History was determined by the victor? Rosalie had heard it all before, but what Gore was telling her really was challenging her knowledge of how people came to hold so much power over the dragons. She sighed, still staring into the darkness while squinting a bit to keep her eyes on the figures. How was she supposed to know anything apart from what she had studied? Unlike Gore, she had gained her knowledge through what has been passed down and not through experience. The girl felt that answering the dragon’s question would be like her walking into a trap to have him further call her naive. What is he trying to say? If his kind were so great, why did it turn out like this? They couldn’t have let us win.. Could they? Speaking about a victory, just having Gore ask about her fighting capabilities did make her wonder what he had been trying to get at. She had answered him accordingly, saying that she had experience and could fend for herself if it ever came down to it. Why ask such a strange question? Did he expect for her to always use him as a shield? She folded her arms, tapping her fingers lightly. She did not want to be regarded as a damsel in distress. Rosalie despised that position the most and if the thought fell upon him to even treat her as one, she would much rather challenge him than let it slide so easily. Yet, she thought, leaning forward ever so slightly, the fact that he would spare a thought was somewhat welcoming. Maybe the dragon wasn’t so bad. Would the girl spare him a thought should he ever fall ill? She merely shrugged. Her becoming attached to a dragon? It would no doubt be pathetic of her.
Peering down from the dragon’s back, she saw that the two brothers had just spotted the fire and were now making a beeline towards it, Sigmund appearing to be the leader for this particular trek. They would have made it safely to the spot Rosalie had been waiting for them to if they had not been interrupted. Her body went cold and time almost seemed to stand still for her when she saw a bulky creature make its advance on the two, knocking Eric back who had jumped out in defence of his older brother. The bear then moved, obscuring her view and causing her desperation to climb. Were they okay?
Gore moved before the order could be given and Rosalie was more than glad for it, watching and gripping onto the saddle anxiously. The feeling of uselessness began to settle into the pit of her stomach. There her ‘brothers’ were, staring Death in the eyes, and she was sitting safely upon the back of a crimson beast! If they died, what would she tell their father? All of this would have been her fault! Though Gore would have been unable to enter the city in his true form, it was her who had summoned the two.
As soon as the threat had been subdued, she found Gore staring back at her. To be completely honest, Rosalie wasn’t entirely sure what Gore was trying to say, but given the situation, it might have been obvious by the way he would keep looking down at Eric and Sigmund who looked just about ready to flee and warn the town. Eric had only just pushed himself back up and was by his brother’s side, holding onto his brother’s arm to steady himself before standing on is own and staring wide-eyed at the crimson beast.
“This can’t be right! News said that you had been captured!”Sigmund stated in a tone that verged more on disbelief and fear than confidence. Hearing his voice made the girl smile weakly in thanks to Gore, still gripped with the fear of losing them both.
“I would leave my brother and flee? That’s absurd!” was Eric’s faint response.
Leaning forward, Rosalie whispered, “the person who spoke first is Sigmund and the one by his side is Eric. They’re the two that I wanted you to meet,” was what she had said in a wavering tone, placing a hand over her heart. “T-that.. that really was too close for comfort. I’m starting to owe you quite a bit, you know..,” It was as sincere as she was going to get as the two Gore had saved were family to her and he had acted without her giving the order. Rosalie would then signal that she wanted to be let down and join her brothers before one of them actually decided to run off.
___
“I’m happy you’re both alive..” Rosalie breathed, running over and taking their hands in hers. With a greeting like that or not, it seemed Eric and Sigmund still wanted an explanation judging by the way they kept looking from her to Gore. After a long minute of staring and making sure that the dragon wasn’t going to do anything, one of the brothers decided to speak up.
“Rosie? This. Explain.” Such short and sharp commands coming from Sigmund, a man who was sometimes known to scold in a clear and demanding manner. However, it looked like he still may do so once he recovered from the initial shock of almost being killed by a bear and then possibly a dragon. They couldn’t be blamed for feeling conflicted between running away and staying when a creature larger than they were was staring them down. They hid their fear behind weapons and false bravery directed at Gore. “How were you on his back? Is this really... him..?”
Rosalie, in response, apologised and gave them answers to some questions they put forth. What she did not answer, however, were questions about the dragon. Gore could handle introductions and the like, himself, she believed. She made a small gesture to her brothers- or more of a quiet plea - for them to put their weapons down. Whether they would listen to her, however, depended solely on Gore’s actions toward them abd if things settled down, the girl would lead the two to the fire Gore had made where she could perhaps discuss the best way to keep him. Since Rosalie was quite new at this, she was slightly interested to hear what the Blood Dragon might have to say. However, it wasn’t to say that she would listen to all of his suggestions; she would most likely go with the most appropriate one.
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Rosalie warily made her way to the flame, sitting at its edge where it was near enough that its warm, and gentle touch would be able to reach her without causing harm. The heat that radiated from it was welcomed and she sighed a little, focusing only on the heat that was slowly travelling up her arms. Rosalie would have allowed this moment to relax her if she had not been with Gore. Instead, she looked across the fire at the dragon, seeing claws slowly digging into the ground, the dragon clearly tense. Did she mumble? As the girl studied him, she realised that he seemed somewhat hesitant in answering, almost as if he were slightly conflicted. She did not play too long with the staring game and glanced back down at the flickering flame for a bit, rubbing her hands before raising her gaze again. Shadows created by the flames danced about to no clear rhythm, and Rosalie was almost transfixed by its strange movement - especially the shadow cast by Gore as he shifted back to his human form. It was interesting to watch when she did not have much of anything to entertain her at this point. Listening to him speak, however, gave the ‘human’ the idea that this legend was only defending his honour and dignity.
She knew humans sought out the dragons, but it was they who won in the end, and that was all that mattered, right? ‘It was either them or us’, was what the books would often portray, and dragons, with their incredible strength and ability, were ‘outwitted’ by humans. That was had gone down in history, that was what has been taught and that was what Rosalie believed. The moment he began to trail off, Rosalie was tempted to prompt him further by simply repeating his last word. She instead sighed and decided to ask about, “the battle, then. That can’t be right because what’s been taught is that there had been a fierce battle between us.. and.. well, you guys. You’re expecting me to believe that? Our history says otherwise, as you’re more than aware.”
“Hah, keep me safe. Hmm..” Rosalie watched Gore’s retreating figure fade into the darkness, biting her lip. The thought of leaving the fireside did not cross her mind. Did he really care about her safety to warn her like that? It was almost similar to Gore blowing flames around her with the message to ‘run’, and ‘stay safe’. That accompanied with him saving her and keeping her safe during that battle only served to make the frown on her face deepen. To think about it carefully, opinions of each other, both from humans and dragons, might even be biased. Why Rosalie would even begin to consider such a minor and unimportant detail was because the crimson beast known for destruction -and she had seen it herself- utterly confused her. Perhaps he was just performing his duties for his owner, but she couldn’t be entirely sure until she had a better glimpse at what this dragon was thinking whenever he wasn’t speaking about the past and how humans ‘unfairly’ approached them to build the world she knew today.
A roar coming from somewhere near the direction Gore had disappeared in made the girl tense and look around warily. It was faint, but Rosalie still shuffled closer to the fire, staying still and quiet for a while as she strained to hear what was going on. She would be able to defend herself using the flame, but that was as much as she could do out here on her own. People did say never to venture near the mountains or forest alone in the dark, reinforcing that rule with dark tales and sightings of dangerous animals. At the thought, Rosalie half rose out of her seating position, staying in a crouch. Even then, a figure that later turned out to be Gore still gave her a bit of a fright. What she had to say to Gore for leaving so quickly died down when she saw that he was bleeding. Asking about it, however, only resulted in a nonchalant shrug from him. Did he really think she would just let it slide? “That could get infected, you know. Will you be okay until Sigmund and Eric get here?” She added the last sentence a little quietly as an afterthought.
Taking the skewered fruit, Rosalie mumbled a ‘thank you’, fanning it with a hand to cool it down a bit before biting into its flesh. There really was no hesitation when she ate this time, the girl only thinking to settle her stomach. Her eyes momentarily lit up at its taste but she hid it quickly. What Gore said gave her a few things to think about and as much as Rosalie would hate to admit it, he was right. Was it enough to get her to doubt everything she’s heard and been taught? In her book, no, not really, but Gore’s behaviour intrigued her. “No, it was either you or them, I suppose. You’re right for defending yourself. Hearing it from your perspective is Interesting.” She chuckled dryly to herself. “I never really thought about it that way. I don’t know if I want to believe you, but.. you could also be telling the truth.”
Rosalie could faint voices approaching. Though usually this would make her duck behind the nearest tree, she smiled and looked over at Gore. “They’re here!” She quietly said in a tone that barely concealed her excitement. She stood up and moved back so she wouldn’t be spotted so easily, planning to sneak up on the brothers. Rosalie decided that she would give Gore this chance to show her that he could keep his word. She wanted to see how the two brothers would react just as much as Gore did, she believed.
__
Sigmund marched on ahead of his brother. Being the oldest did not necessarily mean that he was the most courageous, but he wanted to know why Rosalie would ask him and his brother to meet her out of town. It was one thing if she had asked to meet in the outskirts, but this was odd. What could have happened to prevent her from heading home like she usually would? He was beginning to worry. Once he found her, he was going to scold her. If not, his father would.
“Sig, don’t stray too far!” Eric hissed, adjusting his glasses as he squinted through the darkness. “It’s always most dangerous during the night.”
“That’s exactly why I’m hurrying, Eric. I just want to get this over and done with. The sooner we find her, the sooner we can head back. She shouldn’t be too far now..”
“You are sure that she said this spot specifically?” The shorter of the two asked, stopping for a moment when he thought he heard something. He stared in the direction the sound had come from for a long time before a hand clapping on his shoulder urged him that it was time to move on. He could have sworn he saw something move, but with such limited light from the flashlight he carried, he couldn’t be too sure now. “Brother? Be careful.”
