Jason moved out of the way and his eyes washed with relief that the two where still alive,and he nodded with a sweeping motion to the guard with an elegant talon. "A Thornguard." He knew most likely he wouldn't get a response and he didn't expect one,but his eyes turned to Ash and in them a thank you to him for making sure neither of them died.

Oberon raised an eyebrow. "Goodfellow" he said, and that one word made Puck wince. "What is the meaning of this?"

Mab smiled. "Ash," she purred, but it wasnt a friendly greeting. "What a surprise to find you here, in the company of the dragon and Robin Goodfellow. Would you care to add anything more to your list of crimes?"

"My queen." Ash stood before Mab, breathing heavily, his expression bleak and resigned. "The prince speaks the truth. Rowan is a traitor to us. He sent his elite guard to bolster the armies of the Iron fey, he allowed them access into the palace, and he is responsible for the death of Prince Sage. Were it not for Robin Goodfellow and the dragon prince, the scepter would be lost, and the armies of the Iron King would overwhelm us." Mab narrowed her eyes, and Ash stepped back, nodding to the moaning Thornguard. "If you doubt my word, my queen, just ask him for the truth. Im sure he would be happy to tell you everything."

"Screw it," Puck snapped, stalking past Jason. "Or you could just do this." He pounced on the guard, driving his knee into the faerys armored chest. The Thornguards arms came up to protect himself, and Puck grabbed one of his gauntlets, ripping the glove away and holding up his wrist. The sharp tang of metal filled the air, and the circle of curious onlookers leaped back with cries of horror. The Thornguards entire hand was blackened and shriveled, the skin flaking off like ash. And on his long, gnarled finger, the iron ring gleamed brightly against the withered flesh.

"There!" Puck snapped, throwing the arm down and stepping away. "That proof enough for you? Every one of these bad words has one of those rings on, and its not a fashion statement. If you want more proof, check the brambles at the top of the hill. We left this one alive to explain his little coup ambitions to his queen."

Mab turned her cold, cold gaze on the Thornguard, who cringed and started babbling.

"My queen, I can explain. Rowan ordered us to. I was acting on his command. He said it was the only way to save us. Please, I never wanted to...please, no!"

Mab gestured. There was a flash of blue light, and ice covered the guard, encasing him in frozen crystal. He drew a breath for one last scream, but the ice closed over his face and smothered it. "He will tell me everything later." Mab smiled coldly, speaking more to herself than to them. "Oh, yes. He will be begging to tell me." She looked up, her eyes as terrible as her voice. "Where is Rowan?"

Jason looked up at where he'd last seen the prince try and attack him before,eyes searching. "He was riding his creature before,trying to stop me from continuing." He looked around for the beast he refused to deem a dragon,because he knew dragons had honor and kind hearts in their right minds,unlike Shade. Not what that beast was,allowing herself to be subdued by a faey so simply despite her ferocity and threatening majesty.

As the crowds began muttering and looking around, it became obvious that Rowan was gone. They wouldn't find him in the Nevernever; he would flee to the Iron fey, continuing his quest to become like them. After a long moment, it became clear that Rowan was no longer on the field.

"Lady Mab," Oberon said, drawing himself up. "In light of this newest revelation, I propose a temporary truce. If the Iron King does plan to attack us, I'd prefer to meet him with my forces strong and ready. We will speak on this later, but for now, I will be taking my people back to Arcadia. Skytracer, Goodfellow." He nodded to them stiffly. "Come."

But Mab wasn't about to let Jason go just yet. "Not so fast, my dear Oberon," she purred, and the smug satisfaction in her voice made a few people's skin crawl. "I believe you are forgetting something. The laws of our people apply to the dragon, as well. He must answer for turning my son against me." Mab pointed the scepter at me as angry murmurs went through the crowd. "He must be punished for tricking Ash into helping him escape Tir Na Nog."

"That wasn't Jason's decision." Ash's deep voice cut through the muttering. "It was mine. I made the choice. He had nothing to do with it."

Mab turned to him, and her gaze softened. Smiling, she crooked a finger, and he approached at once, never wavering, though his hands were clenched at his sides. "Ash," Mab crooned as he drew near. "My poor boy. Rowan told me what happened between the two of you, but I know you had your reasons. Why would you betray me?"

"I love him."

Softly, and without hesitation, as if he'd already made up his mind. There was a ripple of horror and disbelief that went through the crowd. Whispers and muttering filled the air; some faeries snarled and hissed, baring their teeth, as if they wanted to mob Ash, but kept their distance from the queen. Mab didn't look surprised, though the smile curling her lips was as cold and cruel as a blade. "You love him. The half-breed prince from an entirely different realm?"

"Yes."

Jason's chest felt racked by claws sharper than his own as Ash spoke,both in hurt and fear of what Ash had just admitted. He didn't show anything of his own fear and urge to run,only his scales screamed of his terror and pain as they raged sick green with white but also dark pink of hurt through his freckles and underwings and frills.

He looked so desolate standing there alone, facing a mad queen and several thousand angry fey. His voice was flat and resigned, as if he'd been pushed into a corner and had given up, not caring what happened next.

