by M Arienach
“Aye, that it be. But if ya need anything else, let us know and we will make it for ya.”
They turned to me and smiled. “Thank you Michael.” then turning to Dorvus. “How can we find said lair?”
He laughed. “Through the valley to your right, about a quarter way up there are three caves in a line across. I would suggest the one on the far end from the entrance.”
I followed them in after we shifted back. I had not noticed the caves as I was so used to seeing the mountain chain that I didn’t pay attention. There was one large cave over three medium and the start of a line of small ones towards that bottom of the mountain. If they continued in that vein, then each mountain could contain it’s own clan or community. I landed in the top lair and found it smoothed and finished on the inside with designs carved on the floors and walls. Someone had enchanted a large crystal globe and it shown down with a mellow light. I followed it back and found a room with stone shelves and then another with a smooth flat floor. The walls of which were carved with a forest scene. There was also a room with stone bookshelves. Both in dragon size and in human size with a stone desk and those glow orbs surrounding the room. Further back there was a ramp that led down which I followed. It led to a shelf overlooking a vast cavern where there was an area in the center which was probably large enough to support three ancients. It was amazing work. I flew down and looked around the room.
“Greetings Michael!” Darhla said as she glided in next to me.
“Wow” Was all I could say.
“Yes. This is… fantastic!” Shryke exclaimed as he landed a moment later.
I couldn’t help but agree. The people that I had befriended on a whim had surprised me over and over. We chatted for a while, then I had a strange thought.
“Out of curiosity, just how did you hear of the work here?”
Shryke smiled. “Oh, Viennarinia told us about it.”
Song of the Empire
I had taken to coming into town more often once Darhla and Shryke had made their home in the lairs. Sometimes we met up, sometimes we didn’t. When we did, it was mostly at the Dragons Head, where we listened to and sometimes told stories. Some nights there were people playing instruments as well. I was enraptured when the people there sang to the music. Some songs tugged at the heart, some made you laugh and others told stories. It was on one such night that I met Haladoria there.
“Greetings Lady Haladoria.” I said as I approached the table she sat at in the corner.
“Greetings Lord Dragon.” She said with a laugh and a wide grin.
“Michael, milady.”
“But, I find it fun to tease a dragon and live.” She winked at me.
I laughed, I couldn’t help it. “How fair you this eve?”
“I do well, Michael. One of our musicians is due to be here this eve. I would hear her.”
“Oh? Tis a rare occasion, then?”
“Quite rare, you see, she is a bard and she has a new ballad she wants us to hear.”
I looked around the room and noticed that it had been filling steadily since I had arrived a few moments before.
“I am glad that I am here to witness this event, then.”
“Oh, lord dragon, you would not have missed it.”
“What do you mean?”
“We were waiting for you to show up. We have sent word to Darhla and Shryke as well.”
I looked at her curiously. “I do not understand, milady.”
“Ah, here they come.” She had given me one of those smiles, that I had come to know quite well, that meant she wasn’t going to tell me a damn thing.
I glanced over to see the two young dragons coming towards us. Once seated, they both looked at me.
“Do you know what this is about, Michael?” Shryke asked.
“No, I had assumed….”
Haladoria smiled. “Be patient you three. You will see soon enough. Meanwhile, have some brandy to sooth you savages beasts.”
I chuckled as she poured us each a glass of the golden nectar. I could smell it as she uncorked the decanter and my mouth watered. We sat there for a while chatting. Haladoria would just smile and change the subject each time we would get curious as to this bard and why we were here. Finally a young female elf came through the curtains from the back room. She took a stool by the fire, took a lute from a soft cloth bag and started tuning it. She seemed to ignore the people who were crowded in to see her, the room full to overflowing by this point. We had a prime table right next to the fireplace and no one would step in front of us. Looking around, I noticed that no one would come closer that a few feet from the table and most were glancing over at us as we sat there.
Finally the young elf strummed the strings and seemed satisfied. She then started to play a haunting melody. After a few moments her voice, clear and soft joined in. It took a moment for the words to sink in, but I was shocked as it told of the attack on Calalistos by the orcs.
The breaking of the wall and the fall of many of the defenders.
It told of the holding of the orcs so the survivors could flee and the death of most of the elvish army that day.
The song went on to tell of all the arrows that flew and the blood in the streets, the fall of the gates and smoke on the horizon as the survivors looked back while fleeing up the river.
It also told of their fight to survive and build, with little food or hope and how out of desperation, they sent a party north to hunt and bring back what they could.
Then it told what the hunting party had found.
She sang of the great dragon landing before the party and how the party thought that they had seen their last day.
Then it went on how this dragon sent them on their way to bring not only meat, but hope, as well as fear.
The fear because it wished to know where the rest of the survivors were.
It told of the long talks the people had, wondering if the dragon would take them for it’s own.
