Book One - The Dragonkin Empire.

The West Chief.

 Alice's side.

 I open my eyes abruptly and see a wooden ceiling, an unknown ceiling that's being slowly illuminated by the morning light, my heart starts beating fast, I reach to my boot and take a small knife from it, I don't see my equipment anywhere, I'm unarmed and I feel naked without my sword. Jumping to my feet I quickly scan the room, slowly the details of the room are processed inside my drowsy head, when I calm down I recall the past weeks and realize that I'm at the inn on the West, tension leaves me as quickly as it came to me leaving a sense of relief. The sun's light is starting to lit everything with a gentle glow showing clearly the specks of dust that danced in the air, I put my knife on the small night table and go to the window to get fresh air, everything is peaceful in the morning, which boosts my morale for the meeting will be having today. I'm nearby the window when my feet bump into something, I look down but there is nothing there apart from my feet, I try stepping near the windowsill but I can't, I move around and notice that the air looks funny, like when a bonfire is lit on a cold night and the air above is distorted. I stick my hand out but I don't feel anything special, I start going down searching until my hand touches a head, I go down more and feel the face, I narrow my eyes when I start to understand what might be happening so I squat more until my head is near the floor, from here I can see a pair of crossed legs and above those there is the innocent sleeping face of Lumiere holding his staff.

 Another incomprehensible thing so soon in the morning makes me mad 'why can't he behave like a normal person for once' I get up and he disappears anew for my field of vision but now I know he's here.

 "Hey! what do you think you're doing over there?" I wait and hear clearly how he yawns along with the rustle of his clothes, I can picture him clearly stretching his arms without a care in the world.

 "Please don't yell first thing in the morning, it isn't nice you know." He took time before appearing with the sole purpose of testing the limits of my patience

 "What are you doing in my room and why exactly are you hiding?.

 "Well, yesterday I came in here and laid you down with Ruah's help, since the moon looked beautiful from your window I thought I would indulge myself a little and finish my drink here alone since no one can handle well a drink, in the end I got sleepy and I didn't want to see your brother's ugly face so I put a simple illusion on me thinking it would be unpleasant for you to see me lodging in your room first thing in the morning..." At the end he shrugged and acted like nothing had happened.

 "Any time you're in my room or around me is unpleasant." I took a deep breath giving away all my anger, at this point in the journey it wasn't worth it, instead I asked. "If you put up an illusion, why was I able to see it?"

 "Tha'ts because I put up the spell at night, while the day goes on the light the illusion receives is different so I have to adjust the spell to match the refraction of the light. Because I fell asleep the spell was off and caused a distortion on the air."

 "I thought I was getting used to your weirdness but I'm guessing it's still too early for that, the sun's already coming up, let's hurry with our breakfast so we can be with the Chief, the sooner the better.." I didn't spare a second glance on him and walked out to the first floor to arrange our food. I found Ruah near the counter, she looked worn out already, when I approached to order she simply led me to a table that was already packed with a decent quantity of  food.

 "This table is for you and Lumiere, I heard you came in late at night, did something interesting happen?" She was trying hard to cover her exhaustion but the effort were poor, despite that she teased me with a mischievous smile on her face

 "Obviously nothing would ever happen, instead of that what did you do last night, you must have been crowded, you look ready to fall, and what's the deal with this, Lumiere can't afford this, or at least he shouldn't, he hasn't threatened you or anything, right?"