Harvey made a snapping sound from Kurt cloak. He was still hiding from most people. But he wasn't very good at keeping quiet about it.

"What was that?" Said Sara. They were traveling at a leisurely pace to the outpost. Layla was in front of them. They were in no rush really. A couple goblins followed them.

"Ohh just Harvey," said Kurt. At the mention of his name Harvey scrambled to Kurt's shoulder, at first getting a little struck in the cloak. And made a roar, or a squeal, "see Harvey."

"Umm so you got a pet lizard?"

"I don't know he's chill," Kurt played with Harvey with his finger, "see pretty harmless."

"For now Kurt, it's like some Hydra," said Sara, and Kurt nodded. "Maybe you should ask someone before you make it your little pet."

Harvey seemed bored, and went back into Kurt's cloak to rest again. Guess it really liked its name. "Well I sort of found him today so.."

They continued to travel to the outpost. It was a small simple structure, just a minimal wall, and a single building in the center, a tower, that you could shoot arrows from at the top, as there were goblin scouts up there with bows. Kurt had never been here before. They entered the gate greeted by a few more goblins.

"So where is he?" said Kurt.

A few moments later Arthur came out of the tower building, Cindy was with him. Layla had asked more about if he was behaving, which it seemed he was by all the responses.

"So you came, and only a day later," said Arthur.

"Yes," said Layla.

"Kurt, Sara. I don't really understand what you think this is going to accomplish, obviously the clan is going to come at you with considerably more force."

"I don't think they will be able to do that really, they will be occupied with other concerns. And for all they know you were apart of this plan," said Layla.

"I wasn't though," said Arthur.

"So, I don't think it's hard to spread a rumor that the member who brought us, and then left with us might have turned."

"Come on now."

"You don't know, do you," said Kurt.

"Kurt, this isn't a joke any more. Grow up. You can't just keep me here, and what are you going to do."

Kurt drew his sword, and Arthur took a step back, "Who do you think is in charge here?"

"Kurt."

"It's Lord Kurt."

"Lord Kurt."

"Stop," Kurt said, still holding his blade pointing at an unarmed Arthur, "You have no idea what we've done, Castle Bright Flame has already fallen."

"Fallen?"

"Toppled over," said Layla. Arthur turned towards Layla, "about three, four minutes after you left it."

"You expect me to believe…," he turned back to Lurt, then to Layla then to Sara.

"So really Arthur, this isn't a discussion, I'm going to give you the same choice you gave me, submit to me as my Knight, or stay here as my prisoner," said Kurt.

"Your knight?" said Layla.

Kurt stared angrily at Layla.

"If that is your wish," said Layla, "I will need assurances from him."

"You know I can't do that Kurt, Lord Kurt."

"And why not?" said Sara, "You'd be a great ally to us, you have to see that. You know their fire clan was messed up."

"My wife and son of course, that's why."

"And if I could bring them here?" said Kurt.

"Both of them."

"You'd be willing to submit, and swear to me."

"Us," said Layla.

"If what you say is true, and Castle Bright Flame has fallen, it's going to turn into a war zone," said Arthur, "but I have a lot of trouble believing what you are saying."

Kurt took his sword down and sheathed it, "why would I say such an unbelievable thing unless it were true, I swear to you, Castle Bright Flame stands no more. And many of those in it are dead. Was Jacob in the castle?"

"No, he was still in training," said Arthur.

"And your wife?" said Sara.

"We live on our side of the gate, Earth."

"That should be safe," said Kurt.

"So then, it's settled really is it not?" said Layla. "You shall remain our prisoner until we can present your family to you, and then you will swear to us. Cindy shall be your warden, she has already sworn. And was the mole in your clan. If you must know."

"I sort of worked that out, I should have seen it."

"And it's mainly to stay inside this outpost, so don't be going around trying to figure out anything. If you try to escape, I will make more of a cage for you to stay in," said Layla. "I am not trying to be cruel to you Arthur. You actually don't want to be running out there too far without any weapons."

"So, does that sound like something we can agree to?"

"I don't have much of a choice here it seems," said Arthur.

Kurt was shaking his head, "No you don't."

Arthur seemed reasonable enough, and the deal seemed to work out for him. If the fire clan was about to fall. Or go to war if he could get his family out, he could sit in the comfortable prison for a bit.

So Arthur seemed agreeable, and they began a more detailed discussion of exactly where his family was. Sara had decided to go get Arthur's wife, Laura, with the help of Steve and Tyler. That seemed like the simplest option because Arthur could write a letter and Sara could bring a sword as proof, as he wouldn't be armed as long as he was here with that. Sneaking into Dakota Spring in the mess should be easy enough, no one else in the fire clan really knew what they looked like. That's part of the reason Arthur had to lead the kidnapping. And Sara had no contact with any of them, other than Laura because of Jacob and their friendship, so she would recognize her.

The hard part was up to Kurt getting Jacob would be challenging. Kurt heard a loud screech coming from behind him, it was Harvey. He had dug a bit into the ground and a small mana spring had popped out. The Hydra drank the waters, and jumped about. Then one of the heads sneezed out a small flame.

"Ohh it's a little baby Hydra, where'd you come from" said Layla smiling at Harvey.

"That's just Harvey," said Kurt.

"Ohh a friend you made along the way," said Layla.

"Guess so, I haven't really been able to get rid of him."

"Ohh I guess that works out, you know they are a bit magical he could have imprinted on you."

"Imprinted."

"Contracted, accepted you as master. It's been known to happen with some creatures, especially when they are young." Layla started playing with Harvey, both of his neck wrapping around her finger. "Just a little tiny thing now, you'll get bigger though."

"Bigger?"

"Ohh yes Kurt you know they grow very large, really there are these growth spurts and that grow another head sometimes. Like the first head is like a tiny lizard and lives underground where the eggs hatch, then once they grow a second head like this one, they come out, he must have just came out, so tiny."

"Another head?"

"Ohh yes, the legends talked of one with nine heads one time, it was said to tower over a lot of creatures as well. They really don't get dangerous until the fourth head."

"And the fire breathing?"

"I would imagine it would be the reaction to drinking the man's water, they don't normally do that. Cindy was part of the fire clan, I believe there was a reason for that name." Layla bent down to a lower level and played with Harvey some more.

"But back at this imprint," said Kurt.

"They just stick to their owners really well, sort of know what you want. It is possible that the third head could have a language, but that's a little rare, the fourth one is more common for that. You just have to take care of them, feed them and such, a place to sleep that should be easy enough here."

"A language?"

"Yes some of them eventually speak, some of them never do, sort of weird species, I don't really know much, just what the goblins and gnomes say. They are going to be jealous of your mount Kurt."

"My mount?"

"You don't intend to ride him when he gets older, that seems like a waste."

"He's like a tiny little."

"Well by the fourth head he should be rideable for you, I don't really know how long that really takes though years, months, who knows, he's such a cute little thing though, I approve, Sir Kurt. He will grow with these two as well, he seems really young."

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