The Spires of Dasny: 2: Queen of Dragons

by Cheryl Rush Cowperthwait

  With the tentative hold of peace in our kingdom, Dreyth activates a new round to bring dragons and riders together. Many of the hatchlings aren’t flight-ready, yet are old enough to sense their Kizmeht. The Spires has also attracted more of the renegade dragons from the time Dreyth was ousted as the Brula’r… the most surprising addition being the Stone dragons. Once enemies and now allies, I’m still amazed that three of their dragons wished to learn more of our kingdom and the unique bonds our dragons have with humans.

  I carry the Ziphan spear with me wherever I go, knowing I can rely on its warning should anything be amiss. Having it by my side the evening the Stone dragons flew into the Spires was an asset for the dragon riders. All had been told of the terrible battle we endured, but as I showed them the Ziphan glowed no warning, most of their fears dissipated.

  Already, sounds of wagons clunking along rutted trails breaks the peace of the morning. I suppose they started coming in last evening, shuttling the hopeful new riders down below, to be ready for dragons to make their inspection. The usual requirements will be ignored, as Dreyth will allow any of reasonable age to stand before the dragons, instead of only the youth. I agree with him on this. Dangerous times call for new rules. Men and women who can fight, who have trained with some form of weapon are preferable. We don’t know how long this hold of peace will last, not with the sorcerers known as the Xi seeking to steal away our Dragon Magic.

  Watching the sun creep over Phoenix below us, I hastily braid my locks in dragon rider fashion to keep the hair from my eyes. No wonder dragons typically wait for warmer weather to pick riders. My breath leaves a frosty fog in the air even inside the Spires.

  I smile, sensing Dreyth’s approach.

  “Good morn, my Queen,” he rumbles.

  Turning, I run my hand over his glistening dark-sky scales. “Already many have gathered, too many. We haven’t that many available dragons yet.”

  He nods. “It is always this way, for who doesn’t dream of being a dragon rider?”

  “Speaking of which, are you certain we should allow the Stone dragons to seek riders? I know they have come far in understanding the ways of the Spires and our Dragon Rider School, but you must admit, they still have some archaic thoughts.”

  “Perhaps none will find their Kizmeht rider. But remember, Seyra, when our dragons had to be convinced what I had been teaching was true? How quickly their minds changed once attuned with a rider.”

  I take the last gulp of my tea, holding the cup for its fading warmth in my hands. “Point taken. Is Elky with the older hatchlings?”

  Laughter booms around me. “She’s been with them since before the sun rose over the trees. Ustice has been keeping me informed. He says it’s like a bunch of human toddlers, all wanting her attention at once. She’ll have her hands full, leading them out to walk the line. They’ll come after we guide the older dragons down.” He turns and rumbles. “Get ready, we have some who already sense their riders down below. Ready?”

  Nodding, I place my cup down by the entrance of the Spires and climb into the saddle. Wrapping the knitted scarf around my neck and over my nose and mouth, we prepare to launch. The noise behind me echoes through the Spires as the impatient dragons jostle each other for their place in line. Leaning down, I rub the side of Dreyth’s neck, enjoying that precious moment between ground and sky. Powerful limbs bunch, gather and leap out of the cave.

  This thrill can’t be matched by any other worldly feeling. The sudden dropping away of the ground and the racing of my heart joining my fated dragon. Being on dragon-back and streaming along the blue skies is breathtaking in itself, but then the awareness of the power I ride… The grace of flight and the rumble of his belly-fires always fill me with awe. The wind buffers against my face bringing in the scents of all things: the decaying grass below with the smothered, molding leaves. The brackish smell of salt and sea becomes my own scent in flight. Yes, I muse, this is what all dreamers of dragon riders wish for. Today, dreams will come true for some.

  Roars of thunder pound the air. Flames erupt overhead as zealous dragons follow behind us. The look of awe and horrific fascination mark those standing below us. We land, followed by the eligible dragons. Hu’gan and his warriors land at the end of the line. He and his warriors will be available to help new riders learn how to mount and guide them back into the Spires.

