Chapter 3

Children of Dragons

I could glide along the thermals that rose up from the hot desert, barely having to move my wings as the sun warmed my scales.

"I went to the desert on a horse with no name, it felt good to be out of the rain. In the desert, you can remember your name." I had to hum the next few lines as I couldn't quite recall the words. A vulture scrambled out of my way, obviously scared of sharing the sky with a big predator like me. It wasn't my singing.

God, I'm bored.

The Aiel Waste had been interesting. For the first few hours. Deserts weren't what you saw in movies and the like, or this one wasn't. There was plenty of sand, but also scrubland with tiny, twisted trees, piles of rocks, and large plates of stone next to rocky outcroppings and small mountains.

What I hadn't seen were people or signs of them. I knew the Aiel had hidden their settlements, but surely nobody had thought to hide them from an aerial view? Or had I gotten lost and been flying in circles?

Looking for the sun I found it hanging high in the sky, but it looked to be falling to my right. So I had the west to my right and I was flying south. I was supposed to be flying east!

Banking to my left until the sun looked to be behind me, I decided to drop down for a quick drink. Tucking in my wings I let gravity take hold of me. A snake jolted when several tons of dragon dropped lightly onto the sand right next to it, barely disturbing the sand.

It snapped out, its teeth breaking on my scales. Craning my neck I told it "Bad move" before flicking it away with my hind claw. My tongue felt a little thick in my mouth.

Sand as water!

I picked up a nearby stone and molded it into a shallow bowl with which I could scoop up the water out of the new pool and pour the cool liquid into my mouth. You wouldn't catch me sticking my head into it like a dog.

After a couple of drinks, I swirled around some of the water in my bowl as I considered my current situation. The problem was, there were no maps of the Aiel Waste, not in this world nor did I recall one from reading the books. I didn't even know where Rhuidean was. Near the mountains, probably the ones to the east instead of near the Spine of the World, but that was a guess. And nobody lived in Rhuidean, not yet.

Perhaps I should head back to the Spine and use that landmark to navigate around. Dropping the bowl I retook to the air and turned my nose towards the sun.

I flew around in my dragon form for one simple reason. I had no hope to approach the Aiel as a human. Oh, I could impersonate an Aiel no problem with the help of my powers. But I would still be an outsider trying to talk to a very insular community.

So I would go for the shock & awe approach. I figured they'd peg me as shadowspawn at first but I should be able to talk them out of trying to kill me. Once the first few attempts didn't work out so well.

I'm an optimist.

The Spine of the World was only a gray haze on the horizon when I spotted something more interesting than the scrub and sand. There was a depression in the ground, which sheltered a field of tough-looking grass that a small herd of goats were roaming around in. At one end of the triangular valley stood a collection of large stones some seven meters tall.

It looked natural, but not to me. I couldn't say what it was, beyond my tie to Artifice, but I knew that rock spire had been built. Yes, it was a small, fortified position. I spotted the entrance as I spiraled down, spooking the goats.

Men dressed in what had been described to me as the cadin'sor sprang up from hiding places I hadn't even noticed and corralled the goats towards their tower. Another one leveled a bow at me and loosed an arrow.

I tried not to take it personally as I deflected the projectile with a gust of wind from flapping my wings. The second arrow was aimed even better and would have hit me in the jaw if not for another gust.

That delayed me enough that the Aiel managed to get their livestock and themselves into the tower as I landed lightly some thirty meters away on all fours. I barely had time to consider how to open a conversation when the first arrow flew out from a concealed arrow slit, nearly hitting me in the eye.

I closed them on reflex, then kept them closed on further thought as I tucked my head in. I felt more arrows ping off my scales, but like this there really wasn't a good target for them. Two more hit my eyes, but my eyelids were armored sufficiently that it only irritated.

I waited a few seconds until the impacts stopped before opening my eyes to slits. "Now, have you gotten that out of your—"

An arrow slammed into my left eye, right between the eyelids. It didn't get far before being trapped but I staggered to the right. "Son of a—son of a goat!" A quick blink and the arrow fell out. My left eye was a bit blurry and it hurt, but not much. Nothing too bad, then.

"You got sand in my eye! I'm going to feel that all day! Now, will you start acting like civilized folk or do you need to shoot the wayward traveler some more?"

There was silence, and no more arrows. Then someone spoke up. "That is the welcome all Shadowwrought receive in the Three-fold Land!"

Shadowwrought? "You think me Shadowspawn?" I bark out a laugh. "My kind has never served it. You can't say the same, human. How many serve the Dark One now? How many Darkfriends wear the cadin'sor?"

Wait, that's going a little too far. I wasn't here to make enemies.

I wrestle with my own thoughts, fighting a swell of pride I shouldn't have about my kind. About being a dragon. Perhaps using my dragon form had been a mistake. Had it been draconic pride that influenced my decision to approach in this form as well?

