Chapter Twenty One: The Elementals

“Link’, Leona hollered.  Link came in.

             “You rang?”  He teased. 

            “Yes you goof ball, would you make it rain?  A real storm, I am feeling very crappy today, and this sunshine is just making it worse.”  It was storming before she finished talking.          “Oh thank you-----I think”, Leona said as the rain stopped and dried up.  

            “What the---” Link said out loud, with a flick of his finger it started to storm again.  Right after a long rumble of thunder, it stopped again.  Link was going from annoyed to pissed off really fast.

            “Alright, Alred is just playing around.  I will go find him, and bring your storm back, o.k. Leona?”  Link said.

            “Thank you Link.”  Leona laid back on her pelts and gave a big sigh.  Leona was still feeling the pain of Lea’s attack.  It had never occurred to her that Lea was to be feared, and blocked from entering Saber lands.  Lea was a clan member, mother to Paolo and Marta, life mate to Torch.  How could Lea have done what she did?  It had been two weeks since the funeral pyre for Paolo and there was an arrest warrant out for Lea.

 

            “O.K. this is starting to piss me off, and their shiny dragon asses are going to be mine!  When I get finished with them, they won’t even know what magic is!”  Raven growled.

            “I am sure they aren’t aware that we are on the trail to the Castle.  Maybe it’s just some ones bad mood manifesting in a storm.”  C’lest offered.

            “Weather is an advanced topic, no innocent could achieve it.  Only a true sorcerer could do this, back and forth so many times in a row.  Even so a yearling wouldn’t be able to do it either, it takes years of study and practice to achieve.”  Raven told her.

            “How long did you study to achieve it?”  C’lest asked innocently.  Raven looked at her and saw the poke at his pride. 

            “You’re not going to get to me that easily C’lest.  I know you’re tricks better than anyone in L’Arne, and you should knew better then to poke at me when I’m mad.”

            “You’re not mad , just annoyed.”  C’lest said.

            “You are right, I guess you know me better than any other dragon in L’Arne too.”  Raven said.

            They looked at each other as the rain poured again, an both dragons cracked up laughing as they walked to the Castle.

            “So tell me Raven, what do you hope to gain with this meeting? Are you swearing fealty to Bella?”  C’lest asked.

            “You’ve got to be kidding C’lest, for one she’s just a yearling, and not in full power yet.  For two I am not going for her, and three, I don’t swear fealty to ANYONE, they swear to me!”  He finished in a huff.

            “She is still the Queen, Raven,  in fact I would say she is your equal, as far as power goes.  Yours is magic power, and hers is Royal power.”  C’lest added.

            “So if not the Queen, then who?”  She asked again.

            Raven was silent for a few minutes, then, “I am looking for the source of magic powerful enough to affect the entire land of L’Arne, at the same time.  You may remember, C’lest that scream several months back?  It even made it to the Cave Dwellers land, but it took months to reach there.” 

            “Why would it take so long to reach there?  C’lest asked.

            “Because it traveled on brain waves, not sound waves.  It gained momentum with each dragon it affected and fanned out in a circle coming from the Castle area.  We don’t know officially, who and how it was caused.  Unofficially I know exactly who it was, but the how is still unknown.  No dragon has ever tried to connect with the entire Realm at one time.  It might be a fluke, a onetime wonder, even a mistake.  I’ll find out, and then bind the magic source.”  Raven said.

            “Why bind it?”  C’lest asked.

            “Because it isn’t an Elemental magic, therefore it is an unknown magic, and must be contained until the Elders are comfortable with it, if ever.  The elders provide, and approve ALL magic in L’Arne.  This magic is like a weed growing in a perfect garden.  If allowed to grew it will affect the whole garden as it spreads out.  It must be plucked and studied, so that no weeds are ever in the garden again.”  Raven explained.

            “So the Elders are scared of it, aren’t they?  They send their most powerful wizard to ‘contain’ this magic, and ensure it never happens again.  By the Gods, Raven you are going to wipe out this poor soul, and not feel bad about it at all, aren’t you?”  C’lest exclaimed. 

