"You must conquer the world before you may conquer me."
- Haraldic words of House Dante
The Jarnhud Kingdom is a harsh mistress. Our summers are cold, our winters white. It is a tough place for tough dragons. To our west, we had the Kingdom of Burben, ruled by House Abelburben. Between them, House Horn of Hornholm, and us, House Jarnhud, we rule the draconic North of Scandinavia. It's not perfect, but it's home.
My name is Danthe. I am old, and I am tired, but I have lived a long and fulfilled life. Though ice flows in my blood, I shan't see another summer. My children will be my legacy, and when I am gone, they will tell my story...
I was born in the Barony of Jarnhud, the fourth child of House Jarnhud, the youngest daughter of Jarnelle Jarnhud, my mother, and Thorstein Dofri, my father. I can remember my childhood years. Before my father tried to marry me off and chain me to a husband I felt nothing for, I grew up with my older siblings: My sisters Helga and Kara, and my brother Rolf...
"Ok ok, ow! Danthe, no pinning!"
I was never a girly girl, I never was and I never would be. I play fought often with Rolf in the courtyard; sometimes with magic, sometimes with wooden swords, sometimes we just wrestled until we were too tired to stand. On this occasion, I'd won.
"Forgive me brother." I smirked. "I thought it was the job of the male to be the warrior. I'd have thought big, strong you could easily pin your little sister with ease!"
"You're only slightly younger than me!" Rolf protesed, climbing to his feet, embaressed. "The gods also made you really strong!"
"Really strong, and really smart. I could see what you were up to a mile away."
"It's not fair." Rolf scowled, or tried to, he was soft, and he and I got along far better than we did with our older sisters. "...Still, it's a lot of fun when I do best you."
"Well, one must let you win sometimes." I grinned. "Come on, best of three?"
We often play fought in our youth; Helga and Kara were much older than me and Rolf; they spent all their time in pretty silk dresses, being courted by fancy noblemen: If I recall, Helga was the only one of my two sisters who married, but those nightmares weren't until later in my life. I had other prolems to face until then, not least those of my mother and father...
As me and Rolf continued to tumble and scrap, we suddenly heard the stern cry of our father.
"Rolf, Danthe! What in the name of the gods are you doing?!" He marched over to us, and pulled us apart with his paws. "Rolf Jarnhud, you do not fight with a dragoness!"
"I asked him to!" I shouted, trying to defend him and I: "We were playing!"
"She was winning."
"I do not want to hear your excuses!" He spat: "No honourable dragon will ever harm a dragoness, not least his own sister! You should be ashamed!"
"Father!" I growled: "It's fine! I wanted him to do it! So I could learn how to fight, and use my magic! This wouldn't be a problem if..." I stopped: "Well, if you actually trained me as you do Rolf."
Father sighed, sitting down next to us, curling around us and frowning: "I wish I could, but Danthe, you're a dragoness. You and your sisters will be the ones who continue our family name, a dragoness is too valueable to risk by having them fighting. My child, that's what us males are for. We breed, and we fight, and we die, all so our wives and our daughters can build our future."
"But father, Danthe is such a better fighter than me! Please father, please let her train with me!"
"What if something happens to me?" I bluted out: "What if I'm caught of guard, and there's none of you males to 'protect' me?"
"Yes, you see father?! She needs to know how to use her ice element!"
He pulled a face: "...Children, these are problems to worry about when you are older. Let's have no more of this training for now. Run along and play, and I'll see what your mother thinks..."
Sadly, nothing came of it. Mother agreed with my father, saying that it was 'unladylike' for me to take the life of a warrior. Oh, I remember how angry I was: Jarnelle was a great, celebrated warrior in her time, she knew the glories of combat better than most, and yet she had the audacity to stop me from following in her footsteps! It wasn't fair!
However, Rolf, my darling twin brother Rolf, he refused to let that stop us, and we continued to train, in secret...
It was late at night when he and I would continue our regime. While we were twins, Rolf was the first to hatch out of the pair of us, and often enjoyed reminding me of it.
"Father has no problems training me it seems. Doesn't stop me from training you. I've been enjoying this, even if you've beaten me more times than I can count."
He approached a table, upon which was a bow and a number of arrows, their metals heads removed and replaced with corks, the corks were coated in red paint which hadn't quite dried yet.
"So, the most vulnerable parts of a dragon's body are...?"
"The underbelly and the wings." I answered: "I know all of this already."
"Do you want to know who else knows?" In a flash, he drew an arrow and fired; the projectile hit my chest, leaving a circle of red where it struck me. "Humans. Father told me a human, skilled with one of these bows, can easily wound a dragon with an arrow to our weaker parts." He smiled: "Fortunately, as you know, we ice dragons have arrows of our own." He huddled into furs as he approached a target. "And that's why we're in the courtyard, in the middle of a winter night. A spray of cold air is easy, a hatchling can do that. A step up from that is some slightly lumpy spit which doesn't help anybody and is pretty gross. But dragons of our age should be capable of producing ice darts." To demonstrate, he flapped his wings and floated over to Danthe, where he proceeded to fire an icicle dart into the target, hitting the outer ring. He chuckled: "Okay, I'm a terrible shot. I'm not much of a fighter, but you are! You'll do great!"
Ah, Rolf. If there was only one thing he was good at, it was boosting my confidence. He would've made a great teacher himself one day. I stood a proper stance, and concentrated on what I was trying to do. It was a ultimately spitting, a spit of frozen ice like an arrow. It wasn't siliva I was trying to fire from my mouth, but an extremely cold fluid which was produced in the elemental lung and bolstered by magic. It was simply a matter of focus.
As it happens, I'm a pretty good shot; my first go was less than successful however. I had not expected the suddenness of the shards escaping my mouth and I reeled slightly, sending the dart in a completely unpredictable course! Rolf ducked behind a table as the shard embedded itself in the palisade just behind him. We both went silent, watching how deeply the dart had burrowed into the wooden wall. Despite this, Rolf found himself chuckling.
"Well, my sister, nobody can doubt your strength, that's for certain."
My second shot was much better: I was prepared for the 'kick' and I quickly became able to compensate for it, as if through instinct. The shard flew through the air, striking the centre of the target.
"Very good." Rolf nodded. "You always have been a fast learner." He turned to a book he'd also placed on the table. "...So, how about this? I've heard stories of dragons coating themselves in their own ice, like armour."
I pulled a face: "Gods, no. That sounds like a really stupid idea. Give me iron and hides any day."
"Can I even persuade you to try this?"
"You do realise we ice dragons can die of cold."
"I know, I know." Rolf grumbled: "Ok, stubborn. We'll skip the ice armour. Father hasn't even taught me that anyway. Dragons don't use it anymore anyway. Say you said, iron and hides seem to be more and more popular among our kind than ever before." He yawned: "Ok, I think we can call it a night here... You did good, Danthe. You'll make a great warrior some day."
