Last of Dragons (Closed)

[Dreamwalker85]

(closed for That1Amythest)

During the Age of Dragons the skies of Azalon (Az-a-long) could witness many dragons. The skies were not littered with dragons, but they were not simply the things stories were made of like today. Dragons were prosperous beings of great size, skill, magic and intelligence. This made them feared. And people feared what they did not understand even in this realm of kings, queens, sword, shield, might and magic.

Tiran of Marisco was one of the last Marisco’s to see a dragon. This was nearly two lifetimes ago. Tiran was a knight to the King Willhelm Madoc. Willhelm’s father had started the order to kill dragons. Knights, guards and freelancers went out of the woodwork to make names for themselves. Those that survived attacking a dragon had stories to tell and gained respect. Those that lost to a dragon were mourned and considered foolish. Those that won became celebrities. The dragon corpses fetched a hefty coin as their meat was considered an affordable delicacy. Their scales and bones were used in everything from armor to weapons to cures that may, or may not have worked.

Willhelm had given Tiran order to hunt a dragon in the mountains north of Azalon. The journey to the Dragon’s nest was exhausting. He asked for no help because the mountain would “slow others down and make me less efficient.” In reality Tiran had a different idea. Tiran had seen what these dragon hunts were doing to that species. It was slowly destroying them.
Nearly a week was spent getting up the mountain. When Tiran made it to the top a voice rumbled from the darkness, “Why did you come here –human-?”

The Dragon had noticed this human was not full of bolster like the four before him were. Their bones could be seen scattered in the nest. Tiran dropped his sword respectfully then bowed.

“I am Tiran of Marisco. I do not see you as a superior. I do not fear you,” he began.

Suddenly the dragon interrupted him, “Then what do you see me as?!” the creature’s voice boomed through the nest. Loose rocks in the mountain fell in an avalanche thanks to the power behind the creature’s voice.
“An equal,” Tiran said with the utmost respect.
This took the Dragon back a bit.

“Can you crush me with a simple move of your talons or rails? Yes. Are you smarter than me? Mayhaps. That still doesn’t mean we are not both individuals in this realm. We both have the same wants and needs. The point is I do not wish to see you, and yours hunted,” Tiran explained himself. Again, everything he was trying to be respectful every step of the way. Every syllable and word showing the same respect behind it as his manners did.

The Dragon watched for a moment, “What are you proposing?”

“An agreement, you keep a low profile. I tell my king I kill you,” Tiran was interrupted again.

“SO YOU CAN CLAIM THE GLORY FOR MY DEATH?!” the Dragon practically roared.

Tiran shook his head, “So you can still claim the mountain as your home. I do not need anything else. I do not even have family.”

This human’s humility caught the Dragon off-guard. “What if people try to claim my home?”

“When I’m off the mountain cause an avalanche, make it look your death caused the mountain itself to weep and cower with fear. I will spread enough stories about you between the two no one will both you.”

The Dragon was quiet for a long while. Eventually he said, “We have an accord. Go, human but do me one favor in turn for our arrangement, Tiran of Marisco.”

Tiran nodded, “Name it, as long as it is within reason.”

“Understand one day me and mine may change the deal, whether you know it or not,” the Dragon warned. It wanted to have the last word.

A nod came from the knight, “Agreed. Until we meet again, if we ever do.” From there he began his decent.

A day after Tiran made it down it looked like the mountain had an implosion making any interest in treasure or fortune lost. Tiran was greeted like a hero. The man spread stories about how the battle was. While he did not want the fame, it was enjoyed because it brought him the start of his family. A future wife by the name of Minerva arrived. Then his family life began.

Corinth of Marisco was the younger grandson of Tiran. His mother and father had ties to the crown thanks to a marriage. Due to King Jerad having no heirs it put Corinth and Jacynth in line for the crown upon the death of their father.
Jacynth, nicknamed Jacyn (pronounced Jason), was concerned about politics. He was the kind of man despite being a knight of great lineage used his name to earn his status. Corinth, despite being teased for having Corin in his name (it was a popular girl’s name), earned his ranking. He trained with the guards. Took his superiors crap and kept at it.

