New Priorities

((Continuation day after: Confused in the Wardens' Home))

Morning was a good time to lounge upon the soft moss and let the sun bathe over one's body. It was much nicer being able to stretch out with nothing but the skin of your own upon you and just drink up the light as it caressed one's skin.

Flowers sprouted from the soft expanse of greenery that Tatsoo had chosen for a morning sun dip and she lay there smelling their delightful scents and wishing they could stay there forever.

Try as she could the mind could keep back the thoughts of what happened the evening before. Tatsoo had left her new pack for her mate who was out on the quest of obtaining rights for elves and mages alike. With all the power he had at his disposal one would think that it would be as easy to do as waving a hand but Tatsoo had wondered about that. If it could be so simplistic then why did the warden commander look at it as something that could be as complicated as an egg?

Egg shells are like an arch. One end of the shell has a larger, rounder arch, and the other end is narrower and more pointed. Cracking an eggshell is easy if you tap it against a hard surface but if you interlock your fingers and try to squeeze an egg lengthwise to break it then it takes much more force than you would expect to break it.

The problem was like an egg. How do you accidentally break the egg and how do you make it so it will not collapse so easily? Even worse was the thought of what was being considered the egg? Was it freedom or chaos?

Tatsoo pushed the thoughts from her mind and partially rolled over, her back upon the moss as her legs lay to the side while she stretched like a cat, "Ah love it here." She exclaimed thinking of the small cave they found which was just big enough for the two of them and this lovely expanse above cliffs and mountains.

The spot Elenri had found was on top of a mountain where nothing could come near them besides birds. It was perfect with an area to romp about and the cave to snuggle in. There was even a cold stream which came from melting snowcaps which were higher up on another part of the mountain.

A boom of wings echoed over the mountain as the massive nine head hydra landed in the clearing, in it's jaws was a large full grown ten point buck which was dropped low to the ground. Elenri smiled as he turned back but kept his fingernails sharp as his talons. Leaning down he began to cut and skin the buck. "Sorry I wasn't here when you awoke my love. I figured after the flight and the.....night that you would be hungry." As he spoke a flame lit up on the ground but was surronded by a ward to keep fire from spreading and to keep the intense heat of five hundred degrees from burning them.

The elf mage lifted the slabs of cut meat and set them on a metal slab he had called from the earth. In seconds the meat was grilling on the flame. Elenri walked over and dropped down next to Tatsoo and kissed her lips then lower. "You look beautiful out here in the sunlight my dear, a true golden bird." Hi eyes stared at her hungrily with a driving want. "I been thinking, I have been trapped in a tower most of my life and after that well I was trapped in time. So since you travelled with Nygozy maybe you could tell me where the Lords and there castles are so we can pay them a visit. Of course since I can fly and you can ride on my back we can travel great distances in short time. But I also want you to know that guards and lords will hate mages especially low life elves......so there may be blood shed." His silver eyes stared at his beloved as his arms slid around her. "Are you fully commited to the cause my heart?"

The booming sound of the hydra returning made Tatsoo swirl, her weapons coming to hand in a moment as Kraven had made them part of each of his students. She had gotten into a fighting stance without even considering what she was doing, so used to doing so in the Fade. However, it was naught but Elenri and she smirked with pleasure as he landed with his prize then started to cook it.

There was no reason to get up as of yet so Tatsoo lowered herself to the ground and relaxed, sitting comfortably in the moss, "Ah figured ye prolly was getting something so Ah did na worry so much. But ye, Ah miss ye any time ye leave me."

As soon as Elenri was back with her she wrapped herself up with him and kissed him back then looked up into his eyes as he spoke. It was a lot to consider and she had to think carefully for her answer as she needed the right words to make sure there was no miscommunication.

