My name is Juliet Georgiana Rowan. Don't ask. My parents had weird tastes in names. Probably cause my mother was on crack at the time she picked out my name. I am seventeen years of age. I am the usual rocker girl. I skateboard, surf, and I play guitar. Now about Zacky Rae Shaddix. He's handsome. He's also my best friend and at the same time, my enemy. In public, he and I are at each others' throats. But that's what happens when we both are supposed to be fighting for the position of chief. Well if I get it, I'll be Chieftess. Plus I'd have the support of Samarath, the Ice Dragon. The second-in-command would have the support of Dimona, the Inferno Dragon. Samarath is the dragon of wisdom, justice, and guidance. Dimona is the dragon of intelligence, compassion, and truth. Dimona is female, so normally her support goes to the female who is second-in-command. Samarath is male, so he supports then head male of the clan.
I am in the running with Zacky for head of the clan. Our clan? We are the called the Dragon Hearts. We are strong, independent people. We have hearts worthy of dragons themsevles. That is why Samarath and Dimona ally themselves with us. Samarath and Dimona are mates. King and Queen Dragon. That is why the chief and the shaman are mates. Zacky and I are both trained in medicine and leadership. But now we await to be chosen by Samarath or Dimona.
"Miss Juliet! Miss Juliet!" I heard my maid, Fiandra' shriek in a whirlwind panic.
I sighed, and I closed my book. I was reading "Pride And Prejudice" by Jane Austen. I set it down on the window sill then gently smoothed my hand over the fragile paperback cover. I stood up, and I grabbed my mother's crescent moon necklace. I put it on, and I sighed.
I opened my door after adjusting my dress.
[polyvore]
Fiandra stood there terror striking its own grip in her eyes and etching lines into her weather worn face, and I gently ushered her inside.
"What is going on Fiandra? Why are you so stressed?" I asked making her sit on my bed then pouring her a cup of tea.
"Miss Juliet! It Master Zacky! He has been wounded! We have no time to dwadle! You must save him!" she burst out relapsing back into strangled tears.
Fiandra was Zacky's mother. I felt the cup drop from my hands as I ran from the room. Not Zacky. I raced out to the street to see some others crowded around his fallen figure. I ran to his side, the people moving aside so I could get through. I knelt by him, and I felt his neck for his pulse. Faint, but it was there.
"Cadvan! Help me move him to the healer's wards!" I ordered looking at the mighty bulk of man.
He nodded, and he picked up Zacky ever so gently. He carried him to the healer's wards while I tried to assess him for wounds as well. He did not have much time. He got him in the door, and he laid him on the closest bed.
"Peter! I need your assistance!" I called as Peter came running with my equipment.
I looked over Zacky again, and I saw the wounds. One in the shoulder, another in the stomach, and one right below his heart missing the arteries and veins. He had gotten a little lucky. I immediately disinfected the wounds, and then I stitched up his shoulder wound and stomach wound. HIs chest wound needed more work. Yet he also needed a blood transfusion. I saw Peter setting it up, and I nodded watching my apprentice. He offered me the needle, and I nodded a bare, almost imperceptible nod. Zacky and I had the same blood type. He injected the needle, and the blood began to drain away from me. Once a pint was gone, Peter unhooked me, and he got it settled into Zacky. I had stitched up his chest wound, and then bandaged them to prevent infection.
I sat back sighing. This was the best I could do for him at the current moment in time. I looked at Cadvan who stood there watching us.
"Cadvan. Summon the men who went. I need to find out what happened." I requested softly, and he dipped his head to me.
"Of course Mistress Juliet." he backed out of the room to find the men.
Cadvan was my bodyguard. He went wherever I went. The retired chieftan, Narook, had hired him to watch over me. Narook was Zacky's was the woman who bore Zacky since the shaman, Janciea, had died during battle. She never had the opprotunity to teach me the quiet, passionate ways of the warrior maiden. I learned the loud, well known ways of the warrior. I sat back in my chair watching Zacky sleep now calmed. His pain was not troubling him anymore. Poppy seeds will do that.
