The Sword of Roses (IC)

[DigoDragon]

Abigail looked the body over. "Yes, he's wearing one. This what you wanted?"

She lifts the crown from the elf's head and holds it up. It was made of polished jade, with sapphires adorning the front. The stones began to glow a hazy blue. Did you even have that feeling like you were being watched? The sapphires seemed to be staring at Chaarix. Staring with... malice.

Abigail does not appear to notice this. Or if she did, she is not reacting to it. She looked at the bag. "I bet that blasted elf used up some of the potions, but most of the ingredient pouches seems intact. Mother will be happy to get it back."

[Miltonian]

Chaarix loops one claw around the crown and collects it. "So that's how you're supposed to wear it," she muses. She holds it up and stares right back into the sapphire, unperturbed. She is a dragon. Let it watch, for all she cares. It's just a crown. With a sigh, she stows it in her bag.

"Well!" she declares, "This has been a very productive night. But it is, well, night. As much as I would love to test my night-flying abilities, I don't think I could make it back easily without seeing the ground. You know, since I've never been in this land before today. Soooo... is there a cave or something I can bed down in for the night around here?"

[DigoDragon]

Abigail scratches at her nose and looks around. "Ehh... no nearby caves that I know of. Not until you get really far south to the cities. I suppose you could rest in the ruins here, but I wouldn't. Feels like it's haunted by something..."

She points to the north. "We could circle back to my home. It is dark, but there will be some torch lights from the farms we pass. I think I can figure out the way to my place. We have a barn you could probably sleep in. Better than a musty old cave, if you're willing to risk flying."

[Miltonian]

Chaarix considers her options. She eyes the spooky ruins and decides it's not the best place to spend the night. She slowly nods and says, "Alright. We will return to your village, then. Gather what you will from these bodies and..." She pauses. "On second thought, what all do they have on them? Anything valuable?" An image of gold coins and enchanted swords flashes through her head. Her very own hoard of gold, just like father's. Had to start somewhere.

[DigoDragon]

"Not much," Abigail says. "The elf has a purse of... 50 or so coins on a guess. Nothing on the others unless you like musty old clothes. Guess they lost most of their gear running from some big beast in the woods. Can't imagine what it is."

[Miltonian]

"Well," Chaarix says, reaching for the pouch, "Since I killed the elf and was your ride here..." Oddly enough, she does feel a need to justify her actions to this human. It is not a feeling she is used to. She doesn't like it. However, she also doesn't want to destroy the human for making her feel it. All in all, it is a very odd experience.

If Abigail does not protest, she snatches up the coins and stuffs them in her bag.

[DigoDragon]

Abigail does not protest. She gives Chaarix the coins without an issue... except...

"So, what do dragons spend coins on? Or do you just make a big pile and sleep on it?" she asks. Abigail seems ready to leave if Chaarix is.

[Miltonian]

"Spend them?" Chaarix repeats, horrified, "Spend them? I am not going to spend them! Once you've spent them, then they're gone. But when you have them, well...just having them gives you a sort of power. Yes, gold may not be inherently magical, but it has more power than the mightiest wizard. Enough of it can topple kingdoms and make armies turn on themselves. Gold is power! And that is why we keep it, because we are powerful."

And right after that speech about power and her designs for it, she lowers her shoulders to allow Abigail to claim back on.

[DigoDragon]

Abigail seems confused by the explanation, but she doesn't argue. She hops up on Chaarix's back.

"If I had that much gold, I could probably buy an army and conquer a nation... but at the moment I just have a few copper pieces on me after I bought lunch. What about pillows? Do you collect soft things? Or do you just like the feel of cold metal?"

[Miltonian]

"My scales are harder than your toughest armor," Chaarix says, spreading her wings and taking to the sky, "Rock, metal, pile of hay, 'pillow', none of it feels all that different. Even stone is softer than my hide."

She's enjoying this, this sort of showing off. Letting a human know just how superior she is to their entire race. Hmm, perhaps she can find a whole group of followers after this whole thing is over and done with. Yes, that sounds like an excellent idea. Maybe a prince or princess from a neighboring kingdom, who can spend all day telling her how great she is.

[DigoDragon]

Abigail points the way back, studying the treeline carefully to figure out where the pair are.

"How about friends? I'm guessing you don't have many? I mean probably not among us humans. Most either run off in fear or think they can fight one. But honestly you are the first one I met. Guess if I were normal I'd be the running type."

[Miltonian]

"Ah yes," Chaarix says over her shoulder, "I believe I met someone else from your village, though he was more the 'fall over and tremble uncontrollably' type."

She lets herself glide for a few more moments. "We are both long-lived and few in number," she says, "In all honesty, few see the point of making friends with anyone who cannot survive for at least two millennia."

[DigoDragon]

"I see. That must get lonely," Abigail remarks.


She points down to a pair of red buildings near a village. "That's home. The bigger one on the left is the barn. You can rest there. No one goes in, so you shouldn't be bothered. I mean, if you want to stay and rest."

[Miltonian]

Aurelia lets herself glide down towards the barn, trying not to cause too much noise with her wingbeats. "Lonely?" she repeats, "Why would it be?" It is an intriguing thought, though. What would it cost to interact with some non-dragons? She had heard tales of dragons having entire towns or tribes serving them, though had not personally seen any.

She sets down right in front of the barn and looks it over. "Interesting," she says.

[DigoDragon]

Abigail quietly unhooks the latch and opens the barn door. "I don't know... just seems like... well, not having anyone to talk to would get maddening, wouldn't it? Or maybe that's a human thing since few other races bother building little towns to congregate in."

