(Based off my Dragon Age character and his significant other. If you have ideas, questions, suggestions please pm me.)

Chapter One
In the corner of the room the weak fire crackled lightly as it ate away at the fuel it was given. Other than that the room sat rather silent. No one spoke louder than a whisper, using light movements to even lift their cups or forks to enjoy the small token they had paid for. Their eyes were all on the similar site, as if trying to pick it apart piece by piece in a hope to understand it better. It was a strange sight, a 'marked' elf sitting amongst humans at the tavern. His silvery hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, an elegant braid traveling down the side of his head towards the tie. Out from under the cowl he wore his yellowish amber eyes flashed seeming to catch the light even as they were cast in shadow. Normally an elf wouldn't take the risk of being around this many money hungry people, if they valued their freedom that was. Not here though here he was just another citizen with only his ears to make him a little different. Or that was what he had been told, now that he was here it seemed to just be another lie. For many elves tavern hopping wasn't an option seeing they were enslaved by humans, kept like pets on a leash to be shown off when they weren't doing work for their masters. Not him though...he was free. Well for the most part, there were a few holds he wasn't allowed to enter due to the fact he was a wanted criminal there for his actions against elf-haters. Then there was Hazelwood...no one should go there, ever.
"What will it be elf?" The bar keep growled clearly not happy to have an elf sitting freely about his other guest, damn elf was causing business to slow! No body could drink if they were all staring at him! Free or not he should still be in the servants quarters, drinking with filth similar to himself. The burly man crossed his arms over his chest. If someone wasn't going to man up enough to step up and take the elf as their own then he was going to. You could never have too many kitchen hands.
"Nothing sir, I'm just meeting someone here." The elf answered with a kind smile which only got him spat at by the bar owner. He flinched some as the wad of spittle landed close to his eye. So much for being friendly.... Sighing Dexion wiped a hand over his face to remove the spit from his face, momentarily twisting the silver lined tattoo that covered it. Hopefully this contact would get here soon...any longer and the tension in the room would reach its breaking point. Maybe he should have waited outside, this town was after all known for the outrage of hate related crimes towards elves and dwarves alike. Too late for that now.

It seemed that even the bard of the tavern was readying for a fight, the war song slowly playing in the silent halls as if in a taunting gesture. The place was more on edge than normal, that was surprising. Normally you could simply provoke a fight by asking someone the wrong question, stealing a drink, or even going as far as spreading rumors. Today though all you had to do was move a tad too fast and you would get a knife in your side. The smell of mildew and puke hung low in the air from the nights parties the days before. Honestly why had someone not cleaned that up yet? It was so uninviting, but perhaps that was the point. Quietly the door closed behind him as he entered the abode not daring to break the silence. The robed man stood in the door for a moment, the hood covering his face as well as the silver mask. From the outside the mask looked much like that of a plague doctors, the eyes tented black to keep his eyes shaded away from view. The hood covered his neck and shoulders in a velvety coat of black, contrasting with the near white robes underneath. Each tail of the robe was tipped in black, the split up his middle showing the black and gold trimmed tunic underneath. A gold belt held the robes in place keeping it from flying apart as he walked. To top it all off he wore a short hat that resembled a shortened top hat a single gold feather sticking out of the band. The white mask reflected the light as he past the fire, making his way towards the elf.
"Barkeep a next rounds on me, for everyone." The man said through the mask the words slightly muffled as he spoke. Almost instantly the mood in the bar changed, starting with a few mutters before going back to normal. The guest all knew what was happening, this strange masked man had taken their prize for himself. They had missed their chance at easy money. The pouch of coin clanked some as it was tossed up on the bar the bartender happily pocketing the coin.
"Nice call." The elf smiled glancing at the man next to him. Why that outfit? Was there another sickness going around? Great something else for humans to blame on the elven people. "You sure got them off my back."
"Let's cut to the chase." The masked man said almost instantly. "But not here." With that he rose, leading the way back out of the tavern.
"Right then...right to business..." The elf sprang lightly to his feet before jogging after the slightly taller man. They must have been an odd sight, the man in black and white with his mask, and the elf dressed in a teal and brown hunter jacket. With the slight breeze the tails of the cloak lightly wafted behind him. Much like the man's robes his cloak was split down the middle, the velvet tunic underneath showing through in a splash of blue green. The cowl was black, just like the leather vest her wore, the belt about his waist keeping its bottom half in place. As they walked towards the back of the bar their shoes clicked almost in rhythm silencing out everything else that might have been. The man leading him was a tad taller than himself, though the hat made it difficult to tell by exactly how much.
The cool shadows of the alleyway rushed up to greet them as they entered the shadows. He couldn't help but shiver some, wrapping his arms about his thin chest as he did. As an elf he hated the cold, having spent his time in the forests and low lands. Winter was just around the corner now, meaning he would yet again have to move to someplace warmer. The man stopped only when they were at the back of the alleyway.
"Better." The masked man said turning towards the elf. With that he pulled a letter from the folds of his robes holding it out to the elf.
"What's this?" Dexion asked looking at the paper with a questioning look. It was folded nicely, equally down the middle.
"Just read it." The masked man said crossing his arms over his chest. "It will make sense if you read it." The elf gave him a questioning glance as he slowly opened the letter taking care to read over it more than once.
"Bandits? That's what all this secrecy is about? A group of bandits?" Dexion said handing the letter back to the man. The masked man made no move to take it back so the elf simply let his arm fall to his side.
"It's not about the bandits, it's about what they are after."
"The amulet?"
"Exactly. We have to get it back, before they figure out what it is and does."
"And what exactly does it do?" The silver haired elf asked only to be cast what could only be called a murderous glare. Even behind the mask it was easy to tell the man was not amused.
"That's none of your concern, your only job is to help get it back. Deal?" Dexion was silent for a moment thinking.
"Five hundred gold and I'll do it."
"That's a bit of a price to pay-"
"For an elf?"
"That's not what I was-"
"Don't, just don't. Look you won't find anyone better around these parts, not for that price." With that the elf crossed his arms over his thin chest, narrowing his eyes a bit. Sure it was a bit pricey but still he had to eat as well. "So is that a deal?"
"It's a deal." A hand was sent forward then, for a handshake. Dexion took the hand in his own for a brief moment before pulling away again.
"Good then I'm ready when you are."
"What of supplies?" The masked man asked.
"Got everything I need here." A thumb went back to motion to the quiver and bow on his back. After all he could very well find plenty of everything else on the road. Food wasn't hard to find, there were always berries and roots along the road as well as finding smaller animals to kill if it came to that.
"A bow? All your taking is a bow and a handful of arrows?"
"Travel light and you can carry out a bunch more loot." At this the masked man chuckled lightly, the sound almost a hiss through the mask. "It's true!"
"Then we should go, the longer we wait the more damage can be done." With that the masked man pushed past him, heading back towards the sun and the main road. The elf bounded after him, skipping a few steps as he did. "Excited?"
"Wouldn't you be? This is the first lead I've had in months! I'm pretty glad to finally be out of here!" The elf said playfully jumping over a few puddles that stood in his way. "This place is so boring once you get to know it!"
"You've been here some time, I take it?" The masked man asked tilting his head towards the elf a bit. He acted like a child...hopping and skipping about. It was rather amusing to say the least.
"About two months yes. I haven't had the gold to leave...and I'm kinda not wanted in the surrounding villages. Something about stealing from the jarl or something."
"You stole from the jarl?"
"Just his slaves, I set them free and gave them all coin to get them by."
"So you freed his elven slaves and now he wants you dead?"
"Not exactly." Dexion started, stopping a moment to allow a row of children to pass. "Due to my crime he wishes to keep me as his own personal pet to punish me however he feels. I say he can take an arrow up his ass, and not the good kind."
"Do you get that a lot?"
"People trying to put themself off on me? Or arrows up the-"
"People wanting to make you their slave." The man said not letting the elf finish.
"Oh...well I do get it more often than not...it seems there is always someone looking to add my kind to their collection. Who wouldn't want a pretty silver haired elf to add to their breed stock?"
"That's not right. The masked man sighed. People shouldn't see elves as nothing more than cattle that do nothing but work and make more elves. Elves are people, just like people are people."
"Careful that kinda talk will get you flogged." The elf snickered though the man's words seemed genuinely true. That was a comfort. The rest of the walk was done in silence as they weaved their way through the crowds, their destination being the southern gate. Out of all the gates in this worn down city this one was the most guarded, with guards and the outside and on the inside to direct traffic.

