"Well your kingship, it is because of trolls that the word "trolling" began. Trolls would rather just look at the cover of a book and not really open it to the pages within," Drat replied. "Though, with the old king before you, there was such a competition between him and the Gooblin King that resulted in them both going after powerful books," Drat continued. "After all, wizards aren't just powerful on their own magic but from all the knowledge they collect. Both the old Troll King and the Gooblin King knew this," Drat said as he caught up to Dulbbe before he opened the door to the Shadows' Queen library. "Hmmm," thought Dulbbe as they stood in front of the closed door. "What if there are some old scrolls or books that could give us more information on this Wish Dragon, Siate'? I mean, Drat, just think of her power," Dulbbe pondered. "If she was so all powerful back when, why did the Dragons leave the realm? If the Dragons were so mad at the villagers enough to leave, why not wipe out the villagers instead? Or did history get rewritten with the Dragons leaving? Interesting questions that I think we need to know the answers, Drat," said Dulbbe as he opened the door to the library while Drat wondered about his new King. "A troll who believes reading is a virtue and doesn't wait for a servant to open doors for him," he mused to himself. As Dulbbe entered the Shadows' Queen huge library, they quickly headed to room 101 where the one source that might be able to answer a few of his questions was located. As he took the cover off the crystal ball it began to glow a pale green. "Oh Wise One, is there a book or scroll that tells us of the time of Siate' the Wish Dragon when she was in power?" The Dragon orb flashed a couple of times and then began to glow a brighter green as it answered Dulbbe's question. "Yes." "The Gooblin King has it, though he knows it not," answered the orb. "It will be difficult to find for the scroll has it's own spell on it to keep it hidden from those that look to harm Dragons. For the scroll knows that knowledge is power and it hides from those that seeks it's power." In frustration Dulbbe's threw up his hands and growled, "How can we find a scroll that cloaks itself, let alone has hidden itself among the gooblins?" The Orb answered, "With the help of a Dragon."
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"I can't have Dragons moving too close to our brewing spot," thought Allspice. "Otherwise I would never be able to have any of the brew stored here in the barrels. After all, part of the appeal of the brew to Dragons is that they find it irresistible." Allspice put his hand up next to the cave wall and started twisting it from left to right. Part of his ability was to feel the vibrations of sound since he used music to add his magical touch to the brew. This time when he heard the sound he felt his way along the walls of the tunnel to find where it was coming from. The closer he came to the sound, the more he could make out that it sounded like conversation going on between two creatures. "One of them is upset," he decided.
"That was a fool's errand, Aralt!" the She Dragon roared. "There wasn't a Dragon anywhere, let alone anyone that even knew about Dragons until we showed up from the direction we were sent." Aralt knew that when the Siate' was in a temper it was very wise indeed to keep one's head down if one wished to keep said head on one's shoulder. Allspice also had learned long ago about a Dragon's temper and decided it might be better to stay hidden behind the boulder for a bit longer. "That silly word game those villagers and that stupid little Dragon played on me has made me dangerous indeed!" continued the irate Dragon. "How can a Wish Dragon even not be a Wish Dragon any longer?" Aralt was pondering some of those same thoughts himself as he just stood there as Siate' continued to stomp around the cave while circling him as she ranted. "Now that was an interesting thought," Allspice said to himself. "Is there a way to take away a Wish Dragon's wishing ability... and would one want to do it?"
Even Griselda had not thought out this possibility of being known. "I don't think I even showed my tattoo yet either", thought Griselda as she brought her hand to her lips in surprise. “Greetings oh mighty one. Yes, it has been a long time and your presence greatly enhances our Realm,” Griselda replied receiving a smile from the Wish Dragon. It was then that Siate’ decided to address the young Dragon standing with the villagers. “And who are you and from which clan are you from?” she asked Dree. After a pause while he thought about his answer, Dree replied. “I am Drai’ochtluan and was of the Wish Dragon clan.” Siate’ waited for further explanation but when Dree did not continue, she thought that maybe Aralt was correct and this young Dragon was a little stupid. “What do you mean ‘was’ of the Wish Dragon clan?” she asked him. “As I was the only Wish Dragon before your arrival, I did not see myself as part of a clan,” he answered. With this answer Aralt smirked. He noticed the look that had appeared on Siate’s face. "Yes. I had already warned her that this Dragon was not the brightest," as he let his lips slightly curl up into a small smile.