            “It has to be done C’lest, It’s a poison that could seep in L’Arne, and cause enormous harm.  The Elders believe it could even affect dragons with life or death.”  Raven said softly.

            “Is there any malice in this unknown magic?”  C’lest asked.

            “Not yet, but who knows, maybe someday.  We will have to kill it now, not after it has caused harm.”  Raven said.

            They walked in silence for a few miles, getting soaked from the rain.  The trail became treacherous around the base of sheer rocks, tumbled together to form mountains.  Every so often a boulder would roll down, and block the trail.  These detours were adding a whole day to their trip.

            “So C’lest have you regretted fostering her out to the Castle?”  Raven prodded.

            “Every day Raven, everyday.  She’s one hundred years old now, with hatchlings

 of her own, and is life-mated for love, not power.  She stepped up to help at the Castle as Queen Mother, now that was cool.  She won over the Realms Clan leaders and families, as a human as well.  Not like me, I was faced with either exile or death.  She paved the way for Queen Bella to ascend to the Throne.  I’m hoping my own exile can come to an end. All because of my daughters courage.”  C’lest finished, with a sigh.

            “You know she’s been ill?  She missed the Seasons this year, due to a very deep sleep.  From my sources, I understand she has had a major setback.  Three weeks ago she collapsed, and has been  back in a coma ever since.”  Raven told C’lest.

            “Yes I know, not details like you, but I know she’s back in a coma again.  Is there no help for her, magically?”

            “The healers are at a loss, they have tried everything from healing touch to common elixirs, to keep her pain free.  The healers aren’t advanced enough, magically, to be much help.  If you have a stomach  ailment or sleeplessness, or a broken bone the healers can help every time.  Glenna’s injury is of the brain, and the healers are no good.”  Raven explained.

            “What about you?  Could you do it?”  C’lest pleaded.

            “I could try, but my strength is not in healing, I am very knowledgeable about healing, however I’ve done it only rarely.  And then those few times, it took simple magic to heal, not full blown magic.  I will try, but don’t get your hopes up.”  Raven told C’lest.

            “I won’t. Raven, do you think she will remember me?”  C’lest asked.

            ”There’s no telling if these deep sleep’s have caused permanent damages or not, and she was only a hatchling when you left her.  Queen Dana was the only mother figure she had.”  He answered her.

            “Thanks for the pep talk, Raven.”  C’lest replied.

            Suddenly the rain stopped, and the trail dried up.  They looked at each other and busted up laughing again.  “Is this a break, or is it gone for good?”  C’lest said, as she laughed.

            “I think it’s gone for good, I don’t feel the magic anymore.”  Raven said.

            “Feel the magic, what does that mean?”  C’lest asked.

            “When I am near strong magic, I feel it, similar to goose bumps or a tingling feeling.”  He explained.

            “Oh Okay, does mine affect you like that?”  C’lest asked.               

            “Not anymore C’lest, your magic is still just as powerful as when you first came to us, but I don’t react to it like I used to because of familiarity.  I’m just used to you now.”  Raven told her.

 

            “Link?”  Leona whispered telepathically.

            “Yes.”  He answered out loud.

            “Do you feel anything strange?”  Lea asked.  “Like butterflies in your stomach or light headed or goose bumps?”  She asked.

            “Yeah ever since the storm today.  I never found Alred, but he stopped playing with me, and let it rain.”  He told her.

            “I’ve got the creepy crawlies up and down my spine, and they won’t go away.”  Leona said.

            “Check with Bella, see what she knows.”  Link suggested.

            “Good idea.”  Leona thought.

            “Bella are you feeling anything weird, like goose bumps or creepy crawlies or anything?”  Leona asked telepathically.

            “Yeah ever since this morning, while Link played with the weather.”  Bella replied.

            “Is something going to happen?”  Leona asked.

            “I don’t know, I probed this afternoon, but came up on a solid wall.  I could not get through or around.”  Bella said.

