Nathan awoke to the smell of warm tea and fresh berry muffins. The smells were so uncommon to him that they made him jerk upright with worry. Then he regretted sitting up as fast as he did. His head was a throbbing and dizzy mess. His throat was so dry, and his stomach felt so empty... but he still wanted to toss up whatever remained. Leaning on the couch to steady himself, he looked around and groaned to himself. He'd passed out in the prince's dream. For his mind to do that, he had to of been mentally drained. Shaking his head, he scolded himself until a hand held out a cup of tea to him. Nathan looked up at the prince with a guarded expression, muttering out. "What are you doing?" The prince crouched, still holding out the cup as he told him nicely. "I'm offering you something to drink. Sure, it might not help you... if, as you say... this is a dream. But I figured if you are mentally exhausted enough to pass out in my dream... then maybe your mind might enjoy the thought of a nice pick-me-up? Seems to keep me going, after all." Nathan accepted the cup. Just to get him to put his hand down, before muttering back. "You are under a spell. I'm not. You wasted your time." The Prince shrugged, sweetly smirking as he replied. "I don't think so. It's only a waste if I didn't want to do it. And I did."

Nathan tossed the liquid into the fireplace with his eyes locked on the Prince just to spite his effort. The Prince barely flinched to his rude behavior, propping his head against his hand as he told him with a small chuckle. "Now it was a waste." Despite trying to keep a stony face, Nathan chuckled a little. He had been prepared for a fight, but not for him to say something so... nice. Rising, the Prince walked into the kitchen, asking over his shoulder. "If tea isn't your thing, maybe you want some soup? Maybe a muffin? I don't know if you prefer meat... but I'm not much of a hunter. So, I'm afraid I can't offer you that." Nathan slowly rose to his feet, flicking the blanket off himself with disgust. Moving closer to the Prince, he growled out. "Maybe you could try feeding me pieces of yourself?" Sean finished pouring himself some tea, then turned around slowly to face him. Sipping from his cup, he replied with a smirk. "As generous as I am... I won't be doing that." Nathan put his hands on the table, tapping his nails on the wood when he challenged a bit darkly. "How selfish of you." The Prince rolled his eyes, leaning closer to state back plainly. "You'd be taking advantage of my generosity at that point. I'm not that naïve."

Snorting a bit disheartened, Nathan dragged his claws across the table. Leaving deep scratches as he slid them off. The Prince hopped up to sit on the edge of his kitchen counter, unfazed by the scratches. Downing his tea, he asked him casually. "Do you drink like that often?" Nathan let out a throaty growl, before reluctantly answering. "Not that much normally... but I figured why not deplete the king's stash. He won't be needing it." The Prince saw right through him, asking gently. "What upset you so much?" Nathan glared at the Prince with unfeeling eyes, his voice turning deep and threatening when he replied. "Where would you like me start?" The Prince stayed calm, answering in a gentle tone. "I won't pretend to understand what you've been through. I've only heard one side of the story. But in order for me to understand... I'd like to hear your side." Nathan bared his teeth, snarling out. "I don't need you to understand. I wanna watch your world BURN." The Prince's bright blue eyes looked so fragile in that moment. They were an ocean that smothered out his fiery anger. He turned away quickly, trying to collect himself. While the Prince told him in a powerful comforting voice. "Nathan, I wasn't raised in the world you hate so much. I grew up thinking that your story had nothing to do with me. I grew up in isolation. What you see here... This is my life."

The Prince slid off the counter, inching closer as he added in a grim tone. "I may share a name with the villains in your story... but I know myself as Jack. I'm the lover of a good and hardworking man. I've never spoken ill of anyone... I've never even met my parents." Nathan blinked, looking around the cottage. Now that he mentioned it. He did think it was a little weird that the King's son had dreamed up this place. He would have thought a Prince forced to live in squalor would dream of finer things. Jack shrugged, gesturing around as he said honestly. "This is MY home. Where I belong. Everyone wants me to fear you... but I don't understand WHY. Nathan... If you are going to kill me. Fine. It won't make you happy. I guarantee it. But at least tell me your side of the story. It's not a big last request, is it?" Nathan rolled his eyes, mumbling out to himself. "I guess not... I just-" Nathan stopped talking as he heard his name being called faintly on the wind. Looking at the window, he asked Jack curiously. "Are you doing that?" Jack blinked, looking around before shrugging out. "Doing what? Something wrong?" Nathan lifted his wings up defensively, before fading out of the dream.