It told of the fear of it finding them, but wondered at the gift of the cattle it sent.
As I listened, I learned what they had went through. It was strange and somewhat saddening to view the events from their perspective. Even Arienach was touched.
The song went on telling of the fear when the rest finally met the dragon, who was even larger than they had believed.
The uncertainty when it flew to Calalistos, they knew not what for.
The sorrow when it returned saying that it had failed to gain peace from their enemy, followed by shock when it told them their town was theirs again.
Then it told of the travel back to Calalistos and what they had found there.
It touched on the scene as they walked through the streets that looked more of a slaughter house with pieces of their old enemies torn limb from limb.
The shock when there was not one found alive and how the leader was found laid out before the throne, with his head three lengths from his body, staring at the entrance.
I hadn’t paid attention when I had killed him. By that time, I was so disgusted by the killing that I just walked away.
The song went on as the people found the town mostly intact and started to rebuild.
It told of one of the scouts who went to the dwarves to commission a statue and of the amazement of the dwarves over the story.
It went on when they summoned the dragon and it appeared over the bay with a deafening explosion that washed water up onto the docks.
The fear and hope as it landed before them.
It told of the meeting and the promise of a new harbor up the river where they could come and trade with the dragon.
Of the long winter safe and of the plans to travel northward in the spring.
Of the legend that spread out across the land and of the others who came to join them.
Their lands were stripped and they were poor and the trade ships who came could not be paid.
They pinned their hopes on the dragon’s promise of trade.
Of the spring
when they traveled the half frozen river, with hope in a new place that could lift them up.
Of the meeting with the dragon and the offering for them to build a new city.
A city that was already paid for with an emperor’s ransom and a promise that they would be safe.
Of the confrontation of the dragon and one of his kin, the opening of mines and the free gift of land for business and farms.
Then it spoke of two more dragons who came to join and of the promise of peace.
It spoke of the new dragons helping where they could and letting children ride with them as they flew.
Then it spoke of a new government for the people of all races, watched over by the dragons, in this land and of the city of Calalistos and it named a dragon called Michael as it’s emperor… The song ended and it was dead quiet.
I looked into the eyes of Darhla and Shryke as they stared back at me in shock. They had tears in their eyes and they bowed their heads. Then I let my gaze travel to the rest of the crowd and as I did, they dropped to their knees.
Then I looked at Haladoria and she smiled. “Greetings Lord Dragon.”
The Dragon Emperor
“Michael.” I said absently, while looking at all the people in the room.
She laughed again. “It will be as you wish, but I doubt you will succeed in going by just your name now.”
“What of this? I am no ruler. I have little understanding of the things you do, let alone what drives you to do them. How can I be an emperor?”
She smiled. “You will be the best emperor, milord dragon. You care not for wealth or conquest, but for the safety of those around you. You do not ask to be worshiped or bowed down to, but ask people to rise up and treat with each other equally. You do not set laws, but let us set our own. You have done little save to guide us, not caring what you would profit from our work.”
I stared at her for a long time before I replied. “I cannot enforce your laws or set them down myself. That is not our way, as we barely understand what you find right or wrong. What good might I do for you if I take this role?”
“You would do good to guide us in a direction of your choosing. Before you gave your cattle so freely, this land was in constant conflict. Before you opened your city to us, we only traded with those from other lands, not trusting our own neighbors. The orcs crippled not only our lands but the lands around us as well. All the races here suffered. Then they sat in our city like a cancer to watch us waste away. You stopped that. Would we have dealt with drow or dwarf before? No. Would we even acknowledge another tribe of elves? No. You, with a simple act, opened the lands for us and gave us a common direction. We simple wish you to show us what else we have missed in our focus on just ourselves.”
“What would you wish to see come of this?” I asked quietly.
She smiled slightly again. “I would see all the lands fall under your spell and for us to be able to talk and trade with any kingdom, on any land or continent.”
My eyes widened. “You wish me to take over this world?”
“If it does even half the good that you have done here, the whole world would prosper as never before.” She replied.
“I see… You realize that this will not be a war to be fought. You cannot bring peace through strife, except for the final peace.”
“But that is the best part, lord dragon. Our warriors will become watchmen and their wives less likely to become widows. We will still need fighters for the dark races, but even then, there are a few of them who would join with us.”
I raised a brow. “Oh?”
“You have not noticed the drow that live here now?”
“I had wondered on that.”
“Should you accept, lord dragon, tomorrow you will meet with the king of the northsunward dwarves for him to pledge his service to you, as well as two queens of the underdark, both to the south and to the moonward lands. You will also meet with all the major leaders of every elven, dwarven and centaur towns between the moonward mountains and the sunward coast. From the northern darklands to the southward coast as well. We have received word that many others are heading this way as well.”
