Queen Iolantha and Highlord Vadrian Zilzana arrived late that night, just an hour after Drenmyr Warmaster and his company of dwarves.

The Sylvanaar rulers came on griffin, bringing with them a total of ten people as Amnestria had told them to. Iolantha had fallen asleep along the way, and was held tight by the Highlord as they flew in. None of them had been very overjoyed when they had been informed that they had to make way to Rosepoint immediately, and with such short notice. They wouldn't have even gone had they not also been sensing that something ominous was at work. The Queen and Highlord of Sheeth Alinar were definitely not friends of Amnestria Wintermourn. However, the feeling was mutual in that matter.

They landed outside the gates and were greeted warmly by the guards awaiting them. They were then escorted to their chambers that the King had made up for them in the Palace, and thus their coming was unheard of until morning.

However, their arrival was in fact seen by another Sylvanaar elf who, like them, was also far away from the green trees of his homeland and surrounded by very different people.

Aerysdren watched the griffins fly in from the open window in his room at Omar's house. He sat on the window sill, the chilly night air gently tossing his hair around. The cold taste of winter rode upon the wind, hinting at its not so far off arrival. The light of the moon that shone bright in the clear sky illuminated the boy's face.

He let out a quiet sigh and finally averted his gaze. He hugged his knees close to his chest, suddenly longing for the warm refuge of the bed that sat up against the wall.

Omar had been extremely nice to him. He was what one would expect of a close friend of Isendir, however; funny, strong both physically and mentally, and very kind. He had helped clean Aerysdren's wounds and even gave him some new clothes that were not oversized rags. And for the first time in a few months, the elf was not going to bed hungry.

And yet, Aerysdren couldn't shake the feeling of being...unwanted.

As a child, all he would hear from his father was that he would amount to nothing if he ever even survived growing up. He could barely pull back a bow string, and had terrible aim. He was smart, but it took him awhile to understand things. He was told that he was a burden, and that fact was forever beaten into his head.

Even when he was older, Aerysdren did his best to avoid coming home at night. But he always knew that if he didn't, his mother would get upset and worry about him. His mother was a pitiful sight. She was hardly ever sober enough to take care of him as a baby, and spent most of her nights either sobbing into her hands or drinking away her sorrows. Though she often lashed out at Aerysdren, telling him that he ruined everything for her, she still claimed to love him, and while Aerysdren wanted to believe her more than anything else, he never fully could.

He learned everything he had about hunting and surviving alone by the woman who was the closest person to an actual mother he'll ever know. Her name was Mishka, and she was a Wild Runner, one of the woodland guards of Sheeth Alinar that served underneath the Highlord and guarded the border, acted as an army, and carried messages to the many remote villages in the forest. Aerysdren didn't like to remember the state he was in at the time they met. They were bad memories for him, and even though he still retained many of the feelings he had back then, he had learned to smile through the pain and remain optimistic.

When he had finally decided to leave, she was the only person that he shed any tears for, and the only person that tried to stop him. She didn't want him to go out into the world and get himself killed.

Three months later, and there he was, sitting on a window sill in the human capital of Rosepoint, staying with three of the nicest people he had ever met. Well, two of the nicest. He still wasn't sure about Varenyl. But Isendir and Ragnus had made Aerysdren feel like he was a part of something great for once, and the elf loved it. He wanted nothing more than a family. And yet...he was nervous about staying. The feeling had been nagging at him ever since they left Iksyn, but now it had finally came full force, for seemingly no other reason than to drag him down once more.

He would only slow them down, and the last thing he wanted was to be a burden again, or to be left behind. He really didn't think that he could go through that again. If he left now, he would save all of them the trouble and pain that it would later cause-

"Godsdamned cold, it's like the gods actually want me to catch my death," Ragnus grumbled angrily to himself as he suddenly stumbled into the room, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. His wispy white hair fell down over his eyes, giving him the appearance of a witch.

Aerysdren started. "Mr Ragnus sir! S-did I wake you?"

Ragnus's face flushed in the light of the moon. He jabbed a finger at the elf. He sputtered, "You're making the whole damn house feel like it's the dead of winter! What the hell are you even doing? Do you have any idea of what time it is? I-"

"I-I'm sorry!" Aerysdren hopped off the window sill, his hands clasped behind his back. He lowered his head like a child would after they had been scolded by an angry parent. "I...I was just leaving."

"Leaving?" Ragnus furrowed his brow at the elf. "You've been here for half a day, and you've already found some lass-"

"No no no no!" Aerysdren's eyes widened. He flushed a bright red. "It's-it's not like that! I...I mean I'm leaving. For good."

Ragnus stood there for a moment, his brows still wrinkled as his still half-asleep brain tried to understand what Aerysdren was telling him. Then, finally understanding, the dwarf let out a deep breath. His hard, green eyed gaze softened. "And might I ask why?"

"Because, I just...." Aerysdren sighed and slumped to the floor. He shook his head. "I can't tell you."

"And why not?"

Aerysdren shook his head again, his gaze falling. "You'll think less of me, sir."

Ragnus pursed his lips at the boy. "Lad, I would only think less of you if you admitted to murdering a man. You can tell me, Aerysdren. I would think no less of you, you have my word."

The elf was silent a moment. He hugged his knees close to his chest, his chin resting on his kneecaps. "I don't belong here, Ragnus," he whispered. "I'll only be in everyone's way and I don't want to cause you all any trouble. I'll only be left behind in the end," he added quietly. "Besides, I don't need anyone else."

