Dragons Sight: countinuation

Atop the dragon Ista and Zarac were discovering the world of flight the clouds were there road keeping them on track as they flew over the towns and villages. Zarac was behind Ista his arm protectively about her waist he had flown before but never this high or far and knew the potential dangers of a low flying flock of birds or an unseen tower.

Ista loved the experience living for the moment feeling the wind about her face whipping her hair about her and Zarac to her this was heaven. Below them a small earldom of mixed races watched in amazement as the dragon began to circle and then landed in the forest clearing just beside the town.

Guards rushed out their armor shining with the insignia of the earl emblazoned on it to find the source of the disturbance. Moving as fast as the cumbersome armor would allow they were meet by Ista and Zarac as they tried to make the clearing. Seeing the dragon was not around the guards visibly relaxed but stiffened again realizing this was a dark elf and a Zath.

“Peace brothers in arms we come not to disturb your earldom but to purchase supplies my dragon will leave you in peace she is at the moment hunting in the forest I believe she wanted a young buck. May we enter and get our supplies? I swear on my oath as a spell sword and a dragonrider no harm will come to your homes.”

The guards still wary insisted that he be brought before the earl before he set foot into the open streets unescorted, sighing Zarac agreed. The guards closed about the two in a tight formation and hurriedly hustled the two through the streets up to the house of the earl and his lady.

When they were taken before the earl he was sitting on a dais his lady at his side both tried to cover up their surprised reaction but were not entirely successful and a small gasp escaped the woman who blushed and looked down at her feet but when she looked back up the dark elf was smiling at her warmly white teeth and hair contrasting sharply with his onyx colored skin beside him the woman her skin a deep dark brown along with her brown hair looked rather amused by the whole thing.

The earl cleared his throat and said in a self important voice “my name is Lord Gwydon and I rule over these lands beside me is Lady Tarita my wife.” Zarac swept them a graceful bow and motioned to Ista to curtsy but she looked at him confusedly finally he walked over to her made her take the sides of her skirt and sink down to the floor explaining it was proper edicate to show to a ruler.

The lady gave amused laugh, as Ista rose from the floor were she had ended up after her lesson from the dark elf. “My name is Zarac my lord and this is my companion Ista please forgive our lack of manners but where we lived all were equal and such formalities weren’t needed.”
The woman nodded understandingly but the man scowled and turned to the woman saying “I have more important things to do I will leave you to take care of these two I believe you are capable I will return within the month” and he walked from the room leaving the three alone.

Tarita motioned the two guest over to a table were a meal had been set out and said “go on and eat I need the help to get rid of it and you Ista I believe you and I will have a talk later and I will teach you how to properly curtsy” she said looking at the dark elf pointedly.

Defensibly Zarac said “now just a minute were I came from women ruled so I never really saw a curtsy give me a break here” and he muttered under his breath “besides not like I could have seen it anyways” and he grabbed some of the bread and said “are you two going to eat or not?” The two women laughed and also began to eat.

Watching them Tarita saw the woman was enjoying everything but the dark elf would occasionally give a wince and politely bring his napkin to his face to spit out some of the food. Curious after they had eaten she turned to Zarac and said, “Did you not enjoy the meal sir? I noticed some of the food was not to your liking.”

“Its not that I didn’t like it it’s that I can’t eat it when I was small something happened to me and I can’t eat meat at all makes me sick.”

The lady looked sympathetic but Ista giggled and said “you know that’s one of the ways I figured out he was blind.”

That certainly turned Tarita’s head and she stared at the dark elf intently and looking into the black orbs she realized that the dark elf really was blind. Amazing she never would have guessed he walked around looked at you when he spoke or when you did. The dark elf shifted uncomfortably he knew she was staring at him and he didn’t like it at all.

“Why don’t you two ladies go and talk I’ll stay here. Before you go Ista here” he handed her a dagger “I realize you don’t need this here but take it just in case I think I’ll go into town and buy supplies.”

The two women agreed and left the room and without a guide Zarac felt his way out of the castle and to the town were he followed the sounds of footsteps and no longer had to hold out his hands before him. He bought journey cake and dried fruit along with some of the elven breads he knew were good for traveling. The merchants weren’t very helpful but he found everything all the same.

Then he went to a merchant who sold cloth and told the man he needed enough fabric to make a dress, and he wanted the same thing in a different color as well. The man asked what color he wanted and Zarac was forced to ask what he had. Exasperated the man asked “Can’t you see or are you just dense.”
“For your information I am blind but if the fabric is not a good color I will be back for my money.” Startled the man apologized and suggested the midnight blue and forest green Zarac agreed and paid for it and hid it in a bag.

