JesterLavorre

“Dawn. My last name was rendered irrelevant when I was Declared. I am sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier. It seemed as if you already knew who I was. I apologize for my arrogance.”

“Our great leader Lorena has requested my presence here, and after that I will be traveling back to our homeland with her to keep her safe in her travels.”

“Honored to meet you, Olivier Boudreaux. What business do you have at the tri-border?”

“I am heading the same way. We will see if our paths split. And, until then, I will be honored to have you by my side.”

“Yeah. Just got here. It’s cool in some ways. But... not so cool in others. I think you understand that part. I just wish Queen Moorhen had never been forced into the war.”

“No one is just anything. Where are you headed, citizen?”

“I’m fine, now.” Ara’s a really bad liar, and this is very obviously a lie.

“No, I think that’s fine. He was just lurking around there kinda suspiciously. He was also blue, but I think that’s just a normal Skywing thing.”

Fen laughed. “Got it. You know, don’t tell anyone else I told you this, but I think there’s a Skywing over there whi’s doing something he’s not supposed to be.”

Realizing the man was Zarakovian, Dawn knelt down next to him. “None was taken, citizen. Don’t be afraid of one who only serves your country.”

“Oh, great! That makes things easy for me. Well, for today, here’s some meat. Uh... I’m not sure what it’s from.”

“Apologies accepted.”

Dawn grunted at the man, but made sure to walk in front of him through the door, as was traditional for one above him in rank. Really, all these people were below Dawn, being traitors. She had some pity for them. They were just brainwashed by their rebellious nations. Still, that was no excuse.

“Fen.” Seeing his apprehension at the food, she offered “Hey, what do ocewings like to eat. Maybe I could get something better for you tomorrow?”

Nothing was fine. She had thought she could just do the right thing at every turn. Help where she was needed. And everything would work out. That everything would be fine. That everyone was good, deep down. Maybe they still were. This had been the elf’s home. They were just protecting it. You could do a bad thing for a good reason, right? It was a thin thread, but Ara clasped onto it. Avren’s voice pierced through Ara’s mind. He wanted to help her. He wanted to. She could hear it in his voice. But Ara couldn’t let that happen. She was the one who helped people. She wouldn’t be a burden to these people like she had been to Shalli and Hayl. Ara pushed the doubt, the fear, the worry to the back of her mind, curling it into a seething knot. It wasn’t enough, but it let her stand, putting on a perfectly neutral face for Avren. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Let’s go make sure everyone is all right.”

Ara arrived at the bottom of the hill too late to stop the violence. She watched in horror as the graceling tore through the fray like a hurricane. Fire burst outward from the elf, throwing men into the air. “No, stop fighting.” Ara’s voice was small and insignificant in the fray. She broke down. She couldn’t hold it in anymore. Falling to the ground, she just stared. She couldn’t accept it. No. The world couldn’t be this dark, this cruel. It couldn’t.

Dawn arrived resplendently at the tri-border building. Back in her mail, a red and gold cape billowed behind her in the wind. She hoped she looked inspiring. That was what she was meant to be. An icon and a guardian to the people. Well, maybe not these people. Dawn glared over at the colony leader ahead of her. “Blue”, she thought she heard his name as. He would be one of many to submit to rightful Zarokhavian rule. She marched into the grand building to find Lorena.

Fen landed on the next cell over. It held an icewing who seemed to be just waking up. “Hi!” Fen said. “Ooh... those wing cuffs look like they hurt. Sorry about that. Do you want some food?”

Ahhhhh! I finished 122 and, just

Fen hesitantly flys to the next prisoner in line, but keeps an eye on the Skywing and Seawing.

“Cool! I love skywing names. You, uh, are a Skywing, right?”

Fen cocked her head at the dragon. He was a blue... but otherwise looked like an especially prickly sky wing. “Um, I’m pretty sure you’re not no-one.” His scales were so cool. Maybe they could be friends? “Hi! I’m Fen!”

Wait... had Fen heard something? She would have thought it was just the wind, but... she looked down and saw a dragon clinging to the rock, looking up at her. “Who are you?”