>The rain is dark and impossibly cold as it lashes down around your shoulders
>Occasional splinters of lightning race across the pitch-black sky, briefly illuminating the scene in front of you
>They're all dead
>The entire caravan: guards, merchants, scribes, servants...
>...even your instructor, Hartford, lies broken, bleeding, and still amongst the mud and shattered wagons
>You are Anonymous, squire of the Errant Order
>Only ten years old, you're left cold and abandoned in a nameless forest, surrounded by only rain and a bitter, lonely night
 
>But you've been through enough training to know that, if you stay here, you'll die
>So you press onwards, your boots heavy with mud and rainwater, each footfall squelching deep into the soggy earth
>Your hood does little to keep the lashing rain out of your face, and you find yourself needing to squint to even see a few feet in front of you
>Slowly, the chill of the rain is beginning to work its way into your bones, and your tiny body is wracked with shivers
>Still, though, you press on, gritting your teeth as your force yourself not to cry over what you've witnessed
 
>It's impossible to tell how far you've gotten from the site of the attack, but it feels like you've been marching for hours
>Your legs ache, and your entire body is numb from the cold
>Unable to stand anymore, you pitch forward and splash face-first in the mud
>For a moment, you just lie there, unable to get up
>But something inside of you -- the words of your late instructor, perhaps -- stir you to lift your head
>And there, through the rows of trees, you see it
>There's a cave up ahead!
>Orange, flickering firelight filters out of it, just barely outlining the cave's shape to you
>Squeaking in pain, you force yourself to stand and limp towards the cave entrance
 
>Aching, cold, and dripping mud, you stumble into the cave
>The warmth of the place folds itself around you almost immediately, inviting you in further
>You shrug off your cloak and drop it to the ground, spreading your arms out in hopes that your tunic and leggings will start to dry
>The cave is massive, much larger than it looked from a distance, extending almost twenty-five feet above you
>Its wall are worn smooth, which strikes you as odd, though your exhausted brain is too tired to properly process why
>As you go in further, the warmth increases, telling you that its source must be somewhere deeper in
>And so you continue further towards the cave's heart, your little boots squeaking against the stone floor
 
