardly had enough time to get anywhere with it. Before he could start organizing the library, he needed to know what was in it, so most of the evening was spent browsing the leatherbound volumes. Even so, it seemed that spending time around his element had a revitalizing effect on him. By the time dinner rolled around, he seemed to be in a much better mood.

 

Even so, Lan’s question had him hesitating for a moment as he considered his options. Staying meant he could spend his time working on his library project. That said, he’d already spent all day cooped up in the dragon’s lair – some fresh air would probably do him good. Besides, it would also give him an opportunity to put the knowledge he’d accumulated from Lan’s book to the test. The library could wait. By the looks of it, he wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon anyway.

 

”I would like to come along, if it isn’t too much trouble.” He said, having come to a conclusion. Then he paused, as though suddenly recalling something. ”Oh, I have a question. While browsing your collection, I found several volumes written in a strange language I couldn’t recognize. You wouldn’t happen to know what they are?” It would be difficult to find a fitting place for them if he couldn’t even tell what they contained, after all.

[StainedCrimson]

Lan nods and continues with his meal. He had wondered earlier if the other male was up for living down here when going so pale as they took care of the meat. "Good. There is a general unspoken rule down here, outside of strength survives. It is 'one who doesn't work, doesn't eat' more or less. Though it really is more of 'survive to live, live to survive'." He frowns and tilts his head. "I suppose a literal translation doesn't quite work." The dragon shrugs and goes back to his meal feeling as though the point had been made. Should the other expect to continue to survive, he needs to contribute in order to earn his meals, and since the organization of his library is more as gift in return for saving the other it doesn't really count.

 

When asked the question about a strange language, the dragon tilts his head again. "I have numerous languages in there. If they're not in the higher shelves then they might be Draconian or Arachnian. Though they could be something else, but those are the two most likely." He has books from about every culture due to inheriting some from his parents, and then gaining some as tribute or collecting them on his own. "I would have to see them to tell you for certain which language they are in."

 

After they are done eating, the dragon stretches with a yawn. He needs to clean up before heading to bed for the night. "We will be leaving early, a few hours after dawn." Lan states while gathering up their dishes and heads back to the kitchen to begin washing up from the day. After everything is washed and drying, he checks on the boar that is rotating on it's own and adds more glaze to it before heading into the cave to sleep. Having a guest is much more work when that guest is so helpless and lacking in manners. Still, the dragon muses he is a pretty thing.

 

Come morning the dragon is up early to get ready to leave. He gathers a travel sack that has several compartments in it for various herbs and such to go into, as well as a basket for vegetables they may find. Strapping the basket to his back, the dragon intends to have René in charge of. Going towards the front he wonders if the other is ready to leave yet or is still asleep. The dragon stops to check once more on the boar and deems it close to done which means it can go in the large smoking room for some additional flavor and storage until they get back.

 

After he moves the meat, he gathers some travel foods for them so they can eat on the go. "It is time. Are you ready?" He asks upon entering the front cavern. Once the food and pack are handed out, as well as a water container, the dragon leads the way out and down into the forest. Due to the early hour there is still mist and dew clinging beneath the trees lending an air of mystique and otherness to the land. He guides the other deep into the forest where the trees are tall and thick, with the underbrush allowing for an almost carpeted amount of thickness. "We will begin here. Take whatever edible items you find, but leave at least a few of each herb or plant you find so that more can grow."

 

Instructions conveyed, he turns to his own hunt while keeping an eye and ear on the other. Not much should trouble them at this hour, but it is best to be cautious regardless.

[Gladis]

It seemed it would still take some time for René to get used to life amongst the dwellers down below. Although some things were reminiscent of what he knew from home, most of them certainly weren’t. Having to work for one's own survival made sense – that was often the case even amongst the sky dwellers. Born into a highly privileged family, even that was concept René understood in theory, yet had little experience with himself.

 

The dragons response in regards to the foreign scripture was less than satisfactory, yet logical all the same, so he let it go. At least for the moment. It seemed the sky dweller still had plenty to learn and could in fact barely contain his eagerness to do so. Unfortunately for Lan that meant being bombarded with what seemed like a never ending stream of questions. It wasn’t until they finally went their separate ways to tuck in for the night that René finally managed to shut up, his head spinning with all kinds of new thoughts and ideas.

 

It was perhaps because of this that René found it difficult to fall asleep, spending the better part of the night tossing and turning on his makeshift bed of blankets and pillows. Or perhaps it was the growing feeling that something wasn’t quite right, that something was off – yet if he’d been asked about it, he wouldn’t have been able to provide an answer as to why.

 

So he lay awake, watching the light of the flames dance across the ceiling and the shadows that formed within. Every now and again they would seem to take on vague shapes that almost seemed to resemble people in their form. René liked to imagine that they were throwing a festival of sorts, brimming with joy as they danced to the tunes of their pagan songs. Nothing like the fancy parties his family would throw to entertain their fellow nobles, but wild, raw and mysterious in its very nature – and utterly enthralling all the same. A relic of a long lost past, predating human existence and of which the meaning had been lost yet the power it held remained.

 

René couldn’t tell for sure when he fell asleep, yet at some point he must have. He was woken up by the sound of the dragon’s voice, asking him whether he was ready. René blinked, heaving himself into a sitting position whilst sleepily squinting up at the dragon.

 

”Is it morning already?” He asked wearily, stifling a yawn as he ran his fingers through his messy, dark hair. ”It almost feels like I have not slept at all…”

 

Despite his complaints, René was surprisingly quick to get up and ready to leave. As they stalked through the forest he did his best to keep up and not to repeat his blunder from the other day, though he seemed uncharacteristically quiet. Perhaps he still wasn’t entirely awake, or perhaps because his mind had wandered elsewhere. That is not to say that he had spaced out completely. Once they arrived at their destination he nodded his head and almost immediately set to work, using the knowledge he had gained from studying Lan’s book the day prior as a guide for figuring out what was edible and what was not. If nothing else, he was finally given a chance to put his excellent memory to use.

 

Occasionally he would stop to linger for a moment, taking the time to study a plant more closely. He was fascinated by how they differed or resembled the plant life he knew from home. Even so he would never linger for too long, wishing to spare himself the dragon’s dry commentary.

