Young Writers Society

Arwen ¬

"What are you doing?" Bristin asked.

"Fighting. Are you going to?" I teased. Teasing? I don't tease.

"You need to rest ..." I turned to him, as the Healer walked towards us.

"No, I-"

"You need to rest! No fighting," The Healer ordered, standing in front of me. "Your leg is-"

I walked around her, but my leg buckled, and I stumbled. Bristing caught my arm, and I stumbled into him. I blushed. (I never blush!) and stood up.

"I'm going to fight," I said sternly.

"Not with a leg like that," Mark said.

"But-" I glared at the Healer, a dangerous tone entering my voice. "I want to fight,"

"No, come with me," The Healer said, grabbing my arm. My gaze lingered on Bristin.

"Can Bristin come with me?" I asked.

Just then, Mark received a tap on his shoulder, The Librarian!

"And where may I ask is the food?"

Blast! I forgot my sack!

"My sack I should go and -"

"No need, I have advised a castle guard to keep watch on the tablet and he has taken your 'dropped goods' to the cook... I don't know what has gotten into you and George but I'm keeping an eye on you two. Don't you have some rags that need cleaning?"

The librarian smirked as he walked off with his book clenched in his hand, Mark could hear his every footstep. How did he sneak up on me like that? It wasn't as if he was standing there the whole time!

"I need to go guys, that librarian doesn't like me dawdling around too much."

Mark's eyes struggled to stay open, he had been awake for too long. He slowly lurched away into the shadows disappearing from sight.

Emperor Zarin | Northern Courtyard

Falling to his knees, the Emperor knew it was over. He could feel his White but she was ever so distant and her body lay against the wall, not moving. He had some faint notions of rushing over and saving the day, but the best he could force himself to do was to crawl toward her. Well, he thought. That at least I can manage and she won't die alone.

The Green was backing off. For the moment his people had it on the run but that couldn't last forever. His men had no hope against that beast. He'd seen the way it took the arrow to its eye and then another to the leg. It had screamed and lashed about with all the fury of an avalanche. But it showed no signs of being defeated.

But it gave him time. He said a silent prayer to the Gods for Violet and her strength as he reached the body of his White. He nestled against her hide, expecting the scales to be cold as ice but they were warm. He reached up and stroked her head with a comforting hand.

Rhaego | Northern Courtyard

There was a new spike in his leg and another man thing to watch. He'd knocked it down with his tail but now he couldn't find it. These man things. They all fought together like they were one. He hurt one and another lashed out in pain, like that first one. The one that had launched at his back. He vaguely remembered that he had met her before, with another man thing. And he'd killed the one but the other had come back to hurt him.

Why was that? Why did- clan. The word came faint at first but then more firmly. Clan. They were a clan like his own, like... like Rhaego's clan. The Green felt something receeding from his mind and he was free. Oh yes he was free at last! And ashamed. He realised immediately what he had done and felt that knowledge more painfully than any of his wounds. He looked at the other dragon and let out a mindless roar of distress. He could not explain, he must flee. He must go and get far away, far far away from any living creatures.

He should stay. Stay and let them kill him but he could not. It had taken all his strength before to ask the White and now the White was hurt and he must flee. He spread his wings and flapped them fiercely, shaking off the weight he felt on his tail. It was a shambles of a flight at first, his wings beating at the air as his feet ran across the ground and he tried to take off. The humans dived out of his way, except for one, but she was not human. No. Rhaego recognised the features of an elf but it was too late to stop. He couldn't slow. She looked at him with a strange fascination, a look he knew would be branded into his mind for centuries to come.

Rhaego pressed hard against the ground with three feet, beat his wings wildly and tried to knock her gently out of the way as he flung himself into the air. It was only when he was free of the courtyard and feeling the rain of arrows glance off his scales that he realised she was clinging to his foot.

Foolish Elfling! He roared at her with his mind's voice. But he couldn't go back down, not to face those arrows so he must take her. Yes, he must take her and put her down outside the humans' territory.

George Stobbart | Northern Courtyard

George threw his sword down in anger, the dragon had escaped him. Pain surged through his hand as his hand burned red.