>About fifty meters in, the tunnel makes a sharp right turn
>And when you round it, your eyes are immediately dazzled almost to the point of blindness by what you see
>Massive heaps of gold, more than you could ever have imagined existed in the entire world, are heaped in piles thirty feet high or more
>You stagger backwards, rubbing your eyes as they try to adjust to the sudden influx of light
>Unfortunately, blinded as you are, you stumble backwards and into a giant empty barrel, larger than you are
>Both you and the barrel go crashing to the ground with an awful crash that reverberates through the entire cave
>When the echo dies, for a moment, the cave is silent
>Then something huge begins to shift, somewhere in the piles of coins
>Gold spills down in avalanches as a massive neck, twenty feet long, easily, bursts up from amongst the pile
>At the top of the neck sits an angular, yellow-orange scaled head, complete with horns and long, draping frills
>Two huge, golden eyes scan the room, and a voice somewhere between clanging steel and an incredibly-angry schoolteacher resounds across the room
>"What dead FOOL dares to attempt to rob me!?"
"I'm s-sorry! I didn't mean to! I just... it was s-so cold, and... I thought..."
>You try to scurry away from the dragon, apologizing frantically
"I'm just g-gonna go..."
>The dragon turns its head towards you, and its eyes focus on you
>You freeze, waiting for a burst of fire to disintegrate you
>But it never comes
>Instead the dragon bends in low, to the point where its snout it level with your face
>Up close, you can see long, perfectly-trimmed eyelashes extend from each of the monster's eyes
>It's a... girl dragon?
>"You..."
>This time, her voice sounds decidedly different: it's softer, and definitely female, though still packs enough power that you feel she could bring down the cave just by shouting
>"Are you a... a little human?"
>Her voice softens even more
"Um... y-yeah, I guess?"
>Nothing could have prepared you for the sound she makes next
>Because she full-on squees
>"Ah! That's adorable!"
>She raises both massive paws to her face, rubbing her cheeks in delight
>"Come here!"
>A tail bursts out from the mountain of treasure surrounding her, and wraps itself gently around your waist
>You're lifted up into the air and placed in the dragon's palm, which is big enough for you to sit on comfortable
>The dragon rolls onto her back, exposing a slender belly and thick, powerful hips
>She holds you up in the air, where the light of various chandeliers draped from the ceiling illuminate you
>"I've never seen a little human before! You're so cute!"
"T-thanks? Does that mean you're not gonna eat me?"
>"Eat you!? Ha! Hahaha!"
>Her laugher is bright and genuine, and so loud it makes the chandeliers rattle
>"I'd never eat anything so precious! Aww, you poor little thing..."
>She cradles you against her chest
>"You must be terrified! What are you doing all alone in a storm like this?"
"My... my caravan was attacked. I didn't see who did it, but they... they k-killed..."
>"Oh... oh, you poor thing..."
>Her tail gently caresses your cheek
>"Are you alright?"
"I don't know."
>She squeezes you a little tighter against her chest, letting the warmth of her body flood in to you
>"Well, you're safe now. I promise, I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you, little one."
>She lets a little flame curl out between her jaws to show she means business
"Thanks..."
>You sniffle a little, then sneeze into the crook of your arm
>"Oh! You must be freezing! And you're filthy."
>You look down, realizing your muddy clothes have already started to stain the dragon's radiant scales
"I'm sorry."
>She chuckles quietly
>"You don't have to apologize to me, dear. Come on. Let's get you cleaned up, okay."
>She lifts you up into the air with her tail, then rolls back onto her stomach, placing you on her back
>There's a spot right between where her wings connect to her body that's perfect human-size, and you curl up inside of it, trying to your best not to spread any more dirt onto her
>The dragon carries you away from the treasure and further into the cave, leading you down a narrow side-tunnel
>As the two of you descend further, steam begins to fill the air, until you find yourself facing a huge underground hotspring, easily large enough for even a dragon to bathe in
>"Here you go, little one. Nice and warm, I'm sure you'll like it."
>She reaches up with her tail, lifting you into the air and placing you on the ground next to the lake
>"Now, let's get you out of these filthy rags..."
"O-out of my clothes?"
>Suddenly, you're feeling incredibly self-conscious
>After all, she is a lady
>Your instructor always told you that it was impolite for a knight to expose himself in front of a lady
>You back away from the dragon, fidgeting with the hem of your tunic
>"Of course, dear. You can't bathe properly with those on, can you?"
"I g-guess not..."
>She stares at you for a moment, confused
>Then her toothy maw widens in a smile
>"Oh! You innocent little thing, you're embarrassed!"
>Her tail pats you on the head
>"That's adorable. But there's no need to be embarrassed around me. After all, I'm already naked, right?"
>She lays on her side, showing off her sleek, scaly body
"Y-yeah. But s-still..."
>You try to remember the pages you memorized from the Code of Chivalry
"A lady such as yourself should never have to--"
>"Ha! Me, a lady?"
>The dragon bats her eyelashes at you, and you think you can see a slight tinge of pink rising in her cheeks
>"You're flattering me, tiny human."
"I'm sorry."
>"Don't be sorry! It's not something an old wyrm like me hears very often."
>She raises her tail, brushing it against your cheek
>"You're very sweet. Now..."
>Her tail's tip begins to fidget with the buttons of your tunic
>"...don't be shy, okay?"
"Okay..."
>You turn away from the dragon, finish unbuttoning the tunic, and lift it up and over your head
>Folding the garment carefully, you set it on the ground, then pull off your boots
>Beneath your bare feet, the floor is wet and warm to the touch, the stone worn soft by thousands of years of erosion
>Your pants come off last, leaving you fully naked
>The steam curls against your bare skin, a refreshing change after trudging through so much freezing mist
>Unable to look the dragon in the eye, you turn back to her, feeling immensely self-conscious
>"See? Isn't that better?"
"Y-yeah."
>You try to resist the urge to cover your indecency
>The dragon, however, doesn't even seem to notice
>She curls her tail around your waist and lifts you into the palm of her claw, then slithers, snakelike, in the water
>Holding you above the surface, she swims to the center of the lake, then slowly lowers her claw - and you with it - into the water
>Immediately, a rush of warmth floods your body; the water is the perfect temperature, hot enough to cleanse but not so hot that it burns
>"How's that, little one?"
"Really nice."
>You duck your head under the water, fingers running through your hair to scrub the mud and twigs out of it
>The dragon lifts you up, and you feel her tail prodding against your back
>"Here. Let me help."
>The appendage trails its way along your back, making you shiver
>Her scales feel slick and silky-smooth from the water, impossibly gentle where they meet your skin
>She rubs her tail along the dirtier patches of your body, scrubbing away the more stubborn bits of mud
>When she's finished, she dunks you back under the water, letting you swim up to the surface
>You tread water for a bit, and the dragon swims in lazy circles around you, smiling
>"You look like you're feeling better."
>You nod, smiling back at her
"A lot better. Thank you, Ms. Dragon."
>That catches her off guard, for sure
>Her wings ruffle along her back in surprise, stirring a mini wave-pool in the lake
>Then the dragon, a giant death-beast capable of leveling entire cities just out of boredom, launches into a giggle fit
>"Ms. Dragon? Ha! Fire and stars, you are just the most precious thing! Ah!"
>She wipes tears from her eyes, unable to stop laughing
>Her claws reach under you, scooping you out of the water and holding you up to her face
>You curl up inside her grasp, unable to shake the feeling that you shouldn't be exposing yourself around a nice lady like her
>Even if she's, you know, a terrifying death-monster
>"My name, little one, is Evanne Æta Friþcandele."
"Evanna Ega... F-Fri..."
>You try to repeat her name, but can't seem to get your tongue to roll over the syllables as easily as she can
>The dragon chuckles, patting your head with her tail
"I suppose it *is* a bit of a mouthful."
>She considers for a moment
>"How about you call me Eva, for short?"
"Okay, Ms. Eva."
>That gets another chuckle out of her
>"You're just the sweetest thing, aren't you? What's your name, little one?"
"Anonymous. Anon, for short."
>She grin
>"A fitting human name. Well, Anon. Why don't you finish getting yourself cleaned up, and I'll find something for you to eat. How does that sound?"
"To eat?"
>Your stomach rumbles at the mere though of food, making you blush
"I would... I would really appreciate that. Thank you, Ms. Eva."
>"Of course, dear. You just enjoy yourself down here, okay? I'll call you when it's ready."
>She carries you back to the shallow water, then sets you down
>You immediately sink up to your ankles in the soft silt, and the water reaches just up to your waist
>Eva nuzzles her snout against your forehead, then slithers back out of the lake
>Water cascades down from her scales, reflect the orange-gold color of her body as it sprinkles down
>You watch her go, then sink back down into the water, suddenly exhausted
>The entire cavern is dimly lit by some a dim glow emanating from the water, so you're able to find your way around, even if you can't see far
>You amuse yourself for a while by swimming in circles
>But, after a while, the memories of what happened earlier come back to you
>It feels wrong, to be sitting here alive and warm while your companions are dead in the rain
>You sit down, letting the water come up to your chin, and start to cry
 
