Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Deep in the Dark Land that was in the east of Krydáin stood a lone castle made of black marble and stone, it was a large and foreboding place. Just like the person who ruled over this land with an iron fist.

Kildarien was sitting on a throne that was made out of dragon bones with the fur of a Werebear thrown over the seat and arms to make it a little comfortable, not that he cared that it was comfortable or not he cared only for the fear and awe that the throne inspired when people saw it. The throne sat on a very high dais, which compared with his already tall stature it made him even more imposing.

He was tall and well-muscled; he had broad, muscular shoulders and when he wore his armor he cut an even more imposing sight then in the black leather breeches and black tunic that he wore now. His midnight black hair fell around the perfect features of his face that was sharp and refined; he had glowing icy blue eyes. Women had found him to be very handsome but then they see what was inside him and they saw his black heart that only beats for the pain and suffering of people weaker than he was. Sadly those women who fell for him were no longer around, having been feed to his pets along ago.

Kildarien took a sip of wine from the skull that had been made into a cup, his large hand was cupping the top of the skull and his finger of his free hand was tapping on the soft leather of his boot that was braced on his other leg.

Kildarien was his weak mortal name, he was now known as the Lich King and he ruled over and controlled all the evil creatures. The Lich King was what everyone called him and he had made sure that was the only name on their lips and what they called him.

The Lich King sighed heavily and said, “What is it, Murog?”

The shadows on his right moved and out stepped the leader of the Orcs, Murog. He looked just like any other of his brethren just uglier and taller. He wore a chainmail loincloth and armor on his shoulders; he carried a great battle axe.

“We found the girl, Lich King,” Murog said in guttural Common.

The Lich King looked at him and smirked, “Finally…so where was our dear little princess?” At last! After nineteen years of searching for the princess, he now has her in his grasp.

“She’s been living in the ancient forest with a former Dragon Rider named Kerrich,” Murog said cutting into his thoughts.

The Lich King arched one eyebrow at that but then he laughed, which caused Murog to take a step back fear in, it was never was a good sign when the Lich King laughed.

“Queen Raewen was smarter than I gave her credit for! I would have never thought to look for the princess with a shamed Dragon Rider!” The Lich King roared with laughter but as quickly as it came it ended just as quickly.

He looks at Murog and said, “Go and bring her to me…kill her protector if you have to but bring her to me whole and alive.” He left what would happen if he was disobeyed or failed unspoken, Murog and his men knew that the Lich King had no patience or tolerance for anyone who failed or disobeyed him.

Murog bowed and walked out of the throne room, and right passed the man that was standing there but the Lich King knew that the Orc didn’t see his second-in-command, Lelarin standing there.

Lelarin had black hair and eyes though his hair was much shorter than the Lich King, and like the Lich King, Lelarin wore all black.

“We finally found our wayward princess? That’s good to hear,” Lelarin said with a smirk.

The Lich King nods his head slightly and said, “Yes, I was about to lead an army into elfish land to get the girl’s mother but I couldn’t even stomach the thought of it.”

The Lich King hated everything that was of the light and life, the dark and dead was like mother’s milk to him and Lelarin. That was the only reason why he wouldn’t invade the elfish lands in the west but knew that if the princess went there to hide then he would invade those lands in order to get her. Lelarin smiled a cruel smile and said, “I know what you mean and I only like them when they are dead and bleeding.”

The Lich King chuckled darkly at that and said, “Oh, I agree.” Then he turns serious as he looks at Lelarin and the other man too becomes serious.

“I want you to follow after Murog but stay hidden, I want you to be my eyes and ears, and send a raven to me after the mission that I had sent him on telling me if it was successful or not,” he said as he placed his skull cup down, having long since finished it.

Lelarin bowed and said, “As you command, Lich King.” And then he straightened and walked out of the throne room, leaving the Lich King alone in his thoughts about what he would do once he has the princess of the Dragon Riders.

Kennera was brushing Fraener’s scaled with a stiff tooth brush; it was much stiffer than the brush that she would use on the horses. Humming, she brushed the area where his neck met his body going over that area with firm but gentle strokes as she thought about Lord Brales.

Kerrich had told her that Lord Brales had been burnt as a child by his dragon, Rajgrax, when he had first started bonding with it. No one knew why the dragon did it but despite the injury, Lord Brales and Rajgrax had a strong bond.

Lord Calan Brales was the greatest swordsman and Dragon Lord in all of Krydáin and would have made it into the King’s Guard, Kerrich told her while they headed back to their cottage, if it wasn’t for the fact that he was born into a lesser house.

Kennera never understood the whole thing about being either a noble and common that everyone outside these woods had nor would she ever understand it but if she had to describe herself and Kerrich, she would say that they were common and happy.