Rolf proved to be one of the most important dragons in my life when it came to becoming a warrior. My mother could see the effects of my gradualy more strenuous activites as I grew into an adolescent, and then into a young adult dragoness; and yet she always turned a blind eye to it. However, my father was less willing to ignore my bruises and occasional cuts and sprains. A divide was forming between us: Mother's age had begun to rob her of her old strength, and all of us could see it; it put a great strain upon us all, none more so than my father and me, who had differing ideas as to what my future should be...
"I will not marry that dragon!" I hissed after my father dragged me into his study. It had happenned, my first period of heat: It burned through me like my blood was on fire; I struggled to cope with my urges to jump the first male who wasn't my own kin. It hadn't changed my mind though, I still didn't want to be forced into a marriage with anyone.
"Danthe, this is something you knew was going to happen. Men are presented to you, you pick one, you marry him, and he gives you children to continue our family name!" Father paced up and down in furstration.
"They're all idiots! Idiotic Abelburbens and idiotic Horns!"
"The Abelburbens and the Horns are two of the most powerful draconic families in the North! Your sisters understood this, and yet Helga still ran off with a Russian foreigner!"
"That wasn't my fault!"
"Regardless, the Abelburben lads didn't like Kara, but they liked iyou/i. You're strong, you're smart, and you're beuatiful. but most importantly, you're young. You've finally entered heat for the first time, you can bare eggs of your own, eggs with Abelburben and Jarnhud blood."
"But I don't want anything to do with them!"
"IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT!" Father roared: "...If you have children, they'll be of the blood of both Jarnhuds and Abelburbens. They value strong bloodlines, and a mix of ours and theirs couldn't be stronger. If we offer them Rolf, our name will fade from memory, all his children will be theirs. But you? You can unite our houses. If you're that selfish that you'll put your own desires above the good of the family..." He scowled at me. "You are a fool... A stupid fool who shames her family name!" I was shaking as father pushed me out of the study. "...You will marry one of theirs, for the family, and for your own good."
Things only got worse after that. Mother was dying from an illness which plauged our kind known as Dragonsrot: A wasting disease which withered away the scales and the body of a dragon, making them appear much older than they actually are, before robbing them of their sight, slowly clouding the pupils with a strange, milky coloured fluid.
"Give me your paw." She coughed to me on her deathbead. "I can no longer see your beautiful young face. Please, I want to know you're still there."
Shaking, I offered her my paw, which she took with a weak grip, a world away from the strength she once had.
"Curse the gods." I spoke: "Why did they have to do this? Why did they see fit to take you from us?"
"Do not blame the gods for this, my dear Danthe..." She coughed again a deep heavy cough which left her breathless: "...My time had to come eventuallly, I just wish it had been under different circumstances. Helga has betrayed us, she's gone, ran off with a foreigner and has foresaken her family name. Kara will inherit our lands and titles."
"Then, then why did you summon for me, not her?"
"Because Kara is a fool. She's a fool, and you're not. It may be that you'll never rule our lands, nor will your twin brother. But I'm proud of you... You've not let power or wealth make you complacent, you're a warrior at heart, like me..." She sighed: "I know you're at odds with your father. You might hate him for what he forces you to do, but he loves you, and he only wants whats best for you, and all of us... I wish you could see it as we do. You might think you want the life of a warrior, you're like me in that regard. But I grew to resent it, and wanted the life I had before. I grew sick of it, and yet I see so much of what I was like in you. I love you, and I'll always be watching over you, but please, be careful..."
She died after that, I remember holding back tears as my blood burned as I can only imagine it must burn in a fire dragon. My mother's dying words circled in my head, driving me down a path I could never turn back on.
I ran away from home that night. The words of my mother and my father conflicted. They both wanted something different from me, I couldn't please them both, and I couldn't cope with it any longer, I had to get away.
There were once two great castles within my family's land: Castle Jarnhud, where we live. The other was further north: A ruin where it always snowed and the winds were bitterly cold; once, long ago, it was known as Bissthalan Hall, but now it's known only as The Freezer. People claimed it couldn't be held, but I wasn't prepared to let that stop me...
The wind howled all around me as I huddled inside one of the crumbling rooms of the ruins; it was pretty spacious, but in its current state, did little to protect from the bitter cold. I cursed the foul weather as I continued to attempt to light a fire. I'd set up the firewood already, but it was times like this I'd give my left wing to be a fire dragon. There was one slight glimmer of hope for this place, and that was the larder: It had been built underground behind a pretty secure door; the sheer cold of this place made it a natural icehouse, and the stores of fish and vegetables inside would keep me going for a few weeks, provided I didn't freeze to death first.
Finally, a spark! Flames started to lick at the dry wood and, with the blessing of Ro'Morne herself, the fireplace was ready, the heat it gave was deeply and happily welcomed by myself.
With a fire secured, and food in my belly, my thoughts turned to my future. My exodus from Castle Jarnhud had been a rushed affair; I'd stolen my brothers cloak and armour so I might have something to protect me; it didn't fit properly, and was far heavier than I might have preferred, but it would help stave off the elements up here in this untamed land. I couldn't go back to Castle Jarnhud, not after my less than graceful exit. Father would never forgive me for this, and Kara wouldn't want me getting in the way. The dragon I truly missed most however was Rolf. Rolf simply understood me and my position; honestly, I think he would've been happy if I was the male, and he the female, how fate had a cruel sense of humour...
My thoughts haunted me until I finally fell asleep from exhaustion. When I woke, the weather had calmed: It was no longer snowing and the skies were a clear blue. However, I didn't wake up, so much as I had been woken up.
"Danthe." Came a familiar voice before I felt a paw shake my shoulder. "Danthe! Wake up, please!"
I blinked, looking up with a scowl as I shook the snow of my back. Upon seeing who had awoken me however, I couldn't stop the frown from quickly vanishing.
"Rolf?" I blinked: "What, what are you doing here?"
He paused, ordering a guard who was accompanying him (and looked heavily overencumbered from everything he was carrying) to leave them with some privacy, before he returned his attention to me: "I could ask you the same question. I've wanted to see you, and talk."
"Why?" I snorted: "So you can persuade me to go back so Father can force me into a pretty silk dress and make me marry some Abelburben? Father would never allow me back after this anyway."
"Father can go fuck himself." Rolf snorted: "I miss you, even Kara misses you, and I know you and her didn't exactly get on all the time. But this is no place for you."
A scoff escaped me: "It's a ruin, a blank slate. It's no place for me, then I'll make it a place for me, somehow."
