Home
A young human girl woke up, hearing people shouting and screaming. There were many sounds that woke her up, people arguing, things being knocked over, her own mother hurrying up the stairs towards her room. Then her mother was inside and shutting the door behind her.
"We have to get out of here, Rhilla. The recruiters want to take you and Arcon to the King to be a part of his army. I can't let that happen to you."
"But mom, its the middle of the night, and by the sounds of it, they've already come tot he town. How are we meant to sneak out from this mess?"
Her mother sighed. "I do not know. But if worst comes to us, go with your brother. He'll keep you safe my dear."
That made no sense but she knew that there was no argueing at the moment. No doubt, there were going to be a lot fo thigns that made no sense to the little girl. She was only about ten years old. Arcon was about fifteen, and by no means still a kid really. He would not be an adult for a while yet. That was something that everyone had been looking forwards to. He would ahve been a man in a few months, a thing that would have been celebrated by the entire town.
Now the recruiters were here and they were waiting to take wheo they could to their infernal king. This was not fair for everyone, but Lindan Marcos was the king and that meant that his orders were always obeyed though the people hated him for doing such things to his people. He was a vile man, and everyone hated him. They hoped to be free of him, though this would never happen until he died, and since he was a Dragon Rider, that would never happen.
There was a rumour though that something had happened to his dragon, Ruthon, but anyone who dared to speak too loudly about this, found themselves in a dungeon before they knew what hit them. You would have thought that a king would care more for his people, but in reality, there was no love in him for the people who depended on him for safety. Then there was his horrid distaste for elves, and there was nothing wrong with the elves to the other people.
Rhilla sighed, getting out of bed and dressed quickly. She knew that when things like this happened, time was something that was needed. Spend too much of it doing one thing and you would find yourself in more trouble than you could imagine. Right now, she wanted to get out of here, and find her big brother. She would be safe with him and she knew it. Sighing she hurried towards the others and they all left the house. Though she was younger than the others, she was able to easily keep up as they wove their way through the streets.
Many people were rushing about, and it was hard to keep everyone together at the moment. As they ran a house to one side of them seemed to ignite as they ran past. The father in the family glanced up and cursed. "Dragon Riders!" But what were they doing attacking the buildings of this small town? It made no sense to him. No one had done something as bad as possible to bring this down on the whole town, surely? This was the first time Rhilla had seen a dragon and now she was terrified of them.
Things did not seem to be possible. Why were the Dragon Riders here, attacking their town? Surely no one had done anything wrong. It seemed odd that the Riders were here in such force, terroising the people when no one had done something that would bring them down here. When things seemed to be going bad for them, Rhilla found her brothers hand on hers as they ran through the streets together. Somewhere along the way things became too much for Rhilla and she seemed to follow her brother only through blind terror of the havoc which seized her town.
The gates were in sight but Rhilla knew that the soldiers would not just let them out. Only the nobles it seemed were being allowed out of the town. They stopped for a moment, watching the things going on at the gates. A dragon flew over them, but appeared not to see them. Rhilla whimpered, she was so scared at the moment. Nothing was right at the moment. She knew her brother could fight if there was a need, but she was totally unable to defend herself as yet. Time seemed to completely stop for a moment as her brother assessed things.
"Rhilla, we cant go out the gates," he said, turning around to face her.
"Then how are we going to escape?" she asked. he would come up with something. He had to. He was the one who was meant to keep her safe at the moment. It was his job.
"I know of another more hidden exit that some of Lord Dinma's servants used to use back when they had chores to do. It means we'll have to get into the estate, but it is possible. I've been up there before with our father."
"Well we can't stay here."
"Alright. Just follow me alright?"
"Wait, where's mama and papa?"
"They'll be trying to find a way out for themselves. We'll see them in the valley we promised to meet in." There was unease in the older boys mind though. He knew that they had been killed by one of the Riders, but he hid this from his little sister. She was all he had left of his family. Eventually though, he would tell her.
And so they made their way into the estate. It was a lovely place in the daytime, but there was no point in stopping to stare at things. Not with all the danger that was hanging about for them.
Dragons seemed though not to be bothered about the estate at the moment. There was no one else in the grounds, so that had to be a good thing for them. They crept into the manor house and Arcon led the way to a hidden trapdoor. Thankfully it was not barred off.
