"Lilly and the Dragon"

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In the shadowy darkness, just before the sun lit the eastern sky, Lilly stirred in her sleep...perhaps dreaming of dragons?

Camped in a small wooded area close to the base of a mountain, she awoke with the sun shining on her face and the birds singing. Quickly folding her blanket she packed it away...she had far to go today and would like to get an early start. As she leaned over the small stream, gathering her silver tresses in her hand so she could wash her face, her thoughts turned to her quest.

Suddenly, the sounds of the woodland creatures fell silent...Lilly looked up and shivered as a black shadow passed overhead. Accompanying the shadow was a loud rushing, whistling sound. Lilly’s heart thumped in her breast...was it a dragon? She peered upward trying to find the source of the shadow, and for a brief moment she saw something gigantic...almost like a huge black rain cloud passing overhead. It must be a dragon! Lilly was feeling both afraid and exhilarated at the same time. Remembering the stone her teacher had given her, she pulled it from her pocket and was not surprised to see the deep red glow as it lay in her hand. What did he tell her red meant? Beware! A red dragon was near. Well…even a wee lass or lad would know that a red dragon was dangerous.

She started to run, trying to clear the trees, shielding her eyes she looked up searching for the beast that has passed over her, but it is too far away...it was only a speck in the bright blue sky. Winded, she sat on a large rock. Maybe she should turn back, forget her quest, and return home in disgrace without her prize.
The dragon flew high above the woman, sensing her thoughts. The dragon paused and then circled back to where the young knight was sitting. He was soaring so far above her, that had she looked up she would not have seen him.

She was so pretty and so brave...before he blasted her with his scorching breath he would find much pleasure in conversing with her. Most myths regarding dragons do not give them the credit they deserve. Dragons were intelligent and not wanton killers...well, yes some were, but before crisping the knights that hunted them, many enjoyed talking with the doomed heroes. Sometimes these civilized conversations would last for days and then with some regret (very little, really) the dragon would fry the hapless champion.

As the dragon watched he saw the Knight peering down at something in her hand, something that glittered when the sun hit it. A magic stone perhaps? Not a stone of protection, but rather a stone of warning. How perfect. He smiled a frightening dragon smile. Little did the Knight know, but she had found a dragon. Banking to the right, he soared higher in the sky seeking his lair in the mountainside. Where else would one find a dragon?

Lilly had decided to continue her quest. She did not like being alone and she was afraid, but no matter...she had her sword, Wyrmslayer and that gave her strength. She was, after all, a Knight of the Crimson Queen... Lilly’s eyes traveled from the bottom of the mountain to the peak and she shuddered slightly...she did not feel very brave. That is where the dragon’s lair will be, a cave high in the mountain, everybody knew that. She patted the sword hanging by her side and then after taking a deep breath followed the path that led up the mountainside.

(fantasy)

[ June 05, 2003, 02:14: Message edited by: Kasandra ]

 

First off, welcome to the Boards.

You have a good fantasy story going so far (although I can't say I spot anything that strikes me as out of the ordinary, but there's not much material so far anyways). My only complaint (and I complain a lot when I read stuff in CS) is that "..."s are used a lot, and I eye a few minor grammatical errors. But keep on going.

 

Part Two

After climbing for hours, Lilly was exhausted. She must find shelter soon; the sun was beginning to set in the western sky. Leaning against a large rock, her cloak wrapped tightly around herself, the Knight looked out toward the valley below. It was cold and she was hungry. Rummaging around in her pack, she finally found a small loaf of hard bread. While Lilly absentmindedly took a bite out of the bread her thoughts were full of the soaring dark shadow she had seen earlier.

As she ate her mind began to wander, remembering her quest and what the Queen had demanded of her. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts she did not notice the soft tapping coming from above her or the descending darkness. The tapping became more insistent and louder, but Lilly was still oblivious to it. A shower of small pebbles rained down on her head and startled her. After looking up and seeing nothing she returned to her bread. Again she was pelted with pebbles, but this time she jumped up and tried to see above the ledge that sheltered her, but it was too high above her. Getting on her tiptoes, she felt around with her hands and her fingers brushed over...a rope! How could that possibly be? Lilly, never one to question her good luck quickly grasped the rope and pulled it down. The rope was so thick; it made a small thudding sound as it hit the rocks. She tugged against it with all her might and when she was certain it was anchored securely, Lilly started to climb. Reaching the overhang, she peered over and saw in the gathering darkness...

A DRAGON! A beautiful black dragon. As she looked at the wondrous beast she saw, what she thought was a rope, was really the beast’s tail. She looked down at the “rope” still in her hands and then dropped it quickly. Her heart was thudding in her chest and her thoughts were so jumbled, she was speechless. She had found a dragon, a real dragon! She was very proud of herself. True, this was not a red dragon (so he was less dangerous she hoped) but it was still a dragon...and a big one.

She took a deep breath and studied the dragon. He was sleeping on his stomach, his huge iridescent wings folded over his back. She could not see his legs, but she did see his tail as it swayed gently back and forth, dislodging small pebbles and rocks. His massive black head rested on his talons, which were folded under his chin, if that was what one called the lower part of his huge head. His eyes were closed so he must be sleeping. There was a strange odor, not a nasty smell, but more of a dry, metallic odor.

The dragon looked upon the knight and he could hardly contain his mirth. He had led her into a trap, now to tighten the web around her…he opened his eyes.

 

I am glad you have possibly found us a new home Kasandra. I shall join you in the tale soon.

 

Lilly leapt back with a muffled scream as the dragon opened his eyes and stared right at her. His eyes were not the yellow or green she had expected, but instead, a deep, blazing red.

Frightened, she started to tremble and when he opened his massive jaws in a yawn, it was all she could do not to scream. Lilly was both fascinated and repelled by his long forked tongue and when, with a start, she noticed his fangs they made her think of her of long sharpened white stakes.

“Who disturbs my sleep?”

Lilly was immediately captivated by his voice; she had never heard anything so beautiful, both deep and soft. The Knight stood up straighter as she tried to stop her shuddering, looked at the dragon then meeting his fiery red gaze, said, “I am Lilly, a Knight of the Crimson Queen.” Her voice came out as a squeak.

The dragon raised his head and said, “A Knight of the Crimson Queen? Let me think...ummm, I have met many Knights, but I do not think I have ever had the pleasure of meeting a Knight of the Crimson Queen before today. My name is Plethor, a dragon of some renown in this kingdom. Perhaps you have heard of me? No? How strange. Now tell me Knight of the Crimson Queen, why are you here? Certainly you have a tale to tell?”

“The dragon wants know why I am here? That would be quite a tale. How can I tell him that I have a quest, a quest to capture and tame a dragon? Capture? Am I insane?” Through her chattering teeth, she almost laughed. “How can I, a small and puny mortal woman capture this...creature? My senses surely must have fled my mind.”

The Knight vainly tried to stop trembling and gather some remnants of control. “How does one convince a dragon to come willing? I am a foolish human. Here I am, facing a beast five times my size, a creature that can burn me to ashes where I stand in the blink of an eye. My only protection? A sword strapped to my thigh and as I think of it, a very small sword at that.”