To everyone else it was a victory: the dragon fled and the castle guard was swarming round the castle as if it was under seige. To him, it was an insult - a dragon who didn't finish what it started.

"George, that yellow dragon isn't a threat any more! We scared it off with loud noises!"

George turned to see the cook holding a frying pan and a wooden spoon.

"A yellow dragon? The yellow bellysnake doesn't belong here - it's habitat is far off south in the desserts!"

"I think you mean Desert, sir!"

George glared at the white dragon in vain... couldn't even defend a dragon let alone an emperor. He picked up his sword and left - presuming both were not going to make it, he wasn't about to stand around and get all emotional.

Wiping away his tears, he took careful steps over towards the door.

"Is the Emperor... dead?" His human friend stared sorrowfully at both man and dragon. "What a waste... and all the tumult over his successor..."

"We should go," said Zaair softly. "The humans may be of a mind to use my head for a trophy." While she clambered onto his back, Zaair called out mentally to Celosia. Do you yet live, my friend? I cannot leave without knowing.

Chusi

Stay there? In that stuffy little storeroom? Ha. Not when there was an entire palace to wreak havoc upon. She had slipped out the door the moment she noticed that it hadn't been closed all the way, and for the past who-cares-how-long, she had been following her nose towards a scrumptious smell wafting in from a few floors down.

She slid quietly down the staircase, eyes peeled for any unwanted company. It would seem that the entire palace was preoccupied with the chaos ensuing out in the courtyard. Not that Chusi had a problem with that.

She stared up at the kitchen doors that were now in front of her, mentally smiling to herself. Of course the doors were open and unguarded. She slipped in, slinking towards a forgotten tray on the countertop. She smelled pork, and pork was something that she wasn't willing to pass up. She rose to her hind legs and stretched her neck as far as it would go, bumping the edge of the tray with one if her horns. Slowly, ever so slowly, she started to pull it over the side of the counter. She pulled away, wobbling on her hind legs as she stretchedeven further to grab the tray between her teeth and pull it down.

The clatter it made when it hit the ground was like thunder, but the smell emanating from that ham was irresistible. There was a shout behind her, soon followed by others. Chusi grabbed the ham, ripping off a fair hunk and made a run for it. Let the games begin.

Daniel Armtisan | Courtyard

Daniel stepped into the growing conversation.

“Lord, Ladies, might I suggest you take this debate inside? But may I add that Lady Sanura might not be up to healing much, as it is.” Feeling distinctly like a goat-heard, Daniel pushed, supported, and generally shoved the wobbly healer, prince, and slightly damaged elfling through the door.

He caught Sanura’s arm as she passed him, looking slightly miffed. “Lady,”

“Yes?”

“I’m serious. Don’t try to heal anyone, alright? It’ll be my hide if you go and debilitate yourself.” He let her shake herself off.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said.

Daniel turned. The elfling, prince, and healer were adults – they could look after themselves. Daniel had more important things to do, like, for example, his duty to the Emperor.


The big white dragon was sprawled, barely breathing, against the wall. The emperor was lying against her side, a hand resting on her great face. His generals had yet to go to him, but Daniel didn’t blame them. They had enough on their plates.

Although he was wary of approaching the great dragon, Daniel knew his duty as a guard was to protect the emperor – and he was damned well going to do that, even if it meant going up to the white beast.

“My lord,” he said, running over to his king. “Are you alright?” He shot a nervous glance at the white mountain towering above them.

“Sir?”

Orelia

She had had a thousand flying dreams.

So many nights at home, she had seen herself spreading her arms like wings, dropping herself off a roof or a wall or a staircase, and levelling, the wind holding her in place. As her work had become dirtier, more illegal and more secretive, so many times she had wished for the ability, so that she would never be scared when she climbed up gutters, never have to worry about scrabbling fingertips on rain-slick slates. She had felt, in her mind, the air on her face, so fresh and fast up above the city smog, imagined the world rushing beneath her.

But none of them had involved a green dragon with a temper problem and a kerfuffle in the royal courtyard.