Rolf actually smirked upon hearing that: "I figured you'd say that... Well, Kara is queen, and Father isn't in charge of the house anymore..." He sighed: "Still, I know you're stubborn. But that stubbornness could outweather the gods. I'll see what I can do back home, perhaps I can get Kara to help you out here somehow... This castle has been left abandoned for many years... I'm sure all you'd need to do is step in and claim the respective titles..." He leaned in and hugged me: "I don't know when we'll see each other again. Things are... difficult, back down south. Still, I thought I'd leave you with some things which might make life easier for you up here." He called the guard in again, and informed him to set 'it' down; the guard nodded, taking a large chest, which had been strapped to his back, and placed it down on the stone floor. Rolf opened it to reval a sizeable amount of gold and silver, as well as a large amount of food, travel equipment, blankets, books and lastly, a small, iron crown. I smiled: "Thank you..."
"You'll need something to pay people in the futre, most likely." Rolf explained: "There should be some fabrics in there for you to set up a tent for the time being, before you can make this ruin habitable. That's what you'll need to gold and silver for, don't waste it. Part of it is all the horde Mother left to you, the rest is what she left to me. Every piece."
"Rolf..." My face dropped: "I..."
"Don't, even, go there. You're going to need this, far more than I ever will. I'll just waste the wealth Mother gave to me. Perhaps you can put it to better use." He sighed again: "The crown? I noticed that took your eye almost immediately. You're still a princess of House Jarnhud, nobody is going to take that away from you, and soon, if you get my way, you'll have titles of your own. I figured you may as well have the crown to match the position. Gold and silver are weak, bendable metals. Iron is strong, and I imagine you appricate the meaning behind it."
The crown was more like a tiara than a crown; it featured three large points and looked more like dragon spines rather than metal; the centre 'point' was the largest, and featured a large sapphire set into its face. Trying it on, it fitted perfectly, and suited me very well indeed.
"Thank you for coming Rolf." I smiled.
"I told you, I had to see you one last time." He nodded, his smile weak and poorly hiding his worries about the situation: "...Good luck."
Rolf's visit gave me hope, and the tent certainly gave me somewhere warm to sleep for the time being. I'd need to find someone to help me rebuild the Freezer, but for the time being, I aquanted myself with the fortress I would be making my home.
A few days passed without event, until one day, a messanger arrived, looking for me. He bowed, and presented me with a letter and a package, before leaving as quickly as he arrived. The letter itself was marked with the seal of my house, curious, I opened it and read it aloud...
Dear Sister,
I regret your refusal to leave the ruins formerly known as Bissthalan Hall. You are missed dearly by your family here at Castle Jarnhud, but I understand that we must make our own paths in our lives. Father continues to complain and worry about your decision, but it's no longer his choice as to how you live your life, and he is no longer in charge of this family. I am.
Princess Danthe of Hourse Jarnhud, I hearby name you Countess of Bissthalan, as well as Baroness of The Freezer. I charge you with its maintainance, as well as with the taxation and the protection of the peasantry of your new domain, but otherwise, it is your realm to manage as you see fit. Me and your brother Rolf decided that it would be better this way, as we can at least know for certain where you are, and that you are safe. I know The Freezer is a ruin at the present time, so you will need to hire workmen to rebuild the ruins, and make it into a great holding once more. I know of a dragon who might be able to help you in this regard, and I have ordered him to go to you. Hopefully, you will agree with me here, and will hire his expertise. Inside the package I have sent you are the various documents and seals you will need to govern your new lands. I understand that Rolf has already seen to provide you with the finances to pay for staff, levies and builders.
Best regards,
Queen Kara of House Jarnhud.
PS: Best of luck to you sister. We all wish you well, and miss you very much. You will always be welcome in your family home as long as I am in charge. And, regardless of what Father might say, he loves you, and misses you as much as any of us. I can see it in his eyes.
So that was it. With the signing of a letter, I became the landed ruler of my own realm. The excitment of it, as well as the joy from a letter from home, was equally met with the daunting reality of my new position, as well as how far I would need to go to ensure the castle was fit for purpose. However, having a source of income would certainly make it much easier for me; I just needed that builder to arrive, so work could finally begin...
"I don't care where you source the stone from! Wood won't work here, you need stone to make a strong fort!"
The builder, as well as many workers in his employ, had finallly arrived: He was a Roman dragon by the name of Florus Silice; I didn't know a lot about him, save for the fact he was an older dragon, stuck in the past when the Roman Empire actually meant something; now, he was offering his services to me... For a fee, of course.
"Savages build out of wood, my dear Danthe." He explained: "Are you a savage? I think not! Build a fort out of wood, it might last a few years, but it might be burned down by the first maruading fire dragons who decide they want what you have. Build out of stone, and it will last an eternity."
I shivered, burrowing myself into my cloak for warmth, although Florus seemed far worse off than I: "Very well. How much are we talking here? Gold? Silver? Concubines, what?"
He groaned: "I have no interest in mounting your Scandinavian women." He stated: "I know this land has riches. Pay me in gold and perhaps you and I can civilize the savages up here."
I snarled: "We are not savages!" I barked, but he merely rolled his eyes.
"Have you witnessed the glory of Rome, ever, in your life? Our cities are the greatest cities in the world, I care not for these Draconic or Scandinavian togunes. Latin is the true language of God. And it is through the mercy of God and the emperors of old that dragons were permitted to live within the empire, and I brought our forts to Britannia. If you don't like it, good luck trying to find some pagan barbarian to build your fortress for you."
I continued to scowl as I watched the pompus Roman cunt prance about my ruins. I hated him, but he was right: I needed him. Castle Jarnhud was the only other stone castle I'd ever seen, the locals having little choice but to live in either wooden huts and longhouses, or caves; this new fortress of mine would be a marked sign of progress in the face of the Abelburbens, Horns and my own family alike. If there ever was a war and an army marched on The Freezer, those same armies would fall and freeze at her walls.
I retreated to my chambers after that confrontation, pouring myself a mug of beer and slumping into a chair. A fire burned, but the walls were broken, and there was nothing to cover the windows, from which snow and cold winds poured into the room. I'd begun to regret running away from home, but this was a choice I made, and I refused to let the cold best me!
I was going to be the master of my own castle. I was a good fighter, but I couldn't manage an entire castle by myself, especially not one as large as this...
I sent out messengers across Draconic Scandinavia, calling for the best and brightest so I might form a council who could help me manage my land. And yet, today, I only remember the face of one of those dragons, the others have faded into obscurity. But no, one dragon, my steward, will be a dragon I could never forget.
Finn Av Yrsa was originally a dragon from what would soon become Norway. He was everything I admired, both strong of body and quick of mind. His features were plain, but I enjoyed his company from the day he arrived in my court.
Though the fortifications were yet to be completed, and some towers were still unsafe to venture, my court was full and teeming with activity, and my council and my castle were fully staffed; I had the foundations of a great holding already.
