Frost and Flame, Foes in the Dark (book 2)

Chapter 1, Home among the Ice

Year 783 Octavus, day 2 of the fifth month of Auonus

A winged beast soared in the sky, the white scales shimmered as it descended at the sound of a dark whistled from the dark skinned rider riding on its back. Trolls fled over the snow covered land as the dragon aimed for the targets. A sharp whistled echoed, making the dragon send out a burst of white frost from its mouth, hitting the target's left side before landing clumsily on the ground.

The rider turned around, taking down the hood on the large, white fur coat. The obsidian eyes peered at the target as the wind caught his long white hair. The man allowed himself a frown as he watched all the targets, most of them was untouched and only a few of them showed any signs of being hit.

"Rial Caraid, your dragon's aim is getting better," said a large troll who was one of the who was unfazed among them. The greyish skin was covered in scars while the two large underfangs almost reached his eyes. He showed the cultural rings of the trolls with a thick fur coat to protect him from the eternal winter of Eitir.

"My dragons aim is fine. It's mine that needs training," replied Akana trying to keep his emotions in check. They flaired up as he breathed in, allowing his dragon fire to warm his body. A necessary ability that allowed him to fly the ice dragon.

Naga rustled his scales, clearly satisfied with his achievements though Akana was not nearly as satisfied with the missed targets. Akana climed down the dragon, allowing Tug to help him. "Shouldn't you be with my husband? I don't think I need a general at the moment."

Tug just grunted, having no intention of giving Akana an answer. Not that he needed one. There was no need for a general at the moment at all. The last couple of weeks since he had ended his first year, they have given him an official surname, A Baeldraegan, and Sidastir has amused himself with trying to create an ice sculpture of Akana. Something that was tradition among the Ice elves. The main hall was adorned with ice sculptures of all the previous Rials and their Rial Caraids.

Of course, Sidastir tried to hide his pastime and failing miserably. Akana just allowed him some dignity and pretended like he didn't know to keep the peace.

"You have gotten better, only three trolls was hit this time," Tug said, clearly trying to comfort Akana but failed to notice the glare sent his way.

"It is passable, at least for traveling from the school to the capital for the Trinetournament," Akana muttered. After much consideration, it would take days in a wagon to go from Virtus Scolaris to the capital of Relevium, Parcis. It would take only hours on a dragon and if it was something Akana liked, it was effeciancy. Though he cared not for flying, he detested having to use his dragonfire, as his kind normally have no magic. When they allowed themselves to siphon mana and use magic, they get a burst of emotions and since they normally don't have them it often led to some embaressing situation.

Not to mention his inner self, his brother Sen, who comes out sometimes to wreck havoc. No, it was far better to avoid magic. Not that it was an easy thing to do. With a grimace, Akana started to walk towards the sleigh.

Akana massaged his stiff body as he entered the sleigh taking him to the giant gates of Eighpalas. The city had been lit up by sunstones which guided him up the stairs when he exited the slay to walk up them. The ice palace stood in the centrum of the city. A large building shape like pointy ice pillars towering over all the other buildings. All made of icemagic and all abandon since long ago.

It had been a year ago since he had arrived to Eitir to become the Rial of Eitir's ward in the school Virtus Scolaris. Only to become the consort, Rial Caraid, to Sidastir who had changed the original plan when he noticed that Akana was immune to his ice magic.