Emerald Secrets Chapter 2: Emerald Lady
Scales and Honor: Emerald Secrets
Chapter 2: Emerald Lady
Veledar followed the two dragons through the woods. They had decided to walk to his irritation, something about if the lady did not want them to fly than they would walk to her. Veledar thought he could not dislike this lady any more found himself wrong as he stewed. He watched Lyyreth's tail sway back and forth, he wondered it this what it was like for his friends behind him. When thankfully Lyndis broke the silence.
"So why are you two here? You don't hear about too many dragon's living within Lumara's borders."
"We were hatched here elf." came a reply from Lyyreth, "we don't leave the forest much to be seen. Mother has warned us about the dragon hunters of Lumara."
"Your mother eh?" Would that happen to be the Emerald Lady?"
"Figure out that did you?" Cordenth suddenly added, curling his head to look behind him. "You must be quite the detective."
"Please you have to try harder than that to insult me Cordenth. Veledar here has us conditioned, besides you cannot be more annoying then him."
"Hey!" Veledar exclaimed in protest. He turned to look at her as she started laughing. She pat him on his left flank. "Don't worry Veledar, your OUR annoying dragon."
"You let the elf call you that?" Cordenth said, he seemed to spit the words out as if they offended him. "If I were you I would remind her that I am a dragon and she was my minion."
Veledar was about to remind the green dragon about his loss, but Lyndis beat him to it with a dagger raised.
"Well this minion defeated your brother over there. So I suggest you take a better tone with me or this dagger here will be shoved right up your tail!"
Veledar watched amused as Cordenth gave a grumble and a gulp. The dragon seemed to close his snout and focus on the path ahead, and slightly moved away from the dagger weilding rogue.
"Nice form there." Veledar said, turning to Lyndis. "Didn't even need my help."
"Yea we don't need you for bloody everything Veledar. As formidable as you are." smiled Lyndis, stowing her dagger away.
Veledar looked up as they came to a giant tree, that looked like a human raising it's hands to the canopy. He heard Arcturus stumble and fall onto the ground with a rustle of his armor. Veledar was quick to be at his side and give him a claw to get up. Apparently the human had been walking when a root had caught his foot. Although Arcturus swore there was no root in the middle of the road. Arcturus gave a quick "thank you" and started walking again as the two green dragons did not slow their walk. They however did give a slight chuckle as they looked back to the scene. Veledar squinted his eyes at them as he decided to follow them more closely and listen for any sound of spells, just in case it was their doing.
"Ya know, most folks only see one dragon in dere lifetimes. Us doe? We get ta see four in a month!" Merlia exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. Veledar could tell she was playing it up. It would probably make for a good part of the story she no doubt would tell after this was over.
"Well it will make a fine story to write about then." Veledar said smugly, "To have been so lucky to meet four dragons."
"Ya ya, what do ya think da chances are she be friendly?"
"She forced us here Merlia, and I bet if the roles were reversed, these two ahead would not have been so kind." Arcturus than suddenly spoke louder, clearly for the green dragons to hear, "Unless of course I am wrong!"
If the two had heard him, they gave no reply to him. Merlia seemed to think this over and than walk the rest of the way in silence. She would however stop to admire a plant she had never seen, or to spot an animal. Than the two dragons stopped before a fork in the path ahead of them. Cordenth seemed to look down the right path for a moment, taking in a large sniff with his nostrils flared. He than did the same with the left path.
"We're going around" the dragon mumbled as he reared up, and started moving his front limbs in a circular motion. He was clearly casting a spell.
"Around what exactly? Veledar asked, watching a green aura of magic flow off of Cordenth's paws. He let the dragon continue his spell, however he did tense his muscles, readying for anything that might happen.
"A village of mother's servants." Cordenth replied coolly. He waved his left paw, and the foliage seemed to part for him. Plants bended, twisted, and even uprooted themselves for the green dragon, until a third path lay before them.
"Servants?" Veledar asked, "How did you mother end up getting servants?"
Cordenth just snorted in disbelief, "What self respecting dragon doesn't have servants?"
the dragon gave Veledar an amused stare, "She aquired them over time, from debts, promises, trespassers, lost souls, pretty much she had her claws all over the continent in some fashion."
"That sounds familiar actually, I had a few briefings on people spouting about the Emerald Lady. They never spoke as if she were a dragon, and they all walked around with an emerald pin. Although I guess this makes sense, green dragons have been known to more prone of keeping people as treasure. More so than other dragons at least." Arcturus chimed in.
"So you know some what about us." Cordenth replied,snapping his snout towards the human and shooting him a dirty look. Veledar almost smacked the dragon for this clear show of disrespect. He however fought the urge, and smacked the ground instead.
