“Dragons!”
All eyes turned to the sky.
My-re sat next to Vomarian Fae on the back of a wagon outside the Rirorni pit gladiator mine. She looked to the Shagornan elf. His armor removed. His bloody, battered, and bruised swollen face and body made her wince. He was staring at her charred shoulder and burnt hands. Wearing only thin, under armor attire, she didn’t even try to cover herself. There was little left to the imagination. At this point modesty was the furthest thing on her mind. He returned a weak cringe.
“Don’t we make a great pair?” Vomarian questioned. “I’m not sure who is worse off?”
“We’re both worse off,” My-re quipped.
“Lady Greywand indicated you were hesitant to come on this mission. I can now see why. Do most of her missions typically go this way?” Vomarian asked.
“Usually, worse.”
“Worse? How so?”
“In my last mission we fought an Elkarish, most of the Lord Protectors died, I almost drowned, was possessed by said Elkarish, and under threat of being eaten by a gargantuan crab named Grumpy in the Lake of Mists.”
“Oh. So, you’re telling me I should have charged Lady Greywand a higher fee.”
My-re chuckled, but cringed in pain as her shoulder moved. She was starting to feel the effects of a healing potion Havelock had given them. Glancing to the arch mage, he was discussing their nature with a Rirorni Nai-Shang mage when the warning came.
“It normally takes two weeks for the full effects to take-” Havelock was saying when he was interrupted.
The wind picked up. In the distance, it blew the tops of the trees wildly. Scared faces stared at the sky as their eyes darted for the threat. Horses neighed and began bucking. Most ran with riders still saddled. The Great Khan Karameikos’ personal guard surrounded the Rirorni leader. Cracks of unnatural thunder rang over the valley.
“I don’t have anything left to fight dragons,” Vomarian said.
“This isn’t our fight,” My-re said and pointed with her chin.
In the center of the Rirorni camp, Araminth stood and was looking up. Westwind was next to her. They were holding each other’s hands tightly.
A massive creature swooped in front of the pair. The ground shook as it landed. A gargantuan dragon with silver patterns rose up to its full height, which was over fifty feet long. It stretched its wings, which were easily twice that length.
‘Araminth! My most favored child. I knew the news of your passing had been grossly overstated, by humans no less. The affront. None the less, I am pleased to lay eyes on you again; even if it is in this wayward form.’ Yrioth the Ancient said.
My-re heard Yrioth in her mind. From the blank looks on the others faces, it didn’t seem like they were hearing the dragon. She wasn’t sure if she had become attuned to the dragon speak, or if someone was letting her listen in.
“I am your only child father,” Araminth replied. “And this wayward form, as you call it, it is what I am. Accepting or not.”
Overhead, nine more dragons flew in a circular pattern around the valley. A smaller, but equally impressive dragon with green patterns broke from the group and landed a few seconds later.
‘Minthy, time was provided to try new things. Stretch your wings. You played as a human, though I do not understand why. You veiled your mind for ten years. Yet, space was given. However, it is past time you were mated. You will understand what it means to be dragon once you have a drake of your own,’ Feriale spoke. ‘I came to know this when I was mated with your father and you were hatched.’
“I am mated,” Araminth replied. She gripped Westwind’s hand tighter.
Both Feriale and Yrioth the Ancient’s heads withdrew and they snorted in displeasure.
Feriale said, ‘Minthy, I do not understand. A human?’
“I do not expect you to understand. I expect you to accept my decision,” Araminth said.
‘Enough, Araminth,’ Yrioth spoke. ‘Bid farewell to your toys. There will be no further discussion until we return back to the Drakenfell Mountains.’
Araminth moved to speak, but Westwind interrupted. “Mint, there’s no need to anger your mother and father. Go with them. Plead your case. You are the smartest woman I know. You’ll convince them this is your life, your choice. I’ll wait for your return to my side back at the Dragon’s Hoard in Shadowspire.”
“I am already at my mate’s side,” Araminth replied taking his other hand.
‘Minthy, the human is wise, for one of its kind,” Feriale said.
“I shall return to you in two weeks’ time,” Araminth said as she looked to Yrioth and Feriale. “And do not call me Minthy. That is my drakling’s name.” The tawny redhead transformed into a golden dragon with similar green patterns as Feriale. She launched herself into the sky. Her mother followed.
‘My-re of the Humans and Vomarian Fae of the Shagornan elves. Report to Lady Greywand the outcome is acceptable. She and each of you have tallied favor with dragon. The right of request may be asked,’ Yrioth said.
“Can we think about it?” My-re questioned.
Yrioth noded.
“What about Koma?” My-re asked looking to the mere dragon resting at her feet. “I understand it belongs to your family.”
“That mere dragon is mine! I purchased it for a great sum!” Khan Karameikos called out.
Yrioth’s head snapped his direction. The outburst did not please him.
“Which I’m gladly returning to its rightful owner,” Karameikos said hurriedly and gestured to the mere dragon.
Turning his head and gaze back slowly, Yrioth said to My-re, ‘I sense the female mere dragon has a fondness for you. It is now in your care.’
“I didn’t know Koma’s was a female? I assumed she was male.”
‘Male mere dragons are small. Most are eaten after mating,’ Yrioth explained. He then turned to Westwind. ‘Araminth will be properly mated. She is dragon. You are not.’ He then launched himself into the air. The eleven dragons then all turned and flew south. Their loud thunderclap echoed in the distance.
Khan Karameikos proceeded towards My-re and Vomarian Fae, along with his royal escort and Bal’taz. “My-re, there are two matters left unsettled between us. First, that is a fine beast. As the rightful owner, I will purchase him from you…again.”
My-re looked to Koma. “My apologies, but ‘she’ is not for sale Great Khan.”
Snorting in annoyance, Karameikos continued looking back to Bal’taz. “Second, it has come to my attention that you have been banished from the Rirorni Empire; a transgression punishable by death.”
Vomarian stood up and the other Shagornan elves stiffened and gripped their weapons.
Glaring daggers at Bal’taz, My-re replied, “Apologies again Great Khan. This is true.”
“It is also my understanding you were banished to fight in the Blood Games tournament in Valamantis as punishment. Upon your victory, you were then crowned Blood Games champion,” Karameikos said.
“Yes, Great Khan, this is also true.”
“Your victory by combat has commuted you sentence, so banishment has thus ended,” Karameikos said and then continued, “To ensure there are no future misunderstandings and since you are a friend to dragons.” Karameikos motioned to one of his guards. He produced a small box made of cherry wood, with a design in gold of Rirorni on horseback, and opened it. Inside was a round disk. Made of steel it had wording in a bronze cast in four different languages. The largest font was in Rathiri, the native language of the Rirorni. The common tongue of Kannish spoken in the Delequaran Federation. Frats, or Frafrejan, spoken in the Andorian League, and Tathanit, the language spoken along trade routes and most wide-spread language of the Free Blade and Independent Nations.
Vomarian Fae asked, “What is that and what does it say?”
Karameikos said, “It is a Rirorni Imperial pass allowing the holder to travel through any and all ports. It reads, ‘I am the emissary of the Khan. Let through or die.’”