The Mate Of The Ice Dragon

Chapter One

          Unsettled by the acidic burning feeling in my stomach from anxiety my head again spirals over the possible strategies my tribe could use next to survive. For the millionth time this month I found myself pacing and pondering. But what if you make the wrong choice? The thought curdled my stomach as memories from that night bled to my mind. It pained me worse than any of my past training sessions ever had. I must make the right decision. Stressed, I run a hand through my hair as I take a seat. What's  the point? It's not like the council will listen to "someone with a soft bosom's heart." The thought it's self made me groan. Stupid damn Mallvix.                        

The first Fijak's attack had happened when I was a child twelve years of age. It had taken both of the chiefs, my parents, leaving me to lead what was left of our tribe, to the RikiKobian mountains to become a resistance. Because I am the second singular woman chief, everyone is doubtful of my leadership skills. There is a lot of talk that either I will be forced into a marriage soon by my advisers in order to keep my position or I will be demoted and denied my birth right of becoming the chief. I refuse to let that happen, I have trained harder than anyone in this tribe and have become the most powerful warrior of our people, and they would be foolish to demote me. The Tribe's council would be even more foolish to try to force me to marry. I chuckled trying to imagine old fat Eleck's face growing red in annoyance as I reject every possible suitor he brings up. I know I need to give birth to an heir, but I'm only eighteen and I'm leading a tribe of over fifty people. I don't have time for a husband and I don't have time for children right now. I think to myself as I read over some official documents about some upcoming war strategies to hopefully regain our home land. As my eyes floated across the words on the paper I felt them grow heavy, I laid my head on my desk with the splitting headache pounding at my head I fell asleep.

Mornings are usually cruel things for me, but when I awoke I was met by the tribe shaman, Alma, pouring some warm tea for me. As she bent over the mini hand made stove by the fireplace I watch her, although Alma looks as old and stiff as stale Eleck himself with her withered wrinkled skin, and traditional over the top beaded jewelry her spirited eyes told you different and her tongue was sharper than a knife. She's refreshing to be around, compared to everyone else's intense gaze upon my decisions. Ever since the incident with the Fijak tribe, Alma has been my mother figure and closest personal adviser. She and my mother had been close friends. Sluggishly I pulled my head from my desk with a yawn, my tent had taken up the wonderful aroma of freshly baked game and tea. My favorite. I smiled at Alma thanking her after she laid the food and drink in front of me, she smiled back with a reticent smile but her golden hazel eyes were unreadable.

"Another late night Isamari?" Alma asked with a pointed brow, disappointment embedded in every word. I smiled sheepishly and shrugged my shoulders hoping to play it off as nothing of importance, but she just frowned at me ageing her face five years. "Isa," she sighed "You're going to run yourself into the ground before you're thirty." Irritation was written on her face as she poured a cup of tea for herself. I pushed the opposite chair from my desk open with my feet, allowing Alma to sit there with no problem facing me.The fire crackled behind her, under the stove.  

"Why don't you go out like the other tribe girls, dress up, meet some boys, live a little?" The bubbly suggestion made me laugh.No one is having fun right now we're all on the brink of dying. My inner cynic panicked oh-so-factually. I started to drink my tea. I knew how much Alma wanted me to have a little fun, 'cause when she was my age she never had the chance. But I don't have time to do anything but work now that I have passed my studies and training."Alma, most of the tribal girls don't have to worry about winning a war, protecting their titles, and having all the pressure of their tribe elders and entire tribes life on the line." Alma rolled her eyes with a smile. She grabbed my hands and looked into my eyes.