"You certainly don't look like a scholar, so I bet your a dragon hunter." Cordenth snarled, "Which certainly begs the question on why your traveling with big red here."
"We talked and found some common ground." Arcturus replied calmly, crossing his arms. "I'd also be careful changing his name around or calling him nicknames. Only his friends are allowed to do that I believe."
"A dragon hunter that listen to reason instead of sticking things willy nilly with your pointed metal? I am shocked honestly." Cordenth replied, he moved his snout up to look regal like Veledar usually did.
"Best not keep your head too high Cordenth, you were not that mighty of a dragon." Veledar growled at the dragon. "Besides you will find that they are full of surprises."
"No doubt, that is probably why mother wants to get a good look at you."
In front of them, a huge tree covered in moss all over suddenly uprooted itself. The roots acted as legs as the thing walked away to reveal what looked like a castle made out of vines, roots, and trees. Veledar guessed it had to stand at roughly five times his height, the top of it curved inward as if to resemble a large closed flower.
"You dragons don't do anything half way huh?" Lyndis said, being the first one to resume walking towards the vine castle. "uh...what are those?" she pointed at what appeared to be human sized stone figures scattered outside what appeared to be the a large front gate.
"Trespassers or enemies to our mothers dominion. She keeps them as a warning to others what can befall you. She also keeps them for....consumption..." Lyyreth muttered, as he strolled forward with a sneeze. His snout was clearly wrinkled, as if the thought of such things was clearly distasteful.
"Well that must certainly be bad on her fangs." Veledar muttered, imagining the dragoness' white teeth chipping on one of the stone figures.
"She turns them back to normal moments before eating them." Lyyreth continued, sticking his tongue out in disgust.
"Besides she uses them mostly for intimidation anyway."
"Well it certainly is workin." Merlia grumbled.
"I am sure if we keep together we will be fine." Veledar quickly replied, as he heard the worry in the dwarves voice. "Besides you don't see any dragons out there."
"Soldiers of Lumara" Arcturus said, pointing to one of the figures of stone. Veledar looked to the frozen man, that had a symbol of a gryphon on his now stone front cape. The once man's face was frozen in terror, with the rest of his body having grown moss all over it. Veledar shook his head and continued towards the large gate. He tried to keep his eyes off of the rows upon rows of frozen mortals, and gryphons. He understood killing his foes, or those trying to steal from his horde. However he always considered killing them quickly. He would never have displayed trophies such as this with his lair, it was......horrid. He tried to not think about how she would change them back, than devour them while they were still alive. He realized now he would have to be even more careful than he was planning on being. His tail twitched as he looked to his companions, who looked just as horrified as he was. Arcturus walked among the sea of stone people with his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Veledar slowed down his pace so that all his companions were within a wing's reach. They all came to a stop as Lyyreth and Cordenth came to a hault outside the great vine gate. Lyyreth started a sneezing fit as he dragged a claw along one of the vines, and whispered "Open" in draconic. Moments after he did this, the vines seemed to curl away like snakes. It was over rather quickly as a door large enough for them opened upon the gate. It swung open painfully slow, small clouds of pollen flying from the assorted flowers that adorned the vines. Veledar figured if she was trying to build up the tension she certainly was doing a great job. He snorted when the door finally came to a stop, leaving them looking at the opening.
"The Emerald Lady will see you now." Lyyreth said nervously, than sneezing loudly as his tail spasmed.
"Are you two not coming in?" Lyndis asked, crossing her arms. "Are you afraid of what she will say that I bested you easily?"
Cordenth narrowed his eyes at Lyndis, "She only wishes to see you at the moment. Although I can imagine she will check on us to see how her little test went."
"Well I suppose there is no time like the present, lets not keep the dear lady waiting." Arcturus said his voice full of confidence and lacking any worry, stepping forward through the door. His voice awas a refreshing drop of optimism. He followed the human inside, as he kept his eyes on the vines. The moment that all of them had fully entered, the door suddenly shut so swiftly that a breeze rustled his wings, as a loud thud filled the air.
"I knew it!" Veledar hissed loudly, as he stopped moving to let his dark vision kick in. He looked up within this place to find that the ceiling was too far up for his sight to allow him to see. That was odd, considering the size of the building from the outside. He looked down to see they were walking on vines covering a dirt floor. He looked around to see plants in the shape of pedestals that held things like vases, and glass jars with old books inside of them. From the vines there seemed to be a mist that hugged the ground and up to three feet. His dark vision was interrupted as Arcturus lit that light gem of his, making him cover his eyes momentarily. Veledar wrinkled his nose in irritation.