            “That’s weird too, so someone is blocking you?”  Leona asked       

            “Yeah like that, only way big blocking, not like Mara’s, like Alred’s only stronger.  Bella stated.  “You try.”

            “Hold on.”  Leona probed and found the wall, it was a solid, strong wall.  More so then Leona had ever felt, she pushed just a little, and the wall bowed slightly.  Leona smiled knowing she could take it down, if she wished.

            “O.K.  I found it, and your right, it is solid and strong, but-----I could take it down.  I made it bow a little.”  Leona said.

            “Are you gonna take it down, and see what’s behind it?”  Bella asked.

            “Hmm, I don’t think I should, I mean someone needs it up or it wouldn’t be there, you know?  To take it down for curiosity seems wrong.”  Leona replied.

            “O.K., but I would look if I could, it’s the source of your creepy crawlies isn’t it?”

            “Well yeah, but I don’t want to harm an innocent.”  Leona stood firm.

            “O.K., let me know if anything changes, okay?”  Bella said.

            “Will do.”  Leona broke the connection.

           

            “Alred is gone.”  Ryoch said.  “He left this note:  I will be gone a few days, duty calls.  All lessons canceled till I return, oh and Link?  Quit playing with the weather!

            “That’s it.”  Ryoch stated to Saber.

            “Nothing about where he’s gone to?”  Saber asked.

            “Nope, nothing.”  Replied Ryoch.  “Have you seen the twins this morning?”  Ryoch asked.

            “Yeah they were meeting Bella at the Castle.  Is there something going on that we should know about?”  Saber asked.

            “Let’s go see.”  Ryoch said.

 

            Bella, Link and Leona all concentrated on ‘the wall’ together.  Taking it down was not the objective of this exercise, rather just a visual exercise.  They wanted to see just how big it was.

            “Is it me or has the wall moved?”  Bella asked.

            “It is moving, just a fraction at a time.”  Link answered.

            “It’s moving toward the Castle.”  Leona said.

            “You still have our barriers up don’t you?  The Castle is still invisible right?”  Bella asked concerned.

            “Yes to both”, Leona replied.

            “O.K. this is enough, I am going out there, we need a better look.”  Link said angrily.

            “Don’t go beyond our barriers Link.”  Leona cautioned.

            “I won’t, keep me safe, while I am gone.”  Link said as his body stooped into what looked like sleep.  Actually Link was gone, only his body remained.

            “You guys are way cool!”  Bella said enviously.

            “Astral projection can be scary, you have to have someone to protect your body, and to pull you back if you get lost in the Astral Plain.”  Leona explained.

            “So what!  It’s still way cool!”  Bella gushed.

            “Yeah it kinda is.”  Leona said with a smile.

            The wall was as tall as the trees, and as long as the horizon.  It seemed just as thick and strong.  No one would be able to penetrate it, that is no one physically or mentally.  A spirit or astral being like Link was, could walk right through it.  The only problem was that it had stopped just outside of Leona’s and his barriers, he’d be unprotected if he went any further.    “Leona, cover me, I’m going out of the barrier,” Link spoke to her.

            “This is a bad idea!”  Leona said as she cloaked him.

            Link took a hesitant step, then another and another.  Each step took him closer to the wall, and farther away from safety.  With a growl, Link stepped through the wall.

            C’lest and Raven were eating dinner and laughing over stories.  Their fire was warm on this cold night.

            “Shhh------someone’s here.”  Raven said ominously.  C’lest dropped her food.      

            “Here?  With us?”  C’lest asked.

            “Shhh-----”, Raven said again.  Raven concentrated, and sent a protection circle around C’lest and himself.

            “Alright show yourself, I know you’re there.”  Raven stated.

