FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

This is a reuploaded and revised version of a chapter previously put up to add more detail. It's fleshed out to basically make two chapters. :) Enjoy!

Baen stood on the bow of his ship and watched out over the choppy waves of the ocean. They lashed and struck at the shore so that all the fishing vessels had been lashed in tight against the docks to keep them from harm. Above him a storm was starting to break and he took in a breath of it with obvious pleasure before sighing it out again. This was how a man should live. Not a soft life on the shores but challenging the gods and nature while he fought against the sea. This was what the Empire lacked and he had plans on setting them to rights about the situation. At his back six other ships were struggling to maintain their positions and awaited his signal.

"Jophri." He barked out the word until a large bear of a man heaved himself up from one of the positions against the boats sides.

"Aye?" The large man came up to him and Baen let his eyes take in the shaggy appearance before he spoke again.

"I've been good to you haven't I? Look at the riches that await us there." He gestured with one mutilated hand at the shore. "Our dragon gave us that. Our gods have given us this chance. We will flourish until they are forced to retreat from the river and then we can plunge into the heart of this land."

"Aye. A good plan." Jophri almost spat the words out as he squinted his eyes against the howling wind. "And then shall we find our way home?"

"Home and our missing dragon, Jophri?" Baen turned his flat black eyes towards his traitor while his lips pulled back to bare his blunt teeth in a feral smile.

Jophri's eyes widened a fraction too late, the confusion on his face too feigned and Baen's eyes narrowed. He hadn't wanted to believe one of his people had betrayed him. Further towards the cap of the world others had sailed to his humble town to start to gather around him. Word spread of his willingness to believe in a sign from the gods in the form of the massive dragon that haunted the mountains. He was so close to gathering an army of his own he could almost taste it and this wretched had almost ruined it all. The old warrior moved his hand out and caught up a shield from the edge of the boat before bringing it up to smack into Jophri's chin.

"The hell Baen!" Jophri spat blood out onto the planks as he fell back against the side of the boat. Rage started to flicker in his small bear like eyes in answer to the rough treatment.

"You son of a dog." Baen growled and stepped forward with the shield still gripped in his large hand or at least what was left of it. "The gods have given the first sign that they live in decades and you endanger it by turning Sithen over to the Empire? They have kept us at heel like animals that should beg for their scrapes and you wish to go back to those days?"

"I never-" The protest was cut short as the grizzled veteran flicked the shield up to slam into his chin again.

"Do not lie to me, filth. If you would side with the Empire, then back to them you will go. Let us see you stand with the farmers and soft creatures there. And if Sithen is captured our gods will destroy them one by one until what had been their riches will be lost to the ocean. OUR ocean." He snarled the words out a moment before he brought the shield up a third and final time. The bear like man struggled for his balance on the rocking ship's deck before the next buck upwards swallowed him into the swirling waters of the black cold sea. Baen watched as the head bobbed up a few feet away from the ship and bared his teeth to the storm. The town would be sleeping and the Empire's stores lightly guarded. It was time to strike!

====

Timat sat just on the edge of a boat tied off in the harbor of the very last town the empire could claim as their own since the barbarian's had started to rebel against their rule. He had watched the sun set over the waters with a feeling of annoyance and nostalgia for another time and another place. A time when he had spent nearly a month on the Trade Isle's that were far to the south and luxuriated in the warmth of the ocean. When he'd come back from the Ice Mountains and was still flushed with victory that had been his first wish and prize from the Emperor. There the ocean had been so warm he had been able to swim under the fullness of the moon without growing chilled.

He stared out over the harbor and the water that had lost the blue tinge in coming of the night and turned black. It was as black as obsidian with only the white froth of the waves breaking the darkness. It looked cold. Even if the evening air hadn't held the last breath of winter to it he would have felt chilled just staring at it. The choppy waves lapped up against the side of the boat and he pulled his heavy fur lined cloak tighter around his shoulders. For the first time he wondered if the dragons were located this far north because they preferred the cold. The wyvern certainly preferred the chill of ice and snow, but even as he thought it he dismissed it. The smaller ocean dragons preferred the warmer climates.

He'd spent most of the last week gathering sailors from the various taverns. Most of his money had been spent ensuring he'd found the best of the lot. It was harder then it sounded and far harder than he had thought it would be. When he'd come here on his informants tip he had assumed he could hire a boat outright, but most of the Captains that sailed from here refused him outright. That had been more annoying than anything else. They had excused themselves brusquely after informing him that they needed to trade with the tribes higher in the Northern Mountains and refused to rouse their ire. He'd first tried to raise his prices to lure them with a love of money and at last had been forced to attempt bribery.

The mage rubbed the bridge of his nose as he remembered that near disaster. He had never been a part of a small village or town, he'd always enjoyed city life. He had nearly lost his life when his mark had taken his bribe and turned it over to the council. It wasn't until he'd taken out his documentation from the capitol had he been able to escape from their ire. That had left him the choice to go on foot with hunters and possibly be unable to get away with their lives. Or he could hire free lance sailors. He'd gone with the latter, but he even now doubted his choice. They'd get him to where he needed to be with his choice selection of hunters, but they were a sorry lot.

The good sailors had all been hired by vessels and were almost always given near life long contracts. He'd admired the efficiency of them and found what he had located lacking. They were decent enough, but they didn't work as a unit and even now as he watched them filter from the tavern he saw problems that could happen in the making. Most of them had pasts he didn't care to know about, but the promise of the vessel as their own after he'd reached the north seemed to hold them mostly together. Past that point he didn't care. He'd have his hunters where they needed to be and the barge that came up the river wouldn't balk at crossing the border. He mentally cursed the traitor who had insisted on meeting him so far north he had been unable to rely on that transportation.

"Sir?" The voice roused him from his thoughts and he turned his head to see the one hunter he'd hired he had some amount of faith in. The man was a practiced whaler and at a working knowledge of large animals.

"Yes?" He kept his voice mild as he shifted on his seat to watch several of the hunters bringing lengths of rope on board.

"We've nearly got the supplies stowed away and the trapping gear. We'll be all set to sail in the morning." He glanced out at the choppy waves and then back at the town that was perched on the rocks.

