Who is this guy? (val only)

[Valerie]

Valerie's eyes widened as Trent made a fire out of nothing with his hands and then formed it into a circle around her. That's strange, I thought he said he had limited control over his element. With that control, he could nearly throw fireballs! I thought someone told me that you have to be fairly good with the element to be able to create fire out of nothing. But she couldn't speak her mind due to her sudden warmth of the fire and her change of mind as Trent put his arms around her. "This should feel much better..." Her mind was reeling in joy. She quickly brought her mind back to the present and asked what was on her mind. "Yes, much, much better. This is great. But I do have one question, how were you able to do this if you said you have limited control over it? From my understanding, it takes a fair amount of control over it to make fire from nothing, so how were you able to do it?" She tried to say it with a serious voice but it came out dreamily still, since she was warm and had Trent's arms around her.

[Draetrialis]

Draetrialis smiled and sent out another breath of fire. "I may be stuck in a human form... but I haven't lose my fire breath..." he whispered, still smiling. "You really are beautiful..." the dragon said, tightening his embrace slightly. I can't deny it... I am in love... but she'll flay me... I have to reveal myself... but I can't... I don't want this to end... the thought ran through his mind, but he was strangely comforted. Maybe she'll let me go... but I may have to beg for her forgiveness... He began humming and brought his arms further up Valerie's body. He was still smiling and said, "I don't want this moment to end..." The dragon began to rock back and forth slightly, his humming shifting to a different tune. The tune is very comforting and it turns out to be a lullaby, and an ancient one at that. Please... when I reveal myself... don't kill me... both physically and emotionally... The silent plea echoed through his mind as he kept humming. He leaned his head on Valerie's shoulder, since he was behind her.

[Valerie]

"That's interesting, how you haven't lost your fire breath and yet you still only have minimal control on the other Elements, such as Air, where you should be decent if you were a Dragon. But what does it matter? The fact that matters is that....is that...." Valerie faltered. Should I tell him? But what if he doesn't love me back? But he should love me too right? He's done all this for me so far so why not? Well, here it goes... She brought up the courage and just said it. "Is that I love you Trent. You are perfect, you're sweet and kind and nice. You're also a gentleman. And quite frankly, I wouldn't want you any other way..." Her voice faded away in a mixture of relief and happiness. I finally told him. I just hope that he doesn't dump me or something. She tried to will herself to daydream but her mind thought differently and suddenly started reeling, in 'what if's that she couldn't deal with. So instead she concentrated on the section of the fire ring in front of her and she felt Trent's head rest on her shoulder. She also keyed into the humming that he was producing. Where is all this worrying getting me? No where. So stop it brain! I have no reason to worry... That finally convinced her mind to settle down so she slipped into her awaited mood of daydreaming.

[Draetrialis]

Draetrialis smiled and said, "and I love you too... however... I do have a confession..." He sighed and the blaze died out. "Thing is... I have been lying to you... I'm not cursed... I have full control over my element... and the reason I know so much about Draetrialis is..." he took a step back, slipped off the ring, and transformed into his original form. "I am Draetrialis... but... I really do love you... you opened the way into my heart... while I still will be cold to others, especially griffins, I won't ever be cold to you... not anymore..." His deep growl cracked at the end of that, many people gasping when they saw this. He growled at them, to prove his point, but he didn't do anything else as he looked at Valerie, eyes on the brink of tears. "I'm sorry... I was planning on using 'Trent' to trap you... but now I can't..." The dragon was literally on the verge of losing it as he begged, "Please... forgive me... I'm sorry... I am more sorry than you could ever know..." he gasped. He was obviously struggling, and his healed wings were vibrating. "Please... forgive me..." he whimpered.

