Selendrile was horribly vague about things, and Alys for the most part, had accepted it. He would say something and then nothing more—expecting her to know or understand but whenever she asked about it he looked at her like she was the most ignorant person he had ever met. Eventually she gave up and went along with his words, but not that time.
"They're still alive?"
Selendrile looked at her like she was the most ignorant person he'd ever met, just as she suspected, but she didn't feel foolish about it.
"Yes," was all the explanation he gave her.
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No."
"Then why are you concerned?"
He looked at her hard, "They are coming for me."
"How do you know?" Alys asked. In fact, she had a lot more questions—hundreds of them to ask but he would only get annoyed.
"Ask your friend."
Alys didn't see how Lianna had anything to with it. She was merely a scholar that was well versed in dragon lore.
She got out of bed and dressed. Selendrile wouldn't leave so she made him turn around. She saw he was always amused at her privacy issues. In the summer, when they were traveling across the land, Alys would bathe in ponds, rivers, or lakes. However it was very difficult to bathe when the dragon-youth was at the shore or bank, usually laying leisurely on the ground and grinning in that dragon of his. Anytime that happened, she turned her back to him and went to the deepest part of the water—until she was on her tiptoes even—and tried her best to ignore him. If he hadn't moved by the time her fingers pruned she screamed at him. Selendrile did not like to be screamed at. He claimed she hurt is ears, which she doubted because he was constantly reminding her how she could never hurt him because he was so strong and clever.
Alys grabbed the book of Dragon Lore and intended to return it to Lianna. She would also ask the scholar about the possibility of why, if ever, any of the magnificent seven would seek the prince of dragons. She would have to speak carefully though in order not to arouse any suspicion.
Alys knocked on Lianna's door. There was no answer or indication that Lianna was within. Alys knocked again, just in case. Since Lianna did not respond, Alys went back to her room.
"What time is it?"
"Ten-thirty," Selendrile answered. He was still sitting in the chair, pondering whatever it was that dragons pondered about. To Alys guess, he was thinking of the magnificent seven.
An odd sensation pricked all over Alys's body. Lianna had said she would be leaving at noon, if anytime that day. It was not noon yet by an hour and a half. Alys rushed to the foyer of the inn. The lady of the inn, from the night before was there.
"Has Miss Lianna left already?" Alys put the book on a table because it was heavy.
"Lianna?"
"Yes. She was traveling with the queen's knights."
"Her? Oh my, it was very odd. My cleaners opened her room this morning when she didn't answer to their knocking and she was gone. All of her belongings were missing too. It seems she had to leave early, but she paid for the full night up until noon today. I never saw her leave and I was up at six o' clock!" The lady of the inn told her.
Alys pursed her lips and frowned in confusion. Why on Earth would Lianna leave so soon and without her book? She specifically told Alys to bring it back to her.
Pursing her lips together and frowning didn't solve anything so Alys picked up the book and once again went back to her room.
"She's gone," she said as soon as she stepped in the room.
"Isn't that her book?" Selendrile pointed.
Alys's stomach grumbled in response, which was no answer at all.
She nodded. "I'll keep it for her in case she comes looking for it later."
Selendrile uncrossed his long legs and stood up. "Let's go."
"Where?"
"You're stomach made a noise. That means you need nourishment, from what I've experienced.
He must have meant the times when Alys whined that she needed to eat. Selendrile would always bring her food, but it was paced many hours apart and Alys wanted to eat in between. She would always say, 'My stomach is growling!'
Selendrile had a different opinion of what a 'growl' was, and to him stomachs never 'growled.'
They emerged into the port city. The snow had piled up three inches since the night before. Alys's stockings were soaked in five steps.
"How come drag—?" She began to ask a question but Selendrile grabbed her by the shawl wrapped around her and jerked her close to muffle the question. To any townsperson passing, they looked like a lovely couple, snuggling with each other in the cold. The wool of Selendrile's vest scratched and tickled her nose. He smelled like damp meadow grass even in the winter.
Selendrile waited for a moment until most people had passed. Alys knew better than to try and struggle out of his grasp. He pulled away but still had a hold of her shawl.
He leaned his head in close and whispered, "Do not speak of dragons in public. This is not an empty countryside like you've been used to for the past few months. We don't need anybody to suspect us."