Returning to the castle he felt his way to the room he heard the voices coming from and opened the door only to hear a shriek of surprise and a yell of “Zarac get out of here I’m taking a bath.”

“Meaning you don’t want me to see you right” asked Zarac and she yelled out “yes”.

He laughed “that’s not a problem I can’t see a thing now get out of there and get dried off.”

She spluttered indignantly but he heard her get out and wrap something around herself. “I got all the supplies” he said “and I got you some material to make two dresses I figured that you could use a couple of nicer ones for visits like these.”

Ista squealed excitedly and hearing her Tarita ran in afraid something was wrong instead she found the young woman in a slight robe her arms thrown around Zarac’s neck kissing him on the cheek.

Seeing Tarita Ista let go of the dark elf and blushed but Zarac simply bowed and walked out of the room almost running into the doorframe. Tarita saw the material that the dark elf had left and guessed the cause of the display.

“Could you help me Tarita?” asked Ista “I’ve never made a fancy dress before and the material is weird.” Tarita reached out to feel the material and smiled it was silk the dark elf must have paid dearly for this.

“Of course I’ll help” she said and the two set to work with needle thread and scissors.

The next day Tarita told the two she had planned a ball weeks ago and it was to be held that day they were invited. Later that day Ista went to go and put on her new dress and fix her hair and such.

Zarac asked Tarita if she could help him for a second. They reached the room she had set aside for the drow and he opened a seemingly bottomless bag explaining that it was enchanted to hold much more that it looked like it would.

He showed her his usual clothing and asks her how she thought it could be improved to become formal. She suggested if it were silver leather with black lining in places it would be very formal. He thanked her and as soon as she was gone used a simple spell to change it to her suggestions.

He then took a weird contraption she had told him to run through is hair and did as instructed it was hard to do because his hair was so long and tangled. He then tied the below shoulder length white mane and tied it back with a strip of black leather.

Ista slipped the dress over her head amazed at the smoothness against her skin. The dress was simply made but one her it looked wonderful one of the maids then came in a and arranged her hair into braids which she looped artfully around one another to make a small bun on the back of Ista’s head the rest of the hair was left straight after it was brushed.

The two met up in the hall and Ista was surprised at the transformation Zarac had undergone he was no longer the wild looking dark elf but composed and handsome she wondered were his clothing had come from. Zarac offered Ista his arm and they joined the end of the line of people to be announced since no one was looking backward they were not noticed.

When they reached the announcer Zarac whispered their names in his ear and the man belted out “Dragonrider and spell sword Zarac Darklight and his lady Ista Finatal.” Many heads turned at that and more at the gasp that followed when they realized they were dealing with a dark elf and a zath but Lady Tarita was serene as she motioned her guest to a position of honor at her table.

Zarac bowed formally to all those already seated and held out the chair for Ista who made an attempt to curtsy. After they were both seated the meal was served and many wondered why the two women kept leaning over and whispering in the dark elf’s ear.

When everyone had eaten their fill they headed out to the dance floor where the musicians were playing. Zarac took Ista by the hand and lead her out to the floor and they began to dance in perfect harmony with the music. A bit later another asked Ista to dance and she accepted at Zarac’s smile of acceptance.

After that song the music stopped and the musicians all took their seats but a different music began to play it sounded like it came from a flute but it was wild yet calm, exotic yet similar many began to sway to the music without noticing it. Then the fluting stopped and a voice took over carrying everything the music had and more the words were in a different language but the lords and lady’s danced to it anyway.

After that everyone returned to their seats calling for more of the music but to tired and full to dance. Everyone was looking around for the musician as the music began to play then Ista realized that Zarac wasn’t there. The melody rang out full of longing and sadness this time the words were in the common tongue and the singers voice could clearly be heard as it was beautiful.

When the music ended lady Tarita called out for the singer to reveal himself for the voice had identified it as a man. Slowly a tapestry moved and sheepishly Zarac came out from behind it a wooden instrument in his hands his face down turned he had never told anyone about this but know he stood before a room full of lords and ladies who had found him out.

Ista was needless to say surprised to find that the music had come from her companion who was a dark elf, a dragon rider, blind, a spell caster, and now a musician. Lady Tarita had recovered from her shock and began to applaud the stunned lords and ladies followed her example and Zarac’s blush was noticeable even through his dark skin.

But he had another problem he was now in the center of a dance floor with only the sounds of clapping to guide him to the table which was stopping even as he stood there if he tried to feel his way back his secret would be out.

