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For the next few hours before Brandon had to sleep, he used his magic to safely remove the collars off from around their necks; each thanking him with bows and praises as he did so. After the last dragon was done, he felt tried and he knew he had to rest, so finding a comfy spot using his bedding Tentra brought along, while Nixi took the first turn in driving the boat in the sea water. Brandon started to drift off to sleep until he was awakened by a small tap on his hand. Looking over, he saw two of the young children that came along for the ride to the nearest dock. One was an all red drake wearing a pair of brown pants, the other, a brown dragoness, with blue pants and a white shirt.

"S...sorry to wake you," the dragoness spoke. "But we...um...thank you again for saving us,"

"It was no big deal," Brandon smiled at them sitting up. "You're safe, that's what matter now."

"Are you really gonna help save the others?" asked the drake as Brandon nodded.

"I will do everything in my power to make sure the humans pay for what they did to your homes," he promised. "I will go to battle with my father to see this though!" the dragoness looked to him with worry in her eyes as she took a step forward holding her arm in her hand.

"But they are your own kind prince..." she spoke lightly looking at him. "Would you really kill you own kind?"

"You may call me Brandon," he spoke sighing and looking toward the black waters of the night. "Let me tell you something. My father found my mother when he was raiding my home, he was enraged when his mate and son were killed by the human king men, so he wanted to send a message. He found my mother dying, and she asked him to find someone to care for me," he sighed and looked down. "He took me in as his own child, and for that I thank him dearly, the ones I'm fighting may be my own kind," he turned to them with a blank look. "But my own kind killed my mother." The two hatchlings turned to each other and then back to the human before him as he gave a small smile. "But do not worry about me alright?" he told them in a gentle voice and waved in the air as if erasing their worries away. "Right now we will get you to a safe location for the while alright?"

"Alright," they chimed at the same time before bowing and leaving. Brandon was once more about to lie down to get some sleep, when another voice was heard.

"IS that really how you become your father son?" Brandon lightly with his head on the bedding saw Tentra wearing a plain white tunic, but no pant leggings or shorts. Her arms held behind her back as she stood just over deck where the wheel of the boat would be, looking down at him.

"Yeah," he answered. "No one told ya?" she shook her head walking down the stairs, and sat beside him.

"I wanted to hear I from you, you know, hear it from what you were told and all that." Brandon nodded with a hum, sighing and closing his eyes. "I got the rock to float like you wanted." Brandon again opened his eyes to look at her as she brought out the stone he gave her, closing her eyes, the stone wobbled slightly but started to rise up toward her eye level, and hung in mid air. She opened her eyes, her eyes seemed to glow blue around the hue, and not the black slit like it always was. Brandon watched with amazement as she let the stone slowly fall into her paws as he smiled and sat up.

"Very good," he told her as she smiled. "Now watch this, this sort of magic can be used with your hands to control it with better ease and grace."

He stood up and shook his arms to wake them from their slumber, craning his neck to the sides; slight creaking noises were heard as he stepped closer to the side of the ship. Tentra stood beside him, watching as he closed his eyes and too a deep breath, letting his chest rise and then fall as he closed his eyes; bringing one hand out. His fingers started to twitch as if dancing in the air before him, and before the female drake could ask why he was doing such a thing, she watched as his fingers and then whole hand glowed a soft blue. The water hitting the side of the boat started to rise, a single sphere or water that rose and was as large as Brandon head. Tentra eyes grew wide as Brandon eyes opened, moving backwards going slowly, as the ball of water, that swirled inside floated above his hands.

"Controlling the elements around you is a lot different then picking up a simple rock," he spoke lightly. "For example, this water is the hardest, see how the water inside the energy I made is still moving?" Tentra nodded as Brandon moved the ball around. "It is because water never stands still, it is always moving, even if it looks like it standing still, it is moving. Now here is something else, I can make this ball of water into anything I wish, like watch." He closed his eyes for a moment, as the ball shudder, soon it started to flatten a bit, growing longer like a rope, but a head and a set of glowing blue eyes were seen as the water snake spat out water. "The matter I used of magic to make the sphere is still being used to make this water snake, it was a rule my teacher taught me. Something of can not be giving more without taking more, I could not make the ball larger with just my will. I would have to add more magic and more water to make it larger now think hard, and try to take water snake from me with just your will, seek out to it, and make it touch your hands but not break." Tentra nodded and started to do as he told her; taking deep breaths to claim her nerves as she reached out with her hand a bit, and tried to move the snake over. At first nothing happened, but soon the snaked weaved and moved it body closer to Tentra, but once the nose touched her skin, it broke, wetting the drake in water as she shrieked in surprised. Brandon laughed loudly as some of the dragons who were watching soon joined in as Tentra shook her arms glaring at Brandon for laughing as he stopped. "Here let me," again bringing his hand out, he called forth the water and it dried her shirt and scales, as he dropped the newly smaller sphere into the water as he chuckled. "It will come to you don't worry, and also, the rock trick I showed you, can be used to attack far off foes, like so." He brought another water ball up from the sea, almost as small as his thumb as he saw Drake walk by with some extra food he found down under. Smirking he flicked his finger toward the drake as the water ball flew toward him, smacking him on the head causing him to yelp and look around confused.