“Got it. Thanks.” Heeding the warning, Sigmund began to move more slowly and quietly, checking for anything that looked suspicious. He was unnerved, that much could be said about the expression he wore, but he was also confident that they would be able to handle themselves well.
She knew humans sought out the dragons, but it was they who won in the end, and that was all that mattered, right? ‘It was either them or us’, was what the books would often portray, and dragons, with their incredible strength and ability, were ‘outwitted’ by humans. That was had gone down in history, that was what has been taught and that was what Rosalie believed. The moment he began to trail off, Rosalie was tempted to prompt him further by simply repeating his last word. She instead sighed and decided to ask about, “the battle, then. That can’t be right because what’s been taught is that there had been a fierce battle between us.. and.. well, you guys. You’re expecting me to believe that? Our history says otherwise, as you’re more than aware.”
“Hah, keep me safe. Hmm..” Rosalie watched Gore’s retreating figure fade into the darkness, biting her lip. The thought of leaving the fireside did not cross her mind. Did he really care about her safety to warn her like that? It was almost similar to Gore blowing flames around her with the message to ‘run’, and ‘stay safe’. That accompanied with him saving her and keeping her safe during that battle only served to make the frown on her face deepen. To think about it carefully, opinions of each other, both from humans and dragons, might even be biased. Why Rosalie would even begin to consider such a minor and unimportant detail was because the crimson beast known for destruction -and she had seen it herself- utterly confused her. Perhaps he was just performing his duties for his owner, but she couldn’t be entirely sure until she had a better glimpse at what this dragon was thinking whenever he wasn’t speaking about the past and how humans ‘unfairly’ approached them to build the world she knew today.
A roar coming from somewhere near the direction Gore had disappeared in made the girl tense and look around warily. It was faint, but Rosalie still shuffled closer to the fire, staying still and quiet for a while as she strained to hear what was going on. She would be able to defend herself using the flame, but that was as much as she could do out here on her own. People did say never to venture near the mountains or forest alone in the dark, reinforcing that rule with dark tales and sightings of dangerous animals. At the thought, Rosalie half rose out of her seating position, staying in a crouch. Even then, a figure that later turned out to be Gore still gave her a bit of a fright. What she had to say to Gore for leaving so quickly died down when she saw that he was bleeding. Asking about it, however, only resulted in a nonchalant shrug from him. Did he really think she would just let it slide? “That could get infected, you know. Will you be okay until Sigmund and Eric get here?” She added the last sentence a little quietly as an afterthought.
Taking the skewered fruit, Rosalie mumbled a ‘thank you’, fanning it with a hand to cool it down a bit before biting into its flesh. There really was no hesitation when she ate this time, the girl only thinking to settle her stomach. Her eyes momentarily lit up at its taste but she hid it quickly. What Gore said gave her a few things to think about and as much as Rosalie would hate to admit it, he was right. Was it enough to get her to doubt everything she’s heard and been taught? In her book, no, not really, but Gore’s behaviour intrigued her. “No, it was either you or them, I suppose. You’re right for defending yourself. Hearing it from your perspective is Interesting.” She chuckled dryly to herself. “I never really thought about it that way. I don’t know if I want to believe you, but.. you could also be telling the truth.”
Rosalie could faint voices approaching. Though usually this would make her duck behind the nearest tree, she smiled and looked over at Gore. “They’re here!” She quietly said in a tone that barely concealed her excitement. She stood up and moved back so she wouldn’t be spotted so easily, planning to sneak up on the brothers. Rosalie decided that she would give Gore this chance to show her that he could keep his word. She wanted to see how the two brothers would react just as much as Gore did, she believed.
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Sigmund marched on ahead of his brother. Being the oldest did not necessarily mean that he was the most courageous, but he wanted to know why Rosalie would ask him and his brother to meet her out of town. It was one thing if she had asked to meet in the outskirts, but this was odd. What could have happened to prevent her from heading home like she usually would? He was beginning to worry. Once he found her, he was going to scold her. If not, his father would.
“Sig, don’t stray too far!” Eric hissed, adjusting his glasses as he squinted through the darkness. “It’s always most dangerous during the night.”
“That’s exactly why I’m hurrying, Eric. I just want to get this over and done with. The sooner we find her, the sooner we can head back. She shouldn’t be too far now..”
“You are sure that she said this spot specifically?” The shorter of the two asked, stopping for a moment when he thought he heard something. He stared in the direction the sound had come from for a long time before a hand clapping on his shoulder urged him that it was time to move on. He could have sworn he saw something move, but with such limited light from the flashlight he carried, he couldn’t be too sure now. “Brother? Be careful.”
“Got it. Thanks.” Heeding the warning, Sigmund began to move more slowly and quietly, checking for anything that looked suspicious. He was unnerved, that much could be said about the expression he wore, but he was also confident that they would be able to handle themselves well.
The devastation from three weeks prior was still evident judging by the faint outlines of trees standing broken and lonely in the gloom. They were still eerie reminders of the battle and those who had fought in it, and if the girl closed her eyes, she could recall the scene clearly as if it had passed not a night ago. At least Rosalie wasn’t alone in this part of the forest and she didn’t have to walk the distance herself. Instead of talking as Gore made the walk down the battlefield, she watched him with a frown, feeling like she could burn holes through the back of his head if she stared long enough. It brought back feelings of anger at her failure to get the information from Glenn and it was this winged lizard’s fault! Was his sword still around here? Perhaps not, but she was content to entertain herself with the thought.
As soon as she was set down on the ground, Rosalie found a nice little spot to sit in, tucking her knees in close against her chest. “I’ve got a question...” Rosalie would start when it grew too quiet. She would ask him a few things related to the past, but the question she wanted to know for the night was whether he enjoyed killing people the way he did. Walking through the old site had prompted the question. “Do you feel any regret knowing that many of those hunters had families to return to?” Her eyes narrowed on him, “Many of the kids were too young to understand that their mother or father or both weren’t coming back.”
Of course, it would get darker and the darker it got, the more anxious she became. She had sent Sigmund a message earlier, hoping that he would get Eric to accompany him, and as there was no reply to indicate whether or not he was making his way towards the outskirts of town, she was starting to wonder if it was better that she wait or fetch him herself.
The atmosphere was relatively calm - which was a good thing as that meant that the residents had not spotted the crimson legend’s approach amongst the dark backdrop of the sky. It was also starting to become a lot cooler now that the sun was setting itself to rest and to keep warm, the girl would rub her arms every now and then. With every minute that passed and as it got darker, she was half tempted to march into Kalandor herself. If she were to do that, though, would she miss the brothers along the way? Rosalie hummed in thought, glancing back to Gore for a few seconds. What orders should she give him?
Her gaze fell to ground, the girl mumbling, “where are they?..” How long were they going to leave her alone with a dragon who clearly disliked technology? It was not much of a problem to her, but the way he referred to it as merely toys used to prod people and claim lives without a fair fight did not sit too well with her. Technology, if used right, could save lives. Sure, magic does the same, but what happens if one was clearly unable to use it? All they were doing was adapting to survive in a world where ideas shaped the everyday. Gore could reminisce all he wanted about the olden days as long as he wasn’t blinded by it. Those days were history. You would only hear about those true tales of honour and valour in old textbooks or even story books. Today? Few people have the courage and wit sharper than a blade. As long as she was interested in him, and believed that she would get something out of her investment, Rosalie would make him see that and guide him.. to an extent.
She stifled a yawn as she started to rub her eyes. Whenever Gore had stopped to rest on the way here, Rosalie would stretch after sitting so stiffly in the saddle. She really wasn’t used to it and she felt strange; like she was almost floating despite being firmly planted on the ground. It must no doubt be from being in the air for almost a whole day added with the inability to relax around Gore. Rosalie was always sitting upright, always watching him warily. Since the dragon had not done anything to harm her -yet- the girl really was beginning to wonder if she had wasted her time and energy being so on edge like that.
Her phone flashed and she glanced down momentarily, chuckling tiredly as she put it away. “Anyway.. The two that I wanted you to meet are a bit strange, but you interest them a fair bit. They’re not hunters or anything like that.” she added, smirking lightly, “no.. of course not. The reason why I was staying at Desdemona was because they had heard the auction was going to take place there. Hmm.. ‘the crimson legend is bound to have a new owner. Would you get us some pictures as a souvenir?’ was what they had said.” The girl then huffed, “how, then, would you greet two people wandering through the dark, I wonder. I’d like to see that, Gore, but.. be sensible about it... don’t let them run off. That’s your task. You’ll know them when you see them.” By this time, as tired as she was, Rosalie’s mind would always drift and wander from the dragon to the two brothers, and then to something that would fill her stomach. Hunger was gnawing at her and all she wanted now was to make herself a big meal. Perhaps she might be able to scoff everything down. At the thought, she covered her stomach with her arms, afraid that it would growl in front of the dragon as consequence for refusing to eat what he had made for her. “I wonder how long it’d take them to get here..,” she grumbled to herself.
As soon as she was set down on the ground, Rosalie found a nice little spot to sit in, tucking her knees in close against her chest. “I’ve got a question...” Rosalie would start when it grew too quiet. She would ask him a few things related to the past, but the question she wanted to know for the night was whether he enjoyed killing people the way he did. Walking through the old site had prompted the question. “Do you feel any regret knowing that many of those hunters had families to return to?” Her eyes narrowed on him, “Many of the kids were too young to understand that their mother or father or both weren’t coming back.”
Of course, it would get darker and the darker it got, the more anxious she became. She had sent Sigmund a message earlier, hoping that he would get Eric to accompany him, and as there was no reply to indicate whether or not he was making his way towards the outskirts of town, she was starting to wonder if it was better that she wait or fetch him herself.