[StainedCrimson]

Every now and then he glances back at the little sky dweller to make sure that he's within the dragon's sight and faring alright with the task. After some time he spots a few of the rarer plants and takes a few, roots and all, but still leaves a fair number to make sure more grow. "Be sure to take a few roots and all of any rare plants you come across." He calls out before they spend a little longer at the area.

 

"Alright, that's about all we'll take from here. We have another place to go for some different items as well as possibly some fruit." He states wiping his hands absently before shifting and leading René deeper into the woods. The trees seem to grow ever larger and fill the place with a sense of timelessness, but also otherworldly as the morning mists begin to dissipate in the morning sun. Eventually they reach a glen of sorts that almost looks like at some point it could have been an orchard as there are a few fruit trees scattered, but there are numerous berry bushes and other items.

 

Lan looks around and nods in approval. "Be careful around here, there are a lot of hidden dangers but that's why the harder to find items do well here. Do not hesitate to ask any questions you may have." Stepping further into the surrounding foliage, the dragon begins his hunt for more specific foodstuff and healing items. "After this we will head back to the cave for lunch."

 

After getting confirmation from René, he settles into his own hunt but every now an then checks in on his charge. As his bag nears bursting, he decides that it's time to head back. However, when he looks back at where he last saw the other male, he's much further out than the dragon expected to see him wander. Frowning slightly, he starts over to let René know that it is time to head back. That said he also acknowledges that the sky dweller is an adult and able to make his own decisions. Lan has warned the other of the dangers, and it is up to René to learn and experience the good and bad for himself.

[Gladis]

René was so caught up in his task that he hadn’t even noticed how the distance between him and the dragon had become significantly larger. By then his basket was filled to the brim with various herbs, fruits and even nuts – some of which he recognized from home and some of which he had only learned the names of the day prior. It was only when the inevitable happened and he tripped over a particularly gnarly root, dropping the basket in the process, that he realized how distant what had looked like an abandoned orchard had become – only barely visible behind the foliage and the trees.

 

Groaning at the typicality of it all he immediately got back on his feet, ignoring the mild pain in his left knee. At least the basket had landed the right way up and only a little of its contents needed to be gathered back up. Yet just as he was about to pick it up, something bright red and small came dashing out of the bushes, snatching the basket from him.

 

”Hey!” René yelled, immediately setting after the creature. ”That’s not yours, give it back!” Yet small as it might have been, the creature possessed the agility and speed that René definitely lacked. The only reason he eventually managed to catch up was because of the cascading river ahead, apparently too wide and violent, even for the agile thief to cross.

 

”Wait a minute! Don’t… run…” René too came to a halt, bending over as he tried to regain his his breath. Glancing up he managed to get his first good look at the thief, and what he found had him genuinely surprised.

 

It was a vaguely human looking thing, taking the shape of a young girl. Yet her skin was bright red and a pair of tiny horns extended from her forehead. She was dressed in rags that were dirty and worn out and her hair, thick and white as newly fallen snow was messy and in serious need of a good brushing. Her eyes were yellow and sharp, nervously flitting between between René and the river, clearly trying to figure out the best way out of there.

 

The very moment René tried to take a step towards her, she showed her teeth and hissed. They looked considerably sharper than anything that would be considered normal on any ordinary human being. It had him hesitating for a moment, wondering whether trying to get the basket back was really worth it. It was only then that he noticed the dark stains on her rags and leg. Blood.

 

”Calm down little one, I’m not planning to hurt you…” he said, keeping his voice gentle and soothing as he took another step towards her. She eyed him suspiciously, protectively tightening her grip around the basket that was almost as large as she. Not only was she quick and agile, it seemed, but also strong. ”You are hurt, are you not? If you let me have a look there is a chance I would be able to help ease the pain…” he took another step towards her, and though she remained suspicious she showed no sign of aggression. So he took another… and another, until he was close enough to see that she was covered in bruises. He frowned but said nothing, dropping to his knees to put himself at just about her height.

 

”So, what do you say?” He asked softly, ”will you let me help you?”

 

She hesitated, watching him carefully. There was a look of fear and uncertainty in her eyes and René was almost certain that she would take off at any moment now. Yet much to his surprise she nodded her head instead, reluctantly setting the basket down. René noticed, much to his dismay, that a fair amount of its contents had been lost on the way, but decided to ignore it for the time being. Instead he smiled at her reassuringly.

 

”I am René Caldwell, but you can just call by my first name. What would you like me to call you, little one?”

 

Again she hesitated, taking a moment before answering his question in a small, reluctant voice.

 

”I’m Hana…”

 

”Nice to meet you, Hana. Well then, how about you start by showing me where you’re hurting the most?”

 

Grasping hold of her dress she lifted it slightly to reveal her knee. The wound didn’t look very deep but a good part of the skin had been broken, making it look a lot worse than it actually was. His guess was that she’d probably fallen and scraped it somewhere. Even if it was far from lethal, if left unattended it would most likely end up becoming infected.

 

”That’s not too terrible. Why don’t you take a seat over there,” he pointed a fairly large, fairly flat rock by the river’s brim, ”so that we can get it cleaned, okay?” She did as she was told and René followed, removing his shirt so that he could tear it to pieces. He was sure that Lan would be annoyed about it, but with how clumsily he’d moved through the forest it had already kind of gotten beyond saving.

 

”Hold still now. This is going to hurt a bit but it’ll be much, much worse if we don’t do it, alright?” With cloth and water he carefully dabbed it as clean as it would get, kind of wishing that he’d have some alcohol available to disinfect it. Well, he’d just have to make do with what he had.

 

Even though René could tell that Hana found it unpleasant by the way her entire body tensed up, she neither neither nor complained, gritting her teeth in stubborn silence. Once he was satisfied with his work he stood up, heading over to his basket which he began to search until he found the right herb. It was a long, round leaf, which he placed against her wound before wrapping another piece of fabric around her leg to keep it in place.

 

”All done,” he said with a smile, ”what a brave little girl you have been.” For the first time since they’d met she seemed to smile back, even if it dissolved into a frown just as quickly.

