The Dragons Queen Saga

Part 29: Prophesies and Positioning

Dresden eventually forgave Ardent that evening and tried on the new fur lined coat . It fit comfortably. Ardent packed up some supplies in a small satchel with the bed furs and extra clothes. Dresden gathered his own belongings and prepared to leave the yurt behind. He glanced back over his shoulder to take one last look at the transformative womb the yurt had become. He had spent two and half weeks with Ardent repairing the damage his body has sustained during the ambush. Dresden would be glad to leave this place behind forever and forget it completely. Any memory of his weakness would just hold him back. He eyed the Dragon trophies on the walls with malice. They both agreed to leave everything in place by chance that another of Baylin's allies investigated the Dragons disappearance.

Ardent instructed Dresden on how to travel with his belongings so he could easily carry it in Dragon form. The ingot sat tightly wrapped in Ardent's bundle under layers of furs. They departed shortly after sunrise, heading Northeast to the village of Tibuk where Deirdre was holed up. Dresden flew gracefully and felt assured as he kept up with Ardent's pace. They followed the mountain ranges and avoided open valleys. Tibuk had a reputation for housing magical creatures and was a place that few dared to travel because of the dangers associated with such beings. The inhospitable landscape surrounding the valley, coupled with territorial animals and creatures from other realms, made it a desolate place. Human beings mostly avoided it, except for a few who also wished to vanish from the world at large, some were welcomed, others ended their lonely journey there with death.

Tibuk was indeed a strange place to visit. When they arrived, Dresden and Ardent were instantly regarded with awe rather than suspicion. Even though they appeared in human form on the high road to the village, it was obvious to the locals that they were not human. He and Ardent carried their supplies on their backs in the tight packs. Dresden noticed a tall Elvish woman watching them from the corner of a building with her hood up to conceal her face. A goblin rummaging through a shadowed alleyway looked up as they passed. Dresden had only come to Tibuk a few times throughout his exile, but he was familiar enough with it that the sight of the other creatures, not so unlike himself, had no effect on his mood.

There was nothing modern about the village at all. All the buildings were outdated, the farms were small and the livestock had ribs showing regardless of the verdant fields that flourished in the valley. It could be described as the poorest place you could imagine. The people though, were richly textured and unique because most of them did not rely on certain human behaviors to live well. There was a single inn within the tiny village but the Dragon men walked right past it and headed out the rickety gate leading up a steep path into the hills.

Tibuk rested in a valley where a beautiful lake glimmered. Even though they were farther North than Baylin's camp, they were much lower in elevation here, so green grasses and trees blanketed the area and the late summer sun felt good after spending so much time in the cold mountainous region. Tibuk was located in a beautiful place, but intentionally left in ruins so that no one would dare to tread there. Deirdre had carved a hole in the mountain side and built a shelter within it. Dresden admired the handiwork. The shale would have been easy enough for her to gouge out with her powerful Dragon claws, with all of the wooden construction done in human form. An elaborate cairn sat on a stone table just outside her door. Ardent dutifully placed a stone atop of it. Dresden did not do the same. He just admired it's intricacy and complexity. It was assembled with over one hundred different stones stacked so carefully that not one fell when Ardent added his.

They knocked on the door and waited for a reply. Smoke emerged from a hole in the wall about twenty feet to the left of the doorway. Ardent passed a casual grin towards Dresden. Dresden wanted to smile back but his feelings were mixed with apprehension at the chance to see Deirdre after so much time had passed. He had wanted her as a mate so long ago. It is not the same for Dragons to take on a mate as it was for humans. The concepts of marriage and other ceremonial rituals to bind a union were very human ideals. Dragons choose a mate that would be a suitable breeder to ensure that the Dragon lineage was clean and strong. His feelings for Dierdre went only so far as she would be a good mother for his offspring and together they would help to educate those offspring in the ways of Dragons. It was a noble act and not to be taken lightly. Breeding with another Dragon bound you to them forever. The honor of parenting Dragon offspring was a duty that came with a price. It was vital that you respected the qualities of your mate so that you worked together well for the upbringing of the youth. But they did not couple up and remain close like people. Their animal instincts drove the need to procreate. Love did not enter into a union between Dragons. His feelings were mixed now, because of the rejection she had shown him. To be rejected by a female Dragon demoted you to a lowly status among other females and placed you under the hierarchy of males that you had to fight your way back up the tiers to the top of. The top males were never rejected. Deirdre had known what she'd done by her choice. It demoted Dresden to a lowly class and now, as he stood in front of her doorway, he felt as lowly and humble as ever. Still, a wild excitement stirred in his chest to be reunited with her in this place. Very confusing feelings took him over. This contradiction was something that most Dragons never experienced. Dresden truly had become an oddity and he sat with that realization while they waited for Deirde to answer the door.