The Dragon Guard: Moons and Sons by Sarah Hite

by Sarah Hite

  Flame found a pair of deep blue slacks, a white shirt, and vest made of deep blue velvet, with silver filigree and a sliver clasp. He was also given a new pair of boots and a matching belt. His normal-sized sword was found attached to it as well.

  Tyanna found a deep green velvet dress. It was trimmed in russet orange and copper thread and made her eyes shine from the contrast. The dress was floor length and straight in style. She was also given a pair of earrings made from shaped and polished amber. Stone found a floor-length dress in harvest orange with bronze trim. It was simple yet elegant and fit her perfectly. A piece of topaz had been fitted to a gold chain. The necklace completed the dress.

  The four friends met in the inner courtyard of the palace. They admired one another’s new clothes. Lukair noticed how the outfits fit the personalities of the wearer. He turned as the echo of steps caught his attention. Ryell approached with the twins. He and Doren were dressed in the colors of the Zimri province: a light brown and the dusted green of evergreen needles. Daniela wore a pale blue dress with green accents. “Well, look at you. You look wonderful.” He led them to the courtyard’s side entrance. There they met Lord Mychal and his wife Eliza. They entered the courtyard together.

  They stood behind their chairs—the lords in the middle, Flame to Ryell’s left, Lukair was one chair over, and Stone beside him—leaving an empty chair between them. Ryell’s children were next to Eliza, with Tyanna to their right. Lord Ryell silenced the crowd, and had them take their seats. He then asked everyone at the high table to take their seats. The dragons sat at the back of the courtyard.

  Don’t they look nice? Moon commented to the others.

  Pai smiled. They look like royalty. I can’t wait to see what Ania will wear.

  Kwan looked up at the larger dragon, chuckling. I can’t wait to see the expression on their faces when Ryell introduces her.

  You guys are making me feel left out. Chekal looked at the others somewhat annoyed. I haven’t met her, remember?

  Oh, sorry, Chekal. I forgot. Moon apologized. You will like her. Moon looked down as Shaelynn rubbed against her leg. Mother, will this stop the others from being mean to her? Moon nuzzled the child. I hope so, dear.

  She and the others quieted down as Ryell raised his hands to quiet the audience. He spoke loudly so all could hear, and motioned as he talked. “My friends. My friends, welcome. This is a day of celebration. We commend our young friends here on their bravery and commitment. We congratulate them on their success with returning young Shaelynn to her mother, and for keeping the young dragon out of the Duke’s reach.” The assembled patrons applauded. He let them continue for a moment before silencing them again. “We also congratulate our friends and allies to the east and north; they have gained control of the hunting ground east of the Nahor Mountains. Now dragons may hunt there in peace.” The crowd cheered for a long time.

  “We have much to celebrate,” Ryell continued. “Many of you know that we will soon go to war. However, most of you have not heard why; an heir to the thrown has been found, and the Duke’s tyranny will soon be at an end!” He had started somewhat quietly; his voice grew with every pause and, by the time he finished, he was shouting. The crowd cheered and clapped, whooped and hollered. They were a deafening force.

  Ania heard Ryell’s speech from the window of her room. She knew it would soon be time for the big reveal. A soft knock on the door told her that Kiera had arrived. Ania went to the door to let her in; as she entered she set a box down on the chest next to the bed. Before she opened the box, she had Ania sit down in a chair by the mirror and helped her fix her hair. She combed and braided the girl’s hair so that a small braid stretched from above her left ear to behind her right ear; there, it joined another small braid and was looped around the rest of her hair, holding it in place. The rest of her hair fell from underneath the braid and down her back unheeded. A silver clip held the braid in place. Next she helped Ania out of the simple dress she wore and pulled the dress from the box.

  “This dress is very special. It had been made by Lord Ryell’s wife, Maria, years ago. She had intended to wear it to Lord Mychal’s wedding. Unfortunately, she became ill and passed away shortly before the wedding took place. Ryell has kept it since. Now he wants you to have it.”