            The astral plain allowed all magic to be used, it gave enormous amounts of power to the one using it, and Link’s power was infinite here on the plain.  With only a thought, the male dragon in front of Link, fell to the ground, in a deep meditative  sleep.  The human screamed and ran to the sleeping dragon, he wouldn’t wake until Link let go of his mind.  The male dragon had amazing power, he was almost as strong as Link, and more powerful than Alred.  His colors were similar to Alred, all except for his wings.  There for the first time ever, Link saw feathers like his and Leona’s, black feathers.  Link changed his focus, and searched the female human for magic also.  She had strong magic, but it was nothing compared to the dragon, in fact her magic was untutored, she could not control it, her magic controlled her.  He dismissed the human, and probed deeper into the male dragon.  Like Alred his magic was spread across several different areas of magic.  He had several areas of Master status, and very few left to work on.  If he trained just a little longer, the dragon would achieve full Master status.  Link was born with full Master status, and he trained just to polish his abilities.  Besides it was fun annoying Alred.  Leona went beyond full Master status, but had limited external magic, all of hers was mental.

            Link had what he came for , and started to ease away.  As he passed the wall, and entered his safety zone, he removed the sleep from the male dragon.  Just to let him know he’d been found and probed, Link allowed him the memory of what just happened.  With a smile of confidence, Link returned to his body.  Just as Link woke up, his father and brother entered the room.                                     

            “What’s up guys?”  Saber asked in a no-nonsense tone.

            “Are we ever going to be grown up enough, that your tone of voice won’t have us quaking?”  Bella asked to no one in particular.

            “No!”  Both fathers said in unison.  Everyone laughed.

            “So tell us, what have you learned.”  Ryoch said.

            “Go ahead Link.”  Leona told him

            “Last night, the three of us found a magical wall heading for the Castle.  It was impenetrable by magic, we didn’t know what was causing it.  Today it is stopped right at the barriers we have put up.  We didn’t know if the barriers would hold, so I went on the Astral Plain to get a better idea of what was coming.

            “Astral Plain....You’ve got to be kidding me.”  Saber said.

            “It’s really quite simple “  Link started, then he saw his father’s face.  He looked nauseated.  Kind of green around the gills. ”Are you okay Dad?”  Link asked.

            “Yeah, just letting it sink in, my son the psychic traveler.  Astral Plain....”  Saber mumbled to himself.

            “Okaaay then”, Link said nervously.  “Just now I’ve come back, and you can all hear at the same time.”  Link went on.

            “I walked through the wall, it wasn’t made to keep out spirits and such.  On the other side is a male dragon with enormous power, and a human female.  She acted like the dragons mate, but I don’t know if she is.  The dragon is almost a full Master of all magic.  What that means is he’s stronger then Alred.  I don’t know if there is any reason to fear him, he isn’t as strong as we are separately , but when we are together we have more magic then he has ever produced.  To be honest, I could take him in a magical sense, as well as physical.  He’s about your size, Dad.  Oh yeah!  The weirdest thing is he has wings like ours, only his are black.”  Link finished.

            “Wow!  You got all that just by going Astral on us?”  Bella asked.

            “Yeah, well the Plain allows full power of all magic.  I just soaked it up like a sponge.”  Link replied.

            Suddenly the floor started shaking, and as the group looked at each other, they all ran to the windows, outside the shaking continued.  A large crack went up the wall in the throne room, plaster broke away, and dust filled the room.  The dragons got out, chocking on the dust.  Outside several of the buildings were shaking all over, and the food storage building collapsed.  The walls surrounding the entire Castle stood firm, but swayed back and forth.  The shaking continued for several minutes, and then just stopped.

            “I think you pissed him off, Link.”  Leona said uneasily.

            “Yeah, I left him his memory of being probed.”  Link replied.

            “Oh maaan, why would you do that?”  She asked.

            “Cuz I could, cuz he is too protected to be coming on a social visit, and he is coming for us,  Leona, not to pay a visit to Royalty.  He wouldn’t need protection at all if it was social.  He didn’t want us to know he was coming, he was hiding behind a wall, like a school yard bully, meant to jump on us.  I wanted him to know I penetrated his wall, and probed him like a b***h in heat.”  Link finished.

