The Dragonborns

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Terric's Point of View:

“Your highness!” 

“Hello, My Prince!” 

Those are the things I heard as me and my father inspect the area while riding a horse. I just plastered a small smile on my face as an acknowledgment of their calls and praises. Same for my father, almost a middle-aged man but still has a manly and young appearance like time itself cannot affect him. 

In the land of Hilira lies three powerful kingdoms and our kingdom is one of those. They have stood in this land for centuries and as the days went by, they rapidly grew and became influential, which made other outsiders travel here just to be part of their civilization.  

First is Aredeene, the Kingdom of the South. They are the first kingdom that stood and the kingdom my ancestors first helped before they decided to make their path and that is to make their kingdom. Our kingdoms became United and have been allies and haven’t experienced any bloody rivalries which made us named one of the most peaceful kingdoms in the world.  

Next is Naiyon, Kingdom of the far north. The Kingdom of my grandfather’s father and the last kingdom that stood Hilira. They are known for their courage and bravery, with their skills in battle and their great hospitality for they know every language you’ll ever remember.  

And last but not the least, my kingdom, Haran, Kingdom of the West. Our kingdom is known for its abundance of resources, naming us the richest Kingdom of the land and has the sharpest of minds, not quite. During the war of the lands, my people will be the strategist and so far, none has failed. 

The War of the Land is a fight between our kingdoms against foreign kingdoms. They want our lands to be their own to extend their civilization and that happening will not be very okay with the other cities, for they would take it as a threat shortly.  

The war only happens rarely but when it does, the children of Hilira will be ready at all times.  

“Your Grace, do you still have some places to visit?” Our kingdom’s most trusted King’s Guard spoke towards my father, while mounted on his almighty horse. I still don’t get why that horse is still alive after all the past battles that went by. 

“I think that was enough for today. We will just finish it tomorrow morning before the Hilirian Feist.” My father replied to the commander. Looking at him, he is quite exhausted after hours of travel to every corner of the city. My father is inspecting every establishment, eyeing if they are any improvements and some renovation. He’s quite caring and a perfectionist king, he wants everything to look appealing and spot-on since we regularly have a guest from other kingdoms, but we never judge because that asset made the people love him even more.  

“Terric, you go fetch your brother, at this time, he is bored by now.” The king ordered and I gave him a brief nod before maneuvering my horse then dashing towards the Royal estate. During the travel, I can still hear people screaming my name and some girls squealing, which made my pride stack up, not gonna lie. Not long and arrive at my family’s exclusive land, where I can already see my brother sitting on a chair wearing a bored expression.  

“Bored again Rickon?” I asked with a chuckle the moment I halt in front of his sitting form.  

“Finally, you came! Do you know how many times I wished that you get me early?” He complained bored face shifted into a grumpy one.  

“Why are you always bored every time you are with Iya? She is playful and active.” I stated, nudging my head towards the little princess running around the lawn, catching a butterfly. 

“I don’t play girly things Terric! I’m a boy and I want to play with manly kinds of stuff.” He defended making me sigh at him. 

“Rick, how many times do I have to tell you that you are still a young boy. You cannot do sword fighting at ten. And I don’t get you, why do you not want your cousins to visit here? Their family and family share each other.” I reasoned out again a hundred times. 

Rickon is in the body of a child but a mind of 20 years old. He wants to do sword fighting and horse riding. Even if I love to teach him, our mother doesn’t like us to get involved when it’s related to that stuff after her father died because of it. The only time we are allowed to hold one is during invasions but only use it for self-defense and not for battles in the field. My brother did not reply but I still heard him mutter ‘I hate being 10’. 

“Let’s go. You and Iya need to bathe because it’s almost supper. Father will be angry.” I stated before presenting my hand for him to take. He sighs and takes it, gripping it tightly. I pulled him up the horse, positioning him in front of me. “Iya, we have to go! Mr. butterfly will meet you again tomorrow, don’t worry!” I shouted out to her. She stops running and looks at me before screaming something at the bug before running to us. She raised her arms and I pick her up, putting her in front of Rick but not before kissing her forehead.  

“Ready?” I asked them and I received a furious nod from Iya and a lazy one from Rickon, but I ignored his grumpiness and signs the horse to start. 

----------Time Skip---------- 

“Your highness, your outfit for tomorrow night is here.” I heard a servant girl said behind me when she opened the door of my chamber.  