 

”I’m not little!” She insisted, with the sort of earnesty only a child can muster. ”I’m all grown up!”

 

René arched an eyebrow. ”Oh, is that so? As far as I’m aware grown ups don’t go stealing other peoples baskets though.”

 

At that she fell silent, her yellow gaze dropping to the ground.

 

”Why did you try to take my basket?”

 

”... ’cause I was hungry…” she mumbled, keeping her gaze locked on the ground, her little feet dangling back and forth over the edge of the rock. ”And you looked like an easy target.”

 

At that René couldn’t help but laugh, running a hand through his dark hair. ”Well, I suppose that assessment was not entirely wrong. But you know… you could just have asked and I would have shared some of it with you. People tend to get upset when you just take what’s theirs. It is considerably better to ask first.” He got up, heading back over to the basket to take out an apple and some nuts, which he in turn handed to the little girl. ”There you go. Now you don’t have to steal.”

 

”Is this really okay?” She asked wearily, squinting up at René uncertainly.

 

”Considering you already spilled half of what I’d gathered whilst on the run, I will have to start over anyway. One apple more or less will hardly matter.”

 

This time she grinned. ”Thank you!”

 

René smiled and nodded, although his thoughts had already moved on as he glanced around somewhat nervously.

 

”... Where are we even? I was so busy trying to keep up with you that I completely forgot to pay attention to where we were going…”

 

Already having wolfed down her apple and nuts she slid down from the rock and pointed behind him.

 

”This way!” she said confidently, tugging at the leg of his trousers.

 

”Alright, alright,” he laughed, picking up the basket before letting her guide her through the woods. It really wasn’t very far, making René wonder how the hell he could have gotten out of breath so quickly. Before long they were back where they’d started, and although it was a relief to see Lan again, that only lasted until he realized he would probably have a lot of explaining to do.

 

"Do you think there's maybe enough lunch for one more?"

[StainedCrimson]

Lan frowns when he sees the other take off, yelling at who knows what on the way. Letting out a soft sigh he stays close enough to where he can shift and rescue the other if need be, but otherwise spends his time picking up the items dropped during the chase. When René finally comes back, the dragon gives him a flat expressionless look while holding the items retrieved in the pouch made by holding out the end of his top.

 

When asked if there was lunch for a guest, Lan's gaze shifts to the small red-skinned child. "I do not bring unknown strangers to my home. Supposed child or no." He states factually. The only reason René was brought to the dragon's cavern is that he clearly poses no threat to the dragon, as well as once he had pulled the other out of the water he had become responsible for the sky dweller. The fact that the dragon found the other attractive and a curiosity didn't hurt either.

 

He continues to stare at the little being next to René. "I do not know why you thought to steal from what is mine, but you shall be held accountable. As he wishes to feed you, you shall take over his task of gathering herbs, plants, and edible foodstuff to match what you spilled while René makes lunch." Verdict given, he dumps what he has re-gathered back into the other's basket before turning to continue his own search now that things are settled.

 

After a few steps he pauses, commenting idly while looking slightly to the side. "Do not wander off again René. I caught the scent of some very aggressive and dangerous species nearby. If you drift too far then something far more dangerous than a hungry thief may grab you." Warning passed, the dragon once more continues to walk and search until called for the meal.

[Gladis]

Lan was not pleased. One did not have to be particularly observant to understand that much. The flat expression and Lan’s rigid movements as he extended the pouch with the dropped items to René made this clear enough. Yet even if it it was not completely unjustified, it far from meant that René had to like it. That was no way to speak to or about a child!

 

Understandably the little girl flinched as she was chided by the dragon, her grip on René’s trousers tightening as she half hid behind him. Letting out a very audible sigh, he gently placed his hand on her head.

 

”He won’t hurt you, so you needn’t be afraid. However, he is right to be mad. What you did was still wrong and you ought to apologize for it.”

 

Hana hesitated, if only for a moment, before taking a step forward and hanging her head guiltily. ”I’m sorry I tried to steal from you, master Lan. It won’t happen again.” She neither argued nor complained when Lan gave her the task of regathering what she had spilled, accepting the basket from René without protest. That came as a relief to René, as he now had an entirely different problem to deal with. He’d been told to cook but… how exactly? The boy had never made a meal in his life. That was a task generally relegated to the kitchen staff. He wanted to tell the dragon as much, but by then Lan had already turned his back on him. When the dragon stopped a moment later to warn him about the dangers lurking nearby, whatever concerns René had about cooking were like forgotten. He gulped, and if the youth hadn’t looked pale enough before, he certainly did now.

 

”Understood!” He called, only to slap himself on the forehead a moment later. Crap, he thought, I forgot to ask about the cooking! But then he reconsidered. ”Oh well,” he muttered, ”how hard can it be? Surely I will figure it out as I go along.”

 

When little Hana returned about half an hour later, the basket fuller than it had ever been under René’s administration, she scrunched up her nose disapprovingly.

 

”What are you doing?” She asked, heading over to where René had managed to make a small fire, over which he enthusiastically stirred around in a pot. ”It smells terrible.” That was true enough. For some time now already, a horrible stench had settled over the grove. That however hardly seemed to discourage René, who simply grinned up at her proudly.

 

”I’m cooking!” He declared, but that did little to convince her.

 

Sceptically Hana peered over the edge of the pot, but then she almost wished she hadn’t. She wasn’t quite sure how he had managed to mess up that badly, but the purple goo that blubbered and swelled inside looked anything but edible.

 

”It’s a good thing you’re pretty.” She noted, leaving the obvious implications of her comment unspoken.

 

René’s cheeks flushed bright red, his hand coming to a sudden halt. ”Oh? You’ve got quite the smart mouth, haven’t you?” He looked at her, arching an eyebrow. ”I don’t believe a child that has to steal other people’s food to survive has any right to complain.” He raised the stick he’d used to stir around the pot and pointed it at her, managing to splatter the ground with droplets of purple goo in the process. It made a sizzling noise, and strange smoke began to rise from where it had made contact with the fallen leaves and undergrowth. ”Not unless you can do better.”