  Dropping the scarf away from my mouth, I address the hopefuls. “Good morn, all. As we spoke to you before, this is your opportunity to be selected by a dragon. Don’t be frustrated if today is not your day. To protect our kingdom, we will hold these opportunities more frequently than in the past, as long as we have available dragons. As our Spires community enlarges, we will offer even more support positions within the Spires. Even now, more wings are being constructed within the interconnecting chambers running through the mountain.” I motion with my hand as I glance behind me towards our Spires.

  Looking along the line of potential riders, I feel their ambition and desire. A draw so intense, even with the knowledge that death may come on dragon-back, it doesn’t hinder them from their dream. “Stand your ground and wait. If a dragon stops in front of you, allow it to sense if you are its fated rider. The dragon may sniff you closely or ran its tongue over your skin. Make no sudden moves, especially when the younger dragons are brought before you. They are less trained.”

  The crunch of frozen ground overcomes the flurry of whispers. Dreyth moves us to the center in front of the aspiring riders so we can watch both sides of the line as the dragons make their way. A bellow blasts ahead of us as a great-horned dragon stops in front of a visibly trembling young man around the age of eighteen or nineteen years old. Nodding at him, he relaxes as the stormy-grey dragon inhales his scent. Then it happens, the Stardust within them both recognizes itself. It’s like watching stars explode before my eyes. The young man steps forward, his timidness forgotten, and strokes the scales of the dragon. They move aside to allow the procession to continue.

  Dragons can only be constrained for so long before their eagerness overwhelms them. The rumbles intensify as they flame over the heads of others, sensing their Kizmeht ahead of them, but they can’t get there quick enough.

  Hu’gan races across dragon-back to stop a dragon from biting the tail of the one in front of it. As soon as he heard the warning bellow, he took to the air and straightened the two out before damage could be done. In instances such as this, he places a mind trance on them, to ease the boiling drive to reach their fated riders.

  A boy, maybe twelve, races across the rutted path heading for a red dragon. I gulp in fear. Jumping down from Dreyth, I dart between dragons, slinging him away from the massive stomping feet. The red dragon becomes aware the boy is his fated dragon and snaps at my head in warning as Dreyth surges towards me, bellowing down the red dragon. A brief exchange of their power-play drives the awaiting riders-to-be back against the wagons. My heart is hammering in my throat as I think how close a call we faced—the boy and myself for getting in between the dragons. A mistake I warn new riders about, and in my hurry, I broke the rule. I couldn’t let the boy get trampled, I reason to myself.

  “Such rules are in place for the safety of all, even my chosen Queen.” His words spin in my head, not in condemnation, but in fear. The fear of losing me.

  “I understand. I’ll curb my instincts, Dreyth. It happened so fast.”

  “If it is any comfort to you, because it surely is for your Brula’r, this will set as a warning for the rest of the waiting riders. This is no game. They stand in front of the most powerful of all sentient beings and they stand there at the dragon's most vulnerable moment—the search for their fated rider. Most still don’t understand the feelings twisting inside their scales is the desire to find their completeness. Nothing could be worse than a dragon losing its rider on the Choosing Day.”

  Returning to my saddle, I catch my breath. Dreyth paces down the line glowering at the dragons. Mental threats are given to stop the Choosing
if the dragons don’t calm down. He’s met with growls and roars, but I see their understanding and longing flare in their eyes. Confident he is understood, we move back to the center of the line to continue watching each direction for disturbances.

  By afternoon, only half a dozen or so of dragons haven’t found their Kizmeht and they stand behind us. They will have another opportunity after the hatchlings have made their pass.

  On cue, Elky, riding Ustice, streams down from the mountainside with saddle-less dragons trailing behind her. I can’t help but smile. Although they are about the third of the size of Dreyth, they are still at least ten-feet tall with a wingspan of twelve to fourteen feet. This bunch of younglings are the most colorful dragons hatched yet. Many are marbled in various colors like they were dipped and swirled in a rainbow. Instead of forming a dragon line like their elders, these cluster around Elky and her magic ability to set any dragon at ease.