Someone inside didn't like my words, however. A curse, some heated words I couldn't make out and wasn't supposed to hear, then one of them slipped out of a sally port with his veil covering his face except for the eyes.

Alright, guess I have to roll with it. Rearing back onto two legs, I tented my fingers. "Did I strike a nerve?"

"I've come to carve the lie out of your tongue, Shadowwrought." He approached with caution despite his words. He slid to my right, shield out and one short spear poised for a throw.

"I would give you points for courage, if not for the fact that I have not threatened you in any way," I said, head turning to keep an eye on the lone Aiel. Something itched, beside my eye. "Tell me, do you need to gather your courage before you face the prospect of herding the goats into the stable at night, as well?"

The Aiel shepherd threw his spear. but it bounced off my chest. I did feel the impact through my scales. He had an arm on him. With a warcry, he retrieved a second spear held in his shield hand and charged me.

I was about to snap off another insult when I felt a stab into my ankle. A distraction!

I jumped up and away, landing on a large rock. I saw the man that had stabbed me. No details with those veils and loose clothes, but he looked to be a head shorter than the one that had served as a distraction.

"Two against one. Those goats truly don't stand a chance. But it's time you two cool off."

Sand as water!

The sand swirled between the two before turning into something that wasn't sand. The Aiel froze at the sight of water just appearing like that. They only moved when their soft boots got wet and by then it was too late.

In seconds a body of water the size of a swimming pool had appeared in the Aiel Waste and both Aiel were splashing about in it. Obviously they'd never had the chance to learn how to swim and both were clearly panicking.

My intent had not been to drown them, so I stepped off the rock and up to the edge of the pool. I fished out one, the shorter one, then the other. I left them panting on the ground as I moved on to the tower. I'd seen at least four herding the goats into the structure so there should still be some inside.

"As I said, I'm a wayward traveler looking for directions. Could one of you direct me to the nearest hold?" I glanced back at the two as they pushed themselves up, water dripping onto the thirsty earth. "I am in search of some wisdom, and there obviously is none here," I couldn't help but add.

A voice emerged from the concealed structure. "And why would we betray our sept, creature?"

I blew out a breath. "Because I said please?"

"Are you mocking us?"

I looked back at the two Aiel that were a lot drier now. They hadn't attacked me again, but they looked ready. "Yes, a little. I mean, this is getting silly. Even if I'm an enemy, it's by now obvious the four of you stand no chance against me. So your best chance is to either point me in the direction of an enemy tribe or your own hold in the hope that a larger group can defeat me."

There was silence for a long stretch, then one of the Aiel that had taken an unexpected swim spoke up. "If it is wisdom you seek, creature, then fly west until you see a rock shaped like a broken dagger, then south." Looking over my shoulder again, I saw he had lowered his veil. Not looking to kill me right now, then.

"Doirin," the other Aiel said. "What are you doing?"

"It could have left us to die, Sareen. Either it speaks true or not, but a Wise One should weigh its words. She will pierce any lie it speaks. And our clan chief will find a way to kill it if it does."

Sareen nodded after a moment of hesitation and Doirin turned back to me. "You seek a cleft with a streak of pink rock on the left side. That leads you to the hold."

"My thanks," I said. "You can keep the water."

Doirin gave the sloshing pool a glance. Half afraid, half covetous. "Is it not sand?"

"It was sand. Now it is water. And it will remain until the sun evaporates it all. So I hope you have enough pots," I said, lifting off.

VVVV

I had some worry it had been a trick, but as I planned to head west anyway before this I wasn't taking too much of a risk. I did come across a large rock that looked like an Aiel long dagger with its tip broken after a half's hour flight. A promising start.

Turning south I noticed the shadows had lengthened and the sun was definitely sinking, taking on a slightly reddish hue. I had flown around the Waste for most of the day then. I kept my eye out for both people and that pink rock Doirin had spoken of as I flew low. The directions I'd been given would apply from a ground-level perspective.

The land had been relatively flat but now turned into a scattering of mesas that grew in size and density. I slowed down further to give myself the time to study every possibility and still I almost missed it.

A streak of pink ran up one side of a mesa that had been split into three parts. It was the largest one I could see. One flap of my wings and I gained enough altitude to execute a turn into the direction of the dry gorge and I landed well before I reached it.

In all the books, there was only one section where people had approached an Aiel settlement. That had been done openly and loudly if I recall right. "Good afternoon!" I shouted with all the lung capacity my size gave me. "I'm looking for wisdom and was directed to this place!" I ambled towards the probable entrance. "May I approach?"

I tried not to think about how embarrassing it would be if I was shouting at a deserted rock formation. If it was, then at least there would be nobody around to hear of my embarrassment.

