Adalia had always wished to live out here in nature, the array of colors much more pleasing to the eye than the grey stone and brown wood of the castle she felt trapped in. Out here everything felt so free and open. She could do as she pleased without the worry of her every movement being calculated and judged. She could breathe. Enzo grazed off in the distance, enjoying the lush, dewey grass that surrounded the body of water. The streams of sunlight shifted through the air as the leaves above rustled in the soft breeze, each stream seeming to glisten and glitter. This place was an oasis, a one of a kind sanctuary from the dull world beyond. It was her sanctuary when the means of her life in the castle became too much for her soul. The one place in the world where she could be herself.

As she continued to sing her simple tunes, her fingers intertwined pieces of long grasses and flowers, folding and twisting them around each other in a delicate way to create a little crown. After some time she set it to the side before standing once more, strolling around the area as she hummed softly. It was so quiet. Not to everyone but herself. Yes birds chirped and the breeze sang a melody through the leaves, but there were no voices echoing through halls, clinking metal of the guards. And no King’s voice booming commands and complaints.

Her mind continued to wander back to Hadeon and his companion, wondering how on earth it had come to be. Even over these last few weeks it seemed he was avoiding the conversation, somehow turning it back into the princess to discuss what she had done all these years, her training and accomplishments, anything. And of course she was easy to distract, she was so open now that her friend was home, someone who would listen to her. What had he gone through to get to this moment? Would she ever know?

Adalia simply sighed, pushing the thoughts away as she looked to the water, its cool tone and ripples calling to her. Her smile softly returning she slipped out outer dress off, one that was just decorative and revealed a black slip dress underneath. The silk fabric rustled in the breeze that danced around her, glinting in the light. She knew she would have to return soon, knowing the guards were already running rampant around the castle. So why not enough a cool dip into the water on this lovely day?

The princess did just so, stepping towards the sandy edge of the waters before walking in. The water shifted around her, slowly engulfing her body as she waded farther and farther. When she had finally reached a point she could no longer touch, she let her body float, her eyes softly closing and a long breath leaving her body. She let her body fall back and lay on the surface, her hair melting around her form. This was peace.

She stayed like this for what felt like hours, just taking in the quiet and relaxation. The guards at home could wait. She was perfectly safe, and if need be, she always kept a weapon hidden nearby. No one would find her here, it was a secret.

Dragons were powerful beasts that Hadeon Alchys could merely pray to understand one day, their intentions and purpose behind every seemingly small and large act far more complex than a human could comprehend. At times, he often believed that it was more than wistful thinking to believe that a dragon`s judgement, perception, and inclinations were to always be trusted; most were hundreds of years old, some even a thousand, after all. The sole thing he doubted he could ever come close to understanding was a simple one: why did dragons allow themselves to succumb to the commands and wills of humans like him, even if just a little? To them, humans would surely always be nothing more than a source of entertainment and nutrition.. right? Hadeon had learned a plethora of things back when he had first been ``claimed`` by Algernon and started learning the ropes. It had been a cruel, ruthless world back then, mostly because of his fellow peers while the dragons tended to remain glued to their selected rider`s side.

Hadeon Alchys` time at the tower had been a living hell for the first few years, especially due to his young age. When he first arrived upon being separated from the beloved princess, he was treated with scrutiny and disdain due to his father and other familial relations; humans seemed to care far too much about people involved with someone, not the individual themselves. On the contrary, dragons seemed to do the precise opposite, which was probably why Hadeon got along so well with them, even if they weren`t Algernon himself. Prejudice and bias had led to countless days of little rest and constant harrassment, all of which had contributed to his current character and perspective of the world as he knew it. He knew better than to give in to pleas that seemed genuine, to befriend others, and to even allow himself to be vulnerable in the presence of someone else. Hadeon could no longer afford weakness, something even Algernon seemed to understand and assist with to the best of his ability.

Hadeon Alchys was snapped back to reality when the reptile shook beneath him, wings abruptly folding against his sides as they plummted downwards. Hadeon cursed beneath his breath as he clutched onto the dragon`s scales and shifted his weight backwards to avoid being tossed and left to the destiny that the wind would assign him to. The sheer force of the wind and the angle of Algernon`s descent forced him to close his eyes and grip tightly with his thighs as well; the dragon rarely acted so.. swift and as if he were in a rush. Hadeon only relaxed once again when Algernon landed harshly onto the earth, ruffling his wings and body as if it were a normal landing. On the contrary, Hadeon was heaving as he tried to catch his breath since breathing while descending downwards really was threatening to a human that was not used to it, even someone as experienced as he was.

``A warning next time?``

Hadeon Alchys grumbled as he gave Algernon a rough smack on the shoulder before sliding off of his back. His gaze darted around at his surroundings, taking note of the green scenery and peaceful sounds of nature. Before he could even recover completely, Algernon huffed heavily and swept his barbed tail. Hadeon could only watch as the reptile turned and walked away in a seemingly specific direction, cursing beneath his breath before he followed after him at a slower pace in an endeavor to catch his breath. Yeah.. he would never truly understand Algernon, let alone any dragon out there that was even willing to coexist with humans.