What struck some people was the similarity between his look and his grandfather. They looked identical, when Tiran was this young, the only difference was Tiran had raven black hair with those piercing blue eyes.
Corin had dirty blond hair. From a far people could have confused the two if they could remember Tiran from so long ago. A few elderly individuals had on a small number of occasions. Azalon was getting ready for a celebration. It was the 100th anniversary of the Kingdom.

Corin was celebrating a day off in the market place. Gone was the armor. Today he had his hair tied back showing off a three-o-clock shadow against his angular face that showed training. Wearing a red tunic with a long dark brown vest, black pants and matching boots the man as just smiles and waves amongst the people. He did not crave fame. What he craved was unknown to him.

His grandfather had told him the stories of dragons, but like everyone else Corin thought they were myth. By now the Dragons were thought to be so extinct they were just stories. An occasional work of bone, or scale, showed people they were weren’t myths. However, they were treated that way. The man had no clue of his family history with Dragons.

 

[THAT1AMETHYST]

Past the mountain range north of Azalon, there was a great city known by the name of Blakehall. Blakehall was hundreds of miles away from any other civilization and well protected my it's natural mountain walls. Humans would have disliked the isolation, but for a dragon race it was perfect. For this reason, the great city had become populated with what was left of the dragon race. There weren't many left, just under one hundred.

Blakehall was ruled by a fair but strict king by the name of Farkuad. The dragon was reaching the end of his life span, meaning his only daughter, Lazalus, would be left to rule the kingdom. She was fifteen feet tall in a sitting position with beautiful dark violet scales that glistened slightly in direct sunlight. By dragon standards she was one of the most gorgeous creatures to have ever blessed the land. Many males dragons came pinning for her, but Lazalus was protected by her father. He was saving her for the kin of a young man that had saved his life many years ago.

You see, when humans and dragons mated, their offspring was a special kind of creature. A human during the day, a dragon at night, these beings had the intelligence and power of a dragon but the empathy and breeding power of a human. Humans could have tens of twenties of babies, a great gift in growing their species. Dragons were only able to have one child during their lifespan, a time period that lasted 300 years.

With this hybrid, the dragon race could grow exponentially. Many dragons were opposed to the idea, since all humans had ever done were hurt their race, but Farkuad had met a special individual. One who thought of the dragons as equals. His name had been Tiran of Marisco. The young man had passed away years ago, but the king was aware that his grandson, a young man of royal blood, was now walking the Earth.

Months passed and the king's health began to fail. Finally, during the cold months, he fell to his death bed. "Lazalus, my dear, you know the kingdom is to fall into your power." "Yes father." "There is a boy, a young man, by the name of Corin. Have him come to you. Have him breed you. That child will keep our race alive." Lazalus nodded, "Yes father."

Lazalus had been close to her father, but dragons did not cry. While deep down she might have felt some emotion to see her father leave, it did not have the strong grip it would have on a human princess. That cold night, Lazalus became queen of Blakehall.

 

[Dreamwalker85]

Corin looked around the kingdom. The man was all smiles. He was happy to be amongst the kingdom. A few people nodded to him.

One of the guards that trained with Corin walked up, "Hey, Dragonslayer."

That was a nickname for Corin. He hated it. Luckily this was one of the few that called Corin this.

"That was long long ago, and before me and my father were twinkle in my grandfather's eye. A reminance of days gone by," Corin waved a dismissive hand.

"Shame. They're gone."

"Fighting raiders and threats not exciting for you?" Corin shook his head.

"I mean, no hunts and glory."

"There is more to life. It's just a matter of finding your neXT calling." Corin missed the foreshadowing irony the fates weaved.

 

[THAT1AMETHYST]

Lazalus was assigned the crown the following day. All day, she sat there as dragon after dragon entered her quarters, some with complaints, some with praise, some with marriage proposals. As Lazalus sat upon the throne, she thought about her father's words. Who was this man that her father was so keen on? What exactly had he done for her father? He'd never been a talkative creature. Lazalus turned to her assistant with a request, "Shanith, I would like you to go to Marisco in search of a man by the name of Corin."

