Ffion gave him a quick glare and then realized that the orb did not immediately go into its standard response of "Your question is incomplete..." Returning her gaze back to the orb, it stopped flashing and began to speak. "The Herald, Aralt, is preparing his travels now and will return to this Realm before the Dragons arrive. Once he has returned the Dragons will be able to follow his path." "How long will that take?" asked Ffion to the orb. "The Herald will arrive soon. How long after that for the Dragons to arrive will depend on what the Herald does to summon them," the orb answered.
He could see the consternation on Ffion's face, but she was her father's daughter and he had taught her well about being a ruler. The people of her realm must come first. "You are right," she answered. "I am sorry... but I worry so about my father and I miss him so!" she said with a tear at the corner of one eye. It was at that moment that Dulbbe wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her but still he hesitated. "I still am just a bookkeeper," he thought to himself. "I will one day be worthy." Turning to the orb, Dulbbe asked his next question. "Tell us what you can about this Herald."
Ffion and Dulbbe looked a little confused at each other as neither had ever heard about this Herald before. They were both surprised also to hear that a Wish Dragon was the ruler of Dragons. Before Dulbbe asked his next question, Ffion asked hers. "I thought Dragons did not have a ruler per se. How did a Wish Dragon become their ruler?" "The Wish Dragon is the most powerful Dragon until a Moon Dragon is born. No Moon Dragons exist," the orb answered. Startled by this information, Dulbbe and Ffion both looked at each other thinking the same thought. Dree, who was a Wish Dragon before his recent transformation, was now a Moon Dragon. As the orb continued, both listened intently on what it was telling them. "The Herald helps the ruling Wish Dragon in keeping the continuity of the magic the Dragons use so as not to disrupt the harmony of all. In the beginning when dragons first received their magical powers and became mystical Dragons, they did not control what magics they did. Many mundane and magicals were hurt and destroyed. The Wish Dragons were among the mightiest of all magic welders! They could grant wishes that could change anything. The consequences of many of these granted wishes are still present here in the Realms." Both Dulbbe and Ffion knew that this was information that the others needed to know right away. If the Dragons were really returning and a Wish Dragon would be their leader this would be a whole new world for them to return to. For they did not know that a Moon Dragon now existed. Also how would this change things for Dree (a.k.a. Hungry), the newly wet behind the ears Moon Dragon? "You keep the orb talking," Ffion told Dulbbe as she headed towards the doorway. "I will send a flutterby to the Dowager and Awena. They need to know what we have found out."
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"Her growling at the orb won't solve the problem," he thought to himself since he knew better than to say it out loud. "You stupid thing! If you know where my father is - tell me!" she hollered at the glowing green orb. The only response she received was "Your question is incomplete. What knowledge do you seek?" "Queen Ffion, how about if I attempt something," Dulbbe asked. Ffion just waved her hands at the orb as if dismissing it and stepped back. "Okay !! See if you can get this stupid thing to work," she told him.
"Is the Shadows' King safe?" he asked the Dragon face in the orb. "Safe is a perspective concept. What knowledge do you seek?" answered the orb. "At least we are getting partially somewhere," Dulbbe muttered to himself before changing his next question slightly. "Does the Shadows' King have a way to find his way back to this castle?" It took a minute and the orb flashed bright green several times before answering. "Yes," said the orb. Before Ffion could interrupt, Dulbbe asked his next question. "Is there anyone with him that can help him to return and who are they?" Again, but taking a bit longer to respond, the orb answered. "Yes. A Spite and a Dragon." Dulbbe knew that The CAT was Hungry's (oops - Dree's) Spite, but another Dragon was helping the Shadows' King? "That was interesting indeed!" mused Dulbbe. But then he remembered, as he was so focused on wanting to have Ffion appreciate him, that they were here to see what information they could find about the Dragons returning.
"What!!!" cried Ffion as she stepped back up to the orb and peered into its glow. "Your question is incomplete. What knowledge do you seek?" answered the orb.
"Dowager, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't know why a dragonfly is so important," he said when it was quiet again. The Baron realized that he should say something as his mother seemed to sometimes think that everyone else should just 'understand' what was going on.