Lilly looked at the dragon and forced a smile, “I am on a quest.” Her voice was quavering so badly she had to take a deep breath before she could speak again. This time her voice was stronger. She was so intent on the dragon, Lilly did not see his tail as it started to coil around the back of her and then raise up like a snake ready to strike...

She cried out, her eyes wide in fear as his tail encircled her, lifted her up and brought her close to his face. She could feel his hot breath and smell the strange metallic odor that emanated from him.

“He is going to eat me. This is how my life will end, as an evening meal for a dragon. What an ignominious and painful way to die. What a horse’s ass I have been, ignoring all I was told and moreover, how did I think I was going to accomplish this quest alone. I need a small army just to capture the beast. I deserve to be eaten for such stupidity.”

Lilly closed her eyes tightly and prayed as sincerely as she could, pleading that the dragon would eat her quickly. Perhaps in one swallow?

 

Me tinks me likes dis storee, bot den agin me likes any tale wit dragoons in it. Me haz been told dat me shud fix me werds, dat dey nae be goot grammar. Ack! Mayhaps me shud menshun me be a drorf und dis be da ways me speeks.

[ June 09, 2003, 01:02: Message edited by: Emberglow ]

 

Part Three

Lilly opened one eye and then the other when she realized the dragon was not going to eat her, at least not for the moment.

“Well, well, let me look upon you. Did you know some dragons can hear the thoughts of mortals? It is useless to try to keep them hidden from me. Ride me? Tame me?”

The dragon started to laugh, a low rumbling sound that soon increased until his entire body vibrated with merriment. His laughter was as captivating as his voice and it was contagious. He seemed so good-natured, how could he want to harm her let alone eat her?

“Little Knight, why would I, the great and mighty Plethor, a dragon known throughout the lands, agree to be your pet? What would you give me, I wonder, in return?”

Lilly’s thoughts began to spiral out of control. “What does one give a dragon? Treasure? I have no treasure. An ancient, priceless artifact? I have no such thing. I have nothing this creature could want. He is sure to eat me now.”

Bewildered and frightened, she looked into his glowing red eyes. Suddenly the beast released her, so unexpectedly, she fell to the ground. Now his great head was above her and as the dragon moved closer to her, Lilly cowered and tried to scramble away from him. He pushed up on his haunches and reached out, sweeping Lilly into the crook of his arm, like a small child. She heard a loud whooshing sound as he began to beat his powerful wings. They started to rise slowly into the air. Lilly glanced over his arm to see the ledge she had just stood on becoming smaller as they lifted higher into the sky. When he was far above the mountain, he straightened his body and they began to fly.

She was FLYING! What an incredible feeling! Lilly started to laugh with pure joy, she felt so exhilarated, so free. As she watched the land below rush by, the wind was making her eyes water and whipping her hair around her face, stinging her. There was nothing in her life thus far, that had ever made her feel like this, and for a moment, she felt a pang of sadness knowing she would never feel this way again. They soared higher into the clouds. The rolling hills below showed only a faint green color through the misty clouds. Each stroke of the dragon’s powerful wings gave them lift. He was holding her close to his chest and Lilly felt safe and secure, her fears forgotten for the moment. Still laughing, she turned her head toward the dragon, noticing for the first time he had horns.

He looked at her with his flaming eyes and then said in his beautiful tenor voice, “You will never tame a dragon, Little Knight, but you could befriend a one. Your pursuit is hopeless, give it up. I have another quest for you and if you accept it I will be beholden to you. It is a difficult and dangerous quest. But if you complete it, you would then have a great and extraordinary friend in Plethor, Archdragon of the House of Todesdrache. What say you, Lilly, Knight of the Crimson Queen?”

As Plethor banked to the left, Lilly turned her head and looked below her...what a truly wonderful thing, to be able to fly. Soaring high above the rolling green hills and the tiny villages, Lilly felt both ecstatic and terrified. It must be akin to standing on the edge of the highest turret of a castle, and jumping off only to find you were able to float on the air currents. When the dragon would dive toward the ground, the wind rushed by her and her stomach rose up inside her. Unable to stifle her squeals of delight, she felt the great beast’s laughter. Lilly was astonished by the very notion that she was flying with a dragon.

Plethor rose higher into the sky with powerful strokes. When they were higher than they had been, he glided toward the mountain they had taken off from. Sweeping down between the rocky slopes, and with a flutter of his great wings, he gently settled down on the ledge near his cave. When he opened his large talon, Lilly rolled to the ground then quickly scrambled to her feet.

His massive head turned toward her, his red eyes bright. “Have you given thought to my query, Lilly, Knight of the Crimson Queen? Do you know how wonderful it would be to have a friend like me? You would be able to fly to places you have only heard about, see things you have only dreamed about and you would never fear anything again. Yes, it would be a great friendship, and all I ask of you is one small quest.”

Lilly sat down on a large rock, drew her legs up beneath her and then looked at Plethor. “Would you tell me more of this quest, Plethor? So I may know what it involves. I have never been on a quest, unless you would call my finding you a quest. That was more a happenstance.”

“Yes, Lilly, it was serendipity. Lovely word, serendipity. Come, you must feel the cold, we will go into my cave and I will tell you a tale.”

Plethor moved, his tail knocking stones and some small rocks over the ledge. As graceful as the beast was in the air, he was awkward on the ground. Waddling over to the mouth of the cave he disappeared into the darkness. His beautiful voice echoed from the shadows, “Enter, Lilly, Knight of the Crimson Queen, enter the home of Plethor, Archdragon of the House of Todesdrache.”

After a brief hesitation, Lilly walked into the shadowy cave. Her eyes soon grew accustomed to the darkness. While she watched, the dragon opened his mouth and small licks of fire flew from between his wicked looking teeth and landed on a pile of tinder. The kindling blazed immediately and within a few moments, a fire was burning in a huge hearth. Looking around, the Knight blinked, she was not sure what she expected, but certainly not this...

The cavern was large and of course, the ceiling and walls were rock, but descending from the roof of the cave were many rocky spikes of varying lengths. The blazing fire made them glitter like precious gems. Spread over the stone floor of the cave were rugs of all colors and shapes. But what took her breath away was the chest upon chests of treasure. She had heard many tales of dragons and how they lusted for gold and jewels...some myths were true it would seem. The precious treasures sparkled in the firelight. All of the coffers were piled high with the riches, spilling over the sides of the chests and scattered all over the floor of the cave. Lilly wondered about the rest of the legends she had heard, where were the bodies of the knights that had come to relieve the dragon of his gold and gems?

Plethor was stretched out on one of the larger rugs, his wings tucked close to his body and his head resting on his folded arms. Gesturing with one long nailed talon, he motioned her to sit close to him.

Once Lilly was as comfortable as one could be in a dragon’s lair, Plethor said, “It will be warmer soon and you will feel less chilled. Are you ready to hear my tale, Lilly?”

 

It looks like my time is near. I look forward to our reunion Lady Knight.

 

“Yes, Plethor, I am ready to hear your tale, although I do not know what a small mortal woman could do for you. What creature can stand up to you, you are after all, a dragon.”

Plethor peered closely at Lilly and then showed his teeth in his strange and frightening dragon smile before beginning his tale.

“Eons ago, the only creatures that roamed this land were dragonkind. The land was beautiful and lush, full of life. There were no Elves or Trolls and certainly no humans, but still the land was abundant with other creatures. We hunted the land and soared high in the welkin, taking only the creatures we needed to live. It was a far different land then.”