"Your highness, Marisco is a human city, what could you want with a man?"
"My father informed me that he would be of great help to the kingdom. You are the perfect dragon to go, you are small and discreet, most humans will think you are a bird. Please, do this for me, Shanith, I will owe you greatly."
"You will owe me nothing, your highness, for I am your loyal servant."
Lazalus smiled bleakly and sent her assistant on his way.

 

[Dreamwalker85]

Corin smiled and continued conversation with the guard. After a while he was leaving. The guard eventually yelled, "WHERE ARE YOU GOING CORIN?!"

"OUT TO CLEAR MY HEAD!" Corin was heading toward greenery and the start of a forest grounds that were popular hunting grounds. His words could have easily been heard by the small dragon long before Corin spotted it.

His eyes looked to the sky. For the moment he thought the dragon wasn't a bird. He shook his head. "Perhaps I shall not partake of the wine today."

 

[THAT1AMETHYST]

("Perhaps I should not partake of the wine today." I laughed, very nice.)

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING CORIN?!"
Shanith heard the voice and adjusted his course to the man. He spotted the creature almost immediately, a young man with fair hair and a long brown vest. Shanith perched in a tree and watched him walk into the forest, curious as to why he was going alone.
Do not waste time, Lazalus need you. The small dragon flew down and over Corin's shoulder, landing a few feet in front of him.

 

[Dreamwalker85]

The man pressed onward. When inside the forest he leaned against a tree. "I do not wish to deal with the court today." Then the small creature landed. He couldn't help himself from saying, "What are you?"

 

[THAT1AMETHYST]

"What are you?"

Shanith cleared his throat, "My name is Shanith of the great city of Blakehall, servant to her majesty Lazalus. Your kind call us draygons." He paused a moment to let the information sink in before continuing, "Her majesty has requested your presence in the Castle of Blakehall. She did not specify the reason, so I am not able to give you that answer."

 

[Dreamwalker85]

"Dragons are gone. How can you be alive? And where are you talking? I haven't heard of this place before," the fact Corin was asking about the Dragon Stronghold was a good thing. Both eyes watched the creature with a combination of speculation and disbelief. Speculation was from where this Blakehall was. Dragon and human cartographer didn't compare notes. Disbelief was due to Shanith's existence.

 

[THAT1AMETHYST]

"Our kind took refuge on the other side of the mountains to avoid being eliminated by humans. There are only 93 of us left. Blakehall is straight north of Marisco, a four day journey by flight. Oh, that's not very helpful... how do humans travel, Sir Corin?"

 

[Dreamwalker85]

"The mountain is unreachable by humans unless you have some insight about it I do not." Thinking for a moment he eventually sighed, "I will go. At some point along my journey I will need your aid, or the aid of your queen to make the final trek. That is my condition for doing this. Inform your queen that I will start at," the man paused.

"You will leave now. Make it back there a few days ahead of me. Tell her I'm enroute. When I'm a day or less away by your standards I will be there. You must promise me, as her proxy, that I have sanctuary in the mountains. I know some of your kind had a taste for human if the stories are true. I wish not to be eaten," he said firmly. That was another condition Corin was going to be firm on.

When he had his answers the man went back to the party. "Your secrets will stay safe with me," he said before turning away. Secretly he had hoped that this was just some wine induced hallucination. That or proof when he rose in the morning that this was not a dream.

The party greeted him, but he had not the heart for it. Since that news came he was unsure what to do. His night ended early and he rose with the sound of crows in his room. It was a modest place in the guards quarters, but left alone. That was one amenity he could not avoid no matter how much pleading was done. Although some nights it had advantages.

The man started to pack and prep for his journey. It was going to be a long seven to nine days. He also did not know what the dragons had in store for him. One question lingered in his mind, but it was to be saved when he met with the supposed queen.

 

[THAT1AMETHYST]

"The mountain is unreachable by humans unless you have some insight about it I do not."
"I am not the being to be giving you insight, dragons always travel by flight, but I am able to say the entire journey is possible by a land creature besides crossing the Thickaton River, which my dragon kind will be able to aid you with.

