Chapter 1

Flame Bound

Cold, Bitter and Merciless yet so clean and fresh. The snow glowed brightly upon the mountainside in the moons white glare. The cold mountain air cut through the night worse than even the sharpest of steel. King Shanok stood alone, listening to the quiet moans and crying of the cold wind, His bare chest lifting gently with steady breath, gazing out at the icy abyss. He thought of the many battles, the many triumphs and the many defeats fought at this very spot where he stood. A soft crunching of snow behind him made him turn.

"My King" The figure bowed their head quickly and, removing their mask, revealed the tattooed young face of Shanok's younger brother Eskaar. Shanok smiled briefly and spoke "Eskaar it is good you have come, what news?" "My King, as far as we can tell, the Dothraki have retreated back to Vaes Dothrak" Shanok knew his younger brother well and when Eskaar was troubled he would rub his finger and thumb together. "But?" he said calmly. Eskaar looked his brother in the eye "Brother, three of our eggs have vanished. No doubt stolen by those fucking savages! While we live like Drakon, they steal like snakes!" Shanok walked a few paces forward and once again gazed out among the frozen wastes. "Without light of our people the eggs will not hatch, Do we know where they are now?" He said scratching his beard "No brother, We saw them on the backs of horses riding south. Then they disappeared".

Putting his mask back on Eskaar pounded his chest in anger, letting out a sharp yell of frustration. "What possible reason do those horse fuckers want our Dragons! Regardless of whether they can fucking hatch them or not! They only steal, only ever steal!" "Peace, brother, peace" said Shanok crunching back over the snow towards him and putting a hand on his shoulder. "I decreed, that we would not fight the Dothraki unless we had to, I standby my choice. There is no benefit of our warriors dying for the Dothraki way of stealing dead hatchlings not yet born" Eskaar brushed Shanok's hand away and walked over to the cliffs edge "There brother" He said pointing to the sunset "That would be what our warriors die for. To follow the Lord of light into the next world! To see the dawn and know our people will be more strong" Eskaar walked past Shanok as white flakes of snow began to fall gently from the scarlet sky.

"No Eskaar" Said Shanok still facing the sunset "Our warriors will not die at all, not while I am King" Eskaar still walking toward the mouth of their cave, turned and glared at the King through his mask "You have made yourself quite clear" He said angrily "King Shanok, the first King since Azonath to refuse a fight with the Dothraki!" Shanok turned and walked toward Eskaar as he went on "Our clan and people were birthed because we were the chosen people to guard the last Dragons in the days of Azonath, We never tolerated weakness, but now as soon as war raises its ugly head you.." Shanok slapped Eskaar, it was a hard blow across the mask which sent it falling to the ground with a thud on the thick blanket of snow beneath. Shanok stared into his brothers eyes, Eskaar looked away in shame "This is why you will never become King my brother, You can not see the world past the end of your knife blade" Shanok pushed Eskaar, forcing him back and picked up his mask thrusting it hard into Eskaar's chest "Why do you think that I have been teaching my son in the language of the west. Why do you think I chose a wife from Asshai? Because I wish to change our fucking ways and not become that which we fear the most!" A sudden gust of gentle warm air came gusting out of the cave bellowing heat haze into the cold wind. Shanok turned to look at it, then back to his brother. He sighed and leaned in touching Eskaar's forehead to his own "I love you brother" He said walking toward the cave entrance, once again crunching over the newly settled snow, then he turned and said smiling "But you are a fucking idiot, do not forget the reason I am here today". Shanok turned and vanished into the cave which then filled with a bright fiery glow. Eskaar stared after him. Then looked at the Sun, whose last remnants of golden light were snuffed out by the horizon.

Inside the dimly lit cave entrance, Shanok lifted his torch high and held it above a small nook in the cave wall. The oil inside immediately sparked into ignition and followed a short stoney path to eventually illuminate the whole room to reveal, a mighty Dragon. The creature flexed its powerful, muscular wings upon seeing Shanok. Its sharp pointed fangs glistened with saliva and it lunged forward. Shanok laughed "Peace Xana, peace" He placed a hand on Xana's nose, her hot breath warming his entire arm, taking in his scent "Where is my son, you stupid bitch?" he said grinning. The Dragon walked backwards and raised its wing to reveal a small boy fast asleep within the coils of a very long tail. Shanok walked toward him running a hand over Xana's underside as he went, she let out a small relaxed chirp and went back to a resting position. Shanok leaned in and kissed the boy's head, then sat on a delicately embroidered quilt "Riuk?" He said unbuckling his axe belt and removing his harness. The boy, no older than seven or eight, stirred then raised his head sleepily "Father? w-why are we so early" Shanok looked at Riuk sternly "Why are you not speaking in the language of Westeros?" Riuk shook his head abruptly "Sorry Father, I forget to sometime because no one speak it me for long time" The King shook his head in disappointment "I suppose you are getting better with pronunciation if anything".

