Apollo

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Stardust Sap Lamp Trinkets A specialized lamp that uses sap from birch trees in the Starwood Strand. It emits an eerie blue flame. 41 Bloody Neck Bandage Apparel Strips of white material designed to be wrapped around the wearer's neck. These are stained due to dressing a terrible gash. 1250 Charged Tungsten Minerals & Ores A popular material in bulbs and superalloys. Lightning dragons harvest the stuff like it's going out of style. 375

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Eve was walking through the dirty camp, listening to distant laughs and shouts. Trading caravan was making a halt on the edge of the Tsunami Flats, and as usual tons of mercenaries wandered around. Camp attracted different kinds of dragons - proud younglings, looking for glory in serving deities, pallid looking dragons from destitute clans, selling themselves to give their brothers and sisters a meal for the day, and outcasts who just didn't know anything else besides fighting.

Eve tried to visit every caravan to pick up some soldiers. After a brief check up on their skills she made them take an oath of loyalty to the Tidelord and then they were exatled to her master for an exchange of some money. Good, stable income for her subjects and the Tidedaddy is proud. What's not to love?

So she was walking through the tents, trying to determine which dragon was the most worthy. Some mercenaries gave her a slight nod, recognizing a leader, and young dragons shouted about their mightiness, but she was mostly ignored.

After making a few arrangements with couple of willing dragons and sending them back to lair with Lynn Eve was already on her way back when she felt like she's being watched. Not an uncommon feeling - you always feel this way near a Skydancer - but this time, something was different. Eve wished she studied the forces of Skydancers more closely.
She turned her head around and spotted a pair of white eyes. Male Skydancer was indeed lazily watching her from a distance, but he did not break an eye contact after being spotted. That’s weird. The Fae flew closer.

He was quite big - although, every dragon was big to Eve. And an old one - not an elderly dragon exactly, but clearly he had seen many things. Not a very common type of the caravan mob, but not a rare one.
- Hello there, - Eve nodded.
- Greetings, - the Skydancer dropped and then went quiet. She was about to ask why he was staring at her, but decided against it.
- Do you want to serve the Great Tidelord until the times end? - Eve asked with the traditional line.
- Whatever you wish, I don't really care.
And he fell silent again. At this time Eve would go elsewhere - she did not want those types of indifferent trash around her beloved master, but then again, something made her stay.
- I'd like to make an arrangement with you. You know how to fight?
- No, I do not.
Nice. What is she doing here? She's wasting time. She has her necessary amount of soldiers, and the funds are low already. He's obviously not a good choice.
- I can learn, if you wish to teach me, - he added suddenly. - My clan is in the dire need of treasure.
The Skydancer was staring at her again. He did not look very worried about his clan or willing to learn. He just intensely stared. Eve was beginning to feel irritated.
- Okay then. If you agree, I will send the money to your clan and we will start the training immediately. Do you agree?
He was silent.
- Hello? I need an answer.
- Yes. Yes, I do, - he uttered. Finally.
- Water is proud to be your home until you go - she spoke another traditional line. - You got a name?
- Apollo, at your service, - he nodded.
- I'm Eve, the matriarch of clan Gwerin a’Muirehen. I'll give you directions to our lair.
The Fae sighed. She really needed to make Lynn go here, and to the Shade with that dragon’s poor social skills. This is ridiculous.

***

- Again! – the Guardian’s roar flew across the Flats.
- No, like I showed! Again!
- AGAIN!
Medusa looked determined, despite her obviously futile efforts. Apollo moved like he was in jelly, and stroked like a hatchling.
- Wow, this is painful to watch. No wonder his clan didn't want him anymore, he's a looser, - Lynn twittered cheerfully. The Fae looked like it was her birthday, being able to badmouth someone rightfully. Eve always tried to tame her, but it was no point in this case. She was right, it was dreadful.
- Is your eyesight getting worse, Little Foo? How could you spend even one coin on this arrangement? It's obvious he's useless.
He definitely was, but despite that Eve did not think it was a mistake. Something obviously was up with this Skydancer.
- Hey, stop jabbering for one second, -she interrupted Lynn’s stream of insults. - Can you dig up some information on him? What was his role in the clan?
- Is your deafness taking the best of you? - Lynn chuckled. - I did already. His clan did not want him anymore. He was a breeder, and when it was time for him to go, turned out that Skydancer could not even fight for the Icewarden, and no clan wanted him for a traditional treasure exchange, so they sent him to the caravan trash. So pitiful, - she added in a cheerful tone.
Eve yet again confirmed that she was not enduring Lynn's rudeness for nothing. So, he had to leave his home because there was no place for him anymore... Sounds bitterly familiar.
The Fae felt a stab of compassion, and immediately a pair of white eyes settled on her. Damned Skydancers.
- Where are you looking? - Medusa roared. - You won't have the time to sightsee when you're on a battlefield! - and with that she landed a particularly heavy blow on him. He hit the ground with a cloud of drops and a loud splash.
- That's enough, Medusa - Eve spoke with magically enforced voice, and the Guardian immediately came down beside her and bowed.
- I'm sorry, Matriarch. I have never seen such a lost case. The Skydancer dies sooner than he'll learn to fight. There's nothing I can do - she added with shame.
- It's okay, Medusa, it's not your fault. You can go, - Eve said with the most reassuring tone she could master. Medusa nodded and flew away, sending up a large amount of water with her. Lynn snorted.
- You can go too. I'm sure you have some errands to run.
Lynn glared on calmly watching Matriarch, but bowed and disappeared. Eve returned her attention to the Skydancer.

Apollo laid on the ground with his head on the paws. He breathed heavily and erratically, a thin stream of blood running from his mouth. When the Fae flew closer to him, the Skydancer moved his head and again intensely stared at her. Eve wanted to ask him how he's doing, or to scold him for being so incompetent, be she remained silent. The sun had set, and the first stars were lighting upon the sky. Eve was savoring the salty breeze on her wings, the quiet hissing of hot streams, and soft ruffling of Apollo's feathers. Why she's not upset with him? She most definitely should be, but she wasn't.
Maybe that's because his story was so much like hers.
White eyes bored tunnels straight to Eve’s bones, and they were tingling with emotions she could not name.
- I decided that you will stay with the clan. I want you to make a list of what you can do and I will assign... Why are you always staring at me like that? – the Fae suddenly blurted, taking herself by surprise.
Apollo blinked and softly spoke:
- Your body is bright, yet there is twilight inside you. I saw many clouded souls on my age, but your twilight is glistening like an early winter morning. Something is hiding in this twilight, but I cannot see. It's enchanting. I apologize if I'm being rude.
- You are, - Eve answered, but her displease was pretense. Suddenly all she felt was sorrow. - Go and find a place to sleep. I will assign you an occupation in the morning.
Eve stayed in the empty Tsunami Planes long after Apollo was gone, thinking about his words. He was wrong. There is nothing enchanting about her. She's just an abandoned dragon, trying to make a living for the dragons entrusted to her. There is nothing mysterious about her. Nothing. Apollo was wrong.
He was wrong.