[Valerie]

Valerie was still in her daze when Trent told her the truth. But she quickly snapped out of it when he took his ring off and transformed into his Dragon form, Draetrialis. She felt as if she'd been hit in the face with a hammer. She quickly slid into her Dragon form and hissed, taking a defensive position. "YOU BASTARD! I TRUSTED YOU!" Her words coming out more as hisses than words. Her anger was flowing unobstructed now and the ring of fire winked out by the gale-force winds she was whipping around. With two movements, she had a huge slice of Air Power above her head and her arms poised to make the final movement that would slice the traitor's head clean off. "I am Draetrialis... but... I really do love you... you opened the way into my heart... while I still will be cold to others, especially griffins, I won't ever be cold to you... not anymore..." He growled at observers. "I'm sorry... I was planning on using 'Trent' to trap you... but now I can't..." She got even angrier at that. "YOU...WHAT? YOU WERE GOING TO TRICK ME? HOW DARE YOU, YOU PIECE OF SCUM!" Her voice was starting to show some of the betrayal she felt. "Please... forgive me... I'm sorry... I am more sorry than you could ever know..." He pleaded, gasping. "Please... forgive me..." He was whimpering now, pathetically. Valerie's body started to shake with hatred, anger and betrayal. "I trusted you! How could you!" She would have said more but she couldn't, for her anger was replaced by despair and her strength with it. But as she was falling she brought her arms in a way that caused another Air Slice attack to be launched upon Drae. Another wrist flick brought him slammed into a bench in the courtyard where it collapsed on top of him, trapping him. Then she curled up on the ground right there, sobbing indefinitely. She slipped into her human form, exhausted from her efforts already.

[Draetrialis]

Draetrialis was gasping. "I'm so sorry... yes... I am a bastard... I should burn in all seven hells... but I still love you, Valerie..." he said, not even bothering to get up. He did snake his neck forward and laid his face close to the dragoness' shaking body. "Please... do whatever you want with me... but please... at least give me a chance... you are more beautiful than anything..." he struggled to rise, due to the massive gash along his side that was bleeding out a lake, and when he did so, he placed his sapphire-diamond ring next to Valerie and said something in an ancient language. "That ring... it will serve you well... it is now enchanted so that should the need arise, I will be there and will defend you with my life..." the dragon explained. He completely wiped the original spells from the gems, which was a ton of hard work. "It also has two other uses... it will eliminate poisons and will warn you if there is somebody you don't know hiding in the shadows, invisible or otherwise..." he said before flaring his wings and preparing to take off. "I really am sorry, Valerie... and I do love you... please, just forgive me... there is no way I can harm you now..." he begged before he took off, in direction of the lake, a high pitched keen emitting from his maw as he faded from sight, a trail of blood below showing where he went, and due to the erraticity of it, showed he was in great pain.

[Valerie]

Valerie woke up a day later, not knowing she had fallen asleep. She blinked the tears and sleep from her reddened eyes. She rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly, blinking constantly from bright light outside. Maybe if I'm lucky it was all a dream and the bastard isn't actually Drae. Maybe... She looked over to where she thought she'd slammed the Dragon a little while ago. Sure enough, the bench was smashed to pieces. Maybe that's just a coincidence... But her illusion was washed away when she spotted the sapphire and diamond ring that Draetrialis had put next to her. She picked it up, remembering what he had said it'd do. "That ring... it will serve you well... it is now enchanted so that should the need arise, I will be there and will defend you with my life.....It also has two other uses... it will eliminate poisons and will warn you if there is somebody you don't know hiding in the shadows, invisible or otherwise..." Oh great, it wasn't just a dream. Well as much as I'd like him to die in a hole, life goes on...I guess I'd better to get cleaned up. She stood up slowly, collecting the ring and her previously-forgotten bag and brushed herself off before she headed up to her room, looking forward to her shower. Well I know I'll think more clearly once I've had my shower...

Valerie stepped out of her closet, in fresh clothes and her skin smelling of lavender. Her hair was in its usual soft wave and she was wearing one of her huntsman gowns that she wore for going out. She was going to head out to the village in an attempt to help clear her chaotic mind. After grabbing her dark green cloak, she headed out of the castle, sorting her emotions along the way. Do I love him? Yes. Do I hate him? Yes. But which do I feel more? I may feel other things (betrayal and despair to name a few) but those first two are definitely the main two. I love him for his personality and soft spot for me and everything about him. She mentally sighed, remembering how he was before he had changed. But her happiness turned to anger when she remember that he had lied to her about 'Trent' and for the purpose of trapping her! He is also an arrogant fool!....But a fool who loves me... She sighed audibly, since her emotions were quite possibly more tangled now than before. She grabbed her hood and flung it onto her head, a clear sign to show that she was not in the mood.

