The North (Closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Then I will introduce you to Steris and he will give you a token to allow you entry to the Judges' stronghold at Ararat," Hoban explained quietly as they headed for the door. "Ararat is many days away by horse, but you could get there in just a few days with your partner, and avoid the dangerous roads to boot. There is often conflict in the regions east of here that you'd much rather not get caught up in."

As they went, Hoban guided Riley through the city with intimate knowledge of alleys and shortcuts, even passing through underground walkways along the path. Eventually he came to a large stone building with many column reliefs and a few decorative turrets, its walls plastered, whitewashed, and painted bright teal. It hosted a large courtyard filled with simple gardens, among which healing and recovering patients of the hospital wandered. It seemed a well-kept and well-funded place, and reliefs and statues of its generous patrons were dotted about the gardens and walls, painted bright and exquisite colors. Hoban approached the open gates where a man in plain brown robes and a head wrap stood waiting for entering patients. A few quick words were exchanged and Hoban motioned Riley through with him. Upon entering the dark wooden doors covered in carved reliefs of angels and Muslim-leaning imagery, they passed a large lobby partly filled with waiting patients, and Hoban led the way down plain, clean halls to an apparent office with its own small archive and a separated medical study area full of papers, tools, and a large storage vault sealed behind a metal door.

The office door sat open, prompting Hoban to glance inside. Riley saw past him all the plain but sturdy wooden furniture draped in cloth and cushions, stone counters and shelves full of implements and books, and a grizzled old Jackal easily in his eighties or more, settled into a large armchair staring at a sun-bleached canine skull on a table before him. He sketched and took notes, studied teeth, and handled it with great care. After all, it wasn't just an animal skull. It was too large. It had at one point likely belonged to a Wolf.

The old Jackal glanced up over wire-frame glasses balanced on his muzzle, and gave Riley a suspicious stare before finally speaking in a heavy Greek accent, "Hoban... I was not expecting guests."

"This one is too important to wait for an appointment," Hoban muttered, ushering Riley in and shutting the door behind them. "She needs to see the Judges immediately."

Setting his studies aside and rising to adjust his simple cream-colored robes, old Steris gave Riley another hard look while Hoban quietly explained what they'd already discussed. Steris barely glanced away from Riley, but his gaze grew less suspicious. Even before her name was mentioned, Steris had a look of recognition about her.

"The woman in question," Hoban summed up, getting ready to quietly reveal who they were dealing with, "is the-"

"The Rider Queen," Steris muttered. "I may have never met this girl before, Hoban... But I see Ephriam Blackstone in her. There's absolutely no doubt." He came striding forward, much to Hoban's surprise. He nearly went to embrace Riley, but caught himself and instead offered a hand to shake. "You are... most welcome. Most welcome indeed. Any family of Ephriam is a friend of mine, dear girl. You are... Riley, yes?"

Hoban looked stunned that Steris already seemed to know who he was speaking to, whereas Steris had to clench his jaw to hold back some long-forgotten emotion. It seemed that her very face brought back memories of a dear old friend.

 

[heartofcourage]

When they approached the stone building, Riley instantly knew where they were. She had seen it before in one of Vincenzo's journals that her father was so fond of reading to them at night. She'd been young, but she remembered being tucked beneath one of Sam's strong arms while he held Soma in the other and read to them of Vincenzo's adventures so far from home. She had thought it silly that he had been so taken with a hospital when he had seen countless before, but now she was faced with that exact building.

She stayed a step or two behind Hoban as he led her into the building. The jackal knew where he was going, and Riley was simply an intruder. The moment that she saw Steris, she paused. There was an indescribable emotion that came to her, one that he emanated. He was cautious, but he had also seen a ghost from his past. There was confusion, deeply rooted, and familiarity. He knew who she was, but that wasn't unusual. Many did. However, when he said her great-grandfather's name, she was taken back. She only knew him as the poor, old fox who had raised Fiona briefly. Owen rarely spoke of his father as the pain was too great. Steris knew him, and most likely knew him as a young, strong Arbiter.

"Riley Ghis. Yes." She said softly, shaking his hand. "I'm terribly sorry that I don't know much of Ephriam. You probably know the sorrows of his life."

Riley nervously wiped her palms on her trousers, pulling back the hood of her cloak. "My mother was...is...very ill. We've come on bended knee to anyone that might have something to save her."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I doubt your mother would ever willingly accept such help," Steris murmured, seemingly more intrigued now than suspicious. "I wonder if she would consider us much different from our Arbiter forebears. We hunt dragons, young Fox. And when we find them, they bow or they die."