The large oaken gates towered over them as they approached, making the elf feel smaller than he already was. As he fell into the shadow of the gates the hopping a skipping stopping only to be replaced by a stiff walk. The looks from the guards alone was enough to put him in place. Though as the man approached he took up a more relaxed stance, even stopping to take a moment and splash about in a puddle nearest the guards. The men didn't seem to find the act funny, yet Dexion found it hard not to laugh at the man's sudden childish behavior. Maybe he wasn't a stick in the mud after all!
"Writ of passage sir." The guard to the left of them asked in a very annoyed tone. The masked man produced the documents, allowing the guard to read them over. "And for the knife-ear?" Another document was produced, this one being just a single slip of paper with a simple statement and seal upon it. "Newest purchase huh? Sure is a charmer, wouldn't mind to have one of mine own."
"He's not for sell." The masked man said taking his papers back.
"Well you got luck, you see so many rejects in the slave market. Cheap but useless, tend to make any room ugly as well."
"Just open the gate." The guard shut his mouth then giving a look of surprise before turning and pulling the lever for the gate. There was a shrill grinding of steel as the gate rose, taking its sweet time as the eyes of the guards settled on the silver haired elf again. It took what felt like a life time before the gate had opened enough for them to get through, the masked man leading the way forward still. Something about that whole situation hurt, pricking at his heart and feelings. Self consciously the elf wrapped his arms over his chest, keeping his eyes cast to the ground.
"What was all that about?" Dexion asked slowly, in a sad tone. It hurt! To even be seen as a slave again in a false light! He never wanted to remember those days.
"They don't let just anyone through those gates. I had to think of a way to get you through and that was the easiest." The man answered, not bothering to look back at the elf. "I'm sorry...I didn't want to do it though it had to be done."
"There could have been another way..."
"But that would have cost more time, and gold." The man answered simply. "If it does anything to ease your mind I see you in no such light. You are no different from me other than ear shape."
"But the papers...."
"Paper can be destroyed with more ease than one's beliefs." At this the elf and man fell silent as they walked along the dirt road. A grey haze had fallen over the sky as a low storm cloud rolled in. Lightly rain began to trickle down from the heavens, soon making both of their cloaks damp to the touch. Before long the elf began to shiver from the cold. "Should we stop to make camp?" The masked man asked, not seeming to be phased by the sudden change in weather.
"I'm not going to melt." Dexion stammered past the quivering of his teeth.
"Freeze would be a more accurate term." The man said taking a moment to look back at the elf.
"I'm fine, it's just a bit of rain." A warm fire would be nice though...more than nice in fact it would be welcomed. For now he just wanted to change the subject. "I never got your name." He shivered.
"Just called me Crow." The man said sharply. The elf watched him a moment, trying to come to a conclusion about the man. So far there wasn't much to go off of other than the clear fact he was trying to hide his full and true identity. But why?
"Alright Crow." Dexion said with a slight nod. "So what are you some kind of doctor?"
"I'm a mage, mastering in necromancy." At the very word the world about them grew silent and chillier. Necromancy...the practice of bringing back the spirits of those you killed...lovely.
"Interesting, I've never fought side by side with a mages before." Dexion said, finding it to be the least offensive thing he could say at the moment. "So what do you do? Wait for me to kill someone before bringing them back from the dead? Or what?"
"I use the magic in the staff, it kills them. If they are under the spell I cast when they died then their spirit will come and fight for us."
"Sounds pretty complicated, but the more help the better as long as they fight on our side I don't really care what they are." The elf said with a bit of a smile. This seemed to catch the man off guard as he quickly shot the silver haired elf a glance. There were certain things you needed to get over when it came to this sort of thing. Just as the man hadn't cared that he was an elf, he didn't care about the man's line of practice in the magical arts, or whatever they were called. Another silence came between them, only the sound of the wind in the grass to accompany them. About a mile ahead of them the road led into the woods, the dark shape looming in the distance like some beast ready to greet them as the drew too close. That was the surrounding he was more familiar with, not that of the cities. Any chance he got the elf was out in the woods, looking for more things to find. Like that one time he found that old abandoned elven ruin! The one with all those risen skeletons...he could still the bone shards in his clothes on bad days. For the most part the rest of the trip was made in silence, with a few words exchanged ever now and again only when addressed by pilgrims looking to use the city as shelter from the storm that was brewing. Nearly an hour later the unfriendly darkness of the woods came up to great them, the trees moaning lightly as the breeze rustled their leaves. The whole place had a strange forbidding feeling about it, making the elf shiver even more than he was due to the rain. It was almost as if there was something sinister waiting for them to enter the wood, ready to take them in its open jaws for them to never be seen again. Yet the masked man faulted just a moment before he entered the darkness the woods had to offer, glancing over his shoulder only once to see if the elf was to follow. Reluctantly the elf trotted along after the man, keeping his head low as he did. That was to be the last time either of them traveled over that road, the last time they were to be seen in or near the city of Bramblebunch.

Chapter Two

It hurt, from his elbows to his feet it all hurt. Nothing was spared from the pain, no matter what he did it all still hurt. Even though he was in the dry now he still shivered as the water dripped from his soaked clothes, making a puddle about his feet. How did the mage keep dry during the long walk?! Was it magic? The elf did't care though as he rocked back and forth in front of the fire, wrapping his arms about his thin chest as if that would help keep him warmer. Soft cracks came from the fire as it ate what little fuel they had been able to gather for it.
"I told you more than once you should get out of those wet clothes." The mage said from where he was tending the fire causing some of the cinders to float up with the draft. "I even offered not to look."
"I'm fine." Dexion snapped past the chattering of his teeth.
"Really? I can tell your lips are blue from here. Stop being a fool and just get it over with. Do you really think I'm going to care?" The mage was still masked, his clothes having dried if they had even been wet to begin with. After a few moments of sitting there still the elf sighed.
"Give me your blanket then, mine's soaked." There was a moment of silence, which must have meant that the man was rolling his eyes before the blanket was handed over. A few short moments later Dexion returned just the blanket to keep him covered. In a helpful manner the mage took his clothes, hanging them over the fire to dry.
"See isn't that better?" Crow asked as he again took his spot next to the fire, gazing into the flames as they ate away at the log.
"I feel ridiculous." Dexion muttered drawing the blanket closer to him, not wishing to reveal anything but his face. This was horrible! What if they were attacked or something?! But it is a bit warmer.
"That's a start, though you look like an angry marshmallow with that blanket all wrapped around you like that."
"I'll take that as a compliment." The elf scrunching his shoulders up more adding to pile of blankets about his neck. The mage chuckled lightly shaking his head some at the display. Again a silence filled the void about them, not even the fire daring to break the silence. "Why do you wear the mask?" The question caught even him off guard, if just kind of filled the air somehow as if someone else had said it. The man stopped fist clenching some at his side.
"To hide my face." This answer was nearly spat at him, the harsh tone splitting the air. The elf flinched some. Note to self...don't ask personal questions. "I-I prefer that no one knows who I am. Makes it easier to leave them behind." At this Dexion looked at the man giving him a questioning look. Leave them behind.
"I know how that feels, saying goodbye is the worse." At least this seemed to make the tension lessen. "I left my family for a life on the road."
"Was that the only reason?"
"I wish it was. No my father thought it best I leave and never come back after I refused to follow his orders since they weren't my beliefs." Dexion said with a sigh. "I've been on the road ever since."
"Sounds rough. Sometimes family can be the worse."
"Tell me about it." The elf sighed lowering his head as he put his elbows on his knees. "But it's nothing to dwell over, what's done is done. I tend to prefer solitude over the clan."
"Seems we have more in common than it thought we did."
"You have family trouble?"
"No, the whole liking to be alone thing."
"Oh." Dexion fell silent then, drawing his knees up to his chest after making sure he was still covered in the blanket.
"Try to get some sleep alright? I'll take first watch." The mage said standing and walking to the opening of the cave where they were staying. Sleep like this? Like hell! He would just stay up until his clothes dried. But even as he thought this his eyes grew heavy. After fighting a few moments he fell asleep, sinking to the ground next to the fire.

