Whom Against I Have Sinned, II

"There is no need for that," Melys had a hard time keeping her face relaxed after that. Though she was able to calm herself that he was going to be returning she would have another chance. It wasn't like he was on to her or anything. Regardless she was still going to try and convince him otherwise with words of truth. "I wouldn't do that. Hardly anyone ever comes out of there alive living there is impossible. Not to mention the first dragon that comes by you will be so angered that you have a dragon on you, you would likely experience a death worse than any other. Perhaps it would be best if you just stay here with me and raise the dragon here until its old enough to defend itself." She suggested.

Alexander's smile crept and became more sly and sharp. She wanted for him to stay? For what purpose? "Hardly anything comes out of there alive," she warned, "living there is impossible... you would likely experience a death worse than any other." Alexander did not mean to laugh, even lightly, at this. It was practically involuntary: automated to the point of impulse. A hair trigger based in irony.

His response was complex, though it seemed simple on the front. "Tell me Melys," Alexander asked with the same, honest tone he had been using, "do you suppose the world would grieve for the loss of..." he raised his metallic arm, letting it reveal itself. As the arm cast a shadow over his face, the eye in his head revealed its neon-glow, if only dimly and continued, "... another monster?" For just a moment, his facade cracked and the pain beneath slipped through, the rage and the angst poured over his face.

"Perhaps the dragons are the least of my worries. I'll deal with them as they come. I appreciate your offers but... the city has proven to be rather un-accepting of Yudi. Maybe even myself. Maybe even you would revile me at some point." Beyond the brief, purposeful allowance of seeing what lay behind his mask Alexander kept his gentle expression that he had held. He spoke of these as though they were clearly known facts, and perhaps a handful of them were. "I don't doubt the kindness you have shown me now," he lied, "but in the future? What lies ahead for me? I must consider my path and Yudi's path as the same one until she is ready to be her own."

Melys didn't not understand this laughter. Even after he revealed his arm she didn't quite get what he was saying. "I don't get what your trying to say. If you think that makes you a monster or you will be treated as one because of the then you are sorely mistaken. I understand you hardly know anything even things that would seem the most common of common knowledge, so I suggest you listen to me and abandon your perceptions on things. You are not at home and from what I hear this is nothing like your home. Dragons are your biggest worries it sounds like you have never heard of them before nor met one till now but trust me you never want to meet another. You have three choices. Leave into the forest and get killed, stay in the city and get Yudi killed, or stay here and both of you live."

"The arm doesn't make the monster," he corrected. "Its the monster that makes the arm." He let his metal appendage rest as he met her gaze. "You assume I'm quite lacking on my part," Alexander explained, "for you to assume I would die so easily. You are right: this is not my home. There are way too many people still alive to be my home. The air lacks the smell of decaying flesh and ash, and the horizon is missing a scar." His voice had degraded from being gentle to being stern and matter of fact, and his gaze itself could cut hard metal.

"My only worry is Yudi at the moment," Alexander explained. "Nothing else matters. I will take on the entire city just to prove a point if it comes to that. Now, I'm tired of playing this game with you. I'd hoped you'd reveal your intentions to me of your own volition, but I see now that was foolish and so I'll jump right to the point: what is your ulterior motive? I can taste your inner emotions but I can not tell your intention from them. You want me to trust your opinion and what you say? I may well fall asleep in this home and find a dagger in my throat," he proclaimed, punctuating his statement with, "not that it would do you much good."

"I don't know why you are trying to convince me you're a monster nor why you are convinced you're a monster but I assure you nobody sees you as such." His next comment angered Melys despite the truth of it. There was no way she was going to reveal her intentions or reveal she had any. "How dare you. I cloth and feed you and this is how you repay me. With cruel and insulting words. It is clear you don't wish the two of you to live. Leave and don't come to visit unless you wish to apologize." Melys said awaiting their departure. She thought he would come crawling back later.

Alexander simply cast a his mysterious, knowing smile at the elf, and turned towards the door. "I'll let myself out," he told her with victory in his voice approaching the door. His metal arm clacked against the knob as his fingers wrapped around it, and he pulled it open and cast a final glance towards the elf girl. "This is the last time we will meet formally," Alexander told her. As he exited and closed door behind him, he essentially sealed Melys away from him. He started down the street with the hatchling on his head. If the girl had been truthful, Alexander may have even been able to help her.