Arimore

Arimore found himself in a dilemma. He knew he had to protect Sacha but he felt compelled to rescue Mason. “Sacha is safe for the moment,” he thought, “I will take care of the Prince first.” He watched as the guard walked the Prince toward the tower and swooped down unseen grabbing Mason in his talons and lifting him to safety. He placed him on the ground and allowed himself to be seen.

“Do not be afraid young Prince,” he said, “I mean you no harm.”

“Why have you taken me?”

“To save you from your father. Men like him do not care whether you are blood. They will put an end to anyone or anything they deem a threat and right now you are a threat to the King.” Arimore looked toward the hill, “On the other side of that hill your army is about to attack Calithorne. You can stop them. If you do I will know that you are truly the man I have seen in your heart. Now go, be the Prince I know you are.” Arimore once again lifted off the ground and flew toward Calithorne.

While Arimore was busy in Mardock, Elara was facing an army. She rode out with Gabriel by her side to meet their leader in the field.

She called out, “Who among you leads this army?”

A lone rider came to the front, “I, Pallidor of Mardock have been appointed leader by King Andre.”

“Pallidor of Mardock, I request audience,” the Queen dismounted.

Pallidor followed suit and walked up to the Queen, “Your request is granted.”

The two walked alone to the center of the field as the armies from both sides watched for any signs of trouble.

“Pallidor, just days ago you and your men stood in my courtyard. Did we not treat you as honored guest?”

“Yes my Lady.” He bowed his head, “Please understand that we have orders from our King.”

“That I do understand. Let me ask you, what reason does your King have for attacking a peaceful country?”

“I do not know. I wish I could help you but we have our orders. It would be treason for us to defy them.”

“Even if those orders begin a war with a friend? You have Prince Mason. He would stand with you, you know that. Won’t you stand with him? All I ask is that you return to your men and talk with them. We will not make the first move here but if you insist on bringing an unjust war to our home we will defend it. Please choose wisely.” Elara returned to Gabriel and the rode back to the trees.

“Listen to her,” a voice called over the hill. Pallidor turned to see a lone figure cresting the hill. “She speaks the truth.” As the figure drew closer he realized it was Prince Mason.

“My Prince,” he bowed.

Mason walked to Pallidor and embraced his friend. He then turned to the soldiers and walked back and forth before them, “My friends before you lies a great decision, one you should not take lightly. My father, your King has ordered you to attack Calithorne. To disobey a direct order from the King would be treason. I stand before you now to ask you to search your hearts. You know this is wrong. These people have shown us nothing but kindness. They have done nothing to provoke war. Why then does my father order this? I can tell you why. He made a promise to his father that he would overthrow Calithorne or die trying. He blames Calithorne for the dragon attacks of long ago. Just the other day the Queen stopped the great dragon from devouring us all. If she were our enemy why would she protect us?” He paused and continued to pace, “My friends, I ask you to take a stand with me, a stand for peace and unity between our nations. I cannot force you to follow me. I will not force you to follow me. The choice of who you will stand with today belongs to you. Consider carefully what you will do for if you stand with me you could face death for treason. If you stand with my father you could be heralded a hero. A true hero is not one who blindly follows orders even when they know they are wrong. A true hero stands for what is right no matter the cost.” He stopped pacing and stood alone in the middle of the field, “If you will stand with me then I will ask you to return to Mardock with me where we will usurp the King and his tyrannical rule. If you will stand with me then come forward and stand with me.”

Arimore and Rowan arrived at Calithorne at the same time. Arimore had taken the form of the old man. “Rowan, I was able to reach Sacha. She was headed for the dungeon the last time we spoke but I have been unable to hear her since.”

They ran to the dungeon and Rowan ran to the armory ahead of Arimore. The door stood open and Sacha was nowhere to be found. “We’re too late,” Rowan fell back into the dungeon.

Rage burned on Arimore’s face, “Rowan, how much of Sacha do you know?”

“I know she is a dragon.”

Arimore placed his hand on Rowan’s shoulder, “Listen carefully, she finished the egg. That means she has at most twenty four hours before her transformation begins. If I can reach her mentally I can give her a spell that will keep her identity secret. If I cannot, she will change and when she does she will be very fragile and unpredictable without Elara.”

“We must get to Elara,” Rowan replied, “Will you take me to her at the battlefield?”

“Meet me in the small clearing just outside the walls.”

Back at the battlefield Mason’s men had quickly made their decision to stand with Mason. Elara joined them and they had begun setting forth a plan for Mason and his men to return and face the King. Elara would not accompany them, to do so would give the King the reason he sought to start this war. She would return to Calithorne and to Sacha. Mason and his army would return alone and attempt to bring the people of Mardock into a new era, an era of peace.