"I will go. At some point along my journey I will need your aid, or the aid of your queen to make the final trek."
Shanith nodded adamantly, "Of coarse, Sir Corin."

"You will leave now. Make it back there a few days ahead of me. Tell her I'm enroute. When I'm a day or less away by your standards I will be there. You must promise me, as her proxy, that I have sanctuary in the mountains. I know some of your kind had a taste for human if the stories are true. I wish not to be eaten."
Shanith burst into laughter, "Eating humans! How barbaric! Do you know how terrible humans taste?" Shanith calmed his laughter before continuing, "I can promise sanctuary, you will be housed in the majesty's castle, the finest building in all of Blakehall. There will be plenty of food, drink, and nesting materials."

As the man began to walk away, he promised confidentiality on their agreement. Shanith nodded and took flight, heading home to his majesty. When he reached the great city, he informed the queen of Corin's decision and a dragon was chosen to carry the man over the Thickaton River. "Do you think he will disagree with riding a dragon?" Shanith questioned the queen. "Why would he, humans ride horses with no issue."

 

[Dreamwalker85]

Corin still didn't believe everythong. Regardless, he was making the climb. Days had passed when he made it to the point aid was needed. Then Corin was offered a ride...on a dragon. That was an experience.

"Are you sure this is real?" He asked the dragon. That was unexpected. When he made it to the home of the Dragons. Looking around, "Hello?" This was going to be another experience.

 

[THAT1AMETHYST]

The dragon who went to meet Corin went by the name of Ranetz. She was one of the larger dragons on the queen's court and definitely one of the more tolerant dragons in the city.

The dragon waited by the river for two days for Corin's appearance. She didn't mind doing this, a vacation had been long needed and there were plenty of fish for her to eat. Finally the man made his appearance on the other side and she flew over to get him.

"Are you sure this is real?" the small creature asked her. "Why wouldn't it be?" she asked with sincerity, since she was very literal, even for a dragon. Ranetz laid on the grass to allow the man easy access to her back and carried him over the river.

She continued flying to the city with the man on her back. It was a strange place to humans. Since there was so much range in the size of dragons, the buildings were strangely small or gigantic. The majority of them were made of stone and mortar with wooden roofs. The public buildings, however, were a sight to behold. Their architecture was beautiful, full of spiraling pillars and statues of long remembered dragons. Huge windows that opened easily to let dragons out but kept the rain out as well.

Ranetz flew to the largest building in the city, a castle.

 

[Dreamwalker85]

Corin took in everything. From the size of the buildings to their immaculate designs, it was all too much for him to envision. What he expected was this to look like one well put together system of caves. He did not expect a village that would have made giants weep due to its overall beauty. When he got off the Dragon he said, "I didn't expect to fly on a dragon let alone see that they live in a village that puts many I've seen to shame."

*

Looking around he had to ask, "So where is the queen?" Being in the heart of Dragon Territory was still a hard pill to swallow. It was harder to swallow that the Queen of the Dragons had sought him out specifically. Something about this whole arrangement was odd at best.

 

[THAT1AMETHYST]

Ranetz looked back at Corin with a hearty smile, "Yes, it is a beautiful city, allbeit a small one. There aren't many dragons left."
"So where is the queen?"
"She resides in the Great Hall of Blakehall Castle."
The dragon slowed her speed and landed gracefully on one of the castles many decks. Shanith was there to great them. "Her majesty is ready for your presences," he said politely to the human, moving into the corridor that would lead to the queen.

 

[Dreamwalker85]

Taking in everything Corin even whistled at the stairs that led to the castle. They looked big enough for him to climb up, and down. He was going to ask for a few days of sanctuary before leaving. Climb those stairs to keep in shape. When they landed together Corin asked, "What is your queen like, Ranetz?" He went down the walk way. Along the way he straightened his hair, and tried to make himself look presentable. This was a royal court after all.