A soft sound woke him, a tickling sensation spreading from his nose to his cheek. What the-? Groggily the elf opened his eyes, staring into the black eyes of the rabbit that was examining him. A soft smiled spread over his face as he watched the animal even as it scampered off. It was then he became aware of the pressure about his abdomen, and the strange unfamiliar feeling of something behind him. Slowly he glanced down, finding the gloved hand of the man about his waist, thankfully utop the blanket. His ears grew hot as blood gathered at their tips. What was this about?! Had the man lost his mind?! Despite his shock the elf tried to remove the man's hand to escape his grasp. A slight snore was all that came from the man as his hand was moved to the side enough that the elf could escape. As the blanket was left behind he shivered some, tip toeing to collect his clothes. There would definitely be harsh words about this later!
As the hand was moved he woke, blinking slightly from behind the mask. What? Where was he? Stretching a bit he looked about, stopping as he saw the elf streak towards the fire to retrieve his clothes. It was hard not to look, with the silver bands about the elf's biceps, and the tree tattooed on his back. The silver branches stretched over his shoulders, the roots the lower part of his back. Those slave traders didn't go lightly on their slaves that was for sure. After a moment he closed his eyes allowing the elf to get dressed and settled before he sat up stretching.
"Good morning." The masked man said yawning a bit.
"Morning." The elf replied avoiding eye contact for the most part.
"Sleep well?"
"Not really."
"Night terrors?" The man asked as he stood. That was concerning for him to be able to guess it just like that...how had he known?
"How did you-?"
"You threw a fit about dawn, thrashing about and crying out like someone was hurting you. I tried to calm you down but the only thing that helped was holding you."
"So you thought it alright to do that?" Dexion said crossly.
"It was either that of allowing the bandits on the road to hear you go on. Don't worry, they didn't see or hear."
"Oh...still just wake me up next time!"
"I tried that first, it didn't help." The man answered as he stood. I'll know next time to use more force then, I just thought you would prefer sleep over being woken from such a bad dream. Dexion didn't answer as he finished fixing his belt in place never taking his eyes from the masked man.
I would prefer not to wake next to a stranger, least when I'm the one in the nude. He snapped before taking up the bow and quiver. Now then with that out of the way can we get a move on? Though the blush was still on his ears as he pushed past the man. Urg! The nerve!! How could he be so blunt about something like that? It was awkward and rather creepy to say the least. But then again maybe it was just a precautionary thing and he wasn't trying to force himself on him. Still though it was a little concerning. Yet the man said nothing as he followed, walking with his hands about his belt. He didn't seem like the time to want to do such things...love anyone that was. Maybe for pleasure but nothing more. Once back on the road the elf allowed Crow to lead the way, the elf staying back a few steps today. At least it had stopped raining, though there were still puddles about on the ground that he took the time to splash about in. For most of the trip all that could be heard was a few periodic splashes as the elf jumped and played about like a fawn would on the first warm day of spring. He lightly sprang up onto fallen trees, hopping back down to land in puddles, or just dashing forward at random times to get a better look at things. It was hard to keep up with him, with the spontaneous jumping and kicking about yet it was amusing to watch. But even that wasn't to last as the day drew on, the elf falling into step behind him. And to think this was just day two! If they grew this distant already this would make for a long trip. Great another slow job.
"I forgive you." The elf said suddenly, stretching his shoulders some as he did.
"For what?" Crow asked cocking his eyebrow as he did.
"For what happened earlier, no hard feelings just next time please make sure I'm clothed!" The elf smiled happily, lightly punching the man in the arm. The man couldn't help but smile as well, only his wasn't seen.
"And here I thought you were going to be sore about that for a while."
"Why should I be? Life's too short to hold grudges." The man was silent for a moment as if thinking over the words before trying to answer.
"That's a very way to look at things. If everyone thought that way the world would be a better place."
"Or just boring. If everyone was so nice I would be out of a job." The elf said simply. "Can't have that, I have to eat as well."
"But you don't buy food."
"How did you know?"
"You didn't bring anything with you, that's a pretty good sign you can take care of yourself." The elf blushed lightly about the tips of his ears.
"I tend to prefer the stuff I find on my travels. I do purchase meat though, I don't like killing little animals. I wouldn't want someone to come into my home and kill me why would I go into theirs and kill them? I mean that would be a better comparison if I had a home."
"I wouldn't know what a home would be like, I haven't had one in years."
"What happened to it? Your home I mean." Dexion said pulling his hair back to retie the ponytail.
"I was forced to leave..." Crow answered simply. "I was no longer wanted so I left."
"I know how that feels!" The elf smiled before again falling silent. He still couldn't help but wonder what the man looked like under the mask. Was he deformed? That was no reason to hide your face! Maybe he was just self conscious, yet that too wasn't a good reason to hide your looks. Maybe he was a wanted criminal! That seemed about right...but wait wouldn't that make them partners in crime? Sounded fun! Yet he wasn't able to ask the man through the tense silence. It was almost as if the mage was avoiding the questions...like he was trying to hide something horrible. That was possible as well, everyone has done something bad at one point. It must have been really bad for the man to want to hide everything about himself even his name.

