Darkest Light

[Kaisaan]

He didn't want to be here.

He didn't want to be saving the daughter of the King who'd broken his proud people. He didn't want to be in this city - this HUMAN city - that was nothing more than a glorified slavers hub, a place where people were brought to be auctioned off like cattle. Most of them were mythicals, an exotic breed to the humans, creatures to be given to the highest bidder, a show of status and rank.

The Princess Elidi was one of those now, somewhere among the ranks of those waiting to go to their new masters and it was his task to find her and bring her back to her home, to her father, mother and brothers.

And Ekanath would have rather been fighting in another bloody, senseless war.

His piercing gold eyes took in the crowds around him and the Dark Elf pulled his hood up further over his head, keeping his white hair out of sight and purposely thickening the shadows around his face so even if someone did look in they wouldn't see much of anything but an outline of his features. He followed, with his gaze, the direction most people were heading and logically came to the conclusion that wherever they were going was where he needed to be.

Ekanath's reasoning was well-founded as the crowds led him to the auctioning blocks and the slavers and he quickly started to look for the platform that would be selling elves.

Even if he didn't want to be here, doing this, the Dark Elf knew he didn't have much of a choice. Not if he wanted his family to remain safe and when it came to his family, he would do ANYTHING to protect them.

That's why he was here and in the end, that was why he'd get this bloody enemy Princess back to her own people.

 

[catalyst]

Princess Elidi was disgusted. The people that had kidnapped her from her home, the kingdom of Sanesia, were human, and humans of one of the lowest ranks. She had come to find out that they were slaves - which didn't mean they were lower ranked in her book. They were lower ranked because of the way they kidnapped beings like her, whether they were male or female. Other elves, cat-like people which were called Nekos, people with wings. Beings that were exotic and apparently very highly valued for whatever reason humans used them for. And she knew the list: beings like her used to serve household chores, treated cruelly just for amusement, and most often being used for sexual exploits. So even though she appeared strong on the outside, she was actually very afraid on the inside.

When she woke from being sedated, she was in a barred cage that was too small for her likings - if she stood, she had to bend her back a few inches, and it was just barely wide enough for her to lay down in. But because it was barred and not completely walled, it didn't make her claustrophobia react. She checked herself for any bruising or cuts. She was still in her same regal clothes and seemed to be in perfect condition besides her head hurting. That's when she remembered overhearing her captors saying that she wasn't to be touched, otherwise her value would go down. An elf like her? A Light Elf like her - and a princess no less! - was a rare captive and she was to be shown the utmost care.

Elidi didn't recognize the town she was in. It seemed to be a human town but she was in street where other captives were being held in different blocks. She was with the elves, and others were with their kind. They didn't speak to her except to quietly ask if she was okay. In a response she just nodded. People noticed that the High Elf Princess was awake and soon were swarming about her, a handful of mostly men speculating her as she just stared at them with hardening golden eyes, sitting in the back of the cage against the bars, one leg extended and the other bent so her arm rested atop her knee, her other against her extended leg. Her expression was hardened and showed subtle anger as she glared at the people. They were not going to be given a show. Not by her. She needed to think about escaping this cage.

 

[Kaisaan]

Ekanath - Kana as he was known to a few - had worked his way to the near-front of the crowd, at the elven-sale platform, and he endured the jostling, the danger being in such a place put him in, merely waiting. He felt sick, watching as elves were sold, as any mythical creature was sold, but he knew he could do nothing for them. Such acts made him burn inside, though, cold fire and hate stirred up in his spirit against mankind, against those that sought only to please themselves with acts of cruelty and vulgarity.

They could all die and he wouldn't lift one finger to help.

This time, though, he could only watch and Kana remained silent as the day waned, watching for the only person he was allowed to take from his living hell. She was brought up on stage as the sun began to set, casting the platform in a golden glow, highlighting the beauty of the creature that resided inside the bars. She was breathtaking, that any male could admit, even Kana, but he felt nothing for her. He didn't even know know her and had only ever seen her from a distance.

The bidding on Elidi started high, as was expected, but the Dark Elf immediately noted that there were five men in particular who seemed to be controlling the bids. They were spread out, seemingly separate from each other, but sharp gold eyes saw that their weapons were of similar make, bearing the same craftsmanship and every so often they'd glance toward each other, making sure they were communicating clearly.

Interesting.