By the time a dragon ripped the roof of the manor off, the two children were well on their way out to the valley. Safe. Orphans.
"We have to get out of here, Rhilla. The recruiters want to take you and Arcon to the King to be a part of his army. I can't let that happen to you."
"But mom, its the middle of the night, and by the sounds of it, they've already come tot he town. How are we meant to sneak out from this mess?"
Her mother sighed. "I do not know. But if worst comes to us, go with your brother. He'll keep you safe my dear."
That made no sense but she knew that there was no argueing at the moment. No doubt, there were going to be a lot fo thigns that made no sense to the little girl. She was only about ten years old. Arcon was about fifteen, and by no means still a kid really. He would not be an adult for a while yet. That was something that everyone had been looking forwards to. He would ahve been a man in a few months, a thing that would have been celebrated by the entire town.
Now the recruiters were here and they were waiting to take wheo they could to their infernal king. This was not fair for everyone, but Lindan Marcos was the king and that meant that his orders were always obeyed though the people hated him for doing such things to his people. He was a vile man, and everyone hated him. They hoped to be free of him, though this would never happen until he died, and since he was a Dragon Rider, that would never happen.
There was a rumour though that something had happened to his dragon, Ruthon, but anyone who dared to speak too loudly about this, found themselves in a dungeon before they knew what hit them. You would have thought that a king would care more for his people, but in reality, there was no love in him for the people who depended on him for safety. Then there was his horrid distaste for elves, and there was nothing wrong with the elves to the other people.
Rhilla sighed, getting out of bed and dressed quickly. She knew that when things like this happened, time was something that was needed. Spend too much of it doing one thing and you would find yourself in more trouble than you could imagine. Right now, she wanted to get out of here, and find her big brother. She would be safe with him and she knew it. Sighing she hurried towards the others and they all left the house. Though she was younger than the others, she was able to easily keep up as they wove their way through the streets.
Many people were rushing about, and it was hard to keep everyone together at the moment. As they ran a house to one side of them seemed to ignite as they ran past. The father in the family glanced up and cursed. "Dragon Riders!" But what were they doing attacking the buildings of this small town? It made no sense to him. No one had done something as bad as possible to bring this down on the whole town, surely? This was the first time Rhilla had seen a dragon and now she was terrified of them.
Things did not seem to be possible. Why were the Dragon Riders here, attacking their town? Surely no one had done anything wrong. It seemed odd that the Riders were here in such force, terroising the people when no one had done something that would bring them down here. When things seemed to be going bad for them, Rhilla found her brothers hand on hers as they ran through the streets together. Somewhere along the way things became too much for Rhilla and she seemed to follow her brother only through blind terror of the havoc which seized her town.
The gates were in sight but Rhilla knew that the soldiers would not just let them out. Only the nobles it seemed were being allowed out of the town. They stopped for a moment, watching the things going on at the gates. A dragon flew over them, but appeared not to see them. Rhilla whimpered, she was so scared at the moment. Nothing was right at the moment. She knew her brother could fight if there was a need, but she was totally unable to defend herself as yet. Time seemed to completely stop for a moment as her brother assessed things.
"Rhilla, we cant go out the gates," he said, turning around to face her.
"Then how are we going to escape?" she asked. he would come up with something. He had to. He was the one who was meant to keep her safe at the moment. It was his job.
"I know of another more hidden exit that some of Lord Dinma's servants used to use back when they had chores to do. It means we'll have to get into the estate, but it is possible. I've been up there before with our father."
"Well we can't stay here."
"Alright. Just follow me alright?"
"Wait, where's mama and papa?"
"They'll be trying to find a way out for themselves. We'll see them in the valley we promised to meet in." There was unease in the older boys mind though. He knew that they had been killed by one of the Riders, but he hid this from his little sister. She was all he had left of his family. Eventually though, he would tell her.
And so they made their way into the estate. It was a lovely place in the daytime, but there was no point in stopping to stare at things. Not with all the danger that was hanging about for them.
Dragons seemed though not to be bothered about the estate at the moment. There was no one else in the grounds, so that had to be a good thing for them. They crept into the manor house and Arcon led the way to a hidden trapdoor. Thankfully it was not barred off.
By the time a dragon ripped the roof of the manor off, the two children were well on their way out to the valley. Safe. Orphans.