"Ah do know some of de lords wif being a warden and dat could be a difficult thing for Nygozy if dey notice me with ye." She nibbled on his ear then sighed, "Now Ah need ye ta know Ah love ye and Ah follow ye ta death but dere are some things dat ah need ta make clear. Dere are many ways to do dis an Ah tink dat we have a long, hard road ahead. Ah d'na want ta be part of useless bloodshed. If we can avoid it den all de betta but if na den we fight. Kraven said Ah was yer conscience, and de one dat tame ye. Is dat still de case?"

Elenri smiled stroking his lovers long golden hair. "My dear, You will always be my guiding hand and my conchise voice. Never fear that I will not listen to your council. I do not want a war but I will free my brethren if I have to fight for it than so be it. But I will not drag you into that war, If it comes to that i will send you back to Nygozy and fight myself." He kissed her lips and moved away to the meat and smiled as he brought up another metal circle and laid a thick slab of meat on the plate and then took the plate that was cooked on over to his beloved laying them both in the grass. "DO you fear losing me my heart?"

Tatsoo's eyes closed and she sighed in a tender tone, relaxing under the feel of his hand on her hair then the kiss and food brought to her. She once again considered her words first because she did not want him to get the wrong idea.

"Ah love ye, Shade and yeah Ah be afraid of losing ye. When ye went down de tunnel without us Ah broke down. De wall was tuff an Ah couldna do a thing. Ye don' know how helpless Ah felt tryin' ta get to ya. Dey tried to haul me away from de door an dey couldna. Ah went crazy an shrieked, bit an growled, turned into a were all alone and snapped at dem. Dey had ta put a sleep spell on me ta get me away from de door."

There were tears in her eyes even though she didn't want to cry. It had been enough the last week, "Dey tried ta keep me in de hospice afta healin me hands but Ah left an found me hideout. Ah stayed dere de week. It musta been Ny who sent food ta me room cause ev'ry day dere be some wedder Ah wanted it or not."

She looked at the meat, "Ye know Ah wanna help ye an Ah be dere with ye but Ah need ta do so wif odder colour hair or some such so Ah not be known. We canna bring shame ta Nygozy and de F'reldan wardens."

He sghed as he laid his head in her lap so he could look up at her. "My dear Tatsoo, I didn't know my choice would bring you so much grief. But I had t go, no one else culd have fought what I fought....it was the whole reason Kraven trained me to be what i was. I didn't forsee the side effects, to be honest I don't think even Kraven could forsee what would happen. I never meant to casue yu pain or heartache, I was only suppose to be down there a few hours before returning to you....never did I expect to be thrown through time."

He kissed her hands holding them in his larger ones. "As for your hair that's a simple matter, I can turn it any color you wish". He smirked playfully. "How abut pink, or purple? I can do either one with a wink." He leaned up kising her lips again. "But you will always be my golden bird.....I guess we should change your eye color too. What would you like it to be?"

Tatsoo brushed the hair from his face as he looked up at her then tenderly traced his cheekbones and nose then across his eyebrows, "Ah know ye meant me no harm but I love ye and dat put de fear into me. I'd neva wish to lose ye again. We haveta work togetha as we did in de Fade but just de two of us. Ah think dis be somethin' we need ta think of carefully before we get inta it."

She hummed a song she knew he liked and was also one that she tended to use when she was trying to think. It was a gentle melody that she knew from when she was a child and it was old, very old from times man had forgot. Even the eldest elder in her pack had not known when they first heard the song but did know it came from the Elven people.

"Ah would like if dis be our main post." She stated about their little refuge, "Dere be enough space in de cave an even in de winter it be good to live in. As for de hair an eyes, if ye ken do tha' when we leave ta work den dat be good. Ah like me eyes an hair de normal color when we be togetha alone." Tatsoo kissed his forehead.