>In the dim light of the hotspring-cave, you start to lose track of time
>Eventually, though, you hear Eva's gently voice echoing down the tunnel
>"Supper is ready, little one."
>You stagger to your feet and splash some water in your eyes, trying to make it look like you weren't just crying
>And then, still naked, you stumble away from the water and slowly make your way through the tunnel
 
>Back in the central cave, your eyes are again blinded by the glare from Eva's nest of treasure
>She's curled at the top of it, lounging amongst the gold and jewels and bathing in their light
>When she sees you, though, you can immediately tell that your work to disguise your tears didn't pay off
>Eva's eyes go wide, and she immediately bends her head down to eye-level
>"What's wrong, little one?"
>You try to speak, but your words come out as weak, choking little gasps
>She nuzzles her snout against your cheek
>"Easy, dear. You've been through a lot today, I know."
>She gently scoops you up in a single claw, and lifts you up to join her in her nest
>"I found this for you. Not exactly your size, but it should keep you warm."
>She hands you a massive, elegant robe, like the kind of thing a noble would wear to court
>It's silky, thick, and warm, and feels more like a blanket than a garment when you wrap it around yourself
"Thanks..." you manage to choke out
>"Of course. And here. I don't really know how a human prefers their food, but..."
>She sets you down at the far edge of the nest where a few more exquisite robes have been arranged into a sort of makeshift bed
>And in the middle of this makeshift bed sits a jewel-encrusted plate, clearly salvaged from her hoard, and covered in pieces of dried exotic fruits
>You eat slowly, not really savoring much of the taste
>It still feels wrong, somehow, being the only one left
>And only now is it settling in that you'll never see any of them again
>You finish the fruit, then curl up amongst the robes, staring at the ceiling
>Eva crawls up next to you, laying her head by your side
>"Is there anything I can do to help you, little one?"
"I don't think so."
>You wipe your mouth with the back of your hand
"Thank you for the food. And the robe. And everything else."
>"Of course."
>She flaps her wings once, and the resulting gust of air extinguishes the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling
>Darkness descends over the cave, leaving you with only the distant sounds of rain for company
>"Just let me know if there's anything else you need. I promise, I won't leave your side."
"Thank you."
>You roll yourself into a cocoon of blankets, and try to fall asleep
 
