Large snowflakes covered the ground and buildings in the capital of the Girginor Islands, the dragon island. On a warm day, the dragons would be actively playing and hunting, but on a cold day like today, they seek shelter and warmth. Long ago, only the northern dragons would live here, but now the island contained dragons from all around. The low temperatures made many tired and slow, mainly the southern dragons from far across the sea. It was the order of Ergas the Dragon Tamer that they should live there. To this day, hundreds of years after, no one dared question it.
A dragon flew down and crashed gently in the snow, ran a few circles and finally sat down. It was a big and black dragon with blue eyes and horns running along its back--a nordic dragon, the pride of the Valmirths. It was the dragon of the king’s daughter, Elysa Valmirth, who was standing a few feet away observing the creature with a grin. She sat down next to her dragon in the deep snow and stroked her hand up and down on its warm black muzzle.
She rubbed her hands together because she’d forgotten her gloves. “Raagon, fireball please.”
Elysa held up her hands and the dragon shot a fireball on her hands. Her blood is part-dragon, she only felt warmth--no pain. Only the Valmirths have this trait.
The dragon rolled around a bit seeming restless. “You think lying in the snow is boring?” Elysa asked and slapped him gently on the wing. “Let’s go then.”
The dragon understood and bent down so she could mount. Raagon only understood commands and things said often along with an event, but she sometimes got the feeling he understood her more than the ordinary dragon.
Elysa mounted Raagon, who stood up, spread his wings and smelled the summer air. She clenched onto the small spikes running along his back and gazed up, making sure the sky was clear. She squeezed her legs in and Raagon took off in an instant.
The ground got farther and farther away as they quickly ascended towards the clouds. She threw her hands up in the air and shouted with joy as they flew over the Elderberry Forest. Her smile was as wide as always. There was nothing better than the feeling of the wind in her face and the sight of the small buildings, trees, humans and dragons on the ground. This was freedom.
Elysa had her arms in the air trying to touch the clouds. She threw her hands down to get a grip of the dragon again when he took an unexpected turn right, but her reactions were too slow. Her light body continued forward while the dragon went another way. She fell and she screamed, but stopped when she noticed her dragon falling together with her. He didn’t make any attempt to fly at all. Her panic turned to joy and she smiled.
“You’ve got to warn me,” she shouted even though her voice wasn’t strong enough to overpower the wind.
Before they hit the ground, the dragon swiftly flew under and caught her.
Elysa signaled the dragon to land in the castle courtyard when she noticed an archer on a horse approaching in the distance.
They made a hard landing next to her father, who was waiting for the rider at the gate. She threw back hair long red hair and looked at the king among his men. He was staring at her with pursed lips.
“Elysa, my dear Elysa, how many times do I have to tell you to teach your dragon to land softly?” Her father pointed at the ground and shouted to a man in the crowd. “Adryn, make sure the cobblestone is repaired.”
“Yes, my king.”
Elysa had forgotten again. She looked down at the broken stone. “Sorry.”
Her father turned back to the approaching rider. Elysa did the same and sharpened her eyes. “Who is it?”
“A Shadow Watcher,” her father said, still gazing at the horizon. He turned to Elysa and smiled. “Your uncle, to be exact.”
Elysa gasped and jumped off her dragon. “Wilson!”
Wilson rode up to the group that had gathered to welcome him and dismounted. The short king put his hands behind his back and looked up at Wilson.
“What brings you to Girginor, brother?”
“Urgent news.” The Shadow Watcher looked as gloomy as always, but Elysa saw something else in her uncle now--a glimpse of fear. “May I speak with you alone, my king?”
“How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Arthur.”
“Very well, let’s go for a walk,” he said and gently pushed him on the back.
“We must speak alone.” Arthur waved at Elysa when he noticed her following.
She stopped and looked anxiously as the two men walked away. Uncle Wilson rarely visited them, and the hurry he seemed to be in frightened Elysa. She remembered the group of mysterious people with dark cloaks she saw heading into the Forbidden Forest the day before while flying above. This could only mean danger.
Elysa had a guess where they were heading: the east tower. She calmly walked out the main gate and had Raagon attract attention by quickly flying up in the air flying and shooting fire. It was a trick she’d taught him for reasons like this. Even though everyone on this island was used to dragons, they still found it enjoyable to watch, and so they did. Her walk turned to a sprint.
