fandomania | The Adventure continues... (Reply)

It took us a couple of hours of determined walking before the town of Haven came in sight. Compared to the pretty towns and villages that I knew in Freedonia, Haven looked run-down and unkempt. Very much like the Laglanders that I had just seen. I guess I had a pretty naive view of the world because Freedonia what the only place that I had lived.

Orlando caught my thoughts. "DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP BECAUSE YOU HAVE LIVED IN AN IVORY TOWER, SO TO SPEAK. THINK OF THIS AS AN ADVENTURE AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN PERSPECTIVE OF HOW OTHER BEINGS LIVE AND THINK. DO NOT SHOW CONTEMPT FOR THE HAVENERS. YOU MAY THINK OF THEM AS DIRTY, UNEDUCATED EVIL-DOERS, AND THEY ARE. BUT YOU ARE ENTERING THEIR TERRITORY, THEIR LAIR. YOU WILL NOT GET WHAT YOU NEED FROM THEM, IF THEY SENSE THAT YOU ARE LOOKING DOWN ON THEM. TREAT THEM AS EQUALS NO MATTER HOW VILE YOU THINK THEY ARE."

"Okay. I will do my best. And I understand what you are saying."

"AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, YOU WILL SEE THINGS THERE THAT YOU WILL FIND HORRIBLE AND NAUSEATING. YOU MUST NOT REACT VIOLENTLY OR TRY TO HELP THOSE YOU THINK ARE BEING ABUSED OR IN DIRE NEED OF RESCUING. REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE ONLY THE TWO OF US AND THOUSANDS OF THEM. NO MATTER WHAT THE EVIL YOU SEE BEING DONE, UNLESS YOU WISH TO SEE THE BOTH OF US KILLED, DO NOT REACT OR DO ANYTHING.

"I HAVE BEEN TO HAVEN QUITE A FEW TIMES, RECONNOITERING AND SPYING ON THESE HUMANS. IT HAS TAKEN ALL MY STRENGTH TO KEEP MY EMOTIONS AND RAGE AT BAY. BELIEVE ME, THE THINGS THESE HUMANS DO TO DRAGONKIND IS DISGUSTING. IF I HAD THE POWERS OF A GOD, I WOULD WIPE THIS PLACE FROM EXISTANCE AND DESTROY ALL OF THE EVIL DOERS."

I felt shaken by his warnings. Would I be able to control myself? But I had to think of my children and hatchlings. We needed supplies to help us continue our journey and there was no other place to find them for leagues around.

Our Hatchlings:

Our Eggs:

Orlando turned to me. "ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE READY FOR THIS?" he asked.

"Yes ... No ... As ready as I can be," I answered.

With that, we started down the road towards the town.

There was a wall around the town and a gate, with guards stationed on either side of the road. They were carrying weapons and wearing leather armor. Leather made from dragon scales. Nauseated at that thought, other thoughts began to form in my mind of how someone could be so evil as to kill a dragon and use its hide ...

"LADY, DON'T. THAT IS A HAZARDOUS ROAD TO FOLLOW. DON'T GO THERE NOW. WAIT UNTIL WE ARE SAFE. THERE IS MUCH WORSE TO COME."