Dragon Gem Book One: Destiny

Prologue
The dragon screeched in pain as she tried to fly, her wings beating against the wind. The harpoon had pierced her side and her breathing was labored, but she still flew on, her determination derived from one universal instinct: to protect her young. The egg in her fore claws was harder than diamond, twice as brilliant and the size of a small boulder. It was her one and only egg and, because of the humans that had happened upon her, her last.

The humans had been relentless in their quest to acquire her egg for some reasons unknown to her, many slashes and bloody arrow shafts riddled her body, blood staining her light blue scales. But she gave no notice as she headed for the only place that would be safe for her egg to hatch. Though she was a wild dragon and her kind preferred to steer clear of those who resided in the Hall of the Bonded, she knew that they would not turn her egg away, as a wild dragon would. She was dying and she knew it, and the others would reject the hatchling and leave it to fend for itself. If it died then it died, it was the most basic law of survival.

As she landed in front of the temple carved out the mountainside, she used what little magic she had to cast the spell that the wizards here had cast upon those clutched within. The spell that would bind the hatchling to the human, druid, or elf of its choosing, and until such a person came along it would be placed in a deep hibernation, never ageing.

Exhausted but satisfied, the young mother rolled the egg to the door and let loose a roar that was both pleading and mournful. And with a small nudge at the egg for a good bye, she quickly lifted off to find a place to die in peace, while the dragons and other creatures bonded in the hall, let loose a mournful keening as she closed her eyes forever.

In the midst of the cacophony, the egg was brought before the Council of Magi, the wisest and most skilled men and women in the entire Nexus. They murmured and whispered over the egg as they examined it, feeling the magic within the hatchling and the spell the dragon had placed upon it.

“I had not realized that the dragons could still produce a Diamond Scale” an elderly woman said in a thoughtful voice.

“Personally, I am surprised at the spell the mother placed on her egg” a dark skinned man murmured “I did not know that the wild ones knew of the spell, nor that they could cast it.”

“All good questions” the bearded man said. He was obviously the oldest and most decrepit man in the Hall, his years showing plainly in his deep wrinkles, but his eyes showed an intelligence and wisdom that far exceeded the rest. “But what shall we do with it? I propose keeping it and putting it among the next clutch of eggs, at the Choosing ceremony.”

“I second the motion” said a quiet voiced young woman. The rest agreed and so it was done.

But the egg did not hatch that Choosing ceremony or the next or the one after. It became so, that the Council members gave up and simply set the rare egg in a corner of the hatchery upon a pedestal, with spells of protection. If fate was willing, the young dragon inside would be found by its chosen.

But many years passed before such a thing happened. A thousand of them, to be precise.

And thus the story of the most powerful Dragon Gem in the history of Ethos begins.






Chapter 1

Princess Arianna sat on her customary bench among the roses, leaning her head back as she inhaled their fragrance. They were especially exquisite this year, the groundskeeper had planted new colors last spring and this year they were finally in bloom. Arianna was enraptured by her new favorite, roses that were the color of the sunset with a softer scent than the others. they were so gorgeous that she could almost forget about Ignus. But it was easier said than done, because he was standing too close again, his hulking shadow fell across the path in front of her, cast by the setting sun, his dark eyes scanning the gardens with suspicion set in his face. Arianna held back a sigh, she wished the bodyguard would leave her alone when she managed to find some time to visit the castle gardens, this was one of the rare times she could find some peace.

It was hardly as if she was alone and vulnerable, even now a castle guard could be heard clanking around on the battlements and if Arianna bothered to look up, there they would be, marching from one lookout tower to another. Arianna could hear the groundskeeper and his assistants bustling around the hedges and bushes, making sure the gardens were weed free and immaculate. And if she looked to her left, just behind a short wall not too far away, were the kitchen gardens, where all the vegetables and fruits grew and was currently crawling with kitchen maids, Arianna could hear the faint humming of some of them as they worked. She was not alone, and she knew each and every servant that worked in those kitchens, having been a frequent visitor since she was a child.

“Your Highness” Ignus's voice broke the silence and she fixed him with her dark eyes in annoyance, she enjoyed her peace when she could get it and did not appreciate the intrusion on her thoughts.

“Yes, Ignus?” the princess said irritation.