When she got to the Royal Market, she started wandering, not looking for any particular shop yet still heading in the general direction of the Tailor's Shop. She wandered mostly near the jewelry and shoe shops, glancing at their products with no real interest, a clear sign she had something on her mind. She loved new jewelry and shoes and couldn't get enough of them. The entire time her hands were fiddling with the ring Drae had given her. Drae. He would probably let me call him that, since I am probably the closest thing he's ever had to a girl friend. Especially since you normally don't tell the person you love that you are their arch nemesis and that you tried to trap them by flirting with them. Her anger flared again and she nearly crushed the ring. But it was too strong to be crushed by a human. I wonder how he got this...but it doesn't really matter now does it? No, I guess not... She continued on her walk, this time occasionally actually going into a store and browsing around before exiting again. When she finally got to the Tailor's Shop, she purchased her first item of the day: a tiny velvet pouch to store the ring in when she wasn't wearing it. She finally conceded and put the ring on, it fit perfectly. Well that makes sense, why shouldn't it fit.... Her sarcastic thoughts were in complete contradiction to the sweet voice she used to thank the store clerk for her velvet pouch and she slid it into her cloak's secret inside pocket. She continued on her way of browsing through the Royal Market, subconsciously keeping an eye out for something that she could give Drae. She had decided (while she had been aimlessly browsing) that she was going to pay him a visit, since her Air Powers would be down for a while so she couldn't do any real damage. She'd also force herself to stay in her human form with a spell so that there would be no clawing. After a few more minutes she found a waterproof wooden cabinet that she could give Drae that could hold his most precious gems. This will work nicely, if I don't throw it at him first. She shook her head and purchased it, meanwhile trying to figure out how she'd get to the lake. I know, I'll just make sure that I put on the spell when I land, before I see him...that'll work. So she made sure she had a firm grip on her present and took flight, heading to Ailon Lake.

When she arrived, a half an hour or so later, the water was a pretty, glittering, crystal clear blue color, giving the look of a mirror from all angles but above. From above you could see into the bottom and Draetrialis's underwater cave. She looked at the banks of the big lake for a good place to sit that would put her out of reach of anything that she could harm him with. Oh, down there! That looks good, its all grass and no branches or rocks that are big enough to harm him with! She flew down toward the very lush green, grassy, very-inviting looking bank. She back-winged as she got close so she only gently touched down, the wind from her wings sending soft waves through the semi-long grass. Once she was firmly on the ground and no longer had any of her weight supported by her wings, she used her spell to keep her from being able to get back into this form until she was calm enough to preform the reversion spell. She waded through the grass to the edge of the water where she took off her shoes and sat at the edge of the crystal blue lake. From there she slipped her feet into the water and put Drae's present box near her shoes. She kicked a couple times in the water with her feet and then just let them dangle, sure that he could feel the vibrations all the way down there. He probably already saw my shadow pass over the lake. Well, now I just wait for him to come up and try to keep my temper down. She started her breathing exercises since her heart had already started a little.

[Draetrialis]

Draetrialis did indeed feel the vibrations from his cave. He slowly rose, the bleeding from his wound staunched by a makeshift grass bandage. Turning and entering the water, he slithered towards the surface, taking his sweet time. His face broke the surface first, about 10 feet from the shore, and his eyes started shining when he saw it was Valerie. He swam closer, not wanting to leave the water, and he said, with a tone of relief, "You came... I was hoping you would..." The dragon smiled and decided he should exit the water, so he laid down on land, his grass bandage furthest away from Valerie, and he asked, "Does this mean you've forgiven me...?" He really didn't want to push it, but he procured his ring from somewhere and slid it onto a claw, turning into his human form, sitting next to Valerie, the bandage underneath the black dragonscale armor. Why... I guess I need to go into my heart to find the answer, but I do know that I love her. His mind settled for the first time since his first realization and he smiled. When the dragon notice the ring on Valerie's finger, he smiled wider. "You've decided to wear it..." was all he murmured, his sapphire blue human eyes glittering.