"You know I have to admit it is annoying being the only one of us that cannot see in the dark." the paladin laughed, patting the dragon's scales softly.
"Don't worry, we got over your handicap awhile ago." chuckled Veledar as he started walking slowly forward into the mist. Each step along the ground made his heart beat a little faster as his eyes darted back and forth to the mist that enveloped his friends.
They continued through the mist in silence, although Veledar could sense the tension of the others. Every so often he would do a double take as it appeared that something was moving within the mist. He would lash out with a claw, only to rake at thin air each time. On the third such attempt he had enough of these games, "Show yourself!" he growled loudly, rising his lips to bare his teeth.
'' As you wish" came a booming feminine reply. From the mist rose a large dragoness that dwarfed Veledar in size. She spread her wings wide as her paws hit the floor and she let out a thundering roar from her green snout that seemed to shake the very ground they stood on.
Veledar instinctively curled his tail around the others, spread his own wings, and roared right back at the larger female. Her eyes looked to each one of them in turn, glowing an eerie purple in the low light. Now that she was looking down on them Veledar estimated she was three times his size. He gulped as he realized that she bore scars all over her un-scaled parts of her body. He heard his friends draw their weapons, than brandish them in the corner of his eye.
" You think you can fight me?" she chuckled, as she started to strut around them like Veledar sometimes did. She did it slower however, and letting each black talon of hers touch the floor carefully. " You are in MY forest, I could have killed you at any time. Put your toys away before I am forced to injure you." She than sat before all of them with her tail curled out to the side.
" By all means take your time." She gave a toothy grin, " You will be here as long as I see fit."
Veledar heard the others grumble in irritation as they stowed their weapons. Veledar himself did not uncurl his tail nor unspread his wings. He kept his eyes locked on the female. Who bore similar scale patterns to her children, save her wing membranes had a yellow pattern in the shape of rolling waves, and black arcane runes tatooed on them as well. He saw her look at him and give an amused grin on her snout.
"What did ya do wit Ulga ya scaly bitch?" Merlia shouted out, pointing a gloved hand at the massive green dragon before them.
"Well that certainly was not the conversation starter I would have gone with." Thought Veledar, "but there it is."
" I suggest you speak to me as a better dwarf. Or things might get a bit messy." The green dragon growled deeply in her throat, curling her serpentine neck into the the shape of an S.
"First ya tell me what ya did wit Ulga, than we can work on how I address ya!" Merlia snapped back, her eyes not showing a hint of fear for the dragoness.
The Emerald Lady sighed as she moved a claw to point at Merlia. Suddenly Merlia started to flail, and Veledar saw that her lips had been sealed together, as she was trying desperately to rip them open with her hands.
" Perhaps I will let you speak when you learn some respect." The dragon said casually dismissing Merlia with a wave.
"Undo what you have done to her!" Arcturus shouted, pulling out his sword once more and pointing it at the Emerald Lady. The silver metal erupted into a bright blue glow, that illuminated the mist around them.
"I second that motion!" Lyndis said as well, holding her hand outstretched with fire.
" Veledar I suggest you tell your human and elf to back down before I end up killing them" the dragoness said, staring like a predator might her next meal.
"You will have to go through me first before you even get to touch them!" Veledar shouted back, letting some smoke out of his nostrils.
The Emerald Lady just gave a slight laugh at their display. She than moved one of her claws so that it pointed to the still groaning Merlia .
" Next time dwarf your friends will not be able to sway me. I will kill you, if you speak to me again like that. Do you understand?"
"Yes" Merlia replied through clenched teeth, as Veledar saw her clench a fist in her left hand. He heard the dwarf start gasping for breath, before coughing into her first.
" Good, you mortals are always good at obeying your betters. Course sometimes you simply need a good reminder." The Emerald Lady smirked, as her tail moved to touch Merlia as she walked around the group once more. Merlia recoiled from the tail as the dragoness just chuckled. Veledar imagined if that was done to him he would bite her tail, or smack it aside. Although he was reminded by her recent threat, and how calmly the words had oozed out of her mouth.
" Now what you shouted at me, I presume by Ulga you mean your spirit?" She lifted a claw, as the form of Ulga in a ball of light rotated around it. " I needed to persuade you to land." The dragoness than flicked her claw, and the orb of light flew over to Merlia, and quickly hiding beneath her clothes.
He saw Merlia scowl at the Emerald Lady, however despite her stare managed to keep silent.
"I never thought anyone would manage to keep Merlia biting her tongue. However I guess an intimidating dragoness like the Emerald Lady was good as any." thought Veledar, as the Emerald Lady continued her smug filled strut around them.
