Sarai clutched the little elven girl to her chest tightly as she stared dead straight into the Dragon King's eyes. This was wrong. She knew it was wrong. This little girl was innocent. She was just trying to help.

The queen had come back to rescue Viren after the deaths of the two queens of Duran. However, Thunder was quicker, and she was knocked off her horse. Sarai knew she was dead before Thunder came upon her, but it seemed Fate had other ideas.

It had happened so fast. The little elf girl running out from the cover of rocks, her parents crying out after her.

"Dragon King, don't hurt them!" the little elven girl cried. Sarai thought the girl didn't understand her king's displeasure. Perhaps she was not taught about how humans are looked down upon in Xadia. Perhaps she was still innocent.

As for Thunder, he ceased his attack as the elf girl placed herself in between Sarai and Thunder. He knew this little girl. She was offspring of two of his Dragon Guard. She was one of his subjects. She was brought to her parents by her uncles to see them. He remembered her excited chatter as she spoke to him as he rose from slumber, her parents embarrassed that she would disturb their king so casually. As for Thunder, he found her amusing.

Sarai didn't hesitate. She snatched the elven girl up and held her as a sort of shield. Thunder would not kill one of his subjects. Sarai could clearly see the Dragon King was not alone now—his Dragon Guard was approaching fast, two of them crying out for the child.

"Mum! Dad!" the little one cried, now terrified of Sarai. Sarai wasn't proud of her next move, but she told herself if she wanted to see Callum and Ezran again, she would need to do it.

She placed a dagger against the girl's neck, and Thunder growled. His Dragon Guard froze.

She could see the pure hatred the elves eyed her with, but they made no move to pursue her, too scared she was going to slaughter the young elf. Viren quickly got her horse, seeing that the elves and Thunder were at a standstill. Sarai's expression was remorseful as she gazed at them all, the little girl crying in her arms. She knew after this move, there's no way if she lets the girl go, she and Viren will make it out alive.

She swallowed the guilt. For Callum and Ezran, she repeated in her mind.

Decision made, Sarai and Viren got on her horse, the elf girl still in her grip, sobbing for her parents and her king. Viren was surprised at their newfound cargo, but saw her logic, though he probably didn't feel even remotely as terrible as Sarai did right now.

"Queen Sarai, we have to go!" Viren urged her while Sarai couldn't look away from the elves. Two of them especially eyed her with hatred—her parents, she realized. Finally breaking eye contact, she looked down at the little elven girl.

"I'm sorry, little one." Sarai told her before they rode off with her, leaving her fellow elves and her king behind.

If possible, the little elf's wails got louder, realizing she was being taken away. She struggled greatly, and Viren quickly knocked her out with some dark powder.

"I'm sorry, my queen, but it is for the best!" Viren defended as they rode towards the entrance as Sarai gave an exclamation of disapproval. Her guilt continued to mount, even when they finally made it to safety.

She had just taken a child away from her parents. Sarai would get to see her children again, but in doing so, she robbed another family of their child. She didn't even dare justify her actions. Nothing justified this.

It was soon they reached Harrow and her sister. He brightened in relief when he saw her approaching horse, but his expression turned into surprise when he caught sight of the little elf she was hugging to her chest.

"Sarai, what—"

"She saved me, Harrow. She stopped Thunder from attacking." Here, Sarai's eyes turned sad. "I betrayed that trust. I took her from her home to save me and Viren from dying."

"Surely we could just return her?" Harrow ventured.

"Are you insane?! If any of us returned her, they'd kill us on sight!" Viren claimed.

"Are you suggesting we keep her, Viren?" Sarai was already angry at herself, and this prospect made her more so. She had wanted the elf to be returned home.

"If you return that elf, Queen Sarai, they will make sure you don't come back." Viren beseeched her. "The elves and their king saw you threaten her. They will not take kindly to that."

"Viren's right." Harrow agreed. "I thought I almost lost you, Sarai. I won't allow you to put yourself in that kind of danger again."

"But—" Sarai began to protest. Surely, they weren't going to force this elf to stay with humans away from her home?

"If you won't think of me, at least think about Callum and Ezran." Harrow gave her imploring eyes, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Please do not leave them."

Sarai glanced down at the elf girl in her arms. She had white hair, horns, pink pale skin, and purple markings under her eyes. She appeared to be Callum's age.

"We'll give her a home with us." Harrow promised her, trying to soothe her internal conflict.

Tears ran down her face as she nodded shakily, knowing their selfishness was unfair to the little elf, and she prayed one day the little one would forgive them.