"That's... that's not the whole truth," Hoban murmured. "You relocate them for their safety."

"We kill those who cause harm, and imprison the rest in small havens so humans won't wipe them out," Steris stated bluntly. "Only Fiona Blackstone has the luxury of a haven spanning countries." He sighed and shook his head, turning back toward his desk to gather up his research and store it away in drawers. "We earned our name from centuries of judging dragon and man, whether they are worth the resources it takes to keep them alive, and whether we can afford to protect them from the greater machinations of war and greed. As a young man, Ephriam was one of our most dedicated Judges, til the work grew too taxing on his soft heart. He left us for the north and took nothing with him but his regrets. Last I knew... he died a penniless poet in the woods beyond some little Scottish town. A sorry end to one of the greatest Riders and warriors I ever knew. Ephriam and his partner Odessa could outfly, outfight, and outwit anyone. When they parted ways, she was never the same."

Hoban shifted uncomfortably, but kept silent as Steris packed things away and began gathering up a few items into a satchel. The old Jackal soon came to face Riley, his bag over his shoulder. "I will help you, if only out of respect to my brother-in-arms. His letters spoke so lovingly of his granddaughter... I would not spit on his memory by letting her die to a sickness he could've saved her from if he were still here."

 

[heartofcourage]

"My mother is a complicated woman." Riley said as she watched Steris pack his belongings. Hoban seemed entirely uncomfortable with the situation as Steris laid out all he wished, evoking the name of her great-grandfather to make his point. But she stood silent as he said what he thought that he needed to say.

When he was done, Riley cleared her throat and tilted her head to the side to consider Steris for a moment. "If you're done?" She asked softly, her eyes never wavering from his. "If you wish us to still be Arbiters, I'll tell you that we aren't. We never will be. My mother is the closest that the North has, my father behind her, but never without a reason for doing so. That haven...the one that she has built for twenty years has come at a high personal cost for her. She is forever imprisoned by it and the fear that one day it will cease to exist. Not only do the dragons mean that much to her, but some of her closest companions are there."

"The great dragon Reven gave my brother and I the gift of her blood. You speak of Ephriam in great regard, but I know you're still angry with him. He left you. He left all of this. He had a nice little life away from the hurt and pain that he couldn't control anymore. The same hurt and pain that I feel in you. And jealousy that he found peace while you never had the courage to. You're too proud to admit to the jealousy but it's there. I'm sorry if any of this offends you, because I really do need a cure for my mother's illness. Ephriam is dead. Long, long dead. He doesn't need you to do this for him. He needs you to do this for her and all of those dragons that you wished you could have saved."

 

[KieranSoares]

As Riley spoke, Steris held her gaze and never blinked. He understood he was dealing with a young and potentially volatile Caller, and Riley could feel the caution radiating from him til his mind began to close off to her. He was no Caller himself, but it was clear he'd been trained to face them if needed.

"I will do as I must for my own reasons," he said firmly, not arguing against nor confirming her words, "and in accordance to the ways of the Judges of Ararat. You may see much more than most, young Caller. But be mindful of prescribing intent when you lack context. Some Judges are not so patient. Even fewer are forgiving."

Looking to Hoban, Steris nodded toward the door. "Go on back to your business. The Judges will handle this."

Hoban didn't argue, giving Riley a slight bow of his head and a murmured, "Best of luck, miss." He backed out, leaving the pair alone.

Gathering a few more odd items in his satchel, Steris headed for the door as well. "It won't take us long to get there by dragon. I need a few basic supplies, so I'll meet you outside the city." He pressed something into her hand as he passed; a silver seal embossed with a dragon clutching a giant hammer. "If anyone approaches you or your partner, this will give you safe passage as a guest of the Judges."

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley paused as Steris placed a coin into her hand, speaking about the need to travel quickly by dragon. "You'll be providing your own dragon?" Riley asked, wondering if an arbitor as he claimed he was would even own a dragon in his own right. "Or should I be expecting company?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Yasar will carry me. Be on the lookout for a southern golden male. He carries a mark of our order as well on his arm." Steris continued on without a break in step, focused on the task at hand. "Mind you keep that seal in hand til you are safely with your partner. Werefolk can go missing in broad daylight in this part of the world, and that seal can help scare off hunters and slavers who come your way. I'll see you in an hour or two. Find a hill outside the city where my partner can spot you."