  The dress was a deep blue velvet with satin trim. The bodice of the dress joined the skirt with a thin, silver band that angled down, following the curves of the dress. The sleeves were also velvet, and fell full and untethered. The tips of the sleeves were shaped into points. It was not until after it was on that Ania noticed the little silver dragons. There were three. One sat just above the bottom of the skirt; another sat on her left hip, wings outstretched; and the third held its tiny wings close to its body and was fastened to the left side of the bodice, just below the collarbone. She admired herself in the mirror and felt her old self returning. She slipped on the deep blue slippers, her eyes gleaming.

  Kiera put a hand on her shoulder, and Ania looked up at the woman. There was a tear in her eye as she said, “You look beautiful. There’s one more thing my Lord wanted you to have.” She held out a small white box. From it, Ania pulled a sterling silver necklace. The focus of the piece was a tiny silver dragon. The dragon was curled around a giant ocean pearl, its tail looped down and around a small diamond. Ania did not know what to say. Tears filled her eyes as Kiera clasped the piece around her neck. “Now, that’s better,” she said, slightly choked up. They heard the applause as Ryell stoked up the crowd. It was time. Kiera tied the deerskin cloak around her shoulders and handed her the staff. She led Ania down the stairs to the doorway, where they could see the celebration. “Go. Show them who you are.” Ania smiled and pulled the cloak over her head, then stepped out from the shadows of the doorway.

  The crowd quieted down quickly when they saw her. They began to talk to one another. Those at the high table turned to see what had upset the mass of people. To their surprise, as well as the multitudes, Lord Ryell stepped back from the table and said, “Good. I was beginning to wonder if you were going to make it.” He held out his hand and she approached. Turning to the crowd, he said with her hand in his, “Ladies and gentlemen, I give you our guest of honor!” The crowd remained silent. They could not believe he had allowed this stranger to the feast, let alone have her as the guest of honor.

  Ryell continued, “Ladies and gentleman, I am pleased to present Kaeta, known to the dragons as Heart, and the Duke as the Dragons’ Heart. She is an ally and a friend of all dragons. She is also known by another name, the name most know her by.” As he spoke a servant came out; Ania turned and handed them the cloak and staff. “Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to introduce to you the daughter of Commander Thorin of the Dragon Guard, Ania of Pycan Village!” He took her hand and kissed it gently. The townspeople were speechless. The kids stared at her in momentary shock. They leapt from their seats and embraced her, not believing she was here. Ryell laughed and he looked over at the dragons. He could tell they were laughing as well. The kids again took their seats at Ryell’s request. With tears in her eyes, Ania sat down in the remaining chair between Flame and Lukair. Ryell spoke again. “Ania, will you please tell us your story, after the attack?”

  Ania nodded. “When the camp was attacked, I was on the outskirts helping Stone fend off several men. Sometime during the fight, I stepped on a patch of soft earth and fell through a hole, which was hidden next to a boulder. I don’t know how long I was unconscious.” She frowned, then said, “To make matters worse, I had broken my leg in the fall. I crawled through the tunnel until I came to a small underground lake.

  “When morning came, I inspected my injuries, but I wasn’t going to let them stop me. On the other side of the lake, I found the entrance to another cavern. I entered the cavern and found the exit and the far side, but that’s not all I found.” She glanced at Kwan but quickly looked down.

  “What did you find?” Eliza asked, purely interested.

  Ania raised her head and l
ooked the lady straight in the eyes. “A dragon, half dead and bound by chains.” The anger she still felt broke through in her voice. “I couldn’t just leave him there. I stayed and helped him. It took all winter to get him back on his feet, but he made it.” She looked back at Kwan and smiled. The crowd stayed silent; they had judged her by her clothes, staff, and the strange way in which the dragons regarded her. They had not wanted to get to know her, only to have her ousted from their town. Now they felt foolish and ashamed.

