Answer the dragon call

Prelude

                                                         Prelude

“On a warm, cloudless and sunny day, when all worries are melted away in the heat of the sun, the unicorn lad, by name Noren, and his dam, Lady Shalha, were cavorting in the grassy fields of the large Credan forrest. 

Noren gallping ahead and out of sight of his dam, in the way that the young always try to outdo their elders, when suddenly his soul pearcing cries tore through the soundless air.  Lady Shalha sped towards the sound of her son, his cries echoing from one corner of the forrest to the other, each sounding more deperate and terriefied than before.  When at last Lady Shalha cought a glipms of her son, she was startled at what she saw.  And although her mind knew perfectly well that no dragon would dare touch a unicorn, her eyes were seeing what she knew could not be. 

For there, brutely and horendously, was a dragon, Noren gripped firmly in his maw and tallons.  And before her eyes, her son was killed.  His young life ended.  And no matter how strong the healing power of a unicorn horn, nothing can be done when the head is torn from the body.”

Kard let his eyes wander through his audiance, in the group of fourteen children, all under twelve summers, only Liddy and perhaps Onnaka understood that it was more than a mere story.

“When at last the other unicorns were present at the scene of this terrible missfurtune, there were also some of the unicorn country people pressent.  So when Lady Shalha told her tale, none of the humans could understand why the uniorns did not immidiately declare a war against the dragons, and when it became clear that they had no intention of seeking revenge, the ruler of Credan, Prince Kylath declared war on the dragons and on the people of S’ree. 

Kylath took this opportunity to destroy the royal house of S’ree.  First by capturing, and then by torturing those of the royal bloodline one by one.  Slowly and painfully, by fire, ending their lives, and in this manner ensuring that dragons would rise up to defend the life of those in perril.  For all dragons are bound by a will greater than their own to preserve the lives of those belonging to the royal house.  And in this devious way all the she-dragons were killed, and most of the he-dragons too.  To ensure the end of dragons, he also put a price of ten gold coins on the body of an unhatched dragon.”

Intently watching the faces of the children in front of him, he finnished his grim tale.  “And that is why we do not see any dragons in our skies anymore.  There are maychance five or seven he-dragons alive, all keeping well out of the way of any people who might do them harm  ...”

“But where are they then?”  Interrupted a young voice.

“The dragons that remain, keep to themselves in the Corral mountains and sometimes the Emerald lake where they hope to remain hidden amongst the caves and dangerous cliff sides. 

These last years have seen little of Kylaths or now rather Beas’s murderous men, his son, Ghord,  not having the same deep well of hatred towards us, but greed and blood-lust are sometimes even more dangerous in an enemy.  And besides, with our royal line all gone, and our army devided into small groups hidden all around, there is no hurry.  It is too much trouble for Beas to have them hunted down.  The dragons are almost more legend than fact, so he is bidding his time, building up his forces after the terrible plague that struck almost a full quarter of his people.  No, ... he will wait untill the dragons are all gone and he is up to full strength before he concours our land and devides it up amongst his wolves ...”