The village of Berk is not the only place on the continent with dragons. For a new arrival was coming to the village all the way from Wales in southern England, and this is what might call an odd pairing. One is a knight named Lady Glenda, and the other a dragoness named Ciara.
A native of the small village of Talgarth in the Black Mountains, Lady Glenda was helping Ciara seek refuge for she was one of the few dragons left in Wales though other parts of the country had their own species. It was then after a long flight across the sea that the two of them made landfall.
Glenda wore the armor typical of knights. She wore plate armor and chainmail, and a jupon with an emphasized female chest that bared her coat of arms. At her side on a belt was a hand-and-half longsword of the finest steel. She wore leather tights to keep the armor from pinching her.
Her helmet was of the sallet with bevor. She also carried a shield on her back, and a dagger as a last ditch weapon. Brave in battle and brave enough to stand up to the likes of a dragon without drawing her sword. Glenda was different from most knights as most knights would attack a dragon.
Glenda sat down and made fire for the night with the help of Ciara. After a meal of the rations of food she brought for the trip, the two of them rested using her helmet to cover her eyes, The next morning, Glenda was still asleep but another figure caught sight of her resting in the woods
Valerie crept through the woods. She had run away from her home. She no longer wanted to be the viking damsel who had to be married off as a peace offering. So she stowed away on a boat and made the best of herself. Her eyes fell upon the sight of a young knight sleeping on the ground, and a dragon staring at her. She had seen dragons before, but this one was new to her.
She made sure her mace was tucked away under a layer of her dress, and walked toward the dragon. Its eyes beamed down on her, but she put her hand out gently. The dragon rubbed against it, and before she knew what she was doing she was on the back of the dragon about to take off.
They were only six feet off the ground, when in the worst of times, the girl in armor woke up.
'Well now...what do you have here?' The dragon's voice sounded female, and she had the ability to speak into Valerie's mind. She was about 18 feet tall, and weighed, at best guess, around 471 stone. This was quite a sight to behold to the most experienced warriors.
Her wings could eclipse the sun. She was armored above and below. Her scales which are stronger than any metal made by man. she had chevron-shaped lower plates, 7 on the neck, 7 on the chest, and 21 to the tip of her tail. Her teeth are as sharp as swords, and her claws are spears.
Her scales were like polished copper with a pointed snout and golden eyes. There are rows of spikes and two sets of great horns that would make the deer green with envy. Her frame was toned and muscular from her neck to her thighs. She had long claws, and a long tail with a three-spiked spade
Glenda maybe a knight, but quick to anger she is not. She looked up to see Ciara up and out for a morning flight, "Warms me heart to see her happy," Glenda said to herself, and saw Ciara had a passenger as she flew back down, "it appears we have a guest,"
'A stowaway from her home, no doubt,' added Ciara,
The knight approached the girl. Her armor clinked and rattled. Her spurs and iron chainmail chimed and rustled. Glenda unlatched the strap of her helmet, revealing herself to be a fair-skinned woman facially wearing a coif of chainmail with a tuft of nut-brown hair sticking out, and blue eyes.
The only thing odder than a knight and a dragoness was the knight's Welsh accent, "It is good to be in the midst of a local, what be your name?"
"Valerie Karwin. Heir to, never mind. I am not heir to anything anymore. I'm free." She replied and swished her red hair. Her brown eyes gazed at the dragon. Her dress was brown. Like her eyes, it was flared a bit and had an apron layered on top. It looked worn out, like she had been walking for a very long time.
"Do you have any food?" She asks the knight.
Glenda could see something in the young woman's eyes, something few people have the hindsight to see, but kept in the back of her mind, "I'm Glenda," the lady knight said not bothering to use her full name formally as it was too long, "and this is Ciara,"
'A pleasure, young lassie,' said the great dragoness speaking into the redhead's mind.
"As for food, help yourself," Glenda said offering her a seat by the morning fire, and a kettle of Cawl Aberaeron beginning to boil over the flame. The knight sat down, and stirred the stew adding the meat and potatoes. It was apparent by many reasons that these two weren't from around the area.
Valerie helped herself to a bowl of the soup and ate it quickly. "Well Glenda, um, how old are you? And, why exactly are you in the middle of the woods. Wait that was stupid. There are many reasons your presence in the woods could be happening."
Valerie didn't feel comfortable, she knew nothing about this strange woman in armor. And being just little more than a child she didn't know what to do.
"I am here on her behalf, she is seeking exile from her homeland, none too many of her kind left in the Black Mountains," Glenda said pointed an armor-clad thumb at Ciara. Showing affection, Ciara nudged the side of her head against Glenda's cheek, "and I'm 16,"
Glenda at standing height was around 5'8 and weighed close to 220lbs in full armor, and 160lbs in regular clothes. Glenda was like most knights, strong and regal, but as a woman she also had beauty and buxomness, "Now don't yah worry yah head, neither I nor Ciara will hurt you,"
"Good. Ciara is a good dragon. I'm fourteen coming very close to fifteen." Valerie felt small compared to the large woman. She was tiny and liked being dainty. But she had enough fight in her for three grown men. When standing without shoes Valerie was only five feet four inches, and weighed no more than one hundred twenty pounds. With her tiny size she was treated like an item.
Her father had tried to marry her off more than once. Her three brother's got full choice, but she was a prize. The first time she was to be married off was to some heir to a viking chief on an island far away from her home. But that didn't happen because his sister was going to marry Valerie's brother. But the sister finally caved and said she couldn't marry being she was only twelve. So they arranged something new.
The second time was to a very kind man, but he was a king. And more than three times her age. And the third time about broke her. Everyone on this side of the archipelago, knew of Dagur the Deranged. And when her father decided to try and marry her off to the insane murderer so he could gang the Berserker army, she ran away.
"So Glenda. Where is the next stop in your travels?"
"Yes, she is," Glenda said, her tone of voice made the notion she was proud to call Ciara her friend. "me friend and I are headin' tah Berk," After packing up her belongings on Ciara's back, Glenda put back on her helmet, and lowered the visor over her eyes.
"Yah look like a stowaway, you can stow with me if it pleases you," Glenda offered with a hand resting on the pommel of her sword, her sallet and bevor slightly muffled her voice. That sight of her in battle would be a challenge to even the best Viking warrior.
"Berk? Really. I know the chief's son and daughter. I was supposed to marry the son, something happened, but I heard he finally snagged himself a beautiful warrior. I'd be happy to travel with you."
Valerie shifted her dress slightly again so it hid the mace. She felt that her fighting abilities should be kept quiet for now. Unless they were truly in danger the weapon stayed hidden. And of course, with her woman knight and magnificent dragon she should be safe. But after her rough childhood she was always careful of everyone, she was like royalty, one bad person and she could be sold off as some sort of 'toy' for the rough men of these parts. They would just adore her small body and pretty face.