"Not in the morning. Tonight. If the boat is set we should set sail immediately." His voice came out slightly sharper then he intended.

"Sir? The men won't like that at all. Night sailing is bloody dangerous around here, sir. There are rocks all along the shore and the waves hide them without sunlight." The hunter shifted his burden slightly with concern.

"We have a limited schedule, I told you that when I hired you. We must be ready to leave by the time the barge comes North or we'll be stranded until it's next run. The more time we have there, the more time we'll have to capture our quarry. The men are being paid more handsomely then just coin." He pushed himself up and settled the cloak around him. "Tell them we set sail immediately, we'll get well away from the shore and be fine. Unless they have lied about their prowess.." He looked out at the sea and waited until the hunter continued down to the bottom of the boat. He wanted away from this provincial life and town.

+++++

Spring in the north had come as it always had. It was a slow creeping thaw that was letting the snow melt and created runnels down the mountains and swell the streams. The evening had warmed up to the point that the night was alive with the sound of chirping tree frogs and the cries of night birds. It had been those sounds that had roused the great storm dragon from his rest and had drawn him from his home. The night sky was so clear that the starts were brilliant and glittered against the blue-black tapestry. It was too beautiful to sleep through. Not when the great beast's heart was filled with contentment he had forgotten he could feel.

He'd launched himself into the sky and felt the air welcome the spread of his wings as he surveyed his kingdom. For the last day Sithen had found himself letting go of his thirst for vengeance and instead a quiet completeness had filled him. His lair was empty of those lesser females he had gathered. He hadn't driven them out, instead he had let them pass by him as he settled for the night. Not even the frantic glances had made him try to drive them back as they took to wing towards the ocean. The turn in the weather would have made them just as eager to enjoy the night as he was, though he far preferred the air and skies when compared to the coldness of the ocean water.

He chose his path by the flow of the winds so that he started to slip past the mountains and his great swirling eyes took in the mist that had started to creep along the narrow valleys beneath him. By morning the mist would turn into a thick fog that would blanket all by the highest peaks and silence the world. He dipped down closer towards the ground as he followed the trail of mist and reveled in his feeling of well being. Soon his daughter would start to grow heavy with the first clutch of storm dragons and they would start to once again spread out from the mountains. Even the thought of her made him rumble deep in his throat and a hint of ruby red to spill into the fast swirls of his eyes. He would take her again to be sure that she was gravid, he would take her until he was positive.

Sithen almost lost himself in the thoughts of what he would do with and for Lashane as his wings and the wind carried him just out of the foothills of the mountains. The spirited touch of his daughter's body pushed against his own was more than enough to keep him distracted. So it was a shock when he spotted the fires burning darkly. The orange red light of them illuminated the scales of his stomach while he twisted his entire form to circle overhead. Years ago he would have felt a rush of rage at the sight of the men inhabiting his lands, but slowly he had come to view them as part of his territory. It wasn't quite affection, but it was at least a possessiveness that he had grown into and not simply over the land.

The people had started to leave out some of their livestock for him at a place just south of the mountains. At first he had believed that the animals had strayed foolishly into his territory, but as time went on he came to realize that were brought there for a purpose. Nearly three months after he had first started coming to dine the men had come again. They watched him from a distance while he had taken the easiest route of simply snagging his prey and taking to wing with it. What did he have to do with men? Perhaps they were seeking to find a weakness in him to drive him away or perhaps they simply wanted to see if he could be lured away with food. He had never questioned their motives too deeply.

Yet over time he had found that they had begun not to just watch him, but to court him. There food came freely, but the men approached more often. What had started as an annoyance became acceptable as they brought with them music and words that he didn't understand. He knew the tone though, he knew praise when he heard it. The music amused him and at times entranced him as they had started to approach him with their prey in the midst of them. They showed little fear of him even when he waited for them to come to the spot and dove down in their midst to take his prize. He admired that despite his loathing of their kind. They didn't fear him, but they also didn't ignore the fact he was dangerous.

Sithen dipped lower in his flight until he could taste the wood smoke from their fires and felt a swell of reluctant pride for the people that slept below. On his view ventures out of the mountains he had watched them attack other villages that were far larger than their own. Their bravery ventured on the edge of foolishness, but in those moments he could take some pride that they were a part of his territory. Since they had learned proper respect for him he had ceased his raids against them and instead allowed them to placate him with their offerings. He circled the village once more with that sense of possessive pride before angling his way back towards the mountains. He would need sleep before attempting to corner his daughter again. Still, it was a glorious night to be alive and on the wing!

=====

Timat stood looking out over the pond with a slight smile on his face. It wasn't one of pleasure, but one of weary triumph over what had been a long hard journey. It had taken them nearly two weeks to find an opening in the mountains that would lead them down to the secured valley. After three days he found out that not just the beast called Sithen lived here, but there were other dragons of the more common variety. Those he saw often overflying the valley as they arrowed towards the ocean and were no threat to him. It was almost laughable that he and his people had hidden themselves away from thief passage, but he would take no chances that they might be able to communicate with his quarry. It was the beast that kept them hidden and careful.

One of the times they had seen the beast it had been during a thunderstorm that had beat so heavily they had been forced to retreat into a cave at the base of the mountains. The thunder had rocked the ground and his hunters had ended up huddled near the back of the cave praying to whatever gods they worshiped that the storm would cause a landslide. The mage however had gone to the opening of the cave when a thunder crack had been followed with a screeching roar. He had seen the glorious form of two dragons dancing in the skies above. The largest had his mouth open so that white-blue lightening had crackled out to chase from cloud to cloud. The raw power of the creature had made him realize that this was a far cry from the nervous and easily killed ocean dragons.

The very thought of his quarry made him feel a stab of greed and envy that he wasn't capturing the beast for himself. The animal was larger than any of the 'prettier' and more jeweled dragons, though in his eyes he thought it was far more majestic. The dark grays and almost whites attracted his eyes as well as the large furred crest that crowned its head like a battle stallions. The wings weren't stubby and weak, instead they spread through the air and seemed designed for long powerful flights instead of diving into the ocean. It was the eyes through that drew him in and he found himself almost lost in them. They were every color he could imagine as they faded and swirled in what seemed to be in time with his moods. They were more expressive then any animal's he had ever seen. It was almost as if it were an intelligent creature when he'd spotted it looking after the smaller one.