“Pray tell what are you thinking about?” he said with a smile that to others would have seemed warm and perhaps even charming but it only served to further her dislike of the man.

“To be frank, Ignus, I hardly see how it is your business” the princess said with dignity looking away from him and to the forest beyond the castle wall and as she looked into those trees she felt the familiar surge of confusing emotions, regret, sadness, and a little fear. That night came back vividly as it always did when she looked into that treeline, even after all these years.

“Milady Arianna” a young female servant called as she darted across the garden path. Princess Arianna turned to the young girl and waited as she caught her breath, bowing her head before her.

“Yes, Belle, what is it?” Arianna asked. Though the king discouraged her from socializing with the servants and castle staff, Arianna made it a point to at least learn each name and their duties within the castle, as many of them had taken a hand in raising her. This young girl, Belle, was perhaps thirteen years old and beneath the flour that dusted her face, she was a pretty little thing and had she been of noble birth, every lord and his son would be petitioning for her hand even at this age, still two years from marrying age.

“The King requests your presence in his private study” Belle panted and she bowed hastily “I must return to kitchen duty, milady, forgive my haste, but the page sent on the errand was unsure of where you would be and I volunteered to go in search of you. Pardon, Your Majesty, but I notice you frequent the rose patch when you are not otherwise occupied”

“There is nothing to forgive, Belle” Arianna said kindly, though only four years the girls senior, Arianna could not help but feel motherly towards the eager child. “Thank you, truly, but I’m sure Palma needs you, by the look of you, it’s pastries for desert tonight and I know how particular she can be”

“Yes, Your Majesty” Belle said and she curtsied quickly and ran back toward the kitchen gardens.

Arianna looked back toward the forest and sighed quietly, then regretting it, as the corset restricted the intake of breath. She felt that evening could not come soon enough, when she could take dinner in her chambers and relieve herself of her socially acceptable garments. She was annoyed at her father for summoning her, she had hoped to watch the sunset from here tonight then to go to her chambers, but as quickly as she became annoyed, it faded to dread, what could her father want with her at this time of day? Was it serious?

“Come Your Highness” Ignus said and Arianna turned and glared at him

“I will go on my own, I have no need of your reminders or urging” Arianna said waspishly and, gathering her skirts, she made her way across the garden, her shoes clicking on the stone walkways. Ignus followed at a slight distance, though in Arianna’s opinion it was not enough of a distance.

She had protested her father’s appointment of Ignus as her guard, she had not enjoyed his company nor his attitude toward her, but she could only protest so much, she was a woman after all, despite her nobility, in this world, where men made every decision she had little to say. Though her father was slightly more lenient than some fathers, it was only provided she could give him a decent reason for opposing his decisions for her. Arianna had no reason why she did not want him as her body guard beyond the dislike she felt for the man, for he was a competent warrior and had twice already proven his worth and had made no action to rouse such animosity in her. Her father had countered her feeble argument with logic; she did not need to like him for Ignus to protect her. Her father was fond of logic, it was one of his greatest weapons when he held council with Hyprens various nobility twice a month.

Logical or not she found she could not relax in Ignus’s presence, if anything he only served to keep herself even more guarded than she was with the lords of the court.

As she ascended the stairs to her father’s chambers, Arianna passed several servants and, though they kept their eyes slightly downcast as was demanded of them when in the presence of the royal family, she spotted their small gestures of greeting. Arianna made a silent gesture to each of them in return, ones that she was careful to keep concealed from Ignus, no need to give him information to report to her father.

Approaching the door, one of the guards bowed and stepped into the office to announce to her father that she had arrived.

“Milady” the guard bowed as he opened the door wider and she inclined her head and proceeded into the room, suppressing her annoyance as Ignus followed her in.

As if my own father is going to attack me Arianna thought bitterly you just enjoy seeing my father berate me, you bastard

Arianna had no doubt that this was the case as she looked at her father’s scowl.

Her father was a stocky man, not particularly tall but he was muscular and his chiseled jaw and steely black eyes made for an intimidating figure. He wore elaborate robes that contradicted his no nonsense personality and his sharp intellect.

This was King Braddoc and though normally he cut an imposing figure, with his scowl fixed firmly on her he was even more so, it was easy to see why some of the lords folded so easily before him.

