"Returning back here is certainly opening up the memories," he thought as he slightly shook his head from side to side. "Also who would have thought what this stone could do?" His first memory was when he had just put the stone in a locket and was admiring how it looked when he was summoned to a Dragon Clan meeting. "Forming the clan was one of my better plans," he smiled as he congratulated himself. "Having the Dragons actually listen to the clan helped make them so much more controllable." Picking up the locket once again he decided, "Maybe I'll just wear the locket to the meeting. What's the worst that can happen?"
As he was waiting, the talking he heard earlier started again but no one was there - except for the Dragons! It was then that he remembered the voices sounded like the golden Dragon who took his friend, the Dragonet, away when he was first learning about Runes. As he continued to sip his tea, Aralt's memory was coming back to him just like it happened that day. "They are mind talking with each other!" realized Aralt. "How can I hear them when I couldn't before? I have been with the Dragons for years now and this is first time I can hear them talking to each other with just their thoughts." Aralt thought about it for a minute and then realized the only thing different about him was the locket he carried. "I've got to find out." Taking the locket and laying it on the rock where he had been sitting, he draped his cloak over it and then walked over to stand near the Dragons. "Nothing. Not a word," he muttered to himself. "Now back to the locket and we will see." Casually he strolled back to the locket and touched it. Clearly he heard the Dragons still talking to each other. It had to be the power of the stone in the locket. The Dragon Heart stone! It did not take long before Aralt realized the possibilities of the stone. He could hear what the Dragons were saying to each other and they didn't seem to know he could hear them... but it wasn't until he was gifted the corolla that his real power was to be reached.
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The cave he was thinking about was where he had first discovered the Dragon Heart stone those many years ago. It was when the Dragons first received their magic that he had decided that he needed to make sure his home was safe and hidden from them. Just in case their magic ran amok since right after the Dragons received their magical abilities it rained chaos in the Realms. Untrained Dragons were everywhere changing things and granting wishes willy nilly. Oh yes, he remembered the Dragons causing all sorts of problems that fae like himself had to fix. "That was my first priority was to make sure they could not do something to myself and my home," Aralt muttered to himself. "That is when I decided to move my home to the intersection of magical ley lines. That was the key solution as it was like hiding a burning match in a forest fire! One of my more brilliant moves," Aralt smiled to himself as he walked out his room to head to the cave. "With the large outputs of magical energy coming from the ley lines, no one noticed the little bit hiding my home. What I hadn't known at the time was there was something else magical where I had moved my home. Discovering the cave was genius on my part," smirking to himself.
He did not realize the treasure that he had. For imbedded in the emerald veins of the tunnel, was a large stone in the shape of a Dragon's heart. At first he thought that he would use it for an ornament since he liked it's green colors that flashed when light hit it, but then something strange happened. As Aralt removed the stone he felt a tingle go up his arm. This made him think that the stone might be safer if it was in a locket instead of carrying it directly. Then one day he started to hear voices in his head. Now, normally when one hears voices, it is time to have the local physician check you out, but Aralt had heard this type of talk once before. It was a voice like the golden Dragon who mind talked to him the day they took away his friend, the Dragonet. It did not take him long to realize that the stone was giving him this ability whenever he carried it. Later, Aralt discovered that when he would return to the emerald cave the Dragon Stone would start to glow a pale green. That is what he wanted to confirm again. He needed to make sure that it still had its power after all of these years of not being used.
Where was it indeed?
"This check list thing can sure be useful," thought Drat. The minion had never done one before until Dulbbe had become the Troll King. The new king and former bookkeeper was a stickler for lists. At first Drat thought it would be a waste of time and just one of those ways that having something in writing could get him into trouble, but after a while he realized they really were helpful. "As long as I don't lose it and I don't make anything on it clear to anyone else but me, then I don't have to keep everything in my head," he had decided after using them for a time. Now he did it to keep his mind free for other things and to help him focus on the issues at hand. "Of course the answer is easy," he chuckled looking at his list. "Find something else for him to eat and I know just where to go for that." Drat had heard from his own sources about the Goodie Sisters providing Dree (at that time - Hungry) with a birthday party and about how much the Dragon loved the food so that is where he decided to pick up some snacks before showing up to keep him distracted. The elder Goodie Sister, Goodiegood, was at the council meeting but the other two should be at home - at least Drat hoped. Soon he was standing outside of the Goodie cottage, Drat could smell something cooking. "Yup. Someone is there," he smiled as his own stomach made a slight growl. "Hopefully it is something that will be tastier than myself that Dree will like," thought Drat just as he was about to knock on the door. Before he could though slowly the door opened by itself and he could hear Goodie4U calling out to him to come in. "How do they do that?" Drat had thought for more than the first time.
