by Dana Gricken
“Living in the Wards was dangerous. We couldn’t afford health care. The neighbor’s kids were always getting into some kind of trouble. I had to patch them up so much I lost count – without their parents knowing, of course. Good times,” She grinned and shook her head before it faded. “We have to remove the arrow first. This’ll probably hurt. It’s better if you look away.”
He nodded slowly. He found a spot in the room – a chair – and decided to focus on it to try and forget the pain. She quickly removed the arrow from his side, and blood trickled in response. He inhaled sharply while grimacing in pain. She noticed his flinch and briefly looked up to meet his eyes.
“Sorry,” She said, quietly. “The arrow was pretty deep.”
She then applied the alcohol to his wound, disinfecting it, before gently wrapping the bandage around his arm. She used the wet towel to wipe away any specs of blood that had fallen.
“Thank you,” He replied, softly, and Elara nodded in response.
The room grew quiet again. He nodded towards her left sleeve, or rather lack thereof.
“You’re missing your sleeve.”
“Oh, right,” She replied, completely forgetting it had been torn off when she’d met the Grey Knights in the forest. “It’s actually the reason I got into this mess.”
“I see. Well, you probably have a lot of questions. I’ll answer whatever you want me to,” He replied, leaning back in his chair.
“I have so many that I don’t know where to start,” She replied while rubbing her temples. “Well, I’d like to know the name of the man – uh, dragon - who saved my life.”
“Fane Emrand, at your service,” He replied, bowing politely.
“And I’m-”
“Elara Everly – the girl who walked through fire. Yes, I know who you are.”
He chuckled at her wide-eyed expression, which exposed his pearly-white fangs. He scowled and then frowned, before glancing down at his arm. “Laughing hurts.”
“How do you know who I am?”
“I’m sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, but I’ve been watching you for a long time. I know practically everything about you,” He replied before pausing, and his eyes wandered towards the diary. “I wrote it all down so I wouldn’t forget.”
She remained silent, and Fane sighed. “Please don’t think I’m creepy.”
Elara shrugged. “I can’t say I like the idea of being watched by a total stranger, but at least it worked out for the best. All of this is difficult to believe. How did you find me?”
“It’s a rather long story, and I happen to be starving. We can continue our discussion after dinner. Would you care for some soup?” He asked while standing up carefully, trying not to put too much pressure on his injured arm.
“I’d love some if it’s not too much trouble.”
“Nonsense. You’re my guest. Besides, what good would I have done if I saved you from the Grey Knights and let you die here of starvation?”
She laughed for the first time in several days. Fane walked over to the fireplace, stirring the soup with utensils he retrieved from the nearby trunk. He lit a candle to allow more light to flow in and warm the room. She frowned.
“A candle?” She asked, in surprise. “You don’t have any lights?”
He shook his head. “The dragons and witches don’t rely on technology as much as you humans do. We find it amusing how you can’t live without it. We’re a simpler people.”
He scooped the broth evenly into two bowls, nearly causing it to overflow. He handed one bowl to Elara along with a wooden spoon and sat down beside her. Elara took her first bite and nodded in approval.
“This is really good. What is it?” She asked.
“Mostly tentacles and brain,” Fane replied, solemnly.
Elara’s eyes opened wide as she glanced down in horror at the bowl. “What?”
“I’m just kidding,” He replied, and even when he was joking, that somber look remained on his face. “It’s split-pea soup.”
“Oh, you’re awful,” Elara replied, half-heartedly attempting to sound angry, but her wide grin gave her away.
“Humans aren’t the only ones with a sense of humor, you know. Let’s finish dinner and then we can talk about why I brought you here.”
Bria
Fane and Elara ate their meal ravenously and quickly, chatting about the weather and personal interests. After dinner was devoured and the bowls were washed, Fane joined Elara in the living room again. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar ring.
“Hey, I know that ring. It belongs to the New Dawn,” Elara replied, as she held up her own. “I have one, too.”