[Valerie]

Valerie very nearly threw her shoes at him when Draetrialis when he emerged, covered in blood-soaked grass bandages. Instead she managed to keep her hands from moving in that direction by gripping the long lush grass, ripping out clumps. I must keep my cool...but that is not so easy of a feat to accomplish. Her rage also nearly caused her to lash her tongue at him so she ground her teeth took keep from saying something. She picked up the box with clenched fists and handed it to him. "This is for you. It should hold hold your most precious gems." She said through clenched jaws. I am not happy to be doing this. But I must if I am to get over this if I am to keep going about my business on a normal basis. I also need to be able to control myself so that I'm not going try to shred him every time I see him. She shook her head and backed away from him a little, and a little away from her shoes as well. "There is no way I have forgiven you yet, I am simply here to see if we can get things straitened out. Then I can see whether or not you are worthy of being forgiven." She sounded slightly snobby but had every reason to. "The only reason I wear the ring is because I cannot throw away jewelry, especially something as pretty as this. And besides, I might need it in the future, I have no idea when or how though." She shifted her position slightly, since her leg had gone numb. Her new position was that of a side sit, her tingling leg was on top to help keep it from falling asleep again. "You don't have to worry about me harming you again...sorry about last time, I couldn't control myself. You can tell me nearly anything and I have already made sure there is no way I can hurt you." She said through her still-clenched teeth. As long as I keep rocks, shoes and a reasonable distance from him, he might actually have a chance of living through this encounter. He is still wounded though... She saw that he was still oozing blood through the leather-armor of his 'human' form. I can feel almost sorry for him... But she snapped herself out of it with a shake of her head, though it didn't help with her own headache that had just started below her temple. The headache was a result of the thoughts that were now a confused mass by the fact that she might still care for him. She clinked a few times and released her handful of grass for another handful still rooted in the ground. I just, don't know what to think anymore... The realization hit her hard and she was sent into a daze. Not knowing what to think was a first for her, for she always had a backup plan or a backup thought. All my careful planning...down the drain... She was completely confounded and knew she'd be caught off guard by whatever Drae said, especially since she knew she didn't have enough time to prepare answers. This could mean only one thing: she'd be completely telling the truth.

[Draetrialis]

Drae smiled. "Well... at least there is still the chance..." he said, looking at the box before taking it, setting it next to him. "Thank you... but now I have to dig through 10 years worth of gems to find them all." He chuckled slightly. "I know you're conflicted... and I was too... but try not to sort out your thoughts yet, as it will only cause your mind and body to wage war with each other, and that wouldn't end very well for either of us..." he said, closing his eyes slightly. "And you had every right to attack me. You're right... as I said yesterday, I am a bastard. I shouldn't have tried to trick you at all, but my past, both with my first griffin encounter as well as the fact I may be the only one of my kind left, makes my heart and mind a very hard beast to best." He sighed. "At this point, I feel more guilty about this than the deaths I have caused... and all of them were back home, in the Darklands..." The dragon placed his hand on Valerie's and he murmured, "I do love you... and I know that as much as you hate me outwardly, in your heart, that you love me too. And not just because of this human form..." Drae withdrew his hand, knowing he shouldn't push it anymore, and he looked over the lake. Sighing, he reached into the water and pulled out a rock, which he fired a quick burst of flame at, to reveal an emerald. It was only about 2 inches across, but it was still a brilliant gem. He focused a little and his shadow began to move, shifting into his true form as it glided into the water. "That shadow..." he said, as his shadow returned out of nowhere and resumed its proper form, "represents the bitterness I felt towards you before. It is now dead... and I cannot bring it back." He glanced at Valerie, waiting for her response.

