"Alaric! Alaric!" Bolting upright breathing heavily Alaric franticaly looked around his eyes adjusting to the dim lighting of his surroundings. 

He noticed he was sitting on a bed made out of twigs and brush. There was a faint trickling sound coming from somewhere. All kinds of different sized and shaped glasses filled a table to his right. Alaric continued to study his environment, his eyes becoming much more accustomed to the dim lighting of this space. 

Alaric laid back down thinking over the events of his night. It was a regular night until it wasn't and he worried about his Father, but most of all Caellon. For a man who was only in service to his family the old man acted more like a father to him than his own. Alaric was deep in thought when a face leaned over his causing him to scream and sit up smacking their heads together. Groaning Alaric brings a hand to the spot of impact.

"Why'd you sit up like that?!" the young woman laughs rubbing her head.

Alaric's eyes widen as he looks at this girl, she couldn't be that much older than he was. Her hair was as black as a ravens feather and was held up with what looked like flowers, feathers and what seemed to be twigs. Her eyes were an unnatural shade of gray which looked on at him with curiousity. Inspecting her face more closely Alaric could see that there was a thin white scar on her forehead. The unnatural gray of her eyes had flecks of purple almost as if they were lilacs.

"Hey uh....you're a little too close for comfort.." she says leaning away from Alaric.

Stuttering an apology Alaric sits back blushing; an awkward silence follows as the two sit in silence. "Anyway," she says standing up and walking to the other side of the room, "Welcome to my home! I'm Morgan or Morrigan, but Morgan is..easier." she shrugs and grabs a cup and offers it to Alaric.

"Thirsty?" she asks and Alaric nods slowly.

Filling the cup with water she walks over and hands it to Alaric who notices that the cup is not like any cup he's ever drank from. Just like almost everything in here, the "cup" is made from, well, a tree. Intricatly intertwined and swirled to form a cup. There's even tinh sprigs sprouting from it.

"It's clean if that's what you're wondering." Morgan says pulling him from the analysis of the cup.

"O-Oh uh...no. I'm just not used to...drinking from things like this.." he trails off slowly bringing the cup to his lips. Morgan narrows her eyes, "You don't have cups in your castle?" Morgan says sarcasm seeping into her tone.

Anyone could tell Morgan was a little upset with the interaction. It wasn't her fault that her dishes weren't made of gold; she did her best with what she had on hand. Morgan has been on her own for as long as she could remember and making those cups was one of the first things she did with her magic.

"The water is cold and refreshing, thank you." Alaric hands her back the cup and smiles politely. Taking the cup Morgan places it back on her table.

"I wanted to thank you for saving me as well. I don't want to think about what would have happened if you didn't appear." Standing from the bed Alaric bows towards Morgan who's mouth falls open in shock.

No one has ever bowed to her before! Morgan chuckles nervously, "You don't have to do all that." she says shoving her hand towards him which he happily accepts.

                      ~~~

With no light, Alaric couldn't tell whether it was night or day. Morgan told him he slept for a day and a half, she also said she healed his foot with her magic. He had a small white scar where the cut was and he wondered if that was how Morgan got hers. Although, Alaric was glad to be safe he worried about his Father and Caellon. In a single night the life he knew litteraly went up in flames; he didn't even remember where his favorite book had left his hands. Alaric heaved a heavy sigh and looked over at Morgan who was preparing their food. 

"I'm extremely greatful to you for saving me, but I should really find out what happened to the house and everyone in it." Alaric said unsure whether he sounded rude.

Morgan stopped chopping and bit her lip, this was a conversation she was hoping to avoid. Morgan walked over to sit in front of Alaric; she looked at Alaric who's green eyes stared at her in confusion.

"Listen..." Morgan starts, "You can't...there's nothing left for you there." she says as she rips her gaze away from his.

No one wants to hear, from a stranger no less, that everything they once knew is no more. Alaric sat in shock, what did she mean he couldn't go back? Caellon was fine and he said Father was okay! Alaric glanced over at Morgan who looked as guilty as a child that had broken something. Tears stung his eyes, what is he supposed to do now!?

"I need to see it for myself!" Alaric says wiping away a stray tear.

Morgan looks up and grits her teeth, "Look, I already said there's nothing left! You don't believe me?!" She throws her hands up, why does she have to prove herself to this spoiled brat!? Morgan has no reason to lie there was nothing to gain from it.

"You know what, go," Morgan points towards the door, "Go and have a look for yourself, come back when you're ready for my help."

They were just getting along, this is why Morgan didn't want to say anything to him. The world beyond that door was unfamiliar and unkind to her. The people always looked at her with a mix of pity and fear; after a while Morgan stopped going into town as everything she needed was here in the forest. Alaric looked at Morgan who crossed her arms and looked away defiantly. Of course, Alaric didn't intend to hurt her feelings, but he can't stay here forever.

"If," Alaric starts, "There's truly nothing left, I will come back here, I promise." Alaric finishes and starts for the door.

As soon as his hand touched the knob things around him began to change. Trees sprouted from the ground and grass began to grow at his feet. Flowers bloomed and birds began to sing all around him. It took him a moment to realize that he was at the edge of the forest. As he walked closer and closer the scent of smoke filled his nose. Alaric stepped out from the tree line and froze. 

The home he had once known was no more than rubble. Half the building had collapsed; smoke still rose from parts of the manor. Alaric slowly walked closer and saw there were still some embers burning. Tears fell silently, there was nothing left for him and as he stood there the sky rumbled and cried with him.