Again the fire separated them though this time there was really no reason for it to. Although great in numbers the berries he had collected did little to break the mood. They were rather bland and sour but that was partly due to the time of year it was. Right now nothing wanted to eat them, since berries didn't last long stored. So there had been plenty but with good reason. Good thing the other things he had found were better, such as the roots that made a wonderful herb stew. Not that the man ate any as he sat watching the road, he never seemed to eat of drink with that dumb mask on. That would just mean that some would have to be left over the fire for him later if he did eat. Again the elf was told to sleep first, though this time he managed to keep his clothes on as he curled up near the fire. He was so tired from his day of playing about.
Before him stood the ruin, towering over him as he stood next to the woman. Her hair was a deep black color as it flowed out behind her. All around them were the crumpled remains of what used to be an archway, with bright yellow flowers sprouting from the ground around the ruins. Symbols and runes covered the weathered stone though he was unable to read any of it.
"Look here my child." The woman nearly sang giving him a warm and comforting smile. She motioned for him to join her at her side, the emerald shade of her eyes shining brightly in the light of the afternoon sun. He giggled some as he ran to her, his short little toddler legs stumbling over the hard ground.
"Mama!" He called throwing his arms about her leg as he hugged her. He missed this...her warmth, the warm scent of her hugs. The woman's sweet laugh filled the air and he was lightly picked up. Their foreheads touch as she nuzzled him.
"Look at you! Look how big you are getting my child!" She laughed swinging him about some as she twirled. "You look just like your father." He didn't, and she knew that. His hair was white, and eyes an amber color. None of the other elves of the clan were like that, in fact she hadn't seen many elves at all with eyes that color. But she didn't tell the child that. It was a sign from the Maker...he was sent from the heavens to a family that needed him. The child giggled lightly, squeaking as she tickled him. His laughter stopped though as he was put down, the woman hiding him behind her. Dark shapes formed them, each in the form of a soldier with eyes like rubies that shone with a fiery light. "Get away!" His mother said once before the black shape slapped her aside, reaching for the child behind her. "Dexion!" She called as she was drug away, struggling to get back to him.
"Mama!" He called from where the black shape carried him away. Though the words were never answered as the blade split her neck red covering her front and clothes. "Mama?" What was happening? The shape put him down, holding him as another approached with a knife. "Mama!!" The pain spread over his face as the knife touched his skin.
"Get off me!" The elf yelled kicking the blanket away from him, striking the man that was again holding him close. "Don't touch me! Leave her alone you monsters!" He struggled to stand, tangled in the blanket. Dexion finally managed to free himself standing panting over the shed blanket. Another night terror...great. Nervously he ran a hand through his hair pulling it back into a ponytail again. He was shaking...hands trembling as he tied the knot about his hair.
"You alright?" The man asked as he sat up stretching as he did.
"I-I'll live." The elf huffed, patting himself to make sure he was alright. "Just a bad dream."
"Want to talk about it?" The man asked though he only got a shake of the head in response. "Suit yourself...if you change your mind know that I'm here."
"I'll keep that in mind but can we get going? I would rather not stay around here for too long."
"Alright, alright. We can get going." The man said before he stood and gathered his things for their journey that day.

Chapter Three

He was distant, more so than he had been the last few days. The dream hadn't set well with him, yet he didn't want to tell the man about his past. But it couldn't just be left to sit not unless he wanted it to bring him down.
"Hey...do you mind if I talk to you about my dream?" The elf asked after a bit wringing his hands about the tail of his cloak.
"Not at all." The man said from where he walked next to the elf. They would definitely have to think about purchasing a horse in the next town, he hadn't thought about this taking this long to get anywhere. With that the elf restated his dream, keeping more of the personal details to himself. "I'm sorry that happened to you...the whole losing your mother thing."
"It's alright, I've gotten to where it doesn't hurt much anymore. I was little after all. It doesn't help though that I have a constant reminder of that day." The elf said with a sigh as he traced one of the silver branches on his face.
"Don't worry about it, think of it as a scar of a time you overcame. Only in this case it's a bit better looking than a scar." The man said in the same dead tone as before. The elf smirked a bit at this. Oh was that so? Well they would just see if he was the emotionless man he made himself out to be then.
"You calling me pretty?"
"Maybe." The comment caught him off guard making him blush a bit. Well that wasn't expected. For one for the man to think that way, and for two that he had actually admitted to it. It was a whole other thing entirely when placed with the fact that both mornings he had woke with the man holding him. If they had known each other a bit better he would have said that the man had taken a liking to him. "What about that scar on the side of your lip?"
"Oh that...I got that when I picked a fight with a group of bandits. They didn't take kindly to an elf sneaking into their place to steal their things."
"Really?"
"Really, their milk maid cut me when she found me hiding in the barn." The man chuckled at this, the sound almost distant yet genuine. "Go ahead laugh about it! It's funny now but I didn't have a clue what was happening back then."
"You had a rough childhood didn't you?"
"For a short time yes, until I left my clan then it was still a bit rougher for a while. It's much better now though." The elf smiled looking at the sign as they passed it. They were already at the next town? Great! The mission place would be just a few days walk away! Even the man seemed to relax at the sight of the sign.
"Finally civilization. What do you say we head to the stables and look for a pair of horses?" He looked towards the elf as he said this, face still shaded from sight. After this short time together it was almost a normal. What if the man's face was really like that? What if it really looked like a bird under the mask? That was a strange thought.
"Sounds like a plan, not that I'm against walking but with all the water my feet are wet and walking sucks."
"Well maybe you shouldn't be jumping in all of the water puddle, your feet wouldn't be that wet then." The man chuckled again shaking his head as he did. At this the elf crossed his arms over his chest, frowning some as he did.
"But it's no fun if you don't jump in puddles!" Dexion said with a wide smile as he followed the masked man to the stable. The horses didn't looked well enough, some were in worse shape than others sure but there were a few that didn't look as if they would die as soon as a saddle was put on them. The masked man made his rounds, looking over every animal in turn before stopping before a rather scrawny draft horse. The animal had its head down, its matted pelt showing its bones. At one point it was a pretty dapple roan color but now it was just a sad shade of grey.
"This one, we want this one." The man said turning to the stable hand. The poor boy jumped as he was spoken to nearly dropping the bucket of water he had been carrying.
"You sure? We have better horses..." The younger boy said wiping his nose with the back of his hand as he put the bucket down.
"This one will do." Crow said handing over two gold for the animal. The boy eyed the gold before looking to the man and the elf. The child nodded sharply.
"I'll go get your tack sirs!" The said before running off with the two gold. Once the child was gone the man led the horse from the stables, petting its side. As he did his hand glowed a light green color. The horse snorted some as it's body filled out, the wounds on its pelt healing and its matted coat becoming glossy again. "Here you go-!" The boys words were cut off as he looked at the animal with a gaping mouth. "Whoa..." Dexion smiled lightly taking the saddle from the boy before putting it on the animal.
"She got a name?" The elf asked admiring the horse as he latched the girth about the horses stomach.
"Nightingale." The boy answered. Not the best of names but it would do. Once the saddle was on her he moved to put the bridle on her.
"Lady Nightingale...a fine animal and faithful companion." The elf said after a moment. "Thank you, we will take very good care of her."
"Yes sir!" The boy nodded before slowly backing towards the stables before turning and leaving them.
"Not the best of horses...but it will work." The man said swinging himself over into the saddle.
"We're only getting one?" The elf asked looking for his spot on the animal. The saddle would fit one comfortably but two was a bit of a push, not to mention that would mean having to sit with the man.
"Did you want one of your own? I just thought it would be easier to keep up with just the one."
"Sirs wait!" The child said returning with a black and brown paint horse. "Please I want you to have him as well, he will do better with you."
"That's very generous out you." Dexion smiled taking the smaller horses reins. "And his name?"
"Brokenlight...be mindful with him. He's a loyal and courageous animal but he's blind. Can't see anything so no one wants him. If you can help her you can help him." The child bowed slightly before rushing away. A blind horse? That wasn't much of a problem. The elf smiled as he stroked the animal, running a hand along his side before lightly hopping in the saddle. At first the horse was hesitant though the more the elf spoke to him and the longer he went without accident the more confident he became. With that the two set out again, Nightingale leading them on as the gelding followed her. The two animals seemed to work well together, the female leading the male as they walked even stopping for him if she got too far ahead. And it made travel so much faster! The elf laid across the animals neck, listing to its breathing, its heart beat. At this rate they could be at their destination by nightfall tomorrow! All was going well, he would get the gold and finally would have the funds to move on, who knows maybe he could even buy a new bow!
The arrow whistled as it came to a rest in his thigh. At first he hadn't a clue what was happening, only that there was an arrow sticking out of his thigh now. Then the pain started, first burning then throbbing before his whole leg was involved. Gritting his teeth Dexion took the arrow in hand and lightly snapped it off close to his skin. There wasn't time to recover. The horses stopped, slinging their heads about in a panic before rearing up in fright. The mage managed to hand onto his animal though Dexion was sent to the ground as he was thrown. It was all he could do to roll out of the way of the trampling hooves, each step drawing closer to his head. A set of firm hands picked him up, lifting him to his feet. It was the masked man, only one of the lenses had fallen from the mask. His eyes were a hazel color, his skin softly tanned. He must have been from somewhere on the coast, or off in the desert. The elf's thoughts were broken though as another arrow whistled towards them this one missing them by an inch or so. There was a flash of blue as the mage next to him cast the ward, the translucent blue barrier covering them both. Stumbling a bit the elf pulled the bow from his back, restringing it with light fingers before he pulled an arrow from the quiver. His hands were shaking from the pain in his leg, making his accuracy iffy as the tip of the arrow refused to sit still. The arrow shot forward, finding its mark yet not all at the same time. In an instant the archer fell with a cry from their perch in the tree, hitting the ground with a sickening thud. For a moment they were lifeless laying on the ground a moment before coming to their senses. It was just a kid, not any older than sixteen or so. He withered some as he gurgled, the arrow protruding from the wound on his chest. There was a look of panic in his eyes as he coughed, blood filling his mouth as he did providing not relief to the young man. Tear filled the child's eyes from the fear, and at one point it was clear he was mouthing the words mother please. But no help came. He must have sat there almost a full minute before the childs body jerked some as he finally strangled, having drown on the blood that filled his lungs. Again the woods around them were quiet, not even the birds daring to make a sound to break the silence. His knees shook as he trembled the pain in his leg burning all the way up his side by now. It hurt worse than anything he had felt before, save for the time his back had been tattooed. Death was never an easy sight even if it was someone you didn't know. It just hurt to think that you did that to someone else, or that if fate had twisted a bit it could be you in their place. His thoughts were shattered again as that ground in front of him exploded, dirt and rocks stinging against him with enough force to break the skin. At the force the elf was sent flying back, a trunk of a thin tree catching him in the middle of his back. His lungs burned, no air seeming to fill them even as he gasped for breath. Panic over took him, making him gasp for air even harder yet still nothing. After vouching and gaspin a bit he finally managed to take a breath, calming his racing mind. Dazed the elf looked forward, finding the tails of the mages robes blocking his view. How was the man still standing after that? Had he even been affected? Though the light scorching on his robes told enough of the story for one to know. Again the blue glass like magic covered them, shimmering in the fading light of the coming night. About the road now was scattered bits of the ground and little hints of fire a large crater in the middle. What had happened? An explosion? Some type of magical blast? The staff the mage carried blazed as the magic inside it was awaken in a brief moment, just long enough for the fury of ice to cover the area before him. The grass took on a frosted color, standing straight up not daring to make a single move in fear of being damaged. The fire was put out as the blast of wind and ice shot past, preventing it from spreading of at all possible. Three people stood before them now covered in a glittering sheet of ice, frozen solid where they stood. Each in turn got a fireball sent their way, shattering the ice that froze them and sending them flying back into the brush. Dexion shivered some, though he wasnt sure if it was from the spell used or the pain in his back and leg. The world was still before the mage turned back to face him. Now the mans face was in full view, blood covering one side of his face.

