Book 2: Drums of War

Drozakrahth

She shined…. I was legitimately proud of her… she spoke like a dragoness mated to the All King… though I left her to speak with my mother and Zeshava. We thought it best since we Still were not done, that they could have a bit of a break.

They went shopping. I held no worry for them so long as they stayed behind the walls. I ruled these lands. There were also no incidents of undeath here.

Currently, the other kings were upset that they would be in guest quarters. I don’t know what they wanted. It was the best option, given the situation. They proudly didn’t Want my protection, but those who were their heirs, if it wasn’t sorted out, were Smaller than them.

To be fair, the dragons of my time were probably about the size of my father, though the drakes of that size were killed by the elves during the war that continued after my death.

“Your highness… unlike the Rest of the Kings here, I gladly accept my residency.” Bowed Ghast. “May I request water mages to keep my room cool?” He asked.

“So long as they are not made into toys.” I grumbled.

“I would not do that… my touch is too cold for mortals to withstand.” He bowed. “Plus it would be wrong to leave my mate to protect our lands, only to break her heart.”

“…. Ghast is right.” Said Hellion. “I trust my wife to protect the country… she knows light-o-gram magic….” He mumbled.

“Son all I ask is that if I am needed… that you protect your mother. I don’t care if I die… I did all I set out to do in this life.” Said father looking out the window.

“Well…. Seeing as how I’m not taking any of you with me… you should live if you don’t die of boredom.” I grinned.

There was also the fact that the ocean was a dead zone for magic. It was so salty and large that any who traversed the waves, had better have non magical backups…. It meant that he was landlocked to these two continents.

“At least sire… take some of our guards for the mortal ground grunts. You may not be able to be killed but the hundreds of humans he may be amassing may cloud your flightpath with spells.” Said Hellion.

“That’s very perceptive. I’ll take… 200 from each of you. With you, and Tivesh when he gets here, that should be a thousand dragons.” I mumbled thinking out loud.

“We should send 400.” Said father. “… I think…. I think with this instance behaving as a true dragon is what the humans need… We gave them reform… that they not hide in holes covered in their own piss in fear… and they raise the dead to be rid of us.” Said father.

It sounded like he was Bitter. I shook my head.

“Thinking like that, you’ll end up being as you were. The humans are too soft to endure the True harshness of dragons now.” I said firmly. “If you are Truly good to your mortals, I doubt they will follow Harbon …” I said with a dismissal call. It sounds akin to a crow’s caw. It’s sharp and slightly higher pitched, so it can be heard even in the air.

They looked at me… even father did not understand that.

“Oh right. That is Old draconic.” I said nearly facepalming at myself. “You are all dismissed. Find a room, and rally your troops to meet me at the border. All my servants, even the collard ones are not to be harmed. If they disrespect, they are my responsibility to punish.” I said leaving. “Oh, and I’m not leaving the city until mother and Azula get back here.”

“Then be safe… you may be the Realm King, but you are still my son.” Said father. He put a firm pat on my shoulder. “And it would be strange not to accompany you, but I understand why you’ve ordered this.” He said with a firm nod of his head.

“I need the city protected. This Especially goes for all the commoner housing areas. It spreads like a disease, but how long it takes to become active I don’t know…” I mumbled.

I knew father would watch and protect my mate… Plus it would take a lot to kill me. He’d have to likely wield a sword blessed by the gods to cut my scales, but I wouldn’t be so cocky as to not think that was completely impossible.

I stayed in the War Room a while longer, mulling over old texts that didn’t help, nor contribute. My son had left, though I would not summon him again. The things he spoke of were thousands of years ago. Now at this moment, the poison that makes humans change may not be the same.

Plus the goals of the ‘man king’ was to secure a place for his people… if he had not been some old magic horror, I might have considered putting him on an isolated island. He could rule a few, but humans would never be satisfied with still knowing that their fellow mortal was less.

In this world they were never given a chance, since we were first. By the time mortals had come about, or were discovered, the draconic, witch, beastkin, and elvish empires had already been ruling about two hundred years. We were also stronger and faster than them… they were easy to subjugate, though with the technology and learning our weaknesses made them somewhat of a threat.

Dragon steal could not really cut me… or most kings without some addition like scorpion pine, but even still… they tinker too much. This world’s magic comes from its wild, untamed nature… one could fly days before seeing a settlement of any kind… Humans would actively ruin that.

The women came back, and I made it my business to greet them. My wife looked almost like a different person in commoner’s clothing, but I knew that spell well. Mother invented a spell with grandmother. It was to hide their status, but it mostly just made the clothing one wore look like she’s a high class noble, not a queen. It also muffled the scent a bit, but thankfully the face stayed the same.

My little mate shyly came up to me and had a box in her hand. “I got this for you.” She smiled.

“I love it.” I said giving her a small kiss on the forehead, and she handed me the small brown paper box.

It was small but inside was a scarlet red silk, black and gold thread trimmed shirt, similar to the wool one I wore. I liked it, even though it was actually a bit too… flashy for me. There was also no magic on it. Maybe that could be arranged? However, that she’d thought of me, it showed she warmed up to me faster than I thought she would.

“It won’t shift with me, but I will wear this in court from now on.” I smiled.

“I would very much like that… I wanted you to have something special before you left.” She said shyly.

She sounded like she wanted me to stay…. And if she’d have asked I would have tried to use my troops first…

I pressed her to my chest a moment. I let her feel how much love I held for one so small… but I also wanted my scent on her refreshed… I could also scent that my firm hold on her aroused her too. I broke it off before I really did stay.

“I will return.” I said caressing her cheek.

“I know you will…” She said shyly. She was so soft spoken, it pleased me greatly… it seemed everything she did soothed my heart…

I left her after one more kiss. I could not stay. As much as I wanted to keep building on our relationship… my affection needed to be replaced for aggression. War was here.

I became my true size. I cast a heavy shadow over the town, being about the size of it… I could hear the oo’s, ah’s and screams, but before I left, I would say something to the public.

“You mortals are My citizens. So long as you abide by the law, there will be no trouble…. But know we kings are Bitter… We have Changed our monstrous ways for Your sakes… yet here I am having to leave my home because of Ungrateful Mortals. Mortals that had they come to me, I would have avenged their injustice. So I tell you all this: Behave. Do this, and you won’t have to worry about the undead sickness I know you all have heard about by now… All mortals…. All who age with the moon and sun, do NOT leave the city….”

I flew off. I could bet that they were amazed that I could speak common as a dragon… I know they were also amazed at my size. It was why I often shifted as I fell, so as not to crush the entire town, or my castle. They will hopefully never know the sting of losing their minds or their loved ones to this plague… one so serious… one that even death would not stop.

But at the same time, I felt the same bitterness as my father. He changed his very nature… as did I, only to be spat in the face. The humans Made This Monster… We killed it… and they brought it back…But it also could not be denied that they were tricked. They thought him some benevolent leader… However, he ate them as much as he fed off the dead dragons he slayed. Whatever I do to deal with this, I will have to show my absolute might.