Dragon Isles

Dragons once existed throughout the land, almost as numerous as people. They were gentle creatures despite their large sizes, and lived alongside humanity peacefully. These creatures enjoyed the fine arts of humanity like art, music and literature and could be entertained for long hours at a time with something as simple as being read a book. They were also knowledgeable about things such as rule and law, and military strategies. Though the dragons did not speak, they could communicate their emotions to human beings, and picture images as well. They were a companion race to our own.

As humans’ thinking changed, as people became superstitious and reserved in their thinking, cursing anything that their priests said was evil and not of their one God, the dragons began to die. It was slow at first, but the wave of religion and righteousness that had no room for the old ways swept through the land like a plague, aiding some and destroying others. For you see, the energy that people created as a result of this movement was like poison to the dragons; it clouded their own energies, clogged their blood and chocked them to death. And as the dragons died, they became more scattered, with only served to weaken those that remained that much more. The people saw what was happening to the dragons, but they did not realize why, nor did many of them care for the dragons had been marked.

There were those that would save the dragons, though, and once the cause of their deaths was known, they leapt into action. Queen Lenna ordered seven Dragon Isles to be established throughout her land, places were the remaining dragons would be gathered, where people who sought to protect their friends and family guardians could go to live in the old ways. These people were carefully watched for signs of the religious movement, and if any one displayed such signs, that person was evicted. Gathered together as they were, the dragons created more of their energy, which in turn helped to make the sickly ones healthy again. The Dragon Isles were saving their purpose very well, and lasted for a good century without much trouble from the outside world.

Nature demands that things change, however, and though there are still those who would give their lives to protect the dwindling number of dragons, their fate is inevitable.

--------------------------------

Skylark stared out into the darkness beyond the light that came from the large fire built inside the throne room. She swayed slightly but did not fall for she gripped the cold railing, the stone biting into her skin. Traces of blood were beginning to run down her hands, down the insides of her wrists, but she didn’t notice. Her eyes were transfixed on something in that shadow of nothingness, as if she knew something was there but could not quite see it. But her eyes were unseeing. They swirled silver and she didn’t blink. There were lines in her face, lines that were not normally there. Her mouth was tight, as if she were staving off some pain. Her breathing was soft but ragged.

It was a frightening thing to see; to witness the bright young Mistress of the Isle so trapped in obvious pain for no obvious reason.

She swayed far to the left, farther than before and gave a sharp but quiet cry as the foresight released her. Then she fell. But instead of falling to the cold hard floor, Farrah caught her easily. Lark sat dazed for a long moment, her hand ideally moving to stroke one of the dragon’s sharp claws as she sorted through what she had seen. When she could stand, Farrah knew it and gently slid her to the ground despite the claws that could easily gut the young human.

In Fae’s mind was a question and Lark smiled slightly as she looked up into her light red dragon’s face. “I saw a man, Fae. He was tall and handsome, and bore a sword and shield on his back. With him was a dragon, a dark red dragon. They’re coming here. The man hopes to leave his dragon here, but… Farrah, I think they are consorts for us. The dark red dragon…he knows what he’s about. He knows you’re here.”

A sense of relief and excitement came from Fae and eased the headache Lark had from using the foresight. Then another question from the dragon.

“I’m not sure when, Fae. Soon, though. They’re somewhere between here and the city in the north.”

Fae nodded her large head, then backed away from the balcony, urging Lark to follow her. In Fae’s mind was an image of sleep, a mixture of the visual of a soft feather bed and the mental state of rest. The dragon wanted her to sleep.

“Yes, I am tired. But I need to wash the blood away first.”

Lark went to the throne room.

At the throne room’s entrance, they parted ways after wishing each other sweet dreams. Fae rose into the air through the circle in the roof designed for just that purpose with a powerful beat of her wings and Lark walked the quiet and cold halls until she reached her bedchamber. She very quickly fell asleep and Fae was not far behind her.