Author's note: I'd like to say that contrary to popular belief, Sauron is
really nice, as is Gamling. I met them yesterday. I also met Andy Serkis,
who kept trying to steal my friend's One Ring, and Billy Boyd. The same
friend almost fainted from excitement when we met him.
***
Rion had slept late, tired from the night's ball. When he did wake, he didn't feel like getting up. He was still lying there when Ari burst cheerfully into the room.
"Rion, I've just had an amaz. . ." She broke off, and, blushing furiously, darted outside. Rion, blushing himself, hurriedly dressed. When he emerged from his room, Ari was standing in the corridor, looking more composed, but still embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, Rion," she said, "I didn't realise you were. . ."
"It's alright," he cut her off, "Accidents happen." They went back inside the room. "Now, you were going to tell me something amazing?"
"Actually, I was going to show you something amazing," she said, grinning, "You'd better bring your cloak, it'll be cold."
Rion did what he told, filled with curiosity. They had to be going outside, but the thick snow meant travelling far would be difficult. They went down a little, then along some corridors Rion hadn't been down before. He carefully memorised everything so that Mir wouldn't be able to complain too much when he drew this onto their map. Ari led him up a narrow staircase, and Rion wondered if he'd been right in his assumption that they were going outside.
They emerged through a low doorway and the top of the stairs, and stood on the battlements of the castle. The sun was only weakly filtering through the clouds, but everything was still ablaze with silver brightness as the light reflected off snow everywhere. Behind them were the roofs and turrets of the castle, and in front of them a frozen landscape led down to the sea. Rion could see a few small fishing boats, almost hugging the coastline as they sailed.
"It's beautiful," Rion commented.
"And you've not even seen the best part," Ari said, grinning. As they stood there, hugging their cloaks around them to protect themselves against the bitter cold, Rion heard the steady beating of giant wings. A great shadow past over head, and Rion ducked instinctively as Traag past them. He stopped, dropping gracefully despite his size, to just beside the battlement where they stood.
The paralysing fear filled Rion again, and he stood as frozen as the world around him, as the dragon waited in front of them. His great wings worked to keep his body steady.
"Don't be afraid," Ari said, gently squeezing Rion's hand. She climbed onto the stone wall that marked the edge of the battlement, and jumped the small gap to land safely on the dragon's back, if such a position could be called safe. She slid further up, her hands gripping the mighty scales, to make room for Rion.
"Don't worry," Ari said, "Trust me." Rion did trust Ari, he just didn't trust the creature she was sitting on. Still, he climbed onto the wall, conscious of the long drop below. He didn't dare look to see how far down it was, but knew he wouldn't be able to survive it.
He jumped, and felt the firm bulk of the dragon as he landed. Ari grinned at him, and shifted further up the dragon's back. Soon they both sat just behind the great head. Rion found he was trembling, but hoped Ari would think it was the cold. And it was cold, despite the heat from the creature below him, the air ripped through his cloak with icy hands.
Traag beat his wings and the dragon rose from the castle. Rion found himself gripping Ari's waist tightly out of fear. Below them a world was spread out, and Rion soon forgot the danger of his position.
The world beneath them was gleaming silver snow, with the odd beams of golden sunlight creating a treasure any jeweller would be proud of. A frozen river flowed into a wide estuary, and settlements of houses looked like a child's toy there were so small. It didn't seem that this could possibly be the same world he lived in. He saw such beauty from this new perspective that he had never imagined.
He forget to be afraid as they approached the mountain at the centre of the island, and then past it to circle the other two islands, amazed by the speed of the great dragon. He didn't seem connected to the world below him, so he was able to lose his fear of the great distance he was from the ground.
He also forgot to be afraid of the dragon. He knew that if Traag wanted he could throw them both up in the air and eat them before they had even begun to fall. But as the time passed that possibility seemed to dim and fade to the back of his mind. He forgot it almost entirely in the wonder of what he was seeing.