            Ryoch and Saber looked at Link with their mouths hanging opened.

            “I think I like this kid, Dad.  You did pretty good with this one.”  Ryoch said with a grin.

            “I can’t believe you did that.”  Bella said.

            “It’s a warrior thing.”  Link said.

            “Totally”, said Ryoch.

            “Completely”, Link and Saber said in unison.

            Leona and Bella looked at each one, and started laughing.

            “That poor dragon doesn’t know who he’s messing with, does he?”  Saber asked.  All five of the group were laughing by now, and just because she could, Leona let the dragon hear their laughter.  Hear them laughing at him.

            “Are you alright”, C’lest asked.  “You just passed out, I couldn’t catch you. You hit your head, and it’s bleeding a little,” she went on.

            “I’m fine.”  Raven replied, probed while he was out of it, he’d been probed .  How had they gotten past the wall?  It was useless now, with a flick of a finger the wall came down.  Who was this magical being, that could do all this?  Weather, the wall and knocking him out then probing him, and his magical abilities. And now he heard them laughing at him.  He heard them in his head, telepathically.  Is it one amazing dragon or several, he thought.  Did he need back-up, another sorcerer from home?  No!  He didn’t need help, he could achieve the Elders tasks, and return home in victory.  Whoever it had been, he’d done it invisibly.  A simple cloak, but the power to knock him out, and probe?  That was a Master move, he was dealing with another Master.  It all pointed to that.  The rain, the wall and the probe, not to mention telepathy.  He had expected the telepathy, because of the screams heard around the Realm.  That was defiantly a Master Class scream, maybe even better.

            As he calmed himself down, the shaking stopped.  Okay, they know we are here, and with the wall gone, it was up to them to make the next move.  He had all day, he could wait.

            C’lest could not wait, her family was just a short walk away.  She paced back and forth, getting more and more anxious.  Suddenly a peaceful calm came to her, and she was no longer worried, she sat and waited.

            Raven caught the change in the atmosphere, he stopped it from reaching him as he saw C’lest relax.  Why hadn’t he thought of that?

            “Because you are too focused with your anger, it was unkind to let her worry so much.”  A voice, female, came to him.

            Raven jerked, alert and searching the area they had stopped at.

            “It’s o.k., you don’t need to worry either I am just introducing myself, and hoping you will do the same”, the voice continued.

            Telepathy again, Raven realized.  Raven put a quick lock down on his mind, nothing in and nothing out.  A few moments passed in silence, then C’lest turned to him.

            “Can we go to the Castle now?”  She asked.  “I can see the walls from here, and I really want to keep going.”

            Raven got to his feet, and motioned for C’lest to lead the way.  As they walked, he thought----- a female.  It never occurred to him that the source was a female.  He’d never in 500 years known a female, even close to his degree of magic.  He had become bored with the females in his clan.  Only C’lest had kept his attention, and if she became a dragon again he might be interested in her physically.  He’d never seen a white dragon before, he imagined she would be beautiful. But a female dragon with powers to match, (or better), his own... now that was interesting.  The only thing that kept nagging at him was his sure knowledge of it being a male dragon that had breached his defenses, and probed him.  Did the female have a mate as powerful as she was already?  That thought left him uneasy.  He didn’t know if he could prevail against two powerful dragons at once.  Who was the master sorcerer, the male or female?  Surely not both.  The Elders would have sensed that and warned him, they had told him of great danger, was it because there was a master involved?  He really wasn’t too worried as he held Master status on several levels.  He himself was almost a Grand Master.

            They were at the gate and he watched them slowly open.  Guards stood just inside the gates.  They escorted Raven and C’lest to the Castle, and left them standing at another doorway.  A Page opened that door, and they were ushered into the Thrown Room.

            Upon the thrown, sat a very pretty, very pink dragon, with a crown and staff, she reeked Royalty. 

            “Well, are you going to stand at the doorway, or come inside?”  The Queen asked.

            Quickly they moved towards the Queen, when they reached her, Raven spoke.

