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Chapter 11: Drakenburg

The town of Drakenburg lay a few miles down the cobblestone road. The sun was starting to rise above the mountains in such a magnificent way that a single ray of light seemed to pierce through the darkness until it bathed the town in its radiance. You could say it was a busy town from the amount of foot traffic it received both by carriage and the occasional airship flying overhead.

Not that our travelers minded. Arcturus looked back to his two companions to see Lyndis busy creating a disguise for Veledar.

"Alright, enough prattling. My head is starting to ache worse than it did when this steelhead ambushed me in my lair." The dragon pointed at the human who feigned ignorance by scratching through his hair. "Just so we're clear, I will become small just to stop your nagging. Dragons are perfect the way they are. None should be forced to endure such humiliation," Veledar hissed, than stuck his tongue out at Lyndis. "What are you smiling at? I just said-"

"Do you want to be focken spotted?" Lyndis whispered back. Arcturus just shook his head. The two had been fighting way before they arrived at this point.

"Well, be my guest then. Let the sun bathe your glorious scales. I'm curious how long till the guards have you in irons and shipped off to their grand, merciful king. Maybe he'll even prepare a feast in your honor!"

"Mrrrr, well, for your information Lyndis, that's the same king that wants me dead. Secondly, doubt the effectiveness of their entrapment team without their prized paladin there to inspire them. I give these fools about a month to find me, if they even manage that," Veledar chuckled, then jumped back as he avoided a playful smack by Lyndis.

"Just do your focken thing and spare us the rest of this lecture."

The dragon moved his claws in a triangle fashion before ending it with what looked like a slap at the air with his claw. He then started to shrink, slowly by slowly, until he was no bigger than the average horse.

"Do I look pleasing now, your highness?" Veledar bowed his head mockingly before the frowning half-elf.

"Could be better. Oh, and pack your wings. One glance is enough to give away your secret."

Veledar frowned as he pushed his wings closed. He made another incantation, then the two beautiful appendages melded into his scales before disappearing altogether.

"I'm hideous," Veledar slumped to the ground, snout in his paws.

"Oh, don't look so miserable Crimson Sky. You're still a dragon, absent wings," Arcturus said, trying to cheer the dragon up.

"Easy for you to say." The dragon said. "You didn't just become smaller than your two companions, and lose the ability to fly. How do I look? I want an honest answer."

"As beautiful as ever."

The dragon picked himself up. "Another lie to sweeten the bitter truth."

"My words know only truth, but it is the best I can provide at the moment. We better hurry up or we will lose the day." Arcturus replied as he led Smelly to continue down the road with Lyndis, Stinky, and a grumbling Veledar.

They reached Drakenburg within the course of the hour, passing several merchants bound southward on the way. They seemed curious about Veledar, about what he was and where he came from. Arcturus threw them off the trail by suggesting he was from Rothdell and used to hunt dragons. To his amusement Veledar stared at him with irritated eyes as the merchants had been amazed, even offered to purchase him. When they were out of ear shot Veledar had started up a string of insults so long Arcturus lost count as the dragon shifted the blame to him for exposing his pride to such indignities. He watched the dragon's attitude change the moment they reached the town, for hanging from every building was a blue banner with a silver dragon stitched into the cloth.

"Look!" Veledar exclaimed with a grin, "They have dragon banners!"

Arcturus and Lyndis tied up Stinky and Smelly outside a tavern painted in gray scales. It bore a great wooden shield with a silver dragon in flight.

"Loves dragons, this town does." Lyndis remarked as a peasant walked passed, gawking at Veledar.

"This place is wonderful!" Veledar whispered, as the dragon's head practically did not stop moving around, finding some new dragon decoration to look at. He bounded to a cart littered with dragon shaped trinkets. "No wonder mother wanted to come here. These people adore her!"

"Ah, so your little drake likes the banners?" A wrinkled woman said, emerging from the cart's other side. She wore a dark green dress that seemed conspicuously clean. She ran an old hand through her gray hair as she looked to them with her amber eyes. Arcturus felt the hairs on his neck stand on end for some reason.

"Oh yes, the drakes from Rothdell are quite intelligent." Lyndis smiled through her teeth, "Even recognize the picture of the creature they hunt."

Arcturus saw Veledar frown at her words before darting past her legs and nipping her hand. Though she mainly kept her composure she did give a slight twitch as she shooed the dragon away.