“Ah, so you’ve heard of it? Good. It’ll save me from explaining more than I have to,” He said, as he placed it on his finger proudly. “I joined when I was very young. Back then there were only a few members. You see, I’m the son of a dragon emperor. When I was a boy, I was kidnapped by a guild of thieves who hated dragons while I was visiting the outer-world. I learned my lesson that it isn’t safe out there pretty quickly. These thieves knew I’d be valuable. Your mother rescued me and returned me to my homeland.”
“My Mom? Was she involved with the New Dawn?”
“Involved? She was more than that. She founded it. The New Dawn was created to stop dangerous beliefs, ones that oppressed and conquered – mostly against dragons and witches.”
Elara was shocked. “Why didn’t my Dad tell me? There’s more to my Mom than I thought.”
Fane nodded, unsurprised. His history with Elara’s mother had much more to it than that, but Elara didn’t need to know – not now, at least. She’d learn the truth about her birth one day.
“What about the locket? My Dad said it belonged to my mother. That has to mean something, right?”
“She made it herself, actually – with a little help. I know she wanted you to have it when you were older. Other than that, I’m not allowed to tell you too much.”
“So, what am I supposed to do now?” Elara asked, crossing her arms. “My life’s ruined. I can’t even go home.”
“We’re meeting with my father, the Emperor, tomorrow. For now, we’ll have to remain here.”
This time, she stood up. Fear and anger had consumed her. “You drag me all this way, refuse to explain the truth about my own mother, and expect me to follow you blindly?” She spat. “What’s really going on here?”
“Look, I understand this must be difficult to process-”
“You don’t understand me at all!” She huffed. “I didn’t ask for any of this! I just want to go back to my normal life in the Wards, where no one cared who I was!”
He stood up, facing her. “I’m sorry - I really am - but we’re on the verge of a civil war. The Grey Knights get worse every day. Look at what they did to you! Don’t you see how dangerous it is for the dragons and witches? How hated we are? The King wants us gone. He’s managed to convince the public that the dragons and witches are the real threat. If you’re even half the person I think you are, you know it’s wrong. The dragons and witches need a hero, and you have to be their voice, Bria.”
Fane nearly hit himself out of embarrassment when he accidentally called her that name. Bria. It echoed softly in his mind.
“What did you just call me?” Elara asked, raising her eyebrows in suspicion.
He stuttered for a moment before composing himself once again. Fane Emrand does not stutter, and he doesn’t get nervous either. But here he was – fumbling over his words. What was happening to him?
“It’s an ancient word in Dragontonian. I’m sorry. It just kind of slipped out on its own.”
“Are you going to tell me what it means?”
“Maybe some other time.”
“I like it,” She replied suddenly in amusement, much to his surprise. “As long as it’s nothing dirty, of course.”
“I guess you won’t know, now will you?”
“Touché,” She paused. “But don’t think I’m still not an
gry at this situation.”
“I know. I would be too. Things will change. Because of you, it’s already happening.”
“How did you even know I was going to be in the arena?” She asked as they sat back down again. The tension in the room was gone – for now.
“Prince Hadrian told me. He met with me secretly on the night of your trial. We knew we had to act quickly.”
“So that’s where he went,” Elara realized. “How do you know Prince Hadrian?”
“We’ve worked together. He has secret connections here in Nerennia because of the New Dawn’s rescue missions. I’ve helped him bring many dragons who visited the outer-world to safety. Hadrian told your father about our plan to save you, and he wasn’t very happy to hear it. He had a few choice words, in fact. I won’t repeat them.”
“Why wasn’t he happy? Shouldn’t he be glad I was rescued? I was seconds away from a very painful death if it weren’t for you.”
“Your father loves you very much. There’s no doubt about that. But he’s not like your mother. He doesn’t trust dragons or witches. It’s nothing personal, I assume – he’s like most people. Rest assured, he accepts what you can do. He knows you’re special.”
