The Princess tried not to smile too hard at the dragon as he stumbled, making his way over to her eagerly now with his hood lowered onto his head. She pressed her teeth into her lower lip gently, awaiting his arrival at her side before she resumed her walk through the garden. As they moved along the stony path Vail hung on his every word, her stride slow so that she didn’t miss a single detail. She knew so little about the world beyond the vast valley that Valdaran sounded like an adventure, despite all the worries that came along with the responsibility of resuming the throne. Vail imagined it in her head, only having picture books and stories to go off of. Like any city, it contained pleasant areas and regions that were no so fortunate. She frowned a bit to hear of Cheapside, how the humans had been forced into poverty and slavery. Though she wished to elevate her kind to their former glory, she knew it would come with a price. Not only that, but it would have to be different than before. She didn’t remember the rebellion that plunged humanity into subjugation, and she was not forced to endure decades of oppression, but she knew that her ascension to the throne had to be done in such a way that they could achieve true peace. Of course, the princess kept her desires and opinions to herself, having been scolded for them before.<br/><br/>Talk of peace and coexistence between humans and dragons was not a widely accepted idea. Many did not believe it possible since there were so many stigmas surrounding dragons. They were believed to be vicious and vile creatures, uncivilized and violent by nature. Perhaps it was her own ignorance and naivety, but she believed that they were not so different—that just like there were good humans and bad humans, there were good dragons and bad ones. Being in Gabriel’s company supported her theory, but it could have been that he was raised among humans that he was trustworthy and good.<br/><br/>“It all sounds very . . . overwhelming. I am looking forward to it in a way,” she admitted. “I’m excited to leave this place and I’ve dreamt of doing so for so long. Even though I know what is out there, to a very limited extent, I always thought that anywhere was better than here. I sound foolish for thinking that was the case, but if my return means that the world will be better off then I welcome the challenge.” She said, tilting her head to peer beneath his hood. “Do you always have to conceal yourself? Even among humans?” Vail was curious if he was well-received—not just among the members of the resistance, but also among the citizens. To have a knight of draconic heritage was an advantage, but she could imagine the kind of judgement and scrutiny he might have been subjected to. Vail even fell victim to the assumption that he was the same as the rest of his kind, after all. If it hadn’t been for her being so far removed from the oppression of her people, she might have still harbored some of those feelings of distrust.