All in the Details

Fanginir and Erillion
-
Erillion stood on the ramparts in the dark of the night, her long dark hair whipping about her face in the breeze. The acrid stench of the besieging army carried clearly to her as she watched the twinkling of a myriad campfires. There's more of them each day. Her heart sank as she contemplated the inevitable end of the siege. This mountain pass had protected the open plains from the savage tribes beyond it for generations, She cursed the mysterious Mage that had empowered these savages and organized them into a formidable army.Turning to her Lieutenant, Gerdin, who had been a huge support to her in the organization of the defense of the pass through the Western Ramparts.
She asked. "Any news?"
"None, My Lady. We should have had a messenger back by now."
"We shall wait then." turning, Erillion walked to the open door and descended to the living quarters.

--------------

"My Lady... you know as well as I, that messenger shall never return." Gerdin followed the dark haired woman to the edge of her doorway. Being the only female and the captain of the royal guards, Erillion had her own chamber within the barracks.

"I do not." She stated firmly. "We shall wait." She seated herself behind a makeshift desk. Busied herself for a few moments before looking up again. Gerdin still watched her from the door. "What?" She flared her fine nostrils in frustration.

He leaned against the door frame, looking at the pale woman. She had a youthful face, but, in truth was older than the castle. She wore the same uniform as the rest of the guards, a blue tunic with black leggings and knee high boots. It filled out so much better with a womanly shape inside of it. Her hair hung loose, long and dark like the tail of a raven. He watched the points of her long elvish ears twitch slightly, as she listened for the sounds of the returning messenger. The other soldiers called her captain, but to Gerdin she would always be, "My Lady."

"What!" Her pale eyes met his with an unexpected ferocity. It had not been a question, but a demand for an answer.

He was not threatened by the tone, only raised an eyebrow in concern. "You. I'm worried about, you. My Lady, perhaps it is time to awaken the Queen. The rumors have come in from the field. A great force is amassing against us... and only us. Not the entire kingdom or the alliance with our neighbors. The camps outside of our walls hold no foreign banners. They are advertising no loyalty to anyone, but they come here, they want this castle. Why?"

"Those besieging camps that sully the land we hold so dear, are the barbarians and savages that have always conspired against our people.  Separately, a stray band or tribe would fall to the reinforcements of the western pass, you did well to protect it. I thank you." Her voice grew soft in her thanks. "However, tribe after tribe of these small enemies have come together. Together they pose a threat that was unforeseeable..." A frown creased her face.  "No doubt worshipers of Fanginir..." She said the last in quiet tones, as if it were a name she did not care to speak.

"My Lady, do you believe... Fanginir is our attacker?" Gerdin watched her with growing concern. At the mention of the name, Erillion became still, her face unreadable. The worry that filled the room could have filled a river. In her heart, she believed this was already a lost fight.

The elf commander sat quietly for a long moment. "No." She closed her eyes. When she continued to speak, it was slowly.  "It couldn't be. If the Queen still sleeps, then so does Fanginir. But for years, there have been rumors... that many a cult has sprung from the tribes just beyond the mountains. Dark, vile cults. Every evil creature bowing to the will of some greater force. Dark magics and blood sacrifices. Perhaps...perhaps... they do worship Fanginir." 

"My Lady, you were the only witness. Perhaps you missed something. My Lady, please. Tell the story, again. More thoroughly this time." Gerdin approached her and seated himself on the opposite side of the desk.

She sighed, placing her face in her hands for a moment. Then lifted her head. "If the Queen sleeps, Fanginir sleeps. Those were the bonds of the curse. Neither could defeat the other in mortal combat. But, bound in stalemate by an eternal sleep, neither of them could win... or lose. I have lost my sister, the Queen... but she has saved all of her people." Erillion's eyes clouded for a moment. It was not like her to be overly emotional. The memories of the "truce" burned behind her eyes. "The people were not told the full details of the events that transpired nearly 300 years ago."

"Then tell me now, My Lady, we have the time. We are waiting for your messenger, after all." Gerdin leaned back in the chair. Under different circumstances this would have been a gentle evening going over the events of the day in the pleasant company of the Captain of the Royal Guard. Now the situation was dire, but this small moment still seemed rewarding. 

She frowned. "I do not wish to speak of it..." Kicking her booted feet upon the table that served as a desk, she sighed. "I have nothing to lose..." Erillion stared at him for a moment, she wondered what he was thinking. Humans were unique animals. "Hundreds of years ago a juvenile black dragon came down from the southern mountains. He demanded tribute, or worship, or both if it were possible. If he obtained his desires, he would let the kingdom survive, intact. Queen Aevala, my older sister, met with the putrid wyrm. She was a powerful magician and did not take the threat seriously. A great battle ensued." Erillion paused, her eyes darted back and forth as she spoke, reliving that day in her mind. "The battle began in the early morning mists. They battled past the zenith of the sun. They still battled well into the darkness of the night. It turned out that the two were perfectly matched. All they could do was exhaust each- "

Gerdin leaned forward, suddenly. "Wait, are you telling me that Fanginir is a dragon?! I thought he was an old wizard! There are numerous references to 'the dark one' and 'the black mage' in the old texts of this area's history."

"He is portrayed in all the old writings as a dragon." She stated flatly, wrinkling her brow. "To my people... we do not see the difference in intelligent creatures, as humans do. A dragon that performs magic and speaks evil is the same as any other black magician. Only, louder and larger." 

Resisting the urge to drop his jaw, Gerdin scratched his head. "It's been 300 years. Forgive me if the words of the old texts are a bit... aloof." Only elvish historians could minimize an encounter with such a monster.