"Is that what brings you here? The hunt for a dragon?" the old lady said with a grin, her hand moving to clasp a silver dragon amulet hanging around her neck. "Such a dangerous job. Pointless. Unneeded. The dragoness has been our protector for years. What reason have you to take arms against her?" Arcturus noticed several peasants stop to gawk at them, dirty looks being thrown especially at him and Lyndis.

"When was the last time you saw this guardian of yours?" He said, taking his eyes off the peasants and fixing them back on the woman.

"We have not seen her in five years, but that does not mean she isn't there. Dragons perceive time differently than you or l. However, dragon slayer-" The woman's eyes narrowed, "You will find not a single soul in this town that will help you find and slay our protector."

The woman suddenly stopped when several guards dressed in chain mail walked over with spears in hand, their brown tabards a stark contrast to the blue banners that hung from virtually every building in the town.

"What do you need, dearies? Came here to hear a story of the great protector?" the old lady asked sweetly to the guards. She held out a hand to them with a silver broach in the shape of a dragon. The gruff looking guard she held it out to swiftly smacked the lady's hand away.

"Listen here you crumpled hag. You villagers talk about this dragon left and right, but none of me focken men or the captain ever seen a glimpse of it, so you should stop telling such lies to travelers and stop trying to get us to wear those things!"

The two guards then returned to their routine as they laughed to themselves as they left, as if they had pulled some great prank. The old woman sighed and picked up the broach.

"My name is Lida, and I apologize for my harsh words. I forget sometimes that our true enemies walk among us." She gestured to Arcturus' ragged tabard that was torn almost to rags at this point. "Despite your allegiance to the kingdom of Lumara, I have judged you like our guards. Tell me, what do you intend to do when you find our protector?"

"We have a friend that would want to meet her and have a long talk." Lyndis said.

"Would this friend of yours be a dragon, dearies?" said Lida, gesturing to Veledar who was busy eyeing a cart full of cooked lamb.

"How did you-"

"Old I might be, but I can spot a spell, especially a crude craft such as this. It's most fortunate the guards here don't seem able to spot such things. You best continue on your journey, but be warned, to find this town's protector will only bring about hardship and misery."

"Why is that?" Arcturus said, turning back to find that both the cart and Lida had vanished. He looked to Lyndis who was staring mouth agape just like he was.

Veledar on the other hand was all growls and clicking claws. "Well that just happened. Nothing to be done about an old lady and her vanishing cart now when my stomach rumbles like a war drum. I need to eat, now!" the dragon grabbed his belly with both paws. Arcturus just shook his head in disbelief at the missing cart and lady.

"Alright, alright! Just give me a moment." He nodded to the red dragon. That woman was an illusion the entire time? Or was she a spell caster like Lyndis?

"What do you think?" he moved towards Lyndis and watched the Half-elf think hard for a moment as they walked back towards the inn. "I know illusions, and if that were one it was pretty focken good. She was breathing an' talking as if she really was alive!"

Arcturus and Lyndis had to eat their lunch outside as the innkeeper was insistent Veledar not eat inside.

"No pets!" the elven man had shouted with a vein popping out on his forehead. The meal wasn't too satisfying either. Just some meat that Arcturus couldn't put his finger on, some gruel like water, and a purple vegetable that was crunchy and in the shape of the letter L. Veledar seemed hateful of his meal, but he ate with minimal complaints as they discussed their plan. They decided to split up and ask around about the lady, and more important, the protector's lair.

The party split up not a moment after lunch, with Veledar heading with Arcturus. Lyndis insisted they needed each other if they got into trouble. However, when asked about what trouble, she just laughed, and said with a big grin that she was a people person. Over the first few hours they only got repeated versions of the information they already knew. Arcturus was glad that no one recognized him. Even if they did, nobody connected him to the disappearing dragon incident. It confirmed one thing to him though. That his disappearance was not as wide spread knowledge as he thought.

The last two hours proved more productive than the previous. They got valuable information from a child all eager to tell them where the protectors lair was. The child said it was deep in the north western mountains, guarded by a raging snowstorm that kept everything away. Veledar rewarded the young child with a story about a brave dragon that naturally saved a maiden from a group of evil knights. Arcturus watched as the child was not even phased that Veledar could talk. She just scampered back to her house with a great smile on her face.