“Just lay it on the bed,” I said briefly before continue reading the book I always study ever since my father said that I’m almost at the age of becoming the next King, which is twenty-five.  

After a moment of silence, I finally heard the door close once again. I breathe out deeply as if I’m holding a large amount of air, before focusing back on the book. I read and read until my head had enough of the knowledge. This book is mostly all about the history of our kingdoms and the ones that stood here before us. This states the achievements of our ancestors and how this deserted land is brought to life once again.  

I rubbed my head as a headache slowly appears because I have been very much focusing solely on this, I did not notice that it’s already late in the evening. I close the book and stood from the chair of the balcony. I went to the bookshelves and was about to push it in between the other books when I saw something dangling near the spine of the book. A Red Ribbon. 

I frowned because I did not spot this before. I retract my arm and went to sit on my bed, beside the outfit the servant sent earlier. I held the thin ribbon and scanned the unusual stitch. There is a gold thread forming a Dragon's head with fangs and the other end is the tail, which is wrapping around the ribbon creating a spiral. Weird.  

I held the ribbon with my fingers tightly and pulls it upwards until a part of the book reveals itself. 

Skalon and The Day Of Ashes, the title stated. 

Which made me confused because I never heard about this era of that day before. As I scan it, I notice something ripped and it’s connected with the other paper before it, and it seems like it’s done on purpose because I saw rips on the ends like it’s been glued together, hiding this page. If it were true, no wonder I did not see this page before. I went to the text below the title and it is stated,  

Fire from the skies, burning anything in its path. As the buildings and enemies melt, Surface lighting up like torches. Disloyal traitors screaming in pain and agony as they felt the consequences of their actions. After the day of destruction, everything suddenly went deserted, as if nothing has lived here for centuries, except for the marks of the night’s judgment. The place creates weather of ashes, covering the ground and at first glance, you would think it’s a snowing phenomenon.  

Woah. The only thing I thought as I realized what they did you the traitors. Burning them alive along with their homes until nothing has left but ashes. We don’t do that here, like never. Since we rarely do fights, we never really had the reason to do it.  

But what does Fire from the skies mean though? If I would guess, it must be from the debris of a volcanic eruption, yet that is silly since there are no volcanoes in Hilira as far as I know. So, I don’t have a choice but to continue reading. 

But before the unpleasant night occurred, Hileeina( He-lee-yena) was once an amazing land. Filled with tall towers and strong structures, the sole kingdom that stirred it was indestructible. Skalon mostly called the high kingdom stood with pride and strength. Its people are well trained and well educated. Many foreign invaders tried to rule over it, none had succeeded. It was abundant with anything you can ever imagine, from golds, ships, and weaponry, they are present. And the kingdom’s most pride possession, their high family, the family that ruled Skalon, The Dragonborn, and their dragons.  

I never heard of that kingdom before, not in my life. Even my father sometimes tells us about the kingdoms of the early time, but not once he had a slipped in his mouth about the kingdom of Skalon and this family called the Dragonborn. I got to admit, when it said ‘with their dragons’, I suddenly had the urge to close this book because it looks nonsense to me. I have heard about tales that dragons once flew in our skies and that their head is a size of a whole carriage but tales are tales, they are sometimes made up by our imaginations.  

But I cannot lie, if the existence of dragons did happen, it would be cool to see those in reality but scary at the same time because you wouldn’t know what those beasts are capable of. I don’t doubt that those creatures can burn down a city in half the day.  

If they are...real. 

“Ugh.” I groaned when my headache worsens, from thinking about this tale. I decided to just finish this page some other time and have a rest because tomorrow’s a big day and I’m pretty sure, all of us would be busy. I closed the book and put it on the shelves, then walking to the balcony of my room and close the door but something suddenly stops me when I heard a noise. 

A loud Wail from the sky. 

I opened the doors back wide open and step outside, looking up at the sky.  

“What was that?” I muttered to myself. I did not see anything except the dark, cloudy sky. I tried to listen carefully again, trying to hear that loud wail again, but nothing, as if it did not happen.  

I think I’m getting insane because of that book. I told to myself, closing the doors once and for all, including the entrance/exit door of my room before going to bed.  

I wish I hadn’t found that ribbon. The last thing I thought before sleep completely hits me.