It was a circle of twigs above the door and for an instant he thought he saw a bunch of entwined snakes. "Why am I thinking everything wants to eat me? Is it because I must be hungrier than I realized," he told himself as he crawled out from under the table but all of the time keeping at least one eye on the twigs. "I have a bag of sweets waiting here for you," said Goodie2shues "with a couple of extras for your trip to the caves" as she handed Drat the sack. "Tell Dree hi for us while you are there. We made him some Chocolate Haystacks that Scarlet swears by especially since we knew that Dree loves chocolate. There should be enough there to keep him from deciding if you are edible or not," she smiled at him.
Not everyone else was smiling though. Especially not the town council members who had glanced at each other when Aralt had disappeared behind his doors and now started back to the council chambers. They definitely needed to talk. Shortly all of them were sitting around the conference table thinking about what to say at the meeting. Each of the councilors had their chief minion there in case an errand or message needed to be delivered awaiting in the chairs spaced against the wall of the chamber. Even if they were longingly gazing at the buffet table that Granny Flare and Cornelia had setup for everyone to snack on, they understood the importance of the events of day. Finally it was the Dowager who started the conversation. "Well, that went well." Those four words were all it took to get everyone talking at the same time. "Who would have thought he would be so short and I don't just mean in stature," snapped one member. "How can he think I will let him stay on the grounds of my castle," growled Queen Ffion. "What are we going to do now?" both Awena and Dulbbe silently thought to themselves as they listened to the others talk.
Each of the council members sat quietly, thinking about the Baron's question. Indeed, what do we do now? It was a quandary. "There is one thing we probably should do," grumbled Nemmer as he watched the others staring at each other around the table. "Maybe we need to hide Dree until we know more about this Herald business." It took a minute, as the others were heavy in thought about the situation, before they realized what Nemmer had just muttered. "Nemmer is right," smiled the Dowager. "Dree should be hidden until we know enough about Aralt before they meet. We don't want the two of them to get off on the wrong foot. But I also don't think they should meet until we find out what the Herald's plans are first." After a short discussion, the rest of the council agreed with the Dowager, but who to send? For they needed to distract Dree and to keep him away until the council had their chance to find out Aralt's plan and that wouldn't be easy. "I could send Meen," volunteered Queen Ffion as Meen jumped from her chair when she heard her name. "No disrespect to you or your minion, Queen Ffion," answered Awena, " But we need someone who might be able to distract Dree as to the arrival of the Herald but not spill the beans about him. Meen would get so caught up playing and probably tell Dree everything since she is a twiddletop when it comes to keeping secrets." The conversation continued for some time, going back and forth on who would be best to inform the Dragon, but it wasn't until Dulbbe, the Troll King, made his offer before they selected the messenger.
Realizing that his boss was both correct and actually giving him a compliment, Drat blushed slightly and bowed his head. "As you command Sire," he replied as he departed on his errand. "Well, it got me out of what looked like a long and boring meeting," thought Drat as he darted down the street to the caves under the Baron's mansion all the time working up a plan to keep the Dragon busy without letting him know he was being hidden away again for now. "I wonder if I can get him into a game of Tic Tac Toe? That could take a while if he doesn't know that secret. But I will definitely need to let him know that it doesn't require body parts or eating."