"Maybe later, what's important is that they understand the importance of receiving a Dragonflyye," answered Griselda. "What all of you must understand is that when the Dragons were here and plentiful, there were several of the Great Fae who helped the clans keep the peace between Dragons, Fae, and the Outies after the Great Age of Befuddlement. Most of these Fae are now gone (who knows where... but we hope they are having a good time), but a few are still here in the Realms in case the peace is disturbed again." As Griselda paused, it was Awena who now spoke. "According to the ancient scrolls, the Great Fae used Dragonflyyies to send important messages to the Dragon clans. These special Dragonflyyies were one of the few creatures that could speak both to Fae and Dragons. Only the 'Outies' could not understand the messages they would deliver." Nodding her head, the Dowager continued when Awena paused. "That is correct. As a member of the Wish Dragon clan I would routinely see the Dragonflyyies delivering messages to the clan elders. I was so shocked to have one appear at the Mansion before leaving to this meeting that I almost forgot about the meeting."
Snoop pointedly asked, "What did the Dragonflyye say and who sent it!" When he realized what he had just done, blushing from embarrassment, he quickly apologized to the council and sat down but not without having his pencil out and paper ready to write it all down. "Before the interruption," Griselda glared at Snoop, who continued to shrink further into his chair, "I was about to say that the message was very short. All it said was 'They are returning' and it was signed Aralt the Herald." "Dowager, who is returning and who is Aralt?" Queen Ffion asked as she was just as confused as the others in the council chamber. "That my dear, is a long tale that I need to tell all of you so everyone understands the dangers that are coming to the Realms. It all began when Goodie4U appeared before me while I was enjoying my favorite tea..."
The Baron sat on the left of his mother, the Dowager Griselda, while Awena was on her right side at the front of the room. Everyone else gave respect due to the new royalty of the Realm - the new Queen Ffion and Troll King Dulbbe, who sat facing towards the head table wondering what this meeting could be about. The Gooblin King was not into protocol. He preferred to sit off in the grey hidden shadows of the back of the room observing what was going on. He told others that he preferred to be off to himself, but most believed it was because he couldn't stand all the bright lights.
In the section reserved for the minions (so they could be called upon to deliver edicts from the council) Arnie had taken one of the seats because she had never sat at council before. It's not like a 'Borrower' is invited to many functions since they have a tendency to 'find' things that they take with them when they leave. Leaning over to Meen she asked in a low voice "What's so important about a dragonfly? I chase them all of the time when I am not out borrowing." Meen whispered "I am not sure if it's the same thing. It could be I suppose, but I remember once that the old King of Shadows' referred to having a relic of one posted in an ancient scroll. It was an ancient way of sending important messages when the Dragons where around."
It was that new style of cleaning she had shown to some of the other house Brownies at her last convention that he had written about. She called it 'vak-u-ming' (whatever that was). "It will never replace the broom," Snoop thought as he continued watching her clean. "There must be a meeting going to happen today," he realized when he also saw the brewing tea pot and cookies. "There sure are a lot of cookies and cups, so it must be for a full council meeting. Maybe even some VMPs (Very Magical Persons) " Snoop muttered to himself.
"At least the tea is better than what I brew at the Bellwether," Snoop thought while he slowly sipped a little. "I might have to make this cup last a long time since it doesn't appear that anyone has arrived yet but Granny Flare."
