Border Crossing

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"You're late." Baralai Fairchild despised the rain, almost as much as he despised mages. He was waiting at one of the bridges that crossed the river that in turn divided the two largest kingdoms in their land. It was the same bridge where he had waited countless times. Templar or no, gold was gold, and this gold also got rid of troublesome mages.
"You want the gold or not?" A black clad man snarled as he jumped down gracefully from his equally black steed.
Baralai muttered something rather unbecoming of a Templar, then held a gloved hand out. "Gold first, then the cargo. Try anything..." He words were cut off as the mage he was transporting broke free of his restraints. It all happened so quickly that he didn't see the flash of lightning and the proud Templar was crashing into the raging river below.
Six months. It had been six months and the fallen Templar still woke in a cold sweat after dreaming of that night. The mage had rendered him immobile, though wide awake when he had plunged into the river, his heavy armour weighing him down until a pig farmer had dragged him from the river several miles away. It had taken months to get back to health and pay back the farmer for his kindness. In that time word had gotten out that Fairchild the Templar was a deserter.

Alice Gormanghast was scowling into the mirror. She hated this world she had been born into, even now as her maid pulled tightly on the laces of her dress she thought of nothing but a way to escape. Her brother's were all war heroes, famous to everyone in the kingdom for their brave deeds and triumph in defeating several of the dragons. But Alice... All she was known for was to be the prize her father handed over to the man he deemed brave enough to end the war altogether. She was the proverbial Princess in the tower, useful only for luring in prospective suitors. The young brunette didn't even realise her rose coloured lips were quirked into a slight smile 'if only they knew'. Indeed, her father would have a literal heart attack if he knew his prized daughter had secretly been learning how to shoot a bow and handle a sword. She lost herself for hours at an end in books that told of the thieves guild, and their mysterious leader who was sometimes known to have a higher moral code than the knights of their kingdom.

"Selene only wants what is best for Selene." Baralai muttered. "I married her at the request of her father, he hoped it would tame her somewhat."

"What in the..." Alice was looking around her open mouthed. "Are you okay?" She asked the blonde, assuming she was a survivor of whatever had happened here.

Yena smiled ever so slightly. "It would be hard to tame another when you canot tame yourself." She laughed softly. "You were never a creature to pin down, my lo..." the word had very nearly slipped.

The woman turned to her, frowning deeply. "I'm okay. I was looking for a Templar. Have you seen one?"

Baralai frowned slightly when Yena slipped up. "I have no need to be tamed, Selene on the other hand..." He simply shook his head. "It would be best we not let her find us."

"A Templar? With slavers?" Alice asked, looking only at the blonde now, not the carnage around them.

"But she really misses you." Yena said softly, feeling more than a little bitterness at the thought.  "She still loves you. And you...were calling her name."

"It happens more than you think. Templars sell mages to them daily. My husband did it often. For a while we made a good living. Until he...I'm not sure what became of him. That's why I'm looking for him." The blonde explained.

"When did I call her name?" Baralai asked gruffly. "Selene doesn't love me, girl. She enjoyed the thrill of a secret marriage to a Templar."

Alice again looked at the bodies around her. "Any chance he did this?" She asked, flipping one of the bodies over with her boot.

Yena chose not to answer. She could barely look Baralai in the eyes as it was. "She's not far, talking to a woman. I can hear her calling you." 

"Of course he did. Have you you ever seen the man when he gets upset? He's probably worried they're keeping me prisoner and killed them for it. My name is Selene. Knight captain, Selene, to be exact." She said extending her hand gracefully.

Baralai seemed to be straining his ears, but heard nothing. "Come on... We need to be somewhere that isn't here." He informed Yena, taking her hand and pulling her along with him.

Alice had just taken a near instant dislike to this woman. She looked at the hand offered to her, and was tempted to introduce herself with her full royal title. "Alice." She decided against it at last moment and offered Selene a saccharine sweet smile and shook the hand offered.

"Bear...she's here. Why are you leaving?" Yena protested. "She wants to see you!" She went on, having to run to keep up with his long strides. "Stop. I beg you."

Selene seemed to accept this and nodded at her. "What are you doing here, Alice? You seem as out of place here as I do."

"Why, Yena?" Baralai suddenly halted and turned to face the small woman. "Why is it so important to you that I go see a woman who didn't lift a finger to find me all those months I was sitting in one place?!"

"Just passing through." Alice replied with a nonchalant shrug. "Nothing needing the Knight Commander's attention, I'm sure."

"Because you were calling for her!" Yena shouted, yanking her wrist from his fingers. "When you were so sick and feverish she was all you could think of...dream of! You need her!" Her voice was broken and she felt rather humiliated by the fact that she could barely catch her breath. 

"You do know there's a dragon loose here. Don't you? Isn't that what your people are so bent out of shape about?" Selene asked, making a show of looking at her nails. "I can tell you're one of the yokes from their lands. You're probably too stupid to realize you almost became food for her. Which is probably what's to become of these poor sods as well."

Baralai was staring down at Yena with an open mouth. "I... I would never!" He finally managed to splutter. It was too late though, even he had picked up on Yena's slip of emotion. "You would rather... It was your name I called?" He asked.

It would no doubt seem rather odd to Selene that Alice suddenly smiled when the Knight Commander insulted her. This woman truly had no idea that Alice was anything more than the commoner she was trying to be. "Is that why you're searching for your husband, in hopes he will save you from one little dragon?" She scoffed.

Yena was beyond humiliated. This confirmed that she could never tell him what she'd done. She shook her head several times and began to back away. "You are a...a bastard and a bear. I..I would never...go to your wife you boar!" She shouted, turning to run. 

Selene's laugh was wicked to say the least. "Don't be silly, girl. I'm saving HIM from the dragon. He never was very bright. But then again he's a man. They never are."