He could already imagine it decked out in the royal colors of crimson and gold and the sight of an armored rider settled over the back and shoulders. Would a saddle fit the beast or would it be more like a harness used on the larger horses of that were used to pull carts? He couldn't imagine a bridle, but perhaps a halter or a collar that could be used to control it. It was truly the mount of royalty, but didn't stop Timat for thinking of Sithen for his own. The wyvern was attractive in its own way, but it was attractive in the way a tiger was. It was something to look upon and admire, but it wasn't a beast that could be ridden. He still looked upon his capture of it as a mixture of defeat and triumph, and it seemed this would be the case as well. It was the smaller dragon though that gave him a tinge of hope.

He'd spotted the second one and had only been able to tell them apart due to size and a slight difference in coloring. It was less appealing then the larger and more obviously older of the species. The mage had already styled that one a male. When the smaller was compared to the male it was like comparing a ladies palfrey to a fully trained war stallion. He'd dismissed it the third night after having spotted it swimming next to Sithen. The light framed body and slightly clumsy movements of the wings made it..no her, it had to be a female, look unfinished and unappealing. It was obvious younger then the larger beast, perhaps its offspring? Or was it simply a mate? In some species the females were smaller then the males. It was Sithen he wanted, but he would capture the smaller for the Emperor if he could. It was a near treasonous thought, but the moment he had seen the broad wings catching the wind he had formed it.

The youngster should be easy to anyway. If she truly was a female then she'd be far simpler to handle then the male. He'd already found out how difficult a wild male was when bound in captivity, perhaps the female would give him what they needed to kill two birds with one stone. How many stallions had calmed immeasurably with the introduction of mares to their lives? She'd also be easier to transport in terms of size. He'd thought he was coming to get a beast just a bit larger than the dragons he had grown used to, but Sithen was on a scale that he would easily overset the barge if they managed to capture him. He knew when he had those thoughts that he was justifying his choice to capture the wrong dragon on purpose. Somehow...he didn't quite care.

He set his trap carefully with both magic and physical means. The hunters had known enough in trapping large water birds and some whales on how to place the ropes to form a net that was made by individual strands rather than braided rope. If one of them gave out the others would hold just as strongly giving her no release. His own magic would ensure that it would be unlikely that they would break even with the struggling dragon in its midst. The layout was just designed to allow him to use his magic far more carefully instead of wearing himself out. He would need his reserves later on after the animal was captured, to waste it now would be to lose everything.

He had almost made that mistake when he had captured the wyvern deep in the Ice Range. By the end of it all he had been lucky to escape with his life, it had been a gift from the gods that he had brought the beast back with him in triumph. That day would forever live in his mind as the most frightening and most satisfying in his life. He had thought he was going to die more than once. He hadn't accounted on the fact that the dragon would have more strength rather than less as a flying animal. Birds after all would fight for a time and swiftly weaken so it had made sense to him that it would be the same with dragons. He gave a bitter smile at the wrong ideas he had possessed on that matter.

The ropes that were strung beneath the water crossed over each other so that if the pattern of the animals remained unchanged the moment they dove in they'd be caught. The wings and legs would ensnare themselves in magic enhanced rope so that they'd go under in the water. He didn't intend to allow the animal to die, but to hold it under the water until it lost consciousness. That was the easiest bet. Then he could retrieve her from the water with the help of his magic. He hoped that it would be the younger of the pair. He didn't want to imagine how much magic and energy would be expended trying to trap Sithen. He would come back for the male if he could, and he would come back prepared. For now they waited as the sun set and darkness started to spread over the land.

++++

Nightmares and dreams battled in the sleeping storm dragoness' mind as she struggled through them. Her cave was quiet aside from the sound of her scales as they scraped against the floor when her nightmares took hold. They were a confused jumble of images and memories as she tried to equate the way she had been raised in this body to what she had been before. In some cases the human side would win out in the dream and then she relived the worst of her days as a human. The pettiness, the anger, the jealousy. Her memories of how others killed for those reasons and the heart break of being betrayed. Yet the memories of being a dragon were half formed and less sharp in many ways. They too had their dark moments in the form of the egotistical Sithen.

Her body was sore and bruised from the attentions of her 'sire'. His jaws had left marks upon the back of her neck and his claws had scored against her stomach from where he had held her still. He was no less marked then she was, each time she had been released she had turned on him like an enraged lioness to try to drive him away from her. The rage had only been added onto with the revelation of her human memories. It was as if she had lived her life in a dream and even though she knew it was just that, she couldn't rouse herself fully awake. Some part of her remained locked inside of the dream. Yet the feel of the dragon's form as he drove against her and inside of her roused parts of her with strange passions that had left her feeling filthy in more ways then the drooling semen on her loins.

He had released her finally after enough time had gone by for her to feel battered as if every muscle had been individually battered and broken. Her loins had been torn and bruised from him and her scales showed tears where his teeth had gripped into them. He had mated her in the skies and on the ground. He had let her go so that she thought for a precious moment that she was free only to find herself attacked from above. She had fought back against him as best that she could manage, but it had never been enough. Not even the coming heat of one of his harem had distracted him from her. After what felt like weeks she had been released and finally crawled into her own lair spent and exhausted.

Sleep only held her long enough to let her body feel refreshed before her dreams roused her and forced her into wakefulness. She pulled her head up and Lashane's eyes flashed with the pale sickly yellows and oranges of panic at the memory of her childhood. She found herself staring over the same snout she had possessed when she had first drifted off into dreams. Her life had turned into a waking nightmare that she couldn't escape. She pushed herself up onto her paws as she tried to focus her mind to stop the ebb and flow of thoughts that seemed different from each moment. The sharper and more human like mind would only have a few moments to be in charge before the wilder and primal mind of the dragon took hold.

