Kali stared unblinking at the now somewhat confused Eldarin, she was objectively beautiful but those eyes made it clear that despite appearing like a harmless flower she was very damn poisonous.

Next, she pictured her Master, Zadkiel in her mind. He was an elderly Eldar, his skin was bluish gray, his hair white as Kali's own and his eyes shone in and argent light. The Eldar disturbed many at the first meeting as, unlike most other species, their eyes were orbs of light and there was no separation between sclera, iris, or pupil.

Then came the most stark difference which threw Kali for a loop when the woman looking barely thirty years old by human standards called that pile of bones her son. Zadkiel was old, not old but old. Wrinkles crested his face and his skin stretched tightly against his features.

Kali even joked that he might drop dead at any moment.

'I still have more than enough time to shove some sense into that thick skull of yours.' He'd retort.

"How?" Kali asked, her incredulity clear on her face.

"What?" Avariel asked with a frown marring her face.

"Master please," Virendel put his hand on her shoulder, "I don't know what this is about, but they are my guests, please don't do this."

'Guests' Kali wasn't sure of the cultural significance that held, Winter Elves didn't have any outrageous guest rights aside from 'don't kill the guest.'

She huffed and Kali sighed in relief as the myriads of Spell matrixes on the cusp of activation relaxed or fizzled out, "Fine," she spat.

"But you will answer me girl," She sat down but her glare barely lessened, though there wasn't the threat of instant action at a wrong word behind it anymore.

"My Master gave it to me when I last saw him," Kali stared into those reptilian eyes with a fair bit of wariness as she didn't know what reaction her words would induce, "Master Zadkiel gave it to me."

"Zad-kiel?" She frowned, "Why?"

Kali held back a sigh of relief, the woman might have a Talent for telling the truth from lies, "A parting gift," Kali ran her thumb over the ring, "for my last lesson."

"Is that so?" the Arch-druid sat with her white brows furrowed deeply, her gaze focused on the ring, her ears twitched, then she nodded, "We'll talk more later," she clapped, "but for now we should eat first."

Kali sat back down with her gaze remaining locked on the druid, she'd sensed more Runes activating in less than a second than she'd cast in her entire life. As she unclasped her fists, a cold realization hit her - her palms were wet, a mixture of nervous sweat and blood from where her nails had dug into her skin.

Her heart wasn't hammering as loudly anymore and somehow she felt less intimidated by the Eladrin.

She took in a slow breath, then let it slip through her lips. Instincts were important. Usually, they told you something that you were only sub-consciously aware of, so Kali assumed her lessened fear meant the woman stopped doing something that was making her instinctually fear her. That should be a good thing, at least.

The silence remained, though, and Kali could feel Vorgnar remain tense in the seat beside her. He'd jumped up to help her then, didn't he? Kali cast a sideways glance at the man. If this were a romance novel, she would have fallen for him by now after he saved her twice. He was handsome, Kali guessed, for humans, that is.

He was a hunk of a man, tall, burly, fit, and with muscles that were as hard as rock, plus he gave off that sort of contained beast vibe which, while Kali found cool; it wasn't in any way arousing to her.

The reason was that Kali was an elf and she had the beauty standards of an elf.

She didn't consider herself picky, hells; she didn't even really care if her partner was male or female, but they had to look feminine, or at least androgynous. Many humans wrongly thought that elves were prudish, but Kali would laugh at that idea. Being a prude differed from having standards, after all.

Elvish society was rather open. It couldn't be anything else when every awakened elf could hear everyone else have sex from a mountain over. Soundproofing enchantments existed, of course, and the castle had them, but they only use it in important rooms or when talks were especially confidential.

Nope, nothing. Zilch, Kali gazed at the side of his face, imagining how her lips would feel on her own and felt a bit…disgusted. It feels like I'm having lewd thoughts about an uncle or something.

This daydreaming took up enough of Kali's time, so she barely noticed when a gaggle of vines started carrying in plates filled with food along with utensils, and tableware.