They started to make their way back to the inn as the sun started to recede down beneath the horizon. Veledar suddenly stopped as Arcturus watched his form in the torchlight tense up as his head looked around quickly for something.

"What's the matter?" He asked, looking around as well. He did not see anything that looked out of the ordinary in the practically empty streets. From an alley came a group of five men, all clad in a mixture of leathers and chain armor. They had short hairs, clearly human, and eyes full of mischievous intent.

"Why hello," he found himself saying. "Pleasant night for a stroll, eh?"

The gathered men sneered at his politeness. His gut told him this was going to end in violence but as a man of virtue Arcturus had to give them a chance to prove their intentions.

"Fancy drake, that." One man said, pointing to Veledar with a club he was holding. "Figure he'd feel right at home in our group. What do you say, lads?"

The rest of the men grumbled, nodded, and chuckled when the one who spoke pulled out a net from his pack with his massively muscled arms.

One of the other men, taller than the rest, carried a bag that was tossed at Arcturus' feet. "Fifty plat says you walk away and we get that drake. Choose otherwise, and ma boys will put a beat down on ya!"

"Wait wait wait. I have a better idea" Veledar laughed much to the surprise of the party, "We take the money you have given us, and you get to leave with your lives."

Arcturus drew his sword as the dragon threatened them. "Deal's more than fair. I'd listen to the drake, people. After all, we don't want to stain the streets of this fine town on our first visit."

Arcturus watched the gathered men in front of him nervously grip their weapons as they looked to him, then to Veledar, who had started hissing at them. "Anyone here can choose to flee, but if you decide to cross blades with us, consider this is your only warning." He continued, taking his shield off.

"Aye. We hear ya. But you missin' one thing." the bag tosser flicked his fingers to the men that poured from the alleys behind Arcturus. "We've got greater numbers. Get 'em lads!"

Arcturus turned to indeed spy five more men with short swords and aging leathers that seemed to be stitched together. He smirked as they charged in disorganized fashion with their weapons ready to bludgeon him to death. Arcturus blocked the first club and shoved the man backwards as his sword tasted another one's flesh. The arc slash painted the cobblestone a dark crimson substance as the man collapsed on his knees to hold onto the ooze that kept pouring from his slashed throat.

Two more came at him. Arcturus ducked from another swing, then his blade sneaked under the opponent's and took that man's hand as payment.

"Hraaaaah!" the now hand-less man fell on his back with a mighty groan, trying hopelessly to stop the flow from his ruined limb.

Arcturus heard Veledar give a screech, a tiny roar that was more adorable than threatening. He would of course never tell the dragon such things in this moment, as he figured he would roar even louder just to prove something. The dragon sunk his teeth into a thug's arm, ripping a solid chunk along with whatever else clung to the flesh. The paladin scrunched his face in disgust as he charged at another man and shoved him to the ground with such force he thought he heard something crack. His triumph was short lived as he felt a blade nick his side. "Khh-" he whirled around for a counter-attack only to see a club smash into his side.

"See he isn't such a hard-ass!" the bag-man kicked Arcturus' plate.

"Wrong words!" the paladin rose with an upper swing that sliced the bag-man from balls to chin. The man gurgled and collapsed to the ground, clutching desperately at his escaping insides. Arcturus turned to the others. He looked to the once confident thugs, who now had sweat covered brows and eyes filled with doubt. He saw another shudder and fall, an arrow with green feathers sticking out of his back.

"Fock this!"

"I'm not dying tonight."

The four remaining men backed away as Arcturus advanced on them with his sword.

"Screw this! Let the bastard keep the drake! No amount of money is worth being gutted for!" one shouted as the sound of his boots disappeared into the night. The others soon followed suit, leaving Veledar and Arcturus standing among the fallen, looking rather proud of themselves.

"Well at least they were not all entirely stupid." Veledar grinned as he cut one of the man's purses to see what was inside. "I mean they attacked us so they were not entirely thinking straight, but mraawr look! Ten gold pieces!"

Adorable, Arcturus smiled at Veledar, then went to each of the fallen men to retrieve whatever useful belongings they had. The entire time his eyes kept being drawn to the arrow sticking out of one of the men. Arcturus walked over to it and pulled it out with a sickening noise.

"Veledar. Take a look at this." He stuck out the arrow to the dragon, who quickly scampered over. "I think someone saw the ruckus. Decided to lend a helping hand," he said, his eyes scanning the dark windows, empty alleyways, and wooden boxes around the street. "Although it looks like our mysterious friend prefers to remain hidden for now."