  A man, a grown man of over thirty years suddenly jerks his head towards a tawny female dragon with bright green eyes. My heart soars. The man is Colberth. He’s a survivor from my own village. He fled into the forest when his house burned to the ground during the attack of the rouge knights all those years ago. He almost died trying to save his family, but they didn’t survive the fire. Even he is marked with half of his face in thick scar tissue. His chest and left arm is the same and yet, watching him, a lopsided smile forms on his face. A match is made and I’m thrilled down to my toes. Colberth needs a connection to life again. Now is his chance. Elky reaches for Colberth’s hand, guiding him to his dragon. One of Hu’gan’s Beljeem Warriors leads them further out into the field, guiding them through their introduction phase.

  A late arriving wagon jerks to a stop at the end of the line, hard-driven horses whinnying. I’m startled to see what looks to be a husband and wife running hand in hand towards the Choosing line. As they approach, their smiles radiate and I know they have both felt their Kizmeht dragon. From a glance, I can tell they’ve come a long way. Their clothes are rumpled and look to be thrown on in a hurry. Hurrying to the end of the line, the woman clutches her chest from the sudden adrenaline rush. Behind us, two Stone dragons roar. I jerk my head back to stare. By the time I look forward again, the husband and wife are hugging each other, tears freshly falling in ecstasy. They have a match— with Stone dragons. I bite my lip so hard, I taste the metallic tang of blood oozing against my tongue. The Stone dragons have Kizmeht riders?

  “And now we know. It’s more than the dragons of the Spires that have fated riders. This should go a long way in strengthening the bond with our ally.” His hopeful thoughts ring in my head.

  “Or just as easily, they could build an army of dragon riders to come against us,” I return in answer.

  Hu’gan circles on Jenkor and lands. He personally takes the couple to the Stone dragons for introduction. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. At least Hu’gan being with them, I know all are in the safest hands possible.

  Elky guides an icy-white dragon hatchling to the forefront. He is beautiful with his sleek glimmering scales and wings of pale blue to match his eyes. I catch my breath as a girl from the sea village works her way through the bystanders. Her dark curly hair is intricately woven into many braids and tied off with colorful fabric. She’s a beautiful contrast with skin and eyes as dark as night.

  Elky grins as the white dragon rumbles and stomps madly against the frozen ground. “Girl, come to me. This dragon chooses you. His name is Iceberg, after the frozen water that floats in the coldest of places. What is your name so I can introduce you?”

  “I am Ahnah,” she answers as her arms reach for Iceberg.

  The joy of watching dragons find their riders squeezes my heart. My chin quivers in a vain attempt to not tear up. Nothing is as beautiful as fated dragons and riders finding each other. Elky brings Ahnah close to her dragon and at first touch, Iceberg bellows and shoots flames overhead. I am leg-locked in shock. The hatchling has flamed ice daggers and the line of hopeful riders dodge for cover, sliding under wagons as some barrel into the backs of their wagons. Iceberg is oblivious to the commotion. He only has eyes for his Ahnah.

  Quickly, Elky speaks to Iceberg and draws his attention to the scared folks emerging from their hiding spaces. Iceberg dips his head, embarrassed, as a flush of blue washes down his snout.

  I take this as a cue to speak to the waiting hopefuls. “Please, excuse the sudden fits of happiness the dragons find when meeting their riders for the first time. The hatchlings are young and have little control of their joyful reactions. Even with the adult dragons it is hard to contain, but it is mostly the hatchlings that are unable to quell their emotions.” The words hardly fall from my lips when three hatchlings start to brawl.

  Dreyth dispatches several dragons to corral the overly eager young ones and settle them down. Frayed nerves are spread thin as we still have several matches to unite. Finally, close to dusk, all dragons with their fated riders are matched and we start the next phase of Elky rounding up the hatchlings and separating the riders so she can guide them back to their specified lairs.

  The hatchlings each have their own lair, now away from the cluster of younger hatchlings still growing in the nursery area. The matched hatchlings will spend most of their time with their fated riders and attend training time with them. Much is accomplished during this bonding period, as they grow to rely on each other. That is why fated riders have chambers adjoining their dragons. During this precarious time with the hatchlings, riders are warned not to approach other hatchlings and riders until all have gone through their training programs.