“I see. While this is a good portion of this continent, it is not even half. I cannot imagine all taking this peacefully.” I said levelly.
“We do not know what will happen past this moment. These lands have been left alone for a long time, so I would wonder if trouble came soon. Should we build up ourselves and trade fairly, mayhaps word would spread to them?”
I thought is was a noble idea… but I also thought it rather over optimistic. Still, they were not wanting me to set laws or truly govern them in the classical sense. I chuckled to myself. Was this not what I had suggested to Arienach when I first started this? I had just not thought it would happen like this, or this soon, for that matter. At that thought, I had a reply.
“Do not seek my guidance in this, Michael. I can scarcely understand what you have done here. Never have I seen such as this and I have no idea where it will lead.” Then he chuckled “my council would be; you started it, you finish it.”
Great, a dragon comedian. But his words did have merit. I was the one that started this, it just didn’t go how I had thought it would.
Looking up at Haladoria I said. “I will accept under one condition.”
She looked at me curiously. “Condition?”
“Yes.” I said with a slight smile. “Call me Michael.”
Her face lit up in a broad smile. “As you will lord dragon.”
I face palmed as the crowd began to cheer. I glanced over at Darhla and Shryke to see them whispering to each other, glancing my way. I took a sip of my brandy and looked that the people, elves, drow, dwarves, a fairy or three. I wondered if the centaurs had been invited, but thought the door too small. Funny how your mind wandered when you had no clue what to do.
Meet the Emperor
I landed on the dock then next day to an honor guard. I silently wondered if this was to be the norm from now on. I certainly hoped not. There were people crowding around my landing pad and they cheered. I had no experience with this, not here and certainly not in my home world, where ever that was. Not being one for speeches, I lifted a foreleg and approximated a wave. Then I shifted. The guard stepped in from either side and turned as one to face the city. Haladoria and Dorvus stepped up to me with a bow, then rising, turned and led the way.
We walked… and in the guards case, marched, almost to the entrance to the valley leading to my home. I was led to a large building to the right and up marble steps to the main entrance. The building reminded me of old roman architecture. With large stone pillars holding up the extended roof. But instead of straight fluted columns, these were sculpted dragons. The doors, which opened as we approached, were of bronze with rampant dragons facing each other. I was starting to detect a theme here, I though sardonically. The hall inside… well… I could probably fit in here in my dragon form if I didn’t open my wings. More carved dragon pillars lined the hall to the back where it opened into a larger room. There were doors to the side that lead to who knew where and they were in bronze as well. It suddenly occurred to me that they had planned for this for quite some time.
As we entered the main area, people… of various races… rose from their benches and bowed. Not knowing if I should do anything, I kept walking, nodding to anyone who I recognized. There was a ring of seats which we walked though, with a throne on the far end. It wasn’t hard to figure out which was to be my seat and a part of me thought it was pretentious. I reflected that I had more than adopted the dragon mindset, as I though the whole thing was nothing more than posturing. When we got to the throne, I simply turned and sat. Haladoria went to my right and Dorvus to my left.
“The most ancient dragon emperor, Michael.” Haladoria announced.
The temptation to face-palm was overwhelming, but I refrained. The guests who I had yet to meet, came to their places and bowed and sat. I thought about it for a moment, then stood. I could
see that I had broken their little play, but I thought it was time to set things straight.
“You do realize that you have made a dragon emperor, correct?” I chuckled, watching the confusion in everyone present. “I will explain. I do admire your art, your industry and your craft, but know that I cannot quite understand it. I can only think and act as a dragon would, which is to accept thing as they are and deal with things as I may. I think, bear in mind that I am not sure, but I think this is meant to show honor. If it is, I thank you. But in my own mind, I would rather just talk of things that are needed. This I say not to belittle your efforts, but to explain my views. I bid you all greetings.”
You could have heard a pin drop. Some few paled and others looked blankly from one to another. In the gallery, the groups the leaders had brought murmured amongst themselves. Me? I simple sat down and waited.
Dorvus chuckled to my left and slapped me on the shoulder. Then he said in a loud voice; “I thank you Michael for reminding us how we came to conflict in the first place. I pledge to you this day, fealty of Rockheld and Highmarch clans.”
The nobles in the center chairs looked at each other, then one by one announce their loyalty to the dragon crown… which I didn’t have. Part of me wondered if they would make that next. I was almost surprised that they hadn’t already. Then, I heard them talk of concerns… for the rest of the day. I commented when I needed clarity and stayed silent the rest of the time. There were no demands, which I thought was rather smart, since they did fall into food groups if I got too irritated. Still, most of the problems revolved around fair trade and safe transportation. The farther kingdoms had no real way to transport goods.
I thought about it for a few moments when everything had finally died down. I knew I could look between the planes, but could I?…. I reached out to a view high enough to encompass the lands. That was simple. Now, I knew projection so if I…
