Aren's mind buzzed with excitement and fear at what he had just seen. It was a real, live dragon. And it had taken his brother! He replayed the moment in his mind. He had gone to the tree he and his brother had spent so much time in, because it was the place where he could think the best. With the serenity and quietness that was opposite of the bustling town with its noisy crowd, it made the perfect place to sort a problem out.

He had been offered a job; to join a group of men to make a journey to Shanur, (where there was whispers of rebellion), and if he did the job right, could get promoted. Or he could stay in the city with his love, Isabella as he trained his squires. Being knighted less than a year ago, he already had a destrier and three squires. He grinned. Life had really smiled down at him. But the crossroads of opportunity had risen up, leaving the easy path now a forked road, leading who knows where.

The squires could use a trip, and Isabella would want me to get a promotion. But I can't leave her for months! And it is a long and grueling path… he started climbing the tree, thinking fiercely. As he grasped for a large branch he stopped mid-reach. Did I just hear something? He listened closely, breathing softly for less interference. Voices! He stayed there for a moment, mystified. Nobody knew of this place. Maybe somebody followed me and is trying to get a laugh by scaring me. He grimaced as he thought of a couple fools that would just love to do the very thing. He would show them. Slowly he inched his body upward, toward the fork in the tree. This joke is going to be on THEM he thought, already chuckling to himself. Suddenly he jumped to the crook of the tree, ready to scare off the jokers. But before he could let out a boo, he was knocked off his feet by a shocking ROAR! Falling backward from the blast, he hit the ground with a squelch. He sat there in shock, momentarily forgetting to breath. A wind burst forth out of nowhere, smashing him to the ground. Leaves blasted him with an amazing force as the wind continued to pin him to the ground. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a ginormous shape block out the sun. Slowly the wind died down and he was able to ease his body around and get his first look at the object. Vast bat-like wings were attached to an enormous serpentine body. Suddenly it sped away so fast Aren's eyes couldn't follow it. He was sure of one thing. The voice he heard was his brother's.

And the dragon had taken him away.

Slowly rising to his shaky legs he had ran to tell the news. Which got him to where he was right now; in front of the castle. The huge structure was forbidding. Its large murky windows seemed to veil dark secrets. It looked strong and menacing against the light summery day. A few soldiers walked in and out of the iron gates, and some peasants meandered about, hoping to get a glimpse of the Queen.

Aren took a deep breath, trying to get the courage to walk into those hostile doors. He had only seen the Queen twice, once when he had been knighted, and the other time when she had been on her yearly parade. He had gotten a glimpse of her as she sat, waving from her carriage. There were many stories floating around about her. Most of them had been old maid's tales. But many seemed to have a ring of truth to it. One rumor was that the Queen had cut off the thumb of General Watson because he had lost a battle. Sometimes Aren saw him riding his destrier around Redfield and he could've sworn that he had a thumb missing.

Also there were people saying that if her clothes weren't tailored quite right she would have the tailor banished from the kingdom. Others claimed she had killed a demon with her bare hands.

Overall she did not seem like a very forgiving Queen. And if he had not really seen what he thought he did…. His hands crept up to his neck. He would be hanged.

He tried to shake the thought away. That dragon has my brother. I need to do this. He gulped and started toward the door. Halfway there he was barred by a burly knight who had lowered his hefty spear, barring his way. "State your business," he said in a voice that seemed to come from the earth itself.

"Umm… I'm here because… uhh I saw a dragon," he blurted out, eyeing the spear's edge uncertainly. The guard raised an eyebrow but didn't budge. "And… it took my brother!"

"Ralem?" asked the guard.

"Yes"

"He was a good man," the guard said solemnly, stepping aside with a clank of armor so that Aren could pass. Aren entered the daunting castle, making sure to keep as far as possible from the life sized lions flanking the castle doors. The flowers which crawled up the walls via vines enveloped the Roman columns. The entrance room was breathtaking. A huge chandelier hung directly above him. He quickly moved away for fear of the thing falling on his head. As the light shown through the window and hit the glass it refracted and made little colorful lights dance around the room. A velvet carpet ruffled under his boots, leading up to the balcony. A huge tapestry with the Queen's family crest was hanging on the left wall, its bright red rippling as the wind blew on it. High Buttresses made the castle seem even bigger and more ominous. Servants hurried around silently, cleaning and making sure the Queen had what she wanted. Guards were at every corner, standing silently in full armor.

