Gabby gives the red scaled dragon an timid wave as she is nudged along. "Nice meeting you. And thank you....for the blanket...."
Cinon waved his tail as they left, turning down the main street to head back to the East tower they entered by. They were almost there when Cedric spotted a set of guards searching the thin crowd of dragons for someone. His eyes widened slightly, but he kept a natural face on and nudged Gabby to a side street with his muzzle, strategically placing himself between the guards and his human.
Once they were off of the main street he silently stopped them all. "They are looking for us, what do you want to do?"
Cinon was silent, his face worryingly checking the street they just came from.
"What will they do if they catch us?" Gabby asked as she kept a careful watch on the side street.
"I do not know... I expect that they will want to talk to you back at the palace. After that..."
"They wouldn't do anything bad to you... I don't think they would." Cinon said nervously.
"We just need to be careful and make sure that they do not think you are with these 'Terrans.' It seems like they have been attempting to keep the city a secret from them."
"Well, perhaps we should make ourselves known? It seems that not all dragons hate humans, like that red dragon from earlier. Perhaps this prince-king would be friendly and make a powerful ally once we explain the situation. Tk would vouch for me. "
Cedric stared at Gabby for a moment, seeing if he could work out what she was thinking. They had only just got back from the World Engine and it still felt strange to not have some goal to work for, some great challenge to overcome. Maybe she still felt that drive to do something, to overcome. Maybe he felt it himself.
"An Ally in what, exactly? We are still unsure of exactly who the Terrans are, other than that they are Human and not of this world. From what I know of politics Sky is... not exactly in a position to be doing a great deal of negotiating with local cities, much less aliens."
Gabby shrugged. The idea of sneaking out of the city seemed like it might make them even more suspicious, but Cedric didn't seem keen on staying. If it's one thing she knew of Cedric, was that his opinions and ideas had good reasons. "It just seems like we could use all the friends we could get. But, let's see what's going on in Arrgament."
Cedric nodded, peeking out of the alley one more time and seeing that the guards had moved on, atleast for now. He slipped out quietly, Cinon moving after him in the crowd. They surprisingly made it all the way to the staircase without anybody stopping them, however they still received a good amount of glares, glances, and outright stares.
They had just started back up the staircase when a descending guard, only just shy of Gabby's head height at the shoulder, caught them. He got into a battle ready stance, his light blue and bioluminescent white scales clear in the dimness of the stairs, but he didn't make a move at them. His body had several fish-like fin-spines across it, and he looked streamlined for swimming more than the other dragons, much like all the guards did.
"Human! Stop!" He ordered, waiting for their action. Cinon and Cedric both flinched at the appearance of the guard, one of them significantly more so, but the held their ground and waited.
Gabby heard the order and paused with the brothers as she faced the glowing dragon officer. He stood ready to fight them with a harsh look on his face. There were two options; bum rush the large guard or run back into the city. "Uh Cedric...Cinon....mind telling him we don't want to fight? He wont understand me if I talk."
"We are just leaving. We already know not to tell anyone of the city. The human is neither Terran or Native, she is from a new world and she is traveling with us. We need to leave as soon as possible, there is a Psychic Guild dragon after us." Cedric explained, still cautious of the guard.
"We are more than capable of keeping you safe for the time being. Come with me to the palace and don't cause any trouble. Sky wants to see you."
Cinon sheepishly turned around, heading down the main street towards the largest building in the city. It was a glorious monument to the dragon's ability to create, a set of domed roofs and pillars on a rectangular building. The entrance was a set of large wooden doors, each four times the height of Gabby, with a balcony overhead. Guards were everywhere, all of them the same marine type as the dragon escorting them. A pair of guards opened the doors to the palace and let the four of them in, shutting them as soon as their tails were in.
Within moments, a smaller marine dragon walked in. His head was at the height of Gabby's and he was followed by two other dragons. One was significantly older than him, a weak looking marine dragon with glasses, but the other was a young green dragon that seemed almost out of place.
Sky, who they presumed the leading dragon was, brushed off the older dragon as he approached the party, a limp in his walk.
"You, Human, can you speak Lowlands? <<English?>>" The dragon asked abruptly, his voice straining slightly.
Gabby surveyed the group of dragons entering the room, noting the marine dragons and the green one that stood out as strange. She made eye contact with the green one for a solid moment before her attention was drawn away by the question. She turned her attention to the smaller dragon with the pitchy voice and looked at him in his eyes too. She shook her head in reply.
"Ah- She can hear Lowlands, just no speak it. It's complicated." Cinon said, smiling at the dragon.
"Hm. I see. What are all your names?"
"I am Cedric, this is my brother Cinon, and our human companion Gabby."
"Your human? She doesn't look like a slave to me."
"Nooo. Not like that. Like she's our human friend. We found her in a magic wish granting World Engine."
"-The World Engine is an old legend, one we found about twenty years ago." Cedric added quickly.
"I see. I remember hearing about dragons going missing in this area looking for it now..."
"From Goulver, yes? That's where we lived!" Cinon got excited about his home town, the memories of his Mother and Father rushing in briefly, only to be swamped out by a dark realisation. "That was twenty years ago... They must think..."
"We are in a hurry to leave, the Psychic Guild has taken an interest in our Human and I do not plan on handing her over or ending up dead because of it. We already have promised not to tell the Terrans of the city, as I am sure that is your foremost concern, and now you know she is not with them. You must know Tk'tukir?"
"Yes, his name is familiar. He was working with the Terrans in Arrgament for us."
"He can collaborate our story, he speaks her language and knows of her home world better than anyone else."
"Hmm. Does Gabby have anything else to say?"
Her grey eyes darted to all three dragons before she addressed the question. "What they is true, I am not a Native or a Terran. And we don't want to cause any trouble in Undur and know the importance of keeping the city secret. We would simply like the freedom to come and go." she said in a polite but confident tone, "And I would also ask what your name is so I may properly thank you for safe passage."
Cedric repeated the message verbatim, making sure Cinon didn't mess up her message.
"Freedom to leave, yes. I do not want humans in my City however, not now. You must understand the pressure I am under to keep my citizens safe. My name, Human, is Sky. King Sky. I will have my guards escort you to the surface, and I will make it known when you are welcome back again. Farewell." Sky sat in the throne room, waiting for the trio to leave.