She frowns slightly as she tossed down the brush, now finished cleaning off the dead skin off of Fraener. Kennera sat down on his forelimb and pulled out her necklace that she kept in her corset.

The necklace was made of silver metal, the chains of the necklace was attached to the metal casing of the yellow jewel, and above of the jewel was a dragon that was etched out of the metal casing. There was a small jewel attached to the dragon’s tail by a hoop. She had had this necklace ever since she was a baby. Kennera traced the dragon with the tip of her finger, watching as the jewel caught the sunlight and made it glow.

She placed the necklace into her brown leather vest that went to her mid-thigh over a white tunic with narrow sleeves which was tucked into her archer bracers; she wore black leather breeches which were tucked into her boots. This is what she liked to wear, breeches they were easy to move in and protected her legs better than any dress that she owns. She stood up and walked out his pin just to see the horses run into the woods, eyes white with fear and panic.

“Berenger! Diatrem!” Kennera yelled, running after them.

“Leave them, Kennera!” Kerrich said running towards her, holding a sack under his arms. “They were right to run and now it’s your turn. Get Fraener saddled and take this sack with you, you’ll need it and I want you to head west.”

“West? But that’s elf lands and why would they help me? Everyone knows that elves don’t like man.”

“They will help you, Kennera but that is all that I can tell you…you must go now before they come here.” Kerrich pushed her back towards Fraener’s pin and handed her the sack.

“They’? Who is ‘they’?” she asked but she did as she was told, Kerrich never lead her astray or lied to her.

Kerrich shook his head and said, “Just go and whatever you may hear or see do not return, just go west and tell that Kerrich sent you.”

And with that, he pushed her into the dragon stable and closed the door behind her locking it. Kennera pushed all thoughts away for now and hurriedly puts on Fraener’s saddle on and tied the sack to the saddle, behind were she sits on it. Fraener had crouched down as she puts his saddle on, the dragon was silent for once most likely he had heard what Kerrich had said outside and was being silent to not lure whoever it was that was here to them. She then climbed into the saddle and squeezed his sides with her thighs and legs, Fraener crouched down even lower, his talons digging into the dirt and straw and then he pushed off with his tail and hind legs, his large wings snapping open and with three powerful beats of his wings he was breaking through the roof of the barn and gaining altitude.

That was when she saw the orcs charging out of the bush and even though she wanted to help Kerrich, she knew that she would just be in his way so she turned Fraener west and headed there, never once looking back. They flew in silence for a few minutes until Fraener broke it by saying, “So are we heading west instead of north?”

“Yes, Kerrich said to go there and ask the elves for help…why? What’s in the North?”

Fraener doesn’t answer at first and the only sound she heard was the flapping of his wings but then he said, “Dragon Castle is in the north, which is the homeland of the Dragon Lords.”

“And what’s in the South?”

“In the south is Dragon Keep where the Dragon Riders and their dragons live and train.”

Kennera frowned when she heard that, she wondered why Kerrich sent her west instead of north or south where she would be much safer and with her fellow Dragon Riders.

She shrugs her shoulders then and said, “Maybe we will find answers to our questions with the elves and then afterwards, we’ll head North or South to find more answers.”

Fraener lets out a humming sound and said, “Sounds like a plan, little one.”

Kennera remembers the bundle and turns around, making sure to keep her legs firmly gripping his sides so she doesn’t lose her balance and falls off. She opens the top of the bundle carefully and saw that there was a dagger and bow as well as a quiver full of arrows, clothing was also in there as well. Kennera closes the bundle and turns back around; she would look at it closely when they landed at the Elfish Kingdom.

She leans forward and wraps her arms around the front of the saddle, she would rest for now knowing that Fraener would be able to fly without her aid and that he would wake her when they land. So Kennera closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep, listening to the soft, steady beat of wings flapping.

Fraener felt Kennera fall asleep, he felt it by how her body relaxed against him and when he had checked on her he saw that she was indeed asleep.

He looked back ahead as he thought back on the scent he had picked up while he had been flying away from their cottage. It didn’t smell like Orcs, it smelled like a man but yet it didn’t smell like any man that he smelled before but he hadn’t said anything to Kennera because the person was just watching.

So Fraener had only focused on escaping, on getting his rider to safety. He knew that Kerrich was dead; he had no chance in winning against that many enemies. Though Fraener would not tell Kennera that, she needed to focus on getting to the elven kingdom and then on what she would do afterwards.

Fraener, for now, would now focus on flying and making sure that no one was following them.  I promise you, little one, that we will kill those responsible for Kerrich’s death, he thought knowing that eventually Kennera would learn of Kerrich’s fate.

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