            “I am Raven, of the Elementals Clan, and this is C’lest of the Forest Dragon Clan.”  He said.

            “Wait a minute, Forrest Dragon?  Only my line of descendants have human magic.  Who are you!”  Bella demanded.

            “I am your grand-mother, the origin of your human magic.”  C’lest said quietly.

            Bella got up, and moved towards C’lest.  When she was within a foot or two of touching the visitor, Bella changed into a human.

            “Well, I finally know where the pink comes from,” Bella said, dryly.

            Raven exhaled without knowing he had been holding his breath.  Is this Queen the source of magic?   He thought.

            “No, I’m not.”  The Queen looked at him, Leona was having fun with him, relaying her voice thru Bella.

            “You heard my thoughts, you are telepath, are you the sole bearer of all this great magic?”  Raven asked aloud.

            Bella giggled a little, then smiled and shook her head.

            “Why are you with him, Grand-mother?”  Bella asked.

            “Where have you been all these years?  Mother doesn’t even know who you are.  She was a foundling left for the previous Queen to raise.”  Bella asked heatedly.

            “Yes, I know, I am with this dragon because he was coming here, and he made a safe escort for me.  I have lived in Elemental Territory for five hundred years, only coming out once to give my hatchling to the Queen.  I didn’t want Glenna raised in exile, I wanted her to have a better life then I could give her.”  C’lest finished.

            “Why were you in exile, what is your crime?”  Bella asked.

            “My magic is my crime, it is so strong, due to me being the first one to have it, that the magic took over my entire existence.  I cannot return to a dragon, but once every 100 years.  It last a week, then I revert to human again.”  C’lest explained, almost crying.

            “I am here, asking for a pardon, and requesting to live in your Realm again.  Now that being a human with dragons is accepted”, C’lest went on.

            “What do you mean, a pardon?  There is no longer a crime of this sort, you’ve been free to come and go for several hundred years now.  Queen Dana rescinded that law, that is why it was o.k. for Glenna to be raised in the Castle.  She still kept it a secret until just last year, but we are now accepted as Royalty, and as Humans.”  Bella finished.

            “Truly, your Majesty?”  C’lest asked, crying softly.

            “Yes, truly, would you be interested in staying here at the Castle?  Mother is gravely ill, and maybe your presence would do her good.”  Bella requested.

            “Yes, I would love to, oh this is wonderful!”  C’lest smiled through her tears.

            Bella rang for a Page, and when he arrived he did a double take on the two human females.  He stood at attention waiting for Bella’s orders.

            “Please escort C’lest to quarters in the family wing.  Put her next to my rooms, go with him and get settled.  We will send runners to Elemental Territory, saying you are staying here.  They will bring all of your personal things back for you.”  Bella said.

            “Thank you so much, your Majesty.”  C’lest said

            “It’s Bella, to family, Grandmother.”  Bella let her know.

            “Yes, Bella, thank you, Bella.”  C’lest repeated.

            “Go now, I believe I have things to discuss with your companion.  First, are you mates?”  Bella asked.

            “No.”  They both said at once.  They looked at each other with terror on their faces, and that cracked them up again, laughing at their thoughts.

            Bella saw the affection though, she was no fool.  She’d follow up on it later.  Note to self.....check out C’lest and Ravens love life.  Bella smiled as she really looked at Raven, for the first time.  ‘Wow’, she thought, every bone had been handpicked, by the Gods.  His eyes were unbelievable, Bella had never seen male or female as beautiful as Raven.  As she came back to his face, Bella realized she was open-mouthed, staring at her guest.  Had she said any of that out loud? ’ No, you didn’t so say something, quit staring.’  Leona scolded in Bella’s head.  Okay, here goes Bella thought, and said the only thing that came to mind, that quickly.  “You must have amazingly beautiful parents, and you got the best of both of them,”  Bella said into the growing tension.  It happened to be the best thing she could say.

            “What?  Are you actually giving me a compliment?”  He asked, a little dumb founded.