The former mage didn't feel as she had when she had possessed the female dragon's body and the other mind had roiled just beneath the surface. This wasn't truly another presence within her mind, but it was herself changed beyond all recognition. Parts of her accepted without question that she was a dragon. That she was the daughter of Sithen and was born to taste the storms and skies. No creature was above her, not even the older male, she was a queen and as such could dance to the music of the world in ways he could never understand. The thoughts were riddled through her mind until she was left in a state of confusion. She shook herself out and chased back the worrisome thoughts of the human thoughts and padded towards the opening of her cave.

The world was tinged in silver from the nearly full moon that hung in the star filled skies above her. The valley was a wash of blue and silver that made her eyes calm down and match the colors as the yellow and orange was chased away. She drew in a deep breath and listened to the tree frogs peeping out their mating calls. The parts of her mind that tried to remain separate from her realized that it must be spring. Late spring! Lashane bared her teeth as a human's worries about the passing of time started to gnaw at her and she forced them away to enjoy the now. Why did that part of her not savor the now? The fine spring night, the sweet air and the sight of the moon so bright that the stars had faded away around it.

Her mind felt heavy and too full with two sets of thoughts battling to take supremacy. She wanted silence and to not think for a time, a place to ease her aching body and soak away her worries. The night air was warmer than it had been in weeks. Finally a touch of summer was coming to the coldest part of the mountains. It would feel good to let the water slide over her hide and put her at ease. She stretched her wings out and ignored the clamor from her mind to FLY, fly fast and far away from the mountains. Take to the wing to go to the south and west and the inland Empire's capitol. She would find people there to help her change back. Tonight was too beautiful to waste with worries and woe.

She let the night air slide over her body as she made a dark shape against the midnight blue sky. There was nothing beneath her large enough to make for prey, but there was still a rush of movement and noise that came to her ears. The sound of her wings stirred panic in the smaller nocturnal lives. A surge of pride went through her at their panic. It was fitting that they should be afraid of her and fled from the very sound of her beating wings. She rose up higher into the air to clear the trees beneath her when the sight of moonlight on water caught her eyes. The glittering light made her almost purr to herself before she rose up a few dozen feet before dropping her wings to her side.

The wind whistled through the air around her as she narrowed her eyes to keep her vision focused entirely on where she wanted to land. Her shadow blocked the moonlight so that for a moment the water turned almost inky black a heart beat before her forepaws broke the surface. Great sprays of water erupted out around her before her head ducked down and found the surprise that lurked beneath the surface. Her forepaws slipped through what felt like a thick roped neck before the tightly woven strands flared to light with a pale green light almost like fire. It was too late to pull back into the air, her body collapsed beneath the water as the ropes tightened and tangled themselves over her paws and finally over her wings.

+++++

Timat's breath caught in his throat as he watched the shadowy form drop down from the night sky and moved his hand to grip one of his hunter's shoulders. The man didn't startle or lurch awake like others might, instead there was a sudden tension as he came back to awareness. The mage shook his head to indicate silence a moment before the sound of a splash erupted through the night and the other pair started to stir. He leapt up and looked out over the churning waters of the pond before his magic snapped into place and he moved a hand out to call the hunters' ropes to life. The dark waters flared with color as they moved and then tightened around the dragon.

His heart started to pound faster with excitement as he saw the smaller shape and softer lines of what he assumed was the female dragoness. He hadn't caught Sithen after all! The beast twisted and pulled against the ropes that held her imprisoned beneath the water. The tail lashed out and sent out a spray of water as he barked out orders towards the hunters that came scrambling over the rocks that flew up in sprays. His heart caught in his throat as he wrapped his magic more firmly around the ropes to prevent them from breaking when the beast tried to lunge towards the surface. One of the wings remained free and the great sail swept up waves of water that splashed against the shore. It threatened to sweep away some of the men that were desperately trying to reinforce the ropes on the shore.

"Damnit! Someone throw a rope out over the wing." He bellowed out and slid down towards the shore where another wave of water came rushing towards him.

"It's gonna break free!" The men's voices came in various snatches of panic and anger as they were drenched under the torrents of water that came washing up towards them.

"I said get that rope!" He screamed the words until one of them managed to sling a rope right over the wing finger and yanked it back. Even from the shore he could feel the vibrations of the beast screaming beneath the water. How long could it possibly hold its breath?

++++

The darkness of the cold water wrapped around her body as the ropes snapped into place around her. Panic set in driving all of her human thoughts away at the terror of being trapped beneath the water. One of her wings was free and for a moment she felt hope as it flailed just above the choppy water and she used it to bat through the air. She tried to use it to pull herself through the water and felt the ropes strain around her. She knew magic when she saw it, she could almost smell it in the water. The ropes glowed with another's power and refused to snap even when the muscles that ran along her body strained to find a way free. She could vaguely make out movement above her as humans moved around the pond to surround her.

Some small part of her remained rational as she struggled. She had never experienced fear such as she did now. If only she could make those above her understand who and what she was! Were they going to kill her this way? Drown her because they thought she was Sithen or simply because she was a dragon? It was hell. Hell wasn't a fiery pit of demons and brimstone, hell was this. A place where she couldn't fill her lungs and her eyes bulged with barely contained terror. Her muzzle gaped open desperately to find it flooded with the icy water. Her lungs burned until she thought they would burst as she tried to swing her head upwards towards the silvery glint of the moonlight. The air was so close, so very close she could almost taste it. She tried to push her nose towards swirling waves but it remained a few feet out of reach.

The ropes seemed to bite harder against Lashane's scales, they pressed in until she felt as if it were going to rub her raw. She lashed her tail back and forth and her hind paws pushed in against the silt at the bottom of the paw. The thick mud started to suck her under while she bugled out beneath the waves in her terror. She was going to die here! She was going to die stuck as a dragon in the middle of unnamed mountains and in a pond of water. She sucked in an attempt to breath and suddenly the water flushed down her throat and muzzle. She gaped her jaws as she started to choke on the liquid that chilled her body. Her paws pushed down through the ropes and felt the silt beneath them as she tried to push herself towards the shimmering surface so she could taste the sweet air.

