Zain Akadin smiled a toothy smile when the skies went dark and the garden came alive.  He glanced up at where Saturn hung in the sky and made a respectful gesture.  “Perfect timing, Bright Maiden.  I hope you and your sisters can keep it going for a few hours.”<br/><br/>Zain was a dragon king, a raptok.  A race older than humankind—and who'd guided and nurtured that young race when many of the other, mightier races had met them with cruelty and oppression.  Zain was a tall and powerful being, with fine, pebbly purple scales and a feathered crest.  He had a long, lithe tail and delicate hands capable of fine manipulation despite their wicked talons.  Since his work earlier that day, Zain had spent some hours polishing his scales and his armor, so that the first shimmered like amethyst and the second was a gold so pure and true it made one want to weep.<br/><br/>Zain had a fondness for women of every shape, size, and color.  He'd known for years now that Beautiful Wind Rider would grow into a creature as beautiful and desirable as she was exotic.  He'd worked to earn her friendship since he first met her, and for the last year had been quietly working his charm upon her.  The raptok treasured her as friend and confidant.  Though he yearned for the winged girl's virginity, he meant to have her love and continued friendship as well.  Zain wasn't a monogamous sort, and didn't expect it from Wind Rider either—though a secret part of him yearned for it—but Wind Rider was special to him.<br/><br/>Zain moved out among the flowers of the forest of night.  With light strokes of essence, he picked a berries here, a few there, and finally—upon finding the perfect flower, he whispered to it softly 'til it released it's hold on the plant it was part of.<br/><br/>With an approving nod, Zain moved to the edge of the garden closest to the nearby silver river and waited for his friend's arrival.