"So why did you bring us here?" asked Arcturus loudly perhaps for someone standing before such a large dragon. His voice showed no fear, it did not crack, and his eyes did not blink at all. "I take it to not grow your display of rock statues out front?"
" Why have I brought you here?" she chuckled deep in her throat, " I brought you here because you were with Veledar at the time."
"So why did you bring me here than?" Veledar snarled as he twitched his tail.
" Oh young Veledar, I have somethings you need for this little quest of yours. Things that without you are in the risk of failing." She replied, her purple eyes seemed to look passed them, as if she were looking far away. She stayed like that for a moment longer, sending a shiver right down the scales along Veledar's spine.
"What could I possibly need?' Veledar asked growing impatient with the silent dragoness. He could not think of anything she could provide that he did not already have. He had friends, magic, and a plan behind him. He waited a moment for the Emerald Lady to respond, but she still said nothing as she looked around. Her snout seemed to be focusing on things they could not see, or were not even there.
" It seems as though someone is watching us." She said suddenly, a smirk on her muzzle.
"Who is watching us? Veledar asked, titling his head to the side.
" It does not concern you, and would only confuse your mind little one. Now back to the matter at claw."
'So how do you know what we need? Have you been watching us?" Veledar asked, looking to the others. They were standing still alert and tense. He could see their hands were clenched, eyes perhaps waiting for the Emerald Lady to make an attack.
" In a matter of speaking I have watched all of you." She held up her claws and spread them wide. In between them it seemed stars from the sky seemed to be summoned forth. "The past, the present, and the future that awaits you all." the dragoness turned to Merlia, a grin on her snout. " Merlia the dwarf ranger, an exile from her people. She is on an adventure that will never end, doomed to never return home." From the stars sprung forth little figures that were pointing to another one, that hung it's head and walked away from the rest.
" Veledar the young dragon calling himself Crimson Sky. Whom has suffered a trespass and befriended his worst enemy." From her paws more figures seemed to spring forth. One changed into the shape of a dragon flying round and round. The other was meant to be Arcturus as it joined the dragon in flight.
" Arcturus the knight of Lumara no longer, but one of the dragon goddess Bahamut. Your history is marred with sadness like the dragon you call your friend." The figures in her paws seemed to be acting out the final act between the human and dread flame. The dragon figure held on to the figure Arcturus as a shape of a house burned before them.
" Lastly we have Lyndis, the rightful born princess of Drenedar. You run so far from your responsibilities, trying to find your own way in the world."
'Royal birth!?" Veledar gasped out loud, "When were you going to tell us that?" Veledar snapped his attention to the half elf that was now looking at them in horror.
" Oh you had not told them. Well that was certainly something I did not foresee." The Emerald Lady said, putting a claw to the tip of her snout.
"When were you going to tell us about this?" Arcturus said aloud, seeming to ignore the dragoness watching the thing as if it were a play.
"I was working up the courage to tell you!" Lyndis shot back, "You would not have trusted me at first if I went out and told you I was the princess of Drenedar! Besides it is not who I am anymore." She crossed her arms defensively, "I am the arcane trickster you have known, this is the REAL me."
"So you were not trying to manipulate us to get to the city, so you can assassinate my king?"
"No, I have been honest about everything except that one detail. I can tell you the whole story later."
Arcturus seemed to mull it over for a moment before he put his hands to his nose, and than sighed quickly. "I believe you Lyndis, of course we can talk about this later. We will definitely need this one around the campfire." He than turned back towards the Emerald Lady and clasped his hands together. "Well know I can officially say I have met two members of a royal family."
"Well all I have to say Lyndis, is that you will have no problem paying back the fees you owe me. Of course it will be a lot more now that I know I have to protect a member of your royal family." Veledar quipped, giving her a reassuring smile. He than turned back to the Emerald Lady, who not moved and was just simply staring at them.
'So you can see things about us. What do I need that you possess? Where I am standing I have everything I need to get my book back."
" So are you aware of how those friends of Arcturus there found you so easily?" the dragoness replied with a sly grin.
"Well no..." Veledar mumbled, thumping his tail at his ignorance.
'Or perhaps how you would go about disguising yourself for the city? I assure you the trick you pulled in drakenburg will not work in that city."
"No" Veledar replied yet again, he started to show his teeth. This dragoness was treating him like he was just a child.
" Or perhaps you have not thought about the literal army they have waiting in that city. With airships, gryphons, and numerous other defenses."
"I was going to wing it at that part!" Veledar snarled in response. He quickly composed himself as the dragoness just gave him an amused look. Like one would if say a puppy gave a little growl at them.