Steris was off without a look back, heading out of the building and melding into the streets and crowds til he disappeared, leaving Riley to do as she needed.

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley watched as the mysterious Steris disappeared into the crowd. He stoked her anger, but she did her best to tamp it down. It was best that she was stoic and calm, like her mother. Never in her life did she think that she would be trying to emulate the quiet calmness of Fiona Blackstone. As she stepped back into the crowded market streets, she wondered if her mother was still holding on or if all of this would be in vain.

There was a sense of extra vigilance as she made her way back to where Marth and Rikki were waiting for them. It felt as if all eyes were on her, watching and wondering what a fox was doing there in the middle of the strange Eastern city. She didn't speak, she didn't look around, she kept to herself with her hand wrapped firmly around the sharp dragon scale dagger at her side.

 

[KieranSoares]

Plenty of eyes watched Riley go, some curious of the new arrival and some scoping out opportunities. At one point, a man in traveling gear and leathers briefly followed her, but broke away after getting a good look at her and realizing she was armed and fit. When she arrived back to Rikke and Marth, Andre was already there with a fire going, serving a simple meal to a thin young Leopard clad in simple, dirty linen clothes. A bundle of new clothing and basic travel gear was sitting beside her, and she looked terribly overwhelmed as Andre placed a hearty stew and fresh flatbread before her.

"Eat all you like. Just be careful not to make yourself sick," Riley could hear Andre advise softly as she approached.

"Thank you, Master Andre," the Leopard murmured with a deep bow of her head, flattening her ears in deference.

"And I told you that you don't have to call me that." Andre offered a smile, before noticing Riley's arrival. He stood and a wave of relief washed over him. "Ri... Everything go okay?" He stepped up to take her hand, looking her over to see she was untouched. "I found someone who's seen the disease personally, and she claims her grandmother has helped treat it. This is Baris."

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley stared at her husband for a moment, knowing that it might be one of the last moments that she saw him alive. She had no idea where she was going nor what would happen when she got there. She simply knew now that this was so much bigger than her and her life.

"In a few moments another dragon and rider are going to appear. I will be going with him with Marth...alone." She murmured, squeezing his hand tightly. "I need you to trust me. He knew my great-grandfather. Ephriam worked here, with them, and he knew about this illness. Steris can take me to those that know how to help."

 

[KieranSoares]

Andre's grip on her hand tightened as well in response. "Who are these people?" He asked, nearly demanding as his brows stitched in worry. "Who is Steris? How can you know what kind of people they are?"

He looked back at the Leopard when he noticed her staring into the sky nervously. His blue eyes followed, seeing glinting gold scales in the distance as a male dragon began to approach. "You're not going with a stranger alone, Ri. That's asking to be captured or worse," he insisted as the dragon landed nearby and began to approach carefully.

The male was slim and lean with a barrel chest and long tail, built akin to a cheetah. His long, slender limbs and thinner, slightly reflective scales were built for the heat and for speed. He looked at the Riders and their dragons with his tail curling in interest, and he paused a respectful distance away to await someone to approach.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I am going alone. I have to, Koah." Riley murmured softly as he held her hand tightly. "Andre, I need you to listen to me. There is the possibility that they can help Ma. Even the most remote possibility is worth it to me. The North needs her far more than me. If my purpose in life in giving up everything that I can to save her, then so be it."

Riley pulled her hand free from Andre's and approached the new dragon cautiously. "May I introduce my partner, Marth? He'll be coming with us."

Riley turned and looked at her dragon, motioning for him to come forward to greet the new dragon and Steris. "And my mate, Andre. His partner is Rikki, my sworn sister."

 

[KieranSoares]

Steris remained perched in his simple saddle, its lower and slimmer design markedly different from those of Northern European Riders. He gave Andre and Rikke a curt nod each, his eyes lingering on Rikke for a long moment. The golden male regarded the other dragons with something between respect and caution, keeping his guard up seemingly more out of habit than actual suspicion.