The atmosphere was relatively calm - which was a good thing as that meant that the residents had not spotted the crimson legend’s approach amongst the dark backdrop of the sky. It was also starting to become a lot cooler now that the sun was setting itself to rest and to keep warm, the girl would rub her arms every now and then. With every minute that passed and as it got darker, she was half tempted to march into Kalandor herself. If she were to do that, though, would she miss the brothers along the way? Rosalie hummed in thought, glancing back to Gore for a few seconds. What orders should she give him?
Her gaze fell to ground, the girl mumbling, “where are they?..” How long were they going to leave her alone with a dragon who clearly disliked technology? It was not much of a problem to her, but the way he referred to it as merely toys used to prod people and claim lives without a fair fight did not sit too well with her. Technology, if used right, could save lives. Sure, magic does the same, but what happens if one was clearly unable to use it? All they were doing was adapting to survive in a world where ideas shaped the everyday. Gore could reminisce all he wanted about the olden days as long as he wasn’t blinded by it. Those days were history. You would only hear about those true tales of honour and valour in old textbooks or even story books. Today? Few people have the courage and wit sharper than a blade. As long as she was interested in him, and believed that she would get something out of her investment, Rosalie would make him see that and guide him.. to an extent.
She stifled a yawn as she started to rub her eyes. Whenever Gore had stopped to rest on the way here, Rosalie would stretch after sitting so stiffly in the saddle. She really wasn’t used to it and she felt strange; like she was almost floating despite being firmly planted on the ground. It must no doubt be from being in the air for almost a whole day added with the inability to relax around Gore. Rosalie was always sitting upright, always watching him warily. Since the dragon had not done anything to harm her -yet- the girl really was beginning to wonder if she had wasted her time and energy being so on edge like that.
Her phone flashed and she glanced down momentarily, chuckling tiredly as she put it away. “Anyway.. The two that I wanted you to meet are a bit strange, but you interest them a fair bit. They’re not hunters or anything like that.” she added, smirking lightly, “no.. of course not. The reason why I was staying at Desdemona was because they had heard the auction was going to take place there. Hmm.. ‘the crimson legend is bound to have a new owner. Would you get us some pictures as a souvenir?’ was what they had said.” The girl then huffed, “how, then, would you greet two people wandering through the dark, I wonder. I’d like to see that, Gore, but.. be sensible about it... don’t let them run off. That’s your task. You’ll know them when you see them.” By this time, as tired as she was, Rosalie’s mind would always drift and wander from the dragon to the two brothers, and then to something that would fill her stomach. Hunger was gnawing at her and all she wanted now was to make herself a big meal. Perhaps she might be able to scoff everything down. At the thought, she covered her stomach with her arms, afraid that it would growl in front of the dragon as consequence for refusing to eat what he had made for her. “I wonder how long it’d take them to get here..,” she grumbled to herself.
Eyes opening slowly like heavy doors, Rosalie reluctantly leaned forward and peered out at her surroundings, realising they were quickly gaining on the bikes despite the burst of speed that had put quite a distance between themselves and Gore. The very first thing that entered the girl’s mind was that they weren’t falling like she had been expecting them to, the dragon still soaring through the air with strong control over where they were going. “Still.. alive..,” She stated very slowly as if she needed a verbal confirmation to even believe they really had not crashed, yet. As they passed the bikers, Rosalie turned her head, trying to get a glimpse of who they were but finding herself rather disappointed when she noticed they were of course wearing helmets. However, one of the drivers, upon feeling her gaze lingering over them, would momentarily lifted their visor, eyes sparkling with smug amusement. It angered Rosalie that they would think to fly into Gore and her to get them out of the sky - even more so when it seemed the weren’t even sorry for trying to kill another person. If she ever found out who they were, she wasn’t going to let them off easily.
When it came time to land, Rosalie was all but balanced, almost staggering a bit when she was gently propped on the ground by Gore. She believed she hid her disorientation well, sitting herself down almost immediately after a few steps, though she could have been wrong. The speed Gore had gone just to best the soaring machines had given Rosalie something to think about and though that display had given her an idea of how much control Gore had in flight, she could not help but long for the sleek and elegant machines still. She had always had a fascination for machines even if she would not admit it to anyone - even Setton had dismissed it as a temporary hobby that she would soon forget about at least a week after she had picked it up. That was just like Rosalie, though; becoming completely interested in something and devoting much of her spare time to it only to drop it a while later. Things that kept her attention for long was rather scarce compared to the many things that come and go in her head. How long Gore would last before she tired of him? Perhaps a month at most.
A quiet, shaky sigh escaped her as she looked down at her lap where pale hands gripped tightly at the material of her clothes. Her hair was a bit of a mess from the flight, but it was nothing that could not be remedied by quickly combing her fingers through it a couple of times. Biting her lower lip, Rosalie closed her eyes, thinking to the moment Gore had rolled out of the way. Though her heart still pounded in her chest, the anger she felt towards the bikers was starting to quickly dispell her shock. “Don’t let me see them again,” she hissed lowly. With a dragon, it was tempting to give the order to chase them down and make them apologise, but that was as much of a waste of time as was her thinking about the two idiots. Instead of brooding over it, Rosalie forced herself to look up and warily study the crimson beast, aiming to distract herself and see if that helped.
Her gaze first trailed over his snout, then horns only to linger over his wings. The wounds he had sustained on his wings seemed recent but not so much that it would be from the bricks and stones thrown at him. Was it from the battle three weeks ago or was it from captivity? Judging by last night’s display, however, Rosalie was leaning more toward the obvious. If Gore had not harmed anyone the night before and this morning, did that mean his captives were able to break him? She hid a smirk at the idea. She hoped so as she believed it would make threatening to torture him much easier.
While Gore spoke about magic in answer to her question, Rosalie would occasionally incline her head to show that she was listening even though her eyes would wonder to her surroundings out of habit. To her, Gore seemed rather condescending and it irked her a bit, but she decided to let it slide for now. These ‘brothers and sisters’ he talked about interested her a fair bit, though. Were there more like him? More who shared his crimson scales or did he refer to the dragon kin as a whole? Rosalie craned her head back, pursing her lips. He’s confusing.. she mentally judged him. Dark Magic can’t be that common... and.. “Even if we’ve become lazy as you say, technology has its advantages and it’s much, much, much better than having the rest of us delve into Dark Magic.” Rosalie calmly retorted as soon as Gore knocked down the idea of a world based on technology. She still believed some people put effort into what they do, and having machines around only served to aid more people who may be at a disadvantage when it came to magic. She was no expert on the matter, but anyone could see that technology has benefitted many people. Perhaps the girl was just biased. “Then again.. your first taste of magic hasn’t been all that pleasant, has it?”
Rosalie merely watched Gore with discreet interest as he prepared a dish out of his catch, leaning back when he offered it to her, not even reaching out to take it. “Accurate or not..” Rosalie said, eyeing the skewered fish, “the people you’ve been around so far have already decided what you are..” She matched Gore’s smile with one of her own as her eyes fluttered back up to meet his, “or.. am I wrong, Blood Dragon?” To not even finish a meal, let alone take a bite when she really was hungry was a waste of food, but if she had been too trusting, she would soon find herself at the other end of a blade. She would hold out as long as she could. She believed she could do it. Standing, Rosalie dusted herself off and moved away from Gore, waiting for the time to depart again a short distance away.
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“You’re kinda strange, you know; I wasn’t expecting you to prepare something.. edible..” There was a slight tone in her voice when Rosalie said the last word, making it sound like both a statement and a question. “Anyway,” she stretched slightly, not yet confident enough in the saddle to move too much, “once you get me home, I’m going to introduce you to the two who sent me out here. I bet their expression’s going to be priceless.” Rosalie hid her excitement behind a humourless chuckle. In truth, she couldn’t wait to see Sigmund and Eric again despite being unhappy that they had basically kicked her out of Kalandor and had sent her all the way to Desdemona. For now, she could only ask that Gore be sensible about where they landed. Perhaps she could send a message to get Eric and Sigmund to meet her just outside of town but seeing as they still had a fair bit to go before arrival, she would wait until then.
When it came time to land, Rosalie was all but balanced, almost staggering a bit when she was gently propped on the ground by Gore. She believed she hid her disorientation well, sitting herself down almost immediately after a few steps, though she could have been wrong. The speed Gore had gone just to best the soaring machines had given Rosalie something to think about and though that display had given her an idea of how much control Gore had in flight, she could not help but long for the sleek and elegant machines still. She had always had a fascination for machines even if she would not admit it to anyone - even Setton had dismissed it as a temporary hobby that she would soon forget about at least a week after she had picked it up. That was just like Rosalie, though; becoming completely interested in something and devoting much of her spare time to it only to drop it a while later. Things that kept her attention for long was rather scarce compared to the many things that come and go in her head. How long Gore would last before she tired of him? Perhaps a month at most.
A quiet, shaky sigh escaped her as she looked down at her lap where pale hands gripped tightly at the material of her clothes. Her hair was a bit of a mess from the flight, but it was nothing that could not be remedied by quickly combing her fingers through it a couple of times. Biting her lower lip, Rosalie closed her eyes, thinking to the moment Gore had rolled out of the way. Though her heart still pounded in her chest, the anger she felt towards the bikers was starting to quickly dispell her shock. “Don’t let me see them again,” she hissed lowly. With a dragon, it was tempting to give the order to chase them down and make them apologise, but that was as much of a waste of time as was her thinking about the two idiots. Instead of brooding over it, Rosalie forced herself to look up and warily study the crimson beast, aiming to distract herself and see if that helped.
Her gaze first trailed over his snout, then horns only to linger over his wings. The wounds he had sustained on his wings seemed recent but not so much that it would be from the bricks and stones thrown at him. Was it from the battle three weeks ago or was it from captivity? Judging by last night’s display, however, Rosalie was leaning more toward the obvious. If Gore had not harmed anyone the night before and this morning, did that mean his captives were able to break him? She hid a smirk at the idea. She hoped so as she believed it would make threatening to torture him much easier.