Arianna however was unafraid of this scowl, for she knew that her father wouldn’t do much to enforce his reprimands, he was too busy with running the kingdom to spend too much time on his daughter.

King Braddoc had never had much time for her, beyond her tutors reporting to him on her education and, when she was younger her nursemaid telling him how unruly she was. However Arianna suspected it was not merely about the kingdom that he kept her at such a distance, indeed she suspected that it was because of her mother.

Though her parents’ marriage had been arranged, it was common knowledge that they were devoted to each other, her father, it was said had fallen in love with her mother upon the first meeting. Arianna did not doubt this for even now her mother’s portrait hung just behind her, across from her father’s desk. King Braddoc never said her name, but seemed pained whenever the late queen was mentioned, but the pain he displayed when the queen was mentioned was nothing when someone was foolish enough to speak of what had killed the queen. No one dared mention the dragon.

Once though mistrusted in the other three kingdoms, dragon mages and their dragons were once welcome in Hypren, when Arianna’s grandfather was still king.

Then her mother died on the very day Arianna was born.

On the return journey from a diplomatic summit between Hypren, Bellahew and Amsternotus, Queen Mirabella suddenly went into labor two months before her time. Luckily as a precaution the queen had insisted that the midwife accompany them should anything unexpected happen. The entourage stopped within a forest and the queen was taken to a quiet clearing near a stream by the midwife and her handmaidens as well as a few guards.

Arianna had been told it was an easy birth, but it had left her mother weak and tired. While she rested, the midwife brought the infant princess to her father.

But while he held his newborn daughter, King Braddoc heard the sound of trees being felled and a mighty, bloodcurdling roar.

Arianna had been told that her father had thrust the wailing baby into the midwife’s arms and with the rest of his men he charged to where the queen was. Screams ripped through the night as they made their way to the clearing, drawing their weapons, but they had been too late.

The scene they came upon was a blood bath, with only one survivor, a grizzled warrior, Queen Mirabella’s personal body guard stood in front of a hulking monster, his sword hilt deep in its eye socket. Tears running down his face he wrenched open the great beast’s jaws and pulled out the mangled and bloody corpse of Queen Mirabella.

Arianna could not imagine her father’s pain in that moment, nor could she understand it now, she had never known her mother; all she had was the painting behind her. But since then if a dragon is mentioned or rumored to be spotted, her father’s reason and logic leaves him and he becomes impulsive and reckless, almost deranged.

Even as he looked at her, she could see it, the pain of the past. It always entered his eyes when he looked at her, and they grew sadder and more pain filled by the day. Arianna knew she was the greatest and most constant reminder of his loss; for Arianna looked almost exactly like her mother, save for her hair, which was black like her fathers. Arianna could look at the portrait of her mother and it could have been a mirror, though her mother had auburn hair.

“Arianna” he said his fingers interlaced “I have a few things I wish to discuss with you”

“Yes Father, I thought as much” Arianna said in a polite measured voice, she had not been asked to sit so she stood with her hands folded in front of her demurely.

“Firstly” King Braddoc said “your tutors have contacted me, they are under the impression that you are bored with your etiquette classes and that you seem far more interested in world politics and war strategy than acceptable. Are these accusations true” For a moment Arianna thought about lying but she knew there was no point, this was not the first time they had had this discussion.

“Yes Father” Arianna said “etiquette has it’s uses, but would it not be prudent for me to learn how other governments besides our own operate.”

“Arianna” King Braddoc said in exasperation “you forget your place. Once you are married, it is your husband’s duty to educate you in such matters. You must learn to be a proper princess and queen”

“Proper according to whom?” Arianna asked

“According to tradition”

“Father unless you have a suitor in mind then am I not within my right to learn what I can?” Arianna asked, feeling it best to point out that in her grandfathers day, Hypren had held no such restrictions on women.

“No, because you are my daughter and I have given my voice to the matter, if you continue your unsolicited studies then you shall be restricted from your mother’s library” King Braddoc said

Arianna quelled her desire to scream at him and made her face into a calm mask, one she used often in court.

“As you wish Father” Arianna said.

“And as long as we are on the matter” the King said standing “Ignus, leave us”

“Yes, my king” Ignus said and Arianna felt herself relax a little as the guard showed him out.

“I see that you are still uncomfortable in his company” the King said after the door was closed

“I do wish you had appointed someone else” Arianna said as evenly as possible.