I'd gone forward a good thirty meters when Aiel appeared as if from the very rocks and shrubs themselves. They had arrows nocked, and they were veiled.

"Is that a no, or a maybe?" I came to a stop.

From deeper into the canyon, I could hear people singing.

"Wash the spears!

While the sun climbs high.

Wash the spears!

While the sun falls low.

Wash the spears!"

Dozens of Aiel in a formation four-abreast emerged, they spread out to array themselves against me. And they kept singing.

Right, these people were preparing for a fight and my words weren't enough. Time to do the unexpected. I plunged my hands into the sand and pulled two short staves out. Next, I dragged a boulder in front of me and shaped it as well, inside and out.

Then I began to drum a beat for them.

"Wash the spears!

Till sun grows cold.

Wash the spears!"

But their last line sort of petered out as they realized I was playing music along with them. I held for a moment, then launched into my own song. I couldn't manage the Polynesian part of "We Know The Way" but I remembered the rest.

More Aiel poured out, climbing the walls to get a good perch from which to see me. Or shoot me. Nobody had shot me so far, though. And a few were looking at each other now. Plan Confuse The Hell Out Of Them was off to a great start.

"We know the way!" I finished with a flourish, throwing one of the drumsticks into the air spinning. It came back and I snatched it, only to fumble and sent it flying again so it bopped my nose. "Auw!" Before hitting the stone drum and then dropping onto the sand.

"Pretend you didn't see that," I said, hunting for the drumstick. "Anybody got any requests?"

The desert wind whistled and I could just imagine the tumbleweed rolling by. The Aiel kept an eye on me, but much of their attention appeared to have turned to one of their number. That one strode out of the crowd and undid his veil.

"What are you?"

"That … is a surprisingly complicated question, but the short answer is that I'm a dragon." I rose up a little higher and flared my wings to catch the light of the setting sun.

"No, you're not," the older man said. With his veil undone I could see red and white hairs peeking out from underneath the black cloth.

"Excuse me?" Ah, yes, Aiel would have an idea what dragons looked like because their clan chiefs got that tattoo. "You know what all dragons in all of Creation look like? I'm sure there's more than one kind of animal you call a lizard, yet they are all lizards. So, too, with dragons. Some of us have long supple bodies, others have dramatic wings, or beards! Yet all of us are dragons nonetheless. And that is what has brought me here. Wherever here is." I glanced back in the direction I'd come from. "They didn't tell me what clan resided here when I got directions."

"This is Shende hold."

"I am … Shenron, Whirlwind of the West, The Beautiful Crimson Beast, et cetera et cetera. I am in search of a Wise One. Do you have one, and can you let her know I wish to speak to her?"

"You speak much, but tell me little, Shenron." His eyes flick around, looking for something.

"And you haven't told me so much as your name. So I'm actually ahead in the sharing of information," I told him.

He works his jaw for a moment, then gives a short nod. "I am Erim, clan chief of the Chareen."

"Ah, at least you're not Shaido." Chareen, not Taardad. For a moment I thought I saw the hint of a smile but it was gone before I could blink. I tried to recall anything about the Chareen Aiel. It sounded familiar, but not that familiar.

"We're not," Erim said. "And what will you do, Shenron, should I tell you to leave?"

I rubbed my chin. That was a good question, but I decided to act on that smile I thought I saw. "I will search out the Shaido and tell them the happy news that I've found Aiel even dumber than they are. They'll be so astonished I can just walk into their hold while they try to digest the news."

That got me a few guffaws from the back.

Then the crowd parted and an old woman strode in. She didn't wear the cadin'sor but skirts and a white cotton vest. A scarf gave her head some protection against the sun. Despite her clearly advanced age her back was straight and her step long and sure. "Erim, why is the Shadowwrought still breathing?"

"It claims to be a dragon, Wise One," the clan chief said. "And has made no move to attack."

"It can say whatever it wants. That does not make it so," the old Wise One said as she stepped up to Erim.

"If age had not dulled your senses you would be able to tell I'm not linked to the Dark One." I bit my tongue, but too late. I shouldn't have said it like that. But channelers can sense Shadowspawn. Or was that reserved for Warders? Wait, not all Wise Ones could channel.

The Wise One beheld me, then stepped closer. There was still some distance between us and I didn't want to make any sudden moves so all I did was extend my neck and lower my head to meet her eye-to-eye. My hot breath ruffled some of her loose hair. I could faintly smell flowers.

"I do not sense Grassburner's touch on you. But there are plenty of creatures that are deadly by themselves. Why have you come here?"

"I have a question. Two, in fact, though they relate. I have heard the Aiel call themselves the Children of the Dragon," I said and I could not miss the shock washing over her face, however brief. "My question is this, which dragon?"