Had she never known have wonderful it was to be able to breathe? How had she ignored the very sweetness of the air around her! What she would give just to draw in a lungful! Her vision slowly wavered and faded as she lost her grip on her consciousness. It started to flood on the edges with grey at first and then darkened towards black. She was going to die here! She didn't want to die! Her claws wrapped around a portion of the rope and clenched down. It felt like hammered iron under her claws as she tried to use them to shred what should have been frail rope. It was hopeless. How could it end like this? How could it end for any mage so ingloriously? She couldn't die trapped in an animal's body with her mind riddled with animalistic thoughts and memories!

Her struggles slowed as her vision turned darker and started to grey around the edges. She tried to hold onto her consciousness as she was left with only panic. Everything felt so heavy, so terribly heavy. Her chest felt as if it was on fire and her eyes bulged slightly as she gave one frantic lurch against the ropes before the darkness engulfed her eyes. She saw the magic rope just in front of her muzzle doubled and then tripled before all was black. Her mind stilled in its frantic struggles as her limp body remained floating in the water contained only by the bonds of the make shift net. Her last thought was simply a blast of panic before it too closed down.

====

Timat leaned back against the edge of the pier with his face splashed with water to clear some of the sweat from his brow. He felt drained and exhausted. Every limb trembled while he kept his eyes on the beast that was gagged, bound and trussed up on the shore. Getting the beast out of the water had been easy enough, but then he hadn't counted on the trek to get to the river. The men had been worse than useless. They had proved somewhat worthwhile in rigging the beast up so that if she awoke she would find herself trapped and unable to fight or attack them. Now though, they simply rested nearby and gave him odd looks as if he were as much of a spectacle as the massive dragon tied up.

"Master Timat." The voice was rough and he opened one eye to stare at a painfully thin man whose face was shadowed with a spattering of facial hair.

"Are we ready?" His voice lilted hopefully. He was coming rapidly towards the ends of his energy and he needed the creature on board the ship before that happened.

"Aye, sir. We're ready." He replied and nodded his head. "Got the chains set up an' the leather muzzle you wanted it to have."

"Good, well let's get her shifted then. We need to be gone before the locals see her and decide to take action."

Timat forced himself up onto his feet with a groan as the sailors started to come down towards the shore with various wary looks at the animal. She was still alive, but after nearly a day she hadn't regained any semblance of wakefulness. He was glad of that last part, but after the first few hours he had grown worried that she'd managed to actually damage herself in the water. He'd stopped their persistent march to the river and examined her far more carefully then he had at first. He was relieved to find that her lungs didn't crackle with the sound of blockage or water. Her body seemed cool, but not chilled to the point he would have expected if she had managed to go into hypothermia. Only after that had he allowed them to continue on until they reached the river and the barge. Finally they would be leaving this god forsaken place.

It was with an effort that he used his magic to lift her inert form and guide her onto the flat cleared out spot on the barge. He felt a surge of gratitude that he'd managed to only capture the female. She barely fit on the barge and allowed for enough room so that the others could secure her to the deck. The ropes were enough to keep her in place or at least make her hesitate before pulling free. Now was the time to reinforce them with thicker cast iron chains that would keep her entirely immobile. He watched as the sailors pulled and worked the chains over her body and made sure that the fore body and haunches were both held down close to the deck. The wings were joined down and clipped to the body chains to keep her from moving them up.

Unsurprisingly they seemed more worried about her muzzle then the rest of her body. The leather bindings worked over her lips to make sure they were sealed shut with only enough give to allow an inch or so of movement. It was enough that they'd be able to insert a funnel to force her to drink on their way to the capitol. He'd already planned for her meals. A diet of chopped fish and meat well wet down with blood would give her enough nourishment to last. The last thing he wanted to deal with was if she had the ability to call lightening like Sithen. That would certainly end up with the barge afire and his prize lost. He would take no risks on that account.

"I hope you're prepared for a loud trip, Captain. There's never been anything like this on the river." He licked his lips and already could imagine the cooing girls that would be eager and ready to give him their company in exchange for being able to see the captured beast up close. It was hard work being a hero...

====

Lashane felt like she was going to be sick. The world splashed with strange colors that blossomed in the darkness and then faded away to leave afterimages against her eyes. Each color seemed brilliant and almost achingly real before it drifted away again. She could feel her world rocking back and forth as if she were in a cradle. It both made her want to gag and brought her comfort at once. Comfort from earlier days in her life that seemed to blur between two trains of memories. One was the soft grip of her mother as she was held close against the soft chest and the sound of a murmured voice singing to her to lull her back to sleep. The other was of the deep rumble of a large protective form at her side and the spicy scent of sun warmed scales.

"GET THAT MUZZLE TIGHTER!" The voice was so loud the pain in her head cracked in two. She pulled her head up to protest.

"I SAID TIGHTER!!" Why couldn't it be quiet?

She opened her mouth to tell it so when she felt the bindings that ensnared her. Something was wrapped around her long muzzle and positioned along her jaw line. She curled her lips backwards and let out a low growl before she opened one eye a crack. Light on the water dazzled her as she focused and then it was blocked out by the shape of a human running past her. The thud of boots echoed in her mind before her head was jerked back down onto the deck and she heard chains rattling over her body. Her entire body was bound! She could feel the chains that were wrapped around her body, especially heavy over her shoulders and her haunches so that she couldn't pull herself up. Her head had chains wrapped around her horns so that she couldn't raise it up and another set that were attached to a heavy leather muzzle.

The queen in her started to feel outraged and indignant that any of these small creatures would dare touch her! The human memories had meshed enough with her she knew they thought to hold her captive like a beast. What she had done had been against the Mages' laws, but this was far more degrading to her. The part of her that thrummed with a dragon's thoughts was red with rage. She would tear them limb from limb for this! She rolled one of her eyes up to find herself staring at a man that looked like he had spent his entire life on the river. His leathery skin and roughened features looked less like the villagers of the north and more like those of the Empire. Why was the Empire this far north? Even with the Emperor's obsession with dragons they certainly wouldn't have wanted to risk the cold and weather when there was easier prey on the shores!