“He is the best, he came highly recommended” the King said and Arianna clenched her fist to keep her expression neutral. There was a silence as the King pulled out his pipe and lit it, the pungent smoke wafting lightly toward Arianna as he puffed. “It is not of Ignus that I wish to speak however. I have received an offer for your hand in marriage, Arianna”

Arianna’s expression broke for an instant in surprise but she quickly wrestled it back down as he turned to her.

“I see” she said flatly

“I am inclined to take it” King Braddoc said “it is Dunbro’s third prince, Prince Saric, he is only a few years older than you and an alliance such as this with Dunbro will give us a strong ally.”

“Yes Father” Arianna said

“If I accept you will be married in your twenty-first year” King Braddoc continued “and you will live here in the castle, you will be expected to bear at least two heirs, one must be male, so that we do not fall into the trap we have now.”

Trap Arianna thought angrily be glad I was born at all, if that midwife had hesitated a minute longer, there might not have been an heir.

But she kept her anger to herself.

“Well, what are your thoughts” King Braddoc asked. Arianna knew that this question was not as freeing as it seemed on the surface, if she said what she truly thought about a marriage to a man she had never met, she would be berated further and the few freedoms she had would been taken from her in an instant.

“If I may ask something” Arianna said “this third prince, what is he like”

“I have not seen this boy since he was at my knee,” the King said puffing on his pipe. “I do not know what kind of man he has become.”

Man? Arianna thought Boy is more like it. Arianna had met diplomats and lords and their sons, men had more freedom to do as they pleased, boys were coddled and taught in any subject they wished to learn, from swordsmanship to even a womanly duty such as managing a household. Though they were perhaps better learned than a woman in academics, it did little for their common sense and therefore were rather immature, in Arianna’s opinion, until age thirty and this third prince was only twenty years of age. Still a boy to Arianna’s mind.

“Father, will you allow me some time to think on it?” Arianna asked

“How long?”

“I do not know,” Arianna said “the gravity of this is heavy indeed, and I require some time to gather my thoughts and think logically and not be impulsive” Arianna knew that this would appeal to her father, he enjoyed proper consideration and logic.

“Very well, but we cannot wait too long, unless you wish to marry below your station” the King said

“Of course Father” Arianna said levelly

“That is all that needs to be discussed, you may leave” the King said

“Thank you for speaking with me Father” Arianna said curtsying as the guard opened the door. Ignus was leaning against the wall on the other side of the corridor and Arianna felt herself stiffen as his eyes fell on her face.

Arianna was silent as Ignus followed her to her chambers. At her door, she turned

“Your services are no longer required tonight” Arianna said pointedly but Ignus pushed past her and inspected her chambers for intruders, or so he claimed and Arianna waited in her doorway.

“Goodnight Milady” Ignus said as she closed the door in his face. Arianna sighed and pulled off her uncomfortable shoes and rang for her chambermaid.

“Milady” the maid said quietly as she appeared from behind the tapestry that hid the servants’ entrance.

“Help me out of this, quickly” Arianna said “I swear, Drina, there is no worse garment than a corset”

“Of course milady” Drina agreed as she pulled at the laces and buttons and Arianna breathed a huge sigh of relief as her lungs expanded gratefully. Drina helped her into her night dress and with a curtsy she left Arianna alone.

Arianna sat at the window and stared out at the forest beyond. Her thoughts drifted. The sun was setting bathing the scene in a brilliant red orange.

That forest, it had no name for it was considered part of the Mountains of Endrid. Arianna still found herself thinking of that day even seven years since, though she had not entered it in all that time, Arianna found herself in that forest every time she looked to it. Arianna had never told anyone what she had seen there, at the age of ten. She knew that if she did she would be seen as unbalanced and insane by her father and placed in her chambers under house arrest, where she would be given whatever required to keep her happy and quiet. She knew that she would keep that memory close to her heart, her father the least of all would understand.

Arianna had never been a very satisfactory princess; her father had employed several nursemaids in attempts to tame her and her wild spirit. She had been rebellious, preferring to run amok with her hair unbrushed and her dresses torn and tattered from climbing the trees in the castle gardens or riding bareback around the grounds. She drove the cook’s helpers batty when she tried to sneak pastries and sweets from the racks in the kitchens. Palma the cook, a motherly figure to her, would sternly swat her behind whenever she did. Palma was the only one brave enough to take a hand to her, the rest feared her father’s wrath.

