The next day Elanee came swiftly and rising from his bed Rain awakes to see Elanee sitting in a chair waiting for him to open his eyes.

“Raise and shine” she said in a soft voice

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be babysitting the overdressed clown” Rain said yawning.

“Not yet I’m here for training remember, and just so were clear I have to be around him that much” she explained and seeing the gash to his eye she gets a concerned look, “Rain are you ok that looks like it hurts” she added going to feel for a bump.

“Then by all means don’t let me stop you” he said stopping her arm with his and getting up Rain gripped and placed on his robe.

“Rain you didn’t need to be so combative yesterday at the meeting” she said

“You’re defending that prick; he treats his mages like god-damn slaves Elanee”

“We don’t know exactly what goes on in that city, things are different wherever you travel, and you know that” she says a little heated while Rain takes a drink of left over water in his cup from yesterday,

“Well at least we know where your loyalties lie” he combats to her

“To this city and don’t you forget that Rain” she defends with a stare to which he returns, “What are you doing here so early anyway, pissing me off doesn’t start till after breakfast remember”

“I came here also to say that I feel terrible for what I did; leaving you till second to be checked on by me I mean, but the King wants his priorities to be first in line and anything else to sway him to help us” she continued

“His priorities” Rain laughs out “I can only imagine what long list he has, but I’m glad you’re willing to see that they’re all met in name of this city, it shows…oh what shall we call it…integrity I guess” laughing again as he scopes her from head to toe and giving him a disgusted look at the thought of what Rain might be thinking she says “I’m not willing to go as far as you might be thinking, now are we still going to spare or not Rain?” she concluded

And thinking for a second he turns away from her “Sure you can fit it in your busy schedule”

“Damn it Rain stop it” she huffed out and seeing she was annoyed he halted,

“Meet me in the courtyard at quarter rise sun and we’ll continue” and shaking her head while passing him as the thought of what he was thinking runs to her mind, she goes to get ready.

Walking to the church Cloud being accompanied by Alisianna talks to her about the recent encounter she had and gives her his word that he will do what he can to keep him from her, smiling at him she thanks his kind gesture and leaves to go check on her forest.

Cloud goes up to the church door to see Artanis again helping Dawn with the daily upkeep of it and calls him over for a word with him

“Yea Cloud” he responds

“Artanis, I see you and my sister are getting close, and I’m not blind to the moves of your eye rouge demon” he says suspiciously

“Well she’s a great person to be around” and looking to the ground then back at her and then to him again he finishes “Look Cloud she told me about other men in her life, and I just want to say you don’t have to worry about me, I may have some feelings for her but she has none of the same back to me”

And thinking about what he said Cloud asks him to take a walk with him, and going down the market street he starts again “That’s not why I want to talk with you, it’s the ambassador; I don’t fully trust in his being here for what he simply is saying and believe me you are the last one I wanted to ask to perform this task-“

“You want me to spy on the Ambassador to see if he has a hidden agenda” states Artanis finishing Cloud’s sentence; Cloud nods with regret “Hey no sweat, look Captain” replies Artanis to which Cloud gives him a look.

“Never call me that Artanis, you are my equal not my underling”

“Sorry and thank you Cloud, this task won’t make me revert to my old ways so don’t worry and the answer yes, because I’ll be honest I don’t fully trust him either” and nodding to him with a smirk Cloud pats his shoulder and goes to the castle, Artanis goes back to the church to tell Dawn his new task and finishes helping her.

Getting dressed in his robe and meeting Tristan downstairs in the tower wing of the castle he has a talk with Namor.

“Well it’s clear that they need some help” said Tristan

“Yes but that wasn’t the threat they were talking about; none the less this place would be a good trading partner for the future of our kingdom to prosper with, and I must say the choice they made for a counterpart to work with me is excellent not to mention beautiful. I’m sure it won’t take me long to win her over to my favor.” ends Namor holding speech as if to implore together a plan.

“I’m sorry Ambassador, are you trying to say you want to keep Elanee”

“Well yes of course did I stutter?” asked Namor

“I think she is happily settled here Namor,” Tristan says

“Yes, well we’ll see about that, it’s that mage that’s the problem, I’ll have to keep him out of the way for it seems that they have a little bond to one another” Namor plots to himself, as Tristan gives him a suspicious look; interrupted by Cloud appearing to escort the two to the keep hall.

