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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Talindra" data-source="post: 26388" data-attributes="member: 155">BEHOLD!!  Good old fashioned torture works sometimes....By the way, you will note that SOMEONE is just a little behind, and that this journal is to be read as being concurrent with Vallia and Misha's journal of the same date.***********************************************Karanaj’s Journal16th Day of Uktar, 1372 DROh, what a time I’ve had. It all began back when I awoke in Vallia’s house in the Elven village. I had had the dream again, and this time it went on a little bit farther. The dream frightens me. I do not understand what it is or what it means, but I do know that it scares me. Well, when I woke up from it, I noticed that it was nearing sunrise, and that Vallia should already be awake. I asked her with my ring if she was up and willing to talk. She said ‘yes’ to both questions, and I set off toward her room. I stepped outside the door, and there was a rose lying in the hallway. Apparently it had fallen off of a larger collection, and no one noticed. I picked it up, and smelled it as I went to Vallia’s room. She opened the door, and I quickly realized I still had the flower in my hand. She was puzzled, so I offered it to her, and she seemed even more puzzled, but happy.I sat down with her, and told her about my dream. She saw it as a bad omen, and I can’t help but feel the same. She seemed... strange somehow, and I was worried that the dream had upset her, or that I had woken her up too early.  At any rate, I asked her what was wrong, and she told me, in so many words, that she and Misha had consummated their love last night. I actually felt a little glad for her, and more than a little confused, because it pained her.... She told me what he had said when everything was done, and it infuriated me. I couldn’t believe that he would belittle her so! Such an opportunist! He claimed so much that he loved her, yet he... he used her. It pains me horribly to see Vallia hurting so, but I knew that he couldn’t keep up his act forever. No matter what I thought, though, Vallia was crying, and I wanted to do anything to help her. All I could do was lend her a shoulder.Misha came in after some time and I immediately began chanting magic missile and pointing my hand right at his chest. Vallia told me that she had asked him here, and I was more than puzzled, though I still aimed my hand at his chest. He approached Vallia and I rose to meet him, still pointing my hand to his chest. Vallia stood in between us, trying to stop us, but we easily argued right over her head. He began acting as if I had done something wrong! It infuriated me that he could dare to put the blame on me, when I had done nothing even remotely wrong! He had hurt the one he claimed to love, and yet he still couldn’t take blame for it. Vallia only became angrier, and called both of us fools. I looked down at her, confused. I asked her why she thought that, and at the same time Misha asked me, “How could you, Karanaj?” I wanted to catch him in his futile lie, so I yelled back at him, “HOW COULD I WHAT?!?!” He seemed upset, still, and just ignored me, talking to Vallia about “last night.” Vallia then said to him, “He loves me, and I love him,” gesturing to me. I was a little puzzled despite myself to hear her say those words. I knew exactly what she meant, but it made me think. Then she had to tell Misha that I loved her like a sister, and I realized what he had thought all along. It didn’t make me any less angry at him for what he had done, but it made me less angry knowing that he wasn’t just trying to put the blame on me. Misha tried to leave, but as he did so, he was dragged back into the room by Vallia. She sat him down and explained everything to him. Misha took it all in stride, and seemed to just shrug it offI simply left for my room, leaving Misha to work his way quickly back into Vallia’s good graces. I was quite angry with Misha, and I set off to pack so we could leave. I finished packing rather quickly, and met Misha and Vallia in the common room.When I met them, I told them that we should set off. She asked where Gruush and Kay were, and to be quite honest, I hadn’t even thought of them. Misha and I asked one of the servant girls, and she said that Thamior had taken them to meet the queen and bring her back. I believed that Gruush and Kay would be able to take care of themselves, not even giving a second thought that they were with Thamior. I told Vallia that we should set off and leave Gruush and Kay a note to catch up to us, but she looked defeated. I wondered for a moment, then I realized just as Vallia said it... Thamior was using our comrades as insurance. He wanted to make sure Vallia stayed. We didn’t want to risk the lives of Gruush and Kay, so we decided to wait.Misha and Vallia headed back to her room, and I simply went back to my room. Seeing Misha and Vallia together is a constant reminder of what I have lost, and what I hope to regain. When I reached my room, I laid down on the bed, and stared at the ceiling, thinking of Aliya. It seemed all too short of a time before I heard the queen’s troupe arrive and set out to hear our next plan of action. Suddenly, I felt a searing pain in the middle of my chest. It blinded me, and I cried out in pain, apparently so loudly that Vallia and Misha could also hear. They rushed quickly to see what was wrong, and found me sitting on the floor, looking under my shirt. I saw a silver speck on my chest, and couldn’t figure out what it was, or for that matter why it hurt so badly. I touched it, and it felt hard and cold... as hard as metal almost. Well, the severe pain was over, and we didn’t have time to worry. Vallia asked what was wrong, and all I could tell her was that there was a silver spot on my chest. She didn’t know what to do about that, and as we waited, Thamior approached. He told us that the queen requested Vallia’s presence, and Misha began discussing plans to me in my head. I didn’t feel like arguing now, though, so I told him I would just follow along. The pain in my chest still lingered, and thinking of Aliya made me sad. I agreed to follow his lead, not even wanting to argue. It was time to go see the queen, though, and I was as ready as I would ever be.We followed Vallia and Thamior to the queen’s throne room, and were stopped only momentarily as Thamior tried to have the guard keep us away. Vallia, however, quickly remedied that. We came before the queen, and I could see the resemblance to both Vallia and Aliya. She was quite beautiful. I bowed respectfully to her, and listened to an angry Thamior as he and all the others in the throne room were cleared away, including the guards.Misha wondered aloud if we were meant to leave as well, but the Queen simply asked