Perhaps it was hasty to hold a grand feast this early to celebrate the holding's progress, but that didn't really stop me from doing so anyway.
Fires roared in the great hall, illuminating my banners which hung from the walls. A great table was laiden with fish and vegitables; the centrepiece being the roasted remains of a great elk, laiden with rich berries. Beer and ale flowed like summer streams and the hall was lively and merry.
I too was merry, I drank as much as any dagon around me, even Florus, after the initally jarring first drink of our alcohol, was able to drink himself into a stupor as his Scandinavian counterpart could: He sat at one of the further away tables (for I still didn't want anything to do with him) deep in an argument with one of the draconic vikings over... something; while I occasionally heard odd bits of their argument (mentioning togas). Eventually, my fascination with the argument passed as Florus left the hall, presumably to go and vomit as I'd heard Romans used to, lightweight...
"My lady!" I heard Finn call to me from my side: "My lady Danthe..." He slurred, a daft smile on his face: "We need yer' words o' wisdom! Marshal Gauti and his brother Grim are arguing about who is stronger! My, my lady, who do you think would win in a fight?!"
"It's me, my lady!" Gauti, a stout, stocky dragon barked: "I'm so strong, I could pull a tree from its roots with my paws alone!"
"Nonsense!" Grimm spat: "He might be able to pull a tree from the ground, but I could best every dragon at this feast in a duel!"
I smirked, I longed for a good fight: "You could beat any dragon?" I asked: "Very well, beat me in a friendly tussel, and you will be the strongest dragon at this feast!"
"Ha!" Gauti laughed aloud: "I'd pay a hundred pieces of silver to see you beaten by a dragoness!"
Finn smirked: "Ha! There's no better fighter in the realm than Danthe Jarnhud! She'll wipe the floor with you!"
This declaration had drawn quite the crowd! I stood to my feet, a confident smirk crossed my face, I could take a dragon like Gauti. There wasn't any malice to it, it was quite clear to see in both him and I: He was a marshal, I was a warrior; it was time to prove ourselves.
We quickly found ourselves in the centre of a circle of cheering spectators. There were some rules to this fight, obviously: For one, we weren't trying to kill each other, so we weren't allowed to bite or scratch; secondly, no magic. The fight was effectively a wrestling match, and I made the first move. I pounced on Gauti, who may have been too slow to get out of the way, but was able to grab me with his forepaws and push me back before swinging at me with his paw. I blocked with a quick flick of the wing and rolled to his side and jabbing him at the sides! As he fell to the floor, the crowd laughed, I was too quick for him! Well, almost; as I lept to pin him, he kicked me back and spung to his feet: His kick had brusied my underbelly, but that was little more than a reminder not to let it happen again! Again he lunged to hit me, but this time I grabbed the opponent's paw and yanked him forward! Unexpecting of the attack, he fell forwards, where I pinned him with a foot upon the back of his neck. Gauti struggled, but eventually, was forced to give in.
Victorious, I freed my marshal, who rose to his face; he was gracious in his defeat if nothing else.
"My lady, you humble me." He spoke, offering me his paw to shake: "Only a fool would look at you and judge you weak for being a dragoness, you're fast, and stronger than you look. You are truly a warrior who can best her boasts." He couldn't hide his embaressment at his defeat however, and his friends didn't let him forget his loss as he staggered back to the dining table for meat and ale; as did I, where Finn had been merrily singing in my name with some fellow dragons who, in part down to the beer in their bellies, joined him in his verse:
"...Let's sing in the name of our lady Danthe
whose speed and her strength will win any day!
Poor Gauti the marshal, so short and so stout
poor Gauti the marshal, whom she pushed about!
We sing for our lady, whom forever henceforth
we sing for our lady, the Queen in the North!"
The feat cemented how life in The Freezer was going to be for us at first: Finn was my steward, and by far the most loyal and valued member of my court: He was the only dragon of them all who, while I held good favour towards all my councilmen, he was a dragon whom I became very attached to, a good friend whom I could rely on and trust with the castle's wealth and staff, as well as any other matters I might need attending to. Perhaps most importantly at the time however, he oversaw the construction of the Freezer, being the middle man between me and Florus, so I didn't have to deal with him, and building could go on smoothly...
"Well, your majesty." Finn spoke, he stood at my side atop the castle battlements as we watched the builders add the finishing touches to their work; they were nearly finished now, all that was left was to add some mortar for strength, add some decoration to the walls, hang banners and lay down some wooden spikes to the outer palisades. "It's been a very long time, almost a year, but it's been worth it. I'm happy to report your fortress if finally finished."
"Thank you Finn." I smiled: "You've manged things here very well. You've been a hard worker and a good friend these past years. I'm glad I hired you."
"High praise indeed from such a good queen." He noted: "All we need to do now is deal with our Roman friend."
I smirked: "Or we could just take him. You and I? Pompus little twat probably can't even fight."
"Yes, we could kill him, but it would give you a pretty bad reputation around these parts, and things are bad enough already."
I nodded, I was many things, but I wasn't a dragoness who would kill a dragon to avoid having to pay them. "What am I mising, Finn? I noticed your face was grim from the second you joined me here."
Finn went quiet, thinking out his next sentence, it wasn't going to be good news however he put it: "I have bad news... Your sister Helga, she's returned to the Jarnhud realm, and she's brought an army..."
Helga Jarnhud, the treacherous first daughter of the family. The army wasn't 'hers' per say, but her husband's: Jotun the Perisher, one of the most powerful ice dragons alive. He originated somewhere in Eastern Europe; he was a brutally strong dragon who, while he didn't hold any lands or titles, made a fortune from raiding the villages, towns and cities of barbarian humans and weaker dragons. His marriage to Helga was one part sincere love, and three parts financial gain for the pair of them.
A man on a horse rode to the walls of my fortress, demanding an auidence. My own 'army' was merely peasants, a few supportive dragons and their lesser families and my council, but we had the elements on our side, nobody could siege the Freezer!
"Speak, human!" I bellowed from the walls, twenty men drew arrows from their bows at both my sides.
"I come in the name of your sister, the rightful Queen Helga Jarnhud!" He shouted in reply.
"Helga gave up her claim to Jarnhud when she ran off with a Holmgardr savage! It matters not to me, Kara is the head of the family now, and the ruler of our family's lands and titles!"
The human smirked: "Kara is dead." He explained: "Had you not heard? Her house put up a good fight, but King Jotun was far superior in strength to all of them."
I froze, my mouth went dry and I trembled in rage and horror: "She's dead? Helga killed her own sister?!"
"Rolf and your late father put up a stirring defense of her and your family home, but King Jotun is a superior fighter to both of them. They couldn't have been slayed by a stronger dragon."
For the first time in years, I felt tears well in my eyes, my family was dead! All of them! Dead! "Kinslaying demon!" I cried: "Your queen is nothing more than a murderous whore!"