"You were right," Dulbbe said to Drat. "It was uncomfortable besides being dirty too. I don't want to have to use that route again unless we absolutely have too. I mean, I can usually see well in the dark, but not in that pitch black hole you took me through. I don't know how you did it because I could not see my hand in front of my face! And don't tell me what was making that sound when were were walking around down there... I don't even what to know who or what it was," Dulbbe finished with a shudder as he brushed his clothes with his hands. "Sorry Sire, but you did say you wanted to get here fast," Drat answered (but not before Snoop noticed that the rat had answered with a small smile on his lips). Still smiling, Drat stepped aside and motioned for his King to enter the council chamber first as he followed. "Interesting," thought Snoop. "I wonder who else will appear." Just as he said that, the coach with Queen Ffion pulled up being pulled by no less than four Nytemares. "She must have been in a hurry," he decided. "This must be important!" As Snoop continued to sip on his tea, he was able to observe several more arrivals for the meeting. There was Hewy, Hir'aeth the Gooblin King, the Goodie sisters, Awena from the Sleeping Sisters, the Baron and his mother the Dowager, and even Dewin the Wizard. All VMPs indeed! It was the last guest that appeared the made Snoop realize that he had to get into the meeting somehow. It was that young Wish Dragon who had transformed into a Moon Dragon, Drai'ochtluan. "I am glad that he likes to go by 'Dree' for short," Snoop sighed to himself. "I would have to look up the spelling every time I want to write it down."
Not realizing that Snoop meant it as a bad thing because she liked to jump everywhere, she shrugged his comment off and pulled on his sleeve again. When she thought she had his full attention, she delivered the message she was sent out with. "The Council asks if you would join them in the council chamber. They said they did not want to start without you." Snoop was flabbergasted... how did they know that is exactly where he wanted to be?
There is even a local newspaper called the Bellwether that is ran by some crazy newspaper editor called 'Snoop'. But the Dowager Griselda has something truly unique as they are created from wishes. They are the Flutterbys. Which is why she is using them to call out the council for an emergency session as she wishes everyone there.
Between finding out she was a Nyte Shade and now the Queen of the Shadows' Realm, she still is trying to get her priorities established. "There is so much that I have to learn and so little time in a day," she thought to herself as she sat at her desk reading some of the material left to her by Awena. As Ffion started to turn a page, she noticed the Flutterby on the rose and smiled. She gazed on it warmly as she knew that it must be from her counselor, Griselda. Before she could even acknowledge it, the Flutterby proceeded to tell her about the emergency meeting to be held at the Village on the Wall council room. "The Dowager would never tell me 'Now' if it wasn't an emergency," Ffion thought to herself. She immediately sent for Scarlet to ready her coach with the Nytemares. They would get her there in a flash.
"Sire. I suggest that you take a break from the tediousness of your new duties and possibly retire to your chambers," Drat told King Dulbbe. At first Dulbbe only stared at Drat, but quickly he realized that Drat had something to tell him. "An outstanding idea," Dulbbe replied as he stood and preceded his counselor to his private chambers. Once inside and the door was closed, the appearance of decorum quickly disappeared. Dulbbe turned to Drat and asked, "What did I do wrong now? This being King business is a lot harder than being an accountant." "Sire, you are doing fine. Except, maybe you might want to consider growling at your subjects a little more often. It is good to keep them concerned that you might do something to them. It seemed to work wonders for your predecessor," answered Drat. "But that is not why I suggested you adjourn. As you were speaking a Flutterby arrived from the Dowager." It was then Dulbbe realized that the Flutterby had flown into his chambers when they entered and was now sitting on his shoulder. Quickly it whispered Griselda's message. "The Dowager is calling an emergency meeting of the council," the King told Drat. "Any suggestions on how to get there fast?" Drat only smiled and said, "You aren't going to like this as it is not too comfortable... but we have secret ways..."
As the Flutterby tells Granny the message, she slowly closes her cookbook. "If this meeting is what I think it is, then everyone there will need something to eat. I have never known Griselda to hold a short meeting," she ponders. "I should also probably bring that old Dragon book I got from Atian's library before he left on his trip. It will be needed I am thinking."
"Something always seems to happen to my friends and it's because of me," the Dragon sniffled. "Even my Spite (The CAT) was taken," he cried silently to himself. "I should leave but where would I go?" the Dragon was thinking just before the tingling came over him. Just like Ffion, the tingling started in his claws but was soon spreading over his entire body. "What is this?" he thought. Was it something else that would take away another one of his friends? Almost as soon as it started, the tingling stopped and the Dragon was himself again. "I need to be going now before something else happens," he told himself and started for the doors. He had only taken a couple of steps before he was blocked by the Goodie sisters. They had been watching him as if they already knew that he was going to leave. "Excuse me," he said as he tried to get around one of them to leave, but they kept finding some way to always be in front of him.