“Special, huh? What exactly does that mean?” Elara asked. “All I know is that fire doesn’t hurt me – and that isn’t normal, the last time I checked.”
“Well, I can only tell you what the legend of the Dragonwitch says. After centuries of war, a chosen one is meant to free the dragons and witches of persecution, and reunite the three races,” He replied before he frowned. “It could be you, or it could be just a fable our elders created to give us hope. But I’ve seen your powers firsthand. Legend or not, you’re different from the others.”
“You sure know a lot about me.”
“You may have only met me, but I’ve known you for many, many years. My whole life, even.”
Elara nodded, desperate to change the subject. “You mentioned before that your Dad’s an emperor. Doesn’t that make you a prince?”
He nearly burst out laughing. “Dragon spit! Please, do not call me that. It sounds so...” He paused, searching for the right word. “Pretentious. Technically, I guess I am a prince, but Palarri dragons don’t like titles. They divide people from each other and create an unequal hierarchy – much like they do with your people. My father’s the leader of his race, but he isn’t the only one.”
“What kind of races are there?”
“So far, there’s only four. We live separately in the kingdom of Nerennia due to conflicting beliefs and values. I’m surprised we’re still standing after the War of Fire. There are the Palarri dragons, who are red and black and live here in the city of Camena, near volcanoes and grasslands.”
“I guess you’re one? Your skin color gives you away.”
“Yes. The Palarri are the most populated and intelligent species of dragons there are – not to sound arrogant, of course. It’s just a fact. I believe you’ll transform into one, once you learn – but I’m not certain.”
“Wait a minute. You mean, one day I can become a dragon?”
“Yes - and a witch. That’s what the legend of the Dragonwitch says, anyhow. Its tale sweeps across races – dragons, witches, and humans have all heard of it. It’ll take some time, but I think you’ll learn your new powers quickly. If I’m right and you really are the Dragonwitch, you’ll be unlike anything anyone has ever seen before.”
“What are the other races of dragons?”
“Let’s see. There’s the Amera, who are yellow and purple and live near large bodies of water in Eldermere. Then we have the Kohra, who are silver and blue and live in the mountains found in Mazira. They aren’t the friendliest of dragons. In fact, my father has argued with them on many occasions,” Fane replied, as he shook his head. “Finally, we have the Lithian who are green and white, and prefer the forest lands in Velosmaw.”
He continued. “There’s a legend of a fifth race of dragons called the Yagara. They have golden skin and live in secret caves. They’re supposed to be wise and ancient. I’ve never seen one, but rumor has it they’re real, but have much smaller numbers compared to the rest of us.”
“Speaking of legends, what do you know about Mythania?”
He leaned forward, nodding. “So you’ve heard about it, too? All I know is that it was a city where dragons, witches, and humans lived peacefully together. I believe in it - although most of the other dragons and witches would call me a fool for even thinking about that kind of paradise. If it’s real, we need to find it,” Fane said before he cleared his throat. “There’s another matter I think you should know about, in order to understand both sides of the story. Not all dragons and witches are helpless victims.”
“What are you talking about?”
“There’s a term for dragons and witches who’ve disobeyed their cultures and acted out against humans. They’re called The Fallen because they’ve fallen away from their identities. They’re exiled from their communities, and it’s forbidden to go searching for them once they’re gone. They’ve done terrible things against your kind, including murder. I heard they destroyed a small human city called Serenity – and they’re only getting worse.”
Elara nodded. “I lived in the city next to Serenity. The Wards won’t be the same again.”
He sighed, looking down at the ground in shame. “My sister is one.”
“You have a sister?”
“Her name is Calianna. When I was younger, she left Nerennia to join The Fallen. It doesn’t really matter to them who they kill, as long as they’re killing humans. It started decades ago, but it’s gotten worse because of King Angus,” He gazed into the distance, wistfully. “I haven’t heard from Cali in ten years. A decade isn’t a long time for dragons, but it’s still been difficult. I don’t even know if she’s alive anymore.”
