The Dragonborn

Upcoming war

While trying to stay awake; he did not notice, that he had ridden into a secret passage, leading into a small lodge by the river. He was starting to loose his conscience, finding it very hard to stay awake, he fell down. Eclipse started neighing loudly, making the person in the little shed aware of the sudden intruders. “Oh my, what do we have here? Who could find my small shed?” a woman’s  questioning voice rang out. “Oh, you poor horse, have you come to my door to warn me about your master that is on his last breath?”. She slowly made her way towards the big man, that was lying  on the ground and breathing hardly. His Face twisted in a painful grimace.
“Oh you poor soul, the foul stench of the basilisks venom is surrounding you like the sunlight on a warm summer’s  day”. She sighed. The large man was lying on the ground, slowly succumbing  to the pain. His once clean brown hair, was full of dirt, his clothes, were a muddy mess. His chiselled face, was in agony. She slowly bent down and started to suck the venom out. She spat the nasty poison out, and gathered some leafs from the nearby bush. Speaking in her native language, she started to form a small fire in the pits of her hand, slowly burning the leafs. The pungent smell of the leafs were surrounding them. Edric, who was still fighting to stay awake, felt the woman burning his arm, and with an agonizing scream, he lost his conscience.
A small grunt escaped Edric’s mouth, as he woke up from his deep slumber. He could not remember how he had gotten into this little wooden house. He sat up on the bed and looked around the antique home. The walls were decorated with hanging plants and the home smelled of herbs and earth. It was a calming smell, that surrounded him.
He heard a feminine  voice from the other room, humming softly. The sound of her voice instantly warmed him up. It felt like, he would be home. He felt safe here. The humming sounds abruptly ended and he heard footsteps coming closer towards him. “You have woken up, brave one”. He looked at the small woman’s  frame. She was looking very fragile, with her slim figure. Her sleek black hair was reaching her waist.  Her green eyes looked at him questioningly. “Did you forget to speak?”,she questioned him.
He breathed out slowly and thought what to do next, he did not feel any danger from this woman it seemed like she was the one, who had saved him. “Who are you?” he asked slowly getting up from the bed. “I think I should be the one asking who you are, who breaks to the protective barrier. No one ever has broken through it and paid us a visit, nonetheless one that reeks of basilisks venom”. She said sharply, giving him a sharp look. “Who are you?”, she repeated his question.
“I am Edric von Norphens, the dragonborn, King of Drake”. He said softly. “I assume; you were the one that has saved me from the poison?”. He asked. “The dragonborn? What are you doing so far from your kingdom?”. She asked him surprised. “A war is brewing, I am on my way to Nenaias, the High elves Lord. We are going to form a strategy, to win this coming war”, he answered truthfully. “I understand now. Then how did you pass through our barrier ? And who poisoned you?”, she  continued asking him, slowly coming towards him and pulling the nearby chair to sit in front of him. He started stretching his arms and looking for the wound he had on his arm, but he only found a scar that looked like a burned flesh. “I do not know, how I came through the barriers. My companions tried to assassinate me, and I tried to get away from them, that is when I felt the dagger scratch me, being the dragonborn, makes the basilisks venom deadly to me, since I have formed a pact with Fenrir, the great one”, he answered truthfully. “Can I know now, who you are, young lady?”.
“But yes of course, my name is Eleanor, from the Woodland Elves. My pleasure to meet you, dragonborn”. He looked at her shocked, no one ever had found the land of the woodland elves, even Nenaias himself rarely visited them, only upon their invitation are you allowed to pass through their barrier. “However, the Queen will shortly be here, so I advice you, that you are in proper attire for meeting her”, Eleanor  said slowly, pointing at him. Only then did he notice, that he was not wearing his leather armour anymore. He was instead wearing linen pants and shirt. “I have washed your armour, as it was full of dirt and mud from your fall. Your steed is in the stalls in the back, I have attended to him. A very talkative companion  you have there, I must say”. Edric looked at her confused, after a moment he remembered that Nenaias had told him before, that the Woodland elves are able to talk to animals. He nodded and started to rise from the bed he was sitting on. “I shall leave you alone, to prepare. Please do come outside, once you are finished, dragonborn. Edric nodded once again and waited for her to close the door after herself.
Shortly after Eleanor  left the room and Edric started to put his armour on. She had fixed the cut that his armour had. After putting his clothes on, he left the room and went outside, he wanted to see, how Eclipse was. He was worried, that he might have gotten hurt as well, in the battle. He heard him neigh wildly, as he got closer to the stalls. Upon his arrival he saw Eclipse looking towards him and moving his head excitedly. “You sure look like you are very happy to see me, boy”. He said softly as he stroke the shiny black mane. “Thank you for saving me, Eclipse, I could have not made it without you”. The horse neighed happily and licked his hand. “He is happy that you are well, he was very worried and wanted to save you from the pain you had, when you arrived here”. Said Eleanor  coming with the a slender woman next to head, dressed in a long green dress, with petals covering the rims of her white cape. Her dress had intriguing  golden patterns, and her long blonde hair was softly blowing with the wind. The crown on her head, hinted that she was indeed the Queen of the woodland elves, moreover she had guards closely accompanying her. “Hello, Edric von Norphens, I am Xenayah, the queen of this forest”, said the queen with an angelic voice. “I have heard many stories, about you, dragonborn that made peace within his people and guardian. However, why is your guardian  not with you?” she looked at him questioningly. “Fenrir is guarding the kingdom from potential danger, I did not take him with me”. He answered. “How can your guardian let you go alone? If Eleanor  had not saved you, you both would have died”, she said sharply. “The guardian should never be far from his lord”, Eleanor added. Edric looked at both of the woman confusedly, “what do you mean, we both would have died ?”. Truly, he never heard of something like that before, if there was such thing, surely Fenrir would have told him about it. As if sensing his questions, the Queen continued, “Has your guardian not told you about the consequences of a pact? If one of you die, the other one meets their demise as well. Your life force’s have become one. While the pact gives  you both more power, it also curses you both. If you would have died, you dragon friend would have meet his end as well, thus the guardians  always try to be at their masters side”. She explained to the unknowing man. A shudder ran down his spine. He had forsaken his friend, who wanted to protect him, not only for his sake but also for his own. He felt furious, that Fenrir had not told him about the curse. How could he have left out such an important fact? While Fenrir was almost invincible with his power, Edric was not. He was strong, he was a very good mage, but he was not invincible like Fenrir. He shuddered, at the thought  of him having caused Fenrir’s death. “Your guardian surely felt the pain that you have had, we can only hope, that he did not go into  a frenzy. As we speak; my soldiers  are looking for your friend”, she said softly.
A cold silence fell in the room. Edric did not know what to say. He felt the need of getting out of here, go out and look for his friend, apologize for his behaviour and calm him down, Fenrir in a frenzy could be very dangerous. “Thank you for your warm welcoming, I did not know, that the pact had a curse. Fenrir, had never told me about that. I should head out and find him as soon as possible, if indeed Fenrir goes into a frenzy, it will be difficult to approach him. I would not want your guards to get hurt”, he said hurriedly. Fenrir needed him. He had to leave as soon as he could. “Please do not worry, we are more than capable of handling that task. I would like to find out more about what has happened in the forest. I have heard your stories, from the creatures of the forest, however, I would like to hear your side of the story as well”, the Queen said calmly. “After all, without Eleanor, your friend and you would have not survived 3 days ago”. Edric stopped dead in his tracks. It has been 3 days since he was here ? He was supposed to meet Nenaias already, which was essential for the upcoming war.