Lilly shifted her position and asked; “Only dragons were here? Where were the Fae and all the other creatures that populate the lands now?”

“Young Knight, this was an eternity ago and dragons live a very long time. The Elves came first, then the other races followed, slowly at first, then one day the dragons realized the land was not theirs alone any more. The Elves we could exist with, they left us alone for the most part, but the Dwarves were another matter, they hated our kind. The humans were the worse by far. We still soared in the skies and hunted the lands, but the newcomers were afraid of us. They penned our prey, constructed walls, built cities and then they began to hunt us and over time our numbers decreased. It is true it took centuries to decimate our kind, but it did happen. We once numbered thousands upon thousands. Now, perhaps a few hundred of us remain. Some dragons left this land flew and far and long, perhaps they found a new place? I have heard myths that some soared east to a new kingdom where they were cherished as a symbol of prosperity and goodness. Who will ever know?”

The dragon paused for a moment, once again resting his head on his folded arms. Lilly took advantage of the silence to ask a question.

“I am puzzled, Plethor, you have scorching breath, wickedly sharp teeth and talons, your scales are like armor and you can fly. How were humans able to reduce your numbers by so many?”

A sound escaped the dragon, a long soft hiss. Lilly was sure it was a dragon sigh. Unfolding her legs, the Knight stretched out and rested on her side, arm bent and chin cupped by her hand. She was puzzled by her lack of fear, why was she trusting this beast?

“It is warmer in here and I am afraid it makes me sleepy, but I want to hear the rest of your tale. How were the humans able to hunt and slay dragons?”

“Lilly, Knight of the Crimson Queen, take a short sleep, you are safe here. You have had an...interesting day. When you wake, we will eat and I will continue my tale.”

Lilly awakened with a start. What was that sound? Her first thought was of her grandmother. She could picture her sweeping up the kitchen floor with a long straw broom, swish, swish, swish. That was what the sound reminded her of, her grandmother’s sweeping. The Knight’s memories were cut short when her stomach began grumble. It had been a day since she had anything to eat and she was very hungry. Was she in grandmother’s bed? Ready to get up from a short nap and go have supper? Something pricked at her mind and suddenly she was afraid to open her eyes.

“I sense you are awake, Lilly, Knight of the Crimson Queen. Come, open your eyes and feast on what I have brought you.”

When she opened her eyes, the first thing Lilly saw was the dragon. He was across from her, his long serpentine body stretched over many rugs. His long tail swayed back and forth, making the soft swishing sound that had awakened her. Occupying the space between her and the dragon was a pile of bread, cheeses and fruits. Lilly was unable to quell her hunger pangs, not to mention her salivating.

“Where in the lands did you get this food? The bread smells wonderful, as though it was just baked.”

Plethor lifted his large head and answered, "Actually, it was just baked. The ability to fly has many advantages, one of which is swooping down to grasp a loaf or pie that has been put on the window sill to cool and usually I am unseen. Please help yourself, Lilly, and while you are eating I will continue my tale.”

The young Knight moved closer to the small pile of food and with hardly any hesitation picked up the loaf of bread. The dragon was right; it was still warm from the oven. Removing her dagger from its sheath, Lilly cut a hunk of the bread, and then a piece of cheese and finally, a slice of apple. Laying the cheese on the bread, then the slice of apple, she took a big bite. Aware the dragon was watching her, she blushed as she chewed.

“Eat up, Knight of the Crimson Queen, do not be shy. Dragons are not known as timid eaters. It is pleasant to have a guest, especially one that is not on a quest to steal my gold. Now, by your leave, I will continue my tale?”

Pushing up with his arms, Plethor sat back on his haunches and waited for Lilly to answer.

“Ummm, yes, please go on. I was wondering how the humans was able to devastate your numbers, considering all your abilities; flying, breath of fire and most of all, scaled armor?”

Plethor gave her another of his strange dragon smiles before he answered.

“Humans alone were not responsible; they spoke to the other races in the lands and learned of the great Wizards in the North. These five wizards, after ample reward, crafted five orbs, five orbs to call dragon kind to them. We had no defense against this magic. It was unknown to us. But, it was not only the orbs that caused our downfall, it was also the magic weapons that were forged by certain smiths throughout the lands. These smiths were granted magical abilities, as well as the use of enchanted metals. The orbs would call us and then the wielders of these enchanted weapons would slay us. Rather a a sad state of affairs for the dragons, I must say.”

Lilly stopped chewing for a moment and looking at the dragon asked, “You have no way of resisting the call of the orbs? I thought it was told that dragons could only be killed if they were pierced through a certain part of their bodies, a small red circle on the belly of the serpent? It is very unfortunate that your kind was killed in such a shameful way. But, I know too, that dragons eat young maidens and steal cattle and horses from the farmers and burn fields and forests. So part of me understands what drove the humans to seek the help of the wizards. I still do not understand how I can help you or what quest you would have me do?”


Lilly took another bite of the bread and waited for Plethor to answer. The dragon, instead of answering, began to laugh, a low rumble that grew until his long body shook with mirth.

~“What would I have you do, Little Knight? Well, I would have you seek out one of the Smiths of Mystic, and then convince him to forge you a magical weapon and after you return to me, I will send you to the Lair of Kunda and once there, you will slay her. Then, I shall seize her throne and take what is rightfully mine. High Lord of the Dragons! I do wonder what will become of you, Knight. Sadly, I do not think it will be a fortunate or glorious ending. Instead, I will tear your heart from your breast and dine on it before I consume what remains of you. Of course, I cannot tell you any of this, that might cause you to be reluctant to accept the quest. No, I will play you like a bard plays a harp; pull your strings until you are convinced the quest is noble.”~

“Well, I certainly do not know what is so funny, but this quest must not be very important.” Lilly said indignantly.

“Please, Lilly, forgive me. I was thinking how much you can help me. In fact, how much you can help all of dragonkind. But first I must convince you to accept this quest and that requires you know about the history of dragons. It may take some time. Are you willing to listen, and then make your decision?”

Plethor stretched out again and once more rested his head on his folded arms.

“Yes, I am willing to listen. I am curious how I can help you, especially since I know there must have been many Knights that have made your acquaintance before me. Thank you for the food, Plethor; it was kind of you to bring the bread and fruits to me.” Lilly leaned back against the stone wall of the cave and looked expectantly at the dragon.

“Would you like something to drink? If you walk to your left, you will find a small pool. The water is cool and pure.”

Lilly smiled at the dragon and then answered, “Thank you, but I am not thirsty.” The Knight leaned forward on her elbows. “Go on Plethor, tell me the history of your kind.”

The dragon moved his great head so his gaze fell on Lilly, then he exhaled a great breath of air, another dragon sigh?

“Our history is fraught with wars between our kind. Good against evil, evil against evil and good against good. It is our nature. But long ago, the dragon wars were a way of culling our numbers, so that the skies were not black with flying dragons. As I said before, when the Elves arrived they kept to themselves for the most part and we in turn, did not see a reason to prey upon them. The land was teeming with life, so there was no need. But that changed when the Dwarves and Humans arrived. Both races were terrified of our kind and made no effort to know us, instead they made up tales to frighten their children. Hence the “maiden sacrifices” and fire attacks on villages. These tales were false, but as with any tale retold through the ages and passing from grandmother to granddaughter, the tales became legend. So humankind and the dwarves hunted us for our “crimes” and our magical scales and of course, our blood.”

