A Dragon Keepers Novel Chapter 1

Chapter 1


K
arigan looked through the forest at the First Branch of the Kings Army. Only the bravest of people ventured into the Great Mountains where she lived side-by-side with the Great Dragons of Old. They were not going to be happy that these soldiers had ventured into their domain. Luckily, there were nowhere near the peaks where the Dragons flew, but Karigan also noticed that they had their own Dragons, but these Dragons were not as great or powerful as the Great Dragons. Karigan linked her mind with one of the Great Dragons, Saphera. Saphera was one of the only Dragons that allowed her to ride them. She asked Saphera what she should do, but the Dragon said to follow and make sure that they didn’t get near the peaks. She said that she would tell the Elders at the Meeting. Saphera then broke the link, leaving Karigan to follow the soldiers through the forest. Before dusk they set up their camp, and Karigan urged her stallion close to the groups, always staying in the shadows with her hood covering her face. She stopped on the rise that faced the camp. Once all were sleeping except for sentries, Karigan dismounted and like a ghost, flowed into the camp. As she crept past some of the bigger tents, she heard voices, and being forever curious, followed them. She soon came upon a two men discussing something that must be of great importance, if their whispers indicated anything. She didn’t hear much but what she heard was extremely bad.
“We must get that crystal and the girl for that matter! Anyone who can ride one of the Great Dragons is a prize indeed,” one said. But the other out-ruled him.
“Yes we must try to get the crystal but if that girl can ride the one called Saphera, we’d all be better off to leave her alone. I don’t want to risk it, not for anyone. And even if the rumours that run through the kingdom say that she is the Keeper, it would still be too dangerous to take her! Did you not see the Dragon that flew through the skies as we reached these damned Mountains! My Dragon Riders say that even from a great distance, they could tell that it was Saphera!,” The other said.
How did they know about Saphera? And me, for that matter? No one but the Dragons know that I’m the Keeper, so how could they?
Deciding that these men needed a wake-up call, Karigan walked into the light, saying, “You are quite right to leave me alone, and if Saphera heard what you had to say, there would be either a blood bath or a massacre.”
Both were startled, one even calling for his guards. As the guards surrounded her, she slipped off her hood and looked the two men in the eyes.
“You had best leave this place. The Dragons are willing to let you return to your homes, safe, but if you ignore this warning, it will be so at your own demise,” Karigan heard the familiar pounding of hooves and as Kerrigan’s stallion came roaring into the guards, startling them. Some of the guards came at her, but Karigan’s stallion charged them, hoofs flying and teeth snapping until they all seemed wary enough to stay far away from her. He stopped and Karigan mounted him with an ease that came with years of riding, she said, “The Dragons don’t give second chances, so I suggest, you take this warning seriously and leave immediately.”
Sensing that the other Riders were there in the darkness, away from the light, listening and watching, Karigan turned the horse to face them.
“I didn’t know that your Riders would be scared of me. Guess they’re not brave enough to face me,” she said, shrugging, she turned her horse slowly, waiting-
“How dare you say that!”
Waiting for that. The outburst came from came from a youngish woman, her hand still bandaged from the burning of her mark. Her pretty face was pinched with anger, her emerald eyes glittering with rage. With her came about 7 other riders, all equally angry, but unlike the woman, they kept their anger in check. Karigan then felt the slightest of brushing against her mind, coming from all different angles, trying to find a way in. One of them was Saphera. She was watching and listening from behind the un-suspecting Riders. Karigan waited a few minutes as the woman through her tantrum. Once she was done, Karigan burst out laughing. Sighing, she asked “Would you through that tantrum in front of Saphera? Or any of the other Great Dragons?”
When she didn’t answer, Karigan said, “Saphera, why don’t you come out and see this pathetic excuse for a Rider?”
As the people behind Karigan went still, the woman said, “The Great Dragon isn’t here, so don’t try to trick us-ARRRGGGG!” The Riders spun to find Saphera there, watching them with her huge, wise gold eyes.
Saphera had come out of the trees after the riders, her massive head and long, spiked neck arched. She made no sound, like a giant violet ghost. She was fully visible now. By the reactions around her, Karigan guessed that they had never seen a Dragon that was so big.
You ought to listen to Karigan, you know. You have one warning and only one. We don’t ever give second chances. Oh, and you should be careful about what you say. I’ll give you one more warning: If you try to take Karigan away from here, I will personally track you down and kill you very slowly and painfully.
Rising, Saphera starcher her wings. Bracing herself in the saddle, Karigan waited for Saphera to enter the sky. The earth shook as she jumped into the sky, her wings flapping strongly and quickly, stirring lose leaves and dirt.
Kicking her horse into a gallop, Karigan raced into the woods that she came out of before. The others had been so occupied with watching Saphera; none of them noticed she was gone. And when they did and sent people to look for her, there was not a track they could follow. She just vanished like a ghost.