She jerked her head up and dug her claws against the deck of the thick planked barge she had been loaded in. She was piled onto a barge as if she were cargo to be hauled down river. She twisted her lips up and a deep snarl echoed in her throat as another set of legs walked into view. A rough hand pulled against her horn and she could smell the sweaty scent of man on the air and curled her lips. Her eyes shifted to the next one that to her eyes almost looked like the first. The resemblance was eerie as he kept a firm hand on her horn and she felt her eyes picking up speed as the colors became more violent with her fear. She gave another jerk that forced the metal painfully against her scales.

"Master Timat, it's getting' up." The sailor called out and she felt a jolt of surprise hit her at that name.

Timat? She knew a Timat. What would be doing this far north? He hated the cold and from her memories tended to be nothing more than a lay about. She flicked her eyes around trying to find who the man was calling for while her mind swirled with memories that were partially fogged with her more recent experiences. Timat... The blasted egomaniac had apprenticed with her and they'd been top students when they'd finally become masters. They had been matched just equally enough to add spice to their years learning together as one always strove to outdo the other. No wonder their master had encouraged their rivalries to grow and blossom. It had made them both reach levels they never would have accomplished had they been placed with lesser youngsters.

To her shock the mage stepped forward into her view and there was no mistaking that lazy smile or the way he looked her over with just a hint of disdain. Nothing had changed in that regard. What had changed was the age lines along his eyes and face. When she'd last seen him he had been a young fresh man, much as she had been a young woman. Now he showed a maturity that she'd never known in him. For a moment she thought wildly he might be the Timat's father who held the same family name. Why else would he be this old? Yet she knew that his father had died years ago, it could only be her former classmate. How could he be here? Did he know it was her in this body? Did he realize that she had.. She broke the thought away with a shudder; she didn't know what magic he had learned. He very well might be able to listen to her thoughts! Oh the joy he would feel if he only knew.

++++

Timat looked at the waking beast with a sense of pride as the sunlight gleamed over scales that shown silver in the afternoon sun. Every inch of her was glorious and perfect. In the dull light of the mountains and the darkness of night he had not seen her as she really was. It wasn't simply silver; it held an echo of rainbow colors when the sun hit right places. Echoes of blue, vibrant purples and even pale yellows could be seen sliding along the edges of the darkest places on her scales. It reminded him of seeing oil coating something to bring out vibrant colors over the most plain of shades. Even her gleaming mane was so white it echoed the snow peaked mountains she had come from. Even the wyvern hadn't been as lovely. The Emperor would find no fault in this creature. And he still had the chance to capture the beast Sithen for his own.

"So the sleeping beauty awakens." He stepped forward while most of the sailors pulled back away from the animal. He felt a brush of disdain for them when they showed that fear. She was perfectly contained, there was no hope that she'd escape yet they acted as if she would rise up to swallow them for breakfast.

The eye nearest him swirled with colors that were brilliant ruby and topaz as they mingled around the dilated pupil. He stared into the orb and his lips curved up in a smile while he let his hand rest on the broad forehead and stroked just up towards the start of her crest. He hesitated a moment before brushing his fingers through the fur and experienced a moment of sensual pleasure. The fur was plush and airy. The very softness of it made him run his fingers deeper into it. It was as if she were designed to be a treat to the eyes and touch. The animal held all sorts of surprises. It was no wonder it was one of the last of its kind. They had probably been killed for their scales and fur until they had been forced into the mountains.

"Master, we're comin' up on the next town." The captain shifted as he leaned against the wall of the cabin.

"Excellent! We'll be making port there for the night." He glanced ahead, "Is it a large town? You did say town didn't you? Not village?"

"Large enough, sir. Tis only noon though, we can get another day of sailing out of the way." The gaunt man crossed his arms over his chest but Timat was enraptured with the knowledge that they could make port in a town large enough for a civilized drink.

"No, we'll stop there. I want to show off our prize. We will leave them speaking of us for generations and it will do the Empire some good to see what the mages can accomplish."

The mage didn't even bother to address the slight frown on the captain's face, he was too busy thinking of what the town might hold. A tavern perhaps? Even the meanest ale or brandy would taste good after the weeks spent in the north lands. Most certainly it would hold young ladies to come and fawn at the creature he was transporting. In the morning they had come through two villages at a slow enough pace to set the farmers to gathering on either side of the shore to gawk at the dragon. Of all the cargo that they might have seen in their lives this was the strangest. He had bathed in their admiration and obvious fear as he had perched next to the animal's head possessively. Even the steadiest farmer had stopped his chores to stare in wonder, and well they should.

The day before had held nothing more than silent river banks so that he felt some degree of satisfaction that he wouldn't find himself chased by the barbarians. It went almost too smoothly. There should have been a larger fuss raised at the capture of the beast. Perhaps they had seen Sithen and if they saw his tracks would assume he had failed or simply been a traveler. They would find out soon enough they held one of their precious beasts in his care and then their morale would start to falter. Now though, he was ready for others to see what he had accomplished. He wanted tales to be told of him for years to come and his name to be entered into these small villages' histories. He sighed as he looked up towards the bend of the river and a smile fluttered on his face. A tavern, some wenches, and an evening of civil company would do him good.

=====

Lashane spent an afternoon enduring the deepest humiliation she had ever felt. Even the beast mating her hadn't made her feel so thoroughly an animal as the feeling of seeing the buildings come into view in front of the boat. The people started out singly and in pairs along the edges of the shore and their voices carried as they shouted. The thicker the buildings came into view, the more people started to gather and yell out in excitement. She could feel their eyes staring at her as they exclaimed over her coloring and crest. Other's screamed in fear when she shifted, but they weren't the cries of terror she wished to instill. They were the screams of pleasurable fear one felt doing something daring. Not the fear that they should have been feeling at the sight of her!

The further they went along the river the more people made comments she could hear. How fierce she looked, how lovely her scales were, was she dangerous? The questions came towards the men on the boat that bathed in the shared admiration for their cargo. Some strange part of her felt a pleased sensation at being admired, but it was buried under the shame of the gawkers looking at her like she were some sort of freak show. She flexed her claws against the boat while she struggled not to throw herself against the chains in an attempt to escape. It would only hurt her worse and cause those horrible mocking cries of fear to happen again. They weren't afraid, they were excited! How dare they.

