Fight to live or die trying

[nerasa]

Nerasa was walking through the forest heading home from a long days work although she had been helping an herbalist with some work she had to get ready for a few things herself. She had planted some of her own herbs to use when she traveled in a month or two so that she could use that instead of magic or at least sell it for money for the road. She knew that in the Empire she needed money to survive the world out there but she had gotten so used to her life here, although she was an elf, that she didn't want to have money.

Nerasa had grown a few herbs that were good for healing, strenthin someone, and cure some illnesses although only some very light ones not those that are to strong. She had made ointments with some of these herbs that it would be of use to use it to put on someone's chest when they have a cold. Nerasa didn't know if the humans needed such a thing but it would have to do, for now at least and it would do some good for her out there in the empire.

Suddenly there was a loud burst behind her house that she ran and saw what looked to be a large red stone but if she knew better it was a dragon's egg. She bent down to pick it up and she brought it into the house so no one else could take it and do harm with it.

"Where did you come from? Why here?" Nerasa asked but didn't hear anything in return.

Nerasa could have swarn she heard something rustle out side her home but she didn't want to look, not tonight at least, it could wait till tomorrow. Nerasa though couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong.

[Max452]

Einar groaned as he hung upside down in a tree. He cursed at himself for letting his targets get away.

Are you all right? Stigandr's voice echoed in Einar's head.
I'm fine. Just stay where you are.
But you are wounded! You need to be treated.
If you knew I was wounded, why did you ask if I was all right? Einar retorted angrily, but his anger was directed at himself and his current situation.
I just wanted to see if you would admit that you screwed up.
I didn't screw up! I was just delayed.
Whatever, I'm coming down!
NO! Stay in the cave. If those guys see you, they will surely run. I have the advantage here...they lost the egg in our battle, so it has to be around here somewhere. If the Elves sense your presence, I am as good as dead. He added.
Fine! But if I don't hear from you soon, I am coming over there and I don't care if I have to destroy a dozen Elf cities to get you out.
Thank you. Einar groaned again as he flipped out of the tree and landed bent down on his feet.
This is a lame mission. Hunting the wild dragon eggs... Stigandr grumbled out before ending their mental communication.

Einar smirked at his dragon's remark before continuing. He used magic to heal his major wounds that he contracted from one of the egg hunters before he killed him, but didn't have enough energy to heal the wound on the side of his abdomen completely. He ripped off a part of his cloak and tied it the cloth around his wound. Pleased that it would hold for awhile, he continued to move around the trees, tracking his foes.

He counted how many he killed and swore at himself again for the two who escaped from him.
I wounded both of them; one is wounded pretty good too...perhaps I can track them that way... He thought as he secretly moved about the trees.

Hours passed and he still hadn't found who he was tracking; although he had follow their trail to this location, or the egg. His wound began to hurt immensely from pushing himself. He ordered Stigandr to stay in his cave or all hope would be lost. He even made him swear in the Ancient Language to have him stay. Reluctantly, Stigandr did so, but only after Einar promised in the Ancient Language to come back alive.

Exhausted, Einar slowly moved across some bushes and found himself near a small house. He moaned as he thought about his unfortunate luck; he didn't want any of the elves to know of his presence since he was able to hide it for this long. The pain in his abdomen pierced him again and he grimaced. Collapsing near a garden, Einar remembered the sound of Stigandr yelling at him. He told him that he was still alive and asking him to stay back before blacking out.

[nerasa]

Nerasa hid the egg and put it under a lot of spells before she went outside to check what was happening. She didn't want anyone to know that she had taken the egg but if this thing, whatever it was, was something that wanted it she had to be extra careful.

Nerasa went outside and saw a man hurt near the garden and was blacked out from the pain. Nerasa didn't want to touch him just in case something happens but she had a feeling that she had to help him no matter what. She slowly dragged him into the home and put him in one of the spare rooms she had and grabbed some clean cloths and hot water before returning to the man. She entered the room again and looked at the wound and started to clean it slowly till all around the wound was clean.

"Well this is odd first something new comes and then you. What is happening here?" asked Nerasa mostly to herself.

After the wound was clean she put some of her herbs on it gently and waited before she could heal it so that she knew the germs were out of it and she knew when too. For the ointment would turn yellow when it was done which it did within minutes after putting it on.

