Relax. They're only the enemy.

[Ashteth]

The inn was crowded, despite it being on the smaller side of bars in the area. Lanterns swung from the ceiling, casting the tables and bartop in a soft, eerie, yellow glow. The crowd inside the tavern was loud and raucous, consisting of mostly soldiers and young men. A few women waitresses threaded in and out of the tables, distracted by themselves, no one noticed the cloaked figure sidle into the dingy bar.

Cloaked with a long black fabric the covered figure made its way softly to the bar, ignoring the small scuffle that had broken out. He sat at the bar, his back hunched, a tunic-covered hand placing a palm over his blade pommels, making sure that when he sat the swords didn't show through.

The bartender walked over, wiping a beer glass clean. He had seen people like this before, cloak up, softspoken, generaly rich.

Looking up the cloaked figure nodded at the bartender, his face still in shadow, covering his blue skin and pointed ears.

"A glass of wine. Something strong." A smooth, yet sharp voice commanded, leaving no argument that this was an order for a drink, not a request.

The bartender nodded and quickly left to go to the back. Once out of the sight of the seated man he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, sweat pouring off him in buckets. Shaking his head the man went through the bottles, searching for some of the best mead.

Outside the cloaked figure turned on his stool and watched the bar, waiting patiently. Humans were so very interesting.

[Kaala]

Kaala decided she couldn't stand the heat any longer and ducked in the nearest bar. She may have been on a mission but that didn't mean she had to kill herself from heatstroke. It was hot, even for an elf. She drew up her hood to hide her ears and started to the bar shoving through the scuffle on the floor.

'Gods, now I remember why I hate living like a human.' she though to herself. She stopped as a man smacked her butt and turned around to look him in his leering face. She slowly reached out with her hand and grabbed his shirt collar, bringing him up close enough for him to see the glow in her green eyes before she picked him up and threw him across the room, smashing him into a table.

Turning back around she slowly made her way to the bar, sitting next to a cloaked stranger and turning towards the bartender and barked, "Wine full glass.....Something strong."

She noticed the bartender hesitating and whispered, "Now if you want to keep your head man...." he handed her a glass and she passed some coins to him.

Turning, she looked at the stranger next to her, one hand holding the glass, the other on one of her two concealed rapiers. She gently sipped the wine, contrary to her anger...

[Ashteth]

Ashteth nodded as the bartender handed him a glass of wine, turning again to have his back face the crowd. He didn't see the girl walk in, but he heard the crash and instantly tensed as she sat next to him, asking for almost the exact same drink as he had. He didn't smile at the irony, or whatever it was, he didn't have time for aesthetic metaphores, but instead the blue-skinned elf tensed even more, his shoulders and sides tightening, one hand on his glass, the other still hiding his swords beneath his cloak.

Ashteth glanced over at the woman, his actions concealed by his hood and the inclination of his head to sip the wine. Grimacing he nearly ordered another glass of wine, demanding something that wasn't rancid. Remembering that he was supposed to be looking at the girl he shot another look in her direction, noting her sharp features, pretty for a human.

Blue eyes narrowed Ashteth began to slowly put up mental barriers. You could never be to careful.

He took another sip of wine and looked over at her again. Far too pretty for a human. His hands tightened as Ashteth took another sip of wine, staring at his glass, making sure his mental walls were up and strong.

[Kaala]

Kaala sighed as she noticed the cloaked figure glancing her way. She noted the way his hood slightly turned in her dirction every time he took a sip of wine. She had her suspicians about why he kept his hood up but it would take her some time to see if she was right...

She drank a little of her own wine, grimicing at the taste. She whispered loud enough so only the stranger could hear her words. "They have much better wine in Ellesmera, eh Brother? Almost makes you want to return, no?" She kept her eyes to the front giving away nothing in her gaze.

She put her glass down and turned to the bartender, once more peircing him with her green eyes. "Give me a bottle of your best wine and two glass. And make sure it isn't rancid this time... I've seen better wine mixed in a pigs trough..."

[Ashteth]

Ashteth nodded in agreement, his dark eyes narrowing further. He quickly put down his glass and accepted the other one.