Releasing the Dragon's paw, Goodie4U continued where her sister left off. "The prophecy told of two outcomes. One for good and the other for evil. The sacrifice of magic from a Nyte Shade was what was required for the mixture (transformation) to be complete. Your father offered himself when we thought it would be from you, but in doing so, he also gave both you and Hungry (his old self) a great gift." As Goodie4U paused, Goodie2shues continued. "You and Hungry have been magically joined just as a dragon was when a Nyte Shade sacrificed her powers to her friend. This is what created the first magical Dragon. We were not sure at first if the ingredients would mix (the joining), but when we saw both of you a few minutes ago surrounded by the blue aura, we knew it had happened." Before the Queen or the Newborn Dragon could ask what it all meant, Goodiegood again spoke. "My Queen, as both you and the Dragon's powers grow you will both find that future events will need the two of you jelling together. What those events will be, we cannot say," as she looked at both Ffion and the Dragon, " but you also both share the magical powers of the moonflowers." Now they were even more confused than before!!! "We really don't understand what you just said," started the Dragon, but before he could finish the sentence Ffion did. "What you are telling us is that we are magically joined?" finishing the sentence. Startled, the Queen and the Dragon looked at each other. As one started to speak, the other would either nod their head yes or no. Each one knew what the other would say.
Realizing that another crisis was over, the Goodie sisters smiled at each other and started leaving to return to their cottage. Before they could get to the door, this time the Dragon stopped them. "Before you go, can you at least tell me what happened to me? What am I?" he asked the sisters. "Why you are one of the most powerful Dragons ever known. Your transformation has changed you from being just a Wish Dragon but to a Moon Dragon," Goodiegood told him. "As Hunter told you that if you ate the blue rose you would no longer be 'hungry'. He did not mean that you would not want to eat, he meant that you will change and become someone greater. You are now Drai'ochtluan (pronounced - dree-ach-loo-am), the Magic Moon." "Cool!" replied the Dragon, "but I think I like to be just Dree to my friends", winking at the sisters and Ffion.
Gently he sat her on one of padded chairs to recover as Awena continued. "The question is, what do we do now?" It seemed that no one had an answer. Finally it was the newly re-born Dragon who spoke. "It's all my fault," he said with a tear in his eye. "If it wasn't for me none of this would have happened." "Nonsense! Now listen everyone... this was but one of two possible outcomes from the moment the Dragon tablet was found. With what it foretold would happen long ago, I am glad for one that goodness prevailed," said Goodiegood. "It could have gone either with a new beginning or a recipe for despair and the ending of the Realm. We should rejoice that the Shadows' King gave us a new beginning!" Realizing that the Goodie sister was right, the Dowager decided it was time to start that beginning. "Goodiegood is right. The proper time for mourning will come when we know for sure that those who entered the portal are truly gone."
Both surprised and flustered, at first Ffion did not know what to say. Seeing everyone bowing was a shock to her. "This is an honor for my father, not me," she thought. It is when she looked at Hir'aeth looking at her and seeing him nod his head is when she realized that she would have to make some decisions - she was now the Queen of the Shadows' Realm! Slowly raising from the chair, she started to speak but it came out more like a squeak. After taking a breath and a few swallows (which also gave her another second to gather her thoughts) she began. "I thank you all for your allegiance and your good wishes. In the absence of the King, I will do my best to keep our Realm prospering. My first acts are to make the Dowager Griselda one of my advisors and as my father had requested that Awena of the Sleeping Sisters be the royal tutor." Deciding this would be the best time for him to act, the Gooblin King waited until the Princess (" I must remember she is the Queen now," thought Hir'aeth) had finished - he made his move. "Queen Ffion. With the absence of the Troll King, someone should take his place to guide his kingdom. As the nearest monarch, I offer my services until his return." "Ah... the politics begins," muttered the Dowager. As she was sitting near Ffion, it was only the new queen that heard her. Being raised in a royal household, the new queen smiled to herself as she had learned quickly what to do from the many times of watching her father. "Oh great King. I thank you for the offer of your service, but another has already been selected to replace the Troll King. A distant relative of Druzzy is already here in the room. Hewy, I ask if you will be the acting Troll King until his return?" Ffion said as she looked at the startled troll.