*

When he made it to her chamber the man bowed instantly whenever she showed. "Your highness," Corin said with the utmost respect. Once addressed, and human civility dictated he could rise, Corin did so. Looking at the Dragons he pushed aside any feeling of awe, and dread, to ask a question that had been burning in his mind since this began, "Why me?"

*

Corin was royalty, but the likelihood of him being in the throne wasn't too high. His older brother was first. Then any heirs he produced would get it before Corin, which was fine. His brother used money, power and many number of things to get with a woman. If anything Corin expected a war amongst the kingdom between a rightful heir, and a bastard with just as much claim. There was nothing wrong with sleeping around. Just it should have stopped for the sake of the crown if nothing else. He didn't see his brother stopping.

*

Deep down it made Corin wonder if he took a bride if he could have been a better, and more devote, husband. That was a stray and inappropriate thought given where he was, or so he thought.

 

[THAT1AMETHYST]

"What is your queen like, Ranetz?"
Ranetz thought for a moment before answering, "She is the most beautiful dragon in the entire kingdom. Every day she has a line of suitors outside the castle that have to be shooed off by the guards. That being said, she is a bit entitled. Not to the point where she's unbearable to speak to, but just enough to rub me the wrong way sometimes. Don't tell anyone I said that, by the way."

They continued to the great hall of the castle and entered through the main doors. It was filled with dragons, the majority of the city, in fact, sat in the stone stands on both sides of the hall. Ranetz began to wonder why this was, dragons rarely all attended a royal meeting, even if they were entitled to do so.

The human bowed with a polite, "Your highness." Ranetz left him alone on the central carpet, in full view of the entire hall. "You may rise." "Welcome to my kingdom, Corin of Marsico." She was surprised by the intrigue of the creature. Humans weren't a necessarily attractive species but their was something about him that didn't bother her like most others.

The man rose from his bow and looked Lazulus in the eyes, "Why me?" She smiled, "You are the kin of Torin, a man who saved my father many years ago. My father, Farkuad, was adamant that I consider you for breeding stock." A roar of quiet mutter filled the hall, a human?

 

[Dreamwalker85]

Corin shook his head in disbelief, "You mean you wish to herd humans up here like animals?" He knew what the other "breeding stock"meaning was, but cross species impregnation seemed preposterous at best. "If you aim to make me your pet for food or entertainment purposes then you're sorely mistaken." When a few snickers from the crowd came Corin held up a finger as everything clicked. The turning away of suitors, bringing a human all the way up here, some apparent family respect, among other things.

"I am flattered by the notion," Corin tried to tiptoe very lightly in this verbal encounter. "I just don't think it could work. I mean we don't know if you, and I could produce offspring. Plus it would be very unsatisfying for you. While I've been a decent to okay lover," Corin wasn't one to toot his own horn when it came to matters of the flesh. "Our size difference alone would make it very unpleasing for you. I mean, I may be good to great by human standards, but would you feel anything? Would you gain pleasure from it? Besides, usually life should be something celebrated. A show of love and affection if it was going to intentionally create life. You wouldn't want your children to be with a human especially me. You are a Queen. I...I'm in line for the throne, but I highly doubt I would ever take the crown. My brother is quite virile and tends to stick himself wherever is a willing hole. Plus he is older, so I would have to compete with him and the long line of children he is bound to have one day, if they haven't already started without his knowing or caring."

Corin was just being brutally honest because what did he have to loose? In a way he was humble like his grandfather because the women of his past may have complained about him. They may have said many bad things, but none came from the moaning that happened behind closed doors.

 

[THAT1AMETHYST]

Lazalus patiently listened to Corin's small speech before speaking herself, "You are no animal, human, but a species of great intelligence, one that occasionally rivals that of the dragons." There was laughter from the dragons watching the ordeal. Lazalus glared at them with fiery eyes. "A human dragon hybrid has not been attempted for hundreds of years, although legend has it the last one was a great warrior." The queen paused for a moment before continuing, "Your interest in my pleasure while flattering is completely unnecessary. I do not need to feel pleasure to be inseminated. That being said, you might be surprised by your size compared to other dragons. Hessel, approach the throne."
One of the queen's guards cam forward. "Do you mind showing this human your mentulas?" The guard eyed Corin carefully before a protrusion appeared in his lower region. It was not much larger than a human penis, a strange sight for a creature the same size as a small building.
"You say you have a brother. What is this person that you speak of and why is he of importance?" Lazalus asked after excusing the guard. She knew she'd heard the term before but wasn't aware of the meaning.