"Hold still." The man instructed, his hazel eyes still shining with the faint light of the fire. It was hard to take ones eyes off him, with his strong jawline and near perfect features. And that pristine mustache! Lightly curled at the edges, a small patch of hair on his chin to match. In the light of the fire he almost seemed almost unreal, sent from the Maker to help in a time of need. Dexion didn't dare move, how could he when he was so intently studying the man. The sides of his head were expertly shaved, only the top having hair of any length on it. It was perfect as well, standing up neat and proper even after their time in the wild. It was like everything about the man had to be perfect. The thoughts of beauty and perfection were shot though as the arrow was pulled from his leg. It was all the elf could do not to cry out, to even lash out in the pain he was caused. The pressure on the wound didn't help either, not in the slightest. Tears stung his eyes...or maybe they were just watering he honestly couldn't tell. After the attack the mage had tracked down the horses on foot, leaving Dexion behind to watch the road for anymore followers. The entire time was spent in fear, not knowing if the man was going to come back or not, and not being able to follow due to the wound on his leg. When the brush parted and Crow returned he could have almost literally hugged the man but again he couldn't find the strength to stand alone. It was a bit of riding later, an excruciating task by itself, before they settling down in a small clearing for the night. The fire had been built and the wound on the side of the mages head looked at. Now a stark white bandage sat out against his near black hair, covering the slight wound to keep it from bleeding. As for the wound on the elf's leg, it would take a bit more to treat. "Here hold the pressure, I need to get the herbs and more bandages." Sniffling a bit Dexion did as told, holding the cloth tightly to his leg. The cloth had almost bled through already, some of the blood pooling at the top of the bandage. How could he have let this happen? Now how was he going to help with the mission at hand? And here he had told the man that he was worth five hundred gold! How embarrassing. Crow returned with a roll of cloth, and a pouch full of herbs again kneeling before the elf to examine the wound. "Think you can stand long enough to get out of those pants?" Can't bandage it with them on? At this the elf's face turned red. This again?! What was up with the man and asking him to take his clothes off? Yet he didn't protest as he stumbled to stand, taking up his blanket and wrapping it about himself. Getting the garments off was a chore yet he managed without losing the blanket. Wincing he sat back down sticking his leg out from under the blanket. He still didn't trust the man like that, who would! You don't just go up to a stranger and show them your naked butt! Yet the man didn't seem to care as he turned his attention to the wound. The smell of crushed elfroot and lavender filled the air as the herbs were finely ground in a small mortar. With a bit of warm water added the mixed became a paste. "This is going to sting." The man warned before harshly packing the wound with the green substance. Dexion bit his tongue to keep from crying out, hitting his hand on his good leg in a sad attempt to relieve the pain. "Almost done." Crow said softly placing the cloth back over the wound before lightly bandaging the wound. "Sorry about that...but it's done now."
"Thanks." the elf said softly, still trembling from the pain. Maker it hurt.
"Do you need help getting dressed?"
"N-no I can manage." The elf said blushing. It would be difficult yes but he could do it himself. Wincing a bit he pulled the trousers back on, mostly doing so while still seated. It was an agonizing process but he managed, panting as he finally came to rest again. It was all he could do to ease himself onto the bedroll, laying on his back with an arm over his eyes. Maybe if he stopped moving it wouldn't hurt as much, yet it seemed that sitting still just made it worse. He needed something to take his mind off the pain. "Did you find your mask?"
"Pardon?"
"Your mask, you lost it in the fight. I was just wondering if you found it."
"Oh, I didn't look. There's no point, you already know what I look like. And clearly someone figured it out even before that happened, they sent assassins after all."The man sighed stroking his goatee lightly as he thought.
"Those were assassins?"
"Yes, sent by none other than the king himself."
"Why? Why would he want us dead?"
"Your guess is as good as mine, though my bet is on the amulet that we seek as well."
"So what? Say we manage to fight them off until we get the amulet, then what? We play the heroes and return it to the king, or keep it ourselves?" The elf asked propping himself up on an elbow.
"It would be a cold day in hell before I handed such an artifact over to that man." Crow spat harshly. There was a silence, the fire softly muttering to itself in a language only it knew.
"Your name isn't really Crow is it?" Dexion said avoiding looking at the mage.
"No"
"If you don't mind wh-"
"Dorian Pavus, sorry for the secrecy it went with the whole hiding my identity thing." Dorian...that name sounded vaguely familiar though he wasn't fully sure where he had heard it before.
"It's nice to get a chance to know you Dorian." Dexion said with a slight smile before again laying down on his back. Well sleeping wasn't going to be much of an option tonight. Yet as he lay there he slowly drifted off, waking again only as the man covered him with a blanket and lightly lay beside him. Why did the man keep doing that?! Was it a hint or something? Maybe it was for his own comfort, or for some survival reason. It was cold out maybe he did it too keep them warm or something encase the fire went out. Either way the warmth was accepted, it had turned rather chilly since the fire had been left to die. Easing himself over onto his right side he carefully cradled up to the man, careful not to bump the injury on his left leg. Fine! If he wanted such things then fine, maybe if shown it doesn't bother him it will all stop. Though inside he knew that wasn't the case, this wouldn't just end here. The embrace was comforting, his forehead resting on the middle of the man's back, a hand about his middle. With a small yawn the elf lightly drifted off to sleep again, and for the first night in a long time was able to sleep peacefully. There were no nightmares, no memories that came back to him, just peace.