“That is true,” Dree solemnly answered with a slight bow. When he did not explain himself further, it was Aralt who asked “Where?” After appearing to be thinking about his answer, finally Dree replied. “I am pretty sure that I said Where could be in the caves south of here.” After another pause he continued, “Yup. Possibly in the caves south of here. You might want to talk to Who as well.” “Who do I talk to?” Aralt asked. “Yes,” answered Dree. “I talk to Who?” again Aralt asked. “That’s right,” agreed Dree. It was then that Drat realized the game the young Dragon was playing. “That’s right,” said Drat as he smirked a smile to Aralt. “You should talk to Who. If you can’t find Who, then I suggest you go to the second cave and ask to see What. If you don’t get an answer from them then you then try the third cave. I Don’t Know Who is at the third cave." At this point Aralt, shaking his head, replied, " If you don't know who is at the third cave why are you sending me there? "No, no," replied Drat. "Why isn't sending you anywhere. I realize that this is all probably very confusing to you as an elder, so I will take you there if you need me to,” smiled Drat to the Herald. Again, feeling his intelligence insulted, Aralt puffed up his head and told the rat to mind his manners and that he would be just fine without his unneeded assistance. “Indeed,” the Herald replied as he marched up to Siate’ and offered to lead her to the other Dragons that must be in the southern caves. As they prepared to begin their quest, something still nagged at the mighty She-Dragon. “I don’t think this young Dragon is quite as stupid as Aralt thinks he is…” she murmured to herself as she turned to leave.
As everyone was listening to Griselda (aka the Dowager), it was Snoop who was writing down everything and recording those he saw at this eventful gathering. “Darn quill. Good thing I brought along some charcoal. Don’t want to miss a thing. This will be the biggest scoop in the history of the Bellwether,” he told himself. Taking out the charcoal and a piece of parchment, he began to write down those he recognized for sure. There was the Tree mother, Efem, with her sister Cornelia and Cornelia’s husband Nemmer. Standing near them was Parsley, the herbalist, and her son, Sprout. "Of course," Snoop thought to himself as he observed Granny Flare handing out dragon berry cookies with the three Goodie sisters serving tea. "Glad one can always rely on the Sisters and Granny for making sure we all stay alert and remain calm by feeding us," Snoop thankfully sighed rubbing his tummy. The Baron was seen helping his mother, the Dowager, while Awena of the Sleeping Sisters and the new King of the Trolls, Dulbbe, were quietly whispering to each other. Meanwhile, as the Shadows’ Queen Ffion was seen nodding her head in acknowledgement to the Gooblin King, Hir’aeth, as she entered, Hewy, the troll, was keeping an eye on the Borrower, Arnie. Even the minions were present Snoop noticed. “I saw Scarlet taking care of one of the Nytemares just before I entered. That must have been how Queen Ffion arrived and I see her chief minion Meen is by her side too. Even Drat is here,” he realized. As most everyone was still listening to Griselda speak, Snoop noticed one individual that seemed to be only interested in the portal. Standing near it, Dree was looking at the portal entrance as if something dreadful was going to be stepping out of it. Deciding this would be the perfect time to get to talk to the Dragon (personal interviews always were well received by the Bellwether readers), Snoop stealthily moved over to stand next to the distracted Dragon.
Before Snoop could reply Dree continued, "That is one of my problems as is how does one respect their elders if they have not earned the respect? If the Dragons come through this portal, I am wondering how I will react. I have never met another Dragon. You are all my friends. Even though the Dragons may be part of my heritage, they are still strangers to me. You are my family now…” Snoop was surprised on how much Dree had matured since he had first found out that Granny Flare was caring for a Dragon baby. Now that baby was making the decision of who was is his relatives or his friends. “Dree, you may never have to make that choice. As you said, you have not met any other Dragons before. Give it a chance. You might be surprised and find out that they are more like you than you may think. The Dowager is from the Dragon Clan of old and she doesn’t act anything like Aralt does. Dragons are probably as different from each other as people are.” Dree turned his head to look at Snoop and finally smiled. “You are right. Everything should have it’s chance. Thanks Snoop… oops… Augustus,” blushed the Dragon. Snoop smiled at Dree and then started to laugh. Soon both of them were laughing and it did not take long for everyone else to notice. As Dree was wiping away a tear, it was then he realized that everyone had quit talking and they were all watching him and Snoop. In less than a couple of minutes the Dragon blushed again. “Sorry everyone. I was getting some good advice on what to do if Dragons come through the portal.” Griselda smiled at the two and then asked, “Should we all know what the advice is?” Again, Dree paused before answering. “Yes. I was told that everyone should be given a chance to be trusted. I will stay here until the Dragons come through the portal to ask my questions and see how we are treated because I believe in my friends already, now I will learn if I can I trust my relatives?” That made some of the more nervous in the group a little more confident having a Dragon on their side. Soon everyone was sitting around the Dragon and watching the portal.