"My partner, Yasar," Steris introduced the streamlined dragon. "I knew your people worked with a few Elder Dragons, but I didn't expect to see another living one this far south in my lifetime. "Well met, Lady Rikke. Your father's fierce reputation is well-known to me." He spoke with a bit of reverence not unlike other riders Riley knew when they addressed new mature, intelligent dragons, or those of some social station. Rikke was also technically nobility by Norwegian law, as her father had been recognized as a lord and protector of Trondheim for many years. Steris seemed incredibly aware of Schaller's reputation as he bowed his head slightly to the young female dragon. Rikke tried to react with graze, but she seemed a bit awkward as she bowed in return.

Steris didn't let the formalities last too long, glancing back to Riley. "It's best we go right away. The Judges will have great interest in your case."

"What exactly are you all doing?" Andre demanded, as much to his wife as the strangers. "You're not going without us, Ri. Especially not with people we don't know. He might've known your grandfather, but how can we know he's not luring you into something?"

"This is as much about aiding the Rider Queen as it is preventing an outbreak of deadly disease among your people," Steris stated firmly. "No matter how careful your doctors might be, there is always a chance of the Hunger spreading through unexpected means. Several of my colleagues' entire careers have been dedicated to preventing this disease, and hunting down those spreading it who are too far gone." Steris wasn't telling everything, that was clear. But his deadly serious explanation showed his honesty in one subject. "This sickness is terrible for dragons both physically and socially. The more that grow ill and mad and attack humans, the worse the human regard of dragons grows. Fear is a great and terrible motivator for genocide."

"I'm still coming with you," Andre stated firmly, and Steris shrugged.

"You come from arguably the largest alliance of Caller families and your partner is an Elder. My fellows would be keen to meet you as well. But I will not be waiting for you two to argue who is and isn't going. I'm leaving, because regardless of who follows, the Judges need to know what's going on."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Just...hold a moment." Riley said to Steris as she stared at Andre with a mixture of desperation and anger. "Please."

"There is work to be done here and you are wasting time, Koah. There are texts to look through, avenues to explore, and if you come with me, we only waste time. What if they can't help? Then we have basically condemned my mother to death and the North to a future where no dragon is safe. I need you here." Riley stated just as firmly, her desperation for an answer showing clearly in her gaze.

She recognized the stubborn look in his eyes. It was the one that she hated the most. He wouldn't listen to her. She let out a frustrated sigh and threw up her hands in painful surrender.

"Do what you wish then." She wanted to tell him that if her mother died, she would never forgive him, but she held her tongue. She was scared but she wouldn't be cruel.

Riley then turned and mounted Marth, tugging at his reigns to orientate him in the direction that Steris indicated. "By your leave."

 

[KieranSoares]

Steris and his partner took off the instant Riley gave the word, not waiting for any further argument Andre might raise. The Leopard woman, Baris, had ducked her head trying to stay out of the entire situation. But it came as a surprise to everyone- even Andre himself- when he quietly sat back down and made no move to follow.

"I'll learn what I can and head back home if I find some solid answers," he muttered, resigning himself to putting his mother-in-law's life above his wife's, at his wife's own request. There was painful understanding there- Andre rarely shielded his mind from Riley- but also a deep and quietly burning determination to help the women that he loved most. "I'll see you Edinburgh," he added firmly, glancing back at her. It wasn't a hope, but a demand that she return alive.

 

[heartofcourage]

Edinburgh. The mere mention of the name made Riley's heart clench painfully. It was the place where her family hung in the balance. She didn't fear the unknown there in the old countries. She feared what was happening half a world away. Riley didn't look back at Andre but gave him a nod of understanding. They would meet again in Edinburgh and figure out what the future held.

When Marth took flight, Riley couldn't help but look off across the miles to where her mother lay trapped between life and death. Only the rider queen had the luxury of an entire army working to solve this mystery. Only her mother was left to suffer to pain and indignity of an illness that was thought long eradicated. She could almost see Fiona lying there, helpless and screaming in pain as she fought to rid herself of the disease or hold on long enough to see her family again. The pain echoed over the many miles, filling Riley with an angry determination. If they thought her headstrong and reckless in her youth, they hadn't seen anything yet.

As Marth drew up to the other dragon, Riley directed her gaze across at Steris. She silently told him that she was young and foolish, but she would see this through to any end.

 

[KieranSoares]

While primarily focused on his own task and thoughts, Steris shared a brief glance with Riley. He didn't doubt her conviction, it seemed. Only her ignorance of the grander scale.