When she turned nine she was expected to wear lace and frills, but instead to spite her nursemaid she had snuck a maid’s outfit from the laundry and paraded about in it, much to the embarrassment and horror of the nursemaid. Upon being given a reprimand by her father, her nursemaid had vindictively taken the only thing she truly cared for from her. A stuffed doll, the only thing her mother had left her, having made it for her when the Queen had learned she was with child. The nurse maid had stood there and torn the doll apart maliciously and Arianna had broken down in tears and when the nursemaid had left her crying in her room, Arianna snuck out though the servant’s passage and runaway to that forest beyond the wall.

Arianna didn’t run very far, for it had soon grown dark and the shadows long in the forest. Arianna had begun to feel frightened and regretting her decision. It was then in the early hours of the night that she found herself face to face with an enormous silver dragon. Arianna could still remember the creature as clearly as if it were yesterday, it’s ice blue eye staring at her in its infinity, it’s body scarred and missing scales as if it had been in fight after ferocious fight, it’s black talons were dulled and a few missing and as it had panted it’s mouth was all gums except for two single teeth, it’s fangs. It’s skin was stretched tight over still bulging muscles and it still looked at if any moment it would leap up and begin a murderous rampage. The sight of the great dragon had shown her young mind how truly insignificant she was and how much life she still had to live, for she had thought for an instant that it was about to end.

And yet when she had looked into those eyes, eyes that seemed to hold a vast amount of years, so many that her own sense of time was destroyed, she saw no malice or rage, only a peace and intelligence that didn’t seem to fully integrate with the stories and rumors she had heard of dragons.

The creature looked at her a long moment and gave a small keen and laid it’s head down on the pine needle carpet and closed its eyes releasing little Arianna from its spell and gave such a long relentless sigh that Arianna had wondered at the time if it was about to burn the whole forest down with a great blast of fire. Then in the next instant the body of the silver dragon stilled and so did the forest around them, not a sound was made, not even the trees or birds uttered a single note or dropped a single pine cone.

And Arianna had somehow known it was dead, had somehow known that this was not a thing to celebrate, but a thing to mourn and as she turned away from the corpse she heard a wolf howl at the moonless sky it’s mournful song illustrating the death of the noble beast.

Arianna hadn’t been in the forest since that night but she had gone to the old library of the castle, the only room that still held information from several centuries ago, having been routinely copied by the Pagemaster, a specialized scribe in the castle who dealt in conserving such information. There she read volume upon volume about dragons, many of them she noticed were her mother’s old books for her beautiful calligraphy was written in papers stuffed between pages and it had given Arianna a warm feeling that she and her mother had held and read the same books.

She had kept both her encounter and the death of the old silver dragon to herself and also when asked what she did in the library simply stated it was an independent study of the history of Hypren. It was true in a way.

Shaking herself from her musings, Arianna stood and crossed to her bed, extinguishing the lamp as she settled in the feather mattress and beneath the heavy blankets.

Before Arianna knew it she was asleep.

Hours later, Arianna woke with a start, disoriented and groggy. She was unsure what woke her so late in the night, with the moon high in the starry sky, shining brightly through her window, the stars winking at her. All seemed right

Yet a sense of fear still persisted and she sat up and reached for the lamp.

But something grabbed her wrist. Arianna froze and followed the arm to the owner of the hand that grabbed her. Standing at her bedside was a familiar hulking figure that sent fear coursing through her.

“Ignus?” Arianna gasped trying to pull her arm away “what are you doing in here? How dare you enter my chambers without my permission. Guar-mmph” Ignus clasped his hand over her mouth his grip vise-like, cutting off her cry.

“Oh no, princess, no shouting now” Ignus whispered and Arianna felt a sickening shot of fear go through her body, his voice dripped with malice and in the sharp light of the moon Arianna could see his eyes, a hungry glint sparked there. She tried to scramble back, but the thick blankets prevented her from moving very far. She tried to hit him with her other hand but he was much faster, with reflexes born of training and battle experience he struck her.

His backhanded blow stunned her and lights danced in front of her eyes.