"So how are they tracking me so easily? I figured it was my morning hunts that led the gryphon riders to me." he asked. The idea that it was not his fault they had been found was a great relief off of his mind. Course if he were not the one to blame, he wondered who it was. He wondered if they were using a detect spell to find him, possibly on the book they had stolen from him. However he knew of no such spell that could give them accurate information from minute to minute, perhaps that was why they had used the gryphons. He imagined they would get a general area of his whereabouts, then send in the gryphons to find his exact position.
" They have an ancient relic from times passed. When dragons ruled over all of mortal kind, and waged a great war. It allows them to track dragons quite effectively, and do quite a deal many more things. The one they have is able to work only on red dragons such as yourself." The Emerald Lady started to pace in front of them before placing a claw to point accusingly at Arcturus, " It was provided to them from this one here, from when he fought Dread Flame."
"I did not know that the red orb I gave the king could do that!" Arcturus exclaimed, his jaw dropping.
Well that was certainly not something Veledar had thought of. He would have to tease the human about this later. He imagined the human going red, very much like his scales. He would than smile, Arcturus would then smile and laugh.
"Don't worry about it Arcturus. We can discuss about what you have done later." Veledar smiled at the thought he had and thumped his tail. Perhaps he could convince the human to have another wrestle to ease his mind about this complication. Or perhaps caress his scales, or massage his wings. Oh yes I love all those options.
"Fine you have me convinced me about what we need." Veledar said, turning to the Emerald Lady. He hated to admit it but she was right, and he figured if he were Arcturus he would take every advantage he could get. "So I assume that you will not simply part with these things?"
" What kind of dragon would I be if I simply parted with my gifts? You have been around mortals far too long Veledar." She then held up a claw and seemed to grasp and ungrasp it. " I will not part with my gifts with simple coin."
Veledar than groaned. That meant she wanted favors from them at best, at worst she wanted them as part of her treasure. "What is it you want?"
" Stay the evening, your minions can stay with my subjects in my forest. My son Lyyreth will teach you how to shape shift into other forms than your own. This will aid you in your infiltration of the city of Entis." She held up a claw and shifted it towards Lyndis, "You will have the elf and dwarf retrieve an item from a temple within this forest. I will send Cordenth to supervise the entire thing." She then turned her snout to focus on Arcturus. She got in real close, close enough that Veledar thought he would have to move in and snap at her away.
" Which leaves your human to his own devices as he practices magic from that book."
The Emerald Lady than sat down before them, and moved her claw in a circle. She started to draw shapes in jagged lines. " We can discuss what will be done about the tracking business later. Luckily the humans following you will not enter MY forest." She chuckled, "Well at least not yet."
"How do you know they will not enter the forest?" asked Veledar.
" Because little one. I HAVE SEEN IT!" she held up her paws, as radiant purple light burst through the circle on the ground.
Veledar had to hold up his paws to shield his eyes from the intense light coming from her circle. He squinted his eyes, barred his teeth, thumped his tail, and moved his wings to shield his friends from the brilliant light. It only lasted for a minute as the light than died down, and left them all bathed in darkness. The only light now coming from the room was from a well that had seemed to grow out of the ground. Inside the well appeared to be glowing purple water, that painted the Emerald Lady in a mystical light. From the well was billowing smoke, that landed on the ground and spread forth throughout the room. The dragoness hovered her snout over the well before staring at them. From her forehead sprung forth a third eye right between her horns.
"So you can see the future." Scoffed Lyndis, "I have heard some people make that claim before."
"You would be wise little mortal to believe her." came the voice of Cordenth from behind him.
Veledar turned to the green dragon, his teeth already beginning to show. "How did that little runt sneak up on me?"_Veledar wondered to himself, _"He must have used a spell to hide his steps."
"Mother requested that I take you to the village so that you may relax and slumber."
"I did not hear her say anything." said Veledar, "and I have particular good ears."
He saw the green dragon roll his eyes at his boast. "How dare he roll his eyes after I had beaten him so easily before." he thought as he snarled.
"She has telepathy" Cordenth pointed a black talon to the top of his head.
Veledar turned his head to look at the Emerald Lady who he swore was in a trance by the way she just seemed to stare out into nothing.
"So I guess this audience is..." Arcturus began.
" Correct." she finished his thought, before waving them away with a paw.
Veledar had a wave of anger was over him of being so dismissed so casually. He swallowed it down as he remembered how threatening the Emerald Lady was. He turned to her son and decided to instead give him a hard time later.
'Okay little green, show us the way like a good servant." he said, and when noticing that Cordenth looked positively irritated ,he grinned.