Era was walking the streets of Taras, alone and in the dark. She really didn't have a choice. The lack of choice frustrated her to no end. It was turning her into a common thief. She needed the coin she had for buying food though, what Valen couldn’t hunt, but her clothing was ruined and now, now she needed clothing for Valen too.

It had started earlier that day. Valen had been practicing something that he said he remembered being taught when he was still little. He spoke draconic to himself, Era barely catching any of the words. She understood his more broken baby draconic, but he was speaking something different now. A higher draconic she really couldn’t place. Then, quite abruptly, it wasn’t a dragon with her, but someone who had managed to change his form quite human. A human without any clothing. She had yelled at him and after a bit he managed to change back, all apologies and everything. She was incredibly embarrassed by it for some reason though. She thought that it was because of Lady Mladen’s own memories. Era thought it was rather interesting that he could change into a human. But there was an enraged and embarrassed part of the body she possessed that protested to the fact that he had no clothing. Era had made him stay outside the city and had gone inside herself to find clothing, hopefully for both of them.

She was in the noble’s district and she thought that she had found a perfect place. The nobles had just left in some carriage, so they weren’t there themselves. She waited though, wanting to make sure guards or any servants didn’t see her. She was, after all not really a thief and she wasn’t at all dressed for this venture. She was in a bright yellow dress. Lady Era readied herself, ready to use her pink-tipped red wings in order to fly up to a window and unlatch it so she could slip inside and find some decent clothing. She hesitated though. She wasn’t sure what she would find and what if… what if they recognized the outfits later? What if… She pressed her back against the cold wall and closed her eyes.

“I can’t do this.” She whispered her voice shaky. She shifted her sore and bare feet; the dress shoes she had been wearing, long past repair, had been abandoned. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself, to relax, to prepare herself once again. Opening her eyes she peered around the corner once more, her mind focused on what she needed to do. What she had to do.

Arthru had been walking the streets alone that night hiding under his black cloak so as no one would see him oftne times people rejected him for what he was but he had no care but he still didn't want to scare people. Je walked alone till he noticed a lone woman in the steets when he looekd at her it seemed she was contemplaiting something but he coudln't tell. He walked up and said," May I help you miss you seem to be a little lost maybe I can help you I know this town well".

Era jumped, quite visibly, as she was approached by the stranger. Spinning to face him, she nearly threw a fire ball at the man, but she let the spell fizzle without anything more then a spark appearing, mostly hidden, in her hand. “Um, perhaps. I seem to have run into a bit of trouble and I have no idea who to go to or what to do about it.” Her mind was racing for a moment as she decided that perhaps this was for the better.

“Nearly of my things were taken from me and I can’t seem to find a way to get them replaced, let alone get them back.” She tucked some stray hair behind one of the possessed bodied pointed elf ears and fidgeted with the strand for a moment before looking down at her dress. She attempted to dust it off, though she knew it wouldn’t help. The lie was true, for Laden Mladen though, and not for Era herself. She didn’t have things, nor did she need them. She had her magic… It was this body that needed things, and clothing was a need she had thought was already taken care off. The fact it wasn’t was starting to bother her more and more.

Arthru smield at ehr and said," I can help you with that I know of places you can stay and things you can do I even know a good tailor shop down the way, I can help you pay for it if need be I have plenty of money I have no need for such thigns as money".

That statement rubbed Era the wrong way. She didn’t mind a ruse for something she really didn’t expect she needed, but this sounded like either charity or perhaps some sort of trick. He seemed entirely too helpful and he was hard to read. The thought of going ahead with that fireball was becoming a bit appealing. She crossed her arms, becoming a bit defensive. This body was her 'possession' after all and she wasn’t about to let it be dragged wily-nil about the city. She had no shoes as it was!

“I’m not really looking for a place to stay. I just need a place I can find some new clothing. I’m not a beggar, I’m a high elf. Perhaps I’ll just go and ask if anyone will be able to use my abilities in return for what I need.” She turned to go, insulted by such an obvious act of charity. The paused at that corner again, her conviction to follow through with those words was lacking. She wondered if such a hesitation would become normal for her… Then she stepped around the corner onto the main street and hoped no one else would see her, mostly the guards. Perhaps it would be best to talk to the guards though. For a moment, she forgot that the stranger was probably not going to just leave because she had refused his charity.

Sophitia found herself in the dark streets of Tara. A few bounty hunters had chased her out of the last town she took hiding in. The bounty hunters did not have time to see her however, as she was always 2 steps ahead of them with her scrying.

She made barely any noise as she walked through the streets. At most it was the sound of her bangles hitting together as she walked. She couldn't just take them off though, or else her brand would be open for the world to see.