"And now you're next in line from her. Females seem to have all the power around here! With Kara dead, you would be heir in the eyes of these miserable peasants! If you surrender now and fade into osbcurity, perhaps your life shall be spared!"
"Never!" I screamed: "The kinslayer can march to my fortress and die! I'll rip her apart for her evil crimes! Run away, human! My men shall pierce you with arrows and ice if you do not leave this place!"
"Take aim!" my marshal ordered on cue. The human was no fool, he jumped onto his horse and galloped away: It was war.
Even through the tightly sealed shutters, the howls of icy winds continued to haunt the otherwise undisturbed silence of the war room. Only my steward, my marshal and myself sat around the simple round table, looking at an old and worn map of the Jarnhud Realm. We Jarndhuds are great at many things, but we're no sailors: North and the east were the frozen waters of the Murman Sea; the west was blocked by mountains and hills where the snow and the storms could only be even worse. There was only one road which lead to the Freezer: It was south, and Helga's men would be marching right up it, with the audacity to fly the Jarnhud colours in anger against her own kin! Aside from the insult it bore me, it also proved to be a problem for other reasons.
"The soldiers will be confused." I recall my marshal telling me. "We can't use the banners of the Jarnhud in battle, our men need new uniforms."
"Uniforms!?" I spluttered: "Banners! Marshal, I hired you to help me plan my tactics, and lead my troops! Not some stupid army fashion!"
"These are tactics, my leige." He snorted, craning his long, aching neck: "If we fly the same flags as our enemy, it'll confuse our men. They'll have no idea who they're supossed to be attacking. They'll end up killing each other, just as much as they might end up killing our enemies, and we need our men more than Jotun the Perisher needs his!"
"Don't dare shout at our lady!" Finn rose to my defense. "Remember your place, cavedweller!"
"Finn, please." I spoke with a scowl and a groan: "Alright, fine. You've twisted my wing. Let's waste time redesiging my banners and colours rather than plan the defense of this fortress..."
The banners of House Jarnhud are, as they have always been, a silver crown upon an grey field, it was a symbolisation of what the Jarnhuds were: The Masters of Silver and Snow. I hated having to give up my heraldry like this, but it had to be done: The banners I would be flying would bare an iron crown upon a field of azure, blue and white would be my colours: The Mistress of Iron and Ice. After that waste of time, my marshal finally begun talking about real tactics.
"...I'll seend a message to Black Band, shadow dragon and draconian mercenaries. They're pretty heavy troops and they'll bolster our numbers greatly."
I'd heard about the Black Band, they were a group of warriors and shadow dragons from Tröndelag who, as their name suggested, wore heavy black and red armour; though they were quite fearsome in their apperance, their loyalty to their paymaster was absolute and eternal. "Good, the more men we have, the better." I sighed: "Is it going to be enough though?"
Then, Finn made a slight cough, asking if he might be able to speak: "Hmm, if I may, your majesty. We still have Florus the Roman in our employment."
"That pompus bastard?" I snarled: "What on earth is he still doing here?"
"I needed someone to be in charge of the castle builders so the wall can be maintained where needed for me. We give him food, beer and a warm bed on the condition he stays out of your way. But right now, what he knows how to set up some of those old Roman siege weapons. We may have to suffer his smug hubris for a while, but isn't it worth it if we can all keep our hides?"
I huffed: "Gods damn us all. I can't deny it Finn, that would be an excellent idea if we can pull it off. I've heard stories of their weapons launching a spear straight through a dragon's chest and out through the other side again. We need something like that!"
Florus himself upon hearing this was as typically helpful as he normally is; that is to say, he was, once again, being an egotistical and entitled know-it-all now that he knew there was something I needed which only he could provide. It had grown to be too much of a problem, I went to confront him.
"You want me to build you siege ballistas?" He smirked: "Oh, I'm pretty sure I could do that you're majesty. How much are you willing to pa-"
I puched him, right in his smug little face, sending him crumpling to the floor with a squeal! "What?!" I barked: "Do you want me to pay you? How about this? You do it, and I don't throw you out to Jotun for his men to have their way with you your pretty little Roman cunt!" I dragged the whimpering dragon to his feet, my forepaws clasped around his shoulders like a clamp: "Listen to me man! We need every defense we can get to survive this attack. IF they get through, we all die! And that includes you! Understand?!"
Quivering, the dragon nodded, and so I set him down again. "Don't make me do that again. You have a job to do, get to it!"
For the first time, the Roman silently nodded, bowing slightly before scuttling away...
It was late, but I couldn't sleep. I found myself wandering the castle, as I sometimes do, my legs leading me to the battlements. From there, I stopped still, looking over the fortress and the world beyond. I rubbed my legs, I'd neglected to remove the plate iron bracers and leg plating before attempting to get into bed, and they'd been cutting into my skin for a while; readjusting them helped, but it left faint marks for where the metal had dug in. This wasn't the first time this had happened, as I buried myself into my cloak, I didn't care for the discomfort and the weight the armour brought to my body.
I sighed, I did it, I got my wish: I was a warrior now, and soon I'd be leading my fellow warriors into a battle for our lives, or else my sister would kill us all. I had been in the Freezer for so long now, it felt like so many years, I didn't know how to be anything other than a warrior. I'd certainly forgotten how to be a dragoness a long time ago.
"Ah, there you are." I heard my steward speak as he saw me and trotting over to where I stood. "I don't know what you did to Florus, but he's been working with the builders all night to set up the ballistas..." He smirked: "Seems somebody gave him quite the smack to the face. I dare say he had it coming."
I chuckled. "I've been wanting to do that ever since the first day he crawled into my castle."
"I hope you're not going to beat all of your staff in order to get them to do what you like?"
I smiled: "Oh, I'm sure there's at least one person about here who I wouldn't be laying a paw on, unless they wanted me to."
"Hm." Finn nodded: "That dragon is lucky. He must get to see a side to you beyond the 'warrior queen'."
"Is that how people see me? As simply a warrior queen?" I looked down at the floor. "I can't say I blame them. I always wanted to be a warrior. Travel the world, be a master of my own destiny. Did I ever tell you about the story of why I left?"
"I heard you ran away." Came Finn's answer.
"Yeah, I did." I told him: "I was in heat for the first time when I did, and my father wanted me to get married, to an Abelburben if I recall."
He looked at me: "So, why didn't you?"
"I didn't want to get married, I don't think I was ready for it. I didn't want to tie myself down to a husband, because then I'd have to have kids, and then I'd never get to leave the home. Having to have a male protect me for the rest of my life? Fuck off. What good am I if I'm not even able to protect myself? I'd sooner be dead than have to depend upon somebody."
