Her escape had been rather rushed; not quite the getaway she had imagined, but in the end, what mattered to her more than just getting close to the dragon of legend, was living to tell the tale. However, the chances of people believing her to that point were incredibly slim if none at all. Children would, perhaps, but young minds that absorbed knowledge like a sponge did not count in Rosalie’s book. If she ever hoped to get anywhere by recounting the events that led up to her encounter with the Blood Dragon, she would have to provide evidence. The thought prompted the girl to glance down briefly at what she had grasped in her hand; little objects slick with blood. It didn’t surprise Rosalie that getting back to town took slightly longer than she had expected, but she wouldn’t want to rush the journey anymore than she had trying to get away from Marian. Even if she hurried and made it back home under the watchful eyes of Sigmund’s family, it would make sense for the hunters to head back to the nearest source of supplies as well.

Suppressing a growl of frustration, Rosalie forced herself to focus more on the ground before her as she moved down the rocky slope, stopping only very briefly to check that none of the hunters were closely following her. Even if she were being trailed at this moment, there was nothing she could offer them aside from what she had taken from battle. After all, the greatest prize belonged to them and knowing what happened to dragons after capture, Gore would become another lowly slave. Even the strongest of beasts would eventually fall, as seen today with the Blood Dragon. This did leave much, however, to be considered. If it had been a fair fight, would the outcome have been any different to today’s? [i]What[/i] would be considered [/i]fair[/i] in this day and age? No doubt things have drastically changed from the swords and arrows of old that someone or something Gore’s age would be used to.

Now on even ground, her hometown, Kalandor, was a long hour’s walk away, but the thought of sitting in the warmth of a heater and the relief of getting into some dry clothes only urged her to pick up the pace. She had been trudging along the damp earth for too long, breathing in the cool air and the scents that came with it whilst thinking back over the events that led to many lives lost in a matter of minutes. She wanted to forget that, but for some, that would be a luxury they would never be able to afford. She felt terrible after witnessing the events, yes, but in the end, was there really anything she could do about it? If Rosalie had pushed the arrows further into the dragon when she had the chance, would that stop her from feeling guilty for being a bystander while all those hunters died? After claiming the lives of so many, surely killing the one who had caused this destruction would make up for it, right? The girl knew she should and could have, but when it came to the subject of actually taking a life, it left her wondering if she would be capable of doing so.

 The idea of being taken in for questioning crossed Rosalie’s mind many times, but she also thought it was likely that they would tend to their own rather than send people off to get her. [i]They’ll need all the help they could spare,[/i] the girl decided with a firm nod of confirmation to herself. It was not because it was a habit of hers but because Rosalie wanted the reassurance she might get from someone who accompanied her. Yet, she thought, slowing only when the sheet of rain had settled into a mere drizzle, if someone had gone along with her, would they have made it back? Just look at her: she was [I]extremely lucky[/I] to make it back with only a few scratches. It could have been worse if not for Gore...
She trailed off, then, brows furrowing. Gore. Why did that scaled beast save her? Seeing as she couldn’t exactly try and get an answer, the only thing left to her, sadly, was to speculate.

__

Three weeks. Three weeks since then and Rosalie had never been able to forget about it. It also didn’t help that Sigmund would often tease her about the cut she had received on the day, leaving her more than a bit paranoid that the wound would open up and she would be able to stick her tongue through it. She shuddered, pressing a hand against the cut that was healing up quite nicely -in her opinion- as she sat quietly in the room she had rented out for the duration of her stay in Desdemona, a city well known for its advanced technology and its easy-to-access location for travellers coming from all directions. What brought it new faces almost everyday were the amount of airships ready to be used for public transport and the fact that many people came here to trade. It certainly was a big step up from Kalandor. [i]No wonder Sigmund and Eric were disappointed they couldn’t tag along,[/i] Rosalie thought, shifting on the bed to get into a more comfortable position. She could have gotten them to pay for her food in exchange for forcing her to come here. At least they had paid for her travelling expenses.

She honestly did not see any real reason for being here for Druthers&Druthers’ Grand Auction, but Sigmund and Eric insisted that she go out and gather what they could not: pictures. Why pictures? Well, their reasoning was that it was going to be a historic event and since they had their hands full helping their father with the delivery of weapon and armour sets, they had sent her out in their place to take pictures of the Blood Dragon before the beast would be given an owner. It might be their only chance to see the dragon of legend. Rosalie rolled her eyes, heaving a sigh as she allowed herself to become lost in the light display happening outside her window. 
Her eyes slowly wandered over to the time and that was when she jumped off the bed in a rush to leave as if zapped, realising it was only ten minutes till the end of the auction. She couldn’t return to the two brothers empty-handed. Then the whole point of her staying here would have been a waste of time and money.

If Rosalie thought it had been lively from inside, then she had been missing out on quite the celebration. The enticing aroma of food, sweet, sour and savoury wafted through the cool air along with songs sung and stories told to children crowded around puppet stands and various stalls. Even child-friendly holograms of the Blood Dragon were for sale along with other merchandise that actually brought a smile to Rosalie’s face. Perhaps these were just limited edition merchandise to promote the auction... or rather, was payment for the city in turn for becoming the hosting venue. However, as bright and festive this was, Rosalie couldn’t help but see the darker side to it. 
___

Murmurs and gasps were heard throughout the stadium as soon as Gore was taken into the centre of the field for all to see, bound by sturdy chains for obvious safety reasons. Though Gore was secured, it did not stop them from taking precautions to make sure the beast did not claim anymore lives. The reaction that rippled through the audience seemed to satisfy the portly man, and he smiled a snide smile at Gore very briefly before resuming the bidding. The number of offers, though, was quite interesting - interesting enough that it made the man frown slightly. The number of bids wasn’t disappointing, no. He huffed, adjusting the cuff of his jacket as he attempted to keep the ‘sweet and entertaining’ smile he had to keep the crowd drawn in. It was just that he had been expecting braver people to step up and take Gore in their hands, not those who looked just about ready to soil themselves at the sight of the dragon. 

Stepping forward, he took in a deep breath, speaking loudly and enthusiastically to try and raise the amount that Gore was going for. At this rate, the Blood Dragon would go at a fairly good price, but he wanted to see if he could raise it. “C’mon, now! Don’t be shy! Be brave and take this dragon by the horns! We’ve tamed him and can assure you that he’s as obedient as a dog despite the chains that bind him!” To prove his point and to ease the growing tension among some buyers, he hopped down from his stand and made his way over to the chained dragon. When he was close enough, he kicked the dragon once and pulled at the chains with his weight. While he did so, he whispered lowly to Gore, “do try to be on your best behaviour, now, Gore...” 

He then moved away to stand facing the crowd of potential buyers, raising his arms in a way that made him seem ready for a welcoming embrace. “See? Completely safe! Now, let’s see if we could get things rolling again, shall we?" That could have been a mistake as after all, the last thing you wanted to do was taunt the dragon, but this was one of the only and easiest ways of which he could potentially ease growing concerns. Unfortunately, Aisen, the one still standing after the fight with Gore three weeks ago, was unable to attend the auction. He was away for personal reasons, as it seemed, and didn’t appear too interested in seeing the outcome of Gore. He only left with the hope that Gore suffered in the hands of his new owner, whoever they may be.