Lilly shifted her position again as she picked up a piece of cheese from the small pile of food sitting between her and Plethor. After she took a bite, she asked, “Blood? Why did they seek your blood?”

Once more the dragon made a low rumbling noise...dragon laughter? “It is told our blood will turn iron to gold and can be used in many magical spells and naturally, our scales are impervious to fire and forged weapons. But I am getting ahead of my story. Between wars and hunting, dragons were soon becoming endangered. Something had to be done, so a great conclave was called. Each group of dragons sent an emissary to represent his or her lair. A place had to be found that would accommodate vast numbers of our kind. The Desert of Shoal was picked, huge enough for our numbers and hot. Dragons are fond of heat. Ah, what an amazing sight it was, the sun reflecting off a myriad of colors as we flew and the gusts of wind our sweeping wings caused but it was the sound that was truly marvelous. Lilly, have you ever heard hundreds of dragons flying at one time? It was thunderous, even to our ears. What a sight we made.”

“I cannot imagine so many dragons in one place, let alone flying. But tell me, Plethor, what came of the conclave? Were there more wars? How were you to cope with Dwarves and Man?”


“Yes, Lilly, it was a magnificent sight to see, so many Dragons in one place. Our conclave lasted for three days and nights. It was truly amazing that such a vast number of dragons could co-exist for that amount of time without killing one another. But, our very existence was at stake. What choice did we have? We discussed why our numbers were declining at such an alarming rate, was it due to the other races hunting us or a natural event? Was it because of our own battles with one another?”

Still hungry, Lilly reached for another piece of fruit and after she took a bite of the apple, she asked, “Well, what did the dragons decide? What was causing the decrease in your great numbers?”

Plethor slowly rose from the rug he had been resting on and lumbered to the mouth of the cave. When he turned towards her he paused for a moment as though weighing his words very carefully before he spoke.

“We came to the conclusion it was a combination of everything, not one specific event, but all the events combined. Once we reached that conclusion the first thing we had to do was elect a dragon to oversee all the remaining dragon lairs. That dragon would have the final word on all that was decided in those three days and then would continue to rule us. It took us one entire day to decide on this dragon, the High Lord of all Dragons. Should we choose a good dragon for the obvious reasons or an evil one who would have other qualities that would serve us as well? Finally, after hours of debate, we thought of a fair way to pick our High Dragon. We selected three dragons; one good, one evil and the last dragon was neutral. These three, it was decided, would fight to the death and the one that survived would be the High Dragon.”

While Plethor paused for a moment, Lilly stood and stretched. Walking to one of the treasure chests, she leaned over and picked up a large ruby from the coffer, then returned to her place and sat down. Absentmindedly playing with the jewel, she patiently waited for the dragon to continue his tale.

“Are you tired, Lilly? No? Then I will finish my story. The battle between the three dragons was fierce, even by dragon standards, bloody and brutal. It lasted long into the night. The valley we had gathered in was bright from fire breath and the roars of the combatants sounded like thunder. Then, finally there was silence, and only one dragon remained...Melthor. A male of the Black Lair, older and wiser than most and a good choice. It was decided during the conclave that the chain of rule would be passed down to Melthor’s first born, male or female, and that is how it has been for centuries. Melthor forbade the killing and hunting of other races, unless we were attacked and for all this time, the dragons’ lairs have kept that rule...until now.”

“I find that hard to believe, Pelthor. I have seen the remains of some farms and even cities that have fallen to dragon attacks.” Lilly watched the dragon’s eyes closely as he answered.

“Sadly, there are rogue dragons that abide by no rules. We do try to find these villains and when we do, we destroy them. Now I come to the end of my tale. As I said, until now our interactions with the other races has been rare, but that will change soon. During the conclave of so long ago, we were forbidden to fight among ourselves, thereby assuring the line of succession would never be broken, however there was a provision, we could not fight with each other, but under certain circumstances we could have another take our place if we were to challenge the High Dragon. Some knights do not kill dragons, but rather kill for them. Now, there is a new High Dragon and her name is Kunda. She became High Dragon by that very means, she found a knight to slay Belthor, our last ruler. Why? She wants to begin a war with other races, to destroy them all so once again dragons will rule the lands. I do not have to tell you what that means to both your race and mine. Lilly, Knight of the Crimson Queen, I need your help to destroy Kunda and save us all from certain destruction.”

“What!? Me? What can I do? I could not even find this dragon, let alone slay her. Plethor, I think you have been too long alone in this cave and it has addled your brain.” Lilly stood and started to pace, her was face averted from the dragon, so Plethor never saw the odd glint in her green eyes or her small smile.

[ June 08, 2003, 22:45: Message edited by: Kasandra ]

 

Me hopin' dis tale gits tae da goot part, wen dat idjit Knight gits et up by da dragoon. Bah! She be daft iffin she tinks he canna ets her. Me haz met many dragoons und nae one o' dem kin be trusted. Jest waits und sees.

 

Lilly was still pacing back and forth when Plethor said, “Lilly, you know if Kunda is allowed to continue with her plans both our races will be in peril. As I said, dragons were once plentiful, now there are fewer of us, yet more than enough to wreck havoc on all the other races. We would destroy many villages and cities and in turn, many of us would be killed. Anyway you look at it, Kunda’s plan spells ruin to mankind and dragonkind. I ask you again, will you help?”

Stopping in mid-stride, Lilly turned to look at the dragon. His massive head was raised and his eyes burned red as he awaited her answer.

“Plethor, perhaps you did not hear me before, but I will repeat myself, what can I do? I am not a warrior, much as I would like to be. Yes, it is true, I can fight, but to pit myself against a dragon? That would be utter foolishness and even if I could face Kunda, what of the other dragons? Would they just let me stroll in and slay their leader? I somehow think not. No, Plethor, I cannot help you.”

The dragon opened his mouth and exhaled with a long hiss, “There is one Smith of Mystic that wanders the hills and vales of this kingdom and if we can find him, he could forge you magical armor that is both fire resistant and strong, yet light as cloth, and the weapon he could make you would have no equal, able to cleave a mighty oak with one swipe or pierce through dragon scale. As for the other dragons, I would make sure Kunda was alone. I am not the only one that wants her rule to end. Lilly, Knight of the Crimson Queen, if you are clad in armor forged by a Mystic Smith there is no way for you to fail. There is a place on a dragon’s body that is vulnerable, you know of it, and when you stab Kunda there with your magical spear, she will die immediately.”

“I do not know Plethor, to just slay a dragon? You make it sound so...easy. Knights I know continually boast of the dragons they have killed and the treasures they have amassed, but I do not see them retiring to great castles with their fortunes, so I wonder if they tell the truth? If I was to do this, how could I find this Smith? How could I pay him? How would I even get into Kunda’a lair? And what assurance do I have that once she was dead, I could escape?”

Before she sat down again, Lilly returned the large ruby she had been toying with to its chest, and then leaning her back against the stone wall, she looked directly into the fiery gaze of Plethor.

“Well, Plethor, Archdragon of the House of Todesdrache, will you answer my questions?”