>But sleep won't come
>You toss and turn for what feels like hours, but the awful feeling wont leave you
>Slowly, it changes from guilt to loneliness, and works its way deep into your chest, like the chill from the rain
>You hold your head in your hands, wishing you could have said goodbye to them
>And then the crying starts again
>It's quieter this time, just gentle sobs that bubble up from between your lips, making your body shake
>You curl into a ball, pressing the fabric against your face
>That's when you feel Eva's tail curl around your waist once again
>She lifts you up and places you in your claws, curling them protectively around your body
>Her voice, impossibly gentle for a dragon, coos in your ear
>"Easy, little one."
>She rolls onto her back, then places your body against her chest, cradling you there with the crook of one foreleg
>The heat from beneath her scales seeps up into you, calming you towards sleep as she begins to rock you slowly back and forth
>"I know how hard losing someone is. But losing so many... I'm sorry. I cannot imagine what you're going through."
>You sniffle
"Why me... why was I saved... I don't deserve... this..."
>"Shhh. You do deserve to live. To be happy. And I know all your friends would say you deserve it, too."
"You think?"
>"I know. I've met many humans before, little one. They'd want you to keep going."
>She nuzzles her cheek against the top of your head, letting a burst of her warm, sweet breath flow over you
>"And I want you to keep going too. I could never let something so precious succumb to this wicked world."
T-thank you, Ms. Eva..."
>She hums in content, squeezing you tighter against her chest
>"Of course. Now try and get some rest, child. I promise, the morning will bring better things."
"How can you know?"
>"I've lived for five-hundred years, little one. Trust me, I know. I promise, as long as you are with me, no harm will come to you."
>There's a gently certainty in those words that finally stops your crying
>You lay your face against Eva's chest, listening to the hum of her breath and the distant beating of her heart
>A warm cocoon envelopes you, and even the thunder is drowned out by the sound
>Slowly, and free of nightmares, you drift into a long, long rest
 
>That night, you slept soundly in Eva's grasp
>And when you awoke, you found yourself with some strange group of words building on your tongue
>But you couldn't quite tell what the words were
>There was something you were trying to tell her, you were sure of it
>But you just didn't know how to say it...
>When you awoke, she cradled you, gently whispering in your ear as she asked if you'd slept well
"Yeah. Better than in a long time. Thank you, Ms. Eva."
>She smiled at that, then went off to fix you some breakfast
 
>It was the first of many, many days you'd spend with her
>For a while, every day was the same
>But not in the drudgery sort of way that every day was the same back in the barracks of the Errant Order
>They're the same in a quiet, secure sort of way
>Every day after you awake, Eva lets you sit in her lap while she "reads" to you
>Not truly reads, as she doesn't keep any books nearby
>But it seems she's committed hundreds of works by elves, dwarves, and men to memory, and can recite them easily
>And so she reads to you tales of ancient legend, as well as lessons on history, natural philosophy, and even the little she knows of magic
>After a fair amount of begging, she even starts to teach you draconic
>Which you're terrible at, sadly
>But it makes you happy to try and speak to her in her own language
>You even get to the point where you can pronounce her true name properly!
>The first time you get it right, she beams with pride, bends down, and gently licks along your ear
>It isn't until later that it occurs to you that this was meant to be a dragon's kiss
>When you felt that kiss, the unsaid words on your tongue returned to your mind
>But still, you had no idea what they were
>Vaguely, you hoped learning draconic would help you puzzle them out
>But even as you slowly learn to converse with her in the hissing, powerful language of dragons (rambling about the cave, the piles of gold, and the tastes of food with her in broken bursts of the language), the words still elude you
>Not that you're worried, though
>Being with Eva makes you happy, you know that much
>And for now, that's all you need
 