While Gore spoke about magic in answer to her question, Rosalie would occasionally incline her head to show that she was listening even though her eyes would wonder to her surroundings out of habit. To her, Gore seemed rather condescending and it irked her a bit, but she decided to let it slide for now. These ‘brothers and sisters’ he talked about interested her a fair bit, though. Were there more like him? More who shared his crimson scales or did he refer to the dragon kin as a whole? Rosalie craned her head back, pursing her lips. He’s confusing.. she mentally judged him. Dark Magic can’t be that common... and.. “Even if we’ve become lazy as you say, technology has its advantages and it’s much, much, much better than having the rest of us delve into Dark Magic.” Rosalie calmly retorted as soon as Gore knocked down the idea of a world based on technology. She still believed some people put effort into what they do, and having machines around only served to aid more people who may be at a disadvantage when it came to magic. She was no expert on the matter, but anyone could see that technology has benefitted many people. Perhaps the girl was just biased. “Then again.. your first taste of magic hasn’t been all that pleasant, has it?”
Rosalie merely watched Gore with discreet interest as he prepared a dish out of his catch, leaning back when he offered it to her, not even reaching out to take it. “Accurate or not..” Rosalie said, eyeing the skewered fish, “the people you’ve been around so far have already decided what you are..” She matched Gore’s smile with one of her own as her eyes fluttered back up to meet his, “or.. am I wrong, Blood Dragon?” To not even finish a meal, let alone take a bite when she really was hungry was a waste of food, but if she had been too trusting, she would soon find herself at the other end of a blade. She would hold out as long as she could. She believed she could do it. Standing, Rosalie dusted herself off and moved away from Gore, waiting for the time to depart again a short distance away.
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“You’re kinda strange, you know; I wasn’t expecting you to prepare something.. edible..” There was a slight tone in her voice when Rosalie said the last word, making it sound like both a statement and a question. “Anyway,” she stretched slightly, not yet confident enough in the saddle to move too much, “once you get me home, I’m going to introduce you to the two who sent me out here. I bet their expression’s going to be priceless.” Rosalie hid her excitement behind a humourless chuckle. In truth, she couldn’t wait to see Sigmund and Eric again despite being unhappy that they had basically kicked her out of Kalandor and had sent her all the way to Desdemona. For now, she could only ask that Gore be sensible about where they landed. Perhaps she could send a message to get Eric and Sigmund to meet her just outside of town but seeing as they still had a fair bit to go before arrival, she would wait until then.
At least Gore was performing his duties without her having to give him orders; again protecting her from the rocks launched in their direction like he had done with the arrows. These people could either learn to aim better or not try at all to save themselves the embarrassment of missing a creature as large as Gore was.
The sound of the projectiles hitting the dragon’s body and wings was quite audible and she could not help but glance back over her shoulder to find Gore’s head bowed almost to the point where his snout could have touched the ground. There was also a look in the dragon’s eyes; one that Rosalie could not help but shrug nonchalantly at before turning away again. It did not concern her, she knew, and she did not think that she would waste her breath pointing it out. “Good save...” she simply said. As long as the lizard was still able to travel after this pelting which may -or may not- have been what he had deserved, that was all she cared about.
Despite Gore’s offering to complete tasks that would earn some income, Rosalie did not want to be in his debt - probably not anymore than he did with her... “I’ll see if there isn’t anything at an affordable price.. then something will need to be worked out. Hmm.. I’ll think about that later.” She said in reply. Rosalie would rather let her troubles be washed away with the auction night that has come to pass because all she wanted at the moment was to look ahead and forget about the hole in her pocket. If only it were that easy.
When Gore had mentioned something about knowing how to prepare culinary dishes, the girl could not help but look at him briefly with a trace of doubt in her expression that she did not bother to hide. He could very well poison her if he wanted to. ’Hoho! These mushroom are safe’, he’ll say! Rosalie thought, resisting the temptation to roll her eyes. Yeah, until I end up buried somewhere underneath them. I bet he wouldn’t even take my corpse to Sigmund and Eric... Ugh.. Those two are the very reason I’m here in Desdemona in the first place! She tilted her head, still keen on keeping her thoughts to herself. Never mind that.. It makes me wonder just who this beast’s previous owner was... I can’t believe that he’s been tamed before. Hehe, a monster like him?! I bet he mauled his previous owner.. just like he’ll most likely do to me if I’m not careful... Rosalie was clearly thinking back to when Gore had licked his lips while she was reaching out toward him. That was not a good sign to her or to anyone. Even if he was play- hang on a minute.. Rosalie started pacing around the dragon for a bit, looking him up and down warily, a habit of hers when trying to solve a problem and weighing up her options, is this monster always this.. serious? I wish I was stuck with one that was a little more... lively. Would things have been more interesting if that were the case?
___
Getting the saddle on Gore surprisingly lacked the difficulty Rosalie had been expecting. The Blood Dragon was quite compliant - which was something that was expected of a ‘dragon slave’ as one in his situation would commonly be referred to - but this obedience, in Rosalie’s opinion, was questionable. She had at least expected to become a bit irritated, but was fairly satisfied it went well. It made her wonder, though, if she would feel more at ease if she were arguing with him.
“Gore? Do you remember the way your captors had taken in getting here.” Rosalie asked the dragon as she sat on the saddle and shifted her weight about, testing the sturdiness of it. She would also lean her weight back and give it a bit of a tug to be sure that it would not slip off mid-flight. It definitely felt a lot more comfortable and assured her that she would not fall off as easily. Craning her head to the sky, Rosalie took in a deep breath, gave the dragon the okay, and hunched low as the air rushed around her during their ascent. Even as their speed had evened out, Rosalie still did not relax, remembering the last time the ground had come up to say ‘hello’. The view, though, was absolutely amazing. The early morning light lit the calm ocean water, presenting it with a certain kind of warmth that Rosalie could almost feel even at this height where the wind wrapped around her and played with her hair. All this, combined with flying at almost the same height as the airships almost got her to relax out of awe. Almost.
She had never, in all her years, been on an airship before, but getting to see them in the skies and not just while she was on the ground was quite the sight for her in her opinion. “Wow... hey, look at that!” Rosalie leaned forward in her saddle, pointing eagerly to the airship closest to them, forgetting herself in her excitement. “I’ve never been on one before or seen one this close. Hmm.. I wonder what makes it run... maybe magic could be involved as well... but then... that wouldn’t be right..would it? Hmm.. Hey, Gore? Back then, was magic quite... prominent..?” The girl was, at this point, openly curious. Thinking back to the strange duo she had seen three weeks ago, she wondered how they were able to use magic so efficiently like that without much aid of technology. Perhaps they were gifted or were they using some sort of machine that focused the wave of magic?
A strange, distant whirring noise reached the girl’s ears after a bit. The sound was familiar and yet Rosalie was unable to put her tongue on it. Where had she heard that before? She began frowning, straining to hear something more that would tell her what it was. It was quickly approaching, that much she was sure of. “What... is that?” She asked herself in a tone that verged more on unsureness rather than annoyance. Less than seconds later, she was able to distinguish it as something that was shooting straight for them. Whether the rider of the vehicle was trying to get them to fall out of the sky or was playing chicken, she was unsure.
Razors, they were called, for their capability of gliding through the air with great ease and agility. These motor vehicles had a sleek and elegant design and it had been one of the things that had drawn Rosalie in the night before. Rosalie looked behind her, immediately hunching down so low that she looked like she was hugging the saddle, trying to make herself a smaller target. If Gore did not veer to the left or withdraw his wing, he would most likely be thrown off balance. Rosalie did not want to kiss the ground. That happening once was one of the most terrifying things she had ever faced. “No.. please not again..,” she whispered, steeling herself. Had Gore heard the target before she had? Was he aware of it? Only seconds ago, she was in awe. Now, fear had taken hold of her and had her tongue-tied, unable to say anything to the Blood Dragon.
The sound of the projectiles hitting the dragon’s body and wings was quite audible and she could not help but glance back over her shoulder to find Gore’s head bowed almost to the point where his snout could have touched the ground. There was also a look in the dragon’s eyes; one that Rosalie could not help but shrug nonchalantly at before turning away again. It did not concern her, she knew, and she did not think that she would waste her breath pointing it out. “Good save...” she simply said. As long as the lizard was still able to travel after this pelting which may -or may not- have been what he had deserved, that was all she cared about.
Despite Gore’s offering to complete tasks that would earn some income, Rosalie did not want to be in his debt - probably not anymore than he did with her... “I’ll see if there isn’t anything at an affordable price.. then something will need to be worked out. Hmm.. I’ll think about that later.” She said in reply. Rosalie would rather let her troubles be washed away with the auction night that has come to pass because all she wanted at the moment was to look ahead and forget about the hole in her pocket. If only it were that easy.
When Gore had mentioned something about knowing how to prepare culinary dishes, the girl could not help but look at him briefly with a trace of doubt in her expression that she did not bother to hide. He could very well poison her if he wanted to. ’Hoho! These mushroom are safe’, he’ll say! Rosalie thought, resisting the temptation to roll her eyes. Yeah, until I end up buried somewhere underneath them. I bet he wouldn’t even take my corpse to Sigmund and Eric... Ugh.. Those two are the very reason I’m here in Desdemona in the first place! She tilted her head, still keen on keeping her thoughts to herself. Never mind that.. It makes me wonder just who this beast’s previous owner was... I can’t believe that he’s been tamed before. Hehe, a monster like him?! I bet he mauled his previous owner.. just like he’ll most likely do to me if I’m not careful... Rosalie was clearly thinking back to when Gore had licked his lips while she was reaching out toward him. That was not a good sign to her or to anyone. Even if he was play- hang on a minute.. Rosalie started pacing around the dragon for a bit, looking him up and down warily, a habit of hers when trying to solve a problem and weighing up her options, is this monster always this.. serious? I wish I was stuck with one that was a little more... lively. Would things have been more interesting if that were the case?