The dragon did not answer Lilly immediately, instead he lifted himself off the rug he was resting on and then shambled to the mouth of the cave. Turning to face the young Knight, he said,
“Lilly, you have kept me far too long in conversation, there is a matter I must attend to without delay, but I shall return before darkness. Please, my cave is your home, so be comfortable. You will be safer here than any other place in the kingdom, so rest easy. Farewell for now.”

The Knight ran to the cave entrance, but before she could protest, Plethor was soaring high above the cave. Again, she marveled at how graceful the dragon was in flight. Shielding her eyes with her hand, she watched Plethor until he was a small speck in the sky.

Speaking aloud, Lilly walked slowly back into the cave, “Well, this is certainly unexpected. What am I supposed to do while the dragon is away? Hummm, there are many treasures here. Let me see what all these chests really contain.”

After pulling the nearest chest over to the fire, Lilly sat crossed legged in front of it and lifted the lid. A small gasp of surprise escaped her as she picked up the first thing she saw, a jeweled crown. What a beautiful thing it was too, many rare jewels were set in the gold base making the crown very heavy. Lilly wondered at the size of the head that could wear this crown. Huge! Discarding the crown, the Knight next pulled a goblet from the chest. Perfect in its simplicity, the goblet was made of a highly polished metal, neither silver nor gold. Lilly thought it might be an amalgam of unknown metals. Placing the cup beside her, she looked through the remaining treasure. There was nothing in the chest to equal the perfection of the goblet. Closing the lid, Lilly sat back and picked up the chalice again and examined it closely. It was flawless, nothing marred its beauty, turning the goblet upside down, and Lilly could see markings on the base, she was not sure but they looked like very ornate versions of the letters R and B or was it P and E? Perhaps Plethor would give her the goblet if she asked. It would fit her needs perfectly.

Helping herself to another piece of fruit, Lilly sat close to the fire and ate an orange. When she finished, she stretched out on the rug, turning on her side she curled up. As Plethor said she should rest. In a few moments the Knight was asleep and dreaming. Dreaming of blood.

Soaring high above the snowy peaks, Plethor made a sharp banking turn to the right, and then began his descent between the rocky slopes. Once the dragon was clear of the mountains, he flew low over the dense woods, his keen eyes searching the trails and paths. His hunt was not for food, not this time, but when he spotted a large buck break from the trees and run into an open field, he remembered he had not eaten since meeting Lilly. His huge wings beat faster as he gained speed for a quick dive, then sweeping down, he snatched the deer without effort, breaking the animal’s neck in the process.

Plethor rose higher into the air, into the pink light of the setting sun, looking for a place to land. Nearing the ruins of an old castle, he gently settled on a crumbling turret. Tearing the hapless buck apart, Plethor swallowed great chunks of meat without chewing. Finished, he took flight again, but because it was nearing dark, he abandoned his hunt and started back to his lair and his guest.

~Lilly, naive and innocent Knight of the Crimson Queen, would she accept my quest? Should I offer her treasure, sweeten the pot, so to speak? Or would the promise of glory and fame be enough? Lilly, Dragon Slayer, the bards would sing of her for ages...and of her sad demise. I am quite satisfied with myself, some of the tale I told her was true, well, actually most of the tale was true. I can not challenge another dragon to fight, nor could any challenge him. It was the law. It was also true that I could acquire the services of a Knight to do my fighting for me, that too was the law. I did lie about Kunda. She was a wise and fair ruler, not bent on the destruction of the other races; in fact, she wanted to become allied with the other creatures that shared her world. That is why she had to die, or if she was left to do as she wished, dragonkind would eventually be destroyed.

Once she was dead, I will step up and become the new High Dragon. I am not the only one that wants Kunda dead. There are others that wanted to return to the old ways, taking what they wanted, when they wanted. No creature in the lands could rival the dragons; nothing except the orbs and the three remaining Smiths of Mystic. Perhaps I will not kill the Knight after her quest was completed; she could be of further use, she could find the remaining Smiths and the orbs. Yes, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to allow her to live, at least until she finds the orbs and the Smiths.~

Landing with a silent sweep of his wings, Plethor entered his cave and greeted his guest.

“Lilly, I have searched this day for one of the Smiths of Mystic, and have glad tidings. I have found the whereabouts of one, he is called Riccan Torte.”

Lilly stirred when she heard the beautiful voice of Plethor. Turning on her back, she was startled to see the dragon looming over her. A stab of fear pierced her heart for a moment, and then quickly receded as Plethor backed up and sat down on his haunches. Stretching out, Lilly turned on her side and bending her arm rested her head in her hand. “Plethor, I have not agreed to this quest yet. Frankly, it frightens me. No matter what armor I wear or what kind of magical weapon I wield, how can I be certain I will not die? Somehow I think if it was as simple as you say to slay this dragon, knights would be gathering outside Kunda’s lair. How can you guarantee my safety? Moreover, I am not sure I have the right to slay this dragon."

The dragon regarded her for a moment before answering, and then said, "Lilly, I cannot promise you will not be hurt, but I can promise I will do everything in my power to make sure you accomplish your quest without any harm coming to you. I have said there are others that want Kunda, how can I say this, removed from her position as High Dragon. They will help us. The armor and weapon alone should be enough to protect you and destroy Kunda. Imagine, Lilly, returning to your Queen’s palace, with the treasure of the High Dragon? Will that not make you more celebrated than any other knight in her court? In the kingdom? Minstrels will sing your name and create ballads recounting your quest and how you slew the evil dragon Kunda. You will be rich beyond your wildest dreams. Is that not worth a small margin of danger?”

Lilly’s blue eyes narrowed, giving her an almost feral look as her mind raced. It was true, everything the dragon said...

“I will not lie, I am tempted. You said you found a Smith? Where? We would have to pay him and as you know, I have no gold. Will he even forge the armor and weapon? So many unknowns.”

Plethor exhaled a long rush of warm air (another dragon sigh) and answered, “If you agree to the quest the first thing I will do is fly you to the Smith. Every creature has a desire; you will have to find his. You are beautiful, even I can see that, perhaps the Smith will become enamored with you. If not, I have treasure, a lot of treasure. Humankind, I have found have only two great needs: love and gold. I believe we can provide either or both.”

Lilly nodded her head, “All right, Plethor, we will find this Smith and when we do, we will see if he will consent to forge the armor and weapon and if he does, then I will accept the quest. Agreed?”


When the dragon snorted, smoke rose in wispy black tendrils from his narrow snout. He snorted now, filling the cavern with drifting dark fumes.

“Yes, Lilly, I agree. The Smith is never in one place for long, so it is best we leave soon. Rest now, we will depart before dawn.”

The Knight nodded and sat down, then as an afterthought, rose and walked to one of the treasure chests. Picking up the small goblet she had seen earlier, she turned and asked, “Plethor, may I have this goblet? I am sure it priceless and as you well now, I have no gold. If you are willing, I will take it in payment for this quest.”

“You may have it, Lilly, but it is rather plain, and does nothing else catch your fancy? I have many treasures; surely there is something more valuable? The jewels or crowns?”

Lilly shook her head, “No, I only want this goblet. The craftmanship is flawless and I am intrigued by the metal. Do you know what it is?”