"Ash." Mab placed a palm on his cheek. "You're confused. I can see it in your eyes. You didn't want this, did you? Not after Ian." Ash didn't reply, and Mab drew back, regarding him intently. "You know what comes next, don't you?"

Ash nodded once. "I swear an oath," he whispered, "never to see him again, never to speak to him again, to sever all relationships and return to the Winter Court."

"Yes," Mab whispered back. If Ash spoke those words, it would be over. A faery couldn't break a promise, even if he wanted to. "Swear the oath," Mab continued, "and all is forgiven. You can come back to Tir Na Nog. Return to the palace, and take your place as heir to the throne. Sage is gone, and Rowan is dead to me."

Mab placed a kiss on Ash's cheek and stepped back. "You are the last prince of Winter. It is time to come home."

"I..." For the first time, Ash hesitated. His gaze met Jason's, bright and anguished, begging forgiveness.

"I can't."

Silence fell over the field. Puck stiffened. Ash faced Mab calmly, the queen staring at him with a terrible, blank expression on her face. "Forgive me," Ash murmured, and Jason could hear the faintest of tremors beneath his voice. "But I can't...I won't...give him up. Not now, when I've just found him."

Red flooded Jason's scales and he forced his body to shift to his half form yet with his frills,wings half spread and frills spread as well,purple eyes wide with pain and anguish. "Swear it!" He said,voice wavering and forced to speak despite his emotional and physical pain. "Swear it,go home and take your rightful place. This shouldn't be like this,I'm a lowly dragon.A filthy scaled beast,nothing but a creature! Swear it,or...or I'll." He then,shaking,lit his markings and let tendrils wined up and then circle his neck,as if ready to force spikes through his flesh. "Or I'll end this myself." His tail lashed and he was holding back tears unshed,his eyes begging for Ash to do as he'd said and forget him,or Jason would kill him himself. Begging him to end this and make it easier on himself. "You've found feelings for nothing but a hide of scales,a beast of another world that's falling apart! I'm falling apart! I'm not worth this!"

Ash shook his head, his eyes were pained. "I can't," he repeated. Mab had gone very still, a beautiful, deadly statue, the ground beneath her coated with ice. Only her lips moved as she stared at her son, the air around them growing colder by the second. "You know what will happen if you refuse."

If Ash was afraid, he didnt show it. "I know," he said in a weary voice.

"Their world will eat at you," Mab said. "Strip you away bit by bit. Cut off from the Nevernever, you will not survive. Whether it takes one mortal year or a thousand, you will gradually fade away, until you simply cease to exist." Mab stepped closer, pointing at Jason with the scepter. "He will die, Ash. He is only a dragon. He will grow old, wither and die, and his soul will flee to a place you cannot follow. And then, you will be left to wander the mortal world alone, until you yourself are only a memory. And after that--" the queen opened her empty fist "--nothing. Forever."

Ash didnt react. Grimalkin had told Jason once that faeries banished from the Nevernever would die, that they would fade away until nothing was left. Tiaothin had told Jason that in the Winter Palace.

"This is your final chance, Prince." Mab stepped back, her voice stiff and icy like she was talking to a stranger. "Give me your solemn vow, or be damned to the mortal world forever. Make your choice."

Ash looked at Jason. He could see the pain in his eyes, and a little regret, but they shone with such emotion Puck stopped breathing, his jaw clenched. "I already have."

"So be it." If Mab's voice was cold before, it was in the sub-zero range now. She waved the scepter and, with a sharp crack, a rip appeared in the air. Like ink spreading over paper, it widened into a jagged archway. Beyond the arch, a flickering streetlamp glimmered, and rain pounded the road, hissing. The smell of tar and wet asphalt drifted through the opening. "From this day forth," Mab boomed, her voice carrying over the field, "Prince Ash is considered a traitor and an exile. All trods will be closed to him, all safe holds are barred, and if he is seen anywhere within the Nevernever, he is to be hunted down and killed immediately." She looked at Ash, fury, and contempt curling her lips. "You are not my son. Get out of my sight."

Ash stepped back. Without a word, he turned and walked toward the archway, shoulders back and head high. At the edge of the trod, he hesitated, and there was a shadow of fear cross his face. But then his expression hardened, and he swept through the door without looking back.

The tendrils Jason had lit slunk back shakily and he gave a pained look to Puck,ripped and filled with fear and stress and begging,and then he pulled his wings close and moved to follow. He moved quickly after Ash,movements pained both emotionally and physically as he caught up to him,wings unfolding to shield him from the rain.

Puck called for Jason to stop.

"Jason Skytracer!" Oberon's voice cracked like a whip, and a roar of thunder shook the ground. Jason was so close that he could see the road and darkened street, the blurry outline of houses through the rain. The Erlking's voice was ominously quiet, and his eyes glowed amber through the gently falling snow. "The laws of our people are absolute," Oberon warned. "Summer and Winter share many things, but love is not one of them. If you make this choice, the trods will never open for you again."