Shanok unsheathed a vicious looking throwing axe from his harness and began sharpening it. "Now Riuk..do you know why we are here?" Riuk looked puzzled "Of course, so that I can be Flame bound" The sharp sound of flint meeting steel filled the room and Shanok grinned his teeth flashing in the fire glow "Do you know what that means though my son? Riuk turned and sat up on Xana's tail, facing the fire "I must offer my heart to the Lord of light...but what does that actually mean?". Suddenly Eskaar appeared, covered in a light dusting of snow and placing his mask neatly on a stalagmite "I can answer that nephew, being Flame Bound does indeed mean you must offer your heart to the Lord of light. You must do this by allowing you're flesh to become exposed to the Dragon's flame, a brief moment of pain and then you will be harmed by no fire again" "Wait you have to burn me?" interjected Riuk hesitating. Shanok stood up, taking his newly sharpened axe with him, his tattooed face and torso shined and reflected with sweat in the orange light. "My son this is something all people of the clan need to do at your age, do not be a child and come here!" Rather surprised by his father's sternness Riuk obeyed, tripping a little on Xana's tail. "Father I..."

Suddenly Shanok pressed the blade of the axe into the flesh of his palm, beads of blood started to appear then began to drip. He then held his bleeding hand over the fire. Eskaar then spoke "Our family are the rulers of the clan for a reason Nephew, you're fathers blood, our blood, holds a powerful rite of binding, that once it is cast into the dragons fire, the flesh given to the flame will then be cleansed and bound by the oath of our people. Tell me the Oath boy" Riuk watched the scarlet beads drip into the fire, noticing it giving out small hissing sounds "Dragons of our name, Dragons of our past" The flame's began to grow smaller and Riuk noticed slowly began to change colour, he continued "Lord of the brightest light, see my soul and cleanse me as one of my people" Eskaar smiled with the same toothy grin as his brother, and the small flames shone a vibrant red "Red as blood" Thought Riuk.

Shanok put down the axe, resting it against the wall and held out his hand. "Riuk..Trust me" Riuk's mouth suddenly became very dry and he tried to swallow, He clutched his fathers hand, and Shanok lead it toward the flames. "A brief moment of pain my son and you will be one with the people" Riuk's heart was beating very fast and he attempted to resist but Shanok's grip was too strong and tightened. As Riuk and Shanok's hands met the Red flames, the pain of flame meeting flesh, exploded through Riuk's body making him cry out with agony and shock. Then it was over. Riuk glanced down at his hand which was now totally engulfed by the flames but no more seering pain. Shanok relinquished his grip on his son's hand and stood staring at him proudly. Finally Riuk removed his hand from the Red blaze and turned it around in amazement. "Well done nephew" said Eskaar clapping. Riuk hesitated quickly glancing at Xana who was still resting in the corner of the cave. "Is this why we brought Xana with us?" Asked Riuk looking back at his father who hugged him "Yes Riuk, Though Xana is one of the last, any dragon's fire will be enough for this rite, but you did very well and faced you're fear even if it was with a little encouragement" he said winking and clipping him around the head playfully."You will make a fine King one day Riuk" said Eskaar "You are now one of the people, one of the Drakon". Riuk looked at his hand, the burned flesh had now healed and was as before. He then looked at the flames which had now returned to a normal dancing yellow glow. Shanok noticed his son flexing his hand. "Go on my son" he said smiling. Riuk stood and moved his hand toward the flame. He gritted his teeth, took a deep breath then thrusted it into the dancing yellow light. Nothing. No pain, no smell of burning flesh and no damage. Riuk gazed into the fire licking the sides of his hand. Riuk beamed and jumped around excitedly shouting in delight to which Shanok and Eskaar threw their heads back and both laughed heartily.