Kana turned his attention back to the platform and when the auctioneer started to slow, the bids starting to trickle down, that's when the Dark Elf spoke. His voice was clear and deep, containing just the barest hint of a dangerous edge to it. "Twelve thousand gold." The bid was thrice that of what the last man had spoken and the crowd turned toward him, now interested. Kana paid them no mind and he stayed hidden as the auctioneer regained his bearings and started the bidding back up.

The men from before raised it, looking angered by the fact and behind his cowl, Kana smirked. He wasn't worried about losing this bid. He had permission to spend whatever he needed to in order to get the Princess back and well, Kana didn't have a problem bleeding the Kingdom of Sanesia dry if he had to. When the bidding slowed again, he spoke once more.

"Twenty thousand gold."

There was a collective pause of several minutes before the auctioneer stopped the bidding and announced that the elf was sold to the 'man in the black cloak'. Elidi was carried away then, taken to await her new master.

 

[catalyst]

Elidi felt the same as Ekanath did. But she was a natural born healer, and if in the situation of all these humans dying, she would most likely act differently. It's not like humans were the only creatures that sold or bought 'exotic' beings - other mythical creatures did just the same.

As the day started to set, Elidi let out a sad and barely audible sigh. She always felt a loss when the sun was replaced by the moon and stars, if even just a subtle feeling. But she adored the night sky just as the day and she welcomed it as she would the sun. In the glowing sun rays of the sunset, the sky and clouds tainting to pinks and oranges and blues, the princess's beauty was illuminated even more as she was forced to stand, her hands being bound behind her back by handcuffs as the auction began. She was being auctioned now. She took in a deep breath as she closed her eyes.

A new voice was heard - unfamiliar than those men that had been watching her nearly all day. She opened her eyes and searched the crowd respectively, eyes flickering upon what seemed to be a man in a black cloak. But she could not see his face. Peculiar.

When the bidding finally came to an end at the price of twenty thousand gold, even Elidi was shocked at how much that man was willing to spend. But she had a chance to get out of this situation, and when the door to her cage was opened and she took her first step out, she took it. One man was on each of her side as they began to walk her to a new building. She looked around her surroundings slyly, breathing in and focusing before taking control, unaware that she was actually being rescued by her supposed master. Quickly she squatted down and extended a leg as she pivoted on the other, swinging the extended leg against her body guards' legs to make them drop. She executed it perfectly before she stood and began to ran, her hands still handcuffed behind her back. A couple more people tried to come her way and she jumped onto a couple of crates, giving her a lift high enough that she could flip in the air and over the 'guards', her hands swooping under her feet so that when she landed, her hands were cuffed in front of her now. And then she kept running, looking back and seeing all four guards chasing after her.

 

[Kaisaan]

While Elidi had been taken away, Kana had paid the fee for her and received the key for her cuffs. It was then that the commotion was heard and the Dark Elf sighed, resisting the urge to rub his temples as he left the platform and started toward the noise. He came upon the scene just in time to watch Elidi leap up, turn her cuff around and take off. Kana smirked just slightly.

Well, that didn't take long.

The Dark Elf debated then whether to let the guards take her and bring her back, but in the end decided against it. They might smack her around first before bringing her back and much as Kana wasn't fond of Light Elves, she didn't deserve that treatment, especially when he could prevent it. Keeping an eye on the direction she fled, Kana moved swiftly to his horse, having tied the animal at the retrieval building before he'd wandered the town and once mounted, he took off after the fleeing figure.

Passing the guards, his gold eyes flashed silver and ice formed from the puddles under their feet. They slipped, crashed into objects and people and Kana chuckled under his breath before bringing his focus back on the fleeing female. She was rather good, evading grabbing hands and executing flawless moves over crates and around vendor stands....but in the end, at this rate, she would be captured again and he couldn't allow that.

So Kana took a risk and when Elidi slowed for a moment, he pulled back his hood and called to her, deep voice ringing clearly over the noise as he reigned in the black stallion he rode, keeping the animal prancing in place.

"Princess Elidi! If you'd accompany me, your father would like to see you returned home!"

There. She could see what he was clearly - and hey, a Dark Elf was better than a human, right? - and now she could make the choice: would she trust his words and take his aid, or would she flee on her own and risk capture again?

 

[catalyst]

Elidi had to try something else, something different. She kept alert and focus as she tried to think of another plan to get rid of these awful guards. Then she looked down to her barefoot feet and she smiled. As she ran, she jumped and turned, one of her feet swinging out in the air and shooting fire in a curved line towards the guards. The flames were only close enough to let the humans feel the heat of the flames since she didn't want to hurt anyone unless necessary. Then she landed back on her feet and continued running like nothing had happened, the fire only hindering the guards for a moment.