>Eventually, though, your stores of food start to run out
>Eva only has so much fruit, and she needs to go find new sources of food to keep the both of you healthy
>And so she takes you hunting
>Not at first, of course; you have to practically beg her to go along
>When you first witness her hunting, the sight simply astounds you
>There's pretty much nothing more terrifying, or beautiful, than a dragon taking wing
>She soars through the air like a beam of sunlight, striking down towards cattle, sheep, or horses with swift, unstoppable precision
>You beg her to teach you to hunt
 
>And soon she caves in
>Obviously, you can't hunt like she does
>But she allows you to dig through her endless hordes of treasure until you've found a simple sword and dagger that fit your small size
>And from there, everything is theoretical lessons that you're left to practice on your own
>Under her supervision, you stalk the forests surrounding her cave, searching for food
>For a while, you're absolutely terrible
>Your first attempt to kill a sheep ends with you tripping on a root and ending up face-down in the dirt
>Eva laughs at that for a long time
>It's weird; when dragons laugh *really* hard, they end up acting like giant cats, rolling around in place and kicking their legs in the air
>Watching Eva howl in laughter at your expense is more than a little strange, but you still can't help but smile at the sight
 
>But even though she laughs at you, she never stops teaching
>Every wrong move you make, she has an answer for
>"Keep your frame low, little one. There's no speed in hunting. Only patience, and precision."
>And so you learn
>Your first kill brings another dragon-kiss, and the two of you eat a long, proud meal after that
>Those unspoken words still linger on your tongue
 
>As much as you can, you continue training with the sword
>Obviously Eva isn't much use as a sparring partner, but she's apparently read enough on swordsmanship to make even a blade master look foolish
>So she coaches you through drills after lunch, watching patiently and correcting your movements as you stumble through long and deadly dances
>After many long, hard months, you start to improve here as well
 
>Studying with her is never easy; she's a demanding teacher, never allowing you to slow down or plateau
>Everything you achieve just means a harder challenge is coming
>But when you succeed, she never fails to show how proud she is
>Whether is be a kiss, or a simple joyous flap of her wings, Eva is always cheering you on
>And yet those illusive words just don't seem to want to make themselves known
 
>Two years of life with her pass in a blur of hard work and bright, warm happiness
>Each day is a long string of hunting, training, and lessons, and they all leave you completely exhausted
>But when you're done, you allowed to collapse, exhausted, into Eva's claws, and to fall asleep cradled against her chest
 
>Of course, eventually, you stop wanting to be held
>Once you hit thirteen, the idea of sleeping with her starts to feel... uncouth, in an awkward way your pubescent mind can't really put into words
>So you start sleeping alone
>Eva looks sad, at first, but she doesn't complain
>You continue to train, though you spend more of your time on your own
>It's not that you resent Eva, far from it
>But you feel this overpowering need to be off on your own
>And so you start sneaking into nearby villages, and picking fights with the local kids
>Sure, you get your ass handed to you once in a while
>But they're raised on farms, and you were raised by a dragon
>Soon you're beating them without much of a challenge, and you start to get cocky
 
>You throw yourself into fights for no reason at all, relishing the the thrill of victory
>Until on a certain rainy night, you find yourself facing down a group of dragon hunters
>Huge men in gilded armor, they beat you senseless, tearing your sword from your hands and raining armored blows on your back
>"We know you've seen the wyrm, kid. Where is she?"
>Under those horrible blows, it's all you can do not to tell them
>Eventually they toss you aside, furious, and storm away
>You never told them where Eva lives, even though half your face is ruined
 
>She freaked out when you came home, though
>Started threatening to raze villages to the ground until she found the fiends who hurt "her baby"
>Damn, it was weird being called that
>So you learned to fight back, but for real this time
>No more boyish boasting, you learned to actually defend yourself
>And the next time some part of idiot low-skill adventurers came knocking to mess with Eva, you were the first, and last, thing they saw
>Slowly, your skill continued to grow
 