Plethor bared his razor-sharp teeth in a dragon smile.

“No, I do not, but bring it closer, perhaps I can tell.”

Lilly held out the goblet so the dragon could get a good look at it. He did not answer for a few moments, then said, “I believe it is mithril, though I could be mistaken. The Dwarves value it highly. The armor they forge is renown for its strength and durability, yet it does not weigh more than leather.”

Sitting down, Lilly placed the goblet beside her, and then stretched out on her side.
“Sleep well, Plethor.”

In a few minutes, Lilly was asleep. The dragon studied the sleeping Knight, marveling at how well his plan was coming together.

~Not only will I be rid of Kunda, but I will also have the chance to kill one of the Smiths. Oh my, but I am a clever dragon. Once I rule the other lairs, what havoc I will level on the other races, starting with the Dwarves. Obliterate them. Not so though with the Elves and Humans, some of those would be kept as slaves, to do the bidding of their Dragon Masters. There was also the matter of fair young maidens, so sweet and tasty. Oh yes, this was working out well, better than I ever thought. The only problem I can foresee is convincing the Smith to forge the armor and weapon. But, as I told the Knight, she was beautiful. Most males would be smitten with her; hopefully Riccan Torte was no different than any other male.~

Resting his massive head on the rug, he swished his tail idly, pushing any debris aside. He flexed his wings, and then folded them down over his back. His eyes closed and he slept.

True to his word, Plethor was awake before dawn. He nudged Lilly’s shoulder with his snout until she opened her eyes. It was odd, but he thought her eyes were blue, now they look decidedly green.

“Is it time, Plethor? I will be ready in a few minutes. Where in the kingdom do we seek this mysterious Smith?”

The dragon was walking towards the mouth of the cavern, but stopped and turned to answer Lilly, “We will fly south, Lilly, that is where I saw him last. I will land close to that point; of course, I cannot chance him seeing me, so you may have quite a walk ahead of you.”

“What if I cannot find him? If I do succeed in finding him and convince him to forge the armor, how will you know when to pick me up?” After Lilly splashed some cold water on her face, she took a few pieces of fruit and put them in the purse hanging from her waist.

“But you will find him, I have no doubt of that, and as for picking you up, I will be watching. Never fear, Lilly, Knight of the Crimson Queen, I will not be far.”

Lilly held fast to the wide spikes on Plethor’s shoulders as the dragon soared high in the darkness. To the east, she could see the sky was beginning to reflect a rosy hue as the sun began to rise. Ahead of her, the dark sky was flecked with pinpoints of light. A cold wind rushed by her and because she was shivering, Lilly chanced removing one hand from Plethor and gathered her cloak tighter around her. It would be useless to try to talk to him while they flew, her words would be lost to the wind.

Not that I have any questions; I know what I must do. Find the Smith, and then convince him to forge a magical weapon and armor. Nothing to it. Who am I kidding? This quest was almost as difficult as slaying Kunda. I have no idea how to approach the Smith. Should I use guile or the truth? What if he refuses to make the armor, what then?

Lilly tried to empty her mind and meditate, but she was finding it a difficult task. Her thoughts kept spinning in her head so much she was not even able to enjoy her flight. The sky was now bright with the sun’s rays and she instinctively knew they would be setting down soon. Plethor’s muscles flexed beneath her as he swept his powerful wings, each sweep giving them lift.

Suddenly, he folded his wings and they dove, lower and lower. Plethor banked to his left and as Lilly looked down she could see they were over a desert. Here and there the sand was dotted with tall graceful trees surrounding water and the wind was no longer cold.

With a silent sweep of his wings, the dragon settled on the sand, close to a small grove of trees, then lowered his neck so Lilly could climb down.

“Good Fortune on this quest. I can give you no advice on how to persuade the Smith to do your bidding, but if he will accept gold, I will gladly give to him. Farewell, Lilly, Knight of the Crimson Queen and remember I will be watching.”

Lilly protected her eyes with cupped hands as she watched until Plethor disappeared behind one of the few clouds in the sky.

”Well, here I am, alone in a desert, seeking a Smith of the Mystic. I need my head examined for I must be suffering from brain fever. Ah, nothing to do, but to see if I can find this elusive Riccan Torte. Better get some water; it may be a very long walk.”

Cupping her hands over her eyes again, Lilly spun around slowly; looking for any clue in which direction she should start walking.

“Well, we flew south, so south I will go.”

[ June 10, 2003, 01:02: Message edited by: Kasandra ]

 

Greetings everyone,

I am giving a heads up to those who may read this tale and get suddenly confused with the storyline. Kasandra and I have been writing / gaming partners for many years now, and we used to belong to a shared fiction writing group, telling one story in each character’s point of view. At times we had up to ten to fifteen writers interacting in a story at one time. Some writers stay, some leave and come back as real life permits, some leave forever. This is not so random as in roleplay, as all actions are usually preplanned. I like to think of it as a multi-faceted story. Soon the character Riccan will come into the story and I will be posting alongside Kasandra as we weave the rest of the tale. If anyone should happen to become interested in joining the tale please contact Kasandra or myself, more the merrier at times. This is a story though with an ending in the distance and it will be finished at some point. I hope you enjoy if you read.

 

Hours had passed since Plethor had left her in the middle of nowhere and since that time Lilly had been walking south. There were no signs of anyone passing this way before her.

She was hot and tired, not to mention thirsty. It was time to rest. By the look of the sky, she thought it must be late afternoon. She would have to find her own piece of sand soon to spend the night.

“How long will I have to trudge along in this sand before I found this Smith? If I ever find him? Maybe I was too hasty in accepting this quest to find the Smith. Perhaps there is another way to reach my objective? No, this is the only way I can impress the Queen and attain my lifelong desire.”

Finding a boulder, Lilly sat in the shade of a large rock. Scanning the sky for any sign of the dragon, she sighed when she saw nothing. Closing her eyes, she thought about changing the direction she was walking.

"Would it help to go the opposite way? No, that would be foolish." After taking a deep swallow of water from her flask, Lilly slowly stood. Again she headed south, trying to ignore the heat and the hot sand under her boots.

Her thoughts elsewhere and her head lifted, Lilly almost missed the depression in the sand.

“Is that a footprint? Or am I being too hopeful. No, there are others. Someone has definitely walked this way. Hopefully it was the Smith."

Her pace a little brisker, Lilly started to follow the tracks. When the light was beginning to fade, she scanned her surroundings and saw movement to her left. She began to run toward the moving darkness. But when she realized the dark shadow was getting no closer, she stopped and thought...

“He is walking too fast; I cannot catch him unless I keep running and I am in no condition to run. What can I do to get his attention?”

Lilly sat down and removed the mithril goblet from her pack and after putting it down on a nearby rock, she quickly cut some of her long hair with her small dagger. Then she took some of the waxy substance she used on her leather boots to keep them supple and added that to the hair already in the goblet. She knew her time would be short but if her timing was good…

The sun was just starting to set. If the Dark Walker looked her way he would see the light. She began to hit the rock with her sword, hoping the sound would carry over the sand.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Lilly readied her tinder box in anticipation of lighting the wick.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

She was ready. Quickly lighting the wick, she threw the flaming string into the goblet and got the result she was looking for, the contents blazed up, lighting the nearby rocks.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Picking up the goblet she rolled it in the sand until it was cool enough to return to her pack. Heading west, she hoped the Dark Walker saw the blazing goblet and reversed his direction and was heading east.