"It must be Dulbbe!" she whispered so that only the Queen would hear. Shocked at hear this, Ffion turned to look at Dulbbe who was still bowing and looking at the floor. "Dulbbe, is this true?" she asked. "Yes my Queen. It is. I am the younger brother of King Druzzy," the troll answered, still not taking his eyes off of the floor. "Your father knew but he told me when he made me the keeper of his accounts that it was because of my skills with numbers and not because of who I was. That is why I told no one else. Hewy, being a troll knew because he often would perform at the Troll King's events and would see me there with my brother." This revelation surprised even the Gooblin King, but before he could speak again, the Queen asked her question now to Dulbbe. "Will you be the acting Troll King until his return?" Not wanting to let her down and only now partially realizing that as a King he might actually have a chance at winning her heart, Dulbbe finally looked up at her as he told her "Yes, I will do as you ask." At this announcement the crowd began to stand and clap as Dulbbe walked to Hewy and shook his hand, while Hewy, being the only other troll in the group, bowed to his new sovereign. "Ahh, the fun begins anew," smiled the Gooblin King wondering how this adversary will 'add up' (accountant humor). It was during the clapping and applause that the new Queen noticed a feeling that she had not felt before. It first started as a tingling at her fingers which soon was covering her whole body like the magic that flowed through her when she was at the Goodies cottage. Soon the others in the room also saw the glow forming around her as the room became quiet. As all eyes were looking at her, one set of eyes was watching another who was having the same issue. "As the prophecy stated - forever joined by the sacrifice of magic will they be," smiled Goodie4U as the glow slowly disappeared around Queen Ffion and the new Moon Dragon. 
"This is where we see if the recipe is right," answered the Goodie sister, "and if all goes well, the Wish Dragon will have undergone a transformation. This is rare and if enough magic is not released to finish the recipe, then the mixture will fail." It was then that enough of the haze had disappeared that everyone could see what was happening inside the egg. Both Hunter and The CAT were standing near the Wish Dragon, but the little Dragon had changed. Hungry had grown and turned blue! From the top of his head to the bottom of his claws - even his eyes were now a shade of blue. As most were looking at Hungry, it was the Goodie sisters that noticed the small magical portal opening behind the Dragon. "It will need more magic," each of the Goodie Sisters thought, but it would take more than they possessed to finish the transformation.
He had been watching Ffion through the crystal egg and already saw that his beloved daughter was approaching closer to the egg with the blue lights glowing around her. It was the time for him to act or lose his daughter forever. There had never been a choice, he knew what he must do. Stepping to the edge of the crystal egg, he started pushing his magic into it! Slowly, as as his magic swirled around in a circle, it began to expand... larger... and larger... and finally large enough to reach his hand through it. "Daughter, a young fae sacrificed herself to give magic to the dragons, I will not have you do the same," pleaded the King to Ffion. He reached out his hand taking hers. As soon as that happened the blue lights flowed into Hunter's hand turning him blue. "Hungry," Hunter told the Wish Dragon, "The Portal requires magic for magic. This was what was required for the young fae that first gave her magic to the dragons and why I told you the tale. When I step through the portal it will finish your transformation and begin your destiny. If I don't, you and the magic in the Realm will perish!"