“Where is my counterpart Elanee?” asks the ambassador

“She is training in the courtyard in the mastery of self-defense,” says Cloud

“I want to see her,” commanded Namor and with a shocked look on Clouds face he agrees saying “Right away” and takes them there.

“Now watch me not your feet ok, watch for my moves at the corner of my joints on my body and move first to defend then bring in to attack” instructs Rain to Elanee, nodding her head they begin the sparing match, blocking Rain’s attacks very well Elanee comes into her attack position and throwing a couple of punches she then spins her leg connecting to hit Rain in the face, Rain falls to his knees and Elanee shocked tossing her hand to her face in fright rushes to his side.

“Are you ok?” she says worryingly

“I’m fine; nice hit” Rain replies and moving back into position he attacks her again and sparring back and forth for a while she catches Rain’s feet with a leg sweep and pins him down to the ground giving Rain a clear view at her chest. She sits on his with her arms holding his down and her knees locking his legs “How good did I do” she said with a little seductiveness thrown into her words

“Pretty damn” Rain nods “You can let me up now”

“Maybe” she says staring deep to his eyes, quickly startled by the words of the ambassador that brings her sight to Namor’s attention.

Getting to her feet with a hidden smile inside of her, she asks Rain if he wants to go again. Rain gets to his feet and seeing the Ambassador he says “Maybe some other time looks like your duty has come to see you, but you are doing well”

“Well of course she is; there’s no physical contest between a mage and her; but if you want to train in combat perhaps my Captain could assist better than your mage friend here after all, who knows more about combat then a guard Captain right” the ambassador conveniently says

“Really that’s fine-”

“Yes a fine idea” interrupts Rain and with Elanee giving him a look of confusion he continues “I mean what do I know about combat right”

“Actually a lot Rain” she sternly says to his face

“Now Elanee we don’t want to slam the offer of the good ambassador now do we” says Rain with a fake smile put on his face “Besides I need to work more on Drakon’s movements anyway and can’t do that with aiding you”

“Didn’t know I was such an inconvenience” she said with hurt in her voice and turning to the Captain she asked “But if you don’t mind I would love to be taught by you” she finished with a fake smiling face. A look of awkwardness went over Cloud’s face as he looked at his brother’s defeated face knowing he couldn’t help.

To a table at the keep library Rain sits, with maps and scrolls out on the face, he combed through a book to cover the paths Drakon may have taken, but when a tap and a tug came to Rain’s cloak side he turns to see down to a young girl no older than seven years of age. Rain watched as the girl’s eyes fixed to the sight of his hands, she look with much wonderment and asking if she needed something she looked up at him, staring to his eye scar. “When they come out, does it hurt?” she asked in a cute manner to him, housing the look of a common girl to the town Rain looks back to the girl, “Does what hurt?” Rain said back confused.

“The spells you make, you know the ice and fire” she went on, “Only to the ones that it’s directed at” Rain said back straight to the point, the girl didn’t even seem afraid as most did to his appearance and with a cock to her head she continued to examine his out look, “The ones that try to hurt me…and my mother?” she said back with adoration and smiling to her cuteness Rain nods, “Then why the scars?” she asked again.

“It’s from me trying spells not to be used at my age, ones that require more time”

“Then why try them?” she asked fast, Rain held a freeze, she was bright for her age and the reply almost stumped Rain in response, it was very logical. “To see if I’m ready”

“But you’re not right, or you wouldn’t have them”

“But I’ll never know if I don’t try, it’s how we users of magic learn and grow in strength” Rain said back, the little girl took a hand from Rain and in her own grasp she looked close to it, planting a small kiss to it she rubbed it softly, “There does that feel better?” Rain smiles “Yes very much” he ended turning back to his book, flipping the page with his side sight he sees she’s still there and again he looks back,

“Can I sit with you” she asked, Rain sat shocked from the offer, “Umm sure you can, just try to keep silent for I’m trying to work”

“Ok”she said excited and took the chair next to him, “What cha reed en?” she asked

“A book” Rain said focused

“What’s it about” she questioned

“Things” Rain mouthed a little disrupted

“What kind?” replied the girl and Rain rolled his eyes with minor annoyance “Little one if you plan to stay here you must stay quiet” he told to her

“Ok” she sparked happily and swung her legs between the chair pillars while staring to the pages as Rain reads.

