Azarias always knew that he would never get the throne. Being the younger brother, he would have to wait until either his brother died and left no heirs, or hope that something unfortunate came along and got rid of the oaf first. Of course, neither of these ever stopped the young prince from dreaming.<br/><br/>Having a deep affinity for magic, uncommon for the black dragons, Azarias used his powers to his advantage. Illusions and trickery became his strongest area, to the misfortune of many who happened to cross his path. Luckily the disappearance of his kind from the land lent him the necessary time to practice and perfect his skills without the prying eyes of the other dragons who looked upon the black dragons as disgraceful, particularly for their worship of Darkness. It was away from others that young Azarias delved into the Darkness to enrich his studies and strengthen his relations with the source of his power. This time also gave the prince a chance to plan.<br/><br/>Upon the black dragons return, Azarias wasted no time in getting his plan started.<br/><br/>Ensuring the first step was a public event, Azarias waited for his brother's ceremony to proclaim him officially as the crown prince and next in line for the crown. Here, using his superior intellect to make his brother appear the fool, Azarias succeeded in riling his brother to the point where he actually struck out at him. Knowing it was necessary for the plan, Azarias allowed himself to be hit, resulting in a deep bruise forming under the young prince's eye. Placing a hand over the spot, Azarias noted the looks of shock from some of the others standing so near. Turning away from the scene, he managed to get his brother to follow but lost him within the twisting corridors and endless stone walls.<br/><br/>Slipping from the grounds, Azarias smirked. If things were going as they should, the gossip would already have started. Approaching the edges of the sacred forest, Azarias pulled from his bag of tricks a handful of illusion spells to alter his appearance slightly. Slowly bruises and various small cuts formed on his skin, dark circles under his eyes, and a bloody split lip. Running a hand through his hair, Azarias finished the look with a few tears in his clothing, and blood stains to the one prestigious material. Putting a limp into his step, and clutching his arm to his chest, Azarias entered the forest to which he knew his kind was forbidden.<br/><br/>It didn't take long before he was tracked. Hearing the approach of others, Azarias coughed and dropped to his knees, his hair falling slightly in his face. Hearing Allandra's words, Azarias fought back a grin. Looking up at her, he made a show of appearing too weak and injured to be of any threat before answering.<br/><br/>"I...I merely seek aid and shelter from my brother." He rasped. "As you can see I am in no shape to attack." Azarias relied on Allandra's kindness and status as protector of life if his plan was to go forward. He needed her to take him in, to think he was no threat to her or the forest. Coughing again, Azarias shivered and drew back upon himself, trying to evoke something from the girl.