“And no fighting back” Ignus growled “I’ve been wanting you too long for this to be spoiled by your foolish need to keep up pretenses. You flaunt yourself before me as if you do not know how you affect me, princess. But you must have known. Now be a good girl”

Arianna was still reeling from the blow he had given her and had recovered enough to scratch at Ingus’s face but another blow snapped her head around and she tasted blood as she bit her tongue. She saw white and red lights and could barely blink when she felt his weight on her bed, in desperation she scrambled back.

Another blow to her face and the world went black.


Arianna sat in the antechamber, her head in her hands, ignoring the servants that moved silently around her, dusting and straightening.

“Milady” one of them touched her shoulder gently and Arianna flinched so badly from him that the servant drew back in surprise.

“Boris” Arianna sighed, forcing herself to relax as she recognized him, she passed a hand through her hair. “Forgive me”

“I understand Your Highness” Boris said sympathy clearly in his eyes. “Though the monster has paid for his crimes, they still linger”

Arianna said nothing but stood, suddenly restless. She paced around the room, the memories unbidden storming to the forefront of her mind.

She had awoken to Ignus atop her, inside her, her night gown shredded and her flesh exposed. Guards had answered her screams that Ignus was too slow to stop and pulled him off of her. Maids quickly bundled her in wool blankets and hustled her to her sitting room, shielding her from the man that had ravished her body, Ingus’ curses echoing after her. All of it had happened so fast, but the aftermath still lingered.

Arianna had never felt so dirty and tainted; the words ravished and violated didn’t seem to encompass her feelings. And though Ignus was executed for his crimes, Arianna now saw him in every man, even her own father, who she was now waiting for.

Her father had been informed of the incident, and it was he who had presided over Ingus’ execution and this morning he had summoned her, not a day since it had happened.

And she could not completely forgive her own helplessness and she clenched her fists as she thought of how easily Ignus had overpowered her with a few blows.

“Milady” Boris said and she looked up at him “His Majesty will see you now”

He will see me now? Arianna thought bitterly after nearly two days after I have been traumatized and alone save for the few servants that could spare the time. He is my father I should not need a summons nor request his presence, he should be there.

Arianna stepped inside the King’s study and found her father behind his desk, smoking his pipe.

“Father” Arianna said quietly

“Arianna” King Braddoc said “please sit”

“I would rather remain standing” Arianna said coldly

“I see” the King said “you are still angry”

Arianna only crossed her arms and the King stood, a thin smoke trail following him as he walked around the desk, his hands behind his back.

“I will admit I miscalculated” the King said gravely and Arianna raised an eyebrow “but in my defense there was nothing to indicate this” Arianna could not hold her tongue any longer

“Had you listened to me, taken me seriously” Arianna said “this would never have happened. I told you that I did not feel comfortable around him, that his eye wandered far too much. But you dismissed me because I am a mere woman”

“That is enough young lady” King Braddoc said harshly. “The man has been punished accordingly, it is time to let it go”

Arianna clenched her fists and glared at the opposite wall, pressing her lips together.

“Now there is the matter of your marriage” King Braddoc said and Arianna forced her many protests back down her throat. She could not afford to anger her father at this moment. “The King of Dunbro is still willing to make the alliance, despite this incident. And I have accepted”

“You have?” Arianna asked flatly

“Yes, it is the best we can hope for now” the King said “we are quite fortunate that the Prince seems to care very little about the purity of his bride”

Arianna was shaking so badly that she had to put her hands behind her back and bury her fists in her skirts. After everything, she was still a commodity, a bargaining chip, her own father seemed unable to show sadness and remorse for her plight.

Very well, if brushing away her concerns was her father’s way of handling this situation then Arianna was going to have take matters into her own hands. She would no longer be helpless or defenseless, in that moment Arianna vowed that she would never again be in this situation, powerless to a man’s whim, be it her father or a man that meant her harm.

“Arianna” the King’s voice broke her thoughts “I will have assign a new body guard. Until then however, you are not to leave the castle grounds and guards will be posted outside your chambers and your mother’s library”

“As you say Father” Arianna said flatly

“You are dismissed” King Braddoc said

Arianna curtsied and turned from her father’s desk, strode out of the study and stood in the corridor for several moments after the door had shut, breathing deeply trying to calm down her whirling emotions.

“Milady?” asked the guard “is there something that I may assist you with” Arianna turned to him.