She gestures inside. "We don't have any animals staying here right now. Just make yourself comfortable and I'll figure out how to get you some food."


The barn was modest, but definitely large enough for Chaarix to move around. There were empty pens to one side, large piles of hay everywhere, some ropes hanging on the far wall. Wasn't much to look at. Abigail lit a lantern and set it on a hook above her. She watched what Chaarix was going to do.

[Miltonian]

"I have others to talk to, when I wish," Chaarix says, "I think it's a human thing you're talking about, though."

She steps inside the barn and looks around. However, she does glance back at Abigail and say, "If I wake up with a net over me and a band of humans trying to capture me, I will take it very personally, you understand." Warning given, she sits down along one edge of the open space in the middle and lets out a yawn. "Ah. What a day."

[DigoDragon]

"If anyone tries to net you, they'll have to go through me first. I'll be right back with something for you to eat."

Abigail takes her leave, closing the bard door, but not locking it. Though the door could probably be easily kicked open by a horse, so it posed no challenge in either state. The lone lantern light flickers with a dull intensity. The only sounds outside were the chirping of crickets.

It wasn't long when Abigail came back. Just a few minutes. She carried a sack with her when she returned. The human opened the sack and dumped three freshly dead chickens in front of Chaarix.

"I hope this will work for you. I couldn't think of anything else that wouldn't cause suspicion. Might even do us a favor to thin the stock a bit. We been getting a lot of foxes and wolves lately."

[Miltonian]

"Foxes sound tasty," Chaarix says. She tosses one of the chickens up and catches the whole thing in her jaws. Razor sharp teeth tear into the carcass and eviscerate it, turning it into small enough chunks for the dragon to send down to her iron-sided stomach. She swallows and lets out a satisfied sigh. "Any chance of getting one of them?"

Chicken number two gets the same treatment as the first.

[DigoDragon]

"You'll have to hunt the foxes yourself, unfortunately. I'm no hunter. Just a mad woman with a big hammer." She doesn't seem perturbed by Chaarix's eating habits.

"I should return my mom's things and get something to eat myself. Are... are you leaving in the morning?"

[Miltonian]

"I had planned to," Chaarix says. A grin spreads across her face as an amusing thought occurs to her. "Why? Are you worried that you're going to miss me?"

The last chicken, worried about the fate of its brothers, decides to investigate their fate and joins the other two in Chaarix's belly. It is not the most filling meal. She would have preferred a whole cow. However, it is something at least. She'll spend most of the next day hunting and gorging herself until she can hardly fly.

[DigoDragon]

Abigail scratches her ear, considering her response. "Well... guess there's no reason for you to stick around. I'm sure you have things to do... what was the crown worth, by the way? Is it part of your big treasure hoard?"

[Miltonian]

"Something like that," Chaarix replies, unwilling to discuss the full details, "But come now. You didn't answer my question. You're going to miss me, aren't you?" Her grin turns slightly teasing, almost friendly even.

[DigoDragon]

"Yeah, I think I will," Abigail finally admits. "It isn't every day you meet a dragon and actually get to talk with them."

Abigail gets up to leave. "Well, I'm off for dinner of my own. The townfolk here get up at sunrise to tend their crops. Stay on the east side to the woods if you need to go out for anything. Just, um, don't eat anyone's cow."

[Miltonian]

Chaarix just grins. "No worries," she assures Abigail, "Your cows are safe from me." Well, probably. There were plenty of good animals to eat out in the forest, right?

If that concludes their business, Chaarix will bid Abigail goodnight and go to sleep.

[DigoDragon]

Chaarix dreams of whatever she wishes. She is not disturbed by anyone overnight, but sometimes it feels like someone hides in the shadows and watches her. However, all the searching in the world yields nothing. Probably just an unfamiliar place she is sleeping in.

Morning comes, and Chaarix is refreshed. The sun has not quite peeked the horizon, and none of the villagers are out yet. If Chaarix wishes to hunt, now is a good time for that.

[Miltonian]

A new day dawns! All bright and teaming with promise. Chaarix wonders what it will bring.

First things first, she checks her bag, ensuring that the crown and everything else is in its proper place. Assuming that it is, she gently nudges the door open and takes a look around, making sure she can slip away unnoticed.

[DigoDragon]

The contents of the bag remain unchanged from the night before.

The only thing Chaarix can see wandering outside are chickens and a pair of cows that appear to have gotten out of their pen. No humans sighted.

[Miltonian]

Right. Perfect, then. Chaarix is feeling very cocky and pleased with herself. She defeated the elf that gave her father such trouble. She reclaimed the crown in one day. Let's see the others top that!

With no humans in sight, she quickly takes wing and starts heading for home. Along the way, she intends to hunt, but she can both travel and hunt at the same time.

She will have to remember this village, though. Perhaps she will come back and 'kidnap' Abigail one day. That could be fun. For now, though, she needs to eat and she needs to return the crown to her father.

[DigoDragon]

From her vantage point above, Chaarix spots only small wildlife out and about-- some wolves, some foxes... bite sized morsels but if she can catch a few of them it could do as a light meal.

[Miltonian]

Foxes! Chaarix licks her lips. Too small for a full meal, but she wanted to try one of them. Her eyes focus in on one and she dives down! If it tries to run, she will fry it with lightning. After all, the faint aftertaste of burned, electrified flesh is quite exquisite, at least by Chaarix's standards.

Delivery can wait until she's had a fox.