Fear of Fire...

[Drayden M]

Christian bolted upright and smacked his head on a low lying branch just above. We cought sight of Christian in nothing but thermal underwear. Something that will haunt me forever.

"What in the blue hell!"

We both let out roars of laughter at the bewildered Christian.

"Chr...Chri....Chris....Christian, oh my that was funny!" Arianna buried her face into my neck to hide her blushing cheeks. I nodded and averted my eyes. Opting to nuzzle Arianna in return.

"Ya'll know better an that. Tryin to give an old man a heartattack?" The jingle of belt and buckle while he did up his jeans. "Ya can look now."

Arianna carefully peeks between my neck and her arm and giggles more. "Am sorry Christian, didn't mean to scare you like that, but the chance was opportune! How was your trip?"

I turned my eyes back onto Christian, broad grin still present. "She's right you know."

Christian grumbled more and sat down, leaning against the tree. "Yeah yeah, just remember payback's gonna getcha one of these days youngin's. Trip was good, weather was kind to me. I see you two found the place alright."

"Your map was excellent, though nothing could have prepared me for the awe that I felt. This place is wonderously huge!" Arianna nodded.

Christian gave a hearty chuckle. "Yes yes, that it is my young Luna. Now then." He'd stretched once more before continuing. "Do tell me how it has been for you both since you've arrived. Then I will tell you my own little tale."

"Great to here, friend. Shall I go first?" I leaned in to meet Arinna's gaze. The news was still fresh on on my mind. My body shivered slightly, almost instantly covered in goosebumps as her lips touched flesh in a kiss. "First and foremost, I found a job to help out as I can. For the time being. Arianna and I have other plans to enact for later. I felt it best to let her explain our hopes to our friend.

"A job eh? Where might that be at?" Christian stroked the thick stubble on his chin.

"It's in the Dockside District. I'm what they call a loader."

[Arianna Chastlien]

Starting over...

I had sat there as quietly and attentive as possible as Drayden had told his tale. Patience had never been one of my strong points as I began to bounce with anticipation at the chance to tell Christian of my thoughts of the matters...and quickly enough I had been given the opportunity after Christian had praised Drayden for his maturity and then turned to me.

"And you my little Luna, what have you to say on matters?"

"Well you see, I've come up with this idea that...Well...Maybe we can sell wares, goods, crops, home made foods and such at a shop. A little market so to speak. I saw a building on my way to town that looked perfect! It was just short of 1100 gold. Also found a nice piece of land going for a decent price, but...all this requires money and..." I'd had to take a moment to regather my thoughts before I could speak again, sighing. "I wish I had been able to do more before the...the..f..f..fires had taken..." I could not finish my sentence as I faught back the tears and started to choke and hyperventilate slighlty.

"Now now Luna, enough. How often must you work Drayden?"

"The docks are always busy. From what I gather it's everyday of the week from sun up til sun down."

With a hearty laugh from Christian, we'd listened to Christian giving us that fatherly direction once again. "That will just not do son. You will lessen your days for the time being to three days a week. Understood?"

"But...But father how will we make it on that? I do not like the idea of him working so many and long hours and days but...with the loss we can't do much else. I am finding it hard to find work here." I was elated at the mere idea that Christian would lessen Drayden's work time, yet at the same time fear shot through my body...If he did not work, and as hard as it was for me to find work...How were we going to make it?

"Yessir."

A simple look from Christian to myself had quieted me as he began his own tale...and we'd sat in the dark and listened to him.

"Now then, are we ready to hear my own tale. When you both had left Eluna's things went quickly. The insurance on the farm came through with a speed I can only deem lucky by the Gods that watch over us. Evan had been saving for quite some time for you Drayden so that you may lead a life that he had never had a chance to lead, as much as I had been saving for you my dear Luna. The money will not last long, do not be blinded by it's amount now. But I assure you it is enough to start the dreams that we had. The store idea sounds excellent my dear Luna. The lands are once again fertile and by next season they should be ready to bear crops once more. What there is left we can indeed start with and with Drayden's income as well we can attain even more wares for the store. I am assuming that you had plans for me to travel to and from Rhydin?"

"If it were to please you father, yes. I cannot tend farm alone nor can Drayden. You are the one that is keen with the farm. Ho..how much money is there father?"

