Haladoria was nervous… well… frightened was more accurate. They had talked over scenarios for almost a moon, but in the end, it came down to the fact the dragon could find them where ever they went. There was nowhere to run and they were not going to piss off a dragon. Especially if that dragon might be Arienach.

  Arienach. The name was a legend to all the races. No one truly knew the truth from the fiction. Some stories were so far fetched that they couldn’t possibly be real. Up until Graniels return, she hadn’t even really believed something could exist like Arienach. She had questioned the poor man over and over, along with his men. They all agreed, this one not a large dragon. This was a titanic dragon. Who was silver. With the black claws and horns. She sighed. This was getting her nowhere. They moved out in a solemn procession to the field they had cleared. The clearing was twice the size of their village, but Graniel had laughed and said it wasn’t big enough. Well, they had used the stone earlier and they would know soon.

  She jumped as a loud rumbling boom was heard. The elves looked to each other nervously. She had to fight to keep her face calm, to be strong for her people. Then it appeared over the trees. At first she though that it must be very close, then she realized that it was still quite far away and moving at them at a fantastic rate of speed. It grew in her vision till it blotted out the sky over the trees. And it kept coming, finally landing and walking towards the clearing. It seemed to be walking unsteadily, until she realized it was trying to keep from damaging too many trees. Not an easy thing for it’s size. It stopped with just its forelegs inside the clearing and looked around. No more would fit. She winced as it lay down and the trees beneath it was crushed and flattened.

  It suddenly occurred to her that she was no longer as frightened as before. Something… That it was being so careful, put her at ease. Still, this was not a dragon to be trifled with. She had no doubt now. This was Arienach. This was the terror. It was worried about trees. It had been careful to come in far enough not to frighten them. Then it lay it’s head down to be on more… level terms. She still had to look up and it was still a good distance away. She couldn’t help it, she walked, pacing out the width of it’s head.

“I bid you greetings, lord dragon. I am Haladoria of the Horiel. How may we serve you?”

She was amazed that her voice was steady. She had planned this speech for weeks… a simple string of words that could mean their survival. Now it sounded rather silly.

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“I am called Michael and I am no lord. I am honored to meet you lady Haladoria and you owe me no service. I would see no being suffer.”

His words shocked her. The great destroyer was worried about suffering? Why was he calling himself Michael? Maybe it was the fact no one ever talked to a dragon and lived, she mused. Her eyes widened a bit. “Tis on our honor, lord Michael, to repay our debt to you.”

Then it occurred to her. She was arguing with a force of nature. A being that could simply exhale and wipe out her people. Still, it seemed right.

“If you insist on payment, do you have anyone of your people that has knowledge of magic?”

Now this was not something that was expected at all. He had dragon magic. He was the most powerful creature on their world. Why?

“Magic?”

“I would learn of your magic and mayhaps teach them as well, if they be curious.”

Her mind went blank. She spoke before she thought. “This does not seem as much a payment.”

“Tell me then, just what I could want? The cattle I kept as but a variety in my diet. I do not need wealth or a domicile to live in. I can travel this world at a thought and countless others besides. Knowledge is the only thing that is of interest to me.”

The view was so… so alien. To be able to travel… no threat at all. She didn’t know what to say.

“One other thing I would know, if you would. Where do these green skins reside?”

What? Why? She felt a cold chill. “Why would you wish to know this?” She asked, caution evident in her voice.

“I wish to pay them a visit.”

“You would visit with them?” This time colored with concern. Visit? Was he seeking an ally? No, that would be silly.

“Yes, I would bargain with them for peace with the other people of this land.”

This was turning into something surreal. Arienach bargaining for peace. “I see... you wish these lands to be at peace. I somehow do not see this with the green skins, but I suppose that is up to you if you wish to try.”

His head came up and his maw opened. Her mind froze as teeth that were very sharp, very plentiful and very very large appeared. “There will be peace, one way or the other.”

The finality of that statement made the blood in her veins seem to freeze. The answer came out in a rush. “They are sunward of here, follow the river down to the coast, that was where our home was before they took it.”

“I thank thee lady Haladoria of the Horiel. I will return soon, if I may,”

He was polite after that epitaph. He was asking permission to return. He made no real threat to her people. “We will welcome you lord Michael.” She said with a slight smile.

“Fair winds to you.”

  With that he jumped. He moved so fast he almost seemed to disappear, then his gigantic wings opened and caught the air. He pulled himself up and the wind blew us all to the ground and held us there. Then he was gone. Two strong wing beats and he was out of sight. She looked to her people and they looked back. She wondered to herself if she looked as pale as they did.