Following the stone pathway, he let the gentle winds of memories float in around him. This was part of the Realms of Shadows' before the King built his castle above. After all, Aralt had been in the Realm long before the King of Shadows' existed and when the dragons had been nothing more than overgrown lizards. It is when his foolish cousin gave of her power to the previously non-magical dragons that the Realms changed. Aralt had taken his home and hidden it way underground before the now magical Dragons knew where it was. He could still be connected to the energy of the ley lines but not be easily found, just the way he liked it. Aralt knew there were other caves around down here with him, for after all, he knew there should be one where the Book of Dragons was held. Why the Wish Dragon clan had decided the King of Shadows' was to guard it was still a mystery to him, but figured he could check on it later. As he opened the door to his forgotten home, all the feeling of putting on a familiar warm fuzzy coat wrapped around him. It hadn't been his intent to be gone for so long. But when the Dragons all left the Realms in revolt, Aralt thought it was better to hide out somewhere else where the council members at that time couldn't find him. Who knew it would be hundreds of years and yet... what had triggered the Dragons coming back? With all the chaos of the call and reacting to the call to return home, Aralt finally had a moment to ponder that question. For it truly had to be something unique to bring the Dragons home, let alone willingly.
"What are we to do now?" replied one member followed by "What do you think he will look like?" from another council member. In the middle of all this chaotic noise, Fiddlefaddle leaned over towards the Baron. Being the Baron's all around handy man and procurator of travel arrangements he quietly asked, "Do you know where he will be staying since we don't have what the Outies call a hotel here in our small village?" With that small question, the noise stopped instantly in the council chamber that one could have heard a pin drop if one was listening for that pin. Finally, Nemmer was the one who broke the silence. "There is a room over at the Rusty Nail Pub. I was just there this past week with my fellow archers and I am sure I heard the owner mention he had a spare room available." Which of course set up another flow of highly opinionated views on that suggestion. "No, I don't think that is a good idea," replied Awena. "I walked by there on my way to the council meeting and heard that the little old lady that owns the place just picked up a set of Peerrots (in the Outie world would be known as parrots) that squeal 'Rise & Shine and Git Out' every morning now. I don't think we want our guest to think we don't want him here," continued Awena. At that moment a golden coach pulled up in front of the Village Council's building. All the members stood in anticipation for the Herald to exit the coach. As he did he simple stepped down, gave everyone a cold look, paid the coach driver, and then turned towards the center of the Village as if looking for something. He then proceeded to walk off and left without a word of acknowledgement or greeting as the coach departed in the opposite direction. So, just like the Pied Piper in tales of old, the Herald continued walking down the center of the small village neither looking left nor right with the Council members (now with a few curious villagers who were wondering where the parade was going and what was it for) all following behind him. Little did they know that Aralt was focusing on the ley lines of the area. He could feel them and though it had been many many years since being here, especially without the Dragons to feed them, the lines were still here, though very faint.
"If he thinks he is staying at my castle without an invitation or greeting, I don't think so!" Ffion growled to herself as the crowd all turned towards the Shadows' Queen castle. They all continued walking down the road like a gaggle of geese following the Herald's lead as he walked into the courtyard of the Shadows' Queen's castle and proceeded to the back upper garden where several of those following soon realized it was the same garden where the young Wish Dragon had transformed into a Moon Dragon. Aralt then went past the waterfalls (that covered the entrance to the secret cave that held the Dragon tablet recently taken by a Borrower) towards a wall covered with bramble vines that grow only in a darker corner of the garden. With his arms raised and the stone in the locket glowing that he always carried with him, Aralt spoke. " Rise to the left. Shift to the right. Reveal these doors to my Sight." Magically the brambles began to pull to the left with some shifting to the right, soon a massive stone door appeared that slowly opened for him. Apparently, by everyone's stunned reaction, Aralt realized that most of these simple people didn't know about the Dragons' Cave below. He finally decided to address the crowd of followers and turned to face them. "Excuse me. This is where I'll be staying. It has been a long day. I will meet with you tomorrow," and with that walked through the now open doorway with them shutting behind him. All the villagers stood there stunned with their mouths hanging open, wondering just what had happen.