She had to get out of here. She had to. She was not going to have a 'master' and do whatever he wanted. However, when she heard that deep voice and neigh of a horse, she turned around with wide eyes, seeing the same cloaked figure on a horse that was just prancing in place. Had her father really sent this man to rescue her? Could she really trust him? She wasn't prejudice against Dark Elves - she actually fairly hated the war and that the Dark Elves had been conquered and treated like they were beneath the High Elves, but since they had been at war... this guy could just as easily be lying and actually wanting to buy her to torture because of her high status, the fact that her people had taken away his kingdom. She hadn't recognized who he was in her alert status.

"How can I trust you?" she yelled back, starting to bounce on the balls of her feet again since the guards were getting closer.

 

[Kaisaan]

Kana smiled, looking for all the world like he was completely unconcerned with Elidi's predicament...and in a way he wasn't. Oh, he'd help her if she got herself in more danger than she was now, but for the moment, it was almost entertaining to see her cornered. He knew the feeling.

The smile left his face with a sigh soon after it had appeared, though, and the Dark Elf spoke in the High Tongue, a language he didn't actually know, but he'd only had to learn one phrase and he'd memorized it. The King obviously knew his daughter and that she'd be distrustful, so he'd had Kana learn a phrase, something the Dark Elf didn't even understand, to reassure his child that she was indeed to go with this enemy warrior.

"The sun chases away the moon as the light chases away the dark. Always have hope child, for the cloud will always part."

It was a something between the King Thorontur and his daughter, something perhaps that he'd said to her as a child. Kana didn't know. He could only wait and see what affect it would have - if any - and be prepared to chase down a stubborn princess if she chose to run.

Hmm...wonder what kind of punishment he'd get for that when the report got back?

 

[catalyst]

Elidi was impatiently waiting for his answer, wishing the Dark Elf before her would just hurry up and give her an excuse to trust him. Just as she was about to flee again, she heard a familiar language reverberate throughout the Dark Elf's tongue, her bouncing stopping slowly as she looked at him with wide golden eyes and a slightly agape mouth. The phrase that he said literally struck home for her and she smiled brightly when she fully embraced the phrase. The stranger spoke like he didn't really know what it meant, but that didn't matter to the princess as she quickly went to the horse's side.

The phrase was first spoken to the High Elf as a child, when she first got sick from being away from the sun for too long. Not knowing what was wrong at the time, Elidi had gotten hopeless and frightened. But her father, after thinking it over for a very long time and having an epiphany in the middle of a talk with a colleague, went to his daughter's side immediately and calmed her with that phrase. After that, when anything got hard to bear with, Elidi would speak with King Thorontur and he'd speak that phrase in their own, unique language. It was just something a father and daughter shared.

In her short trek to the horse and the Dark Elf, it was then that she realized the man's face looked familiar. She had definitely seen him from somewhere, but where...? As she hopped on the horse and sat behind the stranger, she suddenly realized who it was. "Prince Ekanath?" she questioned softly, shifting her body slightly to try and get a look at his face from behind.

 

[Kaisaan]

Hmm, that actually worked. Good.

The Dark Elf watched carefully as Elidi made her way toward him and when she swung up, he didn't offer to help even though her hands were bound. She seemed perfectly able to do it on her own. At her words, he looked away, avoiding her gaze and making it as hard as possible for her to get a good look at him as he responded back to her, kicking the stallion into a gallop through the city. They shouldn't be chased, after all, he did pay for her.

"Not sure that titles applies to me anymore, Princess." he bit back in a clipped manner, concentrating on avoiding trampling people and getting them out of the city. The stallion leaped a crate to avoid a child in the street and Kana reached down to place a hand on Elidi's leg, just above her knee to make sure she was still there when they landed and perhaps to steady her as riding with handcuffs couldn't be easy.

He removed his hand immediately afterward like he'd been burned and they continued to ride, drawing closer to the outskirts of the city and the forest beyond.