Resigned he took the long tube like flute he himself had invented and tucked it under one arm and stretched out the other to feel in front of himself as he walked. The people seated at the table looked at one another in surprise but said nothing so this was what he had tried to hide all afternoon.

Ista seeing the dark elf helpless in the center of the huge room his secret out to every person in the room, both of them, ran to him and grasped his hand in hers silently lending him strength then she walked back to the table Zarac only feet behind following the nearly nonexistent sound of her footsteps.

When they reached the table she stood to the side allowing him access to his chair instead he stepped over to hers and pulled it out bowing from the waist indicating she was sitting down weather she wanted to or not. Reluctantly she took her seat and he took his looking instead like he would rather bolt from the hall.

Suddenly one of the you lords began to chuckle began to laugh “so that’s why those two beautiful ladies were always whispering in your ear and here I thought that you were going to take all of our ladies with your good looks” he said throwing his arm around the shoulders of the woman beside him who smiled at him.

That brought a smile to Zarac’s lips “no sir I do not believe either stay around because I am as you say good looking I can’t brag having never seen my reflection so I’ll have to take your word for it Lady Tarita is my friend and our host and Ista is my traveling companion.”

The lord took a closer look at Ista and winked as he said aloud “I know the first part is true but I’m not so sure about the last part look at how the girl blushes even her dark skin can’t hide it I think she thinks of you as more than that my friend.”

Zarac turned so he was facing her and raised an eyebrow as she fumbled with a reply “I well I um don’t know what uh your talking about sir I am not blushing” she said and as the whole hall watched her face flamed even more causing some laughter and the lord said “then why is your face the color of cherry miss?” she was about to reply when Zarac placed his hand on her cheek and also chuckled saying “you must be blushing very hard Ista your skin is very hot” she shied from his touch but at the same time this caused more laughter because her face was even redder which was saying a lot.

Taking pity on Ista, Zarac shielded her from view while she regained her composure. When he moved her face was still a bit pink but she had stopped looking like a cherry. The table had stopped laughing and many were having their own conversations so Zarac asked Ista “was he right do you think of me as more than a traveling companion?”

Ista didn’t know what to say what did he want her to say so she told the truth. “Zarac I do feel more for you than that your very handsome you know and your not stuck up about it because you don’t know if your are or not and you have a great personality to boot who wouldn’t like you?”

Zarac sat back for a minute thinking and then a mischievous smirk lit up his features as he said, “So your telling me if I wanted to I could charm every lady in the room?”

Ista caught on and said “why don’t you try it sir I think I can handle the men.”

The two of them led the others back to the dance floor and after the first song split up Zarac asking the young ladies if they would care for a dance Ista being asked by the young men it went on for some while until the two swore they had danced with every person under thirty there then Zarac was called up to play and sing and he rolled his sightless eyes at Ista saying “won’t they give me a break?” smiling she pushed him onto the stage.

He asked one of the musicians if he could borrow a lute and the man handed over. To say that the dark elf was good was an understatement he could coax some of the most exotic melodies from the lute and the music was all very lively and sometimes the words were in common sometimes in elvish and other times in dark elven.

When they finally let him stop Zarac handed the musician back his lute and the man looked at it in wonder asking Zarac “how did you do that sir that melody there are only three strings?”

“Well sir my fingers are extra sensitive and agile so it really wasn’t that hard being blind gives me an advantage.” That night once everyone had left both Zarac and Ista headed to their chambers tired out. The next morning however Ista woke to someone kissing her softly on the lips that woke her immediately and seeing whom it was even more so.

Zarac had thought it through the night before he had loved her since he met her but had not idea if she felt the same last night had been his chance to find out. Knowing she was awake he turned to leave only to have her grab him around the neck turn him around and plant a kiss on his own lips which he gladly returned.

When they broke apart for need of air he ran his hand lightly over here face saying “you are very beautiful I wish I could see you with my own eyes Ista.” At that moment Lady Tarita decided it was time for Ista to wake up but upon opening the door found her awake in the dark elf’s arms apparently glued together she thought with a smirk.

She gave a polite cough and the two broke apart Ista looking at her in embarrassment as Tarita said “well it seems our young nobleman knew what he was talking about Ista but how did he manage to convince Zarac to feel the same?”

At that Zarac laughed “madam I was the one who started the whole thing I woke her up and lets just say it went from there. I’ve loved her since the first time I heard her voice soft and kind I just didn’t know if she felt the same tell your nobleman I owe him big.”