>You're sixteen now
>Fighting and hunting have become a natural part of your life
>And Eva is slowly running out of things to teach you
>Conversing with her in draconic has become easier than speaking your native common-tongue
>She's proud of you, you can tell
>And that fact fills you with more happiness than you've ever really known
>But, there's a tinge of sadness in it too
>Because you need to leave soon
>You can feel it, and Eva can feel it too
>Late at night, when you go off to sleep by yourself, you can see her watching you, her gorgeous golden eyes glowing with pride, but also slightly distant, slightly downcast...
>You were raised to be a knight errant, after all
>There's a wide world you've itched to explore since you could barely walk, and you can't live here with her forever
>Her training has trimmed you into a real warrior; you're far from being the most cunning or powerful, but you understand yourself now
>And so you know that, soon, you'll have to leave
 
>Eventually, word reaches you of an expedition to reclaim the Fallen Ark, a relic of the gods that long-ago passed into the hands of fell creatures
>It's a noble quest, a crusade truly worthy as your first foray into the world of knights
>And so you enlist to join them
>When you tell Eva, she smiles
>"I knew this day would come, little one."
"Indeed. You... you understand why I'm doing this, right?"
>The draconic words come easily to you know
>"I do. You've been more valuable to me than any treasure I've owned. But I know I can't keep you."
>She settles down across her nest of treasure, nuzzling her snout against your cheek
>"You've made me so proud, little human."
"Thank you."
>You circle your arms around her neck to hug her
"I..."
>Those strange words still linger on your tongue
"Before I go, I'd like to know... why? Six years ago, you took me in. You've shown me so much kindness. I just don't understand why."
>Eva sighs, a tinge of sadness creeping into her smile
>"I don't fully understand either. You were lonely, adorable, and afraid. You... you made me feel something I hadn't felt in a long time."
"And what was that?"
>Eva pauses for a moment, and it occurs to you that she may have her very own set of words she can't seem to be able to speak
>"I'm not sure. But I knew that, if I took you in... it would make me happy. Far happier than stealing barrels of wine from traveling merchants, or hoarding treasure in these halls. I looked at you, and I saw... I saw someone who really needed me. And that made me feel..."
>She puzzles over that
>"It made me feel very good about myself, in a way I do think dragons are seldom meant to feel."
"Well, even if we don't know the reason, I'll always be grateful for these years we spent together."
>A quizzical look crosses Eva's face
>"You're talking as if you don't plan to come back."
"I do. But I can't promise I'll make it."
>"Ha. Oh, little one, you know so little of dragons, even after all this time."
"I do?"
>You sit down across from her, and Eva curls her massive golden body in a circle around you, ending with her head on your lap
"I guess I have time for one more lesson, then."
>"I hope you will have time for many more lessons. You see..."
>A slightly somber tone enters Eva's voice
>"...we dragons are ancient creatures. When we part, we always leave with an implicit promise to see each other again. That promise, of course... isn't always kept. Sometimes it can't be, other times one of the members simply chooses not to uphold it."
>Eva's eyes flick towards the entrance to her cave, and a slow, dark coil of smoke curls out from between her nostrils
>"But still, the promise is made. Because a promise is more than a simple guarantee. It's a bond of trust."
>Her eyes turn upwards towards you, and for a moment you feel as if your body is bathed in golden light
>"Do you trust me, little one?"
"I do."
>"And I, you. So even if you may not return, promise me you will."
>You place a hand on the ridge between her eyes, feeling the warmth of her scales beneath your palm
"I'll return. Victorious or not, with honor or without it, I'll return."
>A sad smile spreads across Eva's face
>"And I will hold you to that."
>She lifts her head and nuzzles her snout against your cheek
>"And I'll be waiting for you. I hope I see you soon, little one."
>She gave you one final kiss on your brow before you left, and her tail curled around your wrist in a show of support
>When it left, though, a small medallion was left clutched in your hand
>It was simple; just a single one of her scales hanging from a silver chain
 
>Outside, the day has progressed into high afternoon, and a shimmering sun greets you as you step over the the threshold
>As with all truly difficult goodbyes, the first few days after leaving Eva are almost too easy
>But then the sorrow starts to creep in
>You keep the scale always around your neck, letting it hang against your chest
>Day and night, it rests above your heart
>And no matter how you get on cold nights in the forest, it always seems to stay warm