Elenri sat up and chuckled. "My dear, have no fear of man for they will not harm us. I have planned with the elves of old and spoken to them of events. They themselves chose not to change the outcome of what was too be, simply they trained me to be what could free my brethren...elves and mages alike." He smirked sliding his fingers through the golden blonde hair and it changed under his touch from glowing gold to midnight black. His fingers touched her skin and the same effect happened coloring her flesh darker so it looked more like tanned black leather than actual flesh. "This is called a Glamor, a illusion if you will. Anyone who sees you will see you like this unless you wish them to see you otherwise. As for the cave I guess we could use it but I thought maybe something more homely, but if the cave is where you feel comfortable I will make it home for us."

His head turned to look down at the mountain and he smiled. "There is a chantry near here not more than ten miles....I want to go there. I will tell the priest or priestess first that the Templars are to be disbanded. He or she can be the first to disband her cult....or watch it crumble around her. It may seem drastic but I must first show that the Templar who are the sole killers of mages have no power with me. Come Tatsoo....We go now." He stood and turned into the massive nine headed hydra dragon. Nine pairs of eyes stared out like a predator staring at prey.

Tatsoo let him up even though she was tempted to keep him in his spot for some time yet but they did have to get to doing things. Life would be fun just to be able to settle in and take in the world but they also had to live in it, and make sure others could without being taken advantage for their race or being a mage.

She closed her eyes as he touched her hair then her skin but soon peeked out of an eye as he spoke, "So Ah be normal to you then. That be good as Ah like ye ta see me with de gold an honey. How long does de glam..mer last?"

He had considered something else for their living arrangements? She supposed that he would have had a long time to consider these ideas, much longer than she did, "Sometin homely? Ah danna know what ye mean? Ye already had a idea aboot where we be stayin, Ah suppose. Ye have ta show me." She was quite curious and her eyes shone with interest.

Even though even Tatsoo was mildly unnerved by this new dragon form she was still much more at ease walking up to him and giving a head a rub then holding it's cheek against hers. She sought out a good spot to sit and followed his body language to do so, "Ah. We be startin dis now, me love. Ah be ready."

Tatsoo gulped in air in reflex to what would come next. She was nervous not because of what he had become but because of what they were setting out to do. She sincerely hoped that it would go well but was afraid that it would not. What group would disband so easily even when confronted by an elf who could turn into a dragon? Or at least when it came to Templars.

The Chantry was not a big one, and not even well provided, but it was clean, it had a beautiful garden surrounding it and some other barracks close to the main buildings, where there were children laughing and playing while some women watched them just outside a building that looked like some sort of school.

The village around the Chantry was medium sized and obviously completely rural, with barely paved roads and no other official buildings but one that acted like the local council, but the main one, and the one which was more protected, was the Chantry.

There was a woman tending to the vegetable garden, kneeling on the ground even if she was dressed with Revered Mother robes, and was tenderly collecting some lettuces, humming for herself. There was a man standing close to her, wearing the garments of a Knight Templar, whose gaze wandered from time to time between the woman and the children on the playground with a pleased smile. None of them were precisely young.

Powerful wings above beat like thunder as nine heads roared out as one, together they sounded like the roar of a thousand dragons swooping down and the massive creature landed just outside of the town only ten feet from the first house. Elenri made no hesitation about changing back to his elven form but this time he held no staff and wore no armor. Instead he wore a solid red robe that covered him from head to toe. For a momemnt anyone looking inside the cowl that held his face would see someone who was beyond age and time and simply was.

But the look was gone as quick as it came and the elven elder walked through the town ignorning all who stood to stare, his eyes were only on the chantry in front of him. He carried no weapon and as he walked his lips never moved, his eyes which had been hazel now held the slitted silver eyes of his dragon form. His hands ended in clawed tips. Elenri stopped at the open area before the chantry knowing this was where the Templars would gather to fight. Elenri turned his head taking in the people but these were older...sadly they were of the chantry and he didn't plan on just outright attacking them. He would give them the oppurtunity to see the error of their ways. And if they didn't...then he would show them. And if they still refused he would have to use them as a example to the next place he visited. He made no attempts to hide himself as a Mage and a Elf but he didn't rely solely on magic, he had another gifdt something that wasn't magic at all. And he knew the Templars couldn't drain his magic like the other mages. They would find something they had never in their lives faced...a challenge from a real magic wielder.

