The Dragon Tamers

The Dragon Tamers [16]

A strong breeze aided all 10 dragons, I expected us to camp just outside the Shapeshifter's lands tonight, but as luck would have it we arrived at their main settlement just before dark. It was easy to tell where their city was; a huge tree grew much taller than the others around it. It reminded me of home, and how life is centred around our sacred tree. In fact, everything reminded me of home here, the lush rainforest, the symbiosis between nature and man, their simple but effective way of life. But most of all, the forest echoed of magic, it was a similar but completely different magic that we elves use. It can be argued that all schools of magic are closely related to one another, hence magic-wielding individuals and races can sense even a trickle of any magic.

The Shapeshifter's did not have large walls, or brick buildings, they lived in the trees high above the ground. Wooden bridges connected each tree, whole families dwelled within one tree, building their houses around the foundations of the branches.

I thought it was terribly clever, it gets them off the ground, away from wolves and bears as well as the damp earth. I admired the many tree-houses as Beogin lead us into the Forest. He bee-lined for the city centre, it was obvious that live centred around the largest tree. Busy magic-touched human men and women hurried about their daily business, some stopped and stared and ogled the dragons. Children ran across the bridges, their bodies contorting and shifting trying to change into dragons. It looked like their bodies had become putty, and this putty was bursting in different directions trying form the creature the children had in mind. One child managed to change his head into a dragons head, he ran around spitting fire and chasing his friends. The innocent sound of children laughing-screaming filled the tree tops.

I smirked and stifled a giggle, I could feel Beogin smiling on the inside too. The city wasn't large, I don't think it had very many citizens, we reached the city centre quickly, their leader was eager to greet us.

Since Beogin's head was at the canopy level, I climbed up his neck and onto the platform surrounding the tree.

"Queen Feluna! What an honour," a tall, thin, balding man offered his hand, I flicked my sleeve away and indulged him in his human greeting of a handshake. The smile on his face must have stretched from ear to ear, and it looked slightly odd on his long face. Nevertheless I smiled back. "I am Mayor Stormcloak, and welcome to Halveron!"

"It is a privilege to meet you and your people." I curtseyed gently, bowing my head. "I believe this is the fist time our people have met in a long, long time. Unfortunately I do not come here on a happy occassion, you and I have urgent matter to discuss regarding the non magical humans and dwarves."

Mayor Stormcloak's face grew suddenly grim, his smile ironed out to a flat line and his eyebrows creased together. I could sense he knew exactly was I was talking about. In a way, I was glad that he wasn't in the dark about what was happening, perhaps it would make negotiations easier. By his reaction I could only hypothesised that this impending war had already affected him and his people.

"Please come this way, my lady. Bring your guards if you'd like, your dragons will be given water and rest in the meantime. We have much to discuss."

I motioned for Fenwir to follow me up the stairs and into the building built around the tree's branches. As the huge double doors opened, a warm, well lit council room greeted us. The architecture was amazing, you couldn't even tell that this was all constructed around a tree. You could tell that they didn't alter the tree to their needs either, a sizeable branch jutted through the side of the room and continued its path through the ceiling. The floorboards were carefully laid to sit around the branch and give it room to grow.

Stormcloak pulled back a chair for me to sit at at the large round table, a typical council table. He took a seat opposite me and rang a small bell, the other 19 council members flooded the room and took their seats. It was so nice to see such a varied council; men and women, young and old.

"Let's not waste any time, danger is already at our doorstep." An older council member's hoarse, aged voice crackled.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Queen Feluna of the Letherian Elves. No doubt she is here to discuss the imminent war with us." The Mayor rose to say his bit, motioning to me across the table. I nodded respectfully and stood to address the council.

"Good evening," I pondered for a split second, how did they know about the war? I didn't think that they would be affected and/or care. "Last month the Humans brazenly came to my doorstep and demanded that I hand over all our Dragons. As you know, us Elves are renowned for our rearing of Dragons, and we have been raising them for thousands of years. I would have sooner died than given over my nations treasures, in response the Humans declared war against us. They are apparently allies with the Dwarves, and I believe they have been excavating and consuming Uck." The very utter of the word Uck sent a shiver down my spine. Many of the council members gasped and looked understandably horrified, they knew exactly how volatile the situation had become.

"I come to you in my time of need to ask for your aid. I propose a treaty to fight the war against the Humans and Dwarves. I have just arrived from Grom Graal where War Chief Mokrush has agreed to join forces." I tried my best to keep my brave face on, in all honesty the threat of war still hit a raw nerve in me.

I sat back down and waited for a reply.

I looked to Fenwir for some reassurance, he smiled sweetly, lightly holding my hand under the table. The touch of his warm skin made me blush slightly, I could feel the heat of the blood in my cheeks rising to the surface. I appreciated his support, he knew that under my hard, Queen exterior I was dangerously fragile.

Stormcloak rose not a moment after I had sat down. It felt like he already had his answer for me.

"We are honoured," The Mayor started with a traditional greeting. "War is a big undertaking, we of all people understand how imminent this conflict is and I believe that us Shapeshifters will be hit the hardest. As you might recall, our lands are too close for comfort to the dwarves and humans. However, we are in no state to go to war, as a tiny nation of at most fifty thousand citizens. In all honesty, we never prepared an army."

He sat down, a little embarrassed but mainly disheartened at the reality that he couldn't protect his lands and most importantly his people from the impending slaughter.

In that moment I had no idea what to do. The last thing I expected was there to be no army.