 

[catalyst]

The guards behind them watched the scene in front of them unfold. That buyer was a dark elf? And the princess was going to him? He spoke in a language that they didn't recognize nor understand and they stood there just kind of dumbfounded, unable to help the two that they weren't sure had escaped or had been merrily on their way. They returned to their posts, the two elves long gone. But when the slaves that had captured Princess Elidi had heard what happened, they were far from pleased. (( I'm thinking that when it comes to it, you'll be the slaves that kidnapped her? Since you know more about their plans and what not... ))

Elidi had been able to secure her hands on the horse's back before jumping and swinging her legs on either side of the horse. It felt sketchy not holding on to anything so she hesitantly grabbed at Ekanath's cloak with her bound hands. She frowned sadly at his clipped answer and stopped trying to look at him. It wasn't her fault what happened to his people... was it? When the horse leaped over a crate, her hand tightly grasped on the prince's cloak so she wouldn't fall off. She looked down when she felt his hand on her knee and she bit her lip when he quickly pulled away. At least he checked that she was there.

"Did you happen to grab the key that unlocks these handcuffs, do you?" she inquired as they neared the outskirts.

 

[Kaisaan]

"What do you mean she left with a Dark Elf?!"

To say Nepro was angry would be an understatement. The man was livid as he yelled at the slavers who'd been in charge of capturing Elidi, but while they were truly the scum of the earth, the men who'd taken the Princess were not responsible for her escape. That was the city guards and no action could really be taken against them because legally, the Dark Elf had bought the Light Elf. Legally, she was his.

Nepro wasn't thinking about that, though. He was thinking about his Masters and the wrath that would come if he and his men returned without the female. Yes, it was quite easy to see why he was angry if one knew about the task he'd been assigned.

------

Kana gave a sharp nod. "I did. It's not safe to stop yet, though."

He could feel that instinctively. Those five men hadn't been bidding on Elidi for nothing and the further away they got from them, the better they'd be, of that he was sure. They entered the forest a few minutes later and the Dark Elf opted not to follow the path leading through the trees but rather to forge one. He directed the powerful animal under him with a combination of skill and patience, weaving them through the thick foliage, miles into the trees.

It was a good hour before they came to a stream and Kana followed it, his gold eyes searching for something and finally finding it. A rock formation on the riverbed. He veered away from the stream then, up the bank and they emerged into a clearing that led to a cave, just visible in the growing darkness. A white horse stood tethered to a nearby tree - the Princess' own mount nonetheless - and Kana stopped his own horse, dismounting and reacting without thought to help Elidi dismount. He released her waist quickly, inwardly cursing his own actions as he took a step or two back, pulling the key to the cuffs out of his pocket.

"There are clothes, food and a torch in the cave. If you want to bathe, you know where the stream is." So saying he unlocked her cuffs, letting the metal fall to the forest floor in disgust and then moved away to tend to his mount with a much calmer and patient aura than he'd had around Elidi herself.

 

[catalyst]

Elidi halted a sigh as it was about to slip through, keeping her hands clutched to Ekanath's cloak and staying on the horse as best as she could. She wasn't about to complain - the prince had came to rescue her after all, and he didn't seem very happy about it either. She kept her eyes on her surroundings, noticing that they hadn't followed the trail and instead took their own, Ekanath directing the horse like he knew what he was doing. After about an hour, they followed a stream and arrived at a cave where a white horse was idling near a tree.

The princess thanked the prince when he helped dismount her from the horse, but he seemed to have a weird thing about touching her, backing off as quick as their bodies contacted. She nodded at him and rubbed her wrists when they were released from the cuffs.

Elidi didn't know if she wanted to bathe or not. She hadn't been touched intimately or anything of the sort, but... she still felt... almost shameful by being stared at intensely with so many perverse eyes. So instead she went inside the cave to look around. She spotted the food and realized just how hungry she was, sitting down and eating what she could.

 

[Kaisaan]

Kana frowned at his horse as he untacked the animal and brushed the stallion down, his thoughts in a whirl. He and Elidi had a lot of ground to cover, nearly a three weeks worth, and already he was wondering how he was going to get through this civilly. It really wasn't that he was bitter and angry at the PRINCESS, but rather her entire people as a whole and most-definitely her father. It honestly made it hard to see Elidi as anything but the enemy.

He sighed, leaning his head against the stallion's neck, taking a deep breath before he straightened and gave the horse a slight slap, releasing him to graze. The Dark Elf looked toward the cave then before looking up at the moon. It glowed brightly tonight, coming down through the trees to brush against his hair and skin like a gentle caress and Kana found himself relaxing just a little as he started for the cavern that now glowed with firelight from the torches. He felt better now that the sky had darkened, now that the shadows were thick, the forest dark.

