I had taken to coming into town more often once Darhla and Shryke had made their home in the lairs. Sometimes we met up, sometimes we didn’t. When we did, it was mostly at the Dragons Head, where we listened to and sometimes told stories. Some nights there were people playing instruments as well. I was enraptured when the people there sang to the music. Some songs tugged at the heart, some made you laugh and others told stories. It was on one such night that I met Haladoria there.

“Greetings Lady Haladoria.” I said as I approached the table she sat at in the corner.

“Greetings Lord Dragon.” She said with a laugh and a wide grin.

“Michael, milady.”

“But, I find it fun to tease a dragon and live.” She winked at me.

I laughed, I couldn’t help it. “How fair you this eve?”

“I do well, Michael. One of our musicians is due to be here this eve. I would hear her.”

“Oh? Tis a rare occasion, then?”

“Quite rare, you see, she is a bard and she has a new ballad she wants us to hear.”

I looked around the room and noticed that it had been filling steadily since I had arrived a few moments before. “I am glad that I am here to witness this event, then.”

“Oh, lord dragon, you would not have missed it.”

“What do you mean?”

“We were waiting for you to show up. We have sent word to Darhla and Shryke as well.”

I looked at her curiously. “I do not understand, milady.”

“Ah, here they come.” She had given me one of those smiles, that I had come to know quite well, that meant she wasn’t going to tell me a damn thing.

I glanced over to see the two young dragons coming towards us. Once seated, they both looked at me.

“Do you know what this is about, Michael?” Shryke asked.

“No, I had assumed....”

Haladoria smiled. “Be patient you three. You will see soon enough. Meanwhile, have some brandy to sooth you savages beasts.”

I chuckled as she poured us each a glass of the golden nectar. I could smell it as she uncorked the decanter and my mouth watered. We sat there for a while chatting. Haladoria would just smile and change the subject each time we would get curious as to this bard and why we were here. Finally a young female elf came through the curtains from the back room. She took a stool by the fire, took a lute from a soft cloth bag and started tuning it. She seemed to ignore the people who were crowded in to see her, the room full to overflowing by this point. We had a prime table right next to the fireplace and no one would step in front of us. Looking around, I noticed that no one would come closer that a few feet from the table and most were glancing over at us as we sat there.

Finally the young elf strummed the strings and seemed satisfied. She then started to play a haunting melody. After a few moments her voice, clear and soft joined in. It took a moment for the words to sink in, but I was shocked as it told of the attack on Calalistos by the orcs.

The breaking of the wall and the fall of many of the defenders.

It told of the holding of the orcs so the survivors could flee and the death of most of the elvish army that day.

The song went on to tell of all the arrows that flew and the blood in the streets, the fall of the gates and smoke on the horizon as the survivors looked back while fleeing up the river.

It also told of their fight to survive and build, with little food or hope and how out of desperation, they sent a party north to hunt and bring back what they could.

Then it told what the hunting party had found.

She sang of the great dragon landing before the party and how the party thought that they had seen their last day.

Then it went on how this dragon sent them on their way to bring not only meat, but hope, as well as fear.

The fear because it wished to know where the rest of the survivors were.

It told of the long talks the people had, wondering if the dragon would take them for it’s own.

It told of the fear of it finding them, but wondered at the gift of the cattle it sent.

As I listened, I learned what they had went through. It was strange and somewhat saddening to view the events from their perspective. Even Arienach was touched.

The song went on telling of the fear when the rest finally met the dragon, who was even larger than they had believed.

The uncertainty when it flew to Calalistos, they knew not what for.

The sorrow when it returned saying that it had failed to gain peace from their enemy, followed by shock when it told them their town was theirs again.

Then it told of the travel back to Calalistos and what they had found there.

It touched on the scene as they walked through the streets that looked more of a slaughter house with pieces of their old enemies torn limb from limb.

The shock when there was not one found alive and how the leader was found laid out before the throne, with his head three lengths from his body, staring at the entrance.

I hadn’t paid attention when I had killed him. By that time, I was so disgusted by the killing that I just walked away.

The song went on as the people found the town mostly intact and started to rebuild.

It told of one of the scouts who went to the dwarves to commission a statue and of the amazement of the dwarves over the story.

It went on when they summoned the dragon and it appeared over the bay with a deafening explosion that washed water up onto the docks.

The fear and hope as it landed before them.

It told of the meeting and the promise of a new harbor up the river where they could come and trade with the dragon.

Of the long winter safe and of the plans to travel northward in the spring.

Of the legend that spread out across the land and of the others who came to join them.

Their lands were stripped and they were poor and the trade ships who came could not be paid.

They pinned their hopes on the dragon’s promise of trade.

Of the spring when they traveled the half frozen river, with hope in a new place that could lift them up.

Of the meeting with the dragon and the offering for them to build a new city.

A city that was already paid for with an emperor’s ransom and a promise that they would be safe.

Of the confrontation of the dragon and one of his kin, the opening of mines and the free gift of land for business and farms.

Then it spoke of two more dragons who came to join and of the promise of peace.

It spoke of the new dragons helping where they could and letting children ride with them as they flew.

Then it spoke of a new government for the people of all races, watched over by the dragons, in this land and of the city of Calalistos and it named a dragon called Michael as it’s emperor... The song ended and it was dead quiet.

I looked into the eyes of Darhla and Shryke as they stared back at me in shock. They had tears in their eyes and they bowed their heads. Then I let my gaze travel to the rest of the crowd and as I did, they dropped to their knees.

Then I looked at Haladoria and she smiled. “Greetings Lord Dragon.”