___
Getting the saddle on Gore surprisingly lacked the difficulty Rosalie had been expecting. The Blood Dragon was quite compliant - which was something that was expected of a ‘dragon slave’ as one in his situation would commonly be referred to - but this obedience, in Rosalie’s opinion, was questionable. She had at least expected to become a bit irritated, but was fairly satisfied it went well. It made her wonder, though, if she would feel more at ease if she were arguing with him.
“Gore? Do you remember the way your captors had taken in getting here.” Rosalie asked the dragon as she sat on the saddle and shifted her weight about, testing the sturdiness of it. She would also lean her weight back and give it a bit of a tug to be sure that it would not slip off mid-flight. It definitely felt a lot more comfortable and assured her that she would not fall off as easily. Craning her head to the sky, Rosalie took in a deep breath, gave the dragon the okay, and hunched low as the air rushed around her during their ascent. Even as their speed had evened out, Rosalie still did not relax, remembering the last time the ground had come up to say ‘hello’. The view, though, was absolutely amazing. The early morning light lit the calm ocean water, presenting it with a certain kind of warmth that Rosalie could almost feel even at this height where the wind wrapped around her and played with her hair. All this, combined with flying at almost the same height as the airships almost got her to relax out of awe. Almost.
She had never, in all her years, been on an airship before, but getting to see them in the skies and not just while she was on the ground was quite the sight for her in her opinion. “Wow... hey, look at that!” Rosalie leaned forward in her saddle, pointing eagerly to the airship closest to them, forgetting herself in her excitement. “I’ve never been on one before or seen one this close. Hmm.. I wonder what makes it run... maybe magic could be involved as well... but then... that wouldn’t be right..would it? Hmm.. Hey, Gore? Back then, was magic quite... prominent..?” The girl was, at this point, openly curious. Thinking back to the strange duo she had seen three weeks ago, she wondered how they were able to use magic so efficiently like that without much aid of technology. Perhaps they were gifted or were they using some sort of machine that focused the wave of magic?
A strange, distant whirring noise reached the girl’s ears after a bit. The sound was familiar and yet Rosalie was unable to put her tongue on it. Where had she heard that before? She began frowning, straining to hear something more that would tell her what it was. It was quickly approaching, that much she was sure of. “What... is that?” She asked herself in a tone that verged more on unsureness rather than annoyance. Less than seconds later, she was able to distinguish it as something that was shooting straight for them. Whether the rider of the vehicle was trying to get them to fall out of the sky or was playing chicken, she was unsure.
Razors, they were called, for their capability of gliding through the air with great ease and agility. These motor vehicles had a sleek and elegant design and it had been one of the things that had drawn Rosalie in the night before. Rosalie looked behind her, immediately hunching down so low that she looked like she was hugging the saddle, trying to make herself a smaller target. If Gore did not veer to the left or withdraw his wing, he would most likely be thrown off balance. Rosalie did not want to kiss the ground. That happening once was one of the most terrifying things she had ever faced. “No.. please not again..,” she whispered, steeling herself. Had Gore heard the target before she had? Was he aware of it? Only seconds ago, she was in awe. Now, fear had taken hold of her and had her tongue-tied, unable to say anything to the Blood Dragon.
It was not as if she could go back to Druthers&Druthers and tell them she had changed her mind. No. That guilt would play more heavily on her mind than not buying Gore when she had the chance. With a faint laugh that was more forced, she zipped up her backpack just as the dragon approached. Some would have said her reaction was delayed as she just stared for a bit at this red creature before her, mind drifting back to the events three weeks ago. “Gooood morning!” She finally greeted, smiling. He was so close that she could just reach out and touch him just to make sure that he really was there with her, but as Rosalie did, she stopped herself from touching the dragon’s snout and instead reached for her camera hanging off his horn. The slight hesitation might have been obvious, but the girl did not care. Anyone else would have done the same to be sure they were not crazy.
Disbelief still flickered in her eyes, but she was slowly coming to terms with her ownership over the great legend. Her light brown eyes then trailed down to the camera she had taken back before dropping her hands to her sides. “Today, we’re heading back to Kalandor. Preferably, I want to get back before it gets too dark, but if we have to camp out.. then.. I’ll get you to make up for it the next day.” Rosalie informed Gore. It felt so strange to be looking straight into the beast’s eyes like this, telling him what she had planned and what the consequence may be if the schedule was not kept. It was not much of a threat, but she was afraid of him, so that could have been taken into account in the way she spoke. He could bowl her over just by leaning closer if he wanted. “Sooo.. You better have gotten enough sleep last night.”
She looked just about ready to leave then, but stopped to give the camera her attention once more. “Oh, and..you have to tell me what you’ve managed to figure out about this camera, Gore. It was your homework for the night.” Rosalie smirked, watching him expectantly for a bit. Was it something of a choice for him not to talk whenever he was in this form? Was it some sort of custom? If so, dragons had some pretty strange ways of going about the world. “Ah.. That’s right.. For some reason you don’t talk in this form... but you’re going to have to shift back whether you like it or not; you’re too much of a big target like this.”
So the people of this city still planned to pelt the dragon with stones? The girl glanced at one of the individuals who had stepped closer with both hands behind their back, admiration for the Blood Dragon clear, but it could have also been a ruse. Wise that the young man should step closer yet keep a reasonable distance at the same time. Rosalie looked about herself and noticed that, as ready as they were, hesitation was clear. Why? Some people were genuinely interested in the legend, the girl would like to believe, but even if they weren’t, there was no way she could pick them out, herself. “We’re wasting time standing around like this. Let’s go, already!” She urged Gore, gesturing with a quick wave as she walked ahead.
Rosalie believed they were all more civilised than that - to pick up stones and pelt dragons like the olden days. She could be proven wrong, however, and if she had, she would not care so much as long as nothing was thrown her way. Wouldn’t that have been the point, though? Would she be treated any differently for being the owner of this killer? All the more reason to keep moving, she supposed. She did not want to take any chances. “I wonder how much a saddle would cost..” She mumbled in thought, speaking just loud enough for Gore to hear her. “I mean.. We could go for a saddle, depending on the price, but that would mean I won’t be able to buy anything else for the trip back..” Rosalie would not go so far as to say that she was inexperienced. No. She would never admit that and would prefer to say that she was rather unprepared. It’s this lizard’s fault that I never got to speak to Glenn properly. If not for Gore, I’d probably be much farther ahead than I am now.. Was it normal to be excited yet afraid at the same time that she was setting out of Desdemona with someone accompanying her? Rosalie did not know, but already she was thinking up questions to ask Gore in the case that their journey was quiet.
It certainly wasn’t a bother to her that things could get a little quiet, but the girl had the mind to test Gore’s patience and see how tolerant he was. He was now her property, but there was no telling how he would act when annoyed by her presence. Would he be annoyed? Rosalie peered over her shoulder at him, wanting to be sure that he was still with her. She still held distaste for him; for ruining her plans and killing those people, but she also would not go so far to say that it verged on hatred. Don’t get her wrong; she had not forgiven him, but perhaps she would later change her mind and make things worse for him. A LOT worse.
Disbelief still flickered in her eyes, but she was slowly coming to terms with her ownership over the great legend. Her light brown eyes then trailed down to the camera she had taken back before dropping her hands to her sides. “Today, we’re heading back to Kalandor. Preferably, I want to get back before it gets too dark, but if we have to camp out.. then.. I’ll get you to make up for it the next day.” Rosalie informed Gore. It felt so strange to be looking straight into the beast’s eyes like this, telling him what she had planned and what the consequence may be if the schedule was not kept. It was not much of a threat, but she was afraid of him, so that could have been taken into account in the way she spoke. He could bowl her over just by leaning closer if he wanted. “Sooo.. You better have gotten enough sleep last night.”
She looked just about ready to leave then, but stopped to give the camera her attention once more. “Oh, and..you have to tell me what you’ve managed to figure out about this camera, Gore. It was your homework for the night.” Rosalie smirked, watching him expectantly for a bit. Was it something of a choice for him not to talk whenever he was in this form? Was it some sort of custom? If so, dragons had some pretty strange ways of going about the world. “Ah.. That’s right.. For some reason you don’t talk in this form... but you’re going to have to shift back whether you like it or not; you’re too much of a big target like this.”
So the people of this city still planned to pelt the dragon with stones? The girl glanced at one of the individuals who had stepped closer with both hands behind their back, admiration for the Blood Dragon clear, but it could have also been a ruse. Wise that the young man should step closer yet keep a reasonable distance at the same time. Rosalie looked about herself and noticed that, as ready as they were, hesitation was clear. Why? Some people were genuinely interested in the legend, the girl would like to believe, but even if they weren’t, there was no way she could pick them out, herself. “We’re wasting time standing around like this. Let’s go, already!” She urged Gore, gesturing with a quick wave as she walked ahead.
Rosalie believed they were all more civilised than that - to pick up stones and pelt dragons like the olden days. She could be proven wrong, however, and if she had, she would not care so much as long as nothing was thrown her way. Wouldn’t that have been the point, though? Would she be treated any differently for being the owner of this killer? All the more reason to keep moving, she supposed. She did not want to take any chances. “I wonder how much a saddle would cost..” She mumbled in thought, speaking just loud enough for Gore to hear her. “I mean.. We could go for a saddle, depending on the price, but that would mean I won’t be able to buy anything else for the trip back..” Rosalie would not go so far as to say that she was inexperienced. No. She would never admit that and would prefer to say that she was rather unprepared. It’s this lizard’s fault that I never got to speak to Glenn properly. If not for Gore, I’d probably be much farther ahead than I am now.. Was it normal to be excited yet afraid at the same time that she was setting out of Desdemona with someone accompanying her? Rosalie did not know, but already she was thinking up questions to ask Gore in the case that their journey was quiet.