The east tower was the tallest, and was often used in meetings because of the great view of the island. It was the ideal place to strategize.
She inspected the tower and then started climbing. Elysa had always climbed a lot, and it was very common with the dragon people. Since they weren’t afraid of flying high, climbing high wasn’t a problem either.
She reached the top and hid outside of the window. She could hear the sound of Arthur and Wilson slowly coming closer as they climbed the stairs.
“So our suspicions were correct, after all.” Arthur looked out at the horizon with a worried face while Wilson retreated to the shadows.
“What do you want us to do, Arthur?”
Arthur sighed deeply. “There isn't much to do, unfortunately. I fear they are already here, hiding among us.”
Elysa held tightly onto the stone of the wall listening eagerly. She remembered the mysterious people again and swiftly climbed through the tower window. Arthur turned around in an instant and looked at her disappointedly. Wilson, on the other hand, looked as if he knew she was hiding. He turned calmly to Elysa. “You got something to say?”
Elysa nodded. “I saw them. It was a group of maybe eight, on foot, heading into the Forbidden Forest.”
“Yes, scouts. They have been spotted on several other locations nearby,” Wilson said and fell silent.
Arthur turned to his brother. “I’m glad we have you and the other Shadow Watchers. There’s only one possible outcome of this.” He sighed again and looked down towards the Kingdom of Girginor. “We have to prepare for war.”
War. Elysa’s heart sank and her body froze.
Arthur was scared as well, but not for himself. “Elysa.”
“Yes?” she replied quietly feeling her tears welling up.
He put his arms around her. “After dusk they will come, I fear. Ready your dragon and seek shelter. We don’t know this enemy or its intentions and you are not a fighter.”
Elysa sat with Raagon outside of her cabin in the forest, away from sight of the castle. It was the place she would go to whenever she wanted to be alone, but this time she couldn’t enjoy herself. Time went on forever. The night was quiet and it made her uncomfortable. She poked a stick in the ground while waiting anxiously and worrying about her family.
Elysa sprang to her feet in surprise as she heard a sudden shout of terror from the village. The battle had begun. Her father had told her to stay hidden, but the fear for her family was too much. She must do something. Without much thought, she found herself in the air with Raagon flying faster than ever towards danger. I’m not considered the best dragon rider for nothing.
She scouted the village and castle but couldn’t find an army nor any mercenaries--only people running around in panic. She threw her head around in confusion trying to understand. The dragons. Where are the dragons? She signaled Raagon towards the cliff entrance of the dragon keep. The closer she got, the more dreadful and heavy she felt.
As she passed the entrance, everything clicked--why there was no army attacking. The dragons. The dragons in the dragon keep, all lying dead. Elysa leaned forward in shock feeling the need to puke, but only tears came.
“NO!” she cried.
A horn roared far in the distance. She turned around to see the front line of an army in the horizon. Another horn followed, this time much closer. It was the army of the Valmirth family. So that was their plan, to take away our dragons and attack us at our weakest, she thought, but you forgot one.
She flew straight up, above the clouds. There was no way she’d let her father risk his life when she might be able to save him. Straight above the enemy, she signaled her dragon to dive. The cold air blew in her face as she fell.
“Now!” she shouted to Raagon and the dragon shot fire at the front line. The fire only took out a fraction of the thousands of soldiers, but the confusion among them was enough for them to not notice the rain of arrows upon them.
Elysa flew over to Arthur and landed by his side.
She spoke before he had a chance. “I’m sorry, father.”
To her surprise, he didn’t look angry at her leaving the hideout. “It’s worse than I thought. I’m glad you came to say goodbye.”
“Goodbye?”
“Yes, Elysa. We’ve already lost this battle. We’re outnumbered. You’re this family’s only hope. We have dragon blood, a precious thing. Leave this island.” He threw her a map. “I’m sorry it has come to this, my dear child. A Shadow Watcher will meet you in a safe village by the name of Ascot.”
She stared at him in shock, her mouth wide open and her face wet with tears. “Father...”
“This is goodbye. Try live a good life for me.” He whispered something in Raagon’s ear, and the dragon left the ground.
The last thing Elysa saw of her father was the moment his army rushed into battle to save something that could not be saved.