  Shaelynn ran from her parents’ side and up to the table. She rubbed Ania’s leg; Ania scratched the little dragon’s head. A moment later Shaelynn laid down at her feet. Moon also approached, followed by the other dragons. Ryell stood and turned to her. Captain Harden joined them, carrying a bundle wrapped in silver cloth. Ryell took Ania’s hand and gently pulled her to her feet. Shaelynn sat up and looked at them, as if to say, “Hey, why did you move?” Her look made the kids laugh. Ryell, releasing her hand, turned and took the bundle from Harden. He set it on the edge of the table and unwrapped it. As he did, he looked at Ania and said, “I know these had been given to you before; allow us to return them.” He finished unwrapping the bundle and revealed the sword Marcus had given her weeks ago.

  Ryell picked up the sword and unsheathed it. He turned and handed the sword to Moon. “Your Majesty, please tell us the history behind this blade.”

  Moon took the blade in her claws. She held it up so that the blade caught the light and revealed the runes inscribed down its center. “This blade is known to us as Semmarra, the Keeper’s Sword. It is one of only two blades we dragons have ever forged. The other is Hegrim, the sword of the King.” She paused and rotated the sword in her fingers. “This sword was made for the one we called the Keeper, the one who saved a dragon’s nest from cold and wolves. The mother had been forced to nest on the ground, no one knew where. And, with no one to help her, she was forced to leave the nest in search of food. While she was gone, the nest fell under attack by a wolf pack. The Keeper saw the wolves enter the dragon’s den and intervened; she fought off the pack and saved the nest. Then, after making sure the nest was safe, she left before the mother returned. We tracked her down and presented her with this sword… in thanks.”

  She lowered the blade and looked at Ania. “This blade was owned by someone who defended unhatched eggs, someone who defended dragons, and it has found its way back into the hands of a person, who is very much like the original owner. You and your friends saved Shaelynn’s egg from the Duke. You saved Kwan.” She turned to the other dragons. They nodded in unison. “Therefore, it is an honor to present you, Ania Dragonheart, with Semmarra, the sword of the Keeper of Dragons!”

  She handed the blade back to Ryell, who sheathed the sword and handed it to Ania. Lord Ryell then lifted the ring and Moon motioned at the ring and continued. “This ring was also given to the Keeper, as a sign to all dragons who saw her, that she was a friend and trusted ally. It seems that it, too, has found its place, for your father gave you a name to which all dragons would come to recognize you as what you are, a friend.” This slightly confused Ania but she ignored it and accepted the ring, placing it on the middle finger of her right hand. Then, to her amazement, the dragons bowed! Her friends all clapped and cheered. “Thank you,” Ania said somewhat stunned and sat down. She held the sword in her hands and stared at it. She had been told of its history, but she had not expected that.

  Ryell then ordered the food be brought forth; platters appeared from within. They held such a variety of food that the kids did not know where they had stored it all. There were roasted carrots and potatoes, salmon, cod, tuna, and different kinds of cheese. Various fruit dishes appeared at every table—some came as jams, some in fillings and pies, and others were simply sliced fruit drizzled with honey. There were berries everywhere. They were in pies, jams, and spreads. Still more berries, and various mushrooms, were used as garnishes on the roasted pigs, as well as the multiple chickens, pheasants, geese, beef dishes, and drink mixtures.

  Nuts and seeds were as plentiful as the berries, and bread abounded. Every kind of food the group from Pycan could think of was visible. There were even some traditional dishes from Pycan. Ania found herself looking at a plate that held roast pork, a slice of pheasant, seasoned potatoes and carrots mixed with onions, brown rice with lentils, three large round mushrooms, whose stalks had been delicately carved into tiny flowers, and a sesame seed roll with gooseberry jam. She also had a bowl of butternut squash soup, garnished with a mushroom carved in the shape of a rose with a center made from a strawberry, as well as a small plate of sliced fruit with honey. After they had been served, a servant came and offered them their choice of ale, wine, or water. The water came with a choice of fruit, and the ale and wine also came with fruit, if desired.

  While they ate, Ania and her friends caught up. Lukair told her of their training. Ania told them about meeting Kwan and nursing him back to health. She was not surprised when they told her that he was Shaelynn’s father. They talked about the dragons and the upcoming war. They talked about Semmarra and Hegrim, and the meaning of the two swords, along with many other things. However, when Flame asked why she had hid from them these last few weeks, Ania did not answer. She looked down at her plate and picked at her food. Finally, she sighed, “I’ll tell you later.”

