"What it is that you want with them, sir?" Captain Peter asked. Captain Peter was nervous now. He had heard rumors about Lord Adam being able to train dragons. If Lord Adam wanted to find the earth dragons and gain control of them like he did with the cloud dragons, who know why he wanted them. Captain Peter noticed the black dragon among the three dragons and assumed that Lord Adam had trained other species of dragons as well. He wondered why Lord Adam would need such power. If he was anything like the former Lord William, then what could all this mean.

Captain Peter's mind was swarming with thoughts and concerns of danger as he waited for Lord Adam's answer. Lord Adam must have seen the concern, because he replied, "What have you heard about me?"

"Only rumors about you being able to tame dragons," Captain Peter answered. He didn't tell Lord Adam of the more sinister rumors of what Lord Adam could want from training dragons or how he was able to tame them. "Is that what you want to do with the earth dragons?"

"We need their help," Lord Adam stated, "There are some highly skilled monster slayers heading to my town wanting to kill a friend and they are ruthless and would kill anyone who gets in their way. Having earth dragons on our side would catch them by surprise."

"Why do monster slayers want to kill a friend of yours?" Captain Peter interrogated. He wondered if the slayers had good reason to attack.

"My friend is a shadow dragon. They fear that shadow dragons are demon, based upon their looks. They thought that the shadow dragon possessed a human. They don't understand what a magical bond is and thinks it is evil," Lord Adam explained.

"Are you bonded with that shadow dragon?" Captain Peter questioned, wondering if that's how Lord Adam was able to tame dragons.

"No, but he was bonded with a human he viewed as his brother."

"So, you want to tame the earth dragons to protect the shadow dragon. You don't have some other intentions?"

"I understand you're worry, but I have no evil intentions in using the dragons for power. As for taming dragons, you would find that is quiet impossible to do."

"Because of their ferocity?" Captain Peter asked.

"No, because dragons are just as sentient as humans," Lord Adam informed the captain, "Some have the ability to speak human. All they have to do is learn the words."

Captain Peter was completely surprised by this revelation. "Dragons are sentient?" Captain Peter gasped.

"Yes, that's how my father long ago and my grandfather were able to make peace with the cloud dragons of the mountains," Lord Adam explained, "We were able to make a treaty with them. We agreed to never house monster hunters and they in turn would not attack us and help us whenever we were in dire need."

"But you don't think the cloud dragons are enough this time?"

These hunters are skilled from what I've been told. They will know about the cloud dragons and will be prepared for the shadow dragon as well as any cloud dragon that should choose to fight. They wouldn't be expecting earth dragons," Lord Adam said.

How do you plan on getting their help?"

"Earth dragons are communal creatures and live in packs deep underground. They are reclusive in a sense that they only keep to their own pack or other Earth dragon pacts."

"Is that why they haven't ever bothered us?" Captain Peter asked.

They don't bother those sentient being outside of their own pack. They believe the we'll leave you alone if you leave me alone theory. Since you're town and the merchants have never bothered them, they've pretty much ignored your town, but this makes it difficult to get them to help. They're not going to help us if they see us as outsiders," Lord Adam informed him.

"How do you plan to get their help then?"

"We're going to try and get the earth dragons to see your town as part of their community," Lord Adam explained, "If we can do that, we can make peace with your town and the earth dragons, even if nothing violent has ever happened between you two. If they see you town as part of their community they would have to veiw the rest of the human kingdom as such too because how our community works and will have to come to my town's aid."

Captain Peter was blown away by Lord Adam's words. It was shocking enough to hear that dragons were actually sentient, but now, Lord Adam planned to make peace with the earth dragons and their small town. As Captain Peter thought about everything that had just been revealed to him, Lord Adam asked, "Where is your lord? Since this plan is going to have an affect on your town, your leader should have some say in it."

"We don't have a lord in this small village," Captain Peter explained, "But if you're looking for the leader of this village, it would probably be me. I act as the mayor and Captain of the guard."

"Then do you accept this plan?" Lord Adam asked.