The Tribes of K'haren - Completed

Chapter 39.1

'You have to go to Nuir-ksad first!' Feyn shouted over the wind in mid-air. The name rang a bell somewhere in Nume's head but she couldn't quite make the connection. Looking at Kran, she could tell he was facing the same problem. Feyn rolled her eyes and explained it was the spiral mountain in front of the Dragon Mountains.

'Oh, yes, I remember, we've been there before!' Kran shouted back. 'But Luthi refused to go there nor any closer to the mountains...'

'Yes, because he was terrified of the smell of dragons. But now he's used to Zar'gno and even the other gseiruts have gotten a little bit used to that smell. Do you think that will suffice?' Nume asked not loud enough for Feyn to hear them but Kran nodded slowly.

'Let's hope so. I don't think we will get a ride this time and it would be a long walk...' He said, reminding Nume of all the land she'd seen pass underneath them when the dragons had first abducted them.

They changed their course and flew on until it got dark. Then they built up a small camp and sat around a fire. Only now Nume found the time to look at who had decided to come along. There were of course Feyn and Kran but from the rest of the tribes, quite some phraio had decided to come along. Mainly younger ones, though no children were with them. Actually, they had left the children in the healing valley from the beginning.

On the opposite side of the fire sat Nume's brother Valdor. He was talking to the breeder's son in a low voice. Looking around, Nume recognised some more people her age but soon realised they were all men. Not a single woman had decided to come along. Nume couldn't believe it, why wouldn't they want to have some adventure as well? Especially after never being able to do so before?

Thinking about it, Nume realised that they were probably still caught in their roles as mothers, sisters, wives and daughters, unable to live freely despite having joined a group fighting for said freedom. She sighed and lowered her head. Yet another point on her list that would have to wait until later. But then Nume decided otherwise. She wasn't going to put this off any longer, those men with her right now were sons, husbands and brothers, they'd eventually become fathers as well and if she really wanted to change something, it was the men she had to talk to.

Nume was convinced that the woman from her tribe wanted their freedom but didn't know how to get it whereas the men probably didn't even realise they were standing in the way. At first, Nume wanted to speak up immediately but she realised she didn't know what to say so she got up, walked around the fire and sat down next to her brother instead.

'Hello.' She said, staring into the flames.

'Hello Nume.' Valdor replied, ending his conversation with the breeder's son.

'Haven't talked to you in a while.' Nume said, still not taking her eyes off the fire.

'Indeed.'

Silence. Nume hated it. She had to find something to say and she'd better find it quickly.

'So-' she finally managed to say, looking at her brother for the first time in a while. He looked older now despite it being only some moons since she'd run away. '-I was wondering, sorry I never asked before, that woman you wanted to marry...'

'Yes?' Valdor asked when Nume's voice faded away.

'Did it work out after I, well, you know...?'

'It did. It wasn't easy though. But when I decided to stop protecting you towards others, they soon forgave me, seeing me as a victim more than anything else in this story. We got married just before the army showed up.' Valdor said, his low voice making Nume feel comfortable and sad at the same time. Even if he was open and honest, she could feel the distance between them that hadn't been there before.

'So she's with the others then, going back to the valley?' Nume dared to ask after another moment, seeing a possibility to change the topic in the right direction.

'Yes, I wouldn't risk her getting hurt.' Valdor said determinedly.

'You mean she wanted to come meet the dragons and you didn't let her?' Nume said, struggling to keep her voice calm.

'I don't think she really wanted to meet the dragons, I mean, she's seen the one in the valley but wild ones would be way too frightening...' Valdor mumbled, not sounding very convinced.

'Wild ones?' Nume got distracted, laughing for a moment. She didn't even realise how nearly everybody was listening to her now. 'All dragons are wild, even Zar'gno. They just so happen to be somewhat civilised themselves and capable of speaking. They aren't the monsters we were told they were in all those campfire stories. I remember years ago, we were all sitting around a fire much like this one and old Truncor told us how our very first Leader had killed his first dragon. Back then, well, I was actually bored because I'd heard it so many times before... but other than that, I thought he must have been a hero. Now, I know he was just brutal and cruel. He attacked a dragon nest, slew the mother and crushed the eggs. There was nothing noble nor heroic in his deed!'

'She's right, our ancestors have done things to the dragons that we mustn't be proud of.' Kran said once Nume realised everybody was staring at her and blushed. 'I would actually not be surprised if the dragons met us with anger, after all, we once stole this land from them, chasing them into the mountains. But in fact, the dragons were never defeated by us, they fled to avoid a war. Let's be honest, they are way stronger than any phraio and there are a lot of them. I don't know how many-'

'Thousands.' Feyn chimed in, obviously enjoying the nervousness her comment spread among the phraio men. She smiled as she continued. 'I have lived in the mountains with the dragons for most of my life and I can tell you, they could easily take K'haren over at any time without facing much resistance. The reason they don't is because they despise war. They are hunters, not warriors. Dragons kill for food or in self-defence only. But then again they don't want to eat anything that has spoken to them, they can be quite sentimental. Actually, a dragon's favourite food is gseirut... But those they can't hunt anymore since you guys have tamed nearly all of them and would attack the dragons should they get too close. Therefore, they live in the cold mountains, feeding off skinny mountain goats and fish. Trust me, they don't approve. You should all be very very grateful for their kindness and patience...'

'But weren't they the ones who helped the undead army arise in K'haren?' The breeder's son shouted. Nume sighed and shook her head. Unfortunately, he was right, but she would have preferred not to mention it in front of everybody.

'Of course they did, that would have been an easy way for them to get their lands back. But it was just one mad king who wanted it, you should never judge a tribe by its Leader, right?' Kran spoke. Nume thought it was rather ironical that he as the Leader's offspring said so, especially given their history. But the others didn't seem to mind and thus the topic ended for the time being. Nume sadly realised she'd missed her change to elaborate on the whole women issue but she planned to try again the day after.

// Hello everybody, please let me know what you think about this chapter in the comments below. I can't wait to bring them back to the dragons, don't you wonder who the next dragon king might be?