This was his element and Kana moved like a creature of the night himself as he came into the cavern, the shadows seeming to cling to him despite the firelight as he seated himself across and slightly away from Elidi. The Dark Elf reached up, pushing his white hair - something that was truly rare for his people as they all tended to be dark of hair - back behind his ear, revealing the dark tattoos that spiraled up his face. His gold eyes looked at the fire and it was obvious he stayed as far from it as he could without looking suspicious.

"We can leave at first light if you want."

She would already know it was going to be a long journey - she'd probably traveled most of it in a cage.

 

[catalyst]

The female elf's mind was also in a swirl as she ate. All her life she had wished for freedom and now she had it. However... it was under entirely different circumstances than she wanted it to be. And she was with a Dark Elf who, surely, must hate her indirectly due to the fact that she was a Light Elf, and the princess of the king who conquered his kingdom, no less.

Elidi herself was leaning against the wall, her feet warming against the heat of the fire that radiated throughout the cave. It could get surprisingly cold at night. When Kana returned, she was watching the firelight, almost entranced by its passionate dance. But her own golden eyes flickered to the dark prince who seemed to always be accompanied by shadows. She cocked her head just slightly as her eyes traced his white hair, very rare for a Dark Elf. She found it rather beautiful. And she also was rather fond of his tattoos. When he spoke, her eyes traveled to his though they weren't met.

"The earlier we leave, the better," she agreed, remembering how long the journey was. She finished her meal soon and looked to him. "Have you eaten?" she asked, trying to keep the atmosphere light but knowing full well that hitting some sour notes were very well possible.

(( You know, it's actually quite funny. In fantasy or mildly fantasy RPs, I almost always pair my characters with white hair and tanned skin. Something I've always loved, I dunno. :3 ))

 

[Kaisaan]

Kana could feel her stare keenly. He knew when he was being looked at, especially by a Light Elf - it was almost like their eyes contained the intensity of the sun itself. His skin prickled and the hair on the nape of his neck rose, his body grew tense, alert every single time, but unlike many of the times before when the gaze of others had been on him, he didn't feel threatened by Elidi. So he didn't lash out, but neither did he look up and that was a habit he'd developed over the course of fifty years.

Dark Elves were not slaves per say - most actually still lived in Dynasha - but those that were kept close to the palace, forced to stay in Sanesia, were not much better treated than servants and unpaid ones at that. Perhaps one could say their payment was their privilege to live.

Kana, being a Prince, was not exempt and in fact, he was distanced even from his own kin in Sanesia, not allowed even the right to speak with them because of his status as Dynasha's heir. It was to keep any plans of revolt under control and in a sense was wise, but it did nothing except fan the fire in Kana's heart. And that was just when he was under the eyes of the King. What happened when the monarchs were not looking was another matter entirely.

The thought caused Kana's gold eyes to flash with a silver light, angry, before he got his power back under control and blinked, focusing on Elidi's question. A frown came to his face, a thoughtful expression before he shook his head. "Not since yesterday afternoon."

It really wasn't strange that he hadn't noticed, at least not in Kana's mind, and he took some of the food now, eating slowly. He dared to look up then, frosted gold eyes meeting warmer gold ones and Kana seemed to study the female elf for a long moment before he broke the small connection, looking away again, his white hair falling forward to hide both markings and his eyes. His voice was deep, but quiet.

"You should sleep."


(( Hehe, so THAT is why you liked him. :P I tend to like characters with white hair, too, but Kana surprised me. LOL ))

 

[catalyst]

(( More than that, too, though. But yes... I guess I just had a natural draw to him hahah. Also, about Elidi knowing about Ekanath's powers and what not - if you'd rather her find out or had something differently planned, just let me know and I'll edit. [: ))

Elidi hadn't meant to intrude in Ekanath's personal eye space or meant to be rude, but she understood body language and his was clear that he didn't like being stared at. At least not by her. So she stopped staring. And she looked back to the fire instead which resulted in her not noticing the flash of silver in his eyes.

She knew the basics of Prince Ekanath: who his family were, what they were known for, what his main abilities and powers were. She was sure that he had knowledge of hers as well. Years of being educated taught her this knowledge, and she was positive that Ekanath had received similar, if not the same, education.