  Chapter 2

  Rubbing my fists deep into my eyes, I’m exhausted. It’s easy to forget the danger involved on Choosing Day, especially with the younger dragons choosing riders.

  “I’m surprised you haven’t brought it up yet, Seyra.” Dreyth's eyes gleam with mystery.

  “Brought up what?”

  “Dragon Magic.”

  “There is plenty of time to talk to the riders about developing certain traits from their dragons.” I try not to roll my eyes, but really? It’s been one long day and I want back into the warmth of the Spires. I adjust myself into my harness and lean forward, rubbing Dreyth’s neck. I sit upright and frown. Usually, we are airborne by now. Instead, Dreyth turns his head to stare at me. And waits. My brows furrow as I study him. Then it hits me like a boulder. Dragon Magic. New Dragon Magic! Iceberg shot Ice Daggers. My jaw wonder-drops at the discovery.

  Dreyth cocks a brow ridge and grins. “Ice Daggers. The hatchlings are being born with our forgotten magic.”

  “Great Stars and Moon!” This is unexpected and worrisome at the same time. What are the new abilities the hatchlings have and how do we train them to use caution? Suddenly, new worries press in on me. What if the Xi return and steal away our hatchlings for their magic?

  “They will be met by the best of our warriors and after the latest blow they were dealt, it should take them a long time to regroup and try to attack us again. We will be prepared and ready.” Dreyth’s sharp reply shakes the ground. There is no love lost between us and the Xi.

  A flurry of activity awaits us in the Spires. We have over fifty new riders and their dragons scurrying off to their lairs and chambers, each with another rider trailing along to help in the settling phase. Each new rider is given a hand written list of the basic dos and don’ts during the initial phase of being a new rider.

  Elky immediately escorts the hatchlings to their wing, where hatchlings and riders have their own nooks and crannies to inhabit. This will be temporary quarters, perhaps even as long as a few years until the younger hatchlings are ready to move up. We are hopeful by then the expanded lairs and chambers will be complete to give all sufficient room.

  If it weren’t for the Dragon Riders School, the dragons would be happy to relocate to any of the vacant caves peppered along the mountainside. But, while all are in training, close proximity is required.

  Th
e fires in the fire pits have warmed the chill from nightfall. The aroma of baking bread and roasted meat sets my stomach growling. My boots can’t move quick enough to find the source and satiate my hunger. As I head towards the kitchen, I catch a glimpse of Hu’gan talking animatedly with Grifton and— oh no, it’s Belinda with them. I change my course and hurry to catch up with them.

  “I swear it by the Stars and Moon! I saw him,” Belinda whines with her arms pointing towards the east.

  “What is it, Hu’gan? Is there something I should know?” I manage to ask between gulps of air.

  “Belinda, who said she was visiting family actually says she followed a rogue Xi and one lone wingless dragon in a heading that would bring them in close proximity to the Stone dragons. I find it highly unlikely, especially if they had been engaged in any of the battles we had with the Stone dragons. The Xi would know his hold over a Stone dragon would be too weak to gain mind control. Why would he risk his life instead of taking a Gateway and returning to his home land?”

  “Seyra, it is true. I know I broke all protocol when I left without permission to run to my home village. I had too. My father is unwell and it’s been over a moon’s cycle since I’ve been home. But, on the way there I saw this strange dragon and strange warrior-type man heading east. I stayed back but followed him for a while. He— he turned around like he knew I was there…”

  “Did he pursue you?” The hairs on my arms spike with alarm.

  “No, but my head started hurting and I remembered what Elky went through, so I hurried back here to let everyone know.” She turns and practically hisses at Hu’gan. “Now, we have those Stone dragons here in our Spires! I knew it was a trap. They are going to kill us all!”

  Grifton gives her a solid shaking by her shoulders. “Stop it, Belinda. You’re going to cause problems where there aren’t any. Look, I’ll take a few warriors and we’ll take a look. You need to calm down.”