Jason nodded to Puck,remembering her. "But a try we can take."

Ash crossed his arms, careful not to lean against a tree. "I havent had the pleasure of meeting her. Though I have heard the stories. Terrifying as they are." A tiny furrow creased his brow, and he sighed. "This is going to be very dangerous, isnt it?"

Jason shrugged,not showing any sign that he feared it would be. "Well we sorta ended up stumbling into a trod to her,basement was it? That was in the Briars but...Ih,I wouldn't want to go back there even if I could go through a trod in there." He shivered,remembering that huge dragon. He didn't think he was even one of the clan breeds known in his realm,well the dragon realm that is.

A rueful smile quirked his lips. "Where to first?"

"New Orleans," Puck replied, turning to Ash, who waited patiently, his eyes never leaving Jason's face. "The Historic Voodoo Museum."

Jason so didn't want to go there again,not with how that's practically where Puck had died.He so didn't want to relive those memories more than he already did now and then.But he didn't made any motion to or sign of refusal,but his mind kept the image of Ash's rueful smile. He hated himself and kicked his left leg subtly on purpose because he knew it was his fault that Ash had done that,and that he was an exile and that he couldn't use trods or have the life he'd had before...and he'd chosen to love Puck or Ash. And that practically took everything away from him,and he hated himself all the more than he already did every day for it.But he couldn't bring himself to love Ash fully again after how he and Ash had beaten up the love inside of him for the former ice prince. It was dying and even letting it out of the chains it had was painful. But...what if he forced himself to feel nothing but that love? What if...he singled it out and ripped everything else out of him? That would take a lot,and it would hurt Puck to uproot his love for him as well but...that would give Ash something again,it would give him what he wanted,no matter how Jason found he didn't want it. It would hurt and he'd have to rip sorrow out of himself over and over no matter what just to keep loving him but he could do it.With just a little of dragon poison.......clementine.What Jadescar had hoped not to use on him.Dragon Poison.

Any tour guide worth his badge in New Orleans will tell you not to go gallivanting around the city streets alone in the middle of the night. In the heart of the French Quarter, where street lamps and tourism had a firm hold, it was fairly safe, but just outside the district, the dark alleyways hid thugs and gangs and predators of the night.

Ash wasnt worried about the human predators. They couldnt see him and Puck, except for one white-haired homeless man who cringed against a wall and chanted "Not here, not here," as they went by. But the darkness hid other things as well, like the goa--headed phouka who watched them from an alley across the street, grinning madly, and the redcap gang who trailed us through several neighborhoods until they got bored and went looking for easier prey. New Orleans was a faery city; mystery, imagination and old traditions blended perfectly here and drew scores of exiled fey to this spot.

Ash walked next to Jason, a silent, watchful shadow, one hand resting casually on his sword hilt. Everything, from his eyes, to the chill in the air as he passed, to the calm lethality on his face, was a warning: this wasnt someone you wanted to mess around with. Even though he had been exiled and was no longer a prince of the Unseelie Court, he was an imposing warrior, still the son of Queen Mab, and few dared challenge him. Puck was silent for once

Jason even was put into the position where he didn't want to slip up,though he very much hoped that even with what was going on that him and Ash where still friends,because he didn't want to get that sword through any part of his body again. It hadn't been Ash who'd hurt his arm,he knew that,but it still scared him.The sword still reminded him of the pain from his arm that had seared through his senses and caused him to fall into his memory of his hatching.
He shook himself faintly and was a little worried now,instead,as to why Puck was so quiet.

But at the mouth of a narrow alley, the redcap gang the two fey thought had given up appeared, blocking the exit. They were short and stout, evil dwarves with bloody red hats, their eyes and jagged fangs shining in the darkness.

Ash stopped and in one smooth motion eased Jason behind him and drew his sword, bathing the alley in flickering blue light.

For a moment, no one moved.

Then Ash gave a dark, humorless chuckle and stepped forward. "We can stand around looking at each other all night," he said, locking gazes with the biggest redcap, who had a stained red bandana on his head and was missing an eye. "Or would you like me to start the massacre?"

One-Eye bared his fangs. "Keep your pants on, prince," he spat, his guttural voice like a dogs snarl, and Puck snickered. "We got no quarrel with you." He sniffed and brushed his crooked nose. "Just heard the rumor you was in town, see, and wed like to have a few words with the dragon before you go, thats all."

All the redcaps Jason had run into were trying to kidnap, torture, or eat him. They were the mercenaries and thugs of the Unseelie Court, and the exiled ones were even worse.

Ash kept his sword out, his eyes never leaving the redcaps, but his free hand reached back and gripped Jason's. Puck rolled his eyes. "Fine. Say what you came to say and get out of here."

One-Eye sneered at him, then turned to Jason. "Just wanted to let you know, halfbreed," he emphasized the word with a toothy leer "that theres a bunch of Iron faeries sniffing around the city looking for you. One of them is offering a reward for any information concerning your whereabouts. So Id be really careful if I were you." One-Eye pulled off his bandana and gave them a ridiculous, mocking bow. "Just thought youd want to know."

Jason didn't pull away from Ash's hand,he just tried to remember they where friends and that...this was totally what friends did.They...held hands here and there...yeah,totally.Not that it didn't hurt his heart as Ash did.
But Jason gave an eyeroll of his own before answering,but not in a rude tone.Just a simple calm one. "Thanks,guess I gatta keep that in mind."

"And how can I be certain you wont run to them with our location?" Ash chimed in, his voice flat and cold.

The redcap leader gave Ash a half disgusted, half fearful look. "You think I want these Iron Fey on my turf? You really think Id want to bargain with them? I want every one of them dead, or at least out of my territory. I sure as heck aint going to give them exactly what they want. If theres any way I can throw a wrench in their plans, Ill take it, even if that means warning you to spite them. And if you manage to kill them all for me, hey--thatll make my evening. Im just giving you a friendly warning. I thought, hey, hes killed the Iron creeps before. He might want to do it again."

"Who told you that?"

"Oh, please. Its all over the streets. We know about you--you and your Unseelie boyfriend here." He curled a lip at Ash, who stared back stoically. Puck was popping his neck, ready to slice and dice these idiot redcaps. They obviously couldn't tell who was the boyfriend here. "We heard about the scepter, and how you killed the Iron kid who stole it. We know you returned it to Mab to stop the war between Summer and Winter, and that they exiled you for your trouble." One-Eye shook his head and gave Jason a look that was almost sympathetic. "Word travels fast on the streets, dragon, especially when the Iron fey are running around like chickens with their heads ripped off, offering rewards for 'the son of a dragon king'. So, Id watch my back, if I were you."