A blurb to go with the piece this time! _____ "What is their demand for their services?" "A year's time only; though to the outsider, that is a considerable amount of time." "They demand residency here, then?" "It would seem so, yes. My son and I will, of course, aid the outsider in learning our ways..." The conversation continued even as the chill from the stone seeped through the leathers worn and into his bones. Being the son of Tathar-The Protector of the highly honored Reds-Loranthais always found himself accompanying his father to the Elvin Council gatherings. He will, when it is time, step into his father's position with all of the courtly mannerisms and grace-but this evening his concentration was near for naught. The one day Dragon Master seems to be the victim of distraction. His forced attempts at focusing upon his father's and the council's conversation came with a sigh-a barely breathed wisp of a sound as silvery blues angled up and over as his father stood before the gathered twelve. Loranthais could remember but three instances where the Elders gathered after the evening prayers. Every one of those instances had been for an immediate or dire need. This evening was different-the immediate need is there, but dire? There is an outsider living within the confines of the Elvin village, a happening that although has happened once prior-has not happened in generations of their memories. Is this something that could be considered dire? No. It IS something that could prove severely distracting for the entire village, not just Loranthais. The outsider has come to them for aid...or rather...the Reds. This request is the very reason he and his father were within the Elders' meeting hall, the very reason his father stood before the twelve to consider their options, and the very reason why his backside would soon become numb from sitting and the chill of the stone below him. As the debate continued on-his mind continued it's path of wandering. The topic of conversation has been living among them for three weeks now, learning their ways and language with more than a little help from the Dragon Master's son. This outsider, this human, ate at quite a bit of his time-though he did not mind in the least. His part is to help, and he is there to do so. The fact of this outsider's humanity is not the point of contention for Loranthais (he has many outsider, human, friends), no. It is the fact that during this time, he has gone from simply instructing to looking for the outsider: for conversation with outside of learning, to bring meats to, to walk about the village with while visiting others, to simply sit with while the day to day happenings go on around them. To just see that smile again. This distraction would be one that would prove almost impossible to pull him away from...Loranthais needs to know, to honestly know, if he has developed *feelings* for this outsider. This human. If so...does he dare take that step to act upon them? Credits: My Dyll morphs for H4, Jeremy for M4 textures, TOA for Unsung Heros, Valiant bracers, Koz' hair, DM's wall, floor, and burner. Jepe's flamez, and post work in PS7.