It had all happened so fast, Orelia was barely sure exactly what it was. There was the Emperor. There was the white dragon, hurt badly. There was the green one. Orelia was sure there was some aura coming of him, some sense of urgency that wasn't quite right, a wildness in those huge gold eyes. He had been hurt and so stupidly she had gone to see what was the matter. Why would she do that? She was cursing herself tenfold, it was foolish and pointless- she was no Healer, and he had taken flight with her still there.

And flight was bumpy, and flight was hard, and flight was nothing like her imaginings.

Foolish elfling! Earsplitting, massive words. But they weren't sounded, weren't carried away by the wind. They were in her head. She frowned a little more.

"What?"

Get off me!

"Do you expect me to jump?" Trackers always landed on their feet. But a jump from this high would shatter her legs and probably every other bone in her body.

Below, the city was behind them. There was just green now, fields or forest, Orelia didn't want to look down. Who knew she was afraid of heights?

"Please. Please take me down," she begged the dragon. She could make her way back to the city, find work, never ever deal with dragons ever again. But maybe she needed to persuade him. "I'll... I'll help you. With your wounds." How? was the question she was avoiding asking.

Celosia | Northern Courtyard - Palace:

Something fluttered on the edges of the darkness. Something important. Words reached me but they made no sense. They weren't in dragon, as far as I could tell. Something warm and much, much smaller than me rested near my head. In the darkness, I was confused and disorientated. And there was no pain. I shifted slightly. That wasn't right. There was supposed to pain, right? That was the last thing I remember, wasn't it?

Brightness emerged from the darkness, an almost too painful whiteness. It stretched away from me and at the far end I felt only pain and worry. I frowned. That...wasn't right. And yet it felt right. What an odd feeling. I touched it and the whiteness shivered. I felt an echo of it in my own mind. What in all of the lands was that?

Words brushed against me again and this time, I could make them out. Do you yet live, my friend? I cannot leave without knowing. I paused, head tilted to one side. I knew this voice.... Zaairen. Zaairen! What was he doing? He was supposed to be gone. Long gone.

I called back, feeling something brush across my my snout and my eyelid. Zaairen? I sounded a little wrong, even to my own ears. What are you doing? Leave. I... I trailed off, confusion making me halt. Why was I confused? Sounds came rushing back, and along with it a whole lot of pain. I froze. So that's why... The darkness disappeared and was replaced by an orange glow against my eyelids. I felt the warmth against me better and realized with a start that it was the Emperor.

What happened? I managed to broadcast as I opened my eyes. The courtyard was in a mess. Melting ice shards littered the ground and there was shattered stone everywhere. Discarded weapons, swords, bows, spears and arrows, littered the ground and many mortals lay still. I knew they were dead. I scanned the courtyard before my gaze came to rest on the Emperor laying against my cheek, one hand stroking across my scales as he lay there. I glanced past him and saw the soldier and tensed. That made the pain flare up badly and I froze, waiting for it to fade a little.

The soldier watched me warily, one hand on the hilt of his sword, the one touching the side of his head. I winced and went to raise my head then remember the Emperor and left it where it was. "Sir?" the soldier asked nervously,. I blinked and he flinched back, hand tightened on the sword's hilt. "My Lord?" he asked, "Are you alright?"

I blinked again and closed my eyes. The Emperor is fine, I said, directly into the soldier's head. I felt him flinch and chuckled. It sounded more like a strange type of growl. This soldier was amusing, I decided. But right now, the pain was drawing my attention away again.

Zaair

Praise be- you're alive! He was sure Amelia heard, but didn't care. While Celosia reassured the soldier, he readied himself for flight. Perhaps the humans really would take his head... or try to.

"Wait." The Emperor's voice was barely audible. "You... helped drive... the green away."

I did what I could. Now, if you'll pardon me...

Christan and Lilac | Northern Courtyard

"Unlike you, I'm a human being, Altair." Christan sniffed incorrigibly. "I'm sorry, but it's true!"

Altair was going to open in mouth to shoot back another response, before they suddenly found themselves interrupted--by a small girl Christan immediately recognized as his daughter. "Stop fighting, both of you! Can't you see what's going on around you?!"

"Lilac, what on earth are you doing here?! You should be at home!"