Kali took a fork in her hand, twirled it around her fingers, and noted that they carved it out of wood. They made every utensil of wood but just based on touch, it would be harder to break than steel. Is it treated? Of course, it is, silly. But is it treated with magic? It should be!

"I don't think I've ever seen someone so fascinated by a fork," said the druid with a touch of cheer in her voice.

When the princess glanced at her, she saw an amused expression on the druid's face, similar to the one she gave Lexy when she asked why the berries glowed.

"Ehm," Kali blushed a bit and put the fork down. The first serving was soup.

A quick whiff of the steaming broth had her mouth water already. She glanced up at the druid.

The woman nodded with an amused smile curling at the edge of her mouth which Kali — and subsequently Lexy — took as being permitted to eat.

Kali savored the meaty taste suffused into the milky texture of the soup. She felt the warmth travel along her throat and nestle in her stomach.

"Oww, howt!" Alexis yelped as she nearly spat out her first spoonful of soup.

"Here," Avariel flicked a small orb of something that looked like honey over the table and it landed between the two girls. Oh, is that a candy?

"Eat it," Kali nudged the girl, who stared apprehensively at the candy for a moment.

The girl's eye lit up as she put the candy in her mouth and Kali saw the pained expression melt off her face.

"What is that?" Kali asked while continuing to eat the delicious soup, berries and nuts were good for a while, but she craved warm food for a while now.

"Madhu Honey has some magical properties that allow it to boost our natural regeneration," Virendel said as he was busy blowing the steam off of the soup, "how can you eat it this hot?"

"I can barely feel it," Kali shrugged, "the warmth is nice."

"You forgot winter elves are resistant to extreme temperatures and not just cold, did you not?"

"N-no," Virendel averted his eyes.

"I'm glad you like it," the druid sent a gentle smile Kali's way, which caught her off-guard for bit, but she just nodded, it really was good.

I mean, if she really believes I'm her son's disciple, that'd sort of explain her change in behavior but I never heard of someone having a Truth Seeing Talent…although she is a druid, so who knows.

Kali glanced at the only non-elf around the table. Vorgnar sat calmly in front of an empty bowl.

Seems like I wasn't the only one who enjoyed it.

After the soup they got a serving of mysterious meat along with some roasted vegetables which Kali enjoyed as much for the experience of trying so much new food as for their taste, all the vegetables came from all different environments like the fruits outside of the village.

"Ehm," Lexy nudged Kali's side, "can I eat meat?"

Kali frowned. What sort of question was that?

"Of course?" she tilted her head as the girl stared up at her with worry clear in her eyes, "why couldn't you?"

"I heard elves can't eat meat?" she frowned, "won't I die?"

"Nooo?" Kali drawled, "I mean, I know it doesn't hurt me, but maybe it is different for Autumn Elves?" she glanced at Virendel.

"No," he said as he flicked a piece of meat into his mouth, "not a problem here. Enjoy yourself little lady."

"It is a misconception among humans," Vorgnar spoke up, "I believe it stems from most Elves having a rather high standard of what they eat."

"A most foolish misconception," the druid noted, "I've been told by many that they believed druids only ate grass and could turn into bears or wolves when they felt like it."

Kali caught a playful glance the druid threw at Vorgnar but she couldn't understand the meaning of it, is she calling him a beast? Isn't that, like, super rude to do with Daemons?

As she thought of that, she suddenly found her plate empty. When her fork came down for another veggie, she stared down at it. Not a drop of food remained.

Oh well, that was good while it lasted.

She didn't notice Lexy next to her with her cheeks full of ill-gotten food.

"So," Avariel swept her gaze over her three guests once they all had their plates clean, "I want to speak with the girl," she said as she looked at Kali, "Virendel, please entertain the other three while I do that."

Kali stiffened up less than before, but she still felt more than a little nervous at being alone with the woman.

She felt a tiny bundle of warmth wrap herself around her waist.

"Don't worry, child," the druid smiled at Alexis, "nothing foul will befall your friend, I promise."