"Just what kind of people do you take me and Isendir for, exactly?"

"W-what?"

"Isendir has known you for only three days, and he has already told me that he sees you as a son," Ragnus told him in a gruff voice. "If you leave without a word in the middle of the night, he would do nothing but worry about you. Hell, he might even go looking for you, knowing him."

"I don't want someone to worry about me like that." Aerysdren smiled sadly. "I'm not worth it, sir. I've always wanted to be a part of something special, and for a few days, I was. Thank you for that. It meant more to me than...anything. But I can't handle the constant fear of being left behind, or of holding any of you back."

"If anyone is going to hold us back, lad, it's me. I'm not as young as I used to be, and walking these long distances all the time is beginning to make my knees feel like they're being broken into a thousand pieces. Believe me when I tell you that you're the last person who has to worry about holding us back," the old dwarf admitted. He coughed. "And where would you go if you left? If you travel the road by yourself, slavers will catch you in no time, and I've seen what they do to those like you in Juliec."

"I know."

Ragnus let out a deep breath. He walked over to the boy and groaned as he attempted to sit down beside him, his bones creaking in protest as he did. "Lad, let me tell you something," he began when he finally sat down. "Remember when I told you that living on the road ain't what it's all cracked out to be?"

"...Yes."

"Well, it isn't. Until you have somebody to travel it with," Ragnus added with a mischievous grin at Aerysdren. "I mean, it's still hard, but it is slightly better when someone else is there to suffer with you. And in this case, me and that daft human Isendir."

Aerysdren ever so slightly smiled. "You two are really close."

"We're family, lad. That's what we are." Ragnus nodded. "We don't have anything else. Just us and the road ahead of us. But a family is constantly growing, and receiving new members."

"If you tell me that one of you two is pregnant, I swear to all that is holy...." Aerysdren let out a small laugh at the thought. He wiped a tear away from his eye before it fell down his cheek.

Ragnus snorted so suddenly that he caused a coughing fit to take hold of him.

Aerysdren smiled and shook his head again. His heart got a warm and fuzzy feeling at the idea of a family living on the roads, but it didn't last. "Sir...all my life, I've been told that I am nothing, that I am unwanted. It's hard to get used to actually being wanted for once. I want nothing more than to be a part of this, but...I don't think I can take it. It's too much for me, sir. But I know how to take care of myself. I am not helpless."

Ragnus leaned his head back and sighed. "Kid, I can't stop you if you feel you have to leave." He looked over at him and wrapped his arm around the elf's thin shoulders. "I'll explain everything to Isendir in the morning. But if you do, just know that you have some people waiting for you, and those people care deeply for you. You're a part of us. Of this dysfunctional little group of possibly four people."

"I'll keep that in mind, sir," Aerysdren said in a small voice. A single tear finally slid down his cheek. There was a burning sensation in his throat. "Tell Isendir that...I'm sorry."

"I will, lad." Ragnus nodded. Silence fell, broken only by the occasional sniffle from Aerysdren. Eventually, the dwarf looked over at him again. "Just so you know lad, there's no way in hell that I can stand back up on my own, so you're going to have to help me."

Aerysdren gave a small chuckle and stood up. "Yeah yeah." He took Ragnus's hand and gently pulled the dwarf back up to his feet. "Thank you, Ragnus. For everything."

"Don't mention it." Ragnus picked the blanket back up and wrapped it back around his shoulders. He nodded his head at the elf, and patted him on his arm. "Just...remember what I said."

"I will." Aerysdren bobbed his head. He grinned. "You remind me of a grandfather."

"Very funny," the dwarf grumbled. It was then that he remembered why he had came there in the first place. "Do me a wee favor and shut that damn window as well." He then walked out and quietly shut the door behind him, leaving Aerysdren alone.

He gazed at the door for a while, his smile slowly fading. Eventually, he breathed out a small puff of air and looked back out the window. He a ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe I'll wait until morning...."

~-~-~

Isendir walked wearily down the stairs that morning, putting his hair into a tie as he did. He rubbed his groggy eyes once more before he walked into the kitchen. Omar and Ragnus sat at the table, their expressions unusually morose.

Isendir gazed at them with wrinkled brows as he walked to the counter. "Let's not be too excited now," he said as he leaned against the wall. "Have any of you seen Aerysdren? He wasn't in his room when I looked. Varenyl will be down soon. Apparently he was up all night with nightmares. Again."

Omar and Ragnus exchanged knowing glances. The old dwarf slowly stood up and walked over to Isendir.

"About the lad...."

"Yes?" Isendir lifted an eyebrow at the dwarf, suddenly worried. "What is it, Ragnus?"

The dwarf seemed hesitant to respond. He looked away, his hands placed firmly in his pockets.

"Ragnus, tell me." The Highlander's tone was serious.

"He's gone, Isendir," Ragnus said in a soft voice. "He left sometime last night."

***🐉***
I feel this could use a lot of work, so please tell me any criticism and suggestions you have ❤️❤️

Also, your girl here spent all day on this instead of doing homework, so 👍 school has my anxiety at a high nowadays, and it's only the fourth week in 🙃

Thank y'all so much for reading! I'm really sorry for the late update. I restarted this chapter about ten times this week because I wasn't sure how to go about it.

Until next time~