"Nonsense." Finn protested: "That's utter nonesense. You might be out of action for a couple of months if you ever had kids, but only a fool would try to peg you down like that. But, to go through your entire life alone just to avoid the risk? Under all that armour and fur is a dragoness who I respect, and I adore, and I'll always follow. It's okay to need help sometimes. Nobody expects you to deal with anything completely by yourself, and you shouldn't have to."
"Oh, don't portray me as such a saint." I snapped: "My reasons for leaving were all completely selfish. If I'd stayed, I'd be able to perhaps build a bridge between the Jarnhuds and the Abelburbens... Perhaps my family might still be alive."
Finn's face fell a little; he didn't speak initially, but he slowly sat closer to me, draping his wing over me and holding me tight, sharing his body heat with mine: It felt... good.
The gravity of what Finn was doing seemed to hit home for him, and he winced slightly: "Please..." He spoke, his tone nervous: "Forgive my boldness for, well..." He lifted his wing slightly: "This. I mean only to try to make you feel better. You being stuck back in Castle Jarnhud, married to a dragon you don't care for wouldn't have changed anything. The only thing it would've acchieved would be to make you miserable, and then later on, you might be dead with your family. At least this way, you not only get the chance to avenge them, but since Helga is no longer the rightful queen, the Jarnhud domain rightfully falls to you." He smiled: "Nothing would make me happier than to see you be the queen, in more than just name and song."
I sighed. Finn's presence was comforting, far beyond anything else in this frozen fortress, I found myself leaning against him warm side in a move which was admittedly unusual for me nowadays: Deep within my mind, I feared the coming battle, not for fear of my barony or even my life, but for the thought of having to continue this journey if Finn somehow perished in the fight. I hadn't felt this way in a long time, part of me wanted him, want this, more than I wanted anything else.
What I did next was stupid, and utterly unbefitting of my position: It started with me burrowing into my companion's side, no longer caring for the percieved inappropriateness of a 'lowly' steward holding his leige in such a way, he was warm, and the warmth he gave stirred up something deep within myself which had been buried for such a long time; that, however, was not the stupid thing. The stupid thing was when I kissed him on the cheek.
I realised what I did immediately, as did he, and I pulled away quickly, a flush of embaressment and self-anger flooding over me.
"Erm, you're majesty..." Finn spoke: "Did you just..."
"Don't, say it. Please, just don't." I stammered: "I'm sorry, that was foolish, I shouldn't have done that. Now is not the time!" I paced up and down, unsure what to do about my new predicament; I didn't fully understand why I did what I did, though, deep down, I don't think I regretted the kiss so much as I did how Finn might respond. "I think we both just need some sleep, or, something, I need to clear my head." With that, I rather unceremoniously retreated from the battlements.
Love, not even love, a mere attraction to another dragon, I had no time for it! Not now. There was a war to fight, and the castle was to be sieged! What if I was to act upon this newfound desire of mine, only for he who I felt this way towards to die shortly after? This was different from all the times when I was younger: I didn't want this back then, but now, I didn't want to want it, for fear of losing it.
I was in heat, that didn't help. It had been so long since I acted upon my body's instincts that it had come to the point where I simply ignored them; however, this time doing so would be utterly impossible.
This was bloody torture, I couldn't shake the thoughts and the feelings from my mind no matter how hard I tried! I had always liked Finn Av Yrsa, the feeling was fairly mutual so it seemed; he was always supportive of me and my desire to be a warrior regardless of my gender, and I knew I could always rely upon him for anything. I sighed, there were certainly worse dragons for me to develop feelings for.
Fighting was easy, philosophers might ponder if its easier to kill a person or to love them, for me at least, the former was far easier than the courage I could muster in seconds to fight a dragon took much longer to rally in order for me to leave my quarters, walk through the fortress and knock on the door to Finn's bedchambers.
Finn was certainly surprised to see my flustered, weary self at his door. "Oh my, hello your majesty. Please, come in." He stepped aside with a bow, inviting into his chambers. The room was extremely well organised (far better than my own I must confess), he kept a large number of books, scrolls and stone tablets kept neatly assorted on strong, study wooden shelves. There was a small desk, pushed up against the shuttered window, upon which was a number of charters and scrolls detailing the finances of the castle, there was also a small strongbox containing his modest wealth and a wooden plate which what was left of his dinner; on the wall nearby was a wooden board nailed into the stone wall, where he kept his keys around the castle, held securly together with an iron keyring. In the other end of the room, a small fireplace burned, bathing the room in a warm, flickering glow.
It was at this point when my eyes truly started to analyse the dragon I wanted so desperately to speak to: He dressed very handsomely, and kept himself as tidy as he kept his chambers: He wore a simple green tunic under a thick cloak, made from the fur of a bear; he liked his baubles so it seemed; a small, golden amulet, baring his liege's seal, hung around his neck (the odd specs of wax showed he often used it to seal offical documents), and on his left forepaw was a coiled, silver ring, which featured a number of notches to the precious metal's edges, where pieces had been removed to pay for goods and services. He was indeed an attractive male in his dress, though I, by this point, wouldn't have cared if he had the face of a mule, the arse of a cow and the rags of a starving peasant.
"First of all..." I spoke, my tone struggling to maintain any real authoritative feeling I was going for: "I don't want you calling me by a title. No 'your majesty' or 'my liege' or anything like that, and no bowing!"
He looked at me, confused: "Very well... Danthe." He responded. "Is, is this about before? I'm, I'm very sorry, I was far too forward in my advances to you."
I scoffed: "You're sorry? Who kissed who?" I walked over towards him, shutting the door behind me: "...I couldn't stop thinking of you after it happened. Gods be dammed, if I was to develop feelings for a dragon, why did it have to be now?" I bit my lip: "Curse it all... I'm scared, Finn, but it's not the armies marching on my castle which scare me." I sat on my haunches, only for the pointy ends of my leg plates to jab into my skin once more. That was the final straw, I jumped up and shouted aloud: "Damn this fucking armour!" I didn't need it causing me more stress; in a flustered rage, I reached for the leather straps and metal buckles, pulling furiously to try to remove the plating, to little avail. Finn, seeing this, decided to act:
"here, Danthe, let me help you." I slowed up, as the steward bent down to my front legs, his head was far clearer than mine on most days, and he had little trouble undoing the straps where my rushed efforts failed. It took a while, but he eventually undressed me from my armour, which lay on the ground in a pile, leaving my draconic form ungarbed: It was the first time in years I'd seen myself without unflattering fur and iron piled upon me; it was the first time Finn had seen me this way as well, and it showed.
"Erm..." He attempted to speak: "Perhaps, perhaps you should see the blacksmith... And, well, get some better fitting armour. This all looks like it was made for a male."