Kali felt herself believing her words, weird instincts.

"It'll be alright," Kali patted the pink head of the girl, "why don't you ask Virendel to take you around for some fruits, I'm sure you could still eat some desserts, hmm?"

"O-okay," she said, but didn't release Kali.

"I'll make you some more hot cocoa tonight if you go with them. What about that?"

"Promise?"

"Yes," Kali smiled and gave another pat to the girl's fluffy head as she disentangled herself, "See you three later."

"Likewise," Virendel nodded.

Vorgnar grunted and Lexy gave her a little wave as they slipped out of the house.

"Now then," the woman said as she walked up to Kali, "Let's sit down. We have a lot to talk about."

"O-okay," Kali bit her tongue, idiot, I'm such an idiot.

The druid led the nervous princess into another room. It reminded Kali of her Mother's office a bit, although it was much more cozy with natural wood walls, vibrant rugs and couches.

"Sit," the woman waved at a couch as she herself sat down on the other.

"So," Kali fidgeted, feeling like she was going to be interrogated, "what do you want to know?"

"Your name for a start," the woman smirked and crossed her legs, "your real one, Princess."

"Eh?" Kali gaped at her. She felt her heart drum in overdrive up in her throat as she stared into those predatory eyes resembling a Dragon's.

"Oh please," the woman raised an eyebrow, "I've been alive for long enough to differentiate between a normal Winter Elf and a royal one," she snorted at Kali's dumbfounded expression, "Your eyes are glowing, honey."

"Ohhh," Kali deflated. There was that, wasn't it?

She just didn't think many people would know that tidbit about Royal Elves, though Avariel might be a tiny minority in that regard.

"Kha'Lythria," she said, with a bit of annoyance seeping into her tone.

"How old are you, Kha'Lythria?" Avariel gave her a genuine smile.

"Thirty," She admitted, she wasn't even an adult yet. She was considered Adolescent until her 50th birthday, where her first cycle should come, one of the few times in her life during which she'd be fertile. To a woman older than Zadkiel she must look like a toddler.

"Hmm," the woman crinkled an eyebrow, "the pouting is understandable then."

"I'm not pouting," Kali pouted and crossed her arms.

"That aside," said Avariel with a light laugh, "Just to be sure, who is your Master?"

"Ehm," Kali frowned for a second. She'd only ever called her Zadkiel, 'Zad', Old man or Master. Did he ever really introduce himself... there was that one time, but I thought he was just pulling things out of his ass.

It is worth a try.

"Zadkiel, the Verdant Mystic, The Aetherial Sage and the Lord of Illusions," Kali closed her eyes, but she knew her cheeks were burning in embarrassment. She couldn't understand how Zadkiel spoke these titles with no shame.

"Lord of Illusions," Avariel said in a strained voice before breaking out into a fit of giggles, slowly transforming into a full-blown laughter.

Kali just sat there, simmering in the air of awkwardness and embarrassment she found herself in.

"Oh, sorry," the woman calmed down in a few seconds, "I mean excuse me, that was good."

"Okay?" Kali tilted her head.

"Lord of Illusions though," she smiled, "he is getting even more brazen in his old age."

"So you believe me?" Kali asked while forcing herself to stop fidgeting.

"Of course," the Eladrin gave her a gentle smile, "you need another two thousand years to deceive me, girl."

"How did you know," Kali asked, "that I was lying, or telling the truth, I mean? Do you have a Talent or something for it?"

"No," she shook her head, "I noticed you calmed down right after I believed you. Why did you? Wouldn't it be natural to doubt me?"

"Yeeees?" Kali asked as her right leg started jittering.

"That is how I know," she shrugged, "Instinct dear, the older you get and the more experienced you are, the more accurate your instincts become."

"Oh," Kali stilled, "right."

"Although," the woman narrowed her eyes at the Princess, "Being a Royal you have much better instincts and senses than the rest of your kind I think, Virendel hardly glimpses my intentions with only his instincts even though he is a thousand years older than you."

