lawrence Blackbart and AelKennyr Rhiano
As the sun reaches its peak in the sky, its rays fall upon the sleeping dragon, turning his scales a deep glistening blue. As he sleeps his chest rises and falls steadily. He grumbles as he stirs in his sleep, vivid and rapid flashes of light dancing across his closed eyelids. He shifts his position to try to shade his eyes from the harsh flashes.
Reluctantly, his scaled eyelids open, and he blinks in confusion. Drawing deep breaths through his flared nostrils, he snuffles at the many strange and new aromas. Curiosity overcoming his deep aching tiredness he raises his head and tries to get to his feet.
A searing pain shoots through his foreleg, causing him to crumble to the ground once more. He looks at the source of the pain and sees that his leg had been bandaged. "How did that get there?" he wondered. His mind clears somewhat. Just enough for him to vaguely remember his ordeal not too long ago. "The elf... " As memory returns, his stomach rumbles and churns, moaning for food. He sniffs the air hungrily and scans the horizon. Hearing the flutter of wings and the ruffling of feathers from the harbor, he decides to investigate. Carefully getting to his feet, making sure not to put pressure on the injured leg, he slowly hobbles over to the source of the sound.
Driven by his hunger, all else forgotten, he launches himself forward, but as he does so pain engulfs his body. He can't help but roar out in pain and frustration as he crashes into the shallow water, the swans taking flight with fear, honking frantically to alert their peers. Laying there in a crubbled heap just in the waters shallows, Dometis collects himself and slowly backs out of the the water. Every step, every limping step, sends pain through his leg, like a thousand piercings of his flesh. He hobbles up the small hill and collapses on the ground, panting, hurt and exhausted.
Alone, Olwe, King of the Teleri, strolls through the forest that nestles close to the Swanhaven, his beloved Alqualonde. The midday sun overhead shines down, and as the Lord of Alqualonde and Tol Eressea strolls through the verdant green he watches the play of light and shadow. Though Alqualonde has been part of the mortal world for nearly a full turn of seasons, still the flow of night into day draws his curiosity. Each dawn a newfound vista, still. Making his way through, he pauses at the fountain in the center. For a long time he gazes in, thoughtful at all that has transpired these last 12 months. Reaching in as he muses, he feel the cool water across his fingertips, as his mind again wanders over all that has transpired.
Rumbling and growling, Dometis's shuts his eyes, fighting back the pain, his injured leg throbbing. Every inch of his being is ablaze with searing pain. He slowly reopens his eyes and watches as his prey escape.
His hand on his sword, Olwe turns in a slow circle, sword at the ready. The plaza was empty, but as he sweeps the area with his gaze, a few swan feathers float down from above and land on the marbled floor of the harbor. Standing still, he waits, straining his sense and is award with the sound of a rumbling growl. There, close to Olwe's Tower. So, the dragon did not make it this far. Nodding to himself, he makes his way swiftly to the source of the sound.
The sound of frantic running stirs him. Dometis tries to shuffle his mass to face the footsteps, but doesn't even manage to raise his head, before he sighs and moans with pain. He shudders and just lays there, waiting.
Rounding the corner of the market stall closest to his tower, Olwe comes to a halt. He stares a moment, taking in the massive back of the deep blue dragon, the sun playing across the scales, turning them iridescent, almost alive. His eyes widen as he hear the mighty heaving from the creature. Slowly he walks up to the dragon and clears his throat. "Hail, Dometis," he says in a loud voice, speaking the Common tongue. "Tis not a good end to show fellow beings, " he says and presses the tip, slightly against the scales of the dragon, to get his attention.
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| Olwë finds a dragon butt |
Dometis hears someone clearing their throat. Hearing his name and recognizing the voice, he slowly turns his head so he can just see the elf. His fast breathing is subsiding, but still heavy. He opens his maw to greet the elf. Feeling a sharp metallic point pressed against his scales, Dometis's eyes flick wide open. He cranes his head, bares his teeth, and hisses at the elf. Seeing the elf, he lowers his head, his snout pointed down sharply, in respect and to show he is no threat. "Hail, Lord Olwe, " he says in the same tongue as the elf, his voice a low rumble. "My apologies for the display. It was a reflex. And my apologies again for the swans, but please, you must understand that I have not eaten in an age, and I was merely attempting to hunt."