Sophie brushed back her long brown hair and looked through the city with silver eyes, that reflected the light of the lamp posts. a gentle breeze blew through the city, sending a small chill up her body. Her small shirt and skirt worked perfectly in the day, but the nights where a bit more cool. Because of this a small chill ran up her body.

It was there on the streets she noticed another person lurking around. Sophie was naturally afraid of most people she did not know, never knowing if one would turn her in for the reward. because of this she tried to hide herself by walking away from the lamp posts and lingering in the shadows. It wasn't easy for her to stay hidden though as her brightly colored skirt did not blend in well with the dark.

She did not know what else to do though and for that reason she remained as best hidden as she could, too see how this strangers story played out.

Arthur was bit suprised when se said what she was and when she left he was equally suprised. He followed after slowly so as not to scare her. When she stopped after walking a while he stood far away and said in the elvish tongue," Forgive me oh High Elf I did not know that you were one or I would have offered more, Iam sorry for offending you, but I always help out damsels it is in my code". He continued and said," Please come with me I will show you a better place than what is here, and you do not have to trade anything the poeple there owe me anyway so I can get you the finest clothes for a debt that is owed to me".

Era was looking for a place that seemed approachable. She couldn’t go to the first place she spotted for work. She already knew they weren’t home. She would just have to do things a bit differently then. It was late though… who would be up at this hour? Perhaps, someone at a party of some type or coming home from a party. They might be in a good mood then and she would be able to not have to degrade herself to such a frowned upon thing as theft.

She thought she saw another figure on the streets then and she was suddenly aware of how she looked again. She skirted the street light and paused for a moment. Then, then she heard a voice. Era rounded on him, now incredibly annoyed. He was following her now? She didn’t register the different language in her anger, but she understood it from the sleeping mind of her possessed body. She spoke it in turn, not realizing she had switched languages.

“How dare you! I’m not some damsel in distress! I can take care of myself! I don’t need someone looking after me all the time, or some stranger’s charity. I’m not looking for hand-outs. If I’m going to get something I’m going to do it my way.” She then summoned the fireball in her hand once again, this time making sure he could see it. She didn't attack though, she was just trying to make him stop.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want what he was offering, nor that she didn’t need it, but she had her pride and he had just hurt it twice now. Era could take care of herself, it was true, but she wasn’t just taking care of herself any more. She had the very body she possessed to care for and a dragon to care for too. She needed to provide for them and that was what she was trying to do. Her pride wouldn’t let her accept his help freely though. In her mind everything cost something, though not necessarily money, and for every gain there was a loss. She liked things to balance out. In truth, if he did back off she would be cursing herself later for not accepting his help. Still, she couldn’t… She would feel indebted and she didn't want to owe anyone anything, ever.

When the woman said that and sommoned fire Arthru immediatley went on guard and said," I did nto mean to offend my fine lady I have a heroic nature, please do not throw fire at me for the fight that will come afterwards will be brutal and I have no wish to fight you". He lowered his hand and brought a fireball out as well and smiled and said," Please my lady".

Era hesitated. She did need to accept his offer... but no. No. She would never, ever, take handouts, and now he was begging her. She took a step back and the flames were let go, the fire fading to less then an ember as it drifted to the street. She was angry. She couldn't do this, she was a failure, a failure... she couldn't do it, and she couldn't live on this plane, this material world... No matter how much she wished to prove it could be done. It didn't matter.

Era turned from him once more, her words in the common tongue were quiet but forceful. She refused to look at him. "I can't accept, now please go. I have work to do or I won't get the coin I need to live..." She wrapped her arms about herself as she kept walking away, her wings fading away like whips of smoke or illusions gone like fog burned off in the sun. AS she walked, her pace became faster and faster until she had broken into a run. She had to escape him, she couldn't take it, she just couldn't deal with it.

She cut down an ally way and stumbled as the cobblestone streets gave way to a dirt ally. She fell, subbing her toe. Era cried out and as soon as the body hit the ground she abandoned her. Era looked down at the body of the high elf she had possessed by way of a verbal contract with the girl's parents. She felt she should just abandon the girl, but she had to keep her word. She had said she would take care of her and she was doing a horrible job. If Lady Era could cry in her true form, as she hovered like some sort of aberration above the young elf dressed in yellow, tears would have run uncontrollably down her face.

