Disclaimer: The world and characters created by Mercedes Lackey belongs to her, not me.

Chapter Two

7 years later...

Gadriel soared over the northern tip of Karse heading towards Valdemar. His eyes followed the currents in the wind as he shifted to catch an up-draft. He exalted in the sensation of being lifted suddenly by the wind caught beneath his wings. He then shifted out of the up-draft and glided smoothly across the night sky. This was his favourite part about flying, no encumbrances, the wind flowing along his scales, just letting the wind carry him. He watched the land skim past far below him, the land as clear to him as day. The only difference to him was the colour, during the night the land was all in much deeper tones then that of their daylight colouring.

Most dragons chose to fly at night for the simple reason that panicked villagers tended to cause problems. That and the young and brave seemed to think that defeating giant scary beasts was the best way to prove themselves and live lives of honour and fame. Gadriel snorted. Fame perhaps, but he could question the honour in killing a beast because it was big and scary. Especially after they discovered that the beast could talk. He let out a deep rumbling growl that shook his body. This unquestioned belief that big and scary meant bad was in part why he was heading to Valdemar. In his travels he'd heard tales of a land with strange magic and even stranger allies, allies who were said to not even be human. What he'd heard since had only reinforced the idea that these Valdemarians could be just the sort of people they'd like to get to know.

With dawn approaching Gadriel glided down in a tight spiral, changing forms just as he came to rest on the ground. The bag that had been strapped to his back leg now loose around his much smaller leg. This bag and the many like it had been specially designed by the dragons so that after you put what you needed in it and closed it securely, you simply needed to step whichever leg you prefer through the straps and change. By changing the loose straps tightened around the growing leg and fit like an anklet. When you changed back it was a simple matter of stepping out of the straps. Gadriel did just this and took out some clothes and provisions from the pack. He put on a long sleeveless tunic made from his own shed hide, which meant it was interlocking black scales with a deep blue shimmer. He picked up the provisions, took a slice of cheese, a small loaf of bread, and some jerky, and put the rest back in the pack. He could just hunt in his dragon form, but bringing provisions saved time and he didn't need to eat as much in his human form. After he ate he slept, awakened at dusk, put his tunic back in the pack, and flew through the night.

Dawn found him halfway across Valdemar and he liked what he saw. Valdemar was a peaceful country with healthy farmlands and prosperous towns. He stayed the day in someone's fallow field. The next night brought him in sight of the capital and he looked for a good place to land. He flew down in a tight circle and once again changed as he came to a landing. He stepped out of the straps of his bag and pulled out a tunic the same as yesterdays, but also pulled out a pair of pants and boots also made of his shed hide. He quickly put them on, slung his pack over his shoulder, and headed for Haven. It was not yet dawn and if he walked for a few hours, he should get to the city's gates just after they opened for the day.

Gadriel walked through the city gate with a nod to the guards then continued up through the city towards the castle. A guard stopped him at the palace gates.

"Excuse me sir. What business do you have at the palace?" the guard asked looking up at the obviously foreign man politely. He and the other guard both wore blue uniforms with silver stitching. Where the one who spoke to him was tanned with brown hair and eyes, the other guard was pale with blond hair and green eyes. Neither of their heads reached his chin.

Gadriel inclined his head, "I am Gadriel. I have come to discuss the possibility of an alliance."

The blond guard looked surprised, "How are we to know you are telling the truth? We have heard no word of visiting dignitaries."

"You cannot tell?" Gadriel asked honestly perplexed that they could not tell if he was lying.

The first guard shook his head and shot his partner a reprimanding look, then sent him for their superior. He turned back to Gadriel, "Just one moment sir and the Squad-Captain will be right with ya."

Gadriel waited patiently as the other guard returned with an older man also in blue, but with a bit more silver on his uniform and in his hair. He bore a no-nonsense attitude and got right to the point. "Hello, I'm Squad-Captain Browning. I've already sent one of my men for a Herald and they should be here any minute. Ah, there they are." This last was accompanied by a gesture towards a man in the blue uniform of the guard and a Woman in white, denoting her as one of the Heralds.

The woman walked up to him and gave him a once over, "Are all the men tall, dark, and handsome where you come from?" she asked with a playful smile and offered her hand. "I understand you're here to discuss an alliance?" she asked more seriously and waited for a response.

Gadriel looked at her then the hand being offered to him and smiled as he held out his hand to mirror her gesture, "Are all the Heralds here so upfront?" he asked amused, "If so, I think we'll get along just fine."

The Herald laughed and smoothly grabbed his hand and shook it firmly. "I'm Herald Pam. It's a pleasure to meet you ...?"

"Gadriel. My people have heard of your non-human allies and thought it bode well. We wish to look into the possibility of an alliance for ourselves."

"So your people are interested in the non-humans?" she asked curiously then shrugged it off, "Then again who isn't?" She got a far off look that he associated with mind speaking and she just stood there for a moment.

Is this what the tales meant by strange magic Gadriel wondered then shrugged, if so it wasn't so strange to him. Her eyes refocused and she smiled. "Alright. Let's get you settled in at the palace and then I'll show you around."

She led him into the palace and down corridors to a door that opened into a set of rooms. "These will be yours. They're reserved for visiting dignitaries and the like." she said gesturing into the room. "So, do you think you'll like them?" she asked with a smile.

Gadriel looked around the warm coloured sitting room with a couch and two chairs placed comfortably around a small glass table. There was a fireplace between two doors on the right wall and a long bay window looking over gardens directly across from the entrance. He walked over to the door on the left wall and opened it to find the bedroom, inside which was a door to a small privy. He walked back across the sitting room to find the other doors led to a small study and a bathing room. "This will be lovely. Thank you."

Herald Pam beamed, "Good." She grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the room closing the door behind them. "Now let me show you around."

After a whirlwind tour of the palace and grounds, Gadriel found himself standing once again in his little sitting room with the knowledge that he was supposed to get ready to introduce himself at court in an hour. Gadriel looked around himself bemused. Well, Herald Pam certainty didn't give anyone much of a chance to figure out what was happening. Since it seemed he was being introduced to the court in an hour, and he found himself wondering where the day had gone, he headed for a quick bath.

Author's note: Once again it did not end as I planned, though the chapter is longer this time. Gadriel will be chosen in the next chapter, or so I plan, again.