# Inga

Author: Illiani
Tags: Anthro, Dragon, Fantasy, Half-Dragon, Human, Series, Short, Short Story, Story Progression, Story Series, Transformation, Western Dragon

#4 of Traveller's Tales

# Inga

Outside, the bestial winds howled at the night's grim expanse.&nbsp; They whistled their fury with bee-like twists and changes in direction.&nbsp; The winds were armed with diamonds of snow, weapons that sparkled white against the grey world.  
  
A mismatched pair knelt beyond the cave maw.&nbsp; The smallest hugged fur clothing close to her chest, breathing fog into her numbed hands.&nbsp; Her cheeks were flushed with cold, whilst her blond-brown hair was covered by a woollen blanket.&nbsp; Sneezing once, the girl looked across to her companion, who stood staring out at the winds, praying in low growling tones.  
  
The Companion wore no furs over his mail hauberk.&nbsp; He wore no cloak over the two-handed sword strapped to his scaled back and tan-coloured scales covered his great form.&nbsp; Be it from the blunt-muzzled draconic head, to the tip of his muscular tail, all was scaled.&nbsp; Sharp claws, at the end of his three-fingered paws, touched as The Companion muttered his supplicated words out into the furious winds of night.  
  
"Holy mother of winds; of scale; of life.&nbsp; Mother-Goddess to which we are bound.&nbsp; This day, like all others, I live in your name; under your will; in your light."

&nbsp; The Girl rubbed her cheeks with the palms of her hands and searched, with brown eyes, for anything with which a fire could be formed.&nbsp; Amidst the sharp stalagmites and dust of the cave, little could The Girl's eyes spy of interest.&nbsp; She shivered a little at the barren nature of it all, whilst the winds outside mocked any thoughts of leaving.&nbsp; The Girl watched her companion, the Draki Vakar.&nbsp; Watched him and thought back to the Trials.  
  
She had been lucky to live, favoured by the Goddess, that much was clear.&nbsp; The final trial had set her against the son of her Jarl.&nbsp; It had been a hard fought duel; her spear against his sword.&nbsp; Even, despite the Girl's superior reach, the Jarl's son managed to wound her dearly.  
  
The Girl smiled a little, despite her frozen surroundings, and remembered the elf -- In the eyes of the Girl, her savour and a tool through which the Goddess showed divine favour.&nbsp; After the Trial her Companion had dragged the Girl from the tribe.&nbsp; He had given her no time to bid farewell to kith, or kin -- which was lucky, for she had none.  
  

&nbsp; A stirring from the cave mouth snapped the Girl back from her memories, she looked up as the lumbering bulk of her Companion came into view.&nbsp; The Dreki Vakar stopped, silently appraising the girl's form: the shape of her round face; the tension in her wary, hunched stance; the alertness of her darting brown eyes.&nbsp; The girl was scared, though she fought to hide it.&nbsp; Inside his mind, the Dreki Vakar smiled with contempt.  
  
"Name?"  
  
It was a simple question, posed to the girl with intonation of authority and a wave of a clawed paw.&nbsp; The human girl looked to her Companion in a confused manner, so the Dreki Vakar repeated himself, this time adding a threatening growl.  
  
"Halla, my name is Halla."  
  
The Girl moved to stand as her Companion stepped closer, but a forceful motion of his hand ended such a thought.&nbsp; Instead she just looked up at his great form, noting how the mail links shimmered in the faint light.  
  
"No longer.&nbsp; You have been chosen by Fate, by the Mother-Goddess.&nbsp; From the moment you were chosen 'Halla' died.&nbsp; You are now to be known as 'Inga'.&nbsp; Any ties to your past are no more; you will forget them.&nbsp; Any friends, family, loves and loyalties are cut.&nbsp; In their place will be the Mother-Goddess and us, your Flight.&nbsp; Do you understand?"  
  

&nbsp; The Girl, Inga, could only nod under the baleful glare of the Dreki Vakar.&nbsp; Her companion folded his arms across his chest and nodded his head once.&nbsp; Then he answered her unspoken question.  
  
"I am Brandr, he who first suckled from the divine-teat of our Mother-Goddess.&nbsp; I am to be your teacher and you my student.&nbsp; You will learn devotion, obedience and love.&nbsp; In time -- should you prove to be nowhere as weak as you currently appear -- the Mother-Goddess may bless you with her divine form.&nbsp; You shall become as I am; as your brothers and sisters are: 'Dreki Vakar' you name us and so shall you be named."

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/3egD3bLm
Part of the series Traveller\'s Tales
Previous: https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/137257-chosen.md