I heard the others enter, and I stood up slowly. I looked at each of the men. None were hurt as badly as Zacky. Except for Xena. She was wounded badly. She was Zacky's bodyguard. Janciea picked her out for him. We had grown up with our bodyguards.
"Xena, what happened?" I growled to them angrily.
They were supposed to protect him.
Xena looked at me and she sighed, "Ambushed. By the centuars. They caught us on unawares. I did my best to protect Master Zacky. As did the rest of these men. They were busy handling their own centaur though."
I nodded to them all. "You all fought bravely. I am glad none were killed. Now please, wait here. Peter and I will tend to your wounds shortly."
They looked at me, uncertainty written across their faces. I helped Xena to a bed, and I began to doctor her head wound. Peter got the men to sit down, and Cadvan helped Peter with the others. Cadvan and Xena were also skilled in medicine. That was my rule. I taught them both to be talented in it, and at least to know the basics no matter what. I sat down putting my face in my hands.
"Mistress Juliet. He will be fine. You did your very best." she murmured to me putting her hand on my shoulder.
"Why though are the centaurs acting so rashly towards us?" I whimpered upset.
"I could not tell you Mistress." she whispered frowing at my show of weakness.
Then Cadvan came back to me. He held out his hand.
"Take my hand Mistress. Jules is starting a riot." Cadvan was blunt.
I looked at him. He was always someone who could tell me when I was in the wrong. Showing my fear and doubt is one of those times.
"That old coot is worth less than the manure in the dirt! He is getting on my nerves!" I spat standing up, all bad emotions gone at once.
We walked out, and I saw Jules's snow white, bedraggled hair before I saw his thin, wiry frame. He was going on seventy-five years of age. Still he challenged the right of the shaman and the chief being in league with dragons. I stood calmly at the edge of the group, and then one noticed me. He moved aside dipping his head. I walked right through with Cadvan at my side.
"Leave this subject be. If the Great Dragons did not choose to be with us, then they would not stay by our sides as they do. Give up Jules. You've lost your edge." I spoke to the old man politely, and Cadvan snorted his laughter.
Jules turned his spitting fury on me. "You! You dare defy me! I am your elder! I know that the Great Dragons do not wish to be trapped by your sides anymore! They know you are weak! They know you have no power! That's why they have not come to choose either you or Zacky! That is why they let him be hurt by those deranged centaurs!"
I unsheathed my kitana dangerously glaring at him. "Everyone in the village knows you are insane, and they all want to put you out of your misery. Shall I heed their please and do it myself? Or shall I sentence you to exile with the deranged centaurs? Take your pick old man."
Jules glared at me, and Cadvan growled him a deadly warning.
"She will kill you Elder. Do not take her threats lightly." Cadvan spoke to him in his polite, warning tone.
I unsheathed it further and rose it into my offensive position. I copuld slit his throat now. No more riots. Then a cold roar swept through the crowd. I looked up, and I saw the great black wings of a dragon landing on the dias to Samarath. I came face to face with the black dragon of age.
Hello Juliet. My name is Shadowiux. Your soul and heart have cried out to me, and I have responded. I will be honored to pledge my loyalty to such a strong young woman. The voice spoke with such wisdom and age, that it forced me to my knees.
Shadowiux. The other Dragon Queen. The dragon of chaos, mystery, and darkness. My dragon ally.
I stood up, and I bowed to her. "I am honored, Shadowiux. I will be proud to serve alongside an elegant Dragon Queen such as yourself."
Strangled gasps went through the crowd. No shaman had ever been able to get Shadowiux to ally herself alongside them. Now...Now she was back. That was never a good sign because the other Dragon King, Lightiuon will also come back. He is the dragon of light, ambition, and loyalty. He has never been good. Cadvan's hand went to the small of my back keeping me steady. He knew about my weakness when it came to the powerful aura of dragons. This was no exception. Shadowiux touched her nose to my forehead, and the world went black as I fell.