He let her go, and she stumbled a little. He wasn't angry but kept a deeply concerned frown on his brow. She didn't understand why he was worried. He could change right then and fly away, or kill everybody if he wanted to. He wasn't that malicious though. Selendrile only killed for food and for revenge…or so Alys had observed.
They entered a bakery and Alys bought a muffin as a late breakfast. They walked through Tierbo together until they spotted the knights. There were about thirty men. Selendrile's form went rigid. He ate a knight once, so why did he look ready to bolt as soon as they saw him?
"Go back to the inn," Alys told him and skipped toward the group of knights.
"Alys!" he shouted.
That drew a few of the knights' attention. Before they could find out who had shouted, Alys asked, "Have any of you gentlemen seen Lianna the scholar today?"
The knights focused back on their doings, but one remained focused on Alys. "No. She is at the inn."
They looked busy. They were all surrounding the Harbor Master's office but Alys was too short to see what was inside. The knight briskly turned around to continue whatever it was he was doing before.
"Excuse me sir, but she is not at the inn. She is gone, that is why I asked you," Alys said a little bit louder.
More knights paid attention to her now. "What is this you say?"
"She's not at the inn. All her belongings are gone and so is she. Have any of you seen her?"
Mumblings of 'Lianna is gone?' and 'Where could she have gone?' went through the group.
A horrible feeling hit Alys then. The knights didn't even know where she went or why she had left. In the midst of the knights' discussion about Lianna, Alys slipped away without being questioned. She walked hurriedly back to the inn.
She heard footsteps behind her, a soft crunching in the snow. She pretended not to notice she was being followed.
"I saw her," a voice rasped.
Alys whirled around, "Who?"
The speaker was a beggar woman. She looked like she was freezing. She wore only a single layer of rags.
"The scholarly lady. She was running through the alley early this morning with her pack. She was wild eyed, and was muttering."
Lianna wasn't mad was she? Alys didn't think a mad person to be a scholar.
"Do you know which way she went?"
"She was running east, but I didn't see her leave the city gates."
"Well thank you for telling me," Alys pondered where on Earth Lianna had run off to and then noticed the beggar woman shivering. "Here, take my shawl as thanks."
The woman smiled and accepted. Alys's arms immediately acquired gooseflesh from the biting cold. She ran back to the inn.
When inside, the cold melted away from her skin but soon crawled with chill again because the knights were already there! They were searching for Lianna no doubt.
Alys avoided their glances and went upstairs to find her companion.
He wasn't however, in the room.
She stomped her foot, frustrated at him for not following her directions. He never did as he was told. A mouse startled her, by crawling out of a small hole in the wall. She thought nothing of it but then saw the mouse scamper to the middle of the room. That's when she reasoned the inn was too good to have a mouse infestation, and she saw Selendrile's clothes in a pile on the bed. He didn't even give her time to turn around before he changed into a human. The light from the window illuminated his well-defined body.
"We must leave, now," he said calmly, but with an urgent tone that made Alys not ask any questions. He grabbed his clothes and dressed.
"Where is your shawl? Your frail human form will freeze," Selendrile gave her a sideways glance.
"Oh, I gave it to a beggar."
Selendrile gave her a look equal to the 'you're the most ignorant person I have ever met' stare.
"Take mine," he took it off and threw it at her. The sleeves were a bit big but the jacket was warm. Alys grabbed the Dragon Lore book. They walked downstairs together, holding hands to present the façade they were married. The knights were still questioning guests about the whereabouts of Lianna.
She felt him tighten his grip as they approached. A knight spotted them, and recognized Lianna's book.
"You there! Miss!" He called before they could get away.
Alys's broke her hand away and turned around with a smile, "Yes?"
"Where did you get that book?"
"From Lianna, she lent it to me last night and I was to return it to her today but she wasn't here."
"I'm afraid that is the property of the Imperial City. You must return it immediately," he made a grab for it but Selendrile caught his arm.
"Do not touch my wife, she will return it to you quickly enough," he said, a subtle threat.
The knight nodded and stepped back, although Selendrile was unarmed and the knight had a steel sword.
Alys couldn't let the book go. It was full of so much information, and she wanted to find Lianna as well.
"Where is Sir Fayden?" she asked. Both Selendrile and the knight's brows rose in surprise.