 

She glanced between René and his horrendous concoction, before, as a way of answering his challenge, dropping a trio of dead rabbits at his feet.

 

”You’re lucky I wanted to make it up to you and master Lan.” She sniffed, taking the pot off the fire. Although it should have been hot, she didn’t even flinch. ”Do you know how to skin them?”

 

René nodded vaguely. At least he could manage that much! He had payed attention to what Lan had taught him the day prior, after all.

 

”Good. Then stop gawking and start working. I had better get rid of this nightmare before it ends up killing someone.”

 

So whilst she disappeared between the trees to empty out the pot, René set to work with skinning the rabbits. He made quite the clumsy job of it, and ended up damaging the hides in the process, but at least he got it done, so that when Hana returned with a clean and empty pot, she could show him how to properly roast them over the fire. Before long the disgusting stench had been replaced by something much nicer, and René’s mouth watered at the mere thought of biting into the supple rabbit flesh. It was then that he came to realize that something didn’t quite add up. He looked at her wearily.

 

”... if you know how to catch and cook rabbits, why did you feel the need to steal?”

 

Silence. Her lips visibly clamped together, her gaze remaining fixed on the rabbits.

 

”Hana-”

 

”I think they’re good now. You had better fetch master Lan before they burn.”

 

”...” He watched her silently for a moment, letting out a deep sigh before rising to his feet. Glancing around, he wondered wherever Lan had gone off to, before spotting him a small distance away.

 

”Lan!” He called, waving his hand as he broke into a small run in his direction. ”Lan, lunch is ready!”

[StainedCrimson]

Lan watches the pair out of the corner of his eye for a time, but once satisfied that they were going about their tasks sufficiently, puts his focus on his own. Some things he's looking for require being dug up as they grow in the dirt. He had left all the easier and obvious plants and such to René while going after the more dangerous or difficult ones himself. This of course means his haul isn't as large, but holds more value.

 

Although, when he starts catching whiffs of whatever René is making for dinner, he drifts further out and begins to feel concerned for his own safety. After awhile the smell seems to go away which causes the dragon to breathe a sigh of relief before going still as he looks around. A low rumble which slowly gets louder as Lan begins to growl as he looks around for the source of what he's sensing. Right as René runs towards the dragon, a geyser of earth, dirt, and even a few trees go flying into the air.

 

A loud roaring screech fills the air as the debris rains down. As the air clears a large creature that seems some sort of mockery of a mix between a worm and mole wriggles in the air, teeth snapping while the small flipper-like claws scrabble in the air. Snarling Lan tosses his pack of items to the sides while roaring back an answering challenge. Lunging and shifting mid-motion, soon has the dragon and creature locked in a fight that causes vibrations large enough to shake the trees and rolls the ground. Though the fight is very short-lived as Lan's greater size and strength allow him to pin the creature down before the large jaw locks around and rip out the other being's throat creating a torrent of blood. Roaring in victory he then blasts the weakly wriggling form with fire until nothing remains moving.

 

Jaws snapping shut end the river of flames, though some flare out the side of his jaws briefly. Thankfully outside of the body little else has caught fire and after tossing a few clawfuls of dirt around, those small fires are put out. Snorting, smoke billowing out from his nostrils, in satisfaction Lan shifts back and re-gathers his pack.

 

Turning he goes to head to the René and the child, when he spots the other far too close to where the fight had gone down. Walking towards the sky dweller, he merely shakes his head. Upon reaching the other, he doesn't pause as he comments while passing. "The dangerous creature has been dealt with. Let us go eat." With that the dragon soon reaches the fire and settles down on one side.

 

While waiting for his portion of lunch, he stares at the child that has randomly joined them for the day. "Now then, I think it is high time you explain who you are and why you attempted to steal from us." He stares down at the child, clearly less irritated now, but still not pleased or particularly calm.

[Gladis]

As the distance between René and Lan grew smaller, the human began to notice a low rumble. At first he made nothing of it, but as the ground beneath him began to quiver and shake, he came to a staggering halt.

 

”Uhm, Lan, what’s go-” he was cut off mid sentence, when suddenly the ground between him and the dragon seemed to break apart, spraying dirt and vegetation in every direction as a creature unlike anything he had ever seen, large and gross and terrifying, pushed its way to the surface. For a while René almost thought his heart was going to lurch straight out of his chest, and he found himself scrambling to get out of the titan’s fighting range. Although he managed to avoid being squashed or trampled, he did not entirely manage to escape the spray of blood that followed Lan’s finishing bite. Not that René could even be bothered to care. His heart continued to hammer wildly in his chest even long after it was over, and it took him a moment to process everything that had just happened. It was only when Lan spoke to him in passing that he snapped out of it, although he still wasn’t sure whether he should have felt thrilled or terrified by what he had just witnessed.

 

In the end, the former won out.

 

”Bloody hell!” He exclaimed as he followed Lan back to the campfire, his expression filled with something aking towards childlike wonder, ”that was amazing!” then he added a bit more calmly, glancing down at himself. ”But also kind of gross…” He looked like an utter mess. With how covered in dirt, soot and monster blood he was, no argument in the world would allow him to escape the bath tonight – that much René could tell for sure. Although at this point he honestly felt so gross that the prospect of not bathing almost seemed scarier than actually doing so.

 

It seemed that René wasn’t the only one who had been taken off guard by the fight. Hana’s gazed upon the dragon with awe and wonder, her hand quivering slightly as she handed him the spit with the largest rabbit. Yet upon being spoken to by the dragon she froze, a look of hesitation crossing her features. René had half expected the same cheeky attitude she had given him, but it seemed that Hana was smarter than that. Instead she pointed towards the hills that were only just visible where they rose above the trees in the distance.

 

”My name is Hana and I’m from the Black Swamp clan. As you may know we used to reside beyond the hills but…” she swallowed hard and for a moment it almost looked like she was about to cry. She didn’t. Instead she took a deep breath and bravely pulled herself together. ”I didn’t mean to steal from you, master Lan,” she said. ”I didn’t know that he was yours.” She nodded towards René.

 

”Because I’m not…” he muttered under his breath, but she ignored him.