Chapter Four

The sound was soft as it fluttered about his ear, tiny claws pricking at his skin. Slowly the elf opened his eyes, blinking some in the morning light. What time was it? He yawned some raising a hand to wipe away the sleep from his eyes though he stopped as he found the black and gold velvet tunic covering his vision. What the-? Carefully he looked up, finding the mans forehead resting on his own. Instantly his face and ears took on a red color, and he forced himself to look back down. What was he to do now?! How was he going to get away from him this time? Yet he made no move to free himself even as the soft feathers rustled against his ear. Stupid bird! If it had the audacity to relieve itself on him there would be a fight. Though it flew off as if it heard the thought. So he lay there, unable to move from where the mage had him in his embrace. In truth it wasn't all that bad, it was warm and rather comforting. For the first time in as long as he could remember he hadn't had nightmares during the night, he had actually been able to sleep. The blush still tinted his cheeks as he leaned his head forward, placing it on the mans chest. Maybe this was alright after all, even if it felt weird. If they just didn't take it any farther it would be alright, right? Yet he knew that there was little hope that it would stay at this. Just like when he had gotten kicked from the clan, that wasn't supposed to go the way it did and now look where he was. Father would have a fit if he saw him now in the embrace of another man. D-did that make this wrong even though it felt right?
"Good morning." The sudden voice made him jump a bit, hands flailing as he tried to figure out where to put them so it wouldn't be any more awkward than it already was. Dorian gave a slight smile at the reaction but made no move to release the elf. "You slept well I hope?" All Dexion could do was nod slightly, face as red as a tomato. "There's no reason to be embarrassed, I promise not to tell alright?" Tell what? The he had slept in the embrace of a man? Like he didn't have enough problems as it was! Being an elf with slave markings, being able to read and write, now having feelings for another man? What else could go wrong? He suddenly become something greater, maybe a lord? Did it matter at this point? He was already hated, why not add to the list as to why?
"I did sleep well, for the first time in a long time." Dexion said after a moment, placing his face back into the velvety fabric of the mans tunic. He smelled like something...kinda like a warm room with...roses? It was comforting nonetheless. "And I have you to thank for that." The voice was muffled by the fabric as he said it though the man seemed to understand all the same. If this was meant to be wrong why did it feel so wrong?
"Oh really now? Then why blush? Just to play with my feelings more?" This was the first time the man had really flirted with him, and the feeling it gave was something he had never felt before. His heart skipped a beat it seemed, his elbows and knees growing weak as he slowly looked up at the man. W-was this what it felt like to be in love? Why did it come now and not any other time? This man was still a stranger! Yet he made no move to push away as the man gently placed a kiss on his forehead, making the blush on the elf's cheeks grow greatly. "You look so cute when you blush like that, its hard to say no to a face like that." He was speechless just laying there still in the mages hold. What could he say to this?! It seemed so sudden yet at the same time it felt as if they had known each other for so long. Those eyes...he knew them just as he knew that name. But from where? "Speechless?"
"You could say that...I-I'm just not sure how to feel about all this. We just met, I just found out your name. I know nothing about you yet...yet I feel we have met before." The elf admitted before pushing away, sitting up slowly, wincing some as he moved his left leg, the bandage rubbing against the wound.
"Eight years ago, in the ruins of the once proud city of the elves." That was it. The memory instantly came back to him, the night that his life changed.

The moon was full, shining brightly down on the bits of the ruin that covered the land. This had been a place of his people, destroyed just like all the others had been. The cloak he wore made it easy to hide in the shadows as he waited along the edge of the road. If he was seen he was as good as dead, even if he wasn't struck down before then. Maybe they wouldn't show, that would be a miracle. He could just wait here and go home in the morning as if nothing happened. Though in the distance the faint light of a lantern shone as it made its way towards him. Instantly he froze, his knees shaking in fear, breath coming in short gasps. This was it, this was the only chance he would get. As the cloaked figure approached he stilled waiting for them to pass before he silently rose. A steady hand was put about the figures neck holding them close as he whispered into their ear.
"I thought you'd never show up." He said softly with a smile before he released the cloaked figure.
"Really now? I've never been late before have I? I do apologize, I had a bit of trouble getting the others to leave me be. You would think I was asking to walk myself home with the way they acted." the cloaked figure answered before putting down the hood of his cloak. The man was just a bit taller than he was, the mustache as always neatly trimmed and curled.
"What did you tell them this time?" The elf asked as he too put the hood of his cloak down, silver hair shining white in the moonlight.
"I told them I was off to bathe, so I don't have very long before they notice I'm not back." The man answered drawing a bit closer.
"Then by all means let's not waste time." Dexion answered in no more than a whisper as he closed the gap between him. It all seemed to happen so fast, the mans hands on his back, his own hands on the sides of the mans face. For a moment they just stood there, looking into one another's eyes before their lips touched in a kiss. For months now he had wanted nothing more than this, nothing more a single moment for them to embrace one another. The kiss was passionate, the soft hair of the mans mustache ticking his top lip as they shared the embrace. It seemed to last a lifetime, the shaking in his hands and knees growing the longer they stayed in each other's grasps. Though the man pulled back first looking nervously over his shoulder at the sound of approaching voices.
"You need to go." He said harshly, pushing the elf behind him as he pulled the staff from his back.
"W-when will I get to see you again?" Dexion asked as he backed away slowly, a hint of sadness coating his words.
"That's just it...We leave the ruins in the morning. I'm leaving." At this the elf stopped, glad that the night was there to cover the hurt look on his face.
"And you didn't think to tell me?"
"I was hoping not to have to, goodbyes aren't ever easy you know. But the group is ready to return. I'm sorry."
"Then Ill go with you!"
"You know as well as I do that's not an option, Dexion." The man said turning to face him one last time. "Don't worry Ill find you again, I promise." The voices had turned to shouts now as they approached. He was forced to leave then watching as the mage turned back to his group and walked away. At that moment he did nothing more than cry, cursing himself for being so foolish. It was one thing to meet a mage that didn't wish to kill or capture him but to fall in love with him was something unheard of!
They had been talking for nearly three months, ever since the mage had happened across him when he was in a spot of bother. The trap had done a number on his ankle, the metal jaws holding on no matter how hard he tried to get them apart. It had been nearly two days since he had gotten stuck before the mage found him. He knew that was the end, that he would be killed on the spot for being too close to the humans. Yet the man freed him and even went as far as tending the wound. The next week the man returned at the same time to the same place to see to him since he wasn't able to leave on his own. The more he saw the man the more attached he became until he was even walking back to find the man despite not being injured. Their conversations got longer and more personal until tonight when they finally confessed the feelings they had. Now it was all gone, washed away like the tears he had shed. And to make matters worse, they had been seen by one of the clans scouts. Not only was he heart broken but he was kicked from the clan for his actions. Sent away by his own father into the night never to see any of them again, that was until now.