“Lisa!” came the spark of a mother’s harsh tone that half startled the little girl to alertness and Rain the same, “Mother!” the little one said back, “Come here right now, leave him be” she scolded, Rain watched as the mother’s fast reaction took Lisa by the hand and off the chair.

“I’m so very sorry about this magistrate, it won’t happen again” she pleaded half scared to him and Rain look to her with disconcertment “Miss it’s quite alright she was doing no harm here, she only was curious” Rain said in defense to her. The mother gazed back with brief puzzlement, “You’re not mad?” the Lady tossed back “No” Rain said with the mother still wary, “I’m sorry most mages are furious with such issues happening and generally is followed by derogatory remarks to myself”, Rain gazed a look to the woman holding a middle aged appearance, young in beauty and housing a fit figure with deep seduction to her face. “I don’t require much concentration so it was no bother for her to be around”

“You’re different than most of them in here, and not nearly as rude, thank you for showing not all of them are so bad”

“I must admit she is quite the brave little thing, most of such ages fear us Drow for our history is not the best”

“Her father taught her to be mindful and to first study a unit before passing judgment, it was the words of her father”

“And good ones to live by, a smart man he was and he would be where?”

“Dead” the mother said back, “Going on three years this coming winter”

“I’m sorry” Rain said sympathetically “It’s a guess why Lisa here is attracted to the sight of them, her father was one and she wishes to be one as well, she holds around them to see if she can learn the magic’s to rid her of the nightmares she has ever since the death of him, she witnessed it happen” the mother sighed looking to her. Rain looked as well and then got to his feet and took to a kneel, with his hands Rain arced yellow lightning to his hands and finishing the simple spell a lantern emitted to his palm with a yellow ball floating to it’s inner glass housing, he gave it to Lisa who took it to her arms and with great focus she gazed at it. “Maybe this will help Lisa, it’s a lantern of peaceful slumber and as long as you have it nightmares you have will stay away”

“Really, truly…thanks!” Lisa said engrossed to it’s appearance and seeing the bright smile lit as bight as the floating ball the mother held a look to Rain, “Thank you so much… (Whispers) it’s not a real magic like that is it” and Rain shook his head “No but merely saying it will put the images she sees to rest if she believes in its power, and when she becomes of age she’ll have calmed from the horror of it”, “I must repay you for this kindness, dinner tonight, at my home?”

“That’s not necessary Milady, it was no issue to do this for her” Rain smiled

“I must insist, I haven’t seen such mannerisms in a magic-user since my late husband, it’s good to know they still exist” the lady pressed on.

“I would if I didn’t have pressing matters to work on, really I’m sorry, I’m sure you cook well” Rain kindly declined as he looked to the lust filled strike to the mother’s eyes, Rain needed to end the mixed message. Adding to him that if he ever wished a good meal or time away from issues too great, her home was only two blocks from this library. Lisa hugged Rain thanking him for the gift and adding a kiss upon his cheek the mother takes her daughter’s hand and departed. In the loom of darkness made by the bookshelves Artanis emerges seeing the whole thing happen and with cold ale to one hand and Rain’s hot mulberry tea to the other he approached setting it to the table, watching as she left Artanis takes sight to her tight formed butt swaying away through the door, “That woman had been approached many times by countless men and your brief time took ownership to her heart with simple words…you do know that dinner invite wasn’t all she wished for right” taking a sip of his tea brought to him he looks to Artanis, “I know but a woman that holds such teachings and high morals deserves a man like my brother to her side, not me”

“Seems to my sight that what she was looking for in a man she found in you, there are more to hero’s than the god following type Rain” he ended swigging some of his ale, “ I don’t deserve such beauty or love, even if I hold the power she wishes in a man” Rain says defeated