"Who cares? More loot for us," Veledar growled. "Hold it straight. I still want to find us who this person is." Veledar took in a deep breath near the arrow head. "I don't recognize the smell of who it was, but it smells earthy, very different from how you humans smell."

"Earthy?" Arcturus was impressed by the dragon's nose and for a moment he wondered who was better at tracking, the gryphons or the dragon before him. "Well we better be careful while we get back to the inn. Maybe Lyndis has better information for us."

"Don't worry Arcturus. If anything remotely dangerous crosses our path, I will be more than a match for it." The little dragon swelled up his chest and took a regal pose.

"You are such a cute thing tonight."

Veledar's happy snout scrunched when the paladin rubbed his gloved hand along his head. "You are aware I can kill you right now?"

"Only if you can get past this armor." The paladin slapped his plate, then kneeled to Veledar's eye level. "But we both know you like me too much to even think such barbaric thoughts."

"I like you? You have it all wrong, paladin who crawls to my belly every night to whisper words of comfort to my ears. If anything you're in love with me!"

"And if I am?"

Veledar snorted, bits of mucus splashing on the human's face.

"Seems this joke has two sides, after all." Arcturus chuckled, wiping the distasteful goo off his face. "I'd ask you to lick it, but-"

"Don't even think about it."

Arcturus cleaned himself with a thug's rag, then walked side by side with the dragon, feeling his scales shift under his gloved hand with the movement.

"See, if you acted like that we would get along better!" Veledar turned to head his way down the street. "Words for a dragon are ephemeral. True affection lays in the touch, although your personality is an improvement over most humans."

"I can see how, "Arcturus picked up his hand. "You really enjoying this as much as I think?"

Veledar scowled for a moment before shaking his snout, "Oh yes, extremely. Now put that hand back to work."

They continued down the dark streets of Drakenburg. Arcturus watched as Veledar's snout would move from side to side checking every rooftop and alley. Each time he did so Arcturus could see his muscles tense underneath his scaled body, his teeth eager to bare themselves. Arcturus wondered if he had taken the ambush as a failure on his part to detect it. Maybe a night of good drink, food, and entertainment would have the dragon back to his relaxed self. However, the dragon wasn't the only thing he noticed. They never encountered one guard, not a single torch bearing man on patrol, and no posts. The streets were completely empty of people. Arcturus kicked a loose stone in irritation. If he were running things he would have the guards of this town whipped into shape in no time. He sighed thinking about Gus and Elizabeth, wondering if they had stepped up in his absence. Surely Elizabeth would take on the extra responsibility like she always did.

He was interrupted as Veledar bounded through the doors of the inn.

"Get that beast outta my sight! Came the shout of the elven man from earlier. "How deaf must you be? I said no pets near the tables!"

Arcturus entered to see the man picking up a clearly knocked over tankard while Veledar slunk away trying to avoid the watchful eyes of the other patrons. The busy inn -despite that little hiccup- went back to their hot meals as the half-ling band started playing once again. Their music filled the inn with a happy, toe tapping tune that Arcturus wished to have heard at a better time of the day. It would have made a better impression than the rude guards from earlier, or the vanishing crone.

Arcturus made his way to the bar where Lyndis was sitting, holding a mug in one hand and a spoon full of soup in the other. Just as he sat down he heard Veledar pounce onto a chair next to him, two scaled paws thumping onto the bar. The elven barkeep quickly made his way over, forehead vein still very apparent on his cherry-colored face.

"Oy! What's he doin' here? Oy! Armor! I'm talkin' to ya!" the innkeeper pointed an angry finger at Arcturus. Is this your pet?"

"What if he is?" The paladin spoke calmly.

"Then what did I say earlier, eh? You got dropped on your head as a kid or what? Take your pet out or see yourselves gone from my establishment!" the man said loudly pointing to Veledar.

Arcturus was about to speak and apologize for Veledar but the dragon beat him to it.

"Listen here you crazy elf, I am not a pet to anyone, especially to this armored, good mannered human. He and I are traveling companions." Veledar turned his snout towards Arcturus, "And if you kick me out you kick him and his heavy pouch out as well!"