"Waise heill." whispered Nerasa and the wound was closed up.

"There you go but now I have to wait for you to be up and running. I have a few questions that need answering and it would be good if you could answer them." said Nerasa but she couldn't trust him he looked like one of those that worked for the empire but she couldn't be to sure.

Suddenly a loud cracking noise came from where she hid the egg and she rushed to where the noise came and opened the cubered and there before her was a red dragon ruby red almost blood red. She looked at it and then decided to touch it and when she did she got a shot of energy up her arm that tingled and she nearly passed out. Then she looked at her hand and saw the mark of the dragon riders and now she was one.

"Hey little one. I think you may like this name how about Marflamel?" asked Nerasa and the dragon cocked its head and sent a mental image with something happy.

[Max452]

Einar moaned shortly after the dragon hatched, as he began to regain his consciousness.
Stigandr? Einar asked.
I am here. Are you all right?
I don't know... he groaned and the smell of fire reached his nostrils. That was when he suddenly realized that he was in a bed. His eyes darted open and wide as he sat up straight. His hands instinctively went to his swords, but he found them removed.
Alert and unnerved, Einar glanced around and noticed that he was in a room, and shirtless.
Shirtless!? Einar placed his hand on his face and knew his mask was taken off. What the devil? His hand moved to his wound that was no longer there. Where am I? Why did they heal me? His eyes flickered to the doorway as he heard noises there. Is this a new form of torture? He wondered as he tried to get out of the bed, but was still too weak, so he collapsed back into it.
Ugh. Where are you? I am getting worried.
I don't know. It looks like a cottage of some sort. He sent him an image of the room.
Doesn't look dangerous...
Looks can be deceiving. Don't forget. I am still in Elven country...
Then I suggest you be on your guard.
You don't seem to be concerned.
It's not like I can do anything. You made me swear not to move. So until you get out, my claws are tied.
Einar sent a slight simmer of anger.
This is your fault, so be angry with yourself, not me.
We will have to have a talk when I get back.
Suit yourself, but you have only yourself to blame. Besides, you finally get a bed for the night, so be happy. Stigandr smirked.

Einar tensed as he heard a voice speak in the other room.
What should I do?
You got yourself in this mess, you figure it out. A smug tone retorted.
Einar groaned again as he prepared himself as much as he could to face this person.

[nerasa]

Nerasa placed the dragon in her room and brought something for it to eat and then brought a plate full of food into the room where the person she found near hear garden was. She didn't know if she should bring him something but it was a good choice. She had found some food that would be fitting for people who ate meet but it wasn't enough for more then one person though.

As she entered the room with the plate of food she noticed that the man before her was awake but weak.

"Good your up I was sort of worried that you would be out longer then this. Its still good that your up although you shouldn't walk till tomorrow morning but thats your choice. I brought you some food although its not a lot but it will be enough for now." said Nerasa with a clear voice sounding like a bell.

"Not to be rude or wanting to get into anything personal but why are you in elf country? I know your not here for training to become a better Dragon rider but it seems like you are here for another purpose." said Nerasa setting the food down on the night stand next to him.

[Max452]

Einar's eyes darted to a female elf as she coasted in with a try of food. She did not look threatening, but he knew that the appearance of Elves were not what they seemed.
"Thank you." He blundered out as he stared at the plate of food, noting the meat he rarely at as well was among it. He really didn't like the idea of not having his weapons with him and being in Du Weldenvarden where the Elves could have him easily killed. He tried to get up from the bed again, but grimaced and collasped.
"I must get going." He mumbled, but it was barely audible as he fell back into bed.

He didn't like this feeling of invulnerability. It was...so...human.
You're part human are you not? So deal with it. A part of his mind screamed at him.

"I was just passing through." Einar managed to answer the Elf, with a rough voice.

[nerasa]

"Hmm. You shouldn't get up at least not for tonight you can leave tomorrow morning if you so choose. By the looks of the wound that I cleaned you were in a fight and it wasn't by any plant for that wound was by a sword only. If you were just passing through how did you get it?" said Nerasa looking at him from a chair that sat in the room.