[Valerie]

Valerie looked at the person in front of her. He...truly loves me.... Her mind back into turmoil, she glanced back down again, attempting to sort it out despite his warning. Before she knew, her mouth was talking on its own. "Drae, I still love you too...but you have betrayed me and my trust and that is something I cannot forgive easily. But it was Drae who betrayed me, not Trent. Though I know now there originally was no Trent, that thought is still comforting that he was honest to me." She tried to make sense of what she had just said but when she figured it out, she nearly slapped herself. This is crazy, though those things are true, I would never admit it....what am I doing? There is no reason I should be saying things like this... But she was too slow to catch herself again. "I believe that you have changed but it takes more than that to leave me to believe that you are trustworthy. I am sorry but its going more than apologizing to get me to trust you with anything again. So I am sorry but until then, we can only be friends." She sighed, defeated by herself. But I don't want to be his friend! I want to....I want to be his girlfriend! There it was, out for her mind to analyze. All of the previous turmoil in her mind dissipated at that moment. But there was nothing she could do to deny it, it was true, even though she wished desperately it wasn't. But there is no way I can trust him now, for he has to earn it...this is why you don't betray people unless you're sure of it before hand. She leaned in to hug Drae lightly, sure that she wouldn't try to hurt him. "I'm sorry I hurt you, but I did it as a reflex and there was nothing I could do to control it." She really was sorry, even though she knew he would just forgive her lightly. That's because he knows he caused it. That thought ran through her head as she smoothed out the bottom hem of her outfit, not wanting the silk to crease too bad.

[Draetrialis]

Drae nodded. "Fine..." he muttered darkly, turning back to the lake. He sighed and said, "I guess I deserve that... but it doesn't make it any easier..." He looked over the lake and tried to figure out how he could earn her trust again. I guess at this point... only saving her life would be reasonable... but there won't be a disaster for a long time... and I am not going to create the disaster... not this time. The dragon slowly began carving runes into the grass, but not in a magical form. I don't know what to do now. What can I do at this point? he thought. When he finished carving the runes, he realized that it said 'Those who are lost, usually require a guide.' "Isn't that line true..." he muttered, looking at Valerie again. "Besides the obvious, saving your life, how can I earn your trust? I have no idea..." he asked, his eyes changing to their normal red. His voice was tinged with confusion, and it was clear that even with his intelligence, he was totally lost. "Please... how can I? My usual river of ideas is dried up..."

[Valerie]

Valerie thought for a moment, while staring at one of the trees that was apart of the forest that bordered the grassy ring around the lake. "Well, I guess another thing that would prove my trust would be...to do a few things for me..." She all of a sudden was struck with an idea. "One of the things you could do is to make sure that either the garden is fixed from our first 'meeting' or the garden keepers 'forget' that the Royal Roses were cut. That would be a start. Another thing could be maybe somehow getting Lin to vouch for you..but I don't know how that would work." She stared at the box she'd given him. It was a dark red brown color and had intricate patterns of swirls and almost rune-like patterns carved into the top and sides. That box is pretty, I hope he makes use of it. Then she started to play with the gauntlets on her arms. She was wearing one of her infamous huntsman gowns. It was adapted so that she could fight in this if she wanted to and it was loaded with many weapons. But she had taken the weapons off and left them near her shoes which were boots that had stilettos hidden in them. Her whole gown was a plain light blue gown with hardened blue-green stained leather sewn into the chest and the stomach area. She also had hardened leather strips that came down her up arms, held by a flap so she had maximum movement. Her gauntlets were of a similar fashion but also had an elegant, light, swirling pattern burned into it for decal. Her boots also had the same swirling pattern burned into them as well. The boots came up to her thigh level, so she had maximum protection as well. Her cape was that of crushed dark green velvet on the inside but the outside had a thinner leather outside to protect it from rips. Her gown itself was made of silk. She was playing with the strings she used to tie on her gauntlets when she decided it was best to change positions again. She changed into a more lounging position so that it was both comfortable and practical.

[Draetrialis]

Drae laughed. "A few runes go a long way. I can repair the roses at least, but I will be drained for a while, since I will have to use a few more to make the gardeners forget." He said. "As for Lin... isn't she the dragoness I fought here at the lake, along with the griffin?" He asked, looking out, trying to find the area the fight took place. Hmm... how could I possibly get a dragoness that I fought to vouch for me...? he thought, trying to work out possibilities. Sighing, he tried to resist the urge that was rising within him. "Hmm... now that I think about it, she did say her name was Lin, while I was trapped in the ice..." he murmured. "Okay... I have to collect some gems so I can prepare the runes and not drain myself... then how in the world will I get Lin to vouch for me...?" He groaned. "Oh man... this will be hard..."