            “Oh no.....your parents I’m complementing.....you just got lucky.”  Bella said smiling, listening to Leona crack-up laughing in her head.

            “So, pretty boy, what’s up?  I already figured you weren’t here on any Royal capacity.  At least not directly, and yes we will get to that later.  But right now, you’ve got another agenda.  Oh and by the way, I do see you bowing to me in the future, so don’t get too cocky for your own good, o.k.?”  Bella said with a satisfied grin.  He had no idea that Bella was seeing the future.  In fact, as he and C’lest entered the Thrown Room, he had felt the power emanating from Bella.  Was it Royalty power or Magical?  He couldn’t tell, and that made him wary.

            “My name is Raven, I am a emissary from the Elementals Clan.”  Raven said again.          

            “Right,” said Bella with doubt on her tongue.  “What’s the rest of it?”  She asked.

            “I don’t understand, I am simply here to established a report, between the Crown and my Clan.”  Raven finished.

            “You understand just fine, pretty boy, and this little song, and dance you’re giving me is getting me annoyed.  Have you ever annoyed a Queen?  It’s not nice, you would probably get messy, and that would be a shame to dirty all that beauty you have going on.”  Bella brought him up short.

            “Are you threatening me, your Highness?”  Raven asked just a little cocky.

            Bella walked right up to him, in her female human guise, she was a petite female, only coming to his shoulders.  Bella changed as she stared at him, less than a foot away.  In her dragon form, Bella was of the warrior class, she towered over this magical creature.  She bent down, and looked him right in the eye.  “You bet I am, don’t even think of messing with me, I will eat you for breakfast, and throw your bones to the dogs.”  Bella’s words sunk in, and Raven backed away quickly, and started to gather himself magically.  Bella spun around facing him again.

            “Stop!”  Link said, both Raven and Bella froze on the spot, neither could move.  There was a small fireball of magic just forming in Ravens hands. His intent to harm Bella appalled Link, and he could not stop himself.  Link shrunk the fireball to dust, and looking down in disgust, Link balled up a fist.

            “Let him loose, Leona”, Link growled.

            “What?”  Was all he got to say, as a fist the size of his head smashed his mouth, broke his fang and knocked him out.  He laid crumpled on the floor.

            Leona let Bella go, and she ran to Link.

            “Thank you cousin.  What type of fireball was it?  I can’t believe he would do that to my back.  The coward.”  Bella said.

            “It was just an information collector.  He was throwing it to your back, because you turned to walk away, otherwise it would be to your front.”  Leona said.

            “I checked while you were out, before Link broke him.  Nice shot, by the way.  So what do we do with him now?”  Leona asked.

           

            “You punched out an Emissary to the Crown from the Elemental Clan?  The Elementals have never, in record time, ever pledge fealty to the Queen.....and you punched him out?”  Ryoch said in shock.

            “He had a fireball in his hands, and was going to throw it at your daughter, Bro.“  Link explained.

            “Did you kill him, I think I will.  To harm the Queen?  In her own Thrown Room?  I’m gonna kill him.  My daughter the Queen, at risk in her own Castle.  Where is he?”  Ryoch demanded.

            “Don’t go all outraged Father on me, Dad.”  Bella said.  “Link already broke his fang, and knocked him out, he won’t be so pretty anymore.”

            “Where’s Leona?”  Saber asked.

            “She’s keeping watch, and will let us know when he comes to.”  Bella said.

           

            “Hi there, how’s the head?”  Leona asked.  The dragon on the pelts jerked up, and grabbed his head.  His tongue found the broken fang, and he growled deep in his throat.

            “I think you got off on the wrong foot, we do not tolerate threats or actions against the Queen.  What you were about to do, fell into that category.  Sorry about the fang, but it kinda tones down the ‘pretty’ thing, so you should be grateful.”  Leona said.

            “You’re joking, right?  It was a simple information ball, that any young sorcerer could see.”  He replied.