At first, Olwe raises the sword a bit higher, in response to the hiss and baring of teeth, but then Dometis replies. Face flushing a little at his rough manner, Olwe sheathes his sword, the deference shown him by the ancient dragon, not going unnoticed. Reaching out with his bare hand, Olwe touches Dometis' flank as he slowly makes his way up the side, closer to the dragon's face. His blue eyes looking wonderingly at the dragon, taking his size, the feel of his scales the color of his wings, the eyes that regard him with intelligence and still pain. Coming closer, Olwe nods. "We have fish aplenty for you, Dometis, " he says. "Lord Osse has been kind and tossed upon the shores a bounty that should fill even your stomach if you have strength to but turn take the steps to the shores of the harbor."
Dometis lets his head stay pointed towards the ground as the elf approaches, enjoying the touch of the elf's hands over his scales. He raises his head and looks down at the elf and nods slowly, admiring his bravery. He replies, "Many thanks Lord Olwe. Perhaps you may accompany me whilst I eat? I assure you, questions that you have shall be answered."
Olwe locks gazes with the dragon as Dometis speaks, marvelling at the voice, at the surprising gentleness of one so large in size. He shakes himself a little, realizing that Dometis was asking him a question, for which he needs responds. "Yes," he says, nodding absently. I think it is time I hear your tale." He gestures to the near bank. As he says the fresh fish is still flopping upon the bank. "Hurry, " urges Olwe, "While they are still worth eating." He waits for the dragon and as he does, the thought comes unbidden. "This creature's ancestors were once the unfortunate slaves of The Dark Lord."
Dometis moans as he slowly stands up, cringing as the pain returns. He slowly makes his way down the bank, licking his chops as he eyes the fish. Lowering his head, he opens his maw to bite into the fish laying on the bank. He slowly tilts his head back, feeling the fish slide down his neck and into his grumbling empty belly. Downing another delicious fish, he says "Ask away, Lord Olwe."
Olwe settles upon the bank, sitting on the green fresh grass and watching the dragon as he eats. He regards Dometis quietly and then asks his first of many questions. "How came you to be hurt?"Dometis sighs deeply and turns his head to face the elf. "Ah, Lord Olwe, that is a most embarrassing tale for a dragon." Dometis shakes his head slowly, remembering his own stupidity and retells his tale. "It happened whilst I was flying and searching for help. I had been flying for days on end and had had very little to eat. If you wish to know what that is like, I would imagine that holding a stone of about the same mass as yourself above your head for days on end. Ah, I digress. Exhaustion got the better of me and I ... " Dometis pauses, knowing what he says next will make him look like a right fool. "... I ... feel asleep in the air. Now imagine dropping that stone above your head. When I woke up, it was too late for me to do anything to correct it, so i tried lessening the impact as much as possible. Thankfully there are only a few cuts, bruises and scrapes form that fall. The other injuries came from my dive into the sea."
Olwe raises his eyebrows as he hears the tale unfold, eyeing the dragon with no little surprise. "You flew until exhaustion overtook you?" He shifts his weight as he sits, listening. "To not stop when the need for rest came upon you must surely mean your situation was dire, indeed. What sort of help were you seeking? What drove you to such extremes?"
Dometis dips his maw into the water, closing his jaw around several fish at once. Tilting his head back, he swallows the fish mostly whole. He returns his gaze to the elf, his curiosity intriguing him. He responds "I was desperate, desperate for any help, any whatsoever. The simple answer to what drove me ... revenge. "
Olwe leans forward, watching Dometis as he says the word so calmly. "Revenge for?" he asks.
Dometis draws several deep breaths as rage bubbles up from within as he recalls the events that started his journey. He shuts his eyes and tries to control his emotions. He huffs once, shaking the anger off. "Revenge for my mate and kin. We were sleeping in our cave, as we always do. I woke up ... and .... " He trails off, not knowing what to say or how to say it
Olwe watches the dragon as Dometis draws in several breaths, shuts his eyes and the words comes spilling from him. The green of the grass, of the trees, the blossoms on the nearby trees seem to Olwe to drain of color as he hears the pain in Dometis' voice. "You lost your mate? Was your mate slain?"
Dometis shakes his head slowly and dips it down, suddenly feeling as if it were made of the heaviest of all material. "No, much worse." His voice, although low, full of emotion "She was captured. Captured, Olwe. And I was held in place, my struggling and attempting to resist their spells doing naught. I was forced to lay there and watch as my mate and our eggs be carried away. So now... a fire burns within me for revenge."
Olwe feels a chill run through his body, hearing the words. He clasps his arms around a leg and shakes his head softly, in his blue eyes an unspoken understanding of the depths of loss. "Do you know who did this?" he asks, and his voice is low, quiet.
Dometis swallows the lump in his throat. "I only know what they look like, and what their scents smell like. Other than that, I haven't the faintest idea. What troubles me though is why would they not slay me? Why let me live?"
((to be continued))