"Sir Fayden, this lady wishes to speak with you," the knight called. Sir Fayden approached them, a man of muscle, obviously the leader of the group.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Lianna lent this book to me, sir, I think I should keep it for her and take it back to the Imperial City where it belongs," Alys did her best to persuade.
Sir Fayden considered her words, rubbing his beard and mumbling.
"It is, after all only Dragon Lore, not any map…" was the only coherent thing Alys heard. "Very well. Take it back to the imperial City for her, we appreciate your help."
She must have looked trustworthy enough which made her feel proud. If only Selendrile trusted her more, then maybe he would let her in on fey secrets. For now she had the book, and the book would tell her more than Selendrile ever would.
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They started off on the east trade road that afternoon. The knights were too involved in their own quest to see that Selendrile was an abnormal human. Then again, no one but Alys seemed to notice how inhuman the dragon-youth was. At least it wasn't snowing any more. If the cold had any impact on Selendrile he didn't show it. They walked along the road.
There were no people around, so Alys decided to talk about dragons.
"Dragons look a little bit like lizards," she began. Selendrile kept his face forward, she wasn't sure if he was paying attention. "I never see lizards in the winter."
"They are cold-blooded," he said.
"Are you cold blooded?"
"You might say that," he replied cryptically.
Alys mulled his answer over in her mind, but couldn't quite understand it. "So, dragons are like lizards?"
He finally looked at her, "No."
"If we fly it would be faster," Alys offered.
Selendrile laughed scornfully, "Changing into a dragon for a few minutes is even dangerous, flying would be suicide."
"Why are you afraid of the knights?"
Selendrile stopped walking and whirled on her, "I am not afraid of anything. I am the prince of dragons. The only thing concerning about Queen's knights is that they have crossbows and there are many of them. Now if you would please stop badgering me with your moronic questions, we should be coming across an inn before nightfall and I expect to rest peacefully."
"What about—? But you always need to transform before sun—" Alys objected, her voice wobbly—angry and frightened at him all at once—for calling her moronic.
His hand slammed over her mouth and he was scowling, "BE QUIET."
At first she thought he was saying it because he was tired of hearing her talk, but they heard rustling from bushes at the side of the road. His dragon senses were keen, even in human form. He didn't want anyone sneaking up on them and hearing Alys, and they both were weary of traveling people ever since Atherton tricked them the night Selendrile almost died.
No one emerged from the bushes, but a lone wolf leaped out and stared at them with hungry, yellow eyes. Selendrile put himself between the wolf and Alys. The wolf was bold enough to advance and at once, Selendrile's form folded into fur and muscle. The clothes he had been wearing were ripped, but Alys wasn't concerned about dealing with a naked Selendrile once this was over—she was worried for him. Usually animals could sense the fey magic but this wolf was desperate for food. After all it was winter, and food was hard to find.
Selendrile growled, and the wolf echoed it. Alys stepped back slowly, in tiny steps. The yellow-eyed wolf saw this, focused on her, growled and made a leap. Selendrile—in wolf form—jumped and bit the other wolf's neck in mid-air. They were suddenly a snowy ball of fur and teeth. The dusk air was filled with whimpers, growls, howls, and then silence.
Selendrile walked away from the wolf's body with blood on his muzzle. It looked like he had torn the throat out of the other wolf. Alys felt a little bad for the other wolf. It never even had a chance.
Selendrile never transformed back into a human. He approached her, and the only thing keeping her nerves at bay were the comfort of the wolf's familiar, purple eyes. They stared at each other for a few moments. He then started sniffing the ground until his nose hit small leather bag that he had been carrying before he turned to a wolf. He barked at her, beckoning her near. The pouch held the gold from his horde; she picked it up, getting some blood on her fingers from where his nose rubbed. He then threw back his head and howled, and ran into the woods.
Alys didn't know what to think. He ran at a pace she could never follow or was she supposed to follow him at all? Was this it? Had he enough of her company? Or did he think it was simply too dangerous to travel with her? What was even the danger? She didn't understand anything anymore.
"Selendrile!!" she shouted at the woods, feeling like a lost child, all alone.
The pines rustled by the sudden wind. She continued looking to the woods but eventually the sun set, and the air became freezing. She sighed.
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A/N- Sorry if the plot is getting confusing. The second chapter is not part of the dragon lore book, but a story that will involve the main plot eventually. Just to clear any confusion up. Thanks for reading : )