“I’m sorry. It must be awful not knowing what happened to her.”
“I’ve made peace with it. She deserves every piece of karma that comes her way. The Fallen only make things worse for the dragons and witches. Humanity thinks we’re all like them.”
“Why is it forbidden to search for them?”
He shrugged. “Many reasons, I guess. For one, it’s dangerous to leave our kingdom because of the Grey Knights. Secondly, the Ark – which I suppose is our form of government – fears the life of a Fallen One will be too attractive to resist, and more dragons will leave to join. That doesn’t mean I haven’t tried to find her, however. I have contacts, but nobody knows about her.”
“What about the mark on my arm?” Elara asked, tracing it on her skin. “What does it mean?”
Fane looked down at the dragon-shaped birthmark on his left arm, and Elara’s eyes followed.
“Only pureblood dragons are born with the mark. If a dragon mates with a human, the mark will not be inherited by the child - and the same goes for witches. Witches have their own mark - a pentacle. It’s a symbol of our legacy; of our heritage. But yours is unique because you have both. It’s beautiful and unheard of. No matter what the humans say, never be ashamed of it.”
Suddenly, the candle blew out by itself and Fane pulled away quickly. He stood up and peered out the cabin window, noticing how dark it had gotten since they had arrived.
“It’s getting pretty late. That was a lot of information to process in such a short time. Any other questions you have can be answered tomorrow when we meet with my father. He doesn’t know you’re here yet. Without a doubt, he’ll have questions for you, as well.”
“Where should I sleep?”
Fane frowned, realizing he hadn’t thought that far ahead. “You can sleep in my bed. I’ll sleep out here, by the fireplace.”
“Are you sure? That doesn’t seem fair. It’s your home, after all,” Elara replied, standing up.
“No, it’s all right. I don’t mind at all,” He replied, shrugging.
“Well, if you’re sure. Who am I to say no to a soft bed? I’ll see you in the morning,�
�� Elara replied, turning to walk towards the bedroom. “Goodnight, Fane.”
“Goodnight, Bria.”
“Are you still calling me that? Have you decided when you’ll tell me what that means?” She asked from the other room as she removed her clothing.
“All in due time, Bria,” He replied while fetching a nearby blanket and curling up beside the warm fire.
He heard his bed squeak, assuming Elara had just laid down as well. The hum of the wind was the last sound he heard as he fell into a deep slumber, dreaming more of the destiny awaiting Elara. He had made a promise to someone important that nothing terrible would ever happen to her. He was prepared to die for it.
The Emperor
The sun shone brightly through the small bedroom window as Elara opened her eyes and stretched out in an unfamiliar bed. It took her a few moments after waking up to remember her surroundings. She had fallen into a dreamless sleep, one that was peaceful and just what she needed after the hectic events of the last few days.
She looked down at her shirt – still missing its sleeve – and sighed; realizing just how much of a wanted woman she was now. As she slipped it on, she couldn’t hold back a few tears. She was homesick – missing her Dad and the Wards, even if they were a dreadful place. Haven wasn’t the best city to live in, but it was her home – and the only place she wasn’t treated like a traitor, a freak, or a curse.
By the time Elara had walked into the living room, Fane was already awake and sitting in a chair next to the fireplace, sharpening and cleaning off a mighty sword. Its jagged blade beamed red, shimmering with sparkles where the sunlight flashed upon it. Its hilt was black, and designed in the shape of a dragon – with the blade imitating a dragon’s tongue.
“Good morning,” Elara finally said, after a few moments of silence.
“Good morning, Bria,” Fane replied, as he looked up from his sword briefly to gesture towards the kitchen. “I made some dragonleaf tea. My mother used to tell me it’s good for calming nerves. You should have some.”
“Thanks,” She replied, fetching a nearby cup and filling it to the brim with steaming hot tea. She blew the hot water and took a small sip. “How did you sleep?”