Their flight was as fast as their dragons could manage with no room for breaks or to behold the beautiful scenery they passed. The vast seas either side of the city soon vanished behind them in favor of vast foothills, deep green valleys, and rocky, sparse highlands. As night fell, they soared above wide-open, rocky meadows full of wildflowers and grazing livestock. The moon turned the vast, light tan landscape and grasses silvery blue, and there were only a few gnarled trees cast in the glow huddled around springs and streams. Clouds rolled in late to obscure the sky and turn the night nearly pitch black.

Just before dawn, a light, warm rain turned into dense fog. The sun rose to begin burning off the mist just in time for Riley to behold a distant stone titan. Mount Ararat was not the tallest mountain in all the known world, but it suited well its biblical status. Tiny lava flows cascaded slowly down one flank and decorated the foothills below, a stark difference from its snow-capped peak. Steris seemed on alert, scanning the sky around them more intensely than before despite how tired they all were.

In the foothills, Riley began noticing small shacks dotted around, each sporting a small platform with an unlit fire beacon. Curled around or waiting nearby some of those beacons were lithe dragons of various breeds and sizes, but all notably very young or very old. One such grizzled old fellow straightened up seeing Riley and Steris approach. Steris's dragon blew a flame signal, and the old dragon relaxed back into his watch position.

Steris and his partner soon began to descend around mid-morning in the upper foothills. A village surrounded by terraced farms stood out against the terrain. It was a strange place for people to live, but the volcanic soil seemed to serve them well as greenery and orchards stretched out between irrigation ditches fed by ice melt from the mountain itself. A formidable stone wall erupted from the rocky mountainside, its bastions dominated by manned anti-dragon weapons and a few cannons. The great wooden and steel gate doors were covered with gold and silver inlay. Instead of the heavy Christian and Muslim influence expected in such art and riches in this part of the world, the inlay depicted ferocious warriors dragon, man, and werefolk, all fighting side-by-side against a flood of demons and otherworldly monsters surrounding one massive, lordly, half-skeletal dragon master.

Steris dismounted as soon as they touched down in a large open landing area before the gates, turning back to regard Riley and Marth as they followed. Villagers, guardsmen in armor and draped tabards, and a surprising array of smaller dragons all looked on at the newly-arrived strangers. Riley could see a few dragons missing wings or limbs around, doing work that suited their capabilities. Others in tack and armor sat up high on outcroppings or bastions to watch over everything beside armored Riders.

The vast gates were halfway open, wide enough to allow humans and werefolk and their drakes or horses through. Immediately a few drake riders came trotting out, clad in fine but functional armor denoting a higher rank. Before they got too close, Steris looked to Riley again.

"You will be heavily judged and many will be suspicious of you. Keep your tongue in check," he warned. "I will get you where you need to be, then I will discuss the issue with my superiors before they come to meet you. It may take a little time for our people to be ready to travel."

 

[heartofcourage]

The moment that Riley sat Ararat, she was struck by the sheer size and scale of it. It was made for fortification and had been heavily armed against outsiders. Not even the structures in the haven matched the size of what was here. The dragons that dotted the mountain were like Marth, scarred by other forces. She glanced down over the scene as they followed Steris into their landing spot.

As she dismounted, she barely had time to register what Steris was telling her. Everything that surrounded them as an assault on her senses. She had seen this place before. She recognized it all. However, she knew that no one in her immediate family had never once set foot here. It was confusing to the young fox to say the least.

"A Blackstone, Steris?" Came a voice from among the drake riders, a golden jaguar urging a dark green drake to the front of the small scouting party. "Are you mad?"

Riley looked at the were, noticing a deep scar that ran down her face and the bright white eye that stared blindly from the wound. Each rider had helms that reminded her of dragon skulls, jutting out to offer protection and shade in the harsh desert sun. It was clear that many knew Ephriam Blackstone, if not personally than from legend. She wondered if her great-grandfather had burned his bridges before he left the order for good.

"Marth, if the worst happens, you fly straight to Edinburgh." Riley murmured to her dragon in Norwegian, knowing that it was the least likely language that someone there would know.

 

[KieranSoares]

"A Blackstone, Nephera," Steris confirmed stoically. "And my personal guest."

There was certainly a Caller or Elder Dragon nearby watching them, as Riley felt a presence that was fully guarded but looming large like a silent guardian. Many eyes were watching now out of curiosity, caution, and deep distrust.