Erillion looked at her Lieutenant, in puzzlement. "It was not symbolism. Nor the cruelty he was portrayed with a symbol of some cruel overlord." She shook her head, mortal men never seemed completely capable of grasping true knowledge. Clearing her throat loudly, the captain continued. "As I said, all they could do was exhaust each other. Fanginir, enraged, vowed that no one could resist his power. He  would storm away and destroy a town or a village and return to this very spot to battle with the queen, again. It cost us many lives. But no other mage in this kingdom could have stood a chance against that dragon's magic. After ater after several attempts, the creature failed to best my sister. The Queen gathered every person of power that would join her to confront the beast. Magicians, wizards, witches of all sorts. It was no good. As they stood together, it was as if some great force scooped up the less powerful. The dragon destroyed them all... save Aevala, yet again. Fanginir finally agreed to a stalemate, but he could not concede the fight. He claimed that if he could not win, he refused to fail. They argued and negotiated for hours. Fighting was useless for the two of them, so all they could do was talk. It was finally decided, the two would be bound in eternal sleep, the Queen saved her kingdom and the dragon did not lose." Erillion seemed to be looking off into the distance, but was seeing nothing. She moved very little, as if her pale skin were carved of stone.

He did not lose... The wheels were steadily turning in Gerdin's mind. Something about this story didn't seem right. This official telling had triggered an idea in his human brain. Perhaps, more like a forgotten memory.

"I went with her, beyond the western pass, where the pact was made. I returned her body to this castle where she still sleeps, enshrined in glass. The dragon sleeps in a large cave to the west." Erillion grew quiet. It was a painful memory. "There she has lain everyday since." Folding her hands together, she laid them across her stomach. "Happy now?"

Gerdin looked at her in deep thought. "This dragon has fooled you. Both of you. Despite being a powerful mage, the Queen missed something very important."

Erillion looked at Gerdin with dark eyes. This mortal man had stood beside her in so many conflicts and defenses of the kingdom and castle... but he knew little of magical things. She opened her mouth to tell him as much, but something in her hesitated. Humans had a unique view of the world, and Gerdin had a lot of experience. "And what was that?" she ask softly.

"You said this was a young dragon. Are you telling me that magical sleep would keep him from maturing? I am from a line of dragon slayers, magic does not effect the great lizards the same as it does the rest of us." Gerdin felt sure he was right. "If he tricked the Queen into sleeping for 300 years, she sleeps in unchanging stasis. If he sleeps for 300 years... he grows up! Growing into the power of an adult dragon. Unlike the magic you practice here, Dragons don't study for years with masters and apprentices. They are given great powers by nature."

Her eyes grew wide. "By the gods! We have to -" her statement was interrupted by a sharp sound touching her pointed ears. The sound was shouting and commotion. "The messenger has returned!"  The two exchanged dark glances before dashing, madly to the top of the ramparts.

Besiegers rallied around the fortress. They cheered and shouted. It was not an attack, today. It was more of a celebration. All manner of vileness danced and chanted around their bond fires, tossing torches at the sturdy stone walls. Hobgoblins and barbarians shared in the jubilee. Dark shamans sang prayers to the evil spirits in thanks. They created such noise, as if to wake the dead.

"What's going on?" Gerdin seemed confused at the festivities. 

Erillion did not answer. Her sharp elven eyes were trained on the western pass. A glow had started in the distance, but her nose already told her it was the forest on the mountains, burning. When she sought to tell her companion, the crowd of besiegers parted to make way for something to come through. A frightened horse, screaming and foaming at the mouth galloped with supernatural fury. It charged down the parted line as if to escape the coming of hell. It's rider hung at an odd angle in his saddle. But as it moved closer, the two could clearly see all that remained of the rider was a charred skeleton.

"The Queen is awake!!!" Shouted a male voice from inside the castle.

The garrison scrambled. Erillion didn't even have to give the order to assemble. Her men were well trained, which was very good, that sight had just rendered her speechless. Warm tears slid down her face, she was unable to pull her eyes away from the horrors before her. The camps of dark tribes seemed to be organizing itself, each evil man and creature finding a weapon and a place in line. Off in the distance the smoke broke way to a massive black figure, it's details were unclear, but it walked steadily forward on four long legs.

"You were right." She smiled at the Lieutenant. "I have always trusted you, for a reason."

"I'll always do my best for you." Gerdin looked into her eyes, this may be the last time he had the chance to do so. They were gray, like a storm in winter. The most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen, even now as they showed many a sleepless night and a ring of wet tears.  "To the very last, My Lady. I will always do my best for you." He leaned in close to the fair captain, arms reaching around her waist. Amid shouts of 'to arms' and the castle's defenders running about in chaos, they embraced. It seemed like a small escape, held against each other, while the world crashed down around them.

"Battle stations." She whispered into his chest. "Be prepared to defend... to the last man."

Gerdin smiled, letting her go, taking his sword from his belt. "Aye, My Lady. To the last."

Erillion mirrored his action, unsheathing her own weapon, a fine silver rapier. Saying nothing, her eyes held every single word that could be said. All the sadness and fear puddled into tears on each cheek. Pride and nobility steadied her breathing. Honor and courage drove her to continue. Sparing a last long look at her companion and adviser, Gerdin nodded. Battle stations.

-------------------------------

word count, currently: 2,320

written for:

ID: 1781415   (Rated: 18+) Fantasy Paragraph  Contest to improve writing of High Fantasy by Lord Norry Wolfsbane