Oaths - A Dragon Prince Story

Moon Magic

Not really sure what the other would like to eat, he prepared several fruits and vegetables together with bread and dried meat. It was simple but varied enough that his guest should find something to his liking. He was just about to set the table when a figure suddenly appeared in his peripheral vision. Slightly startled, Ethari yelped and silently cursed in draconic as soon as he recognized the Moonshadow.

“I have returned.” Runaan bowed “Forgive me should I have startled you.”
The other was now clad in the wide linen pants and the top he bought but was still barefoot as his leather boots had remained here. His forearms however were once more enclosed in the steel reinforced leather bracers and his hair, now silky and pearl white was braided in a similar but much neater way to what Ethari had found him in. The metal clasps held two strands of hair in place that were left out of the braid and dangled on either side next to his face.

“No problem the food is ready, take a seat.” He looked much more like a Colonel and much less like the precious creature huddled under his blanket now. Somehow, he found the change rather attractive.

“Thank you" Runaan stated again and returned the meticulously folded blanket to its spot before taking a seat, watching Ethari work. “Do you require assistance?” he asked as the smith struggled to reach some cups he had accidentally placed too high up in his own cupboard.

Before Ethari could decline the offer, Runaan was already standing behind him, easily reaching up to grasp the two cups he was going for. He gently placed them into the Sunfire's hands, arm reaching around him from behind. “Th-thank you.” Tinker stammered, now fully aware of how close the other was.

“Of course, whatever you require.” Runaan retorted, returning to his designated seat.

“Uh okay.”
When he joined the other at the table his guest eyed the food skeptically before regarding Ethari with a questioning glance.

“I don't really know what you guys eat so I thought I’d just make several things for you to choose from. I hope you find something you like.” He then filled both glasses with berry juice and gestured for the food encouragingly. “Go on I promise it's not poisoned.”
It was meant to be a joke but Runaan's eyes narrowed for a second before he reached out to take a slice of Orange, carefully nibbling on it. Relieved he got the other to eat, Ethari also selected a few fruits and made a mental note of what the Moonshadow seemed to like.

“What is this?” Runaan pointed at the pile of orange Sunberries.

“Oh, these are Sunberries. The juice you're drinking is made from them.” That prompted the other to now examine the dark red substance in his cup.

“But it's red.”
Ethari took one of the berries, cutting it in half. While they were bright orange on the outside, the inside was a blood red.

“Fascinating" his guest stated and took a berry to taste it. “We have Moonberries, they are red, bordering purple but they're less sweet.” Ethari smiled as the other continued to eat the berries with obvious enthusiasm. They continued this game with about half of the food and while Runaan never said that he didn't like any of it, he noted the things he only tried once.
When night fell, the smith rekindled the flame in the oven and gestured for the sofa.

“I'm afraid I don't have a guest bed but the sofa should be big enough for you.” Runaan bowed his head again

“Thank you"
Up in his bedroom, Ethari changed into a loose pair of shorts and was just about to slip under his blanket when movement outside the window caught his eye. The full moon did more than enough to illuminate the clearing around his house, basking everything in a cold blue light. For a moment he thought his guest meant to slip away as the Moonshadow stalked across the clearing towards a flat rock he sometimes used to dry his clothes. Then however, the other stopped, sitting down cross-legged on the even surface.

Just now Ethari realized that he had removed his shirt and all the bandages the smith had so meticulously applied earlier. Some wounds were still leaking a bit blood, creating an odd pattern of thin red lines on the other's bare chest.
Runaan then turned his head upwards to the moon and closed his eyes, mouth moving silently. After a while, his whole body slipped into darkness, only visible through the faint glow of his hair and the illuminated markings on his skin.

With wonder, Ethari watched as the shadow form he knew Moonshadows possessed turned into emerald light, basking the whole clearing in a more intense glow. His whole body now seemed to consist of pure Moonlight, red wounds contrasting strongly with the pristine glow. Until they didn't.
Runaan moved his lips again, silently chanting as scratch after scratch slowly vanished, leaving nothing but faint pink lines in their wake. The deeper wounds took longer and Ethari could see his brows knitting together in concentration until even the large gash on his chest was only a scar.

With morbid fascination, the smith watched as his guest took up the dagger that was now glinting in a deep blue and placed it on his forearm, drawing blood. Instead of falling down though, the red drops turned to shining specs and drifted upwards until they dissipated in a cloud of light, mingling with the moon rays Runaan was basking in. It was the only wound that didn't heal before his body turned from the ethereal glow to its usual pale state.
The Moonshadow bowed deeply towards the full moon before wrapping a piece of discarded bandage around his arm and silently rolling back to his feet. The impossibly long white hair, now open, cascaded down his back in silvery waterfall, moved by his predatory gait and the wind.

Oh no.

The elf was, sadly, very attractive.
Quickly, Ethari stepped back from the window so the other wouldn't see him staring. That was the last thing he needed right now.

He hadn't really noticed the other's handsome features before, too focused on keeping him alive and trying to make sense of his cryptic manners. Remembering the book, Ethari retrieved it from his bag, looking though the index. 

‘The Moon Arcanum' That one, he'd safe for later.
‘Powers and Primal magic' well that sounded more promising. He flipped to the chapter in question, skimming the faded ink for information. 
Ethari skipped the parts about cloaking and illusions, searching for the miraculous healing spell instead.

‘Moonshine's touch' he read, examining the sketch of a ceremonial dagger. That could be it. ‘Some Moonshadow elves are able to learn how to connect to their Arcanum so deeply that they may exchange favors.’ Favors huh?
‘Traditionally, the Moonshadow offers a tribute of magic potential in exchange for a grant of power from their Arcanum. Such tributes may include magical creatures or objects of magic potential. Usually one presents the tribute and receives the grant afterwards, depending on how pleased the Arcanum is with the offered source.’ So Moonshadow elves could gain power by sacrificing magic creatures? A shudder ran down his spine, driving little ice needles in the dark skin.  But then, Runaan had obviously used his own blood as a tribute. And he only offered it up after the power was granted. So either the book wasn't completely correct, which was plausible, or his guest had a special connection to the Moon Arcanum.

Ethari's Sunfire magic was considerably powerful. To a point that he could, if desired, hold his heatbeing for far longer than the regular elf.  However, he had never directly tried to communicate with it, choosing the old-fashioned way through burnt parchment notes and Sun Runes.

The smith decided to let the research be for tonight and finally settled under the covers. Being up after Sundown exhausted him considerably. Especially now, that the days were longest and contrasted harsher against the nights.