"What the hell?!" he cried still looking around as Brandon and Tentra laughed.

"See? Just think of where you want the rock to go and it will go, just don't make it go too far, or you will pay."

"Alright," she spoke lightly smiling. "I should let you sleep now, thank you again for teaching me how to use magic."

"Think nothing of it," Brandon smiled back. Just keep training, when you got the water thing down, keep doing the rock one, and then back to water. Start with the size of your tail tip, once you can make it touch your skin without it breaking, then go to the rock, and then the next time you go back to water, go a little bigger, and try to make different shapes." He yawned loudly while closing his eyes and rubbing his neck. "Now if you excuse me, this human need to sleep, nighty night." He walked away yawning as Tentra bid him a good sleep, as he took his head to the pillow, and fell asleep at once.

Brandon awoke the next morning to the smell of cooked meat filling the air around him, his eyes opening to see many of the dragoness and children eating, while the dragons worked over on the ship to keep it on course. He groaned and sat up, still wearing the clothing he wore the day before, since he had no choice of the matter, they did reek of sweat from hot air around them in the morning, but he would find a way to rid himself of the smell once they made it to shore. Beside him sat a plate of steaming meat, sliced up for him to easily snack on since he couldn't tear it apart like the dragons around him. Crossing his legs, he brought the plate into his lap and started to eat, it wasn't like the cook food back home, but it would served him well for now until he returned. As he ate his food in silence, a few of the children came up tot him to ask what it was like to be a prince, he happily told them that it was something else. But sometimes he wondered what life would've been if he had been able to live with his mother, and if she had lived. He saw Tentra a few times while he spoke, helping the mothers and other dragoness with any wounds they got by wrapping them in cloth, at times they would look each other in the eye, before she would look away, and Brandon also. Near the end of his story, he heard a whistle coming closer and closer to him, reaching his hand out, he caught something just before it reached his head. The children gasped as he slowly looked over to see a makeshift sword in his hand, wooden wit a rounded tip. Turning to see who threw it, he groaned as he saw it was Nixi; she wanted to spar.

"It has been many years since we last dueled, Brandon," she along with a few others could call him by his first name even when the king was around. "I want to see if your skills have been softened."

"Really Nixi?" he asked standing up and dusting his clothing as she brought out two wooden swords much like her own, giving him a somewhat glare, he knew ether way; he was fighting her. Everyone made room in a large circle as the two warriors started to circle one another. Brandon twisting his wrist making the sword spin a bit as he watched for any movement the wingless dragoness would do. Brandon knew she liked to use her tail a lot, so really she had three items that she could use to make him yield. Drake and Tentra were also watching from afar, and Drake seemed to rub his arm, as if tending to a wound he got from his teacher.

Nixi attacked first, springing like a uncoil spring, she pounced into the air toward Brandon bringing both sticks down, he stepped out of the way, and ducked as her tail whistled over his head, crouching on the ground he kicked her legs causing her to fall backwards, but she span like a cat and bounded backwards away from him before he could kick where she use to be. Long ago they gave up going easy, they made a pact that no matter what, they would always fight their best, to train harder then any teach and student before them; even as the years past since their last duel, they still held those words. Again she jumped forward, but when she brought her right foot on the ground, she bounced to the other foot on Brandon left right side, bringing both sticks toward his arm. He reacted quickly, slamming his own piece of wood to her own two as they struggled to push the other back. Rearing back then jumped away from each other, as Brandon ran, slashing with complex moves, which Nixi easily slapped away or dodged. Everyone watched the two dueled it out, with both wonder and fear if they ever did cross the two, they knew they would have no chance. Nixi was a little shock by the speed Brandon wielded his weapon, she thought that maybe because of all the time he used his huge sword over the normal size ones and a shield, which his arms grew quicker because of all the weight he was not using; while reading too much on this, Brandon tripped her with his heel, causing her to yell out and fall on her back. Before she could stand back up, the rounded tip of the sword grazed her neck as she looked up at the human, who bested her; who was smiling back.

"I yield," she muttered, having lost to him many times before, but she still held the record over her wins on him. Everyone clapped lightly at the display of fighting each had, as Brandon brought the sword to the ground, and extended his hand to help her up. "It seems you have no forgotten everything I taught you," she spoke to him softly. "But that does not mean I won't fight you from time to time, maybe once every few days."