One guard stepped up to escort him. This guy seemed, if possible, bigger than the last one. He said nothing, but gestured with his spear past the shimmering fountain and on to the stairs. Aren stepped toward him and the guard led him up the balcony. Aren looked on in wonder as they passed an impossible amount of doors. Finally the guard stopped at a door larger than the rest. Two lions were engraved on it, stuck in eternal warfare, their deadly claws just inches from the other's throats. With a light push of an armored hand the door opened silently, leading into a huge room. It was almost bare except for a stately chair in the back of the room attached to a huge oak desk, with engravings covering the sides. Papers were in a neat stack on the desk. It took Aren a moment to realize that somebody was in the chair. The Queen! He quickly bowed and muttered an apology.

"You may rise," the Queen said in a stiff voice.

Aren rose and barely avoided tripping over the purple rug that adorned the wood floor.

"You may speak," she said, her nails clipping sharply against the wood of her desk. Aren didn't have to be able to read minds to know what she was thinking, whose idea was it to let this idiot in?

"My brother," he blurted, nervously running his hand through his hair.

"Yes…" she said, her nails going faster as her patience wore out.

"He was taken!" Aren felt like his throat had turned to sandpaper. He spread his arms pleadingly.

"Uh huh…" she absentmindedly took a mirror out of her desk and started powdering her face. After a couple minutes of agonizingly slow pats, her eyes flicked up to find he was still there. She made a very un-Queenly noise and called "Guards! Why did you let this young man in? He is intruding on my tea time!"

The guard grabbed Aren's shoulder to take him out, but he jerked himself out of the man's grasp and yelled "A dragon! A dragon took my brother!"

There was a pause. Then the Queen drawled out in a shrill voice, "What did you say?"

The guard reached to grab him and he stumbled out of his reach. "Yes! A big green dragon! And it was in Redfield!"

The Queen got up, the chair squealing in protest as she shoved it backwards. "A dragon!" she stepped away from the desk. Then Aren got his first good look at the Queen. She was amazingly short. A frilly ridiculous dress made her look like a puppet. Her hair was coiled around her head like dark brown snakes. She had finely arched eyebrows that stood out on her deathly white face. Right now they were about jumping off her face. "We haven't had a real hunt in ages!" Suddenly she narrowed her eyes, "You sure you saw what you saw?"

Aren nodded quickly, nearly rattling his brain.

"Because you know what happens to people who lie to the Queen," She gave him a cold stare.

Aren nodded even more furiously than before.

There was a scuffling noise coming from down the hall. The Queen stood on her tip toes to try to find out what was happening. A thin figure burst through the door followed by a guard who fell flat on his face. Getting to his knees quickly he huffed "Sorry, Your Highness, he got past us."

The Queen looked revolted at the slight, dirty man standing in front of her. "Get him out. NOW. And your pay has just been slashed."

"Yes, Your Highness," the guard grabbed the man roughly and started towing him away. The man squirmed then yelled, "Wait! Your Majesty! I saw a dragon!"

The Queen arched an eyebrow and looked from Aren to the smelly man. "You know this foul smelling peasant?"

Catching her real question, Aren replied hastily with a "No, Your Majesty. If I wanted someone else to be a witness I would not pick him assuredly."

The Queen nodded, satisfied, "Let him speak."

The man pushed himself away from the guard. His hands were clasping and unclasping in excitement. His blue eyes shown in his dirty, wrinkly face, that was framed by a shock of dirty white hair. A fly buzzed around his head like a planet orbiting the sun. "Your majeshty," he said again, and bowed so low his long beard brushed the carpet. The Queen grimaced in disgust. "I saw dis big dragon near da Redfield! It was flying mighty low and was awful big! I swear dis, I do. Will de hunt begin again?" He smiled, revealing three rotten teeth.

The Queen continued to grimace, "And what, pray tell, was the color of this dragon?"

"Greener den da grass in de Springtime!" He said, his smile growing impossibly large, seeming to crack his wrinkly face.

The Queen pondered this new turn of events for a minute. Then she barked to the guard who was still standing awkwardly in the room, "Go and make sure everyone knows this; whoever spots this dragon must report to me. The Hunt will begin! And you!" she looked straight at Aren.

"You will lead the hunt."