Before he thought about it he casually answered “It hasn’t changed much,” he started to tell her – then he stopped.
Surprised that he even had found one since the She Dragon thought all of the Dragons had stayed together with her. She just looked at the Herald and said, “Continue. Why was a Dragon there and where was it from?” Not realizing this information had surprised the mighty Dragon, Aralt continued on about his meeting with Dree. “He isn’t very bright and I felt no real magical power when I met him. He didn’t even know that I was a Dragon Herald. The locals call him Dree and apparently he spends a lot of times with a rat. He said that there were some adult Dragons to the south of the where the portal opens into the Realm of Wymsy.” “Yes, they were my scouts." Siate' remarked to Aralt.
They would use the portal to regain their old land. “Lead the way Herald for you will be the best one to introduce us to our new neighbors,” she told Aralt as she motioned for him towards the portal entrance.
When Aralt found the Emerald Dragon Stone and learned that it allowed him to listen to the mind-speaking of Dragons, she was the first to realize he could hear them. “Aralt, the Dragon Herald,” she named him one day. The title amused Aralt at first, for he soon found that the stone made it even easier for the Dragons to agree with him. Afterall, he was their speaker to the other fae and ‘outies’. Shortly afterwards he and Siate' formed a lose bond to help her establish her reign over the others. She needed a tool and he thought he was manipulating the powerful Wish Dragon to his plans. Now, Dragons normally are independent and don’t believe in royalty or governments for themselves, but they do respect power and ability. She remembered the day she gifted it to Aralt as a special reward for his help in convincing the other Dragons to have her as the leader of the Wish Dragon clan. “If only I knew of it’s true power, I would never have given it to him.” The ‘true power’ of the golden corolla was that by itself it was merely a slightly magical crown as it was part of the Wish Dragon’s golden horde. Gold is like a sponge in water. It absorbs and stores loose magic just waiting for anything/or person that knows how to use the magic to release it. Siate’ was not worried about the Herald being able to use the slight magic the corolla held as it would never be powerful enough to endanger her. What the Dragon still did not understand how the Emerald Heart Stone would change of all that! “Him and that damnable crown,” grumbled Siate’ under her breathe as Aralt kept talking about his adventures. He did not even notice that she was not really paying attention to him and his tales… she was thinking back to a long time ago when her plans started to unravel once the Herald placed her ‘gift’ onto his head. She had given him the corolla just before they were to meet the Old One in open council. The Old One was the oldest Dragon who the others naturally deferred to as their elder. Respected and venerated she was. If Siate’ could get her blessings, she would have no challengers to be the Old One's replacement when she faded away. Siate’ could remember clearly as if it was only yesterday. Aralt, wanting to display his new gift from her, had placed the corolla on his brow as they walked in to the open council area with his green stone that looked like an heart hanging around his waist. The plan was for Aralt to announce Siate’ as if she was a queen so that the other Dragons would believe she had the right of rulership. If things went well and the Old One did not deny this entrance, then she would win. If not, then the Herald could be chastised for his error.
His method of entrancing the other Dragons only improved with time and still today she did not know how he did it. “New plan,” she decided. “This time I will find out his method so I use him and his ability for me!"
Aralt, already forgetting about the Wysp, continued down the tunnel leaving the barrier and the Wysp behind. Far up ahead he could see a familiar glow… it was the glow of a Dragon breathing fire! “I’m finally in the right place,” he told himself as he continued towards the light.
