She relished in the fact that these boys would never be as good as she was with their weapons. Granted, that if she fought them with swords it would be different, but in battle soldiers fought with their preferred weapons so it would only be fair if she did the same.

There was one boy that seemed to show some promise, Harvey. He was a tall lanky youth, and he reminded her of Talon, her brother. So much so in fact that she had to remember he wasn't. Tallulah was beyond relieved when Talon was seen as an ally. She would've hated having to see him die in opposition.

The men feared her prowess, something she didn't even understand herself. It was always coming back to her damned scales. One of these days she needed to see what information could be found on half dragons in the keep library. Mykel hinted-the last time she was here- that the library here contained more ancient texts than the library at Aria, and how some scholars would travel here just to study.

There was proof in those words with the multiple times she'd chanced upon the men in plain brown robes carrying scrolls to and from their destinations.

"He has declared himself king, my lordship, and states you give him the girl," the words were only in passing but she paused in her walk back to her chambers-where she spent most of her time if she wasn't in the training yard.

"The foolish boy still has no idea that I play a part in this. I plan to bring her on the road when he summons my men and arms and attack within his keep, and hopefully end his line for good, already our forces of cats and elves march to meet us on the fields before Aria," Tallulah felt the color drain from her face. She was nothing but arrow fodder. And she knew elves were responsible for the beginning of this war and some part of her knew that Ladrin's kin was also of the opposing forces but hadn't put the two together until now.

"Galaden doesn't like that you lead his elves as if they were your people," said the portly informer. Tallulah got a good look at him. This was a man she had only seen in passing before and it was not from Idris, she couldn't place him however; and continued to listen in her hiding spot.

"I don't give a damn about Galaden's feelings, if it weren't for my efforts they would still be cowering behind the dragons' lines,"

"If it weren't for your efforts our prince would be mateless still, but you had to rape that whore," a loud Crack echoed across the walls. And the portly man fell to his knees, clutching his face. Anger boiled within Tallulah 

"You will learn to hold your tongue. That bitch I bred will no longer be an issue once her mate is dead," the only good part of that statement was that it rhymed. They would have to kill her before they killed Atlas for she would haunt them the rest of their days. Whilst wanting to know what other things they would talk about she decided she'd heard enough and turned around, taking an alternative route back to her chambers.

Once returned she collapsed on her bed. It wasn't as grand as the bed she'd been given in Aria, but 20 years of sleeping on a straw bed on a wooden frame made her thankful for the feather bed she had now.

It wasn't long into her rest that a sharp knock echoed in her room. She wasn't expecting any visitors. She was allowed to roam the keep itself but she preferred to stay in her bed chambers. Too much could go awry if someone recognized her from her previous life here.

Cautiously she got up, well aware that she was in clothes that revealed her femininity but if she was to meet her death tonight by some stranger her secrets would out themselves soon enough.

She opened the door while standing like it was a shield. Only her head poked around the door itself to see who it was. It was Lunea. Tallulah calmed her quickening heart at the sight of the woman.

She ushered for her to come in.

"I'm sorry, it is late, and you seem to be resting," 

"Yes, Kelwin has made it so I train his men..." she gave Lunea a sad look. "Your men are out numbered and outskilled,"

"They were never mine,"

"They could be," the words had left Tallulah's mouth on a whim. Lunea didn't seem surprised.

"I know. It would be so easy on such an unsuspecting man," so she was of the same opinion. This could prove very useful.

They shared a look.

"Kelwin plans to March his men to Aria once the southern forces of elves and cats have reached the falls. Or at least that's what I gathered from a passing discussion," Tallulah said, glad to know there was someone who was willing to help end this madness.

"Are you certain it wasn't a trap? You don't know him, not truly, my Lord Husband is a wicked creature and deceptive to no ends," Tallulah had known that from the day she learned she was a child of rape, not love or even the good kind of lust if there were two kinds.

"I'm not certain of anything anymore. Kelwin has his hands in a lot of pockets and is willing to go to any length to destroy the kingdom. Help me. He's not the mate you deserve," Tallulah said in ernest. The hesitation was evident in Lunea's large green eyes.

"I have a son, and daughters to consider, he could use then a-" Tallulah grabbed her shoulders. Almost shaking her whole body in the process.

"Foolish woman! I will protect you, as I did my own mate, but we are the victims here, and we must rally the forces behind us and not Kelwin, if there is anyone you can sway to me, send them to me in the practice yard..." she paused for a moment, digesting the fact that Lunea had two sons, but she was acknowledging one...she shook her head to clear the thought realizing it might be ingrained in Lunea to reject her son Mykel because of his position.

"What was your original intention for coming here tonight?" She asked after her thoughts processed.

"To see how you were doing. I glimpsed you in the training yard today and wanted to make sure all was well," she truly was a mother. As much as Tallulah had loved and respected her own mother, Lunea was the one who was meant to bare her in her womb. This was the woman she was supposed to have been a child of.

"All is as well as can be expected," she sighed.

"Have you shifted since you've been here?" In all honesty Tallulah had nearly forgotten that fact. There was no rage built up inside her being and no crawling itch of her skin as there was before.

"No, it had not crossed my mind. I don't feel the urge like I did before," Tallulah remarked.

"Hmm, even I have to shift once a week before my skin crawls," Tallulah remembered the rage she felt whilst being taken captive and the sudden release of energy in her being before the explosion of pain from her shift. Warm tingles spread themselves across her skin at the recollection. Could that be her dragon stirring beneath?

"Teach me," she blurted. An anxiousness spread through her when she said those words.

"It's something that isn't taught, but I can try, you did not have the benefit of growing up in a dragon household," Tallulah hoped she wasn't being a burden with this desire, but she was either too selfish to worry about it or Lunea was being generous because she truly cared.

"Thank you. I don't want to be the arrow fodder that Kelwin thinks me to be,"