A Dragon's True Nature

"At least they're covered so no one can see them." Kanashii says with a sigh as she gets dressed the rest of the way, and heads out of the room. She walks toward the front room. When she pushes the door leading toward the dining room open, she hears someone talking. She quickly shuts the door, and listens.

"I can offer you a mountain of jewels if you would just consider the offer." An unfamilar voice says.

"The jewels do sound tempting, but I'm afraid you're going to have to offer a hell of a lot more if you honestly think I'm going to give Kanashii up." Her father says. She covers her mouth with her hand, and gasps.

*No! I could not have just heard that correctly!* Kanashii mentally pleads. She runs away from the room, crying. She runs into her bedroom, and rummages through her stuff until she comes upon the great sword she had forged. She takes it out of the drawer, and straps it to her waist. She then jumps out her window, landing on her feet on the ground. She dashes away from her home, never to return.

Six years pass. Kanashii is now 2o years old, and has been wondering alone for so long that she has become accustomed to avoiding people in the same was as the elves avoid humans. She is walking through a city when a girl who looks to be a few years younger than herself, begins to follow her. She notices that even as she exits the city, the girl is still following. She turns around, eyes narrowed.

"Do you have some reason for following me?" Kanashii demands. The girl looks taken aback.

"Um...." The girl mutters. Kanashii looks at her with puzzlement, and shakes her head.

"If no...then please leave me be! I have more important things to do than have someone following me." Kanashii says as she turns around, and starts walking away. Immediately, she notices the girl continue to follow her. She sighs as she once again turns around. "Tell me what you want." Kanashii says in an exasperated voice.

"I was....uh.....kinda wondering...." The girl mutters.

"Spit it out!" Kanashii shouts, getting irritated.

"Why are your ears pointed?" The girl asks, looking directly at Kanashii's ears. Kanashii looks taken aback.

"W....what a strange question, and what do you mean my ears are pointed?" Kanashii questions.

"Your ears aren't like other human ears." The girl says in a matter-of-factly voice as she moves aside her hair to reveal rounded ears.

"You know, I've never thought about it. They have just always been the way they are now." Kanashii says.

"Crazy." The girl says, shaking her head.

"My name's Kanashii....what's yours?" Kanashii asks, looking at the girl.

"Evalyn." The girl says, smiling.

"Evalyn, huh? Interesting name." Kanashii says, smiling.

"So is yours. So, where in the Empire do you originate?" Evalyn asks, sounding generally interested.

"You know....It's been so long that I'm not even sure anymore." Kanashii says, shrugging.

A week passes. Kanashii has been traveling with Evalyn. They've gotten to know each other farely well. One day, while Kanashii is washing her hand, Evalyn walks up, and sees the black mark.

"Oh god! You're marked!" Evalyn shouts in a horrified voice.

"Huh?" Kanashii questions, looking up at her in confusion.

"This." Evalyn says as he points to the mark on Kanashii's hand.