"I'll have to send Evan my thanks."

"Indeed you will. I had made my choice long before hearing you, young Luna. I had had my plans to come here and make sure the two of you were settled before returning to Eluna's to rebuild her. I cannot leave my last love behind. And Evan would love that Drayden, though he knows your thanks already. There is a little over 23,000 with all that is accounted for young Luna. 23,864 pieces to be exact my dear Luna and young Drayden, not bad for a miserly farmer, eh? But enough talk of these things, on the morrow we will start to find room and board for you
both for the time being and we will buy your shop my dear. All will be will. I promised you that since the day I took you and I will keep to that promise."

I could tell that having been rousted from his sleep that Christian was tiring once again, he'd stretched and yawned, rubbing at his stomach a bit before he'd spoke again.

"Come now, let us some sleep before the sun arises. Sleep now little Luna, for tomorrow your dreams start to come true. Sleep soundly son."

[Arianna Chastlien]

I woke up to Drayden wrapping his arms tighter around my waist and the crisp chill of the morning that had me shivering in his arms, his words are what woke me the most...

"Soon my dear Arianna you will have everything you could ever want."

A kiss to my neck sealed his words as we heard Christian getting up, so with much regret I slipped from Drayden's arms and began to put my over clothes on, stretching as I looked over the countryside that I had callen home for the last week, week and a half. It had been grand, quiet and calm here...I almost regretted having to leave it all behind, but I knew that some day...Some day Drayden and I would own something as beautiful as this if not more so. I'd noticed the look that Drayden had cast around as well, and it made my heart lurch. We'd always wanted something like this to be our very own...It was much like back home in Eluna's...Only the land here was not singed with regret and charred with memories. I had been so lost in my own thoughts that I didn't even hear Christian ask Drayden to come and help him.

The two men had dug up the treasure that would be the key to our success while I had been lost in dreams and fairytale thoughts, but at the jing of the coins at my feet I knew was not a dream as I looked down to six bags, stuffed full of gold pieces. Wide eyed I just stared at them. I'd never seen so much money in all of my entire life, or had I ever thought that I would ever see that much. Christian's voice brought me back to the here and now as Drayden slipped behind me and again embraced my trembling body.

"Now then, my young ones. Let us be off. It is better to get an earlier start than a late, when you are looking to spend some money. My plan is for us first to grab a warm breakfast for our stomachs and then we will move on from there. You can't possibly expect a man of my age to think well on an empty stomach."

A roar of laughter from the man that I had called Father for the better part of my life as we packed up everything that we had come here with and as I rode away on Elusive, I dared not look back, but only ahead to bigger and better days...

[Arianna Chastlien]

It had not taken more than ten minutes ride on horseback before Christian had led us to a part of town I was vaguely familiar with. It was quite near the fighting arena I had been frequenting since my arrival, but yet I had said nothing to Christian on this, for fear that I might anger him. We dismounted the horses still in the waning moonlight of the night and Christian ushered us towards an old oak door that behind the door, you could even in the early hours of the morning could hear a rustle of hustle and bustle.

I was not to keen on entering this place, after all I had come from a small town where everyone knew everyone else and there was no fear of ever...Drayden had opened the door and the warmth from inside had quelled my nerves enough that I hastily stepped inside the Red Dragon Inn. Golden hazel eyes had to blink to adjust to the lighting inside but soon I had warmed to the place as much as it's warmth had taken the chill from my body. Christian had told us to find a table and to go ahead and order what we would, and that he'd be back in a few moments. I had merely thought he was going to the restroom.

Drayden ushered me carefully through the throng of people in the Inn at this hour, he was always watchful and wary of the other men around me. We'd finally found a well worn booth and seated ourselves, I tried desperately to spot Christian through the thicket of people but that had long become hopeless and so I turned to the serving girl who'd stepped to our table.

"Mornin' Mizzuz and Mizter. Thiz here be the Red Dragon Inn. Can I getcha anathing to drink or eat. It be chilly out there thiza morning alright."

The child could not have been more than fourteen or fifteen, and she was working already? The thought alone surprised me and I merely buried my head into Drayden's shoulder and sighed, mumbling something about not being very hungry at all.