"It was brother's..." I explained: "My father would never make armour for me, and my brother never used it, so he had no quams to me taking it when I left. The poor fool..." I sighed: "The body shaped to the suit, rather than the suit to the body. It's been so long since I've felt things a dragoness should feel... And then, you came along." I looked away, I was struggling to maintain any resemblence of compsure as I continued to pour myself out to a quietly listening Finn: "...I, I want to feel like a dragoness again. Just once, but... on my terms. I chose to be a warrior, but I can't supress my instincts anymore..." I turned to him. "Please tell me you feel something too, and I've not just utterly humilitated us both."
Finn looked at me, I loved him, it was painfully clear to me now, and it was equallly clear to see. Slowly, he approached me, his big, green eyes never leaving mine. "...You're, you're brilliant. You're brave, strong, smart and beautiful... I'm just a steward, am I really good enough?"
I scoffed, emotions running high: "If you're not 'good enough' than who is? I don't want anyone else. I ran away from my family and my home to that end. I want you. Nobody else." He smiled at the proespect, I noticed he was shaking slightly; my heat had kicked in, and I was in too deep to want to turn back now: "...Are you cold? I'm pretty cold too." I leaned in and kissed his cheek again, this time knowing full well what I was doing, and the commitment I intended to make; Finn made no attempt to pull back or flinch either, from what I could gather, deep down, he was enjoying it! "...It's such a shame we have to be so cold, when there's such a warm bed just over there."
Finn and I were very close together now, his gut had finally abandoned attempting to be chaste in the matter on account of rank or titles, and he had nuzzled me with his snout: "I've always had the luxery of a large and comfortable bed." He explained: "But never a fine dragoness to share it with."
"Nor a mate to comfort you?" I murmered, to which he nodded slightly, even now, he was worried about pushing his limits.
"Are, are you really sure about this?" He asked: "You, you know there's no going back from this, right?"
Unbeknownst to him, in this room, on this night, between the two of us, there weren't any limits to speak of as far as I was concerned: A primal instinct wanted to get me and him into that bed as soon as possible.
"I know what this means." I spoke: "...I know what will happen if I mate with you. But I don't care, I want you to be more than just my steward. I love you."
The smile on Finn's face grew wide, and he held me tightly: "I, I love you, I always have... Let us get into that warm, comfortable bed. I can't let my mate freeze now, can I?"
A night of passion ensued, and Finn showed a side to him I honestly never expected, he gave as good as he got, to the enjoyment of us both.
However, that night was far more important than mere sex. For one, dragons of my time had a very simple relationship between sex and marriage: a mated couple was a married couple. Once a dragon and a dragoness had decided to mate, that was considered a marriage enough in the eyes of many; parenthood often followed, once a dragoness decided to mate, there was nothing which could stop that from happening.
However, all of this was a decision I chose to make, and judging from Finn's... Eagerness, he had weighed up the choice in his mind and came to a conclusion which I was certainly happy for: He could certainly do far worse than a landed dragoness who he regarded as 'brave, strong, smart and beautiful'.
Finn was actually the first to wake as sunlight pierced through the shutters and into the room. The fire had burned out and the room was beginning to become cold again. I woke as he climbed out of bed, leaving the blankets for me. I watched him walk over to a pile of wood and set up a pile of wood in the fireplace to burn. He smiled as he clocked that I was awake and watching him.
"Good morning, my queen." He spoke with a smile: "I do hope you slept well. I fear my bed might not be as comfortable to that which you are used to."
I snorted: "I didn't mind about that, I cared only for the company I shared..."
"I'm glad I could be pleasing company for you." He replied, his face thoughtful: "...Danthe, have you considered what we do from here? I mean, we both know what the implications of our night together will have."
I sighed, nodding: I'm not a fool. I knew things were going to change before you mounted me. There is no other dragon I'd want to spend the rest of my life with." I mused: "I know I needed to have children one day. With the death of my family, me and Helga are the only ones who can continue my dynasty, and... Chances are, one of us will be dead soon." Finn padded over to me and climbed back into bed, holding me, his warm body was comforting: "...I'm, I'm a bit scared of becoming a mother. But I'm not a little girl anymore, I'll be in my 30s soon, and if I don't pass down my bloodline, I never will. But.." I kissed his lips and propped myself against him: "There is nobody in the world who I think would make a better father for my children than you." I smiled slightly, though I had more worries in my head.
"I see... Do you want me to keep quiet about it for now, or are we going to be public about this?" He asked. I gave it some thought, and my answer came fairly quickly after.
"I, I would like the world to know. I'm proud to be betrothed to you as mates. I'll make an annoucement to court when I can, and perhaps we can have a proper ceremony once this war is over." I sighed: "...But, one thing. I don't want to just become another broodmother, huddled away in a bedchamber looking after eggs for the rest of my life. I'm open to being a mother, but, must I really give up being what I am, just to become what I should be?"
On that note, Finn gave me a comforting squeeze with his wings: "Danthe, my love, I didn't fall in love with a broodmother. I fell in love with the great warrior queen of the north. That's you. Even if we have to look after eggs and babies, you'll always be my queen of the north.I know, deep in my heat, we'll make this work. You can be the great warrior, the great queen, and the great mother, all in one for history to marval at for centuries to come. And as for me, I'll be there for you every step of the way."
Of course, me and Finn were talking as though there was a possibility I wouldn't be pregnant. Deep down, even then, I knew I would be soon: I was in heat, I'd mated a young and fertile dragon, we both knew, deep down, what was going to happen. In hindsight, it wasn't a very good plan of action, I should've waited, for now I'd have to fight my sister with a child growing inside of me...
We'd talked about it, and Finn of course understood that there was no time for any proper ceremonies to celebrate our relationship. Jotun's armies were being seen advancing closer and closer to the Freezer with each day; their great numbers and their lack of discipline were the only things currently slowing them down, and giving us precious time to build a solid defense to greet them with.
It seems my confrontation with Florus had finally tame him, and doused his hubris flare. He never seemed to boast anymore, as though he was afraid of incurring my wrath again. He'd made good progress with the ballistas, which were being moved up to the battlements; however, he had more to offer our men, and now turned his hand to speaking to the marshal about Roman tactics. Now, he wasn't a military commander, he was a builder; however, he had see and read enough about his homeland's army to know far more of their tactics than any of us did. It was fascinating, watching my bipedal soldiers in such tight formations, wielding large shields held so closely together it practically formed a wall, I'd simply never seen my warriors hold such discipline. Even the marshal himself seemed surprised at first, as though he'd never seen soldiers march in formation or use their shields in such a manner; it seemed Florus' old promise came true: It had cost him his pride, but he'd managed to bring Roman war tactics to so-called 'pagan savages'. Jotun wouldn't know what hit him!
There was actually a reason I was in the courtyard of the fortress however. For one, my marshal had informed me that the Black Band had finally arrived from Trondelag; the other being that Finn had asked to see me at the castle's armourer; meeting with Finn first would allow me to bag two birds with one stone in the long run.