"I'll remind myself of that," he answered slightly out of breath as she nodded, petting his shoulder and walking past him.

The sun rose high over the sky, gull flying around them as the dragons worked over the ship making sure nothing was wrong, and cleaning any messes so that it wouldn't be a problem later on. The children were running and laughing, for the first time since their home was capture, they were having fun. When Brandon wasn't helping around the ship, he would entertain the children by showing them his skill in magic, from making fire from thin air, to healing his wounds that he would give himself on the finger or hand. The dock that held the dragon village came up over the seas later that day, a large red Wyvern flew toward the ship, seeing who was driving it, once making sure it was friend and not foe, and once more finding that the prince of their race was aboard, he flew back with hast to announce their arrival to the small dock village. Brandon stood on the long plaque in front of the boat, holding on to a thick rope so that he wouldn't fall as the boat rose and fell from the waved below. His blank share looking forward as he thought of the days left he had, before asking Tentra if she would go to the ball with him. He thought he was being somewhat selfish, asking her to go so that he would not have to be bugged with all the females there to be his mate, for he knew the only way for her to go; was for her to accept to be his mate. Before he knew it, the sights of the docks came into view as he jumped back onto the solid flooring of the boat, as it docked on shore.

They didn't stay very long, Brandon allow them some rest as he went around looking for anything to do, they too wished to leave as the slaves Brandon rescued went to different homes who allowed them to stay with them. He made mantel notes of who was helping the new comers; when at last they were ready to go, Tentra emerged from a small outside shop, now wearing pants as black as night, and a small dagger around her waist. Brandon was somewhat glad that she had some sort of protection if any of the other three were to be too far to help if the need were ever to rise. She gave him a warm smile as he too smiled back, and as she walked ahead of her, Brandon couldn't help but look after her. Unknown to him, Nixi also saw him watching her, a small smile curling on her muzzle.

Hours after their departure of the dragon dock, it started to rain and rain hard. Luckily they were able to find safe shelter in a cave that seemed to stretch out far, so far that they could easily walk around and have enough room to sleep. Finding some old leaves and twigs, Drake worked on making a fire, unable to blow fire, Nixi shot a small ball of flames into the pit he made, allowing warm air to surround everyone. The human watched as Tentra and Drake spoke, like old friends as she would laugh at the simple jokes the drake would say to his fellow blood. Feeling a tap on his shoulder, he saw Nixi, who had given up her armor and bore a green tunic like himself; long shaggy green pants, but held her gantlets on still. She motion over to the far side of the cave as Brandon nodded, standing up and walking with her, still close enough for the other two to see, but far enough that they couldn't hear.

"You like her," she asked looking at him as he lent on his shoulder of the cave wall. "Don't you?" Brandon looked away from her, turning his eyes to Tentra and he sighed and nodded. "Does she know?"

"No," he answered. "I've been too much of a coward to tell her my feelings."

"Brandon that does not make you a coward if you don't tell her,"

"Then what do you call it?" he asked in a harsh voice looking back at her. He sighed and closed his eyes looking back to Tentra; his silence was his way of saying sorry to the dragoness for being so rude. It took a while for her to find the words, but she spoke them while placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It just means you are not yet ready to tell her how you feel," she answered. "I know what it is like, someone you like or love so close to you, but at the same time; so far off." She looked off herself and closed her eyes. "Did I ever tell you of my past?" Brandon shook his head as she went on. "After my mother and father were killed in a raid, and I myself taken as a slave, I was sold to an army to be used as decoys. I didn't want to die, that I knew so much of, so I trained, by watching the men and learning their skills; I was still young then, too young to be even consider a women. One man, a drake, saw my talents of the blades and took me under his wing so to speak, and trained me in the way of the blades. It was the first time I grew fond of a male, and I knew; I loved him." She sighed again as Brandon turned to face her fully. "Many years past, and one day I felt the need to tell him, so going to his tent, I found him, and his mate. I was crushed; the one male I wanted was out of my reach. My day training with him became worse and worse, because I only trained hard to prove I was good for him as a mate.

"One day he pulled me to the side, asking me what was wrong, I was in tears then, about the same age as you now as I told him everything of how I felt for him and everything. He listened and held me in a deep embrace I had yearned from him, and told me in a claiming smooth voice. 'I am not the drake for you little one, one day you will find a male that will make you as happy as I do to you, maybe even more. I know life is hard on those who at times need someone to love, but one day it will happen.'." Nixi looked away from Brandon. "The next day he died in battle, and from then on, I swore off any mates at all until I felt the same thing for when I felt for him, taking his blades as my own, and teaching my students the way he taught me."