The town seemed to revolve around the Chantry which made Tatsoo nervous. She looked around as they landed and hopped off Elenri's back as he changed to human form. Her eyes flicked from side to side to see if there were any possible problems that may come about swiftly but it seemed that most people were backing away, surprised at this new situation. Templars watched them carefully though and she saw them taking great pains to make sure they were ready for anything.

Tatsoo did not blame the people for being concerned. Who wouldn't be with a hydra dropping down into their town as if it owned everyone and everything there. Then here she was now walking behind him to the right side looking every bit some creature from another world. Midnight black hair, tanned black leathery skin and her honey eyes, staring out from the dark folds of her skin. How must they be seeing them as more than monsters was beyond her.

This could not work. Elenri was not setting up a good view to come to these people like this. How could it? The people must think they were monsters and he was going to walk up to the priestess and tell her to disband their guards, the Templars who protect their village?

Her heart dropped thinking about what was likely to happen when he told this to them. She licked her lips and lowered her eyes to the ground. She would say nothing unless she needed to. She had to stand behind the man she loved and work with him to make the world better. That’s what he wanted: to make it better. It is what she wanted as well.

The children, human and elven alike, and two or three smaller ones that looked like dwarves, screamed and ran, the women screamed as well and tried to take them all inside the Chantry building as the (few) Templars ran to make a line protecting their Revered Mother and the building where children, elder people and women were trying to get refuge.

From all parts villagers appeared, scared and worried about their loved ones, with pitches, forks and some with old swords or similar, and lined up with the Templars against the hydra now turned a two legged being and his companion. There were humans and elves alike, arm by arm, and there were even some dwarves.

The eldest Templar was in front of his men, protecting the line, and sent some of the villagers back to the Chantry doors, with instructions to protect the children. It was true he was old, but still strong and firm like a good old shield. One young Sister ran out the Chantry, trying to get the Revered Mother up to her feet and make her go inside, but the elder woman dismissed her firmly and took her cane and carefully walked close to the Templars.

The Revered Mother was quite short and a bit overweight, with the air of a loving grandmother. Silver hair, gentle features, and obviously loved by her people as Sisters and village women screamed at her to go to them and be safe, but she did not listen. Also, it was obvious she was blind, but acted as if she wasn't.

Elenri stood as the people reacted around him, his eyes taking in the elves who rose to fight for their survival and it brought a surge of pride to his heart. His hands lifted and pulled back the cowl revealing the silver young elf who had come to their home. His hand raised in a gesture of peace in old elven...something these would have forgotten centuries ago. "Fear me not, I have not come to attack or harm ay of you. I do not wish to see your homes in ruin and blood on the ground." Elenri turned and looked at Tatsoo wondering if he should have brought her. She was strong and his hearts twin but she was also a good person. Darkspawn he knew she would attack without hesitation but humans and even elves...he didn't think she could. It was not a flaw she simply was his better half.

Elenri turned his attention back to the warriors in front of him though he used that term lightly. He had seen warriors who fought with swords of crystal forged by dwarves of great skill and power. Enchanters who made miracles happen every day and healers who could return all but the dead. His eyes landed on the lead Templar and what once would have been hate and rage now saw a man willing to die for his people and bring down a unknown enemy. "Master Templar....I say we are the same. You draw blade and stand out in the front to protect your people...your friends and loved ones. I do the same though my people do not know it yet. I wish freedom for all the elves and Mages of the world. But sadly we have a enemy drunk with power, those who kill mages because they are stronger then them, those who rape are magi women and cut the throat of any who protest all in the name of the Divine. You have a good home here...One that is peaceful and acceptance. I have no quarrel with you nor do I wish to do battle. But I must speak with the Mother." Elenri raised a hand forming a chair of earth and grass for the elderly woman, magic that hadn't been seen in any of their lifetimes. "She is weakened by age but her spirit burns like fire...I will offer a gift. If she speaks with me fairly and without superiority...I will return her sight if she so wishes it."