When he answered the Light Elf's question about eating, she frowned a little bit and looked back to Kana but her face was quickly back to normal as he started eating. And their eyes met, his a cold, solid gold compared to her warm, liquid gold. Her eyes returned to the fire pit, letting him study her since she had studied him just earlier. She was told to sleep after he had gotten his fill. The female's eyes glanced down at her lap for a second before looking back to the fire.

"I cannot," she answered. Maybe he'd figure out why by her tone. But she didn't mind explaining either.

 

[Kaisaan]

(( Nah, that's fine. He's got plenty of secrets already that she'll discover over time. LOL ))

Kana had figured that further conversation was over so when Elidi spoke up again, he couldn't help but look up at her through his white hair, faint curiosity stirring despite himself. That really was one of his downfalls; being too interested in everything. It would be so much easier just to hate, to not feel so conflicted about this. She wasn't her father...and her father wasn't a horrible King. That was the hard part for the Prince. He could be bitter for losing his homeland, angry about being separated from his people, but in the end...would they have done any different to the Light Elves had they won the war?

The Dark Elf didn't know...or did and didn't want to acknowledge it...and it was for that reason that his dislike of Elidi, of even her family, wasn't as cemented as it could have been.

Still, at her words he sighed, too tired to want to guess at what was bothering her. Distrust of him? The lack of sunlight over head? Was she injured? No...no, she was a healer. She would have tended to herself or made him do it if she was. She wouldn't risk something like that, especially when she knew she was going home now. No, she wasn't injured....but damn if he knew what WAS bothering her.

Maybe if he wasn't about ready to fall over himself he'd have figured it out, but for now, Kana took the easy way, the shortcut.

"Why not?"

 

[catalyst]

(( Haha alright. :3 ))

Elidi felt Ekanath's eyes flick over to her when she spoke but she kept her eyes on the fire, wanting to play with it but was too tired to do so. Then she heard his sigh. Was it annoyance? Was it because she didn't tell him why? She didn't know but when he asked why, her voice came out low.

"Because I've been sleeping during the day. I felt more at ease with the sun rather than trusting those men during the night. So my sleeping schedule is off kilter," she answered, finally looking to him. Maybe he had been expecting an answer more along the lines of: 'Because the last time I slept, I woke up in a cage.' But that wasn't her reasoning. She wasn't afraid of that. She also still was not sure if they really had gotten away from those slavers. After all, the guards had seen Ekanath, a Dark Elf, and she remembered that the slavers were pretty straight forward about her being sold to an actual human.

 

[Kaisaan]

Hmm, well that made sense. Not what he was expecting, but it made sense and the Prince nodded slowly, looking at Elidi briefly, eyes connecting and his own thoughtful, before they slid away and found the outside of the cave, the darkness beyond. He spoke despite not really intending to and his own content surprised him slightly, as if his mouth had run away from his mind. "I understand. I would stay awake with you, as is the nature of my race, but my sleep pattern has been forced off kilter for years."

Kana blinked, unsure why he'd offered that information. Maybe it was because this was the first truly...well, friendly conversation he'd had in a while or perhaps he was just that tired. Either way, the Dark Elf didn't intend to keep it up - though, as he'd learned, intentions didn't always guarantee anything - and he stood with all the grace of a wild animal, shadows clinging to his frame as he moved to the entrance of the cave.

"I'll be just outside if you need anything." Kana exited then, but didn't go far, only enough distance away that he could see the stars overhead and the bright moon. The last three weeks had been a true blessing in this one way; he got to sleep outside again. The thought of sleeping in a cave right now...was enough to make him shudder as he laid down and rested his head on his arms, stomach on the ground.

 

[catalyst]

Elidi met Ekanath's eyes and she hid a smile as she watched them travel to the outside. The one thing they had in common were the color of their eyes, but even then it was just the color. His golden eyes were cold, and hers were more warm. Besides that... they were basically complete opposites. She was a Light Elf, with dark hair and light skin. She controlled fire and healed, while Prince Ekanath was a Dark Elf with light hair and dark skin. He controlled ice and shadows. Perhaps they shared their royal titles, but they were just titles. She racked through her brain what maybe they had in common rather than just silly things, but she could not find one. Maybe once she got to know more of this man. Now she knew that he slept during the night instead of the day, unusual for a Dark Elf.

She watched him stand and walk to the only entrance and exit in the cave, saying only an 'okay' in response. She stayed near the fire and laid down on her side next to it. She watched the intense dance and moved her delicate fingers to dance with the fire. She would try to sleep, but there were no promises.