Nixiesocean: I'm ba-ack with a new chappie! Thank you for reviewing this story, simplegrl007 and x-baby.doll-x for reviewing.

Responses:

simplegl007: 1. I don't know about Mira being the target of his humiliation, since, well, you know, Ade is coming into Dragonhold. Hehe. That just gave me an idea! 2. I don't know who's going to die in the final chapters. 3. Yes, there was a hint of a romance between Fiona and Everett. 4. Matk is his first name.

x-baby.doll-x: haha. I doubt this will ever make print. It's waaaay too raw.

Onto chapter 25!

Chapter 23: Dragonhold

As I walked back to my study with Mira trailing me, I got a tingling sensation. I motioned for Mira to quicken her pace and I hurried to the parapets to look out over Dragonhold.

"Mira?" I asked. "Do you know what happens when the Gate is opened?"

She shrugged. "I've heard the Dragon-Ruler gets some sort of notification."

"Like?" I persisted. The first tingling sensation subsided, and before I knew it, four more had come and gone. I shook my hands; then rubbed them together to make the odd sensation leave.

Again, she shrugged. "I wouldn't know, Ceara." She gave me a lopsided grin. "I've never been the Ruler."

I smiled. "Could you go get a messenger?" She hesitated. I breathed deeply. "Allow me to temporarily place a link on you, it'll die before the sun goes down." Mira looked at me with wide eyes, "Mira if you want me to protect you from Matk Coven, you need to trust me."

She nodded. "Promise it isn't like his?"

I smiled. "Mine are not painful, nor will it stay if you wish it gone." She bowed her head and gently placed my fingers on her temples. Then, I pulled them away and on my fingertips was a long silver-blue-gold thread. I put my fingers onto my temples. Immediately, I became aware of Mira. The thread vanished. "Thank you." I told her.

She gave me a small smile. I got some happiness from her. I nodded and she ran off to find the messenger. I went and sat on my couch, to watch what she did from her eyes. I closed mine and entered her mind.

I stood in the doorway to the messenger's door. I knocked lightly. The door opened and a weary-looking courier nodded. "The Dragon-Queen wishes that you discover who is at the Gate and bring them here."

His graying hair showed signs of pure white strands. He rubbed his eyes and nodded. "I will leave presently."

"Thank you, Mevnin." I whispered, touching his hand. He smiled at me. I walked away and began running back to Ceara's room. I opened the door. She was sitting on the couch, eyes closed.

I was startled out of Mira's mind with seeing myself. I opened my eyes and she stood there looking worried. "I – I'm fine." I stood.

"Mevnin is a friend of mine." She explained. "He's the quickest courier. He's faithful."

I smiled. "It's good you have connections too, Mira."

She curtsied with an exaggerated pull of her skirt. "Thank you, Ceara." She straightened and grinned. "For everything."

- - - - - - - - - -

We stood at the entrance to a great city. The walls were scintillating colors, changing from blues, to silvers, to golds, to greens, to whites and back to blue. Everywhere we looked, the walls glowed and sparkled. The people ignored us, though it was obvious we had come through the Gate. We stood there a moment, enjoying the beautiful display of color.

A voice broke the effect. "Dragonhold is truly a wonder is it not, Humans?"

I turned. A middle-aged man stood there. His hair was of a blue tint, and he wore lightly dyed robes. I cocked my head. "Who are you?"

He sneered. "A Human is not welcome here."

I beckoned to Everett and the twins. "We are not all Humans." I lifted an eyebrow. "You did not answer my question."

He laughed maliciously. "Who are you to demand the name of a Councilor?"

"Who are you to sneer at a prince?" I retorted. Fiona stood next to Everett.

The cocky Dragon-thing shook his head. "A mighty princeling! A Human has come to Dragonhold!" He voice resonated off the sparkling walls. His dark eyes met mine. "Who let you in?"

"We walked though a tree." I replied calmly.

He sighed. "I suppose you are here to see the Dragon-Queen?"

"Aren't we all?" I shifted my weight.

"You speak highly." The man said with an evil glint in his eye. "Guards!" A swarm of men, hair ranging in every color of Dragon, an even some of them having Human hairs embedded. I drew my sword and crouched in a fighting stance. "Give it up, princeling! I've more men, and you have a woman, a weak Dragonblooded, and two children." Fiona glared at him. "Ah, yet another woman with a bite. Fear not, Human female, these pigs will be taken away."

"Yet another?" I echoed. "There are always cowardly men and fighting women. Obviously you live in the past, Councilor."

He grinned. His eyes narrowed on me. "Why are you here."

My eyes locked on his. "You will take us to the Dragon-Queen now."

He sighed dramatically. "I'm afraid not. You see, there's a war going on here. Intruders must be imprisoned."

"Lord Matk Coven." A voice, old sounding but no less authoritative, broke through our conversation. "You will back down and allow the visitors to come with me."

Lord Matk Coven… I repeated the name; I thought I knew it from somewhere.

The youngest of the Draconic Council, the voice told me. I shook my head and looked upward. Go with the second man. It told me.

I looked at Lord Matk Coven; then at the aging man. The second looked safer by far. "Come on." I motioned for them to follow me.

The lord snarled. "You're coming with me!"

"I'm afraid not." The second man, dressed like a messenger of sorts. "They're coming with me, by order of the Dragon-Queen." The title rang out and Coven cringed.

He glared at the messenger; then he turned on a heel, his men following obediently.

The older man nodded and we trailed him. He turned back to us, "That was Lord Matk Coven, of the Draconic Council." Yes, yes. I know.

"I know of him." Fiona replied. "My husband spoke of him, second-hand from Hyane, of course."

The messenger looked alarmed. "Please, my lady, speak softly."

Hyane did say she was a liaison for the Dragon-Queen… Then I remember the letter. I took it out and broke the seal.

Prince Ade of Furde, it said,

I request your presence in my personal study. A messenger will see to it that your friends are properly situated in guest quarters. Please, come as quickly as possible.

Love,

Ceara Adele,

Dragon-Queen of Dragonhold

I stopped dead in my tracks. I turned to Fiona. "Ceara Adele?"

She shrugged. "I thought Adele was the first name, not the second."

The messenger hurried us along, my mind was buzzing. Why does Ceara want me? She's the one that left me! I was fine before, but she… she had to run

Please, Ade, just come. The voice – her voice I realized – spoke. I love you, Ade. Come, please!

I breathed deeply. You have a lot of explaining to do, Dragon-Queen Ceara Adele.

And I will. But face-to-face.

I shrugged and we continued along. Another man took Everett, the twins and Fiona away and I was led to a plain-looking door that I could've mistaken for any other. I opened it. Ceara was at her desk.

"You called?" I asked.

Without turning or looking at me, "I – I'm sorry for running." She whispered.

I shook my head and closed the door behind me. "Sorry? That's all?"

She turned this time. "More than sorry." She wore a blouse and breeches. "More than anything, though, I need you."

I snorted. "To run off again?"

She shook her head. "No, never again." she came closer and reached out a hand. "I need you, Ade, as a father."