Vallia why Misha and I were with her. Vallia told her that we were friends, and the queen replied, “A Princess can have no friends such as these....” Vallia tried to get to the business at hand, however. She asked the Queen plainly why we were brought here. The Queen told her that Vallia was going to be wed soon. She wanted her to marry Thamior immediately. She also said that she wished Aliya were here, and it struck a chord in my heart. I have constantly wished the same, and hearing her say it only made me show my pain. I controlled it as I realized my face had twisted slightly. The Queen still saw it, and asked me if I knew Aliya as well. I told her I did, and that she was also a friend... I didn’t know what to tell the Queen about Aliya and I. She somehow knew that I had lied, and told me “Lie to me again, and Tharivol will have what’s left when I am done with you.” I told her that I loved Aliya, and she laughed at me. Laughed! It pained me to hear it, and I sunk back, unable to say anything. Vallia defended me, and told the Queen that what I had said was true. The Queen grew more serious at that point and asked my name. When I gave it to her, she leaned back in her chair holding her hand to her mouth, clearly in shock. She told me she had heard my name many nights from Aliya, and that she wouldn’t keep us apart. I felt sad and happy at hearing about Aliya calling my name. I knew she felt for me the way I do, but hearing it only makes it more real to me.The conversation turned to Vallia and Thamior when Misha asked what the current options were. The Queen insisted that Vallia marry Thamior. As Misha spoke, I felt the pain growing in my chest again. I held it back, but soon it twisted my face and became quite plain right before I fell to my knees. The Queen asked “Are you well, my son?” and at the time I didn’t even notice. I assume Misha explained what was happening as best he could; he spoke in elven. Vallia ran to me and tore my shirt open, praying for healing as the Queen told her that this was nothing she could heal. As the Queen said that, the pain dissipated and she turned back to her throne. She commented that Aliya hadn’t done badly, and I looked up at her, very curious as to what she meant. She said that what was on my chest was a scale. Then she asked me if I liked the cold, and if I had ever dreamt of flying. Both were true, and I told her so. My mind worked at the clues, trying to piece them together. I finally realized it. My mind flashed back to that day as a young child... I saw a humongous silver dragon flying over our village. For weeks after that, I dreamed of flying in the air; free of all worries, flying above all troubles. It was the only obvious choice to me. The Queen confirmed what I thought, telling me that I had draconic blood, which made me more favorable in her eyes.The Queen told Vallia to prepare for the wedding, and I couldn’t leave the throne room until I had tried my hardest to convince the Queen that this wedding should not happen. I remember it so clearly...I looked to Vallia, pain visible on my face, then I looked back to the Queen and said, “"You... have said that I am pleasing in your eyes?"She nodded, and I continued, “Would you accept a son of mine as an heir?”I could see the sadness in her face as she told me, "I cannot.....the heir must be of pure elven blood....the people will not accept any less."I told her, "I... I understand."She told Vallia quietly "You should go now. There is not much time."Vallia 's face was blank, as she nodded, immediately turning and leaving without a word.Misha bowed his head slightly.I spoke with the Queen still, "Please, majesty.... Can nothing be done?"She looked at me, "Have you any suggestions? Short of him," indicating Misha, "magically becoming an elf?"I simply shook my head in defeat "I... I've offered all that I can think of."She nodded to me, "As have I.  I can find no other way."Misha laughed, "magically becoming an elf?"I just looked down at the ground, trying to think of anything to say.The Queen glared at Misha bitingly, "I am glad it amuses you.  Perhaps it will not be as bad as I had feared, if you care so little."Misha seemed genuinely surprised at the Queen’s comment and muttered, "care so little...""It will be bad for Vallia," I said almost out of pure reactionMisha thought for a moment, and then retorted, "You know nothing about me majesty..."The queen looked at me sadly, "I will have to take your word for that.  She ceased speaking to me long ago."I told her of the only thing that I could possibly think of, "I agree with you that Misha may not seem suitable, majesty, but Vallia loves him dearly."Misha looked at me, "Does not seem suitable... thank you Karanaj..."The Queen shook her head, still and told me, "It does not matter."I looked back at Misha, "I'm not going to lie."Misha was seething at that, but I didn’t care.I looked back at the Queen, "Surely you loved the king."She nodded, but said, "I have no choice in this."Misha turned and exited at that point, "I must be going ye majesty..."The Queen ignored him, "The good of the many outweighs the good of the few.""But.... you're the queen,” I said, meaning that she could lead the people however she wanted.She responded, "Exactly, and they are my people."By that time I was desperate, "What makes the union of Thamior and Vallia good? Vallia doesn't love him in the least."She told me, "Without an heir, the elves will be scattered, lost. There is no one to rule after me."I asked quickly, "Why does the heir have to be an elf? Would the people truly storm the castle if the heir to the throne was not an elf?""They will not recognize any but pureblood as heir,” she told me.A bit of the human in me responded, "A shame that they cannot accept another as a possible equal.""It makes sense, in a way.  Few races are as long lived as we." she mused.My mind flashed back to my memories, "Dragons never age.""Yes, but who is to say your child will exhibit the same properties?  The blood is not a given."I placed a hand on my chest, "You're right. I can't promise you that. I'm sorry to have wasted your time. I'll take my leave now." With that, I rose to my feet. The Queen called to me, however, "Karanaj."I turned to face her fully, "Yes?"She told me, "You have not wasted my time.  I have thought through these arguments a thousand times.  And your reticence only makes me more sure that you will be a good husband to my Aliya."I was actually happier at her words, "Thank you, your majesty." I was glad she had faith in me at least. I felt that all had been said that could be said, “I... shall leave now, if there's nothing else."She nodded to me, "I am sorry Karanaj. You may go."I nodded to her saying, "As am I." as I turned and walked out into the brilliant sunlight, feeling very sad.</blockquote>

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