"We have also heard from King Dulbbe and Queen Ffion about the potential dangers of a ruling Wish Dragon according to the past stories of the She-Dragon," finished Griselda. Everyone looked at each other, waiting to see if someone would start the conversation they all knew had to happen. It was Awena who began. "We need to create a plan to minimize the chaos of the arrival of the Herald and the Dragon's return. I have searched the records of the Sleeping Sisters and have found nothing that will aid us in this problem. The only ancient text or prophesy that was discovered is extremely vague. The most we can confirm is that all realms are in danger if the Dragon's are no more and the game is lost. We have not found out what is meant by 'this game of power' nor what would make all of the Dragons disappear," she said and sat down on one of the many chairs in the audience chamber. "You have all heard what we have found out about the returning Dragons. Do you have any further questions of the Dragon orb?" Griselda asked the others. "If not - then now is the time we must decide what we can do. The one major question we cannot answer is does Aralt know we now have a Moon Dragon here in the Realms?" What do you think of this Dree?" finished Griselda as all turned to look at the young Moon Dragon. Dree was totally caught off guard. He had been listening to everyone's discoveries and was picturing in his mind what the other Dragons would look like and how they would act, but he had not been following the Dowager's final comments. So with a startled look he realized everyone was staring at him and waiting for his comments. After a few gulps, he finally started to speak. "Excuse me for not paying attention at everything that has been said here, but I have been listening and thinking. I understand both from your discoveries of the Orb and from the reading I have been doing from some books that Granny Flare gave to me what it meant to be a Wish Dragon. I am just now getting my wings under me in trying to find out what a Moon Dragon may be. I am hoping this Herald can help me discover what it is that I am supposed to do," he said. Taking a slow breath Dree continued, "But, I also know that he is a stranger to me while all of you are my family. I may be a Dragon, and formerly of the Wish Dragon Clan, but you have all raised me and have helped me become what I am now so you are my clan too. I do not know if there is anything I can do to prepare for the coming of my kin, but I do feel that I should learn all that I can to be prepared for their arrival," Dree told the others.
Everyone in the room stood and bowed to the young Moon Dragon to show him their support. It was almost too much for the Dragon, but he finally did look back at them all and said a simple "Thank you." It was then that the Goodie Sisters and Parsley entered the chamber and announced that the meal they had been preparing was ready... was anyone hungry? Dree started laughing and said "No, I'm Dree now - but I am still Hungry!"
As he dozed his mind wandered to his first Dragon encounter a long time in the past. It was on a walk through woods like he was traveling through now when it happened and that walk changed everything for him. Nothing young Aralt liked better than to go exploring out in the trees behind the village where he lived. Aralt grew up in a small elven community that bordered along a river where huge ancient trees surrounded it. It was with those trees that Aralt learned many things. For the trees were his tutors and their grove was his school ground as well as where he played. One day he came across this little creature. He looked snake-like but it also had a large head and legs. His curiosity was stronger than being safe for he bent down and picked up the strange creature and started to stroke it.
The spring soon gave way to summer and as fall approached with it's every changing colors, Aralt spent what few free hours he had with the Dragon as his studies with the trees continued. He was now up to the study of the language of Runes. As the trees taught him about them they would tell him where to go to see the Runes for each had a purpose for where it was placed. He decided to follow the dirt path it was near to see what he would discover and maybe learn more about it's meaning. As he continued down the path, another Rune appeared and then another. What Aralt did not know at that time was that he had discovered the pathway for Dragonet's to find their way home after being born. Dragons were like salmon, for after being born each needed to return home to become the Dragon it was meant to be. Home to a Dragon was returning to a Dragon community, for only there would they learn their part in the magic or they would be destined to become a mere dragon again as before they were changed by the Nyte Shade. When Aralt realized that the strange creature he had discovered earlier in the year, now his closest friend, was actually a Dragonet and that it wouldn't evolve or change unless it was able to follow this river back to its home he knew what he needed to do. So it was with a sad heart that the next day he placed his little Dragonet into the stream by the path so it could continue its journey home that had been interrupted when the elven boy discovered and befriended it. But it wasn't long into the stream when the Dragonet remembered the love the boy had given it which was stronger than the call to return home. It decided to stay the way it was and remain with the boy, forsaking the calling. It turned back to the elven boy and they agreed they would stay together. Little did they know that this one simple act sent a ripple through the Dragon's world. For no Dragonet had ever not returned since receiving the magic from the Nyte Shade. This was unacceptable! One day as Aralt and his friend where playing outside, two golden and very tall Dragons carrying spears in their hands appeared. They came upon the Dragonet playing with Aralt, picked it up and simply walked away towards the path with the rune never to be seen again by the surprised young elf.
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."
"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.
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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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