He sat dumbfounded as he looked at the man. How could this have happened? How could he have not figured out that this was Dorian, the one he had fell in love with all those years ago?! Had it really been so long that he had forgotten?
"W-why did you say something before now?" Dexion said in a perplexed way, running a hand through his hair which had fallen in the night.
"I thought you would still be mad at me for what I did, I wasn't exactly all that nice with the way I left." The man said sitting up as well, putting a soft hand on the elf's cheek. He found himself leaning his head into the touch, closing his eyes for a moment.
"I could never stay mad at you." He whispered avoiding eye contact with the man. "I-I thought you had forgotten me, that you had moved on."
"How could I move one from my Amatus?" The mage asked before taking his hand away. This was all so new, yet he felt as if they had never been apart in the first place. It was as if the love between them had never truly died in the first place. That name...he remembered being called that so many years ago, yet its meaning was still unknown to him. This was really Dorian the man he had first fallen in love with. "I hardly recognized you when I first saw you...you've let your hair grow out."
"How do you think I feel, I couldn't see you face for the first couple of days!" The elf teased lightly pushing the man's hands away. A smile covered his face as he looked at the man. Maker how he had missed this man...and he didn't realize it all until now! After all this time of being alone he finally had someone to turn to it seemed, someone that understood him.
"Hey I said I was sorry for that." The mage said before he stood stretching as he did. "How's your leg?" His leg? After all of this he had almost forgotten about his injury! Though as he moved the appendage he winced, hands and knees shaking again as he did.
"Not good." The whole thigh seemed swollen now though it wasn't hot to the touch which was good.
"Strip the pants, we need to redo the bandage on the wound." The mage said as he went to fetch his own pack.
"A bit demanding aren't we?" The elf said now undoing the pants and lightly taking them off.
"Can you please strip your pants?"
"Better." The elf snickered lightly draping the blanket over his lap one the pants were off. It felt so much better to actually know the mage! He didn't feel as nervous around him anymore, he didn't feel as if he had to watch every move he made! As the herbs were gathered the mage made his way back to his side, placing each ingredient out neatly before repeating the process he used the night before. With light fingers Dexion removed the bled through bandage, wincing as the cloth pulled away from the skin. It already looked better though, the wound having healed quite a bit already with the soft pink skin covering where the arrow had split it.
"I see the herbs are doing well enough, was hoping it would work a bit faster but it's a start."The Mage said looking at the wound as he did. He took a pinch of the herb paste before lightly placing it in the wound. The elf winced at this, trying to steady to his leg as the wound was messed with. "Sorry...." Dorian muttered before re-bandaging the leg. The pain slowly eased making it easier to sit still, to relax.
"It's alright if it didn't hurt, you wouldn't know it was working." Dexion said with a pained smile, rubbing his good leg some. "So what is the plan for today?"
"I don't have an idea, though if you don't feel like you're able to move then we won't. We can just take a rest."
"But what about the amulet, and not letting the bandits get it?"
"If it means you hurting yourself more then it can wait, you're no good if you end dead. Either way. "The Mage said with a slight smirk before he pushed himself up into a standing position. The elf couldn't help but smile a bit at this remark. That was the man he had fallen in love with all those years ago, it was a relief that he hadn't changed any at all.
"I'm glad I could finally serve a purpose, to either side in this case." Dexion said with a slight chuckle looking up at the Mage as he did. The man rolled his eyes crossing his arms over his chest as he did.
So are we going to stay here for the day, or are we going to move on?
"What would we do if we stayed here?" This question sparked the mages attention some making the smirk appear on his lips again.
"A good number of things. We could check on the supplies and take inventory maybe even take a trip down to the river to clean the clothes or something. That would give us a chance to catch up." At this the man ran his fingers over his mustache, eyes softly narrowed. If it wasn't for the look in his eyes he would have looked rather intimidating though with the soft look he gave he looked like nothing more than an admiring artist preening over his recent work of art.
"Sounds like a decent plan. I vote that we stay here for the night then, then leave earlier in the morning."
"As you wish then. Since we are staying we can actually sit and eat. How does potato stew sound?"
"Please, me and you both know what happened last time you cooked. Hand me your pack, I'll take inventory if you'll prepare the vegetables." It was a wonder that the man remember the fact that he didn't enjoy killing and eating animals while on the road. He wasn't a vegetarian, not by a long shot it's just that he didn't like the thought of taking an animal's life like that. If someone else killed it that was perfectly fine, but otherwise he wouldn't kill something just for meat. The bag was sat next to him before the man took a seat as well just on the other side of the bag. With the top opened the bag was turned over gently, a few letters falling out first. He looked at them a moment before taking them up, unfolding the paper. "Y-you mean...you kept all those letters that I wrote you? And you got the ones I sent through the birds."
"I read them everyday before I went to bed, and each day I waited for the next to arrive though it didn't. I-I thought something had happened to you, that you had died or worse had been captured again."
"But you never wrote back, I didn't know you had gotten them."
"I'm sorry, it was too much of a risk for me to and when I was able I didn't know where to find you. So I just kept reading through the letters I did have, keeping them with me at all times."
"You read these things? But they were so sappy! I bet any child could write better than this!"
"But their letters wouldn't have been from you and that's what mattered." With that the elf fell silent thinking about the ,and words before putting the papers aside gently. Next out of the bag was a notebook along with a spell book.
"Notes? Or naughty stories?" Dexion asked taking up the notebook. As he opened it though he found a number of drawing, many of them detailed diagrams of various things from spells to animals. And then towards the back was just doodles of things with captions though none stuck out quite like the last. It was a picture of Dexion, almost perfect though it was missing the marks on his face as well as the ones on his back. "You drew me as well..."
"I had to have something to remember you by and that just happened to be what I could do."
"But you left off the-..."
"Those marks don't define you, to me it's as if they aren't there. I drew you as I see you." Untainted. Again the elf fell silent at the mage's words just looking at the picture before closing the notebook and setting it aside. When he searched the bag a third time he found the variety of herbs, as well as the small amount of food they really had. It would work though with a bit of herbs and the vegetables. "Now all we need is some water to start the soup. Think you can manage to get down to the river?"
"I think so." The elf said stretching his leg some before trying to stand. It burned, the whole leg burned as the wound was disturbed. With a bit of help he got his pants on again before they started on their way down to the river. He was forced to move slow, and to lean on the mage as they made their way down to the water's edge.
"How's about a swim, this is a hot spring after all it would be a shame not to." The mage smiled with a smirk.
"I-I don't swim." Dexion said in a scared town as he looked at the water. "I haven't ever been able to swim to be honest."
"Its not that deep." The man said offering the elf a hand. Hesitantly the elf took the offer as he slipped his shoes off, slowly slipping off his pants and his shirt. Alone he limped out into the water, welcoming the warmth in the cold morning air. Before long the man joined him, sitting in the shallow end of the water to wash the clothes. With a pained face the elf sat down wincing as the water touched the wound. At least it was warm.
"What have you been up to these past eight years?" The mage asked from where he was scrubbing the robes he had worn during the fight.
"You know traveling here and there doing odd and end jobs for a few coins. Mostly just trying to keep from getting mugged and sold as a slave again, nothing really all that exciting."
"Come on you must have had some fun adventures during all that time."
"Not really...just some stories of me getting my butt kicked as I tried to take back some stolen or lost items."
"What about you? Do you have any stories?"
"The question should be what do I not have a story about. Let's see, for starters i had a falling out with father enough that I left home this time, hints why I'm trying to lay low."
"What was it about."