  Flame let it go and changed the subject. They spoke for a while longer until dessert was served. They were surprised when a different type of dessert came to each of them. Stone smiled when she received a dish of spice cake. The spice cake had been drizzled with honey, topped with cream, and dusted with powdered sugar.

  Lukair received a bowl of custard with fruit, and Tyanna received a small fruit pie topped with a sugar glaze. Flame was given a bowl of rice pudding topped with blueberries, and Ania found herself staring at a truffle filled with Elderberry and Bilberry filling. It was also dusted with powdered sugar and came with mixed raspberries on the side. Each of them had received their favorite dessert.

  As the feast drew to a close, the mistrals returned and played softly in a corner of the courtyard. They played and sang for nearly an hour, until the guests began to grow weary. The Pycan group listened to the music and thought of home, and a tear fell down Stone’s cheek. Ania left her seat and sat on the steps to the lower courtyard with Shaelynn. The little dragon’s head was in her lap, and she patted the little dragon on occasion. Moon rested with her head on Kwan’s left foot; likewise, his head lay on her shoulder, looking rather content. Pai and Chekal sat a little ways away talking to one another telepathically.

  A soft voice slowly filled the courtyard; it rose and fell with the beat of music, which only the singer knew. One of the minstrels began to play along, his flute providing a counter melody for the song.

  I’ve an image in my mind,

  of bright scales that shine.

  Where there’s hope in the distance,

  and wind beneath my wings.

  As I fight to land,

  not to lose sight of where I stand.

  I’m so weak, and yet so strong,

  trying to find my way home

  But first I must face the battle before me,

  and come out in victory.

  They say I’m a warrior,

  fighting for what I believe.

  I am the warrior, hoping for, f

  ighting for, a home to call free.

  I have hope I will persevere,

  looking forward to holding those I hold dear.

  But never before,

  have I fought off such fear.

  I will keep moving, closer to thee.

  I know where I belong,

  a home of stone strong.

  With one of bright scales,

  and faith that never fails.

  With the tiny ones she has brought me,

  who lay at her feet.

  Through smoke and fire,

  and though I may tire,

  I will never stop fighting,

  fo
r them to be free.

  As the song continued, Flame looked around for the one who was singing. He was startled to find the voice came from Ania. Shaelynn now watched her; she cocked her head, listening. Her parents and the scouts watched with interest; the song she sang spoke of a dragon warrior who had fallen in battle and was thought to have been lost. Though injured, he never stopped believing that he would return home. He faced trial after trail, until he found his way back to the ones he loved.

  After the first few versus, she slipped into Draconic, singing the song in the language it had been written in. Hearing the dragons’ language surprised the listeners and startled the dragons. They had not heard their language spoken in a long time and had not known that humans were able to speak it. Kwan had never heard it spoken at all; he had been too young to speak and had only been spoken to mind to mind. He listened intently, trying to decipher the meaning, while Moon occasionally translated the words for him. As the song faded into the breeze, the celebration came to a close. The five friends were quite tired from the festivities and went to bed willingly. The next several days passed without worry or grief. For the first time in a long time, the teens felt that everything was right again.

  Battle of Magree

  The king’s army, now known as the king’s men, was ready three weeks after the feast. The war council met for the last time in Ryell’s council room before they would leave. They deliberated about which city they would attack first. Ania sat quietly in her chair and listened to the others argue. She caught Flame’s attention and they exchanged a knowing look. None of the proposed towns would serve their purpose. He made a gesture and she understood; nodding, she watched as he stood, gaining the attention of the council. He turned to Ania and asked aloud, “Ania, what do you think?” The council became quiet as she stood and looked at the map. She had decided a while back that they should attack Dregno Gunner’s central port of trade. “Magree,” she said, pointing to the town’s location on the map. “It’s Gunner’s main source of trade. All major roads in the area go through it. If we attack here, it would be a heavy loss not only to Gunner, but to Mobren and the Duke as well.”