Brother? No self-respecting elf would even think to call me brother. She know's I'm an elf, but not much else. I can't risk any of my kind knowing my whereabouts. It's been nearly one hundred years since I left, and my name is forbidden to speak of, along with my deeds, so there might be a chance she doesn't know me. Most likely she's a spy in Gil'ead, not interested in me at all.

Ashteth's thoughts raced as he straightened his back, his hands fully coming off his blades, noting that the girls own hand was still stayed by her side, most likely over a sword. Best to be polite, despite his nature. He growled under his breath and nodded at the girl next to him, making sure that his exact features where still under cloak and shadow.

"My thanks." He said softly, his words flowing in the crude human tongue his thoughts and mouth had adjusted to. Ashteth glanced over the elf, looking over her body. Decent muscle mass, for an elf. Sword training, bow, maybe knives, or really light weapons. He could tell at a quick look that she was fast, although not abnormally so.

"Are you here for the queen or the Varden? They must be. . . bold to send such a spy." Ashteth said, his voice low and uncatchable only to another elfs ears.

[Kaala]

She turned to look at him, her eyes flashing seductively. "And what makes you think I'm a spy?" she asked, her voice lower than usual and slightly raspy.

She took her hand off her sword and slowly poured her a glass of the wine. She drew back her hood revealing her ears her hair. Most would recognize her for what she was and clear out. If any decided to bother them, well, it was their funeral. She quietly whispered, "Atra nosu waise vardo fra eld hornya" and she felt the magic wash over her. She nodded. 'One can never be to careful...'

She felt Mirror brush against her mind and she saw a breif picture of a giant lake, crystle clear and pure. She hid her smile and told him "Not now, love, I'm working..."

She drew her attention back to the elf and, making sure she had his attention, sipped her wine. She sighed. much better though no where as good as wine of elvish make...

[Ashteth]

Ashteth took another sip of wine, his dark blue face revealed in the dull light, although it would seem an illusion to most. He tilted his head towards the other elf and raised an eyebrow, turning towards her. Revealing herself in public? She was either incredibly powerful, incredibly overconfident or incredibly clever.

He opted for overconfident.

"You have given me no reason to think that you would be anything else." Ashteth said, his voice still soft and calm, his face still shadowed, although his dark blue eyes glinted dangerously, catching even the minimal light from the lanterns. He took another sip of wine, annoyed that this girl could recieve better quality mead upon request when his had been shunned. He was being topped, and Ashteth hated losing.

[Kaala]

"You have given me no reason to think that you would be anything else."

She heard his whispered words and smiled softly, belaying her simmering anger at his accusation. She whispered, making sure the spell was still in place so that the barkeep could not hear them.

"You're telling me that you are just sitting in here, doing nothing for no reason...? Do you really think I will take that?" she asked her eyes hardening. She knew he was older but didn't know by how much. If she played her cards wrong, it could prove fatal...

She suddenly stopped speaking as a beam of light from the lantern fell on his face, lighting his features. She noted the blue skin and blue eyes. gasping slightly she jumped from her stool, rapiers in her hand in an instant..."Abr Wyrda hath cursed me" she said, her eyes widening...

[Ashteth]

Ashteth was up just as quick as the girl who had just pulled her rapiers on him. His eyes narrowed and he was suddenly glad for her closeness. He was still cloaked, but his sharp, mysterious features would be plain and easily recognized. Quickly his hands, first his right on her right wrist, and then his left on her left wrist, disabled the girls fingers, pushing down the correct nerves to render her hands useless.

Her hands deadened, she dropped her rapiers, although they didn't hit the ground, as they were caught by the hilts by Ashteth's white palmed hands. The older elf glared at the girl, noticing the argetlam on her hand.

A rider? Not good. Galbatorix must be notified, but he has enough patrols to stay any dragon that attempts to raid the city. Meanwhile, you must be detained. Ashteth thought, making sure to keep up his mental barriers.

Still clutching the rapiers he flitted behind the girl, pushing his cold hand underneath her hair, guiding her, almost gently, towards the exit.

"Out." Ashteth growled in her ear, flinching one of her coins from her purse and tossing it onto the counter. "Now. Don't try and resist, I have you by your central nerves. One wrong move and you are crippled for the next ten centuries." Ashteth continued, pressure from his hand urging the younger elf towards the exit.