Baralai was left rather confused, though he managed to catch Yena's wrist before she could flee. "Have I done something, other than trying to sell you when we first met, to upset you, Yena?" Again he used her name rather than 'woman' or 'knife ear'.

"Well... He did marry you." Alice replied with another sweet smile. "Dragons are no concern of mine anyway, I have no reason to fear such a creature."

"Don't pretend that you care." Yena hissed. "I did what you wanted. I let these people take me..torture me...you have your money and your wife. You are just like everyone else. Leave me be."

"That's an odd thing to say." Selene's fingers snapped out and took hold of Alice'Springs chin in a bruising grip. She looked deep into her eyes. "Unless you are the dragon?"

Baralai looked positively horrified by the words Yena spat at him. "When did I ask that of you?" He asked, his gruff voice much gentler than usual. "I can take my own punishment, I wouldn't ask another to be tortured for any reason."

Alice's moonlight coloured eyes with the deep blue flecks stared up at Selene defiantly for a lingering moment. "If I were a dragon, you think I would ever wish to take such a weak form?" She sneered before snatching her chin free.

Yena paused, wrapping her arms around herself. "You must know that's what becomes of the mage you sell them. Most never survive to be food for the dragon. The one I was talking to...Evan...he didn't know he was dead...you must know. So many knew of you. They were angry with you for turning them over to slavers to die..."

"Yes I do. That's what she does. She doesn't even realize what she is most of the time. All the research I have done. I have worked so closely with...nevermind. You're too stupid to tell you these things. Run along, girl."

"Stoppit!" Baralai took a few steps backwards from Yena now. "No one speaks to the dead! The maker would not allow souls to wander freely like that!"

Alice was indeed a smart girl, smart enough to know defending her intellect would only keep her from leaving this place. "It's no wonder your husband left you, hag." She snorted, dark hair whipping behind her as she stalked past Selene to continue on her way.

"Your maker does not exist. Only the old ones. Those who took over the Fade. You know nothing. You don't even remember all but living there, do you?" Yena asked, stepping closer to the dark wood. 

"I left him, silly girl." Selene laughed. "You had better watch yourself. The dragon is just through those trees."

"You have your freedom, why are you saying these things, mage?" Baralai breathed, sounding more than troubled by Yena's outburst. It was a simple fear that she was telling the truth more than anything.

Alice paused and glanced back over her shoulder. "I'm counting on it." She breathed before heading off again. The young princess was truthfully excited by everything that was unfolding. It was the kind of adventure she had only read of in her books.

Yena cringed as if she'd been struck. "Leave me be, Bear. We are done here. You have your money and I am going my own way. Unless you'd like to sell me to a slaver less...dead?"

She would find nothing more than an arguing elf and an enormous Templar. But certainly no dragon.

Baralai pulled the bag if gold from his belt and tossed it at Yena's feet. "This money?" He asked, her words hurting just as much. "I came back for you as soon as I woke. I came because it was the right thing."

Alice simply stood there in silence, afraid to move and interrupt the scene unfolding before her.

Yena shook her head. "Please don't say that. You don't even know." She turned away from the gold, her insides hurting. "Take your money, Bear. Give it to the one you begged for." As if on cue Selene tore through the trees on the opposite side and threw herself into Baralai's arms. "Oh darling! I thought you were dead. Thank the Maker!" She cried prettily.

Baralai lifted his arms only enough to keep Selene from over balancing the both of them. "Why are you here?" He asked her rather bluntly. That nagging feeling had returned, like things weren't exactly as he should be remembering them.
Alice was watching the exchange with a curious expression, only a fleeting glance between all three people gave her enough indication of what was going on.

"I got a message that you were hurt and needed me. I came looking as soon as I could." Without warning she pressed her lips to his. 
The tiny creature standing near Alice cringed, wincing as if she'd been struck. A tear slid down her cheek and landed with a loud plop in the leaves. A moment later the leaves began to sizzle and catch fire. Then the little elf simply disappeared.

It probably didn't help Alice that the fire was spreading closer to her, implicating her somewhat if Selene noticed.
Baralai held Selene out at arms length, frowning as he looked at her. "Don't do that." He warned her sternly. It didn't matter how beautiful the Knight Commander was, something just seemed off to the Templar now, as though he was comparing her to something he didn't yet remember.

Selene did notice, though she'd already begun to put things together. The fact that the fire was reaching for this woman was a cry for help from the dragon. It made her see that this useless creature was not so useless after all. What she didn't know was that her own former husband was closer even still to the beast. Or at least, had been. 
"According to our laws, you are still my husband. Is there some reason you no longer seek my affections?" She asked thinly. "Has someone replaced me?"

"By our laws I should never have married you." Baralai snorted. "Don't you have a village to torment or something?" He added, making the old insult that he likened Selene to a witch.
Alice felt the flames begin to lick at her boot, causing her to look away from Selene and try to stomp the fire out.

"The dragon is trying to tell you something." Selene said, ignoring him as she turned to Alice. "Why would that pitiful thing reach out to you? Just who are you, girl?" She shoved at Baralai, dismissing him for the moment. She was a fickle creature.

"And why would a dragon have anything to say to someone as stupid as me?" Alice asked, rolling her eyes at Selene. "You're so smart... figure it out yourself." She added, kicking a pike of burnt leaves in the taller woman's direction.

Selene stepped back, allowing Baralai to deal with the burning leaves. The frown on her face was tangible. "Where did she go? The little...elf? Our people will want to speak to her." She was striding towards the wooded area where Yena ran, her fingers resting on the bow on her back. "She is a mage, correct? She needs to be...controlled. And you," she turned to Alice. "You need to get lost, little girl. We are finished here."