It certainly wasn’t a bother to her that things could get a little quiet, but the girl had the mind to test Gore’s patience and see how tolerant he was. He was now her property, but there was no telling how he would act when annoyed by her presence. Would he be annoyed? Rosalie peered over her shoulder at him, wanting to be sure that he was still with her. She still held distaste for him; for ruining her plans and killing those people, but she also would not go so far to say that it verged on hatred. Don’t get her wrong; she had not forgiven him, but perhaps she would later change her mind and make things worse for him. A LOT worse.
I'm really sorry it took this long for me to post! Thank you for being so patient ^^;
Stepping into the dark room, Rosalie trailed her hand along the cool wall lightly, feeling about for the switch as she tentatively walked. Whilst constantly bracing herself with each step she took, she tried to remember the contents of the room and their location even if it wasn’t exact. She did not want to kick anything by mistake and had resorted to sweeping her free hand about her blindly to catch herself before she did. Finding the switch, she flicked it on and moved to flop onto her bed, screwing her eyes shut. The girl had a difficult time believing what she had just said and did. She had actually been talking to the Blood Dragon and, more than that, she was the dragon’s owner! Turning her head slightly to look at the curtains, she resisted the urge to go near the window and peer outside. Perhaps laying there pondering the events of tonight was much, much better.
Even if it had been only moments ago, she could still see the scar behind Gore’s horn, a static image that failed to leave her. Had that really been the result of people throwing an object, a “concrete slab,” as the dragon had said, at him? Maybe he could have done something to anger the people at the time? Rosalie’s shoulders rose and fell in a light shrug. It was not that she was nonchalant over what she had been told or even seen; it was simply that she did not know the whole story and for that, she was unable to judge what had really happened save for perhaps regarding Gore with even more suspicion than she did earlier. There was some sympathy for him, but she had no plans to dwell on that. The girl did not know the dragon well enough to be taking his side, so she might as well keep him at arm’s length. After all, seeing as she was his Mistress, it meant she must have the right to decide the course of their relationship. At the moment, it was nothing more than two souls finding a common ground for survival. That was, if Gore did not decide to kill her, first. It was natural to be afraid of something that was not understood, and that meant Rosalie would have to keep a careful eye on the Blood Dragon. She could not forget what she saw that day; of how brutally the hunters were murdered. Saving a few lives did not make up for the sheer loss. She would hate to be in the position of receiving news that someone she dearly loved had been killed. Through all that, could forgiveness be given so easily? Not just by those recently left behind by the dead, but by many past warriors? These were some of the matters that could come up once she got back home, and she was becoming quite concerned.
Gore seemed ‘nice’ at least.. Or as nice as a monster could really be. Rosalie was more than aware that she could have left him there to a new owner who would treat him as he deserved to be treated as a dragon with a bloodstained name, but would she be thinking back on it later? She gave a light and bitter chuckle at the thought, shifting to lay on her side now. Boy am I going to have fun explaining this, she thought, sitting up as she looked to her phone sitting idly over the bedside desk. She could give Eric and Sigmund the outcome of the auction or she could show them herself. Hand hovering over the little flip-up phone, Rosalie gave a light smile and pulled away. She wanted to see their reactions personally and would allow them to do almost whatever they wanted to the dragon. It was what Gore deserved.
~
Morning came quickly, bright light reaching into the room through the small parting of the curtains. Rosalie had been up a bit earlier than that, planning her trip while quietly pacing about the room as to not disturb those who had not yet risen to this cool morning. Every idea had been shot down so far as she wanted to spend her money wisely. Where she could walk the trip, she would and where there was no choice but to pay for something necessary, she would do so and that was considering she had something to spend.
Exiting the inn with her bag that was lighter than it was on that day three weeks ago, Rosalie only continued to pace about in front of the inn, chin lifted. Perhaps she should stop planning ahead so much and take things one step at a time, she told herself. It would certainly help with the stress. Also, she thought, stopping for a moment, I can’t believe I’m going to be going home... with Gore. That winged lizard better not have run off. Then again... if he had, I wonder if it’ll be my responsibility. I guess the Order or that Rorshe guy could still be here in Desdemona. I wonder if they offer refunds. “Hmm... Then again, maybe last night could have all been a dream.” Rosalie was aware it wasn’t seeing as she had woken up worried over how she would make it back, but the thought that maybe it had been was all too enticing to her.
The girl shrugged her backpack off, dropping into a crouch as she rummaged through her belongings. If she found her camera, then that would mean this was all in her head! If not, then she was stuck with him. The girl shuddered, the thought prompting her to search faster with a bit more urgency to it. Rosalie knew the answer. She knew it wasn’t there, but the hope of maybe finding it at the bottom of her bag, under all her possessions, teased her like an odd glint in the ocean.
Even if it had been only moments ago, she could still see the scar behind Gore’s horn, a static image that failed to leave her. Had that really been the result of people throwing an object, a “concrete slab,” as the dragon had said, at him? Maybe he could have done something to anger the people at the time? Rosalie’s shoulders rose and fell in a light shrug. It was not that she was nonchalant over what she had been told or even seen; it was simply that she did not know the whole story and for that, she was unable to judge what had really happened save for perhaps regarding Gore with even more suspicion than she did earlier. There was some sympathy for him, but she had no plans to dwell on that. The girl did not know the dragon well enough to be taking his side, so she might as well keep him at arm’s length. After all, seeing as she was his Mistress, it meant she must have the right to decide the course of their relationship. At the moment, it was nothing more than two souls finding a common ground for survival. That was, if Gore did not decide to kill her, first. It was natural to be afraid of something that was not understood, and that meant Rosalie would have to keep a careful eye on the Blood Dragon. She could not forget what she saw that day; of how brutally the hunters were murdered. Saving a few lives did not make up for the sheer loss. She would hate to be in the position of receiving news that someone she dearly loved had been killed. Through all that, could forgiveness be given so easily? Not just by those recently left behind by the dead, but by many past warriors? These were some of the matters that could come up once she got back home, and she was becoming quite concerned.
Gore seemed ‘nice’ at least.. Or as nice as a monster could really be. Rosalie was more than aware that she could have left him there to a new owner who would treat him as he deserved to be treated as a dragon with a bloodstained name, but would she be thinking back on it later? She gave a light and bitter chuckle at the thought, shifting to lay on her side now. Boy am I going to have fun explaining this, she thought, sitting up as she looked to her phone sitting idly over the bedside desk. She could give Eric and Sigmund the outcome of the auction or she could show them herself. Hand hovering over the little flip-up phone, Rosalie gave a light smile and pulled away. She wanted to see their reactions personally and would allow them to do almost whatever they wanted to the dragon. It was what Gore deserved.
~
Morning came quickly, bright light reaching into the room through the small parting of the curtains. Rosalie had been up a bit earlier than that, planning her trip while quietly pacing about the room as to not disturb those who had not yet risen to this cool morning. Every idea had been shot down so far as she wanted to spend her money wisely. Where she could walk the trip, she would and where there was no choice but to pay for something necessary, she would do so and that was considering she had something to spend.
Exiting the inn with her bag that was lighter than it was on that day three weeks ago, Rosalie only continued to pace about in front of the inn, chin lifted. Perhaps she should stop planning ahead so much and take things one step at a time, she told herself. It would certainly help with the stress. Also, she thought, stopping for a moment, I can’t believe I’m going to be going home... with Gore. That winged lizard better not have run off. Then again... if he had, I wonder if it’ll be my responsibility. I guess the Order or that Rorshe guy could still be here in Desdemona. I wonder if they offer refunds. “Hmm... Then again, maybe last night could have all been a dream.” Rosalie was aware it wasn’t seeing as she had woken up worried over how she would make it back, but the thought that maybe it had been was all too enticing to her.
The girl shrugged her backpack off, dropping into a crouch as she rummaged through her belongings. If she found her camera, then that would mean this was all in her head! If not, then she was stuck with him. The girl shuddered, the thought prompting her to search faster with a bit more urgency to it. Rosalie knew the answer. She knew it wasn’t there, but the hope of maybe finding it at the bottom of her bag, under all her possessions, teased her like an odd glint in the ocean.
“Hmm... people would throw things at you?” Rosalie frowned a little, biting her lip as she shot him a hard look. Should she really make a comment on that? The girl contemplated on delving further into how he saw humans after that, but she sighed a few seconds later, shaking her head as she told herself not to say anything. Was it really right for her to ask? Though if he somehow managed to get her mad, she could maybe use that as a threat. She had not told anyone how Gore had killed the hunters in the way that he did, but was sure that if she had, it would be quite easy inviting people to participate. “You know... you really should watch that tongue of yours. It’s fine if you’re around people you can trust, but... I can’t guarantee people I know will like me having you around.” Rosalie told him, folding her arms.
The way he referred to things made Rosalie raise her eyebrow from time to time. If she had not been worrying so much, she would have laughed a little instead of cracking a faint smile. An interesting sight, if she may say so herself, to see the Blood Dragon, a fierce beast on the battlefield, act in such a way to everyday objects such as the holograms, that had the younger kids in awe. He was almost childish. Almost. “I.. guess that’s one way of seeing things.” Rosalie briefly looked back up at him, gauging his height for a moment. Of course Gore would look capable of fighting even in this form. That led her to wonder if she would be able to defend herself should he turn against her. Would he? The girl gave a wary shrug at her own thoughts. At least if he did, she knew the Order would be quick to dispose of him, so perhaps she could rest easy knowing that. Rorshe had seemed extremely disappointed when the opportunity had slipped through his fingers, so she guessed he would be the first to step forward and take up the task. Rosalie should not be thinking about that now, though; being a bit tired could lead to some undesirable situations.
Gore playing with the camera did cheer Rosalie up a bit, a small chuckle escaping her. It just meant closeups of him without her making the effort, really. It was better for him to learn some things through experience as not everything could be learned by listening.
Did Gore really have something to ask? How strange, she mused to herself, blinking a couple of times. What had happened to that high and mighty act? She shook her head but she did not appear annoyed that he had not voiced his question. The girl just thought he seemed quite hesitant, like he had lost that fire he had when talking to the crowd.