Some time later, Traag landed behind the palace, and the two children dismounted. Then the dragon rose into the sky again and disappeared. Rion looked at Ari, both faces flushed in excitement and cold.
"I never imagined anything like that," he admitted.
"It's brilliant, isn't it?"
"You've done it before?"
"Several times," Ari said, as they turned inside. "I'm not sure whether Traag likes giving rides, he doesn't often show his feelings, so I don't ask too often."
"Does your father know you do this?" Rion asked.
"Of course."
They went inside, and soon were warming themselves by the fire in Rion's room. Rion stared into the fire, thinking.
"Why does Traag life here?" he asked, "And why does no one mind?"
"There was an agreement made long ago between Traag and Queen Ramirin, who ruled at the time," Ari explained, "The Queen agreed to let Traag stay here on several conditions, the first being that he didn't harm any person on the islands. Another being that he only ate what animals were allotted to him. The third, he could guard the royal treasury, allowing the royal family access to the treasures within when they requested it. And finally, he must defend the people of Tharden in times of war."
"And he's stuck to this agreement? Why?"
"Because elsewhere in Middle Earth dragons were being hunted to extinction. This arrangement allows him to live in safety, and provides our people with security."
"Unless of course Traag turns against you."
"He won't," Ari said, "He's got too much to lose. If he breaks the agreement in any way our people will kill him. Besides, he's not the monster you think he is. I've known him all my life."
"A snake can shed its skin, but not its heart."
"If a criminal can change his ways and become a good man, why not a dragon?"
"Because dragons aren't like people."
"How so?" Ari asked.
"Dragons were created by evil, for evil. They can't know anything else."
"Elves and men were created by good, yet some of our kind can still do evil deeds."
Rion opened his mouth to respond, then closed it again. He really had no idea what to say. He knew that Traag was evil and not to be trusted, but somehow couldn't think of a good counter for Ari's arguments.
Much later, he sat by the fire thinking still. Was it possible that Ari was right and Traag really had become good? He didn't think so, but while he was considering the possibility, another thought occurred to him. He remembered the way Traag had covered distances so greatly on his mighty wings. How long would it take for the dragon to travel between Tharden and Gondor?
***
Rion had slept late, tired from the night's ball. When he did wake, he didn't feel like getting up. He was still lying there when Ari burst cheerfully into the room.
"Rion, I've just had an amaz. . ." She broke off, and, blushing furiously, darted outside. Rion, blushing himself, hurriedly dressed. When he emerged from his room, Ari was standing in the corridor, looking more composed, but still embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, Rion," she said, "I didn't realise you were. . ."
"It's alright," he cut her off, "Accidents happen." They went back inside the room. "Now, you were going to tell me something amazing?"
"Actually, I was going to show you something amazing," she said, grinning, "You'd better bring your cloak, it'll be cold."
Rion did what he told, filled with curiosity. They had to be going outside, but the thick snow meant travelling far would be difficult. They went down a little, then along some corridors Rion hadn't been down before. He carefully memorised everything so that Mir wouldn't be able to complain too much when he drew this onto their map. Ari led him up a narrow staircase, and Rion wondered if he'd been right in his assumption that they were going outside.
They emerged through a low doorway and the top of the stairs, and stood on the battlements of the castle. The sun was only weakly filtering through the clouds, but everything was still ablaze with silver brightness as the light reflected off snow everywhere. Behind them were the roofs and turrets of the castle, and in front of them a frozen landscape led down to the sea. Rion could see a few small fishing boats, almost hugging the coastline as they sailed.
"It's beautiful," Rion commented.
"And you've not even seen the best part," Ari said, grinning. As they stood there, hugging their cloaks around them to protect themselves against the bitter cold, Rion heard the steady beating of giant wings. A great shadow past over head, and Rion ducked instinctively as Traag past them. He stopped, dropping gracefully despite his size, to just beside the battlement where they stood.
The paralysing fear filled Rion again, and he stood as frozen as the world around him, as the dragon waited in front of them. His great wings worked to keep his body steady.