Lady Tarita smirked and said, “Go tell him yourself he wants to talk to you.” Zarac nodded and left the room felling his way to the great room. The nobleman was already sitting when he arrived so he tried to find a chair but after a bit gave up and sat on the floor more than content to stay there.

The nobleman gave a small laugh and said, “I forgot to introduce myself Felost of Comard at your service are you comfortable.”

“Yes very thank you my name is Zarac Darklight now what did you want to see me about.”

“Its about your companion Ista I want to know if she would be interested in me?” Zarac knew this was a tight spot to be in so he went for straight out honest saying “I am sorry Felost but you lost your chance last night when you teased her.”

“You mean she’ll hold that against me.”

“No she would thank you and so would I. You see we have loved each other since we met but neither were sure if the other felt the same you made us expose ourselves to each other.” The young lord gave a kind of choked sob and said “its my own fault I suppose.”

“Now Felost don’t be sad what about the young woman who clung to your side all night?’

“What are you talking about?” the drow gave sigh “the woman sitting next to you was practically begging you to love her Felost I could tell she had her eyes on you and I’m blind.”

Felost voice had lost the sadness it had held as he said “you really thing so I’ve always liked her but her family is of higher rank then mine do you think I might have chance.”

At that Zarac gave a chuckle and said “Felost I am a prince yet I chose a woman with no rank at all of course I did disown my title but I am still royalty.” Felost mouth was open a dark elf prince of all people had renounced the ways of his people that was certainly unheard of most dark elves who left the underdark were peasants.

A smile lit the young mans face and he said “you’re right why should rank decide whom one can marry I mean love is beyond the comprehension of mortal man. I thank you sir for helping me in my dilemma and will be forever in your debt.” With that he stood and left the room already trapped in daydreams about his young noblewoman no doubt.

Zarac made his way back to Ista’s rooms letting the sounds of the two women’s giggling lead the way. When he got there the two seemed to sober up and he said, “We need to leave early tomorrow Ista would you please get your things together?” Lady Tarita was saddened by this as Ista replied “I’ll be ready Zarac now would you do me a favor?”

“That depends on what it is.”

“I want you to get two great big traveling cloaks I don’t like being stared at I’d rather be stared at curiously then in hatred. Could I have a green one please”? Zarac smiled and conjured her a cloak green with silver runes in elvish.

Then according to her request made one for him silver with black runes done in dark elven. Ista picked hers up smiling and slipped it on but when she did it shrunk to a form fitting robes with a huge cowl, as did Zarac’s. Lady Tarita looked at the two they both looked good in the cloaks with their slim elven builds but as she looked at Zarac she shuddered he emitted power and grace so she looked at him and muttered “wouldn’t want to meet you on a dark night Zarac.”

The laugh that erupted from beneath the hood startled her and Ista they realized that they had never really heard the drow laugh it was a pleasant sound light and musical not like most men who were rowdy and rough. “Don’t worry” he said placing a hand on each ones shoulders “you won’t Tarita we are leaving this area now how about you go and pack while I do the same and saddle Stargaze we need to leave before tonight I think that Lady Tarita’s husband would not be pleased if we were still here when he returned he’ll probably decided to come home early to make sure you were still alive my lady.”
And with that he left the room grabbed his bag and went to saddle his dragon and wait for Ista.

But on his way to saddle stargaze he realized if they were going to travel without notice she would have to return to the dragons wood sighing he went and told her. She surprisingly understood and said that she wanted to go back a suitable rider was in the camp and needed her more than he did.

Saddened Zarac watched as she flew away his bonded had left him now all he had left was white sun in the center of his forehead. Using his magic Zarac called two stallions one pure black the other pure white and waited for Ista. It wasn’t long until she got there seeing the two horses and Zarac’s sad face she knew what had happened and she looked at the dark elf closer there was a white sun in the center of his forehead that hadn’t been there before.

“Zarac” she asked, “were did that sun on your head come from?”

“When a bonded dragon leaves his first master that person is left with some sort of tattoo or sign this one is mine Stargaze has found another with which to bond who needs her more.”

Ista could hear the profound sadness in the dark elf’s voice and wordlessly pulled him into a tight embrace saying, “you really do more than think Zarac many would be worse off if not for you.”

He gave her a small smile knowing she wouldn’t hear any of his protest and handed the reigns of the white horse to her and took the black one for himself. They then slipped on the traveling cloaks he had conjured and mounted their horses slinging the saddlebags across the stallions’ bare backs. They set off at a leisurely pace their mounts moving smoothly beneath them muscles rippling.