            “You had a fireball, and it was aimed at the Queen, in her own Throne room.  Would you have done any less if your Elders were at a perceived threat?”  Leona asked.

            “No, I guess not.”  He answered quietly.

            “Why are you here?  And keep in mind, I could simply look inside , and see the truth.”

            “Yeah I bet you could.”  Raven said with awe in his voice,  “I am an Emissary from the Clan Elementals.  Sent to open a line of communication and trade.”  He said.  And it was the truth, it was also his cover.

            “Yeah I got that in the Throne Room, what else?”  Leona asked quietly.  “The Truth.”

            “I’m here to assess your magic, report on it, and find answers.”  Raven said.

            “Very good, what else?”  Leona asked in the quiet voice she got from her father.  Raven didn’t have a clue how much danger he was in.

            “Please, that’s all.”  Raven said.

            “Wrong answer.”  Leona said with a grim smile.  With one quick look, Leona knew everything from his childhood, to why he was here.  Raven had tried to block her, but she walked right through it, got what she wanted, and left, all in the blink of an eye.  Raven was simply too late.

            “By the Gods,”  Raven swore, “who are you?”  He asked.  He had never in his life seen magic like hers.  Like she and magic were one of the same.  She was part magic, and magic was part her.  She did not even try to do magic, it just happened, she did have amazing control though.  Her magic was contained, educated, and more powerful than anyone in Elemental Territory, including the Elders and himself.  Raven was enthralled.

            “My name is Leona, you already met my twin, Link.”  She said with a smile.

            “That enormous purple guy, with a mean left hook?”  Raven asked.

            “That would be him, yes.”  She smiled again.

            Raven’s chest felt tight each time she smiled.  He knew what the Elders expected.  This female could reach every dragon on L’Arne ,without even breaking a sweat.  She controlled emotions, thoughts and minds.  She was the most powerful sorcerer on L’Arne, and she was only a yearling.  She’d reach full majority in a couple of months.  Raven could not stop it, could not shut it down and did not really want to.  She and her twin were unbeatable, there would be no binding of powers, it just wasn’t possible.

            “How old are you, and how did you become so powerful so young?”  Raven asked.

            “I was born a Master, as was my twin.  I have stretched and grown since birth, and am now a full Grand Master, or better.  Link is also a Grand Master.  Link of the physical, and me of the mental, together we are known as, ‘The Twins of Destiny’.”  Leona told him.

            The shock on his face was easy to see in the darkened room.  He sat there silently, and let it soak in.

            “The legend of the twins has always been a favorite of mine, but it was just a legend.  How is this possible?”  He asked.

            “Link and I were born from the same egg, not separate eggs.  We are the only twins ever to be born that way.  Our wings match the legend, and our magic is unlimited.  We are the Twins of Destiny, and we are destined to save this land, and protect its dragons, it’s what we were born for.  In two months we will gain our majority, and begin our Destiny.  We will go from one war to the next, bringing peace, and prosperity to the land.  L’Arne will see a golden era of peace.  During this time all clans will live in harmony, side by side.  Mating will solidify the truces, and peace will reign for all time.  With this peace, will come love, and our race will grow as hatchlings are born.  There is just too much to say, here look into my mind”,  Leona suggests.

            Immediately, Raven had images flash thru his head, faster than thoughts.  When the images stopped, he slumped on the pelts, and sat there silently.

            “I was sent to kill your magic, bind it forever, or if that wasn’t possible, I was to kill you.”  Raven admitted.

            “I am so sorry, so very sorry to even have those orders.  I will not,  be doing any of that now.  You are the most amazing creature I have ever known, I am in awe of you.  Please accept my pledge of loyalty.”  He said.

            “You would pledge fealty to me?”  Leona asked confused.  “I am not a Queen or Clan Leader.  You can so pledge to my father, or cousin, but not to me.”  Leona told him.

            “No not fealty, although I will to the Queen.  I pledge to you everlasting loyalty.”  He explained.

            “Why?”  Leona asked.

            “Because, one day Leona, you will be my mate.”  Raven stated.