Timat wasn't one to avoid being made a fuss over, she remembered that from when they had studied together, and today was no exception. He preened under the admiration as he stood beside her head and she could feel one of his hands resting right against her forehead. She noticed that each time a particularly lovely wench came into view he would lean against her neck and rest an elbow on the top of her head as if she were a glorified piece of furniture. She curled her lips back in a snarl only to watch several of the onlookers shrink away as well as the sailors. They were the wise ones. If she could only get an inch free of her chains she'd bury her humanity just to snap up her captor's body as a glorified snack.

"Cor, whitcha got thar?" The voice of the mayor was the first one she could pick out from the crowd the moment the barge touched the pier. The jolt made her grunt and lid her eyes over to keep her lunch down.

"A present for the Emperor from his humble servant of course." Timat's voice was smooth and held a hint of arrogance that she had hated so much when she had known him of old. "We've come to stay the night and allow you to admire it. It's a testament to the strength of your lord and our land from the North."

"Ya shore it ain't goin' ta get free?" Another bump as the barge was tied off and Lashane tried to block out the sound of the voice as it came closer.

"Her? No. She's secure as secure can be. She hasn't given us a lick of trouble the entire trip. Have you girl?" She felt the hand pat her on the head and she responded with a thunder crack of a snarl that made a few foot steps stumble away from her. "Don't worry, she's a lovely lady. She'll mind her manners. Now about a tavern.."

The mage left her while she stewed in her anger and her eyes swirled faster until she knew they were a bloody red of rage. She gave a jerk of her head to try and loosen the chains but only felt them dig into her scales harder. Even beneath the heavy plating she could feel the bruises starting to form from the constant pressure of her attempts to escape. She had to have a way out of this. She had too! She had her wish to return to the Empire, but it was all out of sorts. Didn't they know that she wasn't what she seemed? That she was something else entirely? She wasn't sure which would be worse, having them know who and what she had been or being left as an animal. At least if they thought her an animal she could find a way to escape.

++++

Timat walked into town as celebrated a hero as he could want. He'd left the group of children and older men exclaiming over his find in favor of walking side by side with the mayor towards the tavern. He had all the faith in the world that the chains would keep the beast still. He had even made a show of letting one of the children come up to rub it upon the nose. The young boy had trembled when the animal started to snarl and hiss, but the chains and muzzle held while he started to pet and rub the scales. The mage wasn't above making sure the lesser people had tales to tell their children after all. Especially as it put the mayor in a far more amiable mood.

"Here it is, Master. The tavern is yers ta enjoy." The slightly plump man moved to open the door on a respectable looking three story building. This was much more the thing!

"Excellent, send along my men when they're finished securing our boat and I'll have a round for everyone waiting to celebrate." He gave a flash of a smile that was just a trace wicked.

"O' course, think I'll go an' take a good look at that beast again. Glorious creature!" The mayor gave a rub of his hands.

"Feel free to have one my men trim a bit of her mane for you to remember us by. It is the least we could do." He added magnanimously.

Once inside the tavern he was glad to find that it was rather clean and the rows of bottles seemed to promise something more diverse then simple ale. It was there that his men found him several hours later making free with one of the better bottles of wine and talking to one rather buxom lass that seemed entranced with him. By ones and twos the rest of the town had finally tired it seemed of his dragon and instead settled down to hear the story of how she was captured. He was all too pleased to tell the story, but of course he started off with how he captured his first 'dragon' years before and delivered it to the emperor.

Timat was in his element and he felt the drink start to leave him more than a little drunk as he joked not only with the town people but the men who had accompanied him. Their admiration made him preen, in particular that of the red head that leaned against his side and rested one hand on his upper thigh beneath the table. This was how life was supposed to be. Not the trapped life he had experienced in the court and only the lying women that had fluttered at him to keep him company. Here he was a hero and they would tell tales of his coming for years. Sometimes he could almost regret his choice to stay in the capitol. When he felt the wenches hand slide further along his inner thigh he realized that this was one of them.

====

The dragoness' eyes swirled fiery reds, orange and yellows as she suffered through the town people that wanted to gawk at her. The hour grew later as the sun set, but still they gathered to murmur and come on board the ship to poke at her scales and touch her. Had they no fear? No sense of self preservation? She would return to this place and level it to the ground until there was not even rubble to mark the fact people had once lived here! Her resolve grew as she was in complete agreement with the parts of her that were more animal then human. The moment the mayor had come on board with his dagger and proudly said that the great mage Timat was going to allow him to take some of her mane as a souvenir she knew she would kill them all. Right down to the children if she could!

She had suffered through the older man not just cutting a short lock, but painstakingly shaving a portion of her mane to leave a bare patch just as the base of her neck. With his hand gripping the glittering fur he had left with a bounce to his step for coming against the animal and surviving. Her anger was the only thing that kept her sane as the night edged closer and her muscles started to cramp from her forced crouched position. The crowd had slowly dispersed leaving her huddled around her humiliated and angry emotions while she tried in vain to relieve some of the strain on her body. Not even her wings had been allowed more than a fingerbreadth of give in their restraints! The dull ache was enough she couldn't even seek out sleep for her refuge.

It was the sound of merry laughter and then a high pitched giggle that had drawn her attention away from her misery. The sloshing sound of a bottle and stumbling foot steps reached her ears as they traveled up the gang plank and towards the main deck. She suppressed a groan at the realization one of the drunken sailors had likely brought back a whore. Wouldn't that be the perfect ending to her day! She wasn't terribly shocked to see the lean form of the mage stumble over the gang plank with his hand wrapped around a highly curved female figure. Her hands were around his waist as she pressed her half bared breasts along his chest.

"C'mon m'dear, come see my dragon. I'll give ya a night to remember. Beast is snugged up tight and warm as a fire. A pretty bit like you aren't afraid of getting a more intimate view hmm?" The mage's voice was slurred with alcohol and she wrinkled her lips back in distaste at the sharp scents.