“Yes” she said “Tell me who trains the elite guard?”

“That would be the Smith Master, Liam Hall” the guard said

“Thank you” Arianna said and she gathered her skirts and began briskly making her way down to the corridor. She was not going to be defenseless anymore, she would no longer be a feeble princess. She only hoped that the Master Smith would be willing to teach her. It was a farfetched hope perhaps, yet one that she fully intended on pursuing.

Arianna pushed open the door that led outward atop the second wall and began making her way briskly past the few servants and guards there that bowed and curtsied as she approached them. Arianna inclined her head in return and stopped to overlook the training grounds and forges, from which a loud clanging was echoing from. Excellent, she thought the smith is there.

The training grounds were deserted apart from a page raking the loose loam smooth in the sparring ring. Arianna ignored the pages gasp and stood outside a soot stained doorway, covering her ears to muffle the now deafening clang of metal on metal. Leaning in, Arianna could feel the heat of the forge fire and could see the Master Smith in the middle of making a rather large broadsword. The Master Smith was a tall burly man with huge arms that were covered in scars and soot. His leather apron was just as covered and his eyes were hidden behind goggles as he examined the blade, while his face and hair were black with soot, making it impossible to tell his age.

“Warren” Smith Hall’s voice rumbled like a rock slide down a mountain side. A middle aged man in oversized leather gloves came forward. “This one’s ready for grinding, then have Richard stoke up the forge and man the bellows.”

“Yes Master Hall” the man said glancing at Arianna as he took the red hot blade and disappeared deeper into the forge. Master Smith Hall pulled off his own leather gloves and pulled up his goggles, his tan skin only visible where they had been, but Arianna saw that the corners of his blue eyes crinkled as if he smiled often. The Smith turned to her and his bushy eyebrows crunched together.

“Your Majesty” the Smith bowed to her and she nodded in return “I welcome you to my humble forge”

“Thank you Master Smith” Arianna started to say but the end of her sentence was interrupted by a harsh grating sound and Arianna could just make out sparks as they bounced around the corner.

“Come, Your Ladyship” the Smith said gesturing outside and the pair moved away and the sound grew fainter. “What can an old Smith do for the Hyprenian Princess”

Arianna smiled she liked his direct approach.

“If you please, Smith Hall” Arianna said “there can only be two reason why I have chosen to knock on your door. I find it rather hard to believe that you were not expecting me to come eventually”

“With your Highness’s permission, may I be frank” the Smith asked folding his large arms

“I would prefer it” Arianna said, she felt at ease with him, she knew that he was a trustworthy man, though how she knew it she was unsure.

“Well, milady” the Smith said “’Tis no secret among us castle staff what happened in your chambers not three nights ago. Had you been a woman from my village, I would have expected you on my doorstep at first light. But you are a noble, sheltered and fragile. Soft I suppose. I didn’t think you had the clout to ask for my help.”

“Fragile?” Arianna asked with a smirk “other women of the court perhaps sir, but I’ll not be labeled among those empty headed geese.”

The Smith smiled slightly, there was kindness there, not a hint of malicious intent or derisive smirk.

“If I may see your hands Your Majesty” he said and Arianna looked at him suspiciously but did so. He turned them over. “Look, not a callous on the palm, nor a single cut and smooth as a rose petal. Few have such lovely hands, do you wish them rough and scarred.” Arianna stuck out her chin defiantly, her fingers curling into fists while still in the smith’s large and leathery grasp.

“What do I care for soft hands?” Arianna countered “I would rather be prepared than a dainty flower waiting to be picked. I would rather have thorns than petals”

Smith Hall looked at her a moment then chuckled and let her hands go.

“Well now” he said “let’s see what you’ll be saying later, Your Majesty”

“And one more thing” Arianna said but the smith shook his head, interrupting her.

“Ah” the smith said holding up a hand “I have little time on my hands to train you, Your Ladyship, but perchance, if you will wait another fortnight, I will send for my most accomplished student to tutor you in the ways of defense”

“A fortnight” Arianna said then nodded “I can wait until then, Smith Hall.”

STATIC

Dragon Gem Book One: Destiny Part 2  (13+) Chapter's 2 of my book. sorry I can't give you much description, limited 90 characters #2080066 by brimstone&chocolate