"Why?" Aldru demanded curiously.

With a deep sigh, Viggo shook his head. "You think too much like a scared dragon," he told her, "have you forgotten that you are, indeed, a person as well?"

Aldru didn't answer. Instead, she asked one of the many questions she had, "how do you know so much about song wings?"

Viggo responded casually, "I really don't, actually."

"But what you do know, is very secret knowledge," Aldru accused.

Now, Viggo grinned. After a minute of silence, he suggested, "why don't we have a seat somewhere more private, and I'll answer all of your questions."

Again, Viggo put the palm of his hand to Aldru's back. It was such a gentle touch that she couldn't comprehend how it as belonging to such a ruthless man. He lead her off of the ship and onto a sea stack where a few men were setting up his tent. A bit farther away, there were a few much smaller tents. Everyone was making camp for the night.

When Viggo reached his tent, he held the front flap open for Aldru to enter; a gentlemanly action she hadn't expected. There was a two by three foot table set up with a chair on either of the long sides. Viggo took one seat, and Aldru took the other.

"So this is why you desired to come with me," Viggo observed with a smirk, "not to protect your friends, but for answers."

"That's not true," Aldru agrued, "I came for both reasons."

Viggo continued to smirk, "still, quite selfish for a protector species. I suppose that's the human part of you though, now isn't it."

With a deep breath, Aldru remained calm. She knew that if she lost herself in an argument that she'd never get the answers she needed. "I'm not the first song wing you've met, am I," Aldru prompted.

"No," Viggo responded, clearly not planning on elaborating without being asked.

But for some reason, Aldru wasn't sure she wanted to ask quite yet. Instead, she leaned onto the table and ordered, "I want you to tell me everything you know about us."

And so the conversation really began. Viggo told Aldru what he'd learned in his lifetime. It started out hard and tense, but as he continued, Aldru could recognize to smallest hits of admiration and respect in his voice. It made her feel more comfortable.

"What about the Stones of Destiny?" Aldru asked yet another question.

The Stones of Destiny. They were something she recalled seeing in the dragon eye notes on her species. Yet there was no further elaboration on what they were. Not yet, at least. Much still needed to be deciphered.

Viggo seemed to tense back up. He frowned and replied shortly, "I  know nothing about them, just that they exsist." It was an obvious lie, so obvious that it didn't even seem like he'd tried to cover it up. "That's enough for tonight," Viggo ended the conversation abruptly. Then, in a less harsh tone, he pointed to the entrance of his tent, "there's a tent for you just outside."

With those parting words, Aldru left to go to sleep.

• • •

The sounds of men shouting and moving heavy equipment woke Aldru the next morning. She got up and left her tent, unsure what to do.

"Finally awake," Viggo's voice startled her, "do you always sleep so late?"

"Only when I'm a prisoner of the dragon hunters," Aldru retorted sarcastically.

Viggo sighed, "now, we've been over this, you are not a prisoner."

"You keep saying that," Aldru spoke inquisitively, "but if I tried to leave right now, what would you do?"

"I don't understand why you can't accept my hospitality," Viggo responded with a grin.

"And I don't understand why you didn't answer my question," Aldru spoke slyly, knowing she'd gotten him.

Finally Viggo began to walk away, signalling for Aldru to follow. They were soon back on the ship and moving toward the volcanic island. "What's over there that you need me for?" Aldru questioned.

Viggo smiled down at the girl, "you'll see."

"Viggo," Ryker came over to his brother. He was about to speak, but looked at Aldru and hesitated, unsure he should let her hear.

But Viggo insisted, "yes?"

"..The dragon riders have just reached the island, like you said," Ryker spoke vaguely.

Viggo smiled. "Good."

But this seemed to snap Aldru. "What does that mean?" She demanded.

"Nothing important," Viggo assured. He then grabbed her by the arm and began to lead her below deck, sensing that her cooperation was coming to an end.

Aldru fought to get her arm free, but was not strong enough. Once they were down the stair, she changed into her dragon form. By doing this, her armed was able to slip free. She immediately tried to fly out, but was grabbed once again by her foot and pulled back to the ground. With a loud squawk, Aldru twisted her head around and nipped at Viggo.

However, this wasn't enough to have him let go. Before she knew it, Aldru was thrown into a cage. It was one with smaller holes that she couldn't slip through, and looked as if it were made specifically for her. She stalked back and forth and hissed violently at Viggo, who stood only a foot away from her door.

And for the first time ever, she heard him yelling in actual anger. "Is this what you want?" He shouted, "to be treated like some wild beast? Look at yourself; you're acting feral!"

Aldru stopped and thought for a moment. "You are a person, Aldru," Viggo reminded her, his voice more calm now, "and I truely am sorry, that no one ever taught you how to be one."

For a split second, Aldru could've sworn she saw sadness in his eyes. But before she could even question herself, he was gone, and she was alone. A few hours of silence went by before the ship began to rock violently. The door to the brigg opened up and light flooded inside.

A massive dragon was lead down and into a cage, one of stone and lava. Viggo and Ryker also came down to admire the beast. "Won't it die without it's food source?" Ryker asked.

"Normally, yes," Viggo responded. He then turned and walked over to Aldru in her cage. "But Aldru here is going to make sure he doesn't."

Now it made sense; he need Aldru to keep this dragon alive while he transported it. Viggo stared at her for a moment eyes flickering with emotions she'd never seen in him before so strongly. Pain, betrayal, regret. Then, he left.

Ryker smirked and banged on Aldru's cage door. "Do what you do best, dragon."

It was odd; Aldru had never been offended by being call a dragon. She lived her entire life as one, and took pride in it. But if what Viggo wanted was to get inside of her head, then he had succeeded. All her life, Aldru thought of herself as a dragon that can turn human; she'd never even begun think that maybe she was equally both. Or perhaps more human than dragon, even.

One thing was for sure, though; Aldru had never felt so broken apart.