"Seems he doesn't like the thought of his son sleeping with another man. I was tired of the apprehending so I left."
"You slept with-?"
"It was a mere passing comment, he said something that got me all worked up and it slipped. After that little incident in the woods between you and me he's been watching me like a hawk, I couldn't do anything even if I wanted to. No, he knew of a time before I met you and then of the time I met you". The elf looked away at this. It was a strange thought, that this was his first time at love. In fact this was the first time he had ever been in love with anyone male or female yet the man he loved had had other partners in the past. Was he going to end up just like those other partners? Tossed aside like they didn't even matter? "And you? Did you move on?" The man asked suddenly.
"No. I told myself I could once I got over what happened that night. Truth is it hasn't crossed my mind again, no one made such the impression you did." The elf said the tips of his ears turning a bit red as he blushed.
"Kinda hard to beat saving ones life." The mage chuckled lightly before returning to his work on the clothes. "Have you heard from your clan since that night?" The man asked as he stood to hang the clothes up to dry.
"No...nor have I tried to make contact with them again. I haven't the courage to face them just yet, not after the thrashing I got once they found out." It wasn't anything physical, just a lashing with words. Hateful words about how disrespectful it was that someone could turn their back on their race to love a human, or how anyone could love an elf hunter. Then there was the it isn't right for a man to love a man, it isn't natural speech he got. And after all that he was just kicked out and told not to return until he came to his senses. It was a wonder the clan hadn't found him yet after all these years. "I honestly thought they would come looking for me before I went looking for them."
"Maybe they have but you just haven't noticed."
"Doubtful, if they got anywhere near he they would be sure to give me an earful about what happened." Or about how much they missed him. Maybe all was forgiven? Not that he would want to go back to living in a clan now but just to know he had another opportunity and option in the world gave peace of mind. The sound of a soft splash made him turn his head finding the man approaching him. He could help but blush, after all this was rather awkward that they were both fully undressed even if it was just for reasons of getting clean. Though the man walked past him diving into a portion of deeper water, swimming out a bit on his own. Just the thought of being in such deep water was enough to raise goosebumps on his arms, making him shiver a bit. He honestly had no clue why he had such a fear of water other than it was rather drilled into the back of his mind for some reason or another. Maybe it had something to do with a memory of his childhood that he couldn't recall? You would think with such a fear one wouldn't be able to forget it that easily, yet here he sat in the water trembling like a beaten dog with no real reason why. Just the thought of slipping under the water, feeling your lungs straining for air like they did when you were strangled, the burning and fear that filled you very soul. And to be conscious that this is the end, when you go to take a breath the water would fill your lungs, weighing you down even more than you already were. In a way that was what it felt like to be alone, a crushing suffocating feeling that you aren't able to shake because you aren't able to breathe. Then darkness takes you. He flinched some as the wave of water hit his face, making him retreat backwards in a blind panic. Though as he opened his eyes again he found that it was the man, a wide smile crossing his lips.
"Don't go falling asleep on me alright? That's a very good way to end up drowning." The man said from where he was treading water. The elf sat trembling a moment before nodding slowly, drawing his knees up to his chest very uncomfortable now. "Something wrong?"
"No." He lied avoiding looking at the man as he said this.
"Really because that's not what it looks like from here."
"I was just thinking...it wasn't a very good thought is all. I guess I got lost in thought." The elf said with a sigh. "You could even say I scared myself."
"Why would you do such a thing as that?" The man said as he wadded back into the more shallow water, taking a seat next to the elf in the shallow water.
"I was just thinking of why I have such a fear of water...which led to me thinking about it felt to drown and stuff like that."
"Well that's depressing. You know I can teach you to swim if it would make you feel any better." It was as if his head involuntarily shook, his knees drawing closer to his chest. "Okay, okay. I wont ask again alright? Don't want you to have that scared look on your face forever do we?" The warmth in the mages smile was enough to calm that shaking in his knees and elbows, even if it didn't make the color return to his face fully. "Well get cleaned then alright? If I can help it I would rather not end up getting pruney." With a quick motion the elf dipped his head under the water before bringing it up again, letting the white strands of hair cover his face as he did. He ran a hand over his face to push his hair back and let the water run from it.
"All good...I've had enough water for one day anyway." Dexion answered voice shaking a bit before he painfully pushed himself to his feet. Maker why did it have to hurt so much? Slowly limping he made his way to the shore again, having to move really slow as to keep the pain of the wound down. As soon as he left the water he got chills from the morning air, the wet hair about his shoulders not helping at all. All in all he looked like a drowned rat, with his thin elven frame and hair drenched from the water. It was a shame that the clothes were still wet and that he hadn't thought to grab the blanket that he had been keeping close to him since they had started this mission. Lightly he crossed his arms over his thin chest, teeth chattering from the cold of the surrounding shadows. Maybe getting out in the sun would help, though most of the walk back to the cave was done in shadow. "Want me to get the clothes?" The elf asked turning back to look at the man. Though he had collected the clothes already and filled the canteen with the water for the meal. It was rather annoying to be seen as some useless individual that wasn't able to help with anything. Then again he was hardly able to walk on his own at the moment.
"No need, I can manage." The mage smiled offering him an arm to lean on. At first it was refused as the elf was determined to show he wasn't disabled and could do on his own though the act soon faded as they got closer to the camp. It didn't help that he was freezing either! Just the fire alone wasn't enough to make his teeth stop chattering, it took sitting next to fire and the blanket to finally will the heat back to his body. The whole while he had been working on preparing the meal, adding in the herbs to make the base of the soup before adding in the few wild roots and vegetables Dorian had collected for him. It was a relief when the clothes were finally dry enough to wear helping to keep the wind at bay and the blush from dusting his cheeks finally disappeared. The meal was shared in silence for the most part, with few words said between them as they ate and readied for the next day's journey. Again the wound was looked at and treated before he was allowed to actually lay down to rest. Just that little bit of a walk had taken it out of him to the point it was hard to stay awake even as the man laid next to him hesitantly pulling the elf closer to him pressing his chest to Dexion's back. A small smile crossed the elf's face as he held the man's hand close to him, gently drifting off to sleep.

Chapter 5
"Can we please stop and take a break?"
"But we are almost there, it's just around the bend up here I swear." They had been riding all morning, which had led to the unbearable pain that plagued the young elf. Sweat dripped past the markings on his face, damping that few strands of his hair that refused to stay tied back in the tie causing them to cling to his face. Gritting his teeth he fought to stay seated in the saddle, trying to keep as much pressure from his injured leg as possible. Ugh! It wasn't like he was asking to make camp, he just wanted to stop and get down for a moment! They had been riding since dawn, leaving the woods about noon in to the hilly landscape that lay beyond. The road they were traveling on was rocky and steep making the ride even harder than it had been on flat land. It didn't help either that it was winding road, making it hard to see what hazards awaited them around the turns. More than once they had nearly been ran over by a cart or passing traveler on horseback. But other than that the walk was beautiful if you could over look the fact that the only thing keeping you from falling to your death was a frail wooden rail that someone had built along the edge of the road. It was a good hundred foot drop to their left, the rough rocks covering the edge of the mountain. But there was a ragging river below so if the fall didn't kill you you had that to look forward to! The horse he sat on snorted a bit as it stumbled over a rock that was a bit uneven with the others. The motion just made the wound on his leg flare up more, bringing tears to his eyes. When would the agony stop?! Though as promised around the next bend in the road a watchtower came into view, sitting out alone the hill side in the small flat stretch in the path. "See? That should be where the bandits are hiding out. Now we can take a small rest alright?" The words were music to his ears as he slid from the saddle, landing on his good leg before promptly sinking to the ground. Steady ground! It helped so much to ease the pain! He wiped his eyes some as the tears still threatened to fall from his eyes. "Here." The man said offering him the canteen of water. As he drank the contents burned his throat to the point he coughed a bit of it up.
"What the hell is that stuff?!" The elf sputtered holding the canteen back to the mage. Even as he said this though the pain in his leg eased until it was completely gone. A healing potion.... "Why give me that now and not earlier?"
"It has a risk of putting you in shock if the wound is too great for your body to process healing it that quickly. It should only be used in the worse case, or when you are needed at your best suddenly. I was actually hoping that the herbs would heal it a bit faster but I guess we are all good now." The mage said putting the canteen back in his pouch before leading the horses from the road and tying them to a single tree that stood before the cliff. "We continue of foot alright?"