"I don't get how this is to help me," Brandon spoke as Nixi chuckled.

"Brandon, it took me years to tell him my feelings. You think that I am a coward then?"

"No," he answered. "But you are a female."

"Male, females, what makes the difference!" she sighed and chuckled. "We all fall in love with someone that makes us feel warm inside, and one day, you will tell Tentra your feelings, I know it." taking a deep breath, Brandon smiled. He could always count on Nixi or Zel when it came to what he was thinking. Thanking his teacher and friend, he went back to the fire, and sat and listened to one of Drake's stories, of his childhood, until sleep forced them all to call it a night.

"Home at last!" Tentra cried as she ran thought the gates of her hometown, flushed with trees and beauty none of the three had seen before. The homes made of wood or rock, some being homed by dragons, and the many others by drakes. Brandon was glad they didn't come into contact with any bandits like he thought they would, and though the trip was long, almost a full week, seeing Tentra this happy made him feel at ease.

"ME and Drake will see if we can't find a room to rent for the stay here," Nixi spoke poking Drake to start walking. "Brandon, you go with Tentra to see her mother like planed."

"Right," nodded Brandon as he followed after Tentra to an old looking home. It was of one story high, windows on the found away from the door with blinds covering it, the door itself made of wood and a design of which Brandon had never seen before today. The wood were old and seemed almost to peel, but it seemed the home had at least a few years left before it would have to be fixed or just replaced. Tentra went up to the door slowly, doing to push it open as the heat of a fire burning inside greeted the drake and the two walked in as one.

"Mother?" called out Tentra as a soft cough was all that was heard. Brandon waited while Tentra went around into the main part of the house, hearing the two whisper among them until Tentra came back. "Would you like to meet my mother?" she asked wondering if the price would want to meet someone who was sick as her mother. Brandon smiled and nodded his head, as Tentra led him into the room.

A large bed was seen in the middle, under the blankets laid a very sickly looking drake, scales a pale white from whatever sickness befell onto her, her eyes glossy. Brandon was almost scared to walk up to her, never seeing anyone like this, her bones was showing though her scales from the lack of food she was not keeping down. Her eyes turning to Brandon, a warm smile on her muzzle as Brandon walked over.

"It is nice...to meet the prince," she spoke softly looking at Brandon. "I would bow, but I'm afraid I can not." Brandon only slightly nodded, looking deep into her eyes as Tentra went off to get something her mother asked her to do for her as the older drake smiled. "Do I frighten you my lord?"

"N...no," his voice betraying him. "I mean...I...are you alright?" the old drake laughed slightly, coughing again as Brandon flinched back.

"Oh I am fine," she muttered slightly. "Just waiting,"

"Waiting?" asked Brandon. "You don't mean..." she only smiled softly as she looked to where Tentra went, seeing if she would be returning anytime soon, when she thought that she was in the clear, she spoke again.

"Yes," she spoke. "I will die, in a few days the doctor say," she closed her eyes and leaned back. "At first I was scared, but now...now I welcome the death in open arms."

"What about Tentra?" asked Brandon in a low voice, his face mixed with emotion of what the servant of his would think. "How do you think she will coop with this?"

"I must ask you something then Prince Brandon," she tried to sit up, but already her body was betraying her. "I want you...to look after her for me,"

"What...?" the thoughts of what his father told him of his mother last words came rushing into his head; his arms shaking in fear.

"From the letters she sent me, she cares for you Brandon, more then you know or like to know. She tries to make you happy, and even when she fails at things from the start, you don't beat her like that last male she worked for years ago." She looked up to Brandon, smiling again. "Please...watch over her for me?"

"I..." he looked down and closed his eyes nodding. "I will, but I must ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"There is a ball coming up soon, and I have yet to have someone I wish to go with. Just as she has feelings for me, I too have feelings for her." The mother's eyes widened and then smiled lightly. "I wish to bring her as my date, but the only way for that to happen...be if she was to be my mate."

"You know she would agree."

"I know that now," he told her. "But I want to ask for your blessing." The drake smiled and nodded her head, just as Tentra came in, a bottle of weird green fluid in her hands as she past it over, helping her mother drink from it.

"Tentra dear?" she spoke lightly looking at her daughter. "Why not allow Brandon to stay here with us until you leave hrm, I'm sure you're room is big enough?"

"M...my room?" she stumered as Brandon watched.

"The guest room is full of junk and can't be moved, so your room is the only one that is able to be used. I'm sure you wouldn't mind sleeping in the same room Brandon?" she looked to him as he only gulped slightly again.

"N...no I wouldn't mind," he answered as she smiled.

"Good, now Tentra, go show him your room please?"