<span style="font-family:Josefin Sans">Even while her brother and father were creating the situation that eventually pulled her completely out of Tychus’s sight, Ariah was still trying to peer through everyone else to see him. She was concerned about her reaction to his gift and that she might’ve done something irreparable and she really hadn’t intended to do that. He just needed to understand what it really was that he was giving to her; that had been the only goal she’d had in mind. However, after a certain point, her attempts at seeing him through the crowds became absolutely and utterly hopeless because she was whisked away back to their village where all the ladies in town would do their part to make their ‘princess’ look worthy of the honor she was receiving. Of course, ‘princess’ wasn’t even a term they used in their culture. She was simply the daughter of the chief. <br/>
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Meanwhile, the chief and his son worked on making sure their guest received the treatment they had initially meant for him to receive. <span class="fixed-color" style="color:dodgerblue"><b>“We would’ve found you,”</b></span> he commented briefly when Tychus mentioned that he’d been lost. It wasn’t wrong of him to say, either; Chief Allin’s men were some of the best trackers the land had to offer and if the men couldn’t find him, the dragons would have. <span class="fixed-color" style="color:dodgerblue"><b>“And I’m not your highness. I am simply Chief,”</b></span> he added. <span class="fixed-color" style="color:dodgerblue"><b>“We don’t have too many fancy titles among our people. You will learn that quickly here.”</b></span> <br/>
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Both the chief and his son nodded along as Tychus continued and they more than welcomed him to walk alongside them as they started leading the way back to where they truly lived. The rest of the people who’d come out to greet him simply fell in line behind the three. Chief Allin and Aaron maintained a pace that was leisurely enough and that certainly allowed for them to successfully carry a conversation while they walked. <br/>
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It was actually Aaron who offered words regarding the apparent way his sister had reacted to a gift. <span class="fixed-color" style="color:navy"><b>“I apologize for anything my sister might have said or done. I’m sure any gift you had to offer was wonderful. She’s just… she’s very unique, my sister, even among our own people.”</b></span> <br/>
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<span class="fixed-color" style="color:dodgerblue"><b>“That, of course, is because of her position,”</b></span> Chief Allin added in. <span class="fixed-color" style="color:dodgerblue"><b>“She would’ve become the next Dragon Whisperer with her abilities were she not my daughter. Given that she’s my daughter, though, she has other roles to play.”</b></span><br/>
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Realizing that what his father said might’ve been confusing, Aaron clarified. <span class="fixed-color" style="color:navy"><b>“Our dragon whisperer is the person who serves as the primary communication link to the dragons who share our world. Among our people, not everyone is talented enough at mind speech to do it, but Ariah’s very good at it. Unfortunately, she’s the daughter of the chief - the daughter of my father - and so she could not follow the path that would lead her to be a dragon whisperer.”</b></span> However, that did not diminish her abilities in communicating with dragons. It just meant that it wasn’t technically her job. <br/>
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Their walk was one that wove them through the forest and eventually led them to a tunnel that burrowed its way underground. It wasn’t an easy entrance to remember the location of because the area around it looked just like everywhere else. Many people who lived there even struggled to find it the first few times they ventured out into the world outside their home. The walk certainly wasn’t one that was meant to be easy to remember. However, the tribe also wasn’t necessarily trying to confuse Tychus as they made their way there. <br/>
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As they walked into the tunnels, Aaron started explaining how their dinner would be set up that evening. Technically all their large meals were outside even though it was underground as well so it still would seem enclosed… somewhat. There were tables that everyone sat at and Tychus would sit with Chief Allin and his family on that night. Aaron would be on his father’s right and Tychus on his left. Ariah and Suraya would sit across from them; those two would come in after everyone else had been seated, though. It was tradition. <span class="fixed-color" style="color:navy"><b>“Ariah should be much more put together when you see her next,”</b></span> Aaron added. <br/>
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By the time he’d made it through all of his explanations, they’d arrived at the village and to someone from Tychus’s background, it probably looked rather primitive, but it was really highly functional. They pumped their water from even deeper underground and it was thoroughly cleaned. The dragons provided constant fires that kept them warm despite what the weather might have looked like and that allowed for them to actually live in tents comfortably. No one slept on the ground; they all had cots that hung… well, most of them did. Some of them slept on piles of furs collected over time, furs of animals that hadn’t been killed savagely, but instead from animals that simply no longer needed them. <br/>
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Tychus was led by Aaron to a tent with a cot hanging inside. It was smaller, but comfortable and there were some clothes laid inside as well. It would be up to him whether he changed into tribal wear or not at that point, although eventually, it would be expected. He was also provided some blankets that were softer than anything he’d probably ever felt before. Aaron explained that this would be his dwelling until he’d formally wed Ariah. After that, they’d be getting a… not so minor upgrade. Aaron didn’t explain more than that, though. <br/>
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<span class="fixed-color" style="color:navy"><b>“Would you like to settle in and rest a bit or is there anything else I can show you to before dinner?”</b></span> Aaron asked.</span>