Arcturus' mind screamed internally as Veledar looked to him with a grin that seemed to say I got this. He watched the elf, his mouth hung open in disbelief at the talking drake, as Arcturus sighed at Veledar's complete inability to lay low. The elf sighed before setting his eyes on Arcturus, perhaps too proud to speak to Veledar as an equal.

"Sorry 'bout earlier. My mouth tends to...you know." The elf brushed off the sweat from his concerned face. "If that thing breaks anything you will be paying for it. I'll bring you meals now. 'pologies again for losing my temper. Beasts tend to bring the worst in me."

Arcturus nodded to the man. "No problem."

"He's just being polite with an innkeeper that has serious anger issues." Veledar added.

"Fine," the elf snapped to Veledar, "just place an order with the waitress." he raised a bony finger to Veledar's snout, "Don't make a mess ya hear?"

Veledar's eyes narrowed at the elf, Arcturus thought he might snap at the man's finger but to his surprise he did not and simply nodded.

"Good, then there will be no trouble between us." the man laughed, to which Arcturus nervously joined him in laughter.

Arcturus returned his attention to Lyndis as the barkeep walked away. "So now that your little shout duel is done with, did you find anything useful?"

"There's a path used to travel up to the mountains. They don't share it with outsiders or guards because they want to protect the dragon, just as she protects them." Lyndis replied, pulling an old looking map from her back resting on the tavern floor. "The way is usually safe, but they admitted no one went up there in years. Five, to be exact, just like the crone said, although what focken dragon keeps count? Five years is nothing for them, so I don't know if that means anything."

"My mother probably has better things to do than cater to a village full of rude guards and loud barkeeps." Veledar mumbled.

"What do you think we will find up there?" Arcturus asked as a waitress brought over a bowl of soup for him.

"Normal stuff if you can call goblins normal, maybe a troll or two. However, the biggest obstacle is a storm that appears to protect the mountain. Drives unwanted visitors away, and we best leave first thing in the morning. I have this symbol used by the townsfolk to approach the storm safely and its previous owner would very well like it back."

Lyndis pulled out a small silver metal broach in the shape of a dragon.

"You stole it?" Arcturus gasped.

"Nah, I only borrowed it, and trust me the person it belongs to was anything but deserving of such token." Lyndis smirked, pocking the broach.

"Suppose I agree with you. Who did you take it from?

"Don't know him by name, but he runs the thugs here in Drakenburg. He is known simply as Knives. He is the reason that guards don't roam the streets at night."

The waitress returned to pour a bluish liquid into Lyndis' tankard that looked like partially frozen mush. While Arcturus was staring at the liquid Lyndis pointed to it than took a sip. "It's elvish frost wine. Great stuff for long nights."

They went on to discuss the ambushes which only coaxed a sigh from Lyndis' mouth along with a single word. Typical.

Veledar ordered large plates of food that surprised Arcturus only in price, not in gesture. Like last time, he shelled out the coin to feed the dragon's humongous appetite. They eventually retired for the evening as the music died down, drinks ran dry, and people started to leave. Lyndis strolled down to her door, shutting it quickly to leave Arcturus and Veledar in their own room again.

The two fought over where to sleep for a brief while before Veledar just stole a side of the bed with a grin. Arcturus got onto the other side as he took off his gear and laid it on the floor.

"You know you could have talked to the elf some more about the rooms, Maybe I could have gotten a proper bed to slumber upon." Veledar grumbled into his paws.

"No pets!" Arcturus mimicked the bartender with his reply. "Can't have a pet having his own room." Arcturus laughed, as Veledar suddenly placed his snout close to his face.

"Oh, very funny. Maybe I'll keep reminding you of your lack of tail, or wings, or maybe this useless hide that does nothing to protect your feeble body."

"Take it easy Veledar, it is just a joke."

"You know what else is a joke?"

"What?"

Arcturus was suddenly shoved off the bed by a scaly leg. He fell onto the floor with a thump and the hissing laughter of the dragon. "Now that's a more proper source of amusement!"

Arcturus started to grumble to himself as he got back onto the bed and collapsed into the pillow. He closed his eyes until he felt a snout rest beside his head. He could practically feel Veledar's grin, "Not very funny when it's your turn, is it?"

"I'm sorry for calling you my pet." he grumbled, eyes still closed. "But just so you know, I find you adorable."

"Why thank you human. Maybe next time I can think of something nice to tell you."

"Not tonight?"

"Not tonight." Veledar yawned while curling up, no doubt his eyes closing as well.