“God speed my friend,” Elara embraced Mason, “know that I will stand beside you no matter the outcome. You have proven that you are not like your father and you have earned not only my respect but also my friendship.”

“Thank you,” Mason smiled, “We may not survive this day, I know that, but it is good to know that what I fight for is the truth. It is my hope that we will meet again and join our nations in peace.” Mason turned and led his army toward Mardock.

As they crested the hill a large dust cloud blew in the field as Arimore landed with Rowan. “My Lady, we were too late. They have Sacha.”

“Arimore, what are we to do?” Elara asked with panic in her voice.

“I have been unable to reach her, Elara but I know she will change soon. When she begins to change she will be very vulnerable and worse, very unpredictable. She needs you now more than ever. She will be confused and if they sway her and convince her that you are the enemy there will be a war like no other.”

“Then I must get to her,” she jumped on her white horse, “I must catch up to Mason.” Before they could stop her she rode off toward Mardock.

“Come Rowan, climb back on and we will watch over her from the air.”

Rowan mounted the dragon and they lifted off. They soared unseen from the world below. They watched as Elara caught up to Mason.

Mason halted the march and turned to Elara, “Elara, what’s wrong?” Mason could see that she was troubled.

“There’s something I need to tell you, privately.”

They rode far enough ahead of the waiting army as not to be overheard, “What is it? What has you so troubled?”

“There was a young girl in my charge. Her name is Sacha. Today while we were on the field your father had three men go to my castle and abduct her.”

“Why would he do that?”

“Mason, this is going to be difficult for you to understand so please be patient and hear me. This child is very special. Your father must have known that she was special to me but I don’t think he understands what he has done. She is not what she appears to be.” She paused and sighed, “There is no easy way to tell you this so I’m just going to tell you plainly, she isn’t really a girl she is a baby dragon.”

“A what?”

“I know it’s hard to believe. She was placed in my charge by Arimore himself when she was but an egg. When she hatched she looked like a young girl. She will remain in this form until the time she is strong enough to transform into the dragon. When she does she will be very unpredictable unless I am there to guide her.”

“I don’t understand. A baby dragon looks like a human?”

“Apparently a baby dragon, for reasons of preservation takes the form of a human until it grows strong enough to sustain itself in dragon form.”

“And my father kidnapped this young girl but he has no idea that she is actually a dragon?”

“I can’t say for sure but I don’t think he knows.”

“Elara, what happens if she changes and you’re not there?”

“She will be very vulnerable and could be convinced that we are the enemy but it is my hope that she will remember all I have taught her about love and compassion. Either way, I was appointed her caretaker and if I am not there to guide her she will be very unpredictable. She could destroy us all out of fear.”

“Well I think the only thing we can do is make sure you’re with her when she changes. How long do we have?”

“I’m not certain but I know the time is short.”

“Elara, do you trust me?”

“Yes Mason, I do.”

Mason turned and went back to his men. He briefly explained that they would bring Elara to Mardock as a prison. “This deception will allow us the opportunity to catch the King off guard. He will believe I have changed my heart and decided to join him in his quest for domination. Guards, take the Queen into captivity!”

Arimore saw the men arrest Elara and swooped down, “Arimore! No!” Elara yelled, “Trust me. This is the only way for me to get to Sacha.”

Her thoughts reached him just in time and he lifted back to the sky, “I understand,” he told her, “but I do not like it. I will be close by. If they harm you in any way I will burn them all alive!”

“I trust Mason.”

“As do I,” Arimore admitted, “He has proven himself worthy of my trust. When you find Sacha tell her the spell to keep her human is ‘convar anthrop’.”

They led the Queen back to Mardock with Mason riding beside her. As they rode into the courtyard the guard alerted the King to their arrival.

“Your Majesty,” the guard announced, “Prince Mason has returned and he has brought Queen Elara as a prisoner.”

“So, my son has had a change of heart.” the King rose and walked to the courtyard. “What is this?” he asked the Prince.

“Father, it is my sincere hope that you will accept this as my sincere apology for my actions. The Queen surrendered in exchange for my promise that none of her subjects would be harmed.”

“Foolish girl,” the King laughed, “Now that we have you we have Calithorne. Well done my son.” He embraced the Prince then turned to the guard, “Take her to the dungeon and let her see the other prize I have acquired.”

The guard led Elara to the dungeon and put her in the cell next to Sacha.

“Elara, what have you done?” Sacha cried.

“I came for you,” Elara whispered.

“I cannot stay in this form much longer. I feal the strength of the dragon within growing.”

“Listen carefully, Arimore gave me a message for you. The spell to remain in human form is ‘convar anthrop’. We must keep your identity hidden.”

“I understand,” there was a hint of sorrow in her voice.

“What is it?” Elara asked.

“I long for the sky Elara. It is an overwhelming hunger.”

“I promise even if it costs me my life, you will feel the freedom of the skies.”