"I said release me," Rain insisted again, giving one mighty push that to her surprise actually succeeded in pushing Daemion away. A startled glance revealed Daemion quickly masking a look of intense shock all his own behind a dark glower. A voice behind her prompted the small bard to turn her attention in that direction. The voice it seemed, belonged to an elf, an older one from word usage and syntax. Even granting the vast age disparity the words "small" and "child" hit a nerve. Why did everyone focus on the fact that she looked so young, and what did her size have to with<strong>anything</strong>? Only that he clearly didn't mean it as an insult held her tongue. Then he introduced himself, and she felt her eyes widen as she put name and appearance together with the tales that Daemion had told her of the Elven War. They'd been her favorite bedtime stories as a child.<br/><br/>"Not<strong>the Ekimus</strong>?" She asked breathlessly, taking a small step towards him, the compliment she completely ignored. "The legendary Healer of the Time of Fire?" That was the name that the Elves used for it, wasn't it? Oh well, that didn't matter, what did matter was the hand that came down rather roughly on her shoulder. Apparently Daemion didn't like the fellow, and she glared up over her shoulder at him as he pulled her back against his chest. How could Daemion behave this way? Ekimus was her idol! The person she'd wanted to be just like when she was a child. Daemion knew this! Had seemed to encourage her wish to be just like the Healer, perhaps that was only because he was indulging her issue with causing another harm. Even still, a Healer would not hurt her, so why was he trying to stop her from approaching this one?<br/><br/>While she'd been fuming, her idol had been talking, and Daemion was getting decidedly less happy with every word. She could feel it in the tension and pull of the muscles of his torso as they pressed against her back. He'd been angry to begin with, and Rain was suddenly frightened for the Healer. Still, she did not miss the veiled threat in the elf's voice, or the way that Daemion flinched back. This wasn't good. Did these two know each other? She needed to change the focus before Daemion did something rash.<br/><br/>"What Daemion is or is not willing to indulge is of no concern. I am my own master, and I would love nothing more than to share tales with you," She gave Ekimus a brilliant smile, and took a step forward. Daemion made no move to stop her. The incongruity of his behavior stopped her, and she looked back and forth between the two completely lost. If something was happening here, it was much more subtle than the by play at The Duke's court. Ekimus' "Milord" caught her off guard. An elf, calling a human lord? Perhaps it was simply old fashioned manners...<br/><br/>"Rain has said herself that she is her own master. We are done here, I know of no way to dissuade her from this madness," Rain blinked at Daemion's proclamation. What, by all that was holy, had happened here? Daemion backed down from no one. Where had this new demeanor come from? The sense of something very wrong interrupted her thoughts, and Rain shivered.<br/><br/>The pale creature that stepped into their gathering next seemed so very fitting with that sense. The dark black of his clothing only managing to emphasize even more the color that his skin lacked and the ice blue of his eyes. The sound of a sword being drawn restarted Rain's heart for her. At least the lurch in her chest would suggest that it had stopped for an instant. Daemion's attention had definitely shifted at the seeming threat that this new fellow had leveled. Yet if he was threatening her, why here and now, when there were people all around beyond their small group? It would have been better to wait for a quiet moment when she was alone like the ladies of the court did, wouldn't it? Nothing was making sense at the moment, and so to prevent disaster, she did the most nonsensical thing that she could think to do.<br/><br/>"Of course I'll tell you more of what I seek," She said, forcing herself between Daemion's drawn sword and the too pale figure. Her voice didn't tremble, much, of which she was rather proud. "That was the point of what I've done after all," She forced a smile, and swallowed, taking another step towards him. "You've a wish to join me then?"<br/><br/>"Come away from him Rain!" Daemion's voice was cold, tense. "He's a Wraith. He's dangerous. If you must do this madness send him on his way first."<br/><br/>"No," She found her voice to say. "A dangerous ally may be exactly what I need to see this through." At least she hoped that he was an ally. Something told her he would be a bad enemy to have. Daemion didn't seem inclined to agree with that notion as he started to push past her as if to attack, and was promptly bowled over by a large, white wolf.<br/><br/>Rain was soon to follow, and she blinked up at the lavender sky, trying to clear the stars from her eyes as her face was enthusiastically bathed by a large, wet tongue. For several moments all she could do was blink, and then a laugh burbled up from her throat, and she reached up to scratch the wolf behind the ears.<br/><br/>"Have you come to join me too pup?" She asked brightly as she moved to sit up. "You certainly are a beauty, but what are you doing in town?" She cast her eyes about for Daemion then, worried that he would take this as an attack and was even now positioning himself to hurt the lovely animal. He was no where to be seen. "Now where did he get himself off to?"  She asked the wolf with a frown. Not that she expected the animal to reply, but then, with an odd start like this, who knew?<br/><br/><div align="center">***</div><br/>Daemion leaned against a tree some distance away and looked out upon the group as Rain sat up. This wasn't good, any of it. First that damned Healer who could give away his whole game, and now the wolf. He knew that wolf, not personally, but he knew what he was. The wolf that wasn't, the last survivor of an ancient race. They were dangerous to his continuation in the life of Rain.<strong>His</strong>Rain. This plan of hers was madness. Even assuming that they managed to survive, to deal in Shadow was to play with Fate. To take Fate into ones own hands was tricky at best.<br/><br/>"Ahhh, but what of those that are the Hands of Fate? What is this gathering if not The Weaving of The Web?" The voice was feminine, amused. Daemion knew he did not hear it with his ears. "When mortals meddle, sometimes, it is best for mortals to fix the meddling."<br/><br/>"It's madness! A disaster waiting to happen!" Daemion growled.<br/><br/>"She's not a child anymore. You always knew she was destined for great things my son. It would do you well to remember those things. Do not fight that which is not within your power to succeed against."<br/><br/>Daemion turned with a snarl, and attempted to put his fist through the trunk of a very large tree. All he managed to do was cause himself a great deal of pain. He'd had a  plan for Rain. A plan for her life. For what was ultimately to be. Rain was<strong>his</strong>! His mate, his reward, and the High Prince did not like to be foiled. Not when he had done so much for her, for her mother before her. Aendra, the one he'd wanted, but knew that he could never have... It was best not to think about those things.<br/><br/>There was one in that group that may know, one who had been present during the war. Could the Healer figure it out? Would he notice, would he understand? He couldn't, it would never do. Rain couldn't know, she wasn't ready to know. There wasn't a single thing that he could do about it. Not unless he wished to lose Rain forever. No, it was best to step back for now. To follow in the shadows. He could do more unobserved, and then there would be no reason for the elf to tell Rain what he knew. He would lose her if the fellow did. So for now, he would bide his time. He was good at waiting, age had after all taught him patience.