Elenri raised two more chairs however one was made of the wind and obviously for Tatsoo whil his was a light blue flame. He took his seat and raised another chair this of silver iron for the old warrior. "I do not think you would leave your Mother unprotected but if it helps...I give my word as a Ancient magi to do no harm here while there is peace between us, I also give my word I will do no harm to the Revered Mother as long as she does not attempt to attack me or send her warriors to do so." Elenri looked at the crowd and for a moment he wondered if he could make a difference. Yes he was owerful..he culd conjure storms and make something from nothing, his power was not linked to the fade but to the Mana of the world. But this was a happy village...and a good home. But for the sake of his brethren both elf and magi...the Templars had to go.

It felt like a very long walk to the elderly woman who waited with a courage she admired. With a man who had just form changed and walked through the village like he owned the world coming to speak with her, it could have been a much different reaction. Surely there was such strength in her and her kinsfolk rallied around her for love and protection.

Then there was Tatsoo looking like some demonic being but probably seeming like one who was not sure of herself. Well, she was sure of herself. She just was not sure of this but she had made an oath to her love and who would she be if she could not keep her oaths? Oath breakers were never revered and were disciplined strongly within her clan. Her people believed in measuring their situations before making oaths and so that they would not become an oath breaker. But she believed in Shade.

Tatsoo closed her eyes and took a deep breath before looking back up at the woman hoping that she would not react negatively.

The Reverend Mother stood, white eyes turning to the man before the Templars and put a hand out to move the closest man out of the way. She pushed forward with some pain, her joints aching and making it difficult but she did so proudly to stand as tall as she could in front of the Templars who watched over her in worry.

"You speak as though you have precedence here but you do not. If the people wish to follow one then they must respect and trust that person. Until you have reached the level where you are trusted then you will not be followed." She fell silent and as the moments passed it seemed almost as though she had fallen asleep but then she gave Elenri a diffident smile, "Until such time as you have proven to be a man of worth then there will be no resolution with you here. These Templars are not only here as part of any plan of the church or state. They are here for the well being of these people to keep them from damages from outside our path. Will you deny this town their protection? No. Leave warrior of the elven and leave in peace for if you do not then you show to all how much trust and respect you deserve."

With those words she stands there waiting for an answer. She is not willing to move and will not tell the Templars to leave. The Reverend Mother waits patiently to see if this comes to more.

Elenri stared at the woman and smiled, his eyes staring into the milky white eyes of the elder. He felt her wisdom but it was words he expected, he was simply a elf to her someone who didn't deserve respect and she spoke with the same words as all those before her. "Your words are not unfamiliar for I have heard them many times before, a lowly elf can not lead, a mage must serve and bow to the wishes of rapist and murderers, a true challenge arises and yu try and turn the people against them to save your own cause. Your templars can protect the village as warriors, lay aside the armor and swrds of the templar, swear to never use the power that destroys mages and treat all fairly but you can not. Your all drunk with power."

His eyes looked over the old templar and smiled, he could see the old warrior in the man but also the blind devotion to a cause that was evil. Elenri had many feelings for the woman. He respected her for standing her ground, honored her for her devotion, pitied her for her blind faith, and hated her for her words that spoke of nothing but lies and self survival. He turned his head loking at Tatsoo and smiled. "I am not a very good politician you see it is my flaw, I am power and strength. Maybe my oppsite will be better speaker, I know what she looks like but she is no demon if you look int her eyes you can see her true heart. He stepped back letting Tatsoo take the lead but a force seemed to surrond the town promising destruction if anyone dared to try and hurt his beloved. "Let's see if she can speak better than I."