He greeted me with a smile and a kiss: "Hello my darling queen." Finn spoke in relative seclusion: "I have a gift for you."
He lead me towards the blacksmith's shop within the courtyard: "I saw you struggle with your brother's armour last night, and that simply wouldn't do." He presented me with an armoured manikin and a pair of female servants. "As such, I comissioned the smith to make you armour and a cloak which will actually fit." He smiled: "They may even go to compliment your warrior queen beauty as well!"
It was a fairly small set of armour, hardly even covering my entire body, but it was light, featuring iron bracers along my forelegs and tail; the suit also featured a long, thick black cloak, fastened to the body with a cyan silk ribbon, buckled with a seal baring the iron crown and my new colours.
My gratitude for the gift was suddenly offset by my worry about Finn; he was no fighter, and I knew that if he tried, Jotun's army would kill him...
"Finn, I don't want you fighting in this war." I told him: "I want you to remain in the castle, with the courtiers and keep yourself safe while my soldiers, the Black Band and I lead the defense of the Freezer."
Finn's smile quickly dropped: "So you're going to put your life on the line, and possibly the life of our child on the line, but I have to cower in the castle like a coward?"
"Yes, I do." I snapped: "I'm your queen, and you'll do as I say... They'll kill you otherwise. And I couldn't live with that."
Finn sighed, setting a paw on my shoulder: "Let me help you, please. We can sort this out, together."
I felt myself welling up inside, I didn't want to refuse him, but I had no choice; I flattened my brow and put on hard face, pushing his paw away: "No." I spoke: "I'm sorry. You'll stay in the castle where you're safe. Disobey me, and I'll have my guards put you under house arrrest. I won't let you put yourself in danger." I sighed: "But, thank you for the armour. When I'm out there, I'll fight for you."
Guilt plauged me as I left the armoury to meet with the captain of the Black Band: I was being such a hypocrite, the whole reason I'd even ran away when I was young was because I wasn't being allowed to fight, now I was preventing my own lover from getting involved in a good fight. It was for his own safety though! I didn't do it to be mean or controlling, I did it because I loved him...
Another twinge of guilt, I had to remember that, like me right now, the only reason Father ever stopped me from fighting was for my own protection. My memories of him were far too harsh.
The Black Band was lead by a man known only as The Ice King; he was huge as humans go and was even more intimidating than his mercenaries. He didn't talk much, but a simple exchange of payment and it was done: The Freezer had a contract with them, I owned him, and his men, and each and every one of them would fight to the death for me for as long as they lived; if the Ice King was anything to go by, death wasn't necceserily a valid reason for any of them to break their contract either...
Eventually, the day came, and Jotun's men could be seen from the battlements. Their came was far from the walls, out of the range of the archers, but it appeared that Jotun had neglected to bring proper seige engines such as catapults: If they were going to break into the Freezer, they'd be doing it the old fashioned way.
My blood boiled, I was ready for a fight if Jotun's hoarde dared to siege the castle! However, my spymaster advised we send out shadow dragons or spies to scout the enemy camp before we launch any kind of attack. In hindsight, that would've been a wise move, but my hubris got in the way: I saw a small, dirty camp of poorly trained, poorly armed savages who wanted to kill me and take my castle; they had quite the nerve, my castle blacksmith could shit better iron than the weapons they carried! I should've been more careful however, as I knew Winter would be coming soon, making the land even less hospitible than before, and both us only had a finite supply of food and funding for our men. On some days, I could actually see a dragon who couldn't be anything other than Jotun, a huge, scarred blue dragon coated in blue warpaint across his face and body, sitting in his camp, staring right at me.
His presence incensed me, he just kept staring, almost mockingly, provoking me: I hated him the second I laid eyes on him. The siege of the Freezer had been going on for days now, and Jotun's army seemed small and poorly prepared; nothing was going to stop me from attacking them, this was the right moment! I rallied my reluctant marshal and my soldiers, laying bare my plans to attack the camp and destroy Jotun's army in its entirity.
"Your majesty." The marshal protested: "Please, let's not act in haste here. We should spend some time to spy on the enemy camp before we launch our attack. We don't know the full picture of who we're up against yet."
"Just look over the walls!" I barked: "You can see what forces they have, and we can take them! We just need to use the advantages we have, at the right moments."
"This is the right moment!" I cried: "We can't let them build up their strength any longer, lest they become able to take the castle! Now, give the order, I want our men to begin the assault against the besiegers this moment!"
"Danthe, please!" Finn shouted in ernest. He sighed, he knew it was hopeless, my mind was set and nothing was going to change it.
"Very well..." The marshal gave in: "Finn, make sure the ballistas are ready, but keep them out of sight. They're our secret weapon." Finn nodded. "Alright your majesty. I'm with you."
What few fire dragons we had would fly out first to bombard the camp with fireballs and flames to stirr panic and disorder through Jotun's ranks; then, the ice dragons would follow to put out the fires and kill more of the soldiers, making it safer for me and my army to march in and put them all to the sword.
I lead from the front, I was a fast flier, and I wanted to be the first to draw blood against my foe, I would revel in cracking Jotun's skull for helping Helga slaughter my family!
My army marched forward in a solid wall of shields, their march was slow, but consistant; when the besiegers charged in defense of their camp, the wall pushed them back. I swooped down and bathed them all in icy breath, where a frozen mist enveloped them all, making the marching advance all the easier!
The survivors fell back and fled to their camp to find it burning as ten different fire dragons set it ablaze! I landed, a smug smirk on my face as my men joined me at my back. This siege had been easy! Jotun's men were a pushover!
...And yet, Jotun himself was nowhere to be found. His tent, or what was left of it, was the largest one there, but there wasn't even any plans or parchments or anything; there wasn't even any sign the bed had been used! All there was in the tent was a table: Upon the table was a bloody knife embedded into a painting of my new sigil, and a single, solitary scrap of parchment. My pride quickly turned to worry as I picked it up. All there was on the parchment was a single, solitary phrase, written in red, still dripping and warm as I lifted up the parchment to read: Foolish girl.
End of Act One
Author's Notes:
Thank you for reading this, my first submission onto FF.N. While it's not the first piece of fanfiction work I've ever done on the Internet, it's my first foothold on FF.N fanfiction, although this can also be found on DeviantART, which is currently where I upload my work first.
Credit goes to SighriaDragoness12 on DeviantART for the fiction's preview image, the original of which can be found here: art/CM-Frozen-Mistress-476795259
Thanks should also go out to the FF.N member Almaron, who has been providing extensive and extremely helpful assistance in coming up with a ton of the lore and ideas behind this fic, as well as pre-reading it many times. Thanks! You were an awesome help!