"Ohh, I don't know...what if it gets free?" The tremble of fear wasn't feigned in the wenches voice as he pulled her insistently nearer and to Lashane's horror slipped a hand down to cup and roll her breast against his finger tips.

"Then she'll be jealous of you." He teased as they came nearer to her bound form.

How many years ago had it been since she and Timat had spent an evening drunk and gaming together? She could remember the night foggily as they had ended up far too drunk and somehow the betting had begun involving the removal of clothing from one another. By the end of the night they'd both been sweaty, messy and more sober then at the start. He hadn't been a bad lover, but they were rivals and the moment she'd sobered up she'd coldly pretended it had never happened. Timat however had taken great pains in informing others of their tryst and what she had done with and to him. It was one of the many reasons she had wanted to raise to fame, to squash him beneath her heel and send him to some god forsaken town such as this!

Timat hadn't changed much as she heard and then felt the curved wenches body push up against her side. Her squeals of pleasure and then soft moans could be heard as deft hands undressed her while her body was pushed securely against the scales. She tried to ignore it while her humiliation grew as she felt the cloth move away until naked skin touched her side and pillowed against her. How dare he do this to her?! Even if she were some unthinking animal, this went beyond the bounds of civilization. The soft sounds started to turn slick and she wanted to block them out but both of them let out lewd moans and cries that she couldn't ignore.

The dragoness naturally latched onto any distraction from her cramped body and aching muscles. Even if the distraction made her want to crawl into a hole. She knew the moment he penetrated her. His hands pushed against either side of the girl's body and she felt the sudden jerk as he drove into her. She tried not to think about how one hand was slicking wetness against her scales as she stared into the waters of the river. Her eyes bled into a deep lavender color as she listened to the steady grunts and smacks of flesh on flesh as they sped up. Each sound was punctuated with the feel of the bodies writhing against her sides.

Lashane started to tense up slightly as her rival's pace went faster and forced the wench higher against her side. She could feel the soft curved rump being pushed flat against her scales and worse was the wetness that was marking her until she wanted to choke. They paid not more attention to her then they would a horse if they had taken a tumble in the stable or a bed they had wanted to use. She rolled her eyes upwards towards the sky and the dim starlight. For a moment she would have almost welcomed the broad spread wings of Sithen if only it meant she wouldn't have to go through this. He would have at least gotten her free of her chains.

Would he do this at each town? Coax a woman back to only use her as a prop for his sick desires. Would he never find out what hid beneath the beasts muzzle and face? She hoped he didn't, she could only imagine the pleasure he would feel at seeing how she had been brought to the state of an animal. She didn't know if she could keep going on this way! Her thoughts were ended with the girls cry and his almost scream of pleasure. The thrusting stopped as they reached a climax. His body gave a final jerk as the gleaming sweat slicked bodies rubbed against her. If it weren't for the dragoness that lingered in her thoughts Lashane might have wished she were dead in that moment. Dead and gone.

====

Sithen stood just outside of his daughter's empty cave and his wings spread wide to either side as he could smell well enough she wasn't there. The scent was a slap in the face, an instant reminder of what he had lost. He dropped his large wedge shaped head to draw in the stale scent of her along the edges of the cave and towards the back in slim hope that he might find something fresher. Perhaps he'd find an opening towards the back that she had learned to slip out of after she had come out of heat and still avoiding him. Yet each turn of his head only brought him to the same dead ends that he had found before. This wasn't the first time he'd been here today, nor even the second. Yet he kept returning with a dumb animal's hope of finding here. The moment he had failed to find her fresh scent it was as if his mind had partially shut down in the waves of panic.

He refused to admit to himself in any way the truth. She was no where to be found. He had at first thought she was hiding and fuming after their mating, but even the wide spread thoughts of welcome and then panic hadn't located her. He knew her well enough to know she would have responded to at least his panic and let herself be found. Yet his thoughts echoed in his own mind with his only answer being his growing despair. He had found her scent along the bottom of the valley and given up his wings to track her on foot. His nose was put to the ground in much the same way a hounds would be. He hadn't found her location or even her body as he feared he might. What he had found was his pond disturbed with the thick pungent scent of fear and man. The edges of it had been churned and turned into pure mud that had shown drag marks of something large and heavy.

He had padded around the drag marks and even pushed his way into the water itself. It had brought him no comfort when he found tangled ropes and gouges fading at the bottom of the pool. There was also the faint scent of something that he could taste on his tongue and sent a rush of red rage through him. Magic. Magic had been at work here. Magic had come to take away his daughter, his mate and kidnap her. He knew the scent from older days and he couldn't equate a single pleasant memory with it. Only fear and pain as the Mage's of old had worked so hard to bring down his kind. He was the last! He and his daughter. Could they not leave them alone to live their lives? They were harming nothing here! Even his thoughts of revenge had slowly tempered under the sight of the gleaming silver scaled female that often soared beside him.

He kept his mind carefully blank as the fury threatened to overwhelm him. Mankind had done this. The scent of man and magic combined with everything he hated until he reared back on his haunches and was half prepared to go and tear apart the village and hunt down every last one of its people in revenge. He was stopped by the sensible part of him that examined the man-smell closely and rolled it through his senses. It wasn't the scent of the villager's that lived at the base of his mountains, but a thicker scent of something sweet and warm. His villagers always smelled thickly of fish and sea water. The scent of his daughter had also lingered there. There was no fear scent, but the impressions made him think she wasn't conscious when she'd been pulled out of the pond. It was only after that realization that he had taken to the air and desperately returned to her lair.

He curled his talons until they left white score marks in the stone beneath him and turned away from the cold empty cave. They would pay. They would all pay for this. He would hunt them down one by one until there wasn't enough to leave more than a stain on the earth. He leapt out into the air and winged up towards his own home. His thoughts were a haze of fury, blood and revenge. He only had to find the source of that scent and then he would find his beloved daughter and mate. He would remake heaven and hell if only he could bring her back to his mountains. The gods help them if they had harmed her. The time for hiding within the mountains had come to an end.

---

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