 

[Dreamwalker85]

Corin noted everything. He was also genuinely shocked, and felt some pity, when it came to dragon pieces. Like any men that saw this anatomy display Corin thought that dragon organs would have been to scale. It was shocking to see that they were not. This was a revelation to say the least.

However, what he comment on first was what came last, "When a human coupling create a child it establishes mother, father, and son or daughter. When that same pairing has multiple children the sons and daughters become siblings to one another. Brothers describe the males and sisters the females. There can be families with four children. These four children are siblings, they're all brothers and sisters to each other. Does that make sense?" He waited just to make sure everyone was following.

"My family is of royal blood. In human royalty the eldest son becomes the future king. I have an older brother. He is going to become king. I do not want his power. I would be flattered if I one day got it, but that is not going to happen. I am making clear if you're doing this for power you're not going to get it with me. Maybe a little, but not too much," looking toward the room Corin took in the crowd.

Without a word he started to remove what weapons he had, the few bits of armor and so he was standing in a simple red tunic, black pants and boots. "For the rest of your comments I wish a private audience. In addition to your size, quickness, strength and anything else you would be me at. I am unarmed. I have no armor. I have no way to defend myself as I am not magical. The guards can take my things, but they have to be on the outside as I wish this to be absolutely private. Just us." Yes, Corin wanted to talk to the Queen privately.

 

[THAT1AMETHYST]

The queen took in Corin's explanation. Siblings? Humans had multiple children... the implications of her father's reasoning for bringing in a human mate suddenly hit her. He'd always been obsessed with expanding the dragon population, a human-dragon hybrid might be able to have more than one child. "You say your brother is older, he holds the power. If you had a child, it would not hold the throne." Lazalus wondered if her father knew this about Corin. Should she bring in the man's brother. She didn't know his name, and she'd become slightly fond of this man. Going through the trouble of bringing in another human seemed like too much, as well. "Dragons have no siblings, so you are considered as of much royal blood as your older brother who will take the throne."

Lazalus had no idea if this was true, but she was the queen, so if it wasn't it was now. She patiently listened to the human's request for privacy before excusing the entire hall. It took many minutes for the hall to clear, but soon Corin and Lazalus were alone in the great hall.

 

[Dreamwalker85]

"Queen, may I be allowed to speak freely?" Corin asked once alone. His gaze went to her waiting for permission. Once granted he said, "I will not mate with you unless you have pleasure. It may result in what you wish. Similarly, it may give you what I wish," he said. Knowing this was going to be confusing due to vague terms.

"Show me where I would plunge myself to give you a child," Corin had a plan. He just needed her to play along.

 

[THAT1AMETHYST]

The queen stared at Corin. Why was he so obsessed with her pleasure? It did not matter, the only thing that mattered was his. "Explain why this is important to you, Corin," Lazalus said as she left her thrown, descending the few steps that parted them.

"Show me where I would plunge myself to give you a child," Corin continued. Lazalus became aware that a human would not have this knowledge. The male dragon kind inherently knew where this place was. Lazalus turned around, her tail gently brushing the human's face, before lifting her hindquarters into the air. There was a small slit located directly under the base of her tail. The scales stopped near the slit, giving way to smooth skin.

 

[Dreamwalker85]

Corin saw it. Pushing aside some of his feelings the man reached out. One of his hands rubbed at her slit slowly even looked to find a clit. The man was just rubbing the dragon. He whispered, "If you like how this feels...and find yourself craving it later then we cant alk about what you unger for dinner," a finger slow into her for a second just feel how she compared to a human. Eventually his hand pulled away, "If you desire more of this...then find me tonight. I will be in my quarters."