Chapter Seven: Zeymahzin

Shyvana could smell them could hear the stomping of their feet as the made their way towards her before she could see them. She didn't need to see them to know who was coming for her she had stumbled across them days previous. They didn't see her they were too busy laughing and enjoying each other's company all but one he stood apart from the rest he saw her saw her glowing purple eyes. She didn't move from her father's side she was content to let them come let them try to claim her father's hide she would destroy them all before they could touch him.

"I'm sorry father I know you never favored violence but I won't let them take you away from me" she whispered closing her eyes and kneeling beside her father's head resting her forehead against his.

The soft crunch of leaves behind her told her they were close. She inhaled deeply calming her nerves and summoned what little strength she could muster. She had been crying for so long she wasn't sure if she could stand let alone fight but she was determined. She opened her eyes and looked behind her into the forest.

…

"Sir, look there it's a dragon and young woman" Garett said pointing just ahead looking confused.

"A woman have you lost yer mind lad" Dagonett said shoving Garett out of the way.

Jarvan moved in front of the two bumbling idiots he called friends into a clearing. In front of him lay the corpse of a dragon the likes he had never seen before. Its scales were a deep purple color and they shimmered in the star light. One great horn sprouted from atop its head glistening a beautiful gold color the other was missing a great chunk having been snapped off. The beast had no wings and a long slender body golden talons decorated its mighty paws and along its back purple fur ran down from its head to its shoulders. Silver blood pooled around the mighty beast and Jarvan felt a pang of regret start to form in the pit of his stomach for killing so many creatures of valoran like this one.

Movement to the right of the dragon caught his attention and he turned to look into the glowing purple eyes of a young woman. She was dirty and covered in blood silver streaks marring her beautiful face. Long bright purple hair floated around her covering up most of her body. Two great horns sprouted from her head curving towards her face and away framing it perfectly. Her skin was like pale china that glowed softly in the moonlight. She bared long fangs at the group of men and took a step back. Tiny black scales appeared around her glowing eyes and up her arms. she dropped down on all fours and dug her long talons into the soft ground. She began to growl the sound something between a viscous beast and a young woman.

Jarvan took a step forward handing his lance to Conners. He raised his hands up in front of his body trying to ensure that he meant no harm.

"Don't come any closer mortals" Shyvana hissed.

Jarvan taken back by the sound of her voice stopped and looked at her. He had never seen anything like her she was ethereal.

"We won't hurt you, please tell us what happened did this beast attack you" Jarvan spoke softly trying not to frighten the young woman.

Shyvana rolled her eyes and stood up to her full height summoning her flames purple fire licking at her heels billowing her hair. She was trying to look menacing but the look in his eyes told her she was failing. She sighed and shook her head her flames dying around her.

"Human, why have you come here" She hissed growling softly.

Jarvan's men moved forward weapons at the ready but Jarvan threw up his hand and shook his head silencing them.

"Forgive me my lady my name is Prince Jarvan Lightshield IV, my men and I were following a dragon that attacked and killed part of my company when we heard the suffering of a great beast we came to investigate" Jarvan said smiling at her.

Shyvana frowned she had never met a human before that was not instantly hostile. "This dragon you see before me was my father one of the last and rarest creatures to ever grace valoran he was killed by an elder dragon and I am going to find and kill him" she said blinking back tears.

Dagonett stepped forward lowering his sword and scratched the back of his head. "Did you say that beast there is yer father miss" he asked looking between Shyvana and the corpse of the dragon.

Shyvana blinked and raised her eyebrow "Yes my father was a celestial dragon and my mother a human".

Jarvan looked at her with wonder he had heard of the stories of half dragons but he had never imagined that the tales were true.

"What is your name young lady" Garett asked.

Shyvana threw her head back and laughed "My name is Shyvana human and while it's flattering I'm hardly a young lady" she stomped her foot great billows of purple fire shooting skyward.

Jarvan's men took a step back and Shyvana frowned.

Jarvan moved towards the fallen dragon watching as Shyvana began to bristle.

"Don't touch him, prince" she hissed the last word.

"I'm not here to harm you in any way, and I am not about to defile your father's corpse Shyvana, I'd like to help you if you'd let me" Jarvan said stopping beside Shyvana's father.

"What was his name" he asked gesturing towards her father.

Shyvana took a step forward and grimaced as pain shot through her side. She bit her lip willing away her tears as she spoke "His name was Onik"

She sighed and moved away from the group of men to sit atop the lair she once called home. The night air was cool against her skin and she wrapped her good arm around herself to keep warm. She looked down at her father frowned as hot tears began to streak down her cheeks.

"Sir what should we do?" Garett asked looking at Jarvan.

Jarvan turned away from Shyvana and looked at his men.

"Set up camp we will rest here for tonight give the dragoness some room" he said moving to the far left of the clearing away from Shyvana and her father's body.

Jarvan's men busied themselves with building a fire and setting up a camp from what supplies they had left. A campfire was soon blazing its smoke reaching high into the starry sky. The men settled around the fire and ate in silence each taking nervous glances between the dragoness and the dead dragon at the opposite edge of the clearing. Jarvan sighed and rose to his feet moving away from the group towards the dragoness caring a steaming bowl of stew.

"Hello Shyvana, is it alright if I come up?" Jarvan asked looking up at the dragonesses still form. Her back was turned to the group the firelight giving her pale skin a ghostly appearance. When she did not answer for a long time Jarvan thought she might have fallen asleep from exhaustion but a brief nod from her proved him wrong. Jarvan climbed up to the top of the cave trying to balance the food without spilling it wondering just how the dragoness managed to climb with no effort.

"Here, eat you need to regain your strength" he put the bowl of food beside her and sat down.

Shyvana turned her head and looked at him "Why are you helping me, why do you care if I live or die"

Jarvan was silent for some time before he finally spoke looking away from her at the night sky "I know what It means to suffer and I know that no person deserves to suffer alone" he looked down at her and offered her a sad smile.

Shyvana looked at the man sitting beside her, she hadn't been this close to a human in many years and she felt an odd sense of companionship sweep over her. He was smiling at her and she felt a blush creep onto her cheeks she quickly looked away and shook her head taking a deep breath. He was a very handsome man as far as human standards go long black hair, tall, muscular, nice smile but there was something about his steel blue eyes that made shivers go up her spine. They were the eyes of someone who has known misery, hollow the spark of life long diminished. She knew because she saw those same eyes when she looked at her own reflection.

Jarvan wasn't sure how long they had been sitting in silence or how long Shyvana had been staring deep into his eyes but when she began to blush he smiled.