The Dragon Knight Prophecy

1-22 Words spoken in anger

  She rode into the camp bearing a letter of grave importance for the governess commander of the second company. She knew nothing of the woman personally, but stories said she never backed down from a fight and had a fiery temper. So it was with some reservation she approached the command tent and flashed her seal of authority to get through the guards.

Inside she found three women in the green armor of Ulustrah locked in a discussion about some issue with the local authorities. She cleared her throat, causing them to notice her presence, but one, in particular, leveled a glaring stare. She stood nearly as tall as an average man with golden hair that fell about her shoulders in gentle curls. Her slight facial features hinted at gentleness and beauty, but the scowl she made erased that illusion. All three of the women folded arms as if annoyed by the intrusion, and the golden-haired woman demanded to know who she was.

"Priestess Jaleen from Eastgate. I have been sent to deliver you a message from Prime Arlin," he replied and held out the letter.

The scowling woman snatched the letter and took only a moment to study the wax seal before breaking it open and scouring the contents. As she reached the bottom, her countenance darkened, the words seeming to cause her pain. The paper crinkled as she clutched it in a fist, waving in the face of Jaleen and demanding to know what the meaning of it was.

"Forgive me, Governess," Jaleen said with a bow. "But I was only told to deliver it. I am aware of what it contained."

"What did it contain?" one of the other women asked.

The golden-haired commander threw the letter on a table and extolled its dark contents.

"Prime Arlin has called the order of storms," she said as the other two visibly flinched. "We are ordered to return to Eastgate with all haste to defend the temple!"

"Defend the temple?" the other woman repeated. "Defend them from what?"

"It doesn't say," the golden-haired woman replied as she turned on the messenger. "You must know something more. What has happened that would provoke a war footing?"

Jaleen sighed as, in truth, she knew very little of what was going on. She explained that all she knew for sure was that a priestess by the name of Thayle arrived a day ago with some companions seeing shelter. They were immediately secluded in the west wing, and there are standing orders that no one is to so much as enter the west hall, let alone the wing. If these mysterious guests are seen outside the hall, they are not to be approached or spoken to. The entire temple was put on guard the moment Thayle arrived, and half the priestess are now under arms at all times. Extra guards have been called in from noble families, and the general public is now wary of approaching the temple.

The scowling woman stepped closer, her eyes narrow and searching as if Jaleen had just woven a fantastic like.

"I want to make sure I heard you correctly," she said with some effort to calm her voice. "Priestess Thayle has returned to Eastgate?"

Jaleen nodded and confirmed that Thayle was one of the only people allowed into the west wing.

"You are dismissed. Get out of my sight," the angry woman growled and turned to lean on the table. She took a few calming breaths as her captains waited nearby.

"Alayse, are you well?" one of them asked.

"No, I am not!" Alayse replied with clenched teeth.

"She must have brought something of grave importance with her," the other offered.

Alayse nodded her head in agreement before turning to reply. "Of course she did. The hawk who likes to pretend to be field mouse has returned from her exile, which can only mean trouble is on her heels."