"I know a lot about certain wounds and such but we won't get into what I know and what I can do. For I don't trust you and I shouldn't for you, by looks alone, belong to the Empire." she continued.

[Max452]

Einar made an annoyed expression; he had wanted to leave right away, but his body would not allow him to do so.

"My matters are my own." He replied rather impolitely. "and as to how I got here." he smirked. "I walked in." Einar retorted with sarcasm. He did not want to tell her that he had used magic to cloak himself as he followed the rumors that wild dragon eggs where in the Du Weldenvarden. Nor did he want to tell her that there were at least two dragon egg hunters, who cloaked themselves as well, were alive and searching the forest for the egg they had lost.
His mind groaned when the elf woman mentioned that she assumed that he was of the Empire. Great! Another mess i need to clean up!

"Don't judge by appearances alone." Einar's snappy tone never left. "I would guess that an Elf would understand that basic statement."

OCC: wow..Einar is really mean in this one...lol.

[nerasa]

"Don't get snappy at me. I could have just left you out in my guarden and let the wolves get at you and your wound would have got infected in an hours time if I didn't clean it. I guess I should have just left you and then your dragon would have been angry and such. Be greatful I saved your life and I don't expect anything in return, though you wouldn't do that anyway." said Nerasa lifting an elegant eyebrow up.

"You should eat you will need your strength when your looking for those things that you are." she continued but didn't move.

[Max452]

Einar sat silently as he was getting reprimanded by the elf.
"I...apologize..." he mumbled. "thank you...also..." he looked away. And then his eyes grew wide with a sudden epiphany.
"You know about my dragon!?" He looked at her, half with threatening eyes, the other with amazed ones.

[nerasa]

"Your welcome just don't forget it. You have the dragon rider's mark, I saw it when I was washing your hands, and it sort of makes sense that you made it as far as you did with your wounds. If your dragon wasn't alive then you probably would have lost conceness a long time ago before you stumbled into my garden." Said Nerasa losing her anger quickly but still was on guard.

Nerasa didn't want to leave till she was sure she could trust him and that could be a long while.

[Max452]

Einar scoffed at himself. He should have known that was how.

"For your generosity and compassion, I will do as you ask, and I will not harm you." He looked at her with confident eyes. "But if you alert the Elves of my presence, I will be forced to defend myself in any way possible." His voice was firm as he continued. "I thank you again, and in a day's time, I will be gone and will no longer be a burden upon you."

He wanted to get going so he could search for the eggs, or kill the remaining egg hunters.

[nerasa]

Nerasa listened intently to what he said though she only knew that he would have to do as he said.

"Good, not like I would want to do that but thats a good thing. Just one thing though. When you leave tomorrow I would apprecieat that none of my people get harmed. I wouldn't alert my kind as you don't want me to I will promise you that and only that." said Nerasa who got up and walked to the door.

"You should eat and get some rest. Call me if you need anything. But remember this though, though you said that you wouldn't do anything to me I still doubt it but I am hoping you are truthful on your statment." she continued.

[Max452]

Einar nodded to her terms. "That is acceptable. I will honor my word to the best of my ability, as you do to yours." He looked at the plate she brought and his stomach grumbled. "Thank you once more." He said as he watched her walk away.

Once she was gone, Einar picked up the plate of food carefully. He observed for a moment as if he didn't know what to do with it. Quietly he said some spells to check if there were any poisons; one could never be too sure. Finding none, he quickly devoured all but the meat.
Satisfied, he laid back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.

I will see you tomorrow, friend.
Good. I'm getting tired of waiting. Stigandr sent an image to Einar of him flicking his tail and counting the minutes until they would be together again. All this waiting is doing nothing for my nerves.
Einar smiled as he drifted off into sleep.

[nerasa]

Meanwhile Nerasa headed back to her room where her red dragon Marflamel lay on her pillow sleeping and a small puff of smoke came out of his nose. When she closed the door he raised his head and watched her with a curiouse eye.

"Well marflamel we have some seriouse issues but I don't know what to do. I won't be sleeping tonight but I wish I could like a human but we elves are much different then they are." said Nerasa scraching Marflamel on the top of the head.

"We are going to be busy tomorrow if you know what I mean, marflamel." Nerasa continued.