"Papa, General Altair--look around you!"

And so, they looked.

Emperor Zarin | Northern Courtyard

Everything was clearing. He still hurt, Lord did he hurt, but it was more seperate now. More as if... as if it wasn't his pain to experience, but another's. He really needed to ask his White what she had done to him, to them. But not now. No. His white was saved and now he had to turn his mind to other matters, to the kindgdom, to rewarding and consoling his people. To burying the dead.

Daniel was there. Zarin wanted to say that of course he wasn't bloody alright but the words wouldn't come yet. His White told the guardsman that he was fine. White. The beast needed a more fitting name than that, a more majestic one. Perhaps she had one already. He would have to ask.

The Emperor sat up a little straighter and ran his tongue over his lips, slowly propping his eyes open. His daughter was there, hovering in the background looking confused and slighted. Forgive me Isolde, I never have enough time for you, I never- She ran to him as she saw him stir and took his hand in hers, watching the White warily. And there was another dragon, about to take off.

Wait." It took a great effort for Zarin to speak. "You... helped drive... the green away."

I did what I could. Now, if you'll pardon me... The dragon's answer came in that strange mind voice the creatures had. It made them sound ancient and new; timeless. Zarin wondered if there had always been dragons or if they had just decided to exist that very day. He gave the beast a nod and it took to wing. "You are... always. Welcome." The dragon made no response but Zarin couldn't say he was sad to see it go; it was making his people nervous. The White they could just about handle, would have to handle, because it was injured and clearly under their Emperor's protection. But the other, the other was best out of the way.

"Father, where did the dragon come from? Why- why did it save us?" Zarin turned to give his daughter a weak smile. That was a question he couldn't answer. And his White was resting.

"Daughter." There was a lot of warmth in the Emperor's voice as he addressed Isolde. "There is... much to be... done. Daniel-" The guard leaned in closer. "I want a... tent erected. Here. Over us. Bring a... healer. And the men. Take... take them into." The Emperor had to wet his lips and rest a moment.

"Father the men know what to do, rest, don't try to talk." Isolde had such bright, beautiful eyes. If he let his mind wander for just a moment, he almost felt as though his late beloved was there, holding him. Looking at him with such concern.

"The generals," Zarin said. "Tell them." Daniel nodded and then he was gone and the Emperor was left alone with his dragon and his daughter. He wondered where his son had run off to. If Zarin had been his age, he'd have gone chasing off after that green dragon but Bristan was not so reckless as he, surely? The boy was probably somewhere close by.

Rhaego | Flying over the city outskirts

I have a wound, Rhaego agreed as he climbed a little higher, the tiny human dwellings shrinking to the size of mole hills. But it is not one you can help with.

"Please, I don't understand. Please. Just take me down." The Elf child did not understand. Rhaego could not go down, not yet. He must flee, he must flee far and far from the darkness that chased him and far from the humans. He would not hurt them again. But. If he did not put her down before the darkness caught up, he would hurt her. No. That could not be.

Rhaego let out a low hiss and started his descent. You must hurry away, little tree. Hurry away lest I bring harm to you.

"Why? I mean, why did you attack the pallace, but are willing to let me go? I'm not complaining, no sir! But-" The Elf child let the word hang in the air. In the older days, Rhaego might have been amused by her chatter. He might have liked her. But now his brief periods of sanity left little room for liking anyone.

"I did not mean it," he said sadly. "But I am guilty all the same. No more questions little tree. We go down now and then you must hurry away."

Orelia

"I- alright," she said. "Setting down would be good. Yes." Her fingers were sore from their endless task of finding somewhere to grip onto the tight scales of the green dragon.

The most bizarre thing was it seemed to be arguing with itself. The way it jerked its head, spoke. As if it were keeping something at bay- or as if something were trying to keep it at bay. Probably more likely.

"Just how far are we going?"

I need to get away, it said. I need to flee.

Orelia didn't ask any more questions. The dragon repeated this, flee, flee, flee, flee as a sort of mantra, but the way it spoke Orelia wasn't sure if she were meant to hear it or not, if this was just its thoughts. It was hard to tell.