He looked at Val again, turning his entire body to do so. "I wish I could do everything with runes, but I can't..." he said, looking over Valerie's body, admiring her huntress' gown. He smiled and suddenly was struggling with his own will. "Oh well... I need to go prepare..." he muttered and brought Valerie's face to his, smiling. He kissed Valerie on the lips for a minute before he went to the water, taking off the ring. He gingerly took the box into his claws as he slid under the waves, disappearing into his cave.

[Valerie]

Valerie felt Drae's lips press hers for a minute and she savored every moment of it. She knew that she could not trust him but she still enjoyed it anyways. Then Drae took his box and dove back into the lake in his true form, back to his watery cave. I can't wait until he can prove his trust and loyalty, then we can be together again. You know, its funny; he was my arch nemesis but now he's my boy friend-to-be. I never thought I'd learn to love someone as arrogant and evil as him. She found it strange to be insulting him in her mind but she knew she could never call him steroid-lizard with the same vehemence she had once done. She will never again attack him out of self-defense or worry that he could turn on her in a moment's notice. That is, if he can get Lin to vouch for him. Oh, I'm only being paranoid. Of course he'll get her vouch. Or I can find something else for him to prove himself at. She stared at the last place he had been, watching the ripples that were still emanating outward. After a while, and all the ripples had disappeared, she got up and put her boots on, buckling the top to its usual setting of three and then she slowed her heart beet and took off the spell from earlier. Then she transformed into her Dragon form and took off, heading back toward the castle with her memory of kissing Drae still in her head.

Valerie arrived at the very courtyard that Drae had been in the previous day and she landed. She folded her wings and looked around, noticing the bench was still a mess of broken granite and blood and the ground where she'd been standing was all messed up. So she went over to the bench and tidied it up a little, using some water from a nearby fountain to wash off some of the blood, though it didn't come off that easily. I should have remembered, dried blood bonds to certain types of stone. Though I didn't know it bonded to granite, well that's a future note. A gruesome one but still a note. She thought, knowing it was very gruesome. After she had a pseudo-bench formed from the crumbling chunks of rock. Next she moved on to the way the ground looked, and how to fix it. But that was easy enough, she took her tail and swept the ground with it, smoothing the dust patterns and puffing up the plants at the same time. After she finished she stepped out and took a look from the side. Well at least it looks decent. I can't prevent the servants from gossiping but I can at least keep them from having something on me and getting in more trouble. Satisfied, she sighed and shifted back into her human form while heading back up to her room to change. I feel in the mood for a dip in the pool. When she got to her room, she changed into her swimsuit, and grabbed a towel and her sunscreen bottle and headed out of her room, her towel draped over her shoulder. She applied sunscreen on the way, mostly onto her face and shoulders. This will feel good, those huntsman gowns aren't the most breathable outfits I have. I usually wear those inside, I should have changed into one of my sundresses, it would have been more appropriate. Oh well, it gives me a chance to head to the pool. She walked down the hallway, passing the kitchen and the gardens. She entered through an opening near the Main Garden (where she and Drae had met) and and entered an even bigger garden that contained the pool. She walked down the step-stone path that formed the way to the pool. After a couple minutes of walking, she came out of the garden section of this garden and into the poolside. The reason it was so deep in the garden was to keep the unsightly poolside from viewers on the outside. It also kept people from spying from the castle, since you could only see the pool from air. She set her towel and her flat, soundless slippers on one of the poolside lounge chairs and walked to the edge to test the water. Hmm, slightly cool, just the way I like it... The water had been warmed during the morning by the sun but now had cooled off a little since it was early afternoon. She stood at the deep end and dove in, piercing the water like an arrow. She came up to the surface for air and immediately started to tread water, a reflex of hers. That feels good...