[Kaala]

Kaala snarled as she felt him push her out of the bar. She sent a message to Mirror, her mind working overtime. "Mirror, I need you to go find a Varden member, but stay out of site" she told him. She felt his reassurance brush her mind and the connection was lost.

She let the elf lead her, feeling utterly helpless to stop him. "Losna eka" she told him forcefully, knowing he would understand elvish better than the gutteral human she normally spoke

[Ashteth]

Ashteth leaned in closer to the female elf, his hood pushed back once they left the bar, knowing it would take elfin eyes to see him for what he was. His eyes where narrowed as he led the girl down into an allyway, making sure they where covered by shadows before slidling in front of the other elf, his cool hand still pressed to her neck, idly fingering the various pressure points.

Head tilted, one hand on the girls neck, the other holding the rapiers Ashteth surveyed the girl thouroughly, inspecting her inch over inch. His blue lips twitched and he looked back up to her face, hoping to catch her green eyes with his blue ones.

"No. I don't feel like it." He growled, short with words, as always. "And speak human. The old words insult me." Ashteth added, his face clouded with annoyance rather than anger.

"Tell me rider. Where is your dragon? Why are you here? Who sent you? Tell me rider, I don't like to wait."

[Kaala]

She turned and caught his blue eyes, shocked by the wave of desire that shot through her at his closeness. She closed her eyes and savored it for a moment before regaining her senses. "You think I would tell you such a thing, Ashteth the Traitor?" She spat on his face and struggled against him.

She shivered as feelings that she hadn't had since her younger days awoke in her. She stopped her struggles and sagged against him. "My dragon is not here. I was not on a mission to find you, I was sent by the Varden to try to find any other dragon eggs." she told him, her eyes tearing at the betrayal of her friends and family.

"Let me ask you something." she whispered. "I seek news of my sister, Mikala. Have you heard of her?" She couldn't believe she was doing this. She knew she was strong enough to over come this but for some reason this traitor had an effect on her like no other....

[Ashteth]

Ashteth glared, his eyes narrowed. This girl knew him. It was only expected; Riders were often required to study the actions of wanted criminals. His hand pressed against her throat, the pressure increasing. The thumb of his right hand straying under her jaw slowly, thinking hard about paralyzing her mouth and her smart attitude along with it.

Jerking his head, the moonlight catching his bleached markings and serving the purpose of making his hair fall out of his eyes, Ashteth dropped the rapiers, bending down, making sure his eyes and hand stayed where they were. On her own eyes and neck. The small swords fell silently and Ashteth raised his other hand to pin her right shoulder to the wall, his hand cold.

"I care not for anyone else save myself. I do not know of Mikala." he said softly. Ashteths blue lips were close enough to the girl so that he didn't have to speak anything above a whisper to be heard.

"A few words of advise. Once we turn traitor. We don't turn back."

[Kaala]

"A few words of advise. Once we turn traitor. We don't turn back."

Kaala felt more tears leak from her eyes at his words and felt them brand themselves in her heart. She knew it was true but still, she could retain hope.

She began to sob even harder as she felt Mirrors' anger at her betrayal. She knew now that their bond would never be the same. Mirror might never trust her again, much less the members of the Varden.

She stopped cold as she realized that this elf was heartless enough to tell the Varden what happened and they would seperate her from Mirror, killing her in the process. That would leave Mirror to choose another. She felt her heart shatter at the thought...

[Ashteth]

Ashteth watched as the tears pooled down her cheeks, the salty liquid staining his hand. He didn't say anything, but hid his displeasure behind a stoic face and icy eyes.

She still cries? A child. I'm holding a child. Contempt blanketed his features as the girl continued to to cry. Suddenly she stopped and Ashteth glared at the much younger elf, his blue eyes piercing into hers. He shook his head, dissaproval at her blatant flaunting of her emotions, especially to a stranger.

"Are you quite done?" He asked softly, his eyes narrowed into a frown, his bleach-marks distorted on his convoluted face. "Because as much I will regret this, you need to be taken to Galbatorix. And I'm going to have to take you." Ashteth leaned in towards the girl, his breath hot on her neck. "Behave. Or I might kill you instead."