"We are being called upon for aid. And it is the Judges' duty to- at minimum- consider the request. We are also dedicated to seeking out and eradicating the Hunger wherever it spreads. The Rider Queen's eldest is here to seek out aid for her mother's sake." Steris explained bluntly to the group, knowing he had to defend Riley's presence with a good justification. "The titan Hesperus may be dead, but the Hunger remains in his wake."

The other drake riders were silent, looking to the jaguar for judgement. Steris stared fearlessly and calmly forward. Despite his reputation from being no-nonsense and even thorny, Steris took nothing more seriously than his pursuit of the eradication of the Great Hunger, his history with Ephriam aside.

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley wished that she could sink into the darkness of her cloak and escape the prying eyes of those around them, but she forced herself to stand straight and stoic as Steris negotiated with the guards to get her inside. Nephera listened to what Steris had to say before she let out a long sigh.

"It was you, yourself, who swore that no blood of Ephriam's would ever pass through these doors. You are willing to go back on that?" The jaguar asked. "Very well. She'll be disarmed and allowed to pass."

Riley watched as two men dismounted and approached. She fought the urge to insist that she keep her weapons, instead lifting her arms in a sign of surrender as the quickly searched and took what she might have. Her dagger and axe were confiscated while her crossbow and sword remained with Marth.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can put aside my grudges for greater purposes," Steris snorted at Nephera. "Ephriam's cowardice shouldn't stop us from keeping to our tenets."

Once Riley was cleared to enter, Steris began walking toward the gates with a nod to his partner. His dragon turned to leave while the gates were opened wide for Marth to enter. No doubt the Judges wanted to keep a close eye on both newcomers.

"Stay close to me," Steris muttered to Riley as they entered the inner compound to see a vast courtyard full of his fellows. Men and women of many races- evenly split between were and human- trained, worked with drakes, tended stables, and worked at various trades around the space. The surrounding walls had homes and barracks built into them, leaving the central space open and flat, except for some fenced rings and practice areas.

At the far end, a stone keep carved out of the mountain itself loomed high above. A majority of the castle was carved directly into the cliffs, and the face of the castle was built from the stone quarried therein. It looked to be many centuries old, but better cared for than most castles Riley knew from the isles and Norway. Many faith symbologies adorned the fortress, even though it was built into a mountain sacred to Judaism and Christianity.

Many eyes watched the new arrivals with deep suspicion, and a few guards trailed behind them atop drakes. And soon, Riley felt the presence of other minds becoming aware of her, like eyes upon her that she couldn't see. There were Callers here, and they already knew she was approaching. And one looming presence alerted her that there was indeed an Elder dragon close by. When a large draconic head slid slowly over the very top of the keep's battlements, she was greeted by a heavily-scarred copper male whose scales had begun to tarnish green as if he were actually made of metal. He was likely around Schaller's age, but far more battered. Both eyes were long gone, sealed shut. But his long, majestic gently-curving horns, silky black mane and beard, and clean white teeth told of great care and a long, peaceful retirement. Battle dragons never lost their scars, but their teeth, horns, and fur would grow out and recover throughout their lives. This old fellow seemed to be some kind of sentinel, his days of war long over.

"Blackstone..." The old dragon rumbled deeply as Steris and Riley approached the main doors to the mountain keep. Steris slowed, looking up the four-story building to where the dragon's head was tilted down toward them.

"Lord Eshai," Steris addressed him respectfully.

"Has Ephriam returned...? No... Reven has touched this one directly."

"Riley Blackstone, of Clan Ghis. Daughter of Fiona and granddaughter of Ephriam, your lordship. She's come to request aid against the Hunger."

It seemed the longer the Lord Eshai considered Riley's presence, the more he understood. "Young, fiery blood, and one who loves our people... You are most welcome, Riley Blackstone." The dragon's scarred face cracked a warm smile. "Come... The Judges shall hear you." He slowly pulled his head back up and out of sight while Steris led Riley inside a large, column-lined hall full of various banners that seemed to represent families, clans, lords, and knights. It was fairly sparse aside from chairs and tables here and there, serving as a meeting and dining hall, but there didn't seem to be a head table for a ruler or leader.

A bell sounded from where Eshai was perched, tolling out over the Judges' fortress, but Steris paid it no mind for the moment. "The Lord Judges will begin convening shortly. Since it's a matter of the Hunger, they won't want to waste time. But we do have time for you to get something to eat and freshen up if you wish. You'll have time to relax and unwind later. They will insist you stay at least tonight so they have time to gather whatever and whomever will be going north with you... If they decide to help."