Then it suddenly said, Here, little tree. Do you know how to find your way back from here?

"A Tracker is never lost, seeing as she can always follow her own trail- even if she's flying, I suppose."

The dragon swooped. Orelia shut her eyes tight, hoping that there wouldn't be death coming with the impact, bracing herself, ready to roll. The dragon's wings braced against the wind and she let herself drop onto soft, glorious green grass, rolling into a stand and allowing herself to look up into the dragon's face.

"Thank you for sparing my life," she said with half of a little bow.

Now, little tree. You must run.

Orelia looked into those wild eyes and nodded. This wasn't a time for courtesies.

Besides, the Emperor would no doubt be willing to pay for someone who knew which direction the green dragon had gone to. She would run- and just take a quick peek, see where it landed in the forest. Dragonslayers would abound, perhaps, each of them paying a good fee to know where the animal was. This little adventure would serve Orelia's purposes well.

"Goodbye," she said, turning on her heel and running as fast as she could. It was miles to the city, though. There was no way anybody- not even someone with elf blood- could outrun a dragon. She only hoped its threat was empty.

Celosia | Northen Courtyard - Palace:

I slitted my eyes as movement started up around my Emperor and I. Someone was approaching--a general, by the looks of it. I opened my eyes and growled--a warning. He halted and stared at me. I relished in the fear I saw in his eyes and blinked, shaking my head even as it sent waves of pain through my body. Not good. I felt...off. Not just injured. If I could frown, I would. The Emperor shivered beside me and sent me a questioning glance. I stared me. My name is Celosia, I told him and lowered my head.

This feeling wasn't good. It felt...way off. I growled again, at myself more than anything, and blinked. This was odd. It wasn't the bond--that was the bright pure-whiteness that twisted between me and my Emperor. This was darkness....threatening. I growled again. I didn't like it.

And then I realised. It was the darkness. The very thing the green had been plagued with. Oh, no. This was very, very bad. Not only had I somehow succumbed to the Darkness, but I'd bound an Emperor to me as well! Dear ancients, this was bad. Very, very bad. But I had one thing which might help; I had to hope the bond could keep me sane. Which meant clinging to it like a lifeline.

General Altair | Northen Courtyard - Palace:

Altair turned at the girl's bidding. The fight was over and they hadn't even noticed, so engrossed in bickering they had been! He was a failure. He threw a scowl in Callas's direction and stormed towards the Emperor...only to freeze midway when the huge, white dragon growled. He backed up a step, watching as it growled a few more times...but it didn't appear to be growling at him. He shifted back a half-step, then glanced towards the Emperor. Zarin looked fine, if shaky. Altair tilted his head to one side.

"My lord," he began, "are you well?"

Sanura | Inside the Palace:

As soon as I was inside, I collapsed into the wall, clutching my head. Someone touched my arm. "Healer?" I pushed away from the wall, stumbled back into it and cursed. The hand took a firm grip on my arm. "Healer, you don't seem well."

I waved his words off. "I'm fine," I muttered. "I healed a concussion earlier. It's probably that." But I knew it wasn't. It was my memories coming back. Why did it hurt so damn much, though? I didn't know, therefore I had no answer. "I just... need to rest..." My words trailed off as I leaned more fully into the wall, sliding down it a little.

Lights danced before my eyes and my head span. Nausea crept up on me, but I didn't throw up. he room just span, the colours blurring together. I frowned and quite suddenly, the world blacked out on me. The last thing I could remember before I lost all of my senses was someone shaking me, calling my name. It didn't seem to matter once the darkness descended.

Zaair

"I think this is far enough!" Amy yelled. "Set us down."

They were well into the mountains now. Below them, a narrow granite shelf projected over a dizzying chasm. Zaair landed gingerly, scraping his wing in the process.

"Well, it's back to living on rock rats. Oh to stay in the city!"

We weren't safe there, remember? Maybe the Emperor trusts me, but those guards... I'd rather keep my hide intact, thank you.

"That's so. Poor Celosia; I hope she's all right." Amy shivered; it made Zaair regret his lack of fire.

Here; lean against me. You brought blankets, right?

"I think so," she murmured, already falling asleep.