[Kaala]

Her eyes widened and blazed hot with anger. "How dare you!" She shouted, her voice hoarse because of the hand at her throat. "I have done nothing to you and yet her am I pinned to a wall" She gasped as Mirror landed in a rush of air. She had forgotten how large he had grown in the past months....

"Fly Mirror, I won't lose you here!" she shouted, her thoat burning because of the hand at her throat. She heard the roar as he screamed his rage at the fool who dared touch his bonded...

[Ashteth]

"You drew your blade, I was content to leave you be, but you, foolish youngling-" Ashteth was abruptly cut off by a rush of hard air on his back. Glaring, he quickly pulled the girl in front of him, one hand still on her throat, another on her shoulder, holding her firmly against his toned body.

Dark blue eyes met the dragons and he glared, reaching out with his mind for the King. Unable to contact his superior Ashteth removed his hand from the elves shoulder and passed it down to her waist, clutching her all the tighter to his body.

Suddenly they were gone, away from Mirror in all his rage and fury. Over the rooftops Ashteth jumped, his inhuman speed and strenght outrunning the dragon. Stopping he swiftly darted into a doorway, his left hand still clutching the other elves throat, although his other hand was now splayed across her forehead, Ashteth's nose nearly touching the girls.

"Call him off or I remove the mind link. There are certain points on your head that stimulate and cut off circulation to your brain. It would be relatively simple to cut off your commucation with your dragon-forever." Ashteth leaned in closer, his elbows splayed as he held the girl by her head and by pressing his body against hers. "I'm being nice. Call him off"

[Kaala]

"You think I can call him off like some dog? I told him to flee! Yet you blame me for his actions. For an elf you are not very perceptive are you?" she taunted, her eyes slightly unfocused from loss of oxygen and not thinking straight.

She slowly felt her grip on conciousness slipping away. "Mirror. Leave this place. I will not have you suffer for my betrayal." she told him as the last of her strength slipped away.

Slowly she slipped into the oblivion of unconciousness...

[Ashteth]

Ashteth stepped back and caught the rider, holding her roughly in his arms. He hadn't been pressing to hard on her windpipe, elves where made of tougher stuff than humans, but she still passed out. Probably a combination of exhaustion, stress and fatigue. Ashteth looked her over, examining her smaller frame.

Definitely too pretty for Galbatorix's dungeons.

Hoisting her over his shoulder, the blue skinned elf walked to his own quarters, a medium-sized apartment-like building. Once at his house, he dropped her ungraciously onto a small couch. There was another reason he hadn't taken the girl to the King.

She was an elf. And a rider. If the King even dared to take one of those beings hostage he would be met with even more resistance and outrage. Holding a Rider, a female Rider, against her will was not a smart idea. An elf holding an elf. That was another idea. He could safely keep her here until he decided what to do with her.

Ashteth threw off his cloak and short vest, both articles landing softly on a table a few meters away from the couch. He then grabbed a chair from the table and sat down in front of the girl, only a few feet away from her arms, just in case she wanted to try something stupid, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes focusing on the outside city of Gil'ead.

Yes, he would most certainly regret ever doing this.

[Kaala]

Kaala ran. She didn't know where she was. She just ran. They couldn't touch him. She wouldn't let them. Then suddenly she was in the desert again, watching as her parents were killed. Watching as the rider stole their life from them. In a way it was a beauty of sorts and it terrified her

And then , suddenly, there was nothing but Galbitorix, taunting her, saying the words she least wanted to hear, 'Once you turn traitor you don't go back' and her anger raged within her at the injustice of it all that had happened and then, somthing disturbed her. So familar but she couldn't remember. It was male, soft and strong. "Come back, little one. You cannot stay away from this forever. Find me, so that we may continue our destiny, Kaala Rain Salyn, Rider of the Varden" and then it was gone...

She awoke with a gasp and began to roll out of her bed, but landed on the floor with a loud thump. She shook her head, disoriented. where was she? she rose and looked around, freezing as her eyes landed on the blue elf in the chair and her memories of earlier returned. Her rage slowly began to spiral out of control and her eyes blazed. "Where am I?" she spat