“And what do you deserve then Rain” asked Artanis to which Rain only lifted his head saying nothing. “The butt that just walked from here needs the love of a man to hold it and you were it, and being the type she trusts and loves why should you feel bad?…because of your fear of being double standard to your vows and words Rain, because it might show weakness”

“Weakness can be exploited” answered Rain sipping again his tea, “Rain your not perfect, you have faults and many of them are shown here, arrogance and rudeness, solitude and hopelessness…your weaknesses aren’t hidden to anyone Rain, and a time will come when you wish for a love and it will be much harder to turn down…only know that you can’t feel bad or hold from yourself that your doing wrong by taking it in. Your only weakness is when you betray yourself from the truth” Artanis patted Rain’s back downing the last of his ale and getting to his feet he leaves Rain to his work.

As he sits to a deep glare the wind howls out a ghostly chuckle upon them, “Damn it we lost” Aries said smashing his fist into a tree somewhere in the woods that Drakon warped them to.

“Caught that did you, I thought maybe that being so nearsighted by rage that you didn’t see that” Drakon bolted

“She is going to PAY! For what she has don’t to my family” Aries screamed

“You almost got us killed with your little vendetta of yours” and going up to him and hanging on to his collar on his armor he brings Aries’s eyes into his “Now this time you do as I say and no letting your revenge get in the damn way this time” Drakon snapped and letting him go harshly he turns to looks at some bushes

“Let’s go see your boss and get some more troops to attack them” suggested Aries

“My god being down in the dark has made you blind, did you not see what happened, how organized they were; not to mention I told Colossus that I was going to take care of this already, going back now would mean certain death for me, no we have to clean this mess up on our own”

“You mean you do, this isn’t my fault”

“No it’s not but you will not get another chance at killing your sister without me”

“And why not” Aries questioned

“Because if you don’t help me I will hide her from your sight for the rest of your life” Drakon threatened and thinking for a moment and giving Drakon a scowl he looked up at him “Then what do you propose we do, we are out of men and good luck me trying to get more from my queen”

“We need to set a trap” smiled Drakon “And this is how we’re going to do it”

A week almost goes by for Silverspire and the group continues their everyday activities in the city with the only difference that being Rain avoiding Elanee at every possible turn. He starts leaving conversations ended with blunt remarks and making excuses why he can never spend time with her or anything. The end of that week came with a little celebration on behalf of the victory defending the group organized in honor of the ambassador’s arrival.

Dawn catching up with Elanee at the market while leaving the Church wanted to know who she was going with.

“I don’t know, probably Namor” Elanee said with a not so happy face spelling the words

“Things not going well in the land of the rich” Dawn said giggling

“Not as well as you might think, I’m always around him and don’t get me wrong he is a good man, but I never have gotten the chance to see you guys much with all the prancing around I have to do with him” Elanee stresses to her.

“Then go with someone else, like Captain Tristan, he’s cute” suggested Dawn

“Maybe but I’ll think about it, oh I have to go this way so I guess I’ll see you at the guard house later ok”

“Sure” Said Dawn and they break off to go different ways. Taking a long pause Elanee finishes what she is shopping for and goes to the potion shop where Rain at times still comes to.

Rain was just deep reading as usually into a book about enchanting items of high power when Elanee walked through the door. “Hey Rain you busy, for a second I want to ask you something, before Namor and I go on that tour of the towns around the land” quickly putting the book away and sweeping something under the table before she could see, he gets up to put some things away looking very busy while he talked. “Well if it’s who during the trip should be on top in bed I don’t think I’ll be much help” he spouted off, with a shocked and hurtful look on her face and standing there with nothing to say; Tristan just happened to be walking by the shop window when he caught a very big wind of Elanee’s defense statement.