"Don't be afraid," Ari said, gently squeezing Rion's hand. She climbed onto the stone wall that marked the edge of the battlement, and jumped the small gap to land safely on the dragon's back, if such a position could be called safe. She slid further up, her hands gripping the mighty scales, to make room for Rion.
"Don't worry," Ari said, "Trust me." Rion did trust Ari, he just didn't trust the creature she was sitting on. Still, he climbed onto the wall, conscious of the long drop below. He didn't dare look to see how far down it was, but knew he wouldn't be able to survive it.
He jumped, and felt the firm bulk of the dragon as he landed. Ari grinned at him, and shifted further up the dragon's back. Soon they both sat just behind the great head. Rion found he was trembling, but hoped Ari would think it was the cold. And it was cold, despite the heat from the creature below him, the air ripped through his cloak with icy hands.
Traag beat his wings and the dragon rose from the castle. Rion found himself gripping Ari's waist tightly out of fear. Below them a world was spread out, and Rion soon forgot the danger of his position.
The world beneath them was gleaming silver snow, with the odd beams of golden sunlight creating a treasure any jeweller would be proud of. A frozen river flowed into a wide estuary, and settlements of houses looked like a child's toy there were so small. It didn't seem that this could possibly be the same world he lived in. He saw such beauty from this new perspective that he had never imagined.
He forget to be afraid as they approached the mountain at the centre of the island, and then past it to circle the other two islands, amazed by the speed of the great dragon. He didn't seem connected to the world below him, so he was able to lose his fear of the great distance he was from the ground.
He also forgot to be afraid of the dragon. He knew that if Traag wanted he could throw them both up in the air and eat them before they had even begun to fall. But as the time passed that possibility seemed to dim and fade to the back of his mind. He forgot it almost entirely in the wonder of what he was seeing.
Some time later, Traag landed behind the palace, and the two children dismounted. Then the dragon rose into the sky again and disappeared. Rion looked at Ari, both faces flushed in excitement and cold.
"I never imagined anything like that," he admitted.
"It's brilliant, isn't it?"
"You've done it before?"
"Several times," Ari said, as they turned inside. "I'm not sure whether Traag likes giving rides, he doesn't often show his feelings, so I don't ask too often."
"Does your father know you do this?" Rion asked.
"Of course."
They went inside, and soon were warming themselves by the fire in Rion's room. Rion stared into the fire, thinking.
"Why does Traag life here?" he asked, "And why does no one mind?"
"There was an agreement made long ago between Traag and Queen Ramirin, who ruled at the time," Ari explained, "The Queen agreed to let Traag stay here on several conditions, the first being that he didn't harm any person on the islands. Another being that he only ate what animals were allotted to him. The third, he could guard the royal treasury, allowing the royal family access to the treasures within when they requested it. And finally, he must defend the people of Tharden in times of war."
"And he's stuck to this agreement? Why?"
"Because elsewhere in Middle Earth dragons were being hunted to extinction. This arrangement allows him to live in safety, and provides our people with security."
"Unless of course Traag turns against you."
"He won't," Ari said, "He's got too much to lose. If he breaks the agreement in any way our people will kill him. Besides, he's not the monster you think he is. I've known him all my life."
"A snake can shed its skin, but not its heart."
"If a criminal can change his ways and become a good man, why not a dragon?"
"Because dragons aren't like people."
"How so?" Ari asked.
"Dragons were created by evil, for evil. They can't know anything else."
"Elves and men were created by good, yet some of our kind can still do evil deeds."
Rion opened his mouth to respond, then closed it again. He really had no idea what to say. He knew that Traag was evil and not to be trusted, but somehow couldn't think of a good counter for Ari's arguments.
Much later, he sat by the fire thinking still. Was it possible that Ari was right and Traag really had become good? He didn't think so, but while he was considering the possibility, another thought occurred to him. He remembered the way Traag had covered distances so greatly on his mighty wings. How long would it take for the dragon to travel between Tharden and Gondor?