"Ah, that's where the Dragon tablet went," thought Dulbbe as he stood behind Ffion's with one hand keeping her from going to the portal. For when the portal appeared, she had been slowly pulled towards it. If it wasn't for Dulbbe holding her back while the King held her hand, by this point she too might have entered it with the Dragon. "No! You can't have it!" yelled Druzzy. "I need it for my revenge," he screamed as he continued to cling to his crown with the Dragon tablet hidden inside as it pulled him towards the egg. Even the Gooblin King was startled by what was happening. "Let it go Druzzy," hollered Hir'aeth. "It's just a thing... let it go!" Glaring at the Gooblin King, Druzzy just smiled as he continued to clutch his crown, "Don't you wish. I will win this round!" It was then that three things happened all in a blink of a Dragon's eye. The Shadows' King let go of Ffion's hand and with a wave pulled the Dragon tablet towards him. He then stepped through the portal with the tablet following him... with a Troll King still holding on while the crystal egg shattered in a bright glittering glow like fireflies dancing in the evening. As Druzzy was being pulled into the portal, grabbing anything to stop the pull of the King, he grabbed The CAT's tail which pulled the CAT in as well. As Ffion watched her father, she saw him giving her one final look as he whispered "I love you" as the blinding flash occurred.
"Hungry," Hunter whispered to the little dragon, "Don't be afraid as I am here to help you." The king continued, "First, let me tell you a story about how dragons got their terrific powers... where it all started..." As the Shadows' King told Hungry how a Nyte Shade had given her powers to her dragon friend he also was trying to keep the Dragon calm so that he would not realize that the two of them were subtly changing and trapped inside of a large crystal. As the tale was being told, the Troll King, Druzzy, was standing by a tree and thinking of ways to get out of the garden with the Dragon tablet he had hidden under his crown.
The problem was he did not know which one did and a lowly bookkeeper does not accuse a King of taking something. "I will have to make sure neither leave with it before this is over," he realized. Making sure of how to do that was simple he quickly decided. Walking over to the Gooblin King he whispered, "Did you notice how King Druzzy keeps looking around. I wonder what he is up to." This started the Gooblin King to watch the Troll King even more than normal. "Now all I have to do is keep an eye on the Gooblin King," thought Dulbbe, "since then he will be watching the Troll King." By the time Hunter finishes his tale to Hungry, the Goodies had returned and were beginning their ritual with Ffion and The CAT. It is then that the Wish Dragon realized he was trapped inside of a crystal cocoon surrounded in a blue mist. At first startled, he stood up hitting his head. That is when the crack appeared throwing off the Goodie's spell and causing the release of the blue ooze. "Ouch!" Hungry yelled as he reached for the top of his head. Trying not to smile, Hunter took one of Hungry's hands and told him to relax. "This crystal shell will not last much longer. Look, there is already a crack in it," Hunter said as he pointed to the crack. As they were looking at it, something else started to appear inside of the crystal with them. Whatever it was looked like it had been stretched quite thin and shoved through the small crack. As they both moved back as far as they could, The CAT appeared (not looking too pleased ) in front of them. "I don't ever want to do that again!" The CAT growled when he fully materialized. Happy that his Spite was with him, Hungry moved up to give The CAT a hug. Too surprised to get away, The CAT let the Wish Dragon hug him (but only briefly) before telling him that was enough. "Not in front of the King," he whispered in Hungry's ear as he was being squeezed. Hunter only watched them, trying to hide his sad smile, before either saw it. "If things go right, then you two will be both be changed forever," thought the King. Also knowing that if things did not go right, all of them would be changed forever but not in a way each would have liked... Outside of the crystal and in the garden, Ffion, the Goodie sisters, and Hewy have joined hands as Hewy begins to sing. Soon, the others joined the circle and as the music became louder, everyone was holding hands and singing as they circled the large blue glowing crystal. Even Druzzy had to join in as Hir'aeth had grabbed his hand so he could not disappear. Inside the crystal, The CAT, having the keenest of hearing, all of a sudden perked up his ears. "Do you hear that?" he asked the others. Before they could answer he continued, "Hewy is singing." In a minute all three of them could hear the singing since it no longer was just Hewy. "It sounds like a whole bunch of Twitter Birds," thought the Dragon and he soon was tapping his foot to the beat of the music. Things were going along smoothly until Hungry accidently tapped too hard - on The CAT's tail! Leaping into the air, The CAT startled Hungry who stood up completely and again hit his head on the crystal ceiling in their cocoon causing the crack to start getting even bigger and spreading.
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