The moment Gore had mentioned why he had aided her, Rosalie stopped and looked at the ground, suppressing a shudder. She had been so intent on getting something as proof of his existence that she really had not thought of what she would do if she had been caught. Rosalie would have liked to believe that she was careful, but maybe not careful enough in this case. “I wasn’t expecting to hear that. Not from you, anyway.” The girl did not believe he cared. For all she knew, he could have saved her to get back at the hunters, but either way, he had helped her and for that, “I am grateful, though. If you think your questions are appropriate, just ask. I feel like I should at least give you that much for helping me out back there.” Rosalie sighed, regarding him carefully with a slight tilt of her head. He was acting differently to how she thought he would initially act. Rosalie was quite suspicious of him because of it. Maybe he was trying to get her guard down?
Rosalie had other reasons for not wanting to enter the arena and the way Gore was speaking about it, about odds and betting on him, was starting to bug her. She reminded herself that he didn’t know and that perhaps his way of thinking was greatly different from hers. At least he wasn’t being insistent that she enter him in the arena. She hated being pushed about and she wasn’t going to stand for it from a dragon of all people.
The building of the inn she had been staying at came into view after a while of walking, but as relieved as she was to know that rest was right around the corner, Rosalie did not pick up her pace at all. Instead, she stayed near enough so that she was able to hear what Gore was saying over the loud explosions of fireworks overhead, stopping to look up at the sky when the Blood Dragon commented on it. “It is, isn’t it?” The girl realised that she had agreed with him a little too late. The monster was able to admire even a night like this? He was right, though, she would give him that. It was one that should be remembered for the opportunity it brought. If Rosalie continued to count her losses, she would never be able to focus, so she decided that tomorrow she would start anew and try to forget the large amount she had spent. Hopefully, the lizard wouldn’t remind her by making her regret her decision in buying him.
“We’ll start heading back tomorrow.” She declared as her attention flickered back to Gore. “I’m not in much of a hurry to get back home, so we can make stops in between when necessary.” Rosalie figured it might give her time to get used to his presence now that she would be around him more in the future. Perhaps she could ask him some questions, as well as answer a few of his - if she wanted to, that is. Thinking back to the battle, she saw how the arrows had pierced him and how he had formed a ‘cocoon’ of protection around her with his wings. That coupled with the new injuries sustained tonight could be a bother. Obviously, that Rorshe character didn’t think this winged lizard would sell. She thought, shaking her head.
Reaching out to Gore, the girl pinched a bit of the garb that he was wearing with her thumb and index finger, testing the quality and texture of the material with a light frown of disdain. It really did not fit their time at all, but there were still people who adopted the traveller look, so it shouldn’t be a big deal just yet. Depending on how much money she would have left to spare tomorrow after buying a saddle, she should probably consider getting him some new clothes to help him blend in as much as was possible. Maybe Eric and Sigmund would have something to spare? Rosalie had absolutely no idea how owners dealt with this. Did they already have something picked out in mind or did they let their dragons choose?
Stepping back at Gore’s questioning, Rosalie tilted her head to one side, humming a flat tone in thought whilst looking back over to the inn. I.. I don’t know - as much as I hate admitting that. “Here’s a chance to possibly earn a bit of my trust; I’ll let you decide what you do. If you want to come inside, I’ll see if I can convince the innkeeper. If not, then just stay close to the area. If I find that you’ve run off... you’ll be in trouble.” She warned him before switching to a slightly lighter tone, “take this time to rest...and... here’s a bit of homework..” There was a smirk on her face, “play around with that camera and see if you can figure out what button does what.” With that, she turned, making her way to the inn.
The way he referred to things made Rosalie raise her eyebrow from time to time. If she had not been worrying so much, she would have laughed a little instead of cracking a faint smile. An interesting sight, if she may say so herself, to see the Blood Dragon, a fierce beast on the battlefield, act in such a way to everyday objects such as the holograms, that had the younger kids in awe. He was almost childish. Almost. “I.. guess that’s one way of seeing things.” Rosalie briefly looked back up at him, gauging his height for a moment. Of course Gore would look capable of fighting even in this form. That led her to wonder if she would be able to defend herself should he turn against her. Would he? The girl gave a wary shrug at her own thoughts. At least if he did, she knew the Order would be quick to dispose of him, so perhaps she could rest easy knowing that. Rorshe had seemed extremely disappointed when the opportunity had slipped through his fingers, so she guessed he would be the first to step forward and take up the task. Rosalie should not be thinking about that now, though; being a bit tired could lead to some undesirable situations.
Gore playing with the camera did cheer Rosalie up a bit, a small chuckle escaping her. It just meant closeups of him without her making the effort, really. It was better for him to learn some things through experience as not everything could be learned by listening.
Did Gore really have something to ask? How strange, she mused to herself, blinking a couple of times. What had happened to that high and mighty act? She shook her head but she did not appear annoyed that he had not voiced his question. The girl just thought he seemed quite hesitant, like he had lost that fire he had when talking to the crowd.
The moment Gore had mentioned why he had aided her, Rosalie stopped and looked at the ground, suppressing a shudder. She had been so intent on getting something as proof of his existence that she really had not thought of what she would do if she had been caught. Rosalie would have liked to believe that she was careful, but maybe not careful enough in this case. “I wasn’t expecting to hear that. Not from you, anyway.” The girl did not believe he cared. For all she knew, he could have saved her to get back at the hunters, but either way, he had helped her and for that, “I am grateful, though. If you think your questions are appropriate, just ask. I feel like I should at least give you that much for helping me out back there.” Rosalie sighed, regarding him carefully with a slight tilt of her head. He was acting differently to how she thought he would initially act. Rosalie was quite suspicious of him because of it. Maybe he was trying to get her guard down?
Rosalie had other reasons for not wanting to enter the arena and the way Gore was speaking about it, about odds and betting on him, was starting to bug her. She reminded herself that he didn’t know and that perhaps his way of thinking was greatly different from hers. At least he wasn’t being insistent that she enter him in the arena. She hated being pushed about and she wasn’t going to stand for it from a dragon of all people.
The building of the inn she had been staying at came into view after a while of walking, but as relieved as she was to know that rest was right around the corner, Rosalie did not pick up her pace at all. Instead, she stayed near enough so that she was able to hear what Gore was saying over the loud explosions of fireworks overhead, stopping to look up at the sky when the Blood Dragon commented on it. “It is, isn’t it?” The girl realised that she had agreed with him a little too late. The monster was able to admire even a night like this? He was right, though, she would give him that. It was one that should be remembered for the opportunity it brought. If Rosalie continued to count her losses, she would never be able to focus, so she decided that tomorrow she would start anew and try to forget the large amount she had spent. Hopefully, the lizard wouldn’t remind her by making her regret her decision in buying him.
“We’ll start heading back tomorrow.” She declared as her attention flickered back to Gore. “I’m not in much of a hurry to get back home, so we can make stops in between when necessary.” Rosalie figured it might give her time to get used to his presence now that she would be around him more in the future. Perhaps she could ask him some questions, as well as answer a few of his - if she wanted to, that is. Thinking back to the battle, she saw how the arrows had pierced him and how he had formed a ‘cocoon’ of protection around her with his wings. That coupled with the new injuries sustained tonight could be a bother. Obviously, that Rorshe character didn’t think this winged lizard would sell. She thought, shaking her head.
Reaching out to Gore, the girl pinched a bit of the garb that he was wearing with her thumb and index finger, testing the quality and texture of the material with a light frown of disdain. It really did not fit their time at all, but there were still people who adopted the traveller look, so it shouldn’t be a big deal just yet. Depending on how much money she would have left to spare tomorrow after buying a saddle, she should probably consider getting him some new clothes to help him blend in as much as was possible. Maybe Eric and Sigmund would have something to spare? Rosalie had absolutely no idea how owners dealt with this. Did they already have something picked out in mind or did they let their dragons choose?
Stepping back at Gore’s questioning, Rosalie tilted her head to one side, humming a flat tone in thought whilst looking back over to the inn. I.. I don’t know - as much as I hate admitting that. “Here’s a chance to possibly earn a bit of my trust; I’ll let you decide what you do. If you want to come inside, I’ll see if I can convince the innkeeper. If not, then just stay close to the area. If I find that you’ve run off... you’ll be in trouble.” She warned him before switching to a slightly lighter tone, “take this time to rest...and... here’s a bit of homework..” There was a smirk on her face, “play around with that camera and see if you can figure out what button does what.” With that, she turned, making her way to the inn.
Rosalie made no move to scold Gore for speaking up. It was not as if she was unaware of what rule the Blood Dragon followed as her servant, but more so that she was not as serious about being an owner as others might have been. She did not, after all, come here with intentions of becoming a master to anyone, really, and neither did she plan to spend what she had. She was a bit disheartened by the loss, but she was going to find a way to make it so that buying Gore was not a waste of her money. Going by what she had seen of his fighting prowess three weeks earlier, she did not mind him fighting but she doubted she would have the time to enter him in any battles for the moment. Money? She could get that back, but time was something that would never return to her.
The girl found that it took her mind a few moments to make sense of what Gore would say, though, mind being a bit slower to register his pattern of speech than that of the man behind the desk. It was going to take some getting used to, that much was evident, but it made things slightly more interesting, if she did say so, herself. She wanted to laugh at how outdated his speech and accent was, but now was definitely not the time to poke fun so openly, so she settled for cracking a smile. Seeing Gore become so wary over taking a picture made her smile grow. He wasn’t camera shy. No, it probably would be the first photo taken of him that he would be aware of. “That’s a camera.. It really is harmless...” She replied. His knowledge of the world today really was limited. She wouldn’t be surprised if he somehow got himself caught in an automatic door or something of the like.