 

[heartofcourage]

Time slowed to a crawl as the gates were opened for her and Marth to enter. It took everything in her power to not crumble under the intense feelings of the moment. She could close her eyes and see Ephriam staring back at her, a quizzical look on his features as if to ask why his own blood had returned to this place. The two were a mirror of one another, same dark fur and gently pointed ears. That was gone in an instant as Steris murmured to her to follow closely.

She had remained silent thus far. However, it didn't stop her from reaching for the dagger at her belt that was no longer there as voices came alive in her head. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the escort. What had been done to warrant this kind of response to a strange rider, she wondered as sudden movement had her attention. Her eyes were cast towards the sky as a great dragon loomed over them. There was no need to say anything. She had grown around dragons since birth, and she felt no fear in this one's presence. As he greeted her and disappeared, Riley glanced to Steris again, listening as he explained what would happen next.

"I have no need for anything except saving my mother's life. I have no want to be the Rider Queen." She murmured, reaching up to finally pull her hood back and expose her face. "Tell me...is this trial...usual? Or is it because I'm a Blackstone? I can tell you that Ephriam is just as confused as to why I'm here as you were when you first saw me."

 

[KieranSoares]

If Steris was caught off-guard by her being able to sense her late grandfather's confusion, or that she could sense him at all, he didn't show it. "The distrust of outsiders is deep in our blood as a community. We allow few inside this fortress, and trust even fewer. We have learned from many hunter and slaver raids, as well as extermination attempts against our dragon brothers, that we cannot trust the outside world. Individuals may be given a chance to prove themselves, but we will never open our gates again to more than a handful at a time. Traders stay outside the village, and only trusted friends and honored guests are allowed to stay within the walls. Count yourself lucky that I'm risking my reputation on you."

Steris looked away, watching workers hurry by to whatever tasks they'd been assigned. "But more than all of that... The people you feel pressing in on you remember Ephriam and know you're his blood." He shook his head slowly, his pointed ears tilting back slightly as his tough, serious mask dropped a moment. "I know it must be confusing, that I greeted you warmly and now act cold. It's difficult not to see your grandfather when I look at you. I'm reminded of how much our order loved him, and how betrayed we feel by how he left. None of it was on good terms, young Fox. He's considered a deserter, among a few other choice titles against his once-good name. When he left..." Steris stopped himself, realizing he was getting emotional. The mask went back on, and suddenly he was stone-faced and focused again.

"Lord Eshai will tell you the story if you want to hear it. I wasn't there the day Ephriam abandoned his mantle and his partner."

 

[heartofcourage]

“But you wish you had been there.” Riley murmured as she took a step towards the carved walls, her eyes traveling over all of the various images that played out before her. "And it might have changed all of this... He would have stayed. My grandfather would never have been born. My mother would never have been born. That dragon would have destroyed much more than he did."

She turned to look at Steris, taking in the way that his ears gave away his innermost thoughts. "I don't need your reputation, Steris. If they will judge me, then they already know mine. I'm impetuous, stubborn, and honest. I'm all of the things that my parents wished they could have pulled out of me along the way. I will not be judged on the sins of my family. I will be judged by own."

 

[KieranSoares]

Despite his best efforts to maintain a cold and calm mask, Steris grew tense as Riley seemed to read the situation like a book now that she had her bearings. He had felt deeply betrayed for decades by his dearest friend's decision to cut and run without telling anyone but their resident Elder and Ephriam's own partner. He tried to be angry on Odessa's behalf to hide just how wounded he still was by the entire situation. Most of all, in this moment, he hated that someone had come along who could read him just like Ephriam could.

"He was impetuous and stubborn too. Honest to his own detriment," Steris muttered. "But he had a skill with words that allowed him to convince every fool in his path that he was some wiseman. To this day, people here seem to revere him despite knowing how he left us in the middle of a conflict. We needed him- our finest Rider and trainer- and he left us."

Steris clenched his jaw, hating that he was admitting this all aloud. "And then he went off and died a penniless artist in some Scottish forest, leaving no legacy behind but a broken family and a few books of useless flowery writing. But no... I trust our council will be fair. You had no control or influence over what mistakes your forebears made. But you're still from a clan of people who can spell trouble for us politically. If we Judges are suspected of supporting the North through helping your mother, we could face immense scrutiny and even invasion by those who see the Ghis and Blackstones as a problem. We have no control over what others will think or assume."