”I’m so sorry Mladen… I have to do this differently then… I have to figure this out.” she said to herself, wishing that she were capable of accepting what he had offered. She simply couldn’t do that though. She couldn’t, even though she knew she needed to. She needed to…

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Meanwhile, back where Arthur Pendragon stood, a steel-colored dragon slid out onto the street and crouched down in a cat-like manner. He was a nearly full-grown dragon and he had not appeared until after Lady Era had left. “I’m sorry about that. She tends to be that way sometimes. It’s hard for her sometimes to accept the fact that she needs help.” His voice was nearly a whisper, as if he was attempting to not draw attention to himself.

Arthur was suprised when the lady ran off and even more so when a steel dragon appeared to him. He said,' Thank you for telling me that, I may have pushed to hard though, do you think I should go after her". The Dragon nodded and Arthur said," Dang me and my chilvaric ways". He ran off after the lady hoping to catch up.

((OOC: The steel dragon is NOT an NPC!!! He is a cohort under my control… he's in my inventory even. Please don't have him doing things in your posts! <_< ))

The Steel Dragon watched for a moment as the other ran off. He would have to stay close. He really didn't want Era getting angry and hurting someone. He rose to his feet and walked slowly after the stranger trying to help them out. He was thinking things over as he walked, wondering how to handle this. He had been with her long enough to figure this out, hadn't he?

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Era looked down sadly at the high elf who lay unconscious on the ground. Her next course of action would have to be getting help for the elf. If she got the girl to awaken again then she wouldn't have to try and take care of her. There was also Valen. She didn't want to leave the dragon. He was a friend, a real friend, and she had never had one before. She folded her present-white arms in front of herself she looked up through the gap above her at the sky. Stars shimmered, seeming so distant. Perhaps she needed to be doing something different, to look for something else. Stories of the Material plane were abundant among her people, the dangers and difficulties of it all were seeming all too true now that she was here. She wasn’t going to just write it off as no use though. She had something she wished to do first.

A sound caught her attention then, footsteps? The man she had just left appeared at the end of the alleyway. Had he seen her yet? What would he think of this situation? She was basically ‘standing’ over the unconscious form of the woman he had just been talking to. She froze, looking around the space and wishing she knew what his response would be. She couldn’t risk returning to Mladen’s body though… perhaps she could pass as a summoned elemental or something… She was elemental by nature so perhaps…

Her mind raced back and forth between appearing as an air or fire elemental, that would be increasing her weaknesses to some things greatly though. Becoming more like an air elemental would make her weak against anything that had better control of the wind then she did. Fire was so weak against water though and there was too many things she could catch fire here… fire would make more sense though… but she didn’t have anywhere to land. Then she remembered something else and quickly cast invisibility on herself. She was suddenly gone, leaving only the high elf in sight in the ally.

(Sorry)

Arthur ran up and thought he had glimpsed soemthign floating but ignored what he thought he saw and noticed the girl he had been talking to was on the ground passed out. He said," Damn it, if I had been quicker I coudl have stoppped whoever did, stupid girl should have stuck with me". He tapped her and said," Hey you alright, can you here me, are you alright". Arthur would wait and if the girl did not answer he would have to give her CPR.

((OOC: It's alright, I didn't explain Valen too well. Please excuse typos, I have no way to spell check!))

Era found that he was really starting to annoy her. Who did he think he was, following her even after she refused his pity offering... then he spoke and that annoyance quickly turned to rage. How dare he call her stupid! How dare he call her a girl! She was no child, in fact if she was of any other race she would have already had children, but her kind didn't have children, there were simply reborn on another elemental plane after some time. Their power would be scattered and one simply had to gather their powers about them again as they traveled.

Enraged, she dropped the the invisability spell as she took on her more fire elemntal form. What better way to express rage then with fire? Her skin darkened, turning ash gray then to charcole black. Her red hair took on a more fire-like appearance, as did her clothing. Her flight was runed, but she ended up on the edge of the roof above them. Fire sprang to her finger tips as she voiced her rage at the foolish man below her.

"Nothing was done you fool, she isn't harmed! Leave us alone before I turn you into cinders!"

"Era, enough." The voice was calm, cool... Era looked up to see Valen. "If you miss you will hurt her." Era's fiery gaze shifted down to the sleeping form of Mladen, the high elf lay limp, her breath the slowed breathing of one unconsious, her eyes moving slightly under her lids as yet another dream... a nightmare... caught hold of her unconcious mind.

She had promised, she was swarn to help the elf be healed. "You want to help her, you protect her, right." The steel dragon asked, bringing Era's attention back to him. "He wants to help her too. He isn't helping you, he is helping her."

Era's gaze went back to Arthur then and she paused. Era couldn't help Mladen, but she only said she would find help for the high elf and her strange ailment. This was not the extent of the help she was looking for, but perhaps...