The collar and chain set upon the desk by the man made Rosalie look back to Gore, tilting her head slightly as she tried to imagine him with such a thing - meant to lead dogs - around his neck. It was meant to show status and make the owner feel important, was it? She brushed her fingers lightly over the chain before picking up the collar and actually examining it. “These are... wonderful. Thank you.” She was already imagining herself being pulled along, but in some cases, it may actually come in handy. She was unsure when, but since it came with the dragon, she could always keep it as a souvenir of this day if she wanted. It would become a symbol, a bitter reminder of what she had lost in exchange for something or someone she did not actually need. How was she supposed to ask herself if she wanted or needed something for sale now? She neither needed nor wanted Gore, but something told her that she would feel a bit guilty if she did nothing to help him when she had the chance. “I would love lessons... though I’m not sure if I would have the time to attend them all.” She shook her head. Maybe she would not need them.
“This meeting was a pleasure,” Rosalie said in reply to the man, “I look forward to when we next meet.” It really did look like she was going to have keep the number given to her by the man. Rosalie could already imagine the questions that might arise from her travels and asking someone who knew their stuff was clearly the best solution. While she stared down at the card, she paid little attention to what the man was now doing until Gore spoke, causing her to snap her head up and try to see what he was referring to. foul looking creature? Seems like someone doesn’t know himself... She thought, shaking her head.
She did find the scene a bit endearing, though. The way he had been talking during the auction made him seem like he knew what was happening in the world, but really? It seemed more that he liked the sound of his own voice to her. When she caught Gore looking to her, she actually froze, immediately wondering if he had mistakenly said that thought out loud. Was he angry? Rosalie waited, actually narrowing her eyes at him in a light frown before flicking her gaze over to the man. Good. She hadn’t said anything.
“I think it’s too dark to be travelling anywhere. My expenses for getting here and staying a few days have already been paid for. I don’t live in this city.” She rubbed her arms, dreading the trip back home. At least Sigmund and Eric won’t get me for not taking pictures of the Blood Dragon in his true form. They’ll get the real thing like this man here...
“You don’t, Ms?” The registration manager asked. “Though, I suppose I shouldn’t be all that surprised. A lot of people travelled quite a long way just to be here for tonight and as it is on a normal day, we get a lot of fresh new faces passing by. I can imagine it being difficult to get a booking in.”
“It was... The two who booked the room for me said I owed them one.” Rosalie laughed lightly, folding her arms. “Looks like my debt’s paid and more.” Being the time to leave, she walked ahead of Gore, thinking of ways she could at least get a few favours out of the two brothers. It should be easy, she believed, sending a quick glance over her shoulder at the Blood Dragon.
The night was still festive, not showing any clear signs of dying down just yet. Looking over at Gore when he spoke, Rosalie had to take a few steps back. He really was quite tall. “You may,” she said with a slight nod, listening to what he had in mind. When he thanked her, though, it was so unexpected that she only stared back at him. This lizard has manners? First, he was childlike and now this? Wasn’t he supposed to growl and mention something about how he had fun killing the hunters? At least that would be more believable than this.
She recovered and nodded, looking Gore straight in the eye. “You saved me, first, and I felt like I owed you one.” The girl then gestured to the place they were in, “Aaaaand.. Here were are. I wouldn’t be standing here, either, if you hadn’t saved me. Thank you. A fair exchange, don’t you think?” She started walking ahead at that point, not really having much to say over the arrows save for, “it’s fine”. Rosalie did not care if Gore somehow managed to figure out why she had helped him then. She wouldn’t say. A thing like that? It was no big deal compared to what Gore had done for her. The girl knew that and she would hate herself to admit that much to the dragon. “The two people who paid for my expenses... They’ve already paid for the room. Might as well make the most of it... and... I’d rather think of how I’d get back home later, if that’s alright.”
I don’t have enough to get back at all...great. Just great. Rosalie sighed, spinning on her heels to walk backwards, looking over her shoulder every once and a while to avoid crashing into someone. “Hmm... think fast.” She told him, throwing her camera to him. If he wanted to play around with it, then she would let him. After all, Sigmund and Eric wouldn’t need the pictures now that she would be bringing them the real thing. Rosalie also wanted to see how he would react to it seeing as he never got the chance to take a proper look at the first one he saw. It may have been slightly different, but the function was the same. “You’re going to have to get used to this time and age. You mentioned the arena at one point, didn’t you? I’m not going to spend my time on that unless I really have to.”
She stopped, taking a minute to look at the stall with the holograms and whatnot. “I’m just going to warn you that you’ll be seeing a lot of strange things around here.. Things that wouldn’t have been around back then... If you’re interested, I’ll let you look around. No point wasting this night.” Rosalie turned away from Gore with a sigh, folding her arms. “Also, your wounds... how would you be holding up?”
The girl found that it took her mind a few moments to make sense of what Gore would say, though, mind being a bit slower to register his pattern of speech than that of the man behind the desk. It was going to take some getting used to, that much was evident, but it made things slightly more interesting, if she did say so, herself. She wanted to laugh at how outdated his speech and accent was, but now was definitely not the time to poke fun so openly, so she settled for cracking a smile. Seeing Gore become so wary over taking a picture made her smile grow. He wasn’t camera shy. No, it probably would be the first photo taken of him that he would be aware of. “That’s a camera.. It really is harmless...” She replied. His knowledge of the world today really was limited. She wouldn’t be surprised if he somehow got himself caught in an automatic door or something of the like.
The collar and chain set upon the desk by the man made Rosalie look back to Gore, tilting her head slightly as she tried to imagine him with such a thing - meant to lead dogs - around his neck. It was meant to show status and make the owner feel important, was it? She brushed her fingers lightly over the chain before picking up the collar and actually examining it. “These are... wonderful. Thank you.” She was already imagining herself being pulled along, but in some cases, it may actually come in handy. She was unsure when, but since it came with the dragon, she could always keep it as a souvenir of this day if she wanted. It would become a symbol, a bitter reminder of what she had lost in exchange for something or someone she did not actually need. How was she supposed to ask herself if she wanted or needed something for sale now? She neither needed nor wanted Gore, but something told her that she would feel a bit guilty if she did nothing to help him when she had the chance. “I would love lessons... though I’m not sure if I would have the time to attend them all.” She shook her head. Maybe she would not need them.
“This meeting was a pleasure,” Rosalie said in reply to the man, “I look forward to when we next meet.” It really did look like she was going to have keep the number given to her by the man. Rosalie could already imagine the questions that might arise from her travels and asking someone who knew their stuff was clearly the best solution. While she stared down at the card, she paid little attention to what the man was now doing until Gore spoke, causing her to snap her head up and try to see what he was referring to. foul looking creature? Seems like someone doesn’t know himself... She thought, shaking her head.
She did find the scene a bit endearing, though. The way he had been talking during the auction made him seem like he knew what was happening in the world, but really? It seemed more that he liked the sound of his own voice to her. When she caught Gore looking to her, she actually froze, immediately wondering if he had mistakenly said that thought out loud. Was he angry? Rosalie waited, actually narrowing her eyes at him in a light frown before flicking her gaze over to the man. Good. She hadn’t said anything.
“I think it’s too dark to be travelling anywhere. My expenses for getting here and staying a few days have already been paid for. I don’t live in this city.” She rubbed her arms, dreading the trip back home. At least Sigmund and Eric won’t get me for not taking pictures of the Blood Dragon in his true form. They’ll get the real thing like this man here...
“You don’t, Ms?” The registration manager asked. “Though, I suppose I shouldn’t be all that surprised. A lot of people travelled quite a long way just to be here for tonight and as it is on a normal day, we get a lot of fresh new faces passing by. I can imagine it being difficult to get a booking in.”
“It was... The two who booked the room for me said I owed them one.” Rosalie laughed lightly, folding her arms. “Looks like my debt’s paid and more.” Being the time to leave, she walked ahead of Gore, thinking of ways she could at least get a few favours out of the two brothers. It should be easy, she believed, sending a quick glance over her shoulder at the Blood Dragon.
The night was still festive, not showing any clear signs of dying down just yet. Looking over at Gore when he spoke, Rosalie had to take a few steps back. He really was quite tall. “You may,” she said with a slight nod, listening to what he had in mind. When he thanked her, though, it was so unexpected that she only stared back at him. This lizard has manners? First, he was childlike and now this? Wasn’t he supposed to growl and mention something about how he had fun killing the hunters? At least that would be more believable than this.
She recovered and nodded, looking Gore straight in the eye. “You saved me, first, and I felt like I owed you one.” The girl then gestured to the place they were in, “Aaaaand.. Here were are. I wouldn’t be standing here, either, if you hadn’t saved me. Thank you. A fair exchange, don’t you think?” She started walking ahead at that point, not really having much to say over the arrows save for, “it’s fine”. Rosalie did not care if Gore somehow managed to figure out why she had helped him then. She wouldn’t say. A thing like that? It was no big deal compared to what Gore had done for her. The girl knew that and she would hate herself to admit that much to the dragon. “The two people who paid for my expenses... They’ve already paid for the room. Might as well make the most of it... and... I’d rather think of how I’d get back home later, if that’s alright.”
I don’t have enough to get back at all...great. Just great. Rosalie sighed, spinning on her heels to walk backwards, looking over her shoulder every once and a while to avoid crashing into someone. “Hmm... think fast.” She told him, throwing her camera to him. If he wanted to play around with it, then she would let him. After all, Sigmund and Eric wouldn’t need the pictures now that she would be bringing them the real thing. Rosalie also wanted to see how he would react to it seeing as he never got the chance to take a proper look at the first one he saw. It may have been slightly different, but the function was the same. “You’re going to have to get used to this time and age. You mentioned the arena at one point, didn’t you? I’m not going to spend my time on that unless I really have to.”
She stopped, taking a minute to look at the stall with the holograms and whatnot. “I’m just going to warn you that you’ll be seeing a lot of strange things around here.. Things that wouldn’t have been around back then... If you’re interested, I’ll let you look around. No point wasting this night.” Rosalie turned away from Gore with a sigh, folding her arms. “Also, your wounds... how would you be holding up?”
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