 

”I was so hungry, a-and because that creature was lurking around I couldn’t scavenge or hunt properly. Wherever I went it would follow, you see.” She went silent for a moment. ”... And since the human looked like such an easy target... I… I’m sorry… ” she hung her head, and had her skin not been so red, René swor he would have seen her blush with shame.

[StainedCrimson]

Lan also ignores René's outburst. Sooner or later the sky dweller will realize that so long as he lives with the dragon and utilizes his protection, then that means to all those concerned that René is his, even if not in the capacity that the other seems to assume it means. The fact that this causes a pang of disappointment in the dragon is ignored. The other had already expressed how same gender relationships were a taboo where he came from.

 

Instead, the dragon focuses his gaze on the red-skinned child and takes the rabbit. Slowly and methodically he tears off chunks to eat waiting until the child has finished. "I see. While it is true that he is an easy target, you or one of yours should have contacted someone to come assist with this pest. They are not something I wish to encourage in my lands." The beasts are pests. They devour and destroy pretty much anything they can catch to try and appease their voracious appetite. Thankfully large ones are incredibly rare. "Now you say you 'used' to reside over the hills... Does this mean your people are no longer there? If not, where are they. You will take us to your family or leader after we finish our meal so that what has happened here, both your attempted theft and death of the creature, can be relayed."

 

So the dragon says as his rabbit is nearly gone, due to of course his ability to be unaffected by high temperatures, but doesn't appear to be in a big hurry to rush the other two. "Before we go, I want to know if any other of those creatures have been seen around here or any other pests that I should know of." Since he's out here he might as well take care of them if there are. Otherwise he's ready to go back home and put this whole thing behind him.

 

Once everyone has finished eating, Lan gathers up his items and helps put out the fire. Everything in order, the dragon motions for the girl to lead the way. At this rate he'll already have to fly himself and René back to his cave as it's getting late.

[Gladis]

”...”

 

There was an awkward silence, and René could see that the girl did not want to answer the dragon’s question. Her bottom lip wobbled, and her yellow eyes reflected the sort of pain and horror you would never have expected to see in a child. Her sharp nails dug into the supple meat of her rabbit as she desperately tried to hold back tears. One did not cry in front of a dragon, it seemed.

 

”They’re gone,” she finally managed to press out, her voice thick with emotion, ”mama and papa, all the adults and the other children. They’re all gone. I don’t know why, or how. I was out gathering berries, and then I heard screams and I got scared, so I ran away and hid. W-when I returned home the day after everything was in ruins and they had all disappeared. Something must’ve happened because they wouldn’t have left otherwise. They wouldn’t have!”

 

No matter how hard she tried to be brave, she couldn’t stop the tears from coming. They spilled onto her cheeks, her hands quivering as she held onto the rabbit. No wonder that she’d mistrusted him so at first, René thought. For all she knew he could have been a culprit responsible for her family's disappearance. Seeing her cry like that hurt, and he found himself wanting to comfort her somehow.

 

Laying his half eaten rabbit aside, he laid an arm around her, pulling her close as he gently rubbing her back. ”It’s okay…” he murmured soothingly, waiting patiently for her to calm down. Eventually she did, sniffling as she wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

 

”Mama said if anything ever were to happen to them, I should go to my aunt in Azmarin, b-but… I don’t know how to get there…” she admitted somewhat sheepishly.

[StainedCrimson]

Lan stares at the child as she finally tells the truth and begins to cry. When the girl finally calms down and admits that she has other family, but no idea how to reach them, the dragon snorts and tilts his head back. "Let this be a lesson. Be honest and upfront from the beginning. Had you done so, you would be with your at by now." The dragon's tone is stern, but not harsh as he speaks to her. "Now, finish your dinner. Is there anything from your home you need to pack or retrieve?"

 

If she does then it'll give Lan and René time to return to the cave to deposit their collected good before taking the girl to her living family. The situation is convenient as the dragon had gotten correspondence from a friend there who had asked him to visit a few weeks back. The unexpected arrival of René has pushed back his plans to go, so this works out for his him.

 

"Now then, with the creature gone you should be able to get back safely to pack some clothes and such. We will meet you in the morning at your village to take you to your aunt." Lan states standing up and motions for the other two to do the same after they finish eating. Shifting, he takes care of the fire and scoops up René and their bags. "Tomorrow." The dragon states staring at the red-skinned child with one eye. Waiting until he gets agreement, Lan spreads his wings and takes them back to the cave so they can prepare for the trip.

 

Once back, he sets the other down and shifts so that he can put things away first and then pack. "Either help me with this or begin packing. I would say pack for about two weeks." They may or may not stay that long or longer, but it is best to prepare either way. Without waiting for a reply, he goes to put the herbs out to dry and put other things away as needed. The meat that has been roasting is then cut up with some being packed for the trip and rest put in cold storage. Only then does Lan go back to wash up before packing a few things himself.

 

Come morning, Lan prods René to get up and ready as they go to gather the child and head to Azmarin. Settling on the edge of the village the dragon sets down the sky dweller and waits for the child to appear.

[Gladis]

Hana nodded her head in response to the dragon, to show that she had understood and would keep it in mind for the future. However, when asked if there was anything she needed to retrieve she shook her head instead, the tangled white curls bouncing around her shoulders. Just watching her made René frustrated, as he felt the desperate need to sort them out, and give her a good bath while he was at it.

 

Goodness, he found himself thinking, Is this how my dear sister Olga used to feel about me?

 

Still, Lan had stated his feelings on the matter, and it was clear that the child would not be coming back with them to the dragon’s lair. Needless to say he felt weary about Lan’s methods, but he also didn’t feel that this was the right time to argue. ”Will you be alright, all by yourself?” He asked, to which she responded by reaching out a greasy hand to gently pat him on the head.

 

”Don’t worry. I can take care of myself,” she said, ”I’ve managed so far, after all.”

 

René couldn’t really argue with that, and so it was settled. Once they had all finished their meals and said their goodbyes, he was picked up by the dragon and carried back to the lair, where he helped Lan sort their findings in their respective places, before heading off to pack as he had been told.

