Wrote this up last night by the light of an oil lamp. Seriously. Long story. First of all, this is pre-story to the Elemental Wars series. This takes place many many many years before any of the other snips (except this one) I’ve done, though a few of the characters who have shown up here are in this. I’ve done a quick edit, nothing major. I wrote part of this by hand then the rest on the computer. I LIKE this. I may continue, this is a complicated story and this situation is a huge part of what sets EVERYTHING in motion. I don’t know though, I have a lot on my mind and right now, Zander it my big priority. but yeah, have some dragons.
How it all began…
Lady Aunusha,
It is with deepest regret I inform you that Lothos refuses you entry to the hall. He states your missing seeress is not there. I do have my doubts to his sincerity.
Dmitri
~*~
Dmitri,
This is unacceptable, her pleas for help originate from his hall. Tell Lothos to return her or I will call on the Dragonmaster for assistance in this matter.
Aunusha
~*~
Lady Aunusha,
That is not possible. I’m sorry.
Dmitri.
~*~
Dmitri
You have a choice, give us access to the Hall, or face my wrath.
Stilgar
~*~
Your threats are unwarranted, Dragonmaster. But if you think you can find me, you’re welcome to try. Come into the Ice Ranges at your own risk. I will say this though, Lothos is going to be in Sian until mid-summer. The high ranges are particularly lovely this time of year.
Dmitri
~*~
These letters were found some years after Stilgar’s death, and are attributed to the events of raid on the Hall of *Ice Keep* in the year [year here].
~*~
High Ranges. Some distance north of Ice Keep, year ????.
The wind blew right through him, despite his thick hide. Greyson crouched lower to the rock, shifted his wings, and glanced towards his sire. Stilgar, the Dragonmaster, perched on a ridge, peering into the blinding snow. Beside him, his first and second advisors, Habcor and Fiore waited restlessly.
Stilgar’s head snapped to the side and he bellowed. Grey looked in the direction his sire was, but saw nothing. Nothing but swirling clouds, and wind-driven snow and ice. A strange bellow filled the air, an odd deeper tone than Grey had heard. Stilgar craned his neck around, looking back at them, rumbling out.
“This is it, follow me. Our guide is damn near impossible to see in this weather.”
“There’s someone up there?” Toura, on Grey’s right called.
Stilgar rumbled as another one of those odd bellows shattered the air. “Yes and he’s getting impatient. He’s risking his life, come on, lets go.”
Stilgar launched into the air, his advisors close behind him. Grey followed, he barely knew these others, He’d been included as an afterthought. His first mission, his first trip to the Ice Ranges. He was flanked by some of his father’s trusted hunters as they followed Stilgar who was following some elusive beast through the stormy clouds. Once, in a break in the clouds, he thought he saw the outline of a large gray-blue dragon, but more clouds swirled around them and he couldn’t see where the creature went. Stilgar veered downward, they followed, though Grey was hesitant. They were flying blind in the mountains. Following a stranger, though Stilgar seemed to trust him. Ice Dragons weren’t trustworthy though. He could imagine being tricked into flying into the mountain sides. He tried to shake the thought off but it haunted him, even as they followed a weaving path through shadowy peaks, and narrow, high canyons.
Then they were landing in front of a narrow cave entrance. The large bulk of the gray ice dragon shifted to the shape of a pale, blond man in heavy blue leathers and matching robe. He watched them, expressionless. A deep purple bruise marred pale skin on the left side of his face.
Grey shifted, standing back as his sire and the advisors strode forward, each grasping the man’s arm in greeting.
“This is it?” Stilgar looked at the cave entrance doubtfully.
“Are you sure she’s in there?” Habcor asked.
“Are you sure anyone’s in there?” Fiore asked. She shivered, rubbing her upper arms in the brisk wind.
The ice dragon looked at her. “There’s always someone in there.” He stepped to one side. “I can’t go in there.”
“Afraid?” Toura sneered.
The ice dragon said nothing, just arched an eyebrow and looked at Stilgar.
“How far back is she?”
“There are a few cells, four, maybe five. I’ve only seen a couple. Been in one or two of them myself.” A shudder ran through him. “You need to hurry. I can’t be here when you get out, if they catch you, I had nothing to do with it.”
“Understood. Thank you, Dmitri.” Stilgar offered his arm and the ice dragon draped a heavy fur over his arm.
“She won’t have anything.” He stepped back again, turned, and launched, shifting faster than Grey had ever seen, his wings driving snow and gravel at them as he vanished again into the heavy, low clouds.
“That is one big dragon.” Someone muttered.
“Here, take this.” Stilgar handed Grey the fur. “When, and if, we find her, you get her back to the Oracle, understand?”
“Why me?” Grey asked before he could stop himself. His sire’s eyes narrowed and he swallowed.
“You met her at the gathering last summer, she knows who you are.” Habcor said.
Grey looked back and forth, and nodded, understanding at last. That’s why they chose him to come along. That’s why he was there, he swallowed. He followed them into the narrow cave, looking for the soft-spoken seeress who had vanished some months before.
###
DRAGONS!
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