There was nothing left for her do but walk...and hope. As she walked west, towards the Dark Walker, Lilly marveled at the myriad of colors the sun was casting over the desert. Subtle pinks and vivid oranges, deep purples and pale yellows. It was indeed beautiful. But Lilly had little time to stop and enjoy the setting sun.

The Dark Walker was getting closer or so it seemed. Stopping for a moment she focused on the dark speck and watched. Yes! He was coming toward her. Lilly began to walk faster and then broke into a galloping sprint.

After walking then running for an hour the Knight was getting very cold. She found it amazing how the desert could be hot in the day and cold after the sun set, and now to make matters worse it was getting dark. It was becoming difficult to distinguish her objective from the gathering shadows.

“Damn! I cannot see him any longer. Should I stay here or continue in this direction? If I stay put and he comes this way, I will hear him? What is the worse that could happen? I could be roaming around this desert in circles until I am exhausted or Plethor picks me up. What will the dragon say when he knows I have failed in my task?”

Lilly cannot see anything now, the desert was dark and there was no moon to light her way. There was no reason to go on, not in the dark. Sitting down, she listened intently but could hear nothing. The desert was silent. All she could hear was her own ragged breathing. Curling up to keep warm, Lilly laid her head on her pack and sighed deeply.

“Let me see what the morning will bring. I must find this Smith and once found, convince him to forge magical armor for me. How hard can that be?”

 

It was a nice day Riccan thought. The weather was warm and the wind was just the right type of cool and he had little cares in the world. He walked along a road or path or neither, going to nowhere at his own pace. Such was the life of wandering blacksmith, but not just a blacksmith, a Mystic Blacksmith.

How does one become a mystic blacksmith? Well it is quite simple really, one can't become one, one is born one. Such was the case of Riccan Torte. But where does the title Mystic Blacksmith come from? Well that to is simple to answer, it comes from the eldest dragons to the youngest human children who can speak the words. It is not an official title just one that stuck from so long ago.

Evasive am I? Well get use to it when you talk to a Mystic Blacksmith. Yes, there is more to the story than that, but you won't hear it from me, unless I like you enough, and well I do not like you enough. How can I? I just met you.

Back to the nice day, Riccan walked nowhere fast like he always did when he had nothing to do. From time to time he would happen to find a city or town or even a small village in need of a blacksmith. There, for what coin he could get and maybe some food and a soft bed for a few nights he would craft what the people needed. If they were gearing up for war then swords, armors, shields and arrowheads. If they were poor and had little, then some new shoes for the horses or a plow head to get the crops planted. It mattered not to Riccan what he made, all was the joy of blacksmithing. Sometimes though, troublesome adventurers would seek him out to have him create magic weapons or armor. Yes, they would pay better than everyone else, and yes, Riccan would make the items, but he would give them hell first usually. Then on the rare occasion one or two will come for the forgotten and forbidden metal lore he knew. Why bother with that part, those times are forgotten and the world is a better place for it.

Now back to that nice day again, with his simple leather armor, and his simple but quite magical backpack, and of course his constant companion Sorrow's End, Riccan walked along. Riccan never really fancied himself a fighter type or even an adventurer though many thought he was. He was a blacksmith plain and not so simple. His spear, Sorrow's End, gave the illusion of a fighter, and it worked well to keep away brigands who may have thought twice before trying to rob him. Where was he going? He was not quite sure but he was almost there he thought when he heard a slight banging of metal off in the distance? He was heading in that direction anyways, maybe someone in need of a blacksmith.

That nice day turned into a very dark night. The air lost its warm caress and the wind went from cool to a chilling embrace. It was time for camp and a nice large fire. With that Riccan stopped for the night and took off his pack. He opened it up and pulled forth some wood logs he already split earlier that week. He arranged them in true fire building fashion, and then from his pack he pulled out some thick gloves, which he used when he was smithing very hot metals. After putting on the gloves he reached in the pack and pulled some burning coals and laid them in the middle of the logs. It took less than a minute for a nice fire to come to life. Then he reached in and took out some dry meat a village man gave him in exchanged for a few dozen arrowheads. Granted the arrowheads were worth much more, but Riccan was not a greedy man, and all men need to eat. He would make up the costs with the next large city he reached.

"I wonder if I will see who that was banging tomorrow." Riccan said aloud and that was it for the night. After eating and putting a few more large logs on the fire to keep it going through the night Riccan drifted to sleep. As it stuck in the ground, motionless, Sorrow's End watched all.

 

Lilly stirred in her sleep, perhaps she was having a nightmare or maybe she was just cold. The desert is a phenomenon of extremes, hot during the day and very cold at night. Shivering, the Knight curled up into a tighter ball to try and stave off the chill air. But it was too cold. Lilly opened her eyes and saw only blackness. Disoriented for a few moments, she tried to remember where she was and why.

“Of course, I am searching for the Smith, in the desert, at night and alone. Why did I accept this quest? Because I will achieve my goal all the sooner, that is why! Still, it is so cold and dark. Wait, do I see a light over there? There is a faint yellow glow. Or are my eyes playing tricks on me? There is only one way to be sure, I must go and see for myself.”

The Knight stood up and after rubbing her hands up and down her arms to warm them, she picked up her pack and started towards the light. Walking in the sand proved to be a difficult chore and even worse, very tiring. The light was becoming more defined and brighter, it was definitely a camp of some sort. Lilly’s step became faster, she was anxious to get to the fire and feel some warmth. At this point, she did not care if it was the Smith or not.

As Lilly neared the camp, she could see that logs were burning and for a moment she wondered where they came from, but found she did not really care, she only wanted to feel the heat given off by the blazing wood. Now that she was close, she could also see the form of man lying in the sand.

“Should I just walk up to him? Wait until morning? NO! I am too cold. I will quietly walk into his camp and sit near the fire for a few moments. I wonder if he is the Smith. It is hard to tell from here.”

Slowing her pace, the Knight walked towards the fire and the sleeping man. When suddenly, from out of nowhere, there was a loud shriek that caused Lilly to stop, draw her sword and take a defensive stance.

“What in all the lands was that?"

Turning, she watched as the once sleeping man leapt to his feet and then slowly walked towards to her. When he was almost face to face with her he stopped and merely looked at her. “Why does he not speak? Well, at least he is not armed.”

 

Riccan slept soundly knowing that his ethereal protector never slept and always had a watchful sense of everything around him. Sorrow's End was a spear crafted by Riccan and enchanted by his brother Zaha, a necromancer of unknown skill. Zaha placed inside the full metal spear a captured soul of a high elf he had slain. The high elf soul was forever enslaved to the will of it’s master and it’s pain could be heard in a eerie moan. A moan that could reach such levels that it could freeze the warm heart of those who heard it and cause a sudden death. All but Riccan was affected, protected by his brother’s charms. At it’s creation Riccan was unaware of his brother’s gift, but in time Riccan was visited by strange dreams of a faceless elf in utter pain. It was in time Riccan knew of his spear’s power and a pact was formed. Riccan vowed to find a way to free the soul without his brother knowing, and return the spear would serve him well. A wail like the banshee was enough to frighten most away, and at time was enough to kill those who didn't run and still wanted to do its master harm. This evening the spear wailed.