 

As he huddled up on his makeshift bed of pillows and blankets later that night, he once again found that he had a hard time falling asleep. This time however, the reason was far less obscure. As a lay awake, thinking of everything that had transpired the last few days, his mind kept drifting off to a very specific event – the hot spring. No, it wasn’t so much the hot spring in itself, as it was the things he had thought and felt in that moment. How seeing Lan naked had made his heart beat faster, and how he had felt but suppressed the urge to touch him. How he had actually enjoyed being looked at like he was worthy of being appreciated, and how deep down he desired more.

 

René knew what those feelings meant. He had always known, and it terrified him.

 

Normally he could just ignore it. He never attended any of the physical activities, and avoided the academy’s bathhouse like the plague – only ever using it when he had it to himself. Most of the time he was hidden away in the library, his nose buried in a book and his mind dreaming itself away to whatever world he was currently exploring. He didn’t need to think about these things when he was a famous explorer on yet another adventure, or a brave knight setting out on a quest to save the kingdom from a vicious beast. He didn’t have to worry about the rumors, about being teased or accidentally ruining the reputation of his family. He didn’t have to be afraid.

 

But here? Here things were different. Suddenly he was forced to face a part of himself he had spent so much time and effort trying to forget. He couldn’t just run away and hide, because there was nowhere he could go. It had been a long time since he’d ever felt so alone.

 

That night, René cried himself to sleep.

 

The following morning René looked even worse than he had the day prior, and he found himself desperately wishing that they could postpone the trip. However, Lan seemed set on that they would go, and he also didn’t feel comfortable leaving the child alone any longer, so he got up and ready without much complaint. If he had survived almost drowning in a lake, he would survive this too, he decided.

 

Even so he only felt half awake as the red little child appeared out of the woods, her hair even wilder than before. She was hugging what looked like a doll to her chest.

 

”I’m ready to go,” she said, with a respectful nod to the dragon.

[StainedCrimson]

Lan tilts his head slightly as he eyes the child's single possession that she chose to bring with, but says nothing. Instead he gathers her up so that both her and René are cupped between his large front paws, and spreads his wings. Soon they are taking flight and gaining altitude, the sight visible between the cracks of his talons as the forest begins to shrink beneath them as the dragon goes higher than when he took the sky dweller to the nearby town. Keeping an eye out for any sky dweller vehicles like René had been on, Lan soon reaches the lower level clouds and begins to fly away from the mountains that he calls home.

 

Being mindful of the two he's carrying, the large dragon doesn't go as fast as he is able to fly and stops after a few hours so that they could break for lunch and take care of any necessities. After the quick lunch Lan gathers them back up and takes off once more. After another hour or so, the beginnings of a large body of water can be seen in the distance and soon after that it is apparent that it is no mere pond or lake. No, this is the ocean and on its shores spreads a large coastal town that is clearly bustling as sounds and the smell of salt reaches them well before they land.

 

Lan flies over the town, however, instead of landing before it. He heads to a fairly large dwelling near some shorter cliffs and set down in a large empty hill. After setting the two down, the dragon shifts and stretches a bit before leading the way to the building. They are soon greeted by petite but pretty female who bows.

 

"Greetings Master Lan. My master is currently in town but I can show you to your room and get you some refreshments while you wait."

 

Lan gives a small nod and smile. "Thank you Pria. I will also want accommodations for this one," he motions to René "as well. The child will have food with us but then I will be taking her to her family." The woman bows and turns to lead them into the house. The abode gives off a sensation of being airy and light, though also of movement due to the curving lines that seem to mimic waves and currents.

 

When they reach René's room, Lan turns to her. "You are welcome to stay with either him or myself while here. I will be going to wash before we eat." The dragon looks over his two companions. "I would recommend the same for you both." Hana is given mere moments to consider her choice as Pria is soon leading Lan to his own room further down the hall.

 

Once inside Lan goes to a basin and rinses his face before going to where some clothing is kept for his visits. Seeing the changes within the dragon snorts in amusement. "Cheeky as always." He mutters but is soon dressed in a slim toga of shifting colors that seem to resemble the dragon's scales when in his other form. After brushing and re-braiding his hair so that it hangs over one shoulder, he goes to gather René so that they may eat and drink before taking Hana to her aunt.

 

Pria greets them with a bow and at a low-sitting table with cushions around it there are several dishes with fish and other sea creatures. Lan sits down and begins to eat using a utensil that looks a lot like a fork except with only three prongs, like a mini-trident of sorts. "Now then, any idea on where you aunt lives within Azmarin?" He asks while taking a bit of some crab.

[Gladis]

As soon as he was given the chance to do so, René grabbed young Hana by her wrist and pulled her along into his room. It was small but cosy, with just enough room for a decently sized bed, a wardrobe and a desk with a chair. The window was large to let in plenty of light – a nice change to the usual dimness of Lan’s cave, he decided. Everything was white, cream colored or blue, and the doors to the wardrobe was covered in a beautiful mosaic with marine motives. René found that he quite liked it, and so did Hana, her eyes wide in wonder.

 

Sitting Hana down on the chair by the desk, he did what he’d been aching to do ever since he’d first laid eyes on her – sorting through the birdsnest that rested atop her horned little head.

 

”Ow!” She exclaimed as he attempted to untangle a particularly vicious twig, ”that hurts!”

 

”And it shall keep hurting unless you stop moving about!” Was René’s somewhat frustrated response, although although he did try to go about pushing and the pulling a bit more gently. Hana endured it bravely, breathing a large sigh of relief when finally all the leaves and the branches and the knots were out.

 

”That is better,” he said with a nod of his head, evidently satisfied with his work. ”Come, let us wash up. We can hardly present ourselves to the master of the house like this now, can we?” He asked, gazing meaningly at the girl’s ragged ragged appearance.

 

Hana looked down at herself, her cheeks becoming a darker shade of red. ”But I haven’t anything else to wear.” She admitted somewhat sheepishly, and René could tell that she was embarrassed.

 

René’s lips pulled into a smile and he reached out to give her a gentle pat on the head. ”Worry not, little one. I think I have an idea.”