"He noticed beasts in the forest before me though," Kali bit her cheek, "while having a fraction of my level and hearing range too."

"You have a better starting point. That doesn't mean you don't need experience for your potential to shine."

"Potential," said Kali with a frown, "Master always said I had an abundance of it, but sometimes I doubt it. Simple humans caught me."

"We have all the afternoon for ourselves," the woman glanced at the window, "why don't you tell me what got you here? How did a Princess of Winter end up at my doorstep?"

"Ah," Kai slumped back into the comfy couch, "Well, it all started when I was traveling in a carriage through the mountains..."

----------------------------------------

"I see," Avariel looked thoughtful as she stared at Kali, who was sipping on some cinnamon-berry tea, very nice.

"So, what do you think?" Kali asked, much more relaxed after several hours of storytelling and back-and-forth questions.

She felt weird thinking back on it. It wasn't smart to tell literally everything to the woman who was mostly a stranger, but she felt so nice and floaty and free now that she told someone all that happened to her. She told the woman, who was mostly a stranger, everything.

From her attempts to annoy her father by seducing her maids and guard, to how she got captured by humans because she'd gotten distracted by all the unfamiliar sounds.

"What do I think," Avariel leaned back and stared at the ceiling, "'Thank the Ancestors you are alive, anyone else that did the same things would be a corpse or a lunatic by now' is the short version."

"Why?" Kali frowned.

"For one," the woman held up a finger, "do you know why people don't just absorb Cores as they are?"

"They don't?" Kali's eyes went wide.

"No, most Mana Gathering methods have ways to channel the essence and mana of a Core into yourself, but you just took it all in."

"Is that bad?" Kali's knuckles went white as she clutched her mud.

"Bad?" Avariel stared at her and said, "If you weren't a Royal, you would be no smarter than the beast the Core belonged to. It is said that the Cores contain their memories and mind in their essence after death, which is why the Mana Gathering Methods purify this essence before absorbing it."

Damn it!! But they always just absorbed them in the books!! Damn it!!

"Not to say that beast you'd slain was probably the pup of an Ascended Frost Wolf," Avariel sighed, "meaning it was already sentient and had a strong will. Did you find yourself more prideful, arrogant or bloodthirsty since then?"

"Maybe," Kali thought back, "Yes … yes, I have."

I wanted to just burn that asshole bandit to ash because I was so angry such a trash caught me. I wanted to burn the rest of them too when I knew I'd get poked to death if I did.

She thought her response was natural, as if it had always been within her but wasn't brought to the surface. However, perhaps it truly stemmed from the Core.

"W-what can I do?" Kali asked.

"Never do such a thing again for one," the druid said seriously, "we can do nothing about the essence, it has already infused itself into you and melded with your self. You have been changed irrevocably."

"B-but," Kali teared up a little. A simple dog was affecting her, changing her. It was despicable, humiliating, degrading.

"Let's look at it another way," the woman stood up and slumped down next to Kali, pulling her into a sideways hug, "It wasn't the essence that influenced you but the experience of having to fight for your life, you have an anger problem and a slight superiority complex," Kali felt the woman's warmth envelop her body as she gently rubbed her shoulder, "You can change Kha'Lythria, you are a young girl, stifle those prideful thoughts and practice some humility. I can feel the kindness in you. These feelings won't be able to take root in you if you pay attention."

Kali stiffened, she'd been hugged before, she had siblings, but aside from them, she only ever had romantic partners hug her. Never an elder.

It felt nice, reassuring. Almost like Mom … why?

"T-thank you-" Kali sniffed. Why is everything so hard … just when I thought things were getting better …

"Shhhh," Avariel leant her head over Kali's as a soft sob escaped the girl, "It's alright."

I just wanted to learn magic and explore the world.

Kali sobbed and Avariel consoled her just like the Princess did with Alexis that morning.

The druid kept whispering, "You can stay here for as long as you want, you will be safe here."

"I promise."