“Aralt walked through, so either he was invited or he has his own stone,” thought Nemmer. “Either way, it can’t be good.” The archer watched the blue Wysp for a little while making sure that it could not get through. When he was sure the Wysp was not going to get in, Nemmer decided his next stop would be the Baron’s Mansion. He needed to tell the Dowager Griselda what was happening. “She will be able to tell the others faster than I can. I hate running but for this I think speed is needed right now,” he mumbled to himself as he took off in a hunter’s run. As Aralt turned the corner, the first thing he saw was a Dragon’s head. It was ‘Her’… how could he have been so lucky to find her first? Her eyes were closed and it looked like ‘She’ was sound asleep, but Aralt knew better. She was a tricky Dragon… that is how she had managed to be the ‘unofficial’ leader of the Dragons for many, many, many years. Without even thinking about it, Aralt touched first the golden corolla on his brow and then the locket holding the emerald Dragon heart stone making sure they were both still there. That is when the Dragon smiled. A very large toothy smile… a smile with a lot of very large and sharp teeth. Opening her eyes, she just looked at the Herald and waited for him to speak first. Aralt knew what ‘She’ wanted. It was the recognition of an underling. “She is waiting for me to address her first as her inferior,” he remembered. Rankled at the thought that he was subservient to her but realizing that she would not speak until he started, Aralt spoke. “Greetings your Most Worthy. It has been a long time.” “How dare she mind-speak to me!” he thought as he realized she was still smiling her toothy smile but her lips were not moving. “I am not one of your underlings” he wanted to reply, but he knew that would not get him what he wanted. In the long run it only would start another of those many arguments they had before he and the Dragons had parted ways. One thing Aralt had learned over the many years of being with Dragons though was the technique of manipulation. Smiling, the Herald replied, “Oh, I am sorry. You must be weak from your travels as you are only able to mind speak. You are old after all and not in your prime anymore. I will depart and return when you are feeling better,” and he turned as if to leave the cave. “Where do you think you are going?” demanded the Dragon. This time she did not mind-speak but spoke it aloud causing the stalactites in the cave to sway slightly and a few of the loose stones on the floor to tremble. With his back to the Dragon, Aralt took a second to remove his smile, and then turned around to face the mighty Dragon. “Ah, I was mistaken. Now you sound like your old self. My pardon. How are things in your domain and will you still need the services of a herald?” he asked.
Aralt did not disappoint her. Soon he was telling her of his many journeys after the Dragons had left this Realm. As she listened, she also started to consider ways to include him in her plans, or maybe not... that was for her to ponder.
Griselda sent them back to the cave and told them to stay there until she could send messages to the other council members to decide what they would do next. "What are you laughing at?" asked Griselda to her son as the rat and Dragon started back to the caves. "Dree told me a new joke. It goes something like this... Knock... Knock... and you are supposed to say 'Who's there?'" The Dowager just shook her head and smiled thinking about how much of a kid her son still was.
"One would think that a coach or something would travel these roads a little more often," he again grumbled. After walking a little more, Aralt decided to sit down on a log near the trail by where he had first overheard the Wysps. "I wonder if those Wysps are still here?" he asked himself. "It would make it easier if I knew which cave they were talking about that had the portal in it." As if by magic, a Wysp did appear! "Ah, stranger. Are you lost?" it asked Aralt. Before thinking, Aralt growled, "That's twice in one day someone has implied that I am lost and don't know where I am going. I will have you know that I have walked these hills long before your kind even turned blue."
"Only if you know where the portal is," Aralt told him while digging another rock out of his shoe that was rubbing his little toe raw. "Ah, that's too easy. How about a nicer cave that has a waterfall in the back of it?" answered the Wysp. It took a minute before Aralt realized what the Wysp had just told him. It knew where the cave was! This time thinking before he answered, the Herald decided that he would trick the Wysp into taking him to the portal. "I don't think you even know what a portal is," he replied. "So, I best be going on my way alone."
Smiling, Aralt soon had the Wysp mad enough that it would show Aralt where the portal and cave were 'just to prove I know what I am talking about'. Shortly, they were entering the cave with Aralt following the glowing blue Wysp. "It's right here. See," as the Wysp hit the portal wall with a stick it had picked up off of the floor which bounced back from the invisible wall. "Nothing can get through it and we tried." Ignoring the Wysp, Aralt started walking towards the invisible barrier. Now it was the Wysp's turn to smile as he expected the stranger to bounce off of the wall just like the Wysps did. The surprise on the Wysp's face would have made Aralt laugh if he had been watching it as the Herald walked right through the barrier and disappeared.