 

And so he did. Once they were both clean and René had changed into something a little more presentable – a green tunic with a lovely floral pattern and a pair of airy white trousers, he dressed her in one of the smaller shirts, tying a sash around her waist to make it appear more like a dress. Then he set to braiding her hair, fastening a ribbon to the end of both pigtails.

 

For once René was enjoying himself thoroughly. He had always liked to fuss these kinds of things, though his brothers and classmates had teased him for it.

 

”See?” He said with a smile as he ushered her in front of the mirror, ”Now none would even dare to imagine that you spent so much time alone.”

 

She gazed at her reflection in wonder, grinning as she twirled around, pulling gently at the yellow fabric of her dress as she did. ”I look like a princess!” She exclaimed elatedly and René couldn’t help but laugh.

 

”Like a princess indeed.”

 

It was then that Lan came to fetch them, and they were shuffled off to what René could only assume was the dining room. It had the same welcoming, homely air to it as his bedroom, he decided, although the pale matts that covered the floor and the low table seemed rather odd. The large slide doors had been pulled aside, allowing the room to be bathed in the warm light of the afternoon sun. Pearl white sand stretched out in dunes beyond them, melting into the azure blue of the waves lapping at the shore.

 

René had never seen anything quite like it. It was beautiful – much prettier than it had looked from above atop an airship, and he found himself momentarily lost in the view. Only when Lan spoke was he reminded of that they were seated at a table, and admittedly supposed to eat.

 

Hana shook her head in response to his question, just about to say something when the doors to the hallway slid open and a man swept into the room. At least, René thought he was a man. He was tall – although not quite as tall as Lan, and fairly slender though toned of frame. His finely carved features were soft, and his pear white hair that almost seemed to resemble feathers fell in soft waves down his back. Patches of sparkling purple and blue scales poked out from beneath his loose, dark blue outfit, and he had an air of regal elegance that could only be outmatched by the dragon himself. Yet whereas Lan kind of reminded René of an eagle – fierce and majestic, this man was more like a swan. He was very beautiful in a strange, non-human sort of way, and suddenly René felt awfully dull and plain – the way you usually do when you’re surrounded by a bunch of incredibly beautiful people.

 

Seashells, colorful beads and little rings of gold had been laced into his feather like hair, and they chimed softly as he moved. The man’s fiercely blue eyes traveled between Lan, René and then finally their unexpected guest, his lips quirking into an amused, rather interested smile.

 

”My, my, how peculiar...” He mused, gently placing a hand on Lan’s shoulder. He must be very close to the dragon, René decided – almost a little enviously, if he was allowed to casually touch him like that. ”You told me you’d be bringing a guest, but who’d have thought he was a sky dweller,” As he spoke, he elegantly dropped down onto the matt beside Lan, though his gaze remained firmly locked on René. It made him nervous, and he found himself looking everywhere except directly at the stranger. ”Oh, but I could hardly blame you for it,” he mused on, ”he’s quite the pretty little thing. Just your type, isn’t he?” He laughed softly, playfully nudging Lan in the side before turning his attention back to René. ”What is your name, boy?”

 

René’s cheeks blazed bright red, and he nearly choked on the piece of tuna he’d timidly been chewing on. He coughed, covering his mouth until he had managed to recover – feeling as embarrassed as he looked.

 

”R-René. René Caldwell.” He stutter out awkwardly, his jade green gaze dropping into his lap, still not quite daring to look at the beautiful stranger. He was sitting so close to Lan, as though it was the most natural thing in the world, and for some reason it was making René’s heart race.

 

”Well met, René. I am Nagi,” he introduced himself, before allowing his gaze to drop on Hana. She was busy stuffing her face with fish cake, though she froze the moment she realized she was being watched.

 

”And what have we here?” Nagi spared Lan a sideways glance, his smile widening slightly. ”This is new, Lan. I never took you to be the nurturing kind. Who is the child?” He asked, still very clearly amused.

[StainedCrimson]

Lan glances up when his friend touches his shoulder, but soon refocuses on his food and allowing the other to continue his perusal of the unexpected guests. "It's not as though I have many visitors Nagi, so I'm not sure just who else you'd think I'd bring with me." He comments after finishing the portion in his mouth as the other sits down, though he feels slightly irritated when Nagi looks a little too long and closely at René.

 

When asked about Hana Lan snorts, a small bout of light grey smoke signalling minor annoyance, is let out. "While not nurturing, nor am I cruel. However," The dragon pointedly looks at the sky dweller. "her presence here is due to that one. He allowed himself to be robbed and then formed a bond with the child. Since her village was destroyed by that pest" faint bits of black smoke signaling an emotion closer to anger, escape from Lan's nostrils this time. "she mentioned having a relative here that we will be taking her to shortly."

 

Before the other can start off more questions or hounding him for details, he picks up a sweet and stuffs it in Nagi's mouth the moment it opens providing the opportunity. "Let me eat in peace you busybody." He growls without any heat or true weight to it, signalling his comfort and familiarity as well as begrudging acceptance that Nagi is his own force of nature and not all that bothered by the dragon's rough temperament.

 

Shifting his attention back to the child, he tilts his head in contemplation. "Speaking of, it might be best to send her word that your here. I'm sure Nagi can spare someone to send your aunt a message if you can tell them her name, description if you know it, and any indication as to where in the city she lives." The dragon sets a hand on Nagi's arm as he offers up the other's resources for use.

[Gladis]

Nagi’s silvery eyebrows came up in a quizzical arch, and it seemed like he had been about to say something when Lan interrupted him by stuffing a sweet into his mouth. A soft chuckle rumbled in his throat, a smile twitching on his lips, and though it barely seemed possible he was leaning even closer to Lan.

 

”Oh, come now,” he laughed, ”you’ve missed me, really.” Nagi leaned up to place a playful kiss on Lan’s cheek. In that very moment René’s hand slipped, the strange fork-like utensil he’d been holding burying itself deep into the tender meat of his tuna. It was only a kiss on the cheek – nothing to get worked up over, and yet…

 

”Aunt’s name is…uhm…” Hana scrunched up her face in a way that made it clear she was thinking very hard about it. ”I think it was Mona. She’s red, like me, and has long black her she keeps in a tight knot. She always wears a very strict expression. Like this!” Hana pushed together her lips and narrowed her eyes in an attempt to imitate her aunt.