Riccan sat up quickly and rose to his feet. Near the edge of the campfire light stood a woman in armor and sword drawn. Not the common attire for a thief, most likely an adventure of some sorts. Maybe this was the smith he had heard clanging away earlier. He waited for her to lower her defenses or at least state her purpose in entering his camp, but she stood on guard and remained silent.

"If you are lost, then you are still lost for I do not know where I am. Then again I am going no where special, so I am where I need to be. If you come to rob me, I suggest you look elsewhere. If you have come to kill me then I suggest you return to those who hired you and tell them you did not find me. If you need a warm place to sleep tonight then you may stay and get warm. Know that if you intend any harm to me, you intentions will be known and you will not succeed. I suppose if you stay, I will know that part of your fate come morning. Either I will see you greet the morning sun, not see you at all, or see you lifeless corpse on the ground. You have nothing to fear from me, but know I am not alone and my protector has already made its presence known to you." Riccan finished and walked back to the fire.

He threw a few large logs on the fire and stoked it up some. He glanced over at the woman and saw the fire flicker in her eyes and the beauty of her face. Succubus or Erinyes he wondered, it was rare for a human to be so stunning. He did not say another word as he lay down near Sorrow's End and drifted to sleep. He slept soundly knowing his ethereal protector never slept and would kill those who would try to harm him.

 

Lilly studied the man closely as he spoke. She focused more on his facial expressions and hand gestures than his words. He was very soft-spoken and articulated his words clearly. She had no doubt he meant every word he said. If he was the elusive Smith, Riccan Torte, how would she approach him and request he forge armor and a weapon for her? How indeed?


It was cold and the fire was so close, Lilly simply nodded her head and moved closer to the warming flames. She watched as the man returned to his sleeping place. She did not miss the quick glance he gave her before laying down. What did she see in the brief glance? Perhaps there was more than one way to strike a bargain with this man. Every instinct told her this was Riccan Torte, one of the three remaining Smiths. Time would tell, but right now she was exhausted and cold. Everything could wait until morning and then she would decide how to approach him and ask him to make her weapon and armor.

Before sitting down opposite the sleeping man, Lilly removed her sword. Lying down, she placed the weapon beside her and then turning toward the fire, closed her eyes. She thought it would be difficult for her to sleep, but weariness overcame her and the Knight was asleep in a few moments.

 

Riccan rested well and was up a minute before dawn's first rays broke over the horizon. He looked over to the sleeping lady knight and wondered what kind of problems or promise this woman was going to bring him today. The air was laced in an icy chill so Riccan went to his pack and pulled some timber logs from its endless space. He then pulled a small coal shovel and stoked up the burning coals to create a fire again. The surrendering cold darkness was overwhelmed by red hue light from the fire and it’s warmth. He withdrew Sorrow's End from the ground and spun it around; a haunting song was released. Riccan noticed the lady knight was up quickly and she was very defensive.

"The morning comes early to the weary, does it not Lady Knight?" Riccan said with a smile.

"My fire is yours to share and well what little food I have is yours to share as well, unless you have something to bring to this feast of poor. I had thought to go to the town of Thedric by eveningfest, and get a proper meal and rest there for a few days. It is only about 100 miles to the east here. You are welcome to travel if you are able to keep up that is. If you have business you wish to discuss then you can speak of it on the way. When we get there I will either accept or decline your offer. Don't think me so brash, but I have been away for a while and Thedric always has some jobs for me to do." Riccan continued and pulled some hard bread and even harder cheese from his belt pouch. After this meager amount of food he would leave with or without her.

 

Lilly woke when she heard the crackling of the fire. Sitting up she saw the Smith was already up and about. She wondered about him. How was she going to convince him to forge a magical weapon and armor for her? Perhaps the direct approach would be best. He seemed too sure of himself to be swayed by guile, yet she did notice his glance last evening. There were many ways to flay an ogre or persuade a smith.

Riccan invited her to eat with him then accompany him to Thedric, only a mere hundred miles away. They would arrive there by nightfall. Was he insane? She could not keep a pace like that.

“I have some fruit, if that will add to your meal? Smith, I would like to go with you to this town, but I am not sure I can keep up with you. I will try, if you will have me?”

When Lilly looked toward the east, she saw a dark shadow gliding high in the sky, Plethor! How easy it would be to get the dragon’s attention and have him fly them to Thedric. Yet, she could not allow the Smith to see her companion was a dragon.

“Thedric. Who would have thought there was a town in this forsaken place? I must keep up with the Smith or I will lose everything. He did mention pay; maybe he will make the armor for gold. Well, I certainly will have enough time to think about it while we walk a hundred miles, if I do not fall down and die from heat and exhaustion.”

After their small but filling meal of bread, cheese and fruit, Riccan doused the fire and cleaned his camp area. When he was finished he looked expectantly at her and when she nodded he motioned to her to follow.

Lilly glanced up and again saw the shadow of the dragon soaring high in the bright blue sky. She sighed deeply and after sheathing her sword, she joined the Smith.

 

Riccan began walking in a quick pace, but within the norm. His feet left only a faint print in the loose sand. He would look back from time to time to see the lady knight trudging along. Her prints in the sand were deep and not spaced far a part. At this pace they would not make Thedric for two days. Riccan considered moving at his own speed and let the lady knight fend for herself, but no, something else would need to be done.

"Well lady knight, once we reach Thedric I will ask you your name, but for now we must move faster, it is already a few hours into the dawn. Come take my hand." Riccan said as he stopped to wait of Lilly to catch up. Reaching for her hand he saw a twinkle of distrust and guard in her eyes, but she reached out. Her hand was soft but strong, a warrior's hand. He took off his back and put it back on but on his chest. Riccan then threw her off balance as he spun around and pulled her whole body off the ground and on to his back. She was very light to him; her armor was well made, but not the greatest.

"Hold on lady knight." Riccan said as she moved her arm around his neck. She wrapped her other arm around him and brought her legs up around his waist. Then Riccan began to run, run fast. His dao'qualshin blood was apparent to those who know such things which were very few and far beyond. Riccan began running faster than a wild horse in a sprint, yet his feet barely touched the ground. The added weight of the knight did slow him a bit, but it was just not going to get better than this. He ran for hours never stopping and never slowing. He felt Lilly squirm and adjust herself from time to time, but she was not that much of a bother. He ran wondering what in the hell he was doing. From time to time he would lower his head as to avoid a sand gust, but he really smelling her. Her hands were just below his chin he could smell the very distinct smell of a woman. After all he was very much a man, but that is not the point, she smelled wonderful. After the sun had reached a high point in the sky Riccan came to a stop. He bent down a little to make sure Lilly would not fall as she released herself from him. He turned to her and saw bewilderment in her eyes.

"My family were travelers; my mother taught me much of moving quickly. I stopped to ask if you had any gold coins on you. If so over that dune is the Oasis of Calishar. The Calishar are merchant clan and I was wondering if you could treat us to some dates and some fresh water, maybe even some cook meat. I am without money for the moment. In any case until we pass them we must walk normal. We are only a few hours away from Thedric now, but I could use a rest for a little bit. I guess I am not use to the added weight." He said with a playful little grin.