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Aerin's eyes turned to Miyuki, and for a moment she seemed to be gathering her thoughts.

"It means," she said quietly, breathing slowly to control the pain she was in, "that after Aethos and Lady Alassëa are wed, there will be another search of the entire island and all of its caves, and that this time, I will be the one to lead it."

From above came the sound of heavy wing beats, and Aerin looked up, relief etching her features when she saw Aethos and Alassëa both on the back of the roc that was approaching. The roc landed and Aethos helped Alassëa down, and the two made their way over to the queen.

Once Aethos and Alassëa reached Aerin, the queen finally revealed the arm which she had been holding to her chest. Her sleeve was shredded and matted with blood. Her arm was covered in lacerations, several of them deep, and in one place the injury was so large that the bone was visible. Near her shoulder, a large yellow-white dragon's tooth was embedded deep in her flesh, but blood hid the actual wound from sight.

"Aerin," Aethos burst out, his exclamation coming through a sharp intake of breath.

Aerin glared at him. "Don't say it."

She winced as Alassëa put one hand on her arm.

"Sorry," the blind healer murmured. "I need to know what the damage is before I can begin healing you ..."

Aerin clenched her teeth tighter and nodded. "I know. Do it."

Aranxia shuffled a bit closer to Miyuki, calmer but still afraid and needing the nearness of someone else. She too was watching the situation before them, though she had yet to see and understand Alassëa's abilities.

The sightless woman took her time examining Aerin's wounds, asking Aethos to describe things for her from time to time, and occasionally asking Aerin how something felt.

"The tooth must come out," she said at last. "I will begin healing there ... but Aethos, you must be careful." She turned her head slightly towards her betrothed. "It may have gone into the bone, by the sounds of it."

Aerin was growing paler, though she had not lost any of her determination. "Just do it," she told her brother flatly.

Aethos nodded and took hold of the tooth with both hands. Aerin closed her eyes tightly as he pulled, but not a sound escaped her lips. For a moment, the tooth didn't move; then suddenly it came free with a jerk. Fresh blood spurted from the wound, and Alassëa immediately put one hand over it.

Aranxia was watching with a fixed fascination, though she felt slightly sickened by the sight and the smells that went along with it.

For a few moments, the only sound was the soft breathing of all present. Under Alassëa's touch, Aerin's skin knitted together, slowly smoothing over without even the trace of a scar. The pain eased away from the queen's face, and when at last heavy wing beats announced the arrival of more rocs, her arm had been healed.

Captain Aurin Striate was the first Rider off his roc.

"Your Majesty!" he shouted, running towards Aerin at full speed.

Aerin rose shakily to her feet. "I'm all right," she told her captain quietly. She turned to Alassëa and put one hand on her shoulder. "Thanks to you," she added with a smile.

Aurin nodded at Miyuki's question. "Safely in the castle with your parents," he assured her. "Not very coherent, though. It was difficult to convince your parents to stay behind."

"And now these two need to go back," Aerin said firmly. "We need all the rocs to take the dragons back as well, though. Miyuki, Aranxia, climb up on Skyel with Captain Striate."

Eon stepped forward, right beside Aranxia, and the princess looked down at him.

"Is it safe to take Eon up there as well?" she asked. "Andarien ordered him to take care of me and we can't leave him behind ..."

Aerin looked to Aurin, who nodded. "You will have to carry him, though," he told her.

Aranxia nodded back. She could do that. She looked down at Eon, then over at Miyuki. "Come," she murmured, following the captain towards his waiting roc.

While Aurin helped the girls up onto the roc's back and tied them in, the other men who had arrived were busy tying the two dead dragons to their rocs. Aethos and Alassëa were only moments behind the girls, and soon Aerin also joined them on Skyel.

"What are they doing with the dragons?" Aranxia asked the queen curiously, holding Eon carefully in her lap.

Aerin looked down at the creatures. "Taking them back to the palace," she replied. "They will be salvaged before their carcasses will be burned."

Aranxia frowned. She didn't understand. "Salvaged?"

Aerin looked sidewise at Miyuki. " Various things," she replied. "We have waited too long for the blood to be of any use, which is a dreadful waste ... aside from bestowing the gift of languages, it can sometimes also imbue the drinker with a special kind of sight - or so legend tells us. The heart is used to create one of the most powerful healing potions I have ever seen. The horns have various uses ... inkwells, hunting horns and instruments among them. The younger dragons' hides are very strong and make excellent outer garments, especially boots and gloves, while older dragons ... well, the scales will be harvested and used for various things. Armour. Tools."

Aranxia wasn't sure what to make of that.

Aerin's eyes filled with concern at Miyuki's response - or lack thereof. "Are you all right?" she asked softly. "I know it's a terrible thing to have witnessed, but since they are already dead there is no point in wasting what could be very helpful for my people."

She misunderstood Miyuki's discomfort, but she was trying.