 

It was more enough to distract René from his feelings of mild irritation, as he was trying very hard not to laugh.

 

”Oh!” Hana added, as though she’d only just realized, ”And I think one of her horns is broken. If I remember correctly.”

 

Nagi paused, thoughtfully tapping his chin as he tilted his head to the side. ”Hmm… Your aunt, she wouldn’t happen to run a small textile shop, would she?”

 

”She does!” Hana exclaimed, her entire face lighting up. ”How’d you know?!”

 

Nagi smiled softly, gathering his robes as he rose to his feet and turned to look at the maid. ”I happen to be a big fan of her textiles. Pria dear, would you be so kind and send Mrs. Kumasawa a message, please? Once you have finished eating, I suggest we take you there at once.”

 

And so they did. The walk to Mrs. Kumasawa’s shop wasn’t far, but with how crowded and windy the cobbled roads were it took quite some time to get there. Hana was skipping at René’s side and they were engaged in lively conversation, although every now and again René would steal a jealous glance at Nagi and Lan.

 

It was a runuinon that involved a lot of hugging and crying. Not only Hana’s aunt was there, but her parents as well. It turned out that though they had tried to find her, they had eventually been forced to flee without – seeking refuge with one of their close relatives. Both had believed her to be dead, and were ever so relieved to find that their daughter unharmed and well, expressing their everlasting gratitude to the dragon and his retinue.

 

By the time all formalities had been exchanged and farewells had been said, the sun was already on its way down – bathing the pale streets of the coastal town in a warm, orangey pink light. It was absolutely breathtaking, and so unlike anything he had ever seen. It was strange, almost dreamlike in a sense, and René found himself completely mesmerized by the view, glancing around in wonder as he followed behind the other two. A pleasantly warm breeze caressed his skin and tugged gently at his clothes and hair, and the noise of splashing waves and seagulls crying in the distance filled the background. It was… nice, and for a while René completely forgot about his earlier discomfort.

 

As they were approaching Nagi’s home, René gathered the courage give Lan’s toga a gentle tug, looking to have his attention. ”Uhm…” he asked shyly, his cheeks flushing bright red, ”uhm...would it be alright if I went on the beach for a bit? I-I… I’ve never been so…”

[StainedCrimson]

Lan nods his head and accepts the family's thanks and gratitude as well as informing them that the pest had been killed should they decide to return to their former home. On the way back through the town, he lets out a soft sigh of relief as dealing with this kind of attention was something he liked to avoid while on vacation. In his own territory he accepted it as a necessary part of his duties, but otherwise preferred to be left in peace.

 

As the sun begins its descent, the dragon keeps an eye on René in his periphery so as to make sure the other doesn't wander off and get into yet more trouble. When his clothing is tugged, Lan stops to look at the other and blinks upon seeing the flushed face of the sky dweller. It was... appealing and the dragon finds himself considering licking one cheek to trace along the reddened skin. Hearing the tentative question snaps him out of his odd thought, however. With a faint frown he looks up at the sky in thought for a moment. "It should be fine. It's not that late yet, but you should stay close. For someone like you nighttime near the ocean could be fairly dangerous."

 

That decided he looks at Nagi. "Will you be coming with?" After receiving his friend's answer, the dragon begins to lead the way down to the beach. Thankfully there's a nice cove close to the other's home so the stop isn't completely out of the way. One of the benefits of living on a cliff near the ocean he supposes. Finally they reach the beginnings of the beach where the white sand begins to blur the edge of the town with the waterfront. Soon they are passing through the dry shifting sand into the slightly more firm damp sand.

 

After walking along the shoreline for awhile, Lan finally stops. "This should be fine. Be sure to not go into the water too deep if you decide to go in." He cautions while looking at René. Looking up at the sun he seems to debate for a bit before giving a slight dip of his head as if coming to a decision. The dragon then takes off his shoes and removes his top, folding it and laying it on top of his discarded shoes, then stretches before settling down to lay in the fading sunlight using the shoes and his shirt as a pillow.

[Gladis]

René’s face lit up as Lan agreed to taking him to the beach. He nodded his head in response to Lan’s warning, excitement written all over his features. ”I won’t go far!” He promised, thinking that he wouldn’t have dared anyway. The experience of nearly drowning in the lake had instilled in René some serious respect for large bodies of water. Although he no longer feared the mere touch of it, it still made him feel a little nervous. Even so he very much wanted to know what the beach looked like in this sort of light from below, and he found himself walking slightly ahead in his eagerness to see it.

 

As they came up upon the cove, René was met by a sight that could hardly be called disappointing. White sand that glowed in the warm light of the sinking sun stretched out before them, beyond which ocean sparkle in varying shades of orange, pink, yellow and blue.

 

”It’s beautiful!” He exclaimed in pure wonder, unable to take his eyes off the shifting waves as they walked along the shore.

 

Nagi laughed softly. ”This can’t be the first time you’re seeing the ocean, is it?”

 

René shook his head. ”No, but… it looks so different from above.” That was true. The ocean may have appeared vast from the airship, but from down there it seemed to almost be never ending, stretching eternally towards the horizon. It was a sight that allowed his imagination to run wild, causing his mind to reel with excitement.

 

When they came to a halt and Lan settled down, René too discarded his shoes and pulled up his trousers to his knees. His head dipped into another nod as he was once again cautioned, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he watched his toes move in the sand. It was a strange feeling. Sometimes rough and sometimes smooth, but always pleasant.

 

”Not to worry, si- I mean Lan. I will be careful.” As he turned around and took a tentative step towards the water, Nagi settled down beside Lan, watching René with a certain somber thoughtfulness.

 

”He kind of make me think of a rabbit,” he noted after a rather lengthy silence. By then René had gotten far enough to feel the waves splash against his shins, and was excitedly stepping around, ”small, cute, vurnerable and timid. Would probably die from loneliness if you left it alone…” Nagi chuckled softly, drawing up his knee to lean against, shooting Lan a sideways glance. ”You do realize you won’t be able to keep him here forever, right?”