The three servants were more inclined to be pleasant to their guest, though they did believe it was quite odd that he hadn’t removed his hood and showed his face. It put them on edge when he retrieved a letter from his cloak and handed it over to them, even more when they read that the loyal Captain had raised a hatchling and brought him up as a member in the ranks of the Resistance. When he removed his hood, they were all in various stages of shock and awe. Melina was the most composed among them, having always been the level head and the voice of reason. Despite being taken aback by the reveal, she accepted the word of the Captain, putting faith in his judgement where Sebis clearly questioned his sanity.<br/><br/>“Melina, you’re not<i>really</i>entertaining the idea of allowing the Princess to leave with this demon? Surely this is some evil ploy thought up by that wicked Empire to finish what they started years ago?” He protested as the servant pushed herself up from her seat, moving to Faye’s side to hold her hand out. The young woman reached in the pocket of her apron and produced a key.<br/><br/>“Are you suggesting that we go against the word of Lord Felhorn? Will you be responsible when he punishes us all for disobeying his orders?” She questioned the man firmly, though she was not completely without doubt. The old handmaiden was uneasy about turning the princess over to the care and protection of a being she knew nothing about. He wore the face of their enemy, after all. Trust did not come easy for any of them. “Gabriel,” Melina said, turning on her heels before she reached the door that Vail hid behind. “The princess will be prepared to travel come morning. You may stay here tonight and you may leave at first light when the roads are visible.”<br/><br/>With her ear pressed to the door she could only hear the sound of muffled voices through the thick wood. There was an unfamiliar voice among them, softer than she could make out, but she could hear the gravel in Sebis’ tone and make out the anxiousness in Melina’s. Still, there didn’t seem to be any danger. It was, perhaps, that they were having trouble getting rid of their unexpected guest. Melina opened the door suddenly, jumping a bit to see that the princess was so close. Her expression was somewhat disapproving, probably because she should have been beneath the floorboards instead of eavesdropping.<br/><br/>“Come, princess. We have a guest.” Melina stepped to the side and allowed Vail to step through the threshold of her door.<br/><br/>The princess’ steps were hesitant and cautious. Across the room her crystal blue eyes landed on the stranger, a dragon with black scales and golden serpentine eyes. She had never seen such a being before, and had only heard how horrid and vicious they were in stories of the uprising. The creatures had slaughtered her family, leaving her with no familial ties. They forced her into a life of indefinite hiding, making it so that she hardly ever saw the light of day or experienced life. It was difficult to see him as an individual to judge by his actions than by the collective actions of his kind.<br/><br/>“Gabriel, this is Princess Vail de Warren, the sole heir to the throne of Anadan.” Melina said. “Princess, this is Gabriel. Tomorrow you will journey with him to the Loyalists in Valdaran. We will pack your things and you will leave at dawn. It’s time.” She smiled.<br/><br/>Nervously Vail nodded, not at all prepared for her ascension to the throne or the inevitable dangers that came along with it. It was a monumental task, even the journey was somewhat daunting to think about. She had never gone too far from the little cottage she was raised in. “It’s . . . It’s a pleasure to meet you, Gabriel. Thank you for coming all this way,” she said finally before the silence and staring became too rude. It was a hard thing to say, considering she didn’t feel too grateful. It seemed like it was yet another moment in her life that she was being displaced at the hands of a dragon.