Sitting up on the floor of the castle tower, Nathan coughed and stiffly got to his feet. Holding onto the couch, he looked out across the room to the balcony. On the wind, he heard a familiar voice call out his name. Walking carefully out to the balcony, he saw another army waiting just outside the thorny wall. One of the King's from a distant kingdom yelled out in a challenging voice. "DRAGON! Come out, you scaly chicken! I want to mount your head above my mantle!" Growling angrily, Nathan stepped off the balcony and transformed as he fell. Twisting in the air before he hit the ground, he circled up around the tower and curled himself around it. The army gasped at his massive size. Nathan unleashed a thundering roar that shook the tops of trees and made the army's horses restless. Glaring down at them, he bellowed out in a loud deep voice. "Leave or die!" The King below scoffed, calming his restless horse as he yelled up at him. "Not a chance! For if I kill you, it will be MY daughter that Prince Sean marries!" Nathan snorted a burst of green flames, retorting a bit bored. "Bunch of fools." The King chuckled, pointing to a group of men in the back as he told him. "That's what you think, Dragon! I came prepared! I have brought my own Dragon Slayers!"

Nathan scanned the army with narrowed eyes. The very mention of the name made his blood boil. Unfurling his massive wings slowly to their full extent, he snarled out to them all. "Is that so...? Good." Nathan's eyes flared a bright green before he launched off the tower toward the army. The powerful force of his wings scattered the army as their horses were blown over or tried to flee. Nathan lifted his lips to inhale air through his sharp teeth, making a loud hissing noise. With lungs full of air, he constricted his throat and shot a green jet of flames down the center of them. The horses and soldiers caught in the line of flame were incinerated to ash in seconds. When he passed the army, he drifted through the air gracefully and swooped back over them. The army was in total disarray as his second line of flame rippled through the ranks. Arrows and spears struck his belly and legs but did nothing to him. Laughing, Nathan flew lower to swipe his tail across the field behind him. His powerful tail knocked horses and soldiers away or crushed them as it dragged over them. Rising back into the air, Nathan let out a threatening roar. He was going to swoop back over them to chase them as they fled, until something struck his injured wing. A startled and pained cry left Nate as his wing seized and he crashed to the ground.

Nathan scanned the soldiers that lingered around the field, noticing a ballista farther back. A group of men were reloading it as soldiers rode passed them. They had been bait to lure him closer to it for the shot. Rising onto all fours, Nathan folded his wings and ran across the field toward the Ballista and the Dragon Slayers. His anger and rage showed in how his talons tore up the field, his fire collecting in his throat. They fired another large arrow and Nathan unleashed his flame, melting it to ash before it reached him. Lashing out with his talons, he smashed the ballista with his hand, then snapped his jaws on one of the Dragon Slayers that tried to run. Clamping his jaws down, he crushed the man, then unleashed flames just to make sure he was dead. Spitting his ash from his mouth, he felt a thick axe hit his neck. The axe didn't pierce his scales, but it had still hurt. Nathan flicked his tail out to swat the man away, until he felt himself get pelted with large bags of powder that burst into clouds of colors. From the powdery fog, he heard the King yell out. "Don't breathe it in, lads! We want to knock out the dragon! Surround him!" Nathan's vision blurred and his senses became disoriented. More spears and axes whizzed past him, but he didn't get it, until he felt the ropes try to force him to the ground.

Mustering his strength and adrenaline, he unleashed flames in all directions and forced himself to get up. Jumping into the air and to the sides, he tugged the chains and burned ropes free of himself. Then sprang high up into the air to fly back over the thorny wall. The King screamed to stop him, but Nathan used everything he had to escape. Unable to stay in the air, he landed and just kept running to the wall. More spears were shot out around his legs to try and trip him up but he managed to leap over the wall. In his groggy state, he barely cleared the wall. Staggering on the landing, he fell across the courtyard. Whining like a child, he crawled across the courtyard and toward the castle door. Unable to keep his large form, he shrunk down to his human form but kept crawling. Falling just inside the door, he kicked the door shut and limply laid across the cold floor. Whatever the stuff was had worked. He felt so tired that his body was shutting down. The only comfort he had now was that the wall of thorns would protect him from them. He couldn't even imagine what they would have done to him had he not made it. He'd never encountered that before. He'd have to be more careful.

