A/N: sorry for the long pause..again. It took me a while to come up with this for some strange reason.

Disclaimer: I only own Ryan.

Two down

The elves marched along the thin road leading through Onysablet's territory. King Gilthas led the small army upon his silver mount. They had been traveling for nearly 3 days now and had not encountered any form of resistence.

"I'm worried.." Mirror muttered to the King from his mount beside him. Mirror had shifted into his human form so he would blend with the army.

"How so my friend?" Gilthas asked.

"Onysablet has been far too quiet.." Mirror mused looking to the skies.

"Yes..we haven't even encountered his minions..." Gilthas looked across the hazy swamps that surrounded them.

"Whoa!" a scout called from the haze ahead.

"Speak! What do you see?" Gilthas called back.

A scout came running through the heavy mist, "The swamp floods over the road ahead..I can not tell how deep it is.."

"Hmm..may be Sable has heard of our victory against his cousin Beryl and wises to not take his chances and avoid us." Mirror thought aloud.

Keryl walked to Mirrors knee, "I doubt that somehow.."

There came a roar of rage in the distance. The roar seemed muted because of the thick mist.

"Stand your ground! Do not let him break our ranks!" Gilthas yelled to his troops, encouraging them.

Everyone braced themselves for a blow of toxic breath or a spell of some kind. After several moments some of the elven soldiers peered around their shields, looking to the skies. No attack came.

"Intruders! Killers!" a voice boomed, echoing around them, "Murderers of my Cousin!"

"Since went did you care for your cousin, Onysablet? You would wish nothing more but for her death so you could take her land and claim her totem! " Mirror countered.

"How did you do it?" Sable appeared through the mist on the road ahead of them. His majestic neck curled, his crimson eyes thinned. His coal black scales shimmered in the dim light as he flexed his muscles and dug his dagger like claws into the earth.

"That is for us to know." Mirror dismounted from his steed and approached Sable.

"Cousin..I'd know a fellow dragon anywhere.. You must be the elves secret!" Sable snarled.

"You are correct about who I am but I was not the one who slayed Beryl." Mirror said honestly.

"Lies!" Sable reared his head back and took a deep breath. The whole front column of elven soldiers cowered back hiding behind their shields.

"I dare you." was all Sable heard before a golden streak slammed into him and shoved him into the muck of the swamp.

Sable roared with rage as he landed in the steaming swamp water. He tried to get to his feet but only sank deeper. Enraged he struggled until a shadow fell over him. He looked up into the face of a slender female Gold.

"Another!" he tried to yell but gagged on the swamp water.

Ryan thinned her eyes and smiled at him, "Yes, Onysablet another." she said arching her neck and looking down upon him with her glowing amber eyes.

"But it was she who truly killed Beryl," Mirror walked up and looked down upon the trapped Sable, "and she will do the same to you, My Lord." Mirror mocked.

Sable snarled, "Finish him." Gilthas said in disgust.

Ryan looked at Sable, "I have a proposition Onysablet, if you will hear it." she said so all could hear.

"What is this about?!" Gilthas raged. He had been eager to see another Overlord destoryed, for then the weight upon him would lessen and his people safe.

"Let her speak My Lord. You may like what she has to say." Keryl interjected.

'Thank you' Ryan said to Keryl mentally.

'No thanks needed, I believe what you want to say will prove extremely useful to us..if he agrees.'

Keryl replied mentally as well.

"Then speak quickly Sunriser. I wish to remove another danger to my people soon for as long as he lives we are not safe!"

"We shall see." she said to Gilthas. She then turned to Sable, "Will you hear me or shall I end your suffering now?" she stepped closer to him so she towered over him, intimidating him.

"I will listen." he said submissively.

"My proposition is that I let you live but under one condition."

Sable mused for a moment, "The condition being...?"

"You become my servant. You serve me and fight your cousins, with my help of course. I am not heartless Sable for you will gain something for helping us besides your life."

"What do you have that I want?"

"We will give you the totems and some of the treasure of the Overlords we destroy and some better land..other then this puddle of mud you have here."

Sable weighed this in his mind and then said, "I am yours My Lady." he dipped his head in respect and submission.

Mirror shifted and with Ryan's help pulled Sable free of the muck. As Sable cleaned himself the King pulled Ryan, Mirror and Keryl off to the side.

"How will we get him to honor his promise?" Gilthas asked somewhat calmly.

"He did more then make a promise to Sunriser when he said 'I am yours My Lady' My Lord. He was giving his soul to her. When dragons make promises to each other they are bonded together, so no matter what Sable does he will not be able to give information away or anything he will be made to honor his promise unto death or until Sunriser releases him from it. Besides, I believe Sable thinks he's better off now then before." Mirror nodded confidently.

Ryan nodded, agreeing. "I'll go speak with him now."

She walked over to him and smiled, "May I call you Sable?"

"Anything you wish." he said thoughtfully.

She cocked her head to the side, "Do you feel as if your better off?"

"Very much so, Beryl was threatening to kill me.."

"Really..?" Ryan asked surprised. She had thought that the Overlords used teamwork to maintain control over their lands.

"No..and I meant it when I said 'I am yours My Lady' now and forever more." and Sable bowed to his new mistress, with full respect for her and her intelligence for only now did he realize that the Kings rage, the small army and talking had been a trap.

A very finely set trap....