“Is that what you think I’m doing with him all this time, being his personal little concubine” and stopping what he was doing to look at her now she just explodes with words “I am not some whore Rain, and further more I didn’t choose this to happen to me ok, it just did”

“But you did love the opportunity” said Rain

“If that is your sad twisted way of trying to say that I’m in love with him you’re sadly mistaken, I’m more afraid of him than anything, due to the fact that with all I’m able to do lately is things only with him, and I’m not allowed to say anything because I don’t want anything provoking him to leave and go with out aiding us” she says with a crying voice in the making. “I can’t believe you just said that, you know what, about what I was going to ask…forget it your not worth it” and walking to open the door violently she turns her body one more time to face Rain “And the secret you told me about not letting out that your a nice guy to protect your public rep; don’t worry, your arrogance of being a top grade ass has pretty much covered that up” and she leaves but taking just a few steps she runs into Tristan outside and catching her before she fell she grabs him.

“Are you ok Elanee what’s wrong?” he asks

“Fine I’m just having a bad day” and thanking him quickly she leaves his sights with her head down to cover the tears and goes to the guard house.

Rain takes a little longer than usual to clean up the shop thinking about what he has done.

Elanee arrives at the house and meets Dawn in the study room.

“Hey you ok” Dawn questions

“Well I was actually going to ask if Rain wanted to go with me instead,” Elanee continued

“Really what did he say?” asked Dawn

“Well I don’t know the answer because he decided to call me a whore for what I’ve been doing lately instead” Elanee finished and when Dawn’s jaw dropped like a pile of rocks she brings Elanee over to the couch and asked her to explain the whole story.

Tristan waited outside the shop and when Rain finally came out, he approached him

“Rain” Tristan said

“Oh you, aren’t you supposed to be babysitting your master’s slippers or something” Rain chuckled

“He’s not my master Rain, us two are equals at this touring trip to your home through he doesn’t like to say it much, anyways I was here to ask you something” he said

“Oh lord not you too!” Rain sighed

“Probably not the same thing Elanee was going to ask you don’t worry but, I was going to ask you about her, why are you keeping your distance from her lately when she has been trying to get in touch with you so fiercely?”

“Just trying to avoid complications, she’s trying to not do anything wrong to screw up this meeting with him, and with me in the picture and her wanting to be around me…look I’ve noticed the way he looks at her and it’s not just as a rep. I just don’t want my presence voiding any chance we have at this army boost for this city, that’s all” Rain explains

“That’s all….there’s nothing more to it Rain?” Tristan asked inquiringly

“No there isn’t why, what were you trying to get out of me?”

“Just a clearer picture of what’s going on that’s all” Tristan said

“Well don’t ok it’s starting to piss me off a bit” and he finishes by storming off down an ally, Tristan smiling to himself, does not follow and continues back to the castle tower.

Reaching the guard house Rain is greeted by Dawn at the door giving him one of the coldest stares he has ever had endured from her “Something wrong Dawn”

“I’m looking at him, what the hell is wrong with you? The way you have treated Elanee is unfair! She has been guilty of nothing but kindness to you ever since your first meeting and you regarded her with disrespect and derogatory comments; she has done nothing to deserve that” Dawn barraged Rain to his face

“Well you know me, I’m quick to judge and I’m not going to be sorry nor change; but if it bothers her that much generally she has some insight that it’s the truth and she just doesn’t want to hear it” Rain barked back WHAP! Came the swiftness of Dawn’s hand across Rain’s face “You apologize to her and you do it tonight because not one shred of it is true, none of it!” Dawn bolted then stormed off.

The group all arrive at the celebration except Rain who is contemplating going at all and if he does he will have a favorably late entrance, an hour almost goes by before he gains enough courage to go and arriving late but staying in the shadowing part of a hill sitting by himself Rain hears Alisianna’s voice as she sings. Her voice was soft, like that of a Siren and just as such almost captivates the crowd with her musical lungs, after a few more performances Rain is about to leave when he sees Elanee get up to sing. Rain sits to wait quickly to see if she will sound like a harpy or a herald but is soon drug into a trance from her soothing crisp vocals. She carries notes like a song bird with a combination of gentle low tone keys, to crisp coiled high end ones, when she was finished she was applauded loudly by Namor who quickly came into hugging distance and danced a few slow song dances with her afterwards. Shaking his head in anger and proud pride that he was right Rain went to the guardhouse and hasty throwing a lightning bolt at the wall in a quick rage. He calmed down instantaneously with the knowledge that this was his own doing, still not accepting that Rain went to bed.