Riding toward the Forbidden Mountains, Cliffton kept the brim of his hat down to cover his face from the Unseelie of this land. They would recognize him; he had no doubts about that. Behind him, Fauna rode on a white horse that was not happy to be walking across this land. Cliffton had tied her wrists with twine and was leading her horse along. Whenever a patrolling Goblin asked what he was doing, he answered by telling them that he was a bounty hunter and was bringing her to Nathan's castle. They didn't seem to require more information than that. Most were even a little surprised that he understood them. Although, it made the idea that he was a bounty hunter more believable. When the area was clear of patrols, Fauna broke her silence to ask him. "You can speak Goblin?" Cliffton turned enough to show her the rock around his neck. Fauna's eyes widened, upon stating out. "A fairy stone. So, that is how you've seen through fairy tricks and have been immune to them. Where did you get it?" Cliffton huffed, stuffing it under his shirt again when he replied shortly. "I found it when I was walking the Moors as a boy. It's supposed to be good luck." Fauna smirked, retorting honestly. "I see. Fairy stones are more powerful when you find them yourself. Given how long you've had it... I can imagine it has done a lot for you. Takes years for the stones to help the bearer understand the many languages of fairies. How many do you know?"

Cliffton shrugged, honestly replying. "I don't know. It just... happens. I barely notice it." Fauna bit her lip, softly asking. "I'm surprised you didn't give it to Mark... Even if the stone does get weaker from transferring it. The protection alone would be worth it. Although, it wouldn't have the bond that you have with it." Cliffton pulled his horse to a stop, telling Fauna a little bitterly. "I didn't give it to him, because all it has done has brought me bad luck. And if I can do one thing right in this world... It's going to be to keep my son safe from my mistakes." Fauna shrugged, telling him honestly. "You can try. But from where I'm standing... Mark might just be the missing piece to end this. To finish what you couldn't." Cliffton pointed a stern finger at Fauna, snapping out. "No! And don't you fill his head with that crap! Mark wouldn't know the first thing about- AH!" Cliffton slumped over his horse, clutching his elbow as pain shot through it. Panting through the pain, Cliffton cradled his arm. Fauna kicked her horse closer, asking in a panic. "Cliff? Are you ok? What happened?" Straightening up, Cliffton snapped out through clenched teeth. "I'm fine. Keep moving."

Coaxing his horse on, Cliffton rubbed his elbow more to loosen the muscle up. While behind him, Fauna said in an undertone. "You know... I can sense magic. It's a fairy thing. And I can tell... you're not suffering from bad luck. You're cursed." Cliffton shot her a brief glare, brushing off her words but gruffly muttering out. "I didn't ask for your opinion." Fauna looked down at a tiny Merryweather who had hidden herself under the horse's think black mane, informing her curtly. "I've been trying to recall the story of the Dragon Slayers. I remember something about the Dragon Slayers wiping themselves out. The rumor among the fairies being that their enchanted weapons were their downfalls... but now it makes sense. The others killed the dragons without hesitation. Their deaths were quick. In order for HIM to learn that... He must have just wounded Nathan." Merryweather, raised an eyebrow, asking in confusion. "What are you getting at, Fauna?" Fauna met Cliffton's eyes briefly, before she said flatly. "That's the same arm that Nathan's hurt wing is on. That's why you couldn't kill him. That's why you lied. You broke his wing, and it broke your arm, didn't it? You share in his fate."

Merryweather gasped softly, mumbling out. "What a sneaky witch! Wait a minute... If he can feel Nathan's pain, does that mean that Nathan can feel his?" Cliffton exhaled heavily, telling them dryly. "No. It doesn't work that way. I just feel his pain... and only when my axe hurts him." Fauna pointed to his axe, telling him with a perplexed look. "But your axe is right there on your hip. It didn't touch him just now." Cliffton pulled up his sleeves reluctantly, showing her the rune on his wrist as he said clearly. "The hag wrote this on me. It ties me to the axe and the destruction it causes Nathan. Nathan's fate rests on me... because in order to forge the axe, I needed dragon blood. And I tricked the Dragon Queen in my youth to give me hers. Nathan's mother. She wasn't married and didn't have a son at the time. I'd heard that no male could wed her unless they beat her in combat. She was undefeated. So, I thought even if the hag tried to trick me, it would be a wasted effort. I thought she'd never have a child that could be used to hunt me down. I was wrong. It was because I used her blood that Nathan was born. What do you call that? Bad luck? Fate? Karma?" Cliffton pulled down his sleeve, then showed them his elbow.

The inside of Cliffton's elbow had a large glossy scar the size of his axe blade along his skin. From the scar were ghastly black veins that spanned out along his arm like a wicked burn. Although the scar appeared to be healed, the scar still looked a little raw and irritated. Merryweather winced at the sight of it, mumbling out to herself. "That's a curse, alright. A powerful and nasty one too... Looks like if you had succeeded in killing him, you would have burned alive..." Cliffton nodded, mumbling out. "Most likely. If I'm lucky. My point is... I still feel Nathan's pain... because part of my axe is still in him and causing him daily pain." Looking back toward the human castle, Cliffton pulled his sleeve down, telling the fairies uneasily. "The pain has never been this bad though... We need to hurry. Before I'm unable to use my arm." To Be Continued...