There were so many footprints that Aralt soon realized that he would have just about as much luck in the middle of the busiest street in the village trying to find his own footprints. "Dragonsbreathe!" he muttered disgruntled. "I don't have time to check out all of these caves." But soon it was evident that he wasn't going to be able to do this the easy way and resigned himself to start exploring each cave with every twist and turn. After several hours of searching and just before he was ready to give up thinking that maybe he did have the wrong caves after all-- he heard it. At first he wasn't sure what the noise was, but as he approached the direction it was coming from, he realized that what he was hearing was laughter. The laughter of a Dragon! "I knew I was right," he silently congratulated himself.
As he was listening, the rat started to read the Dragon another joke... "Okay Dree. I have a good one for you. What did the left eye tell the right eye?" The Dragon shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "I don't know, what?" he asked. Snickering Drat answered, "Something between us smells." It took Dree a few seconds before he figured out the punchline and started to laugh.
Drat and Dree both looked at each other before Dree answered. "My name is Drai'ochtluan but you may call me Dree for short. This is my friend and aid to King Dulbbe, Drat. What is a Dragon Herald might I ask?" Aralt wasn't ready for that question. He had been the Dragon Herald for so long that all of the Dragons knew him and what he did. Why didn't this one? "Why, I announce the Dragons arrival and help to keep the understanding that has long been in place between Dragons and all of the other fae to also include the 'Outies'," answered Aralt. "How is it that you have never heard of me? Where are the other Dragons so that I may talk to them instead?" Aralt asked while thinking that this young Dragon must not be very bright.
Quickly offended Aralt replied, "I need no help finding my way rat" as he turned around and stormed from the caves. Drat followed him to make sure that as he left the caves and he was indeed headed south. As Drat watched, Dree had quietly followed. "He is going to be mad when he finds out there aren't any Dragons in the caves to the south, isn't he?" asked Dree. "Yuppers," replied Drat. "But that should give us plenty of time to tell the others that he has seen you and what happened. We should head to the council hall." "Great and on our way there I heard a new joke," snickered Dree as they started towards the village. "First I say... Knock, Knock... and you say 'who's there'..."
The council meeting broke up as soon as everyone learned that Aralt had managed to leave Meen behind. With him disappearing the Dowager immediately sent Meen to warn Drat that the Herald may be heading towards the caves where Drat and Dree were supposed to be hiding out. Awena also wasted no time and went directly to her library to find the Dragon's Return prophecy to see if there might be a clue to reveal what Aralt's power over the Dragons might be. As she sorted through the many prophecy scrolls, more than once she thought that they should have some sort of index to be able to find the one she was looking for faster. "Once this is over, I will have to meet with the staff to figure something out," she told herself as she put another scroll aside in her search for the right one.
Normally Efem would almost dread having to enter the Sacred Grove to talk to the ancient trees but not this trip. Since learning they could speed talk, she hoped they would respond quickly to her requests for knowledge that only they knew from the roots of the Realm's past. "I hope that the Ol' Yew is not asleep," she thought as she approached the mighty tree. As she stood next to it and looked upon it's shiny green foliage, Efem was awed by a random thought of how much it must have seen during its life cycle. "I remember my mother bringing me here to see the Yew when I was a young sapling and the Yew was ancient even then." As she silently waited for the tree to notice her so she could ask her questions about Aralt the Herald, Efem was contently lost in her own memories of the past. "One of the stories of the ages and I don't know where to start," thought Snoop as he sat at his desk in the Bellwether and tried to put quill to parchment. "I promised the Dowager that I would not print anything that would give Aralt a clue as to Dree, but I have to print something!"
It was his pile of the Herald newspapers that came crashing down from a shelf and just missing hitting him on the head that made him think... "Herald! That's it! I need to write about what we know about Aralt the Dragon Herald. That way I won't give away what we know about Dree. Plus I can get the word out that he has returned. This will be a terrific article!" Right away Snoop was lost in his writing and not even wondering any longer if Aralt might have found the caves where Dree was hiding.
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GreetingsWelcome to my blog. This is where I will reveal the magic of my Fae and their stories and share with you some of the success and pitfalls through the journey of doll making, sculpting, and other crafts that all come back to my dolls in many ways. Archives
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