The Dragonkeeper’s oath
This is a continuation for Imagine drifting away into Middle Earth with dragon eggs ... so I recommend you read that one first. This one is with a male reader so I hope you enjoy.
You miraculously survived after being trapped in the sea and almost dying from exhaustion. You find your way to the island of Numenor which seemed to be in an internal struggle between its king and the Faithful. You try to live quietly, trying to raise your dead companion’s offspring but find yourself under the pressure when the Numenor’s priest turns his unwanted eye on you.
Warnings: Mentions of war, death, violence, a giant sea snake, missing children, sauron is kinda creepy, some angst and a lot guilt.
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You look over to the horizon as the boat sails across the waves. Feeling the wind on your face and watching as the island in the distance comes closer. It was too far away to see anything in detail, but you could see the great mountain that stood in the middle of the island and the ships that sailed in and out from the cities.
So this was Numenor. You have never heard about such a place, so you had a nagging feeling that you were no longer in Westeros. It was a sight to behold. You don’t think you have ever seen an island with only one mountain standing alone in the middle, rearing into the sky like an unyielding ruler.
You had a knack for adventures but felt anxious and frightened due to the late events before your rescue. You were still shaken up by what happened during the attack in the Dragonpit, your escape, the giant sea snake, and— Joffrey.
You felt grateful to be rescued before the ocean could take you. However, you didn’t know what to make of this world since you didn’t expect to live after pushing yourself to the brink of exhaustion and having no hope of ever being found.
You were tired and didn’t know what you would find once you stepped on Numenor’s soil, so perhaps it was why you felt frightened.
You touched and felt the hard shells of the eggs inside your bag. They were warm, so you knew they were still alive. You could only hope everything would turn out well for you and Dreamfyre’s hatchlings.
“A lovely sight, isn’t it?” A voice broke you out of your thoughts. You turn to look at the man beside you, seeing him watching the island. “Yes. It’s pretty impressive. I am curious what I will find when I step on the land,” you replied. “Most likely aggressive street vendors, screaming children, and some men laughing and drinking in the local tavern,” he said, making you snort. “Sounds good,” you said. “I can still remember two of my boys sneaking into one of the local taverns and finding them passed out half naked in the bushes of my home. The scolding my wife gave was unlike any other,” he chuckled, and you smiled at the thought.
“My uncles did something like that too– except we found them trying to make out with a fish,” you said, making him snort.
He handed you a wooden box. Curious, you took it and opened the lid, finding cooked fish and vegetables inside. “I didn’t see you dining with others, so I had a feeling you forgot to eat — again,” He emphasized as you lowered your head in guilt. “I’m sorry, Elendil,” You said, taking a bite out of a carrot.
“It’s alright. I understand it must be difficult to cope after losing your companions to the sea snake and being trapped in the sea for so long,” Elendil said. “I wouldn’t know what to do either if I lost one of my boys or men to the sea,” he said. “I only ask that you at least try to look after yourself. You were lucky that we managed to find you before it was too late,” he patted your shoulder.
“I know –” You reply, feeling a bit down at the thought of being lucky and the only one to survive. “Thank you. You're more compassionate and understanding than most men I have met,” you stated.
Elendil hummed with a smile. “I’ll do what I can, and I can ask my father to send out word for people to look out for Joffrey. Maybe Eru will be kind and allows us to help you reunite,” He said, making your eyes widen. “You’re too kind, Elendil. I don’t know how to even thank you for saving me yet,” you find yourself stammering to express your gratitude.
“It’s the least I can do. My father taught me to help those in need. I think he would beat my arse if I just left you in the streets to fend for yourself,” Elendil continued to smile with the most sincere look in his eyes. Your heart swelled after hearing those words.
“You know, I’m starting to think you might be one of those Valar the elves keep talking about because I have never met a man kind as you,” Your statement made him chuckle and shake his head in disbelief. “How about you try to eat? It won’t be long before we set foot on land,” He said as he walked back toward the cabin. You smiled and started eating fish and vegetables, feeling your appetite rising after such a long time.
When you arrived at the nearest port city, you were amazed. It was beautiful. The construction and the architecture were unlike anything you had ever seen in your life. The place reminded you of Dorne in a way, simply less sand and more ocean.
You follow Elendil to the city and streets after docking and walking off the ship.
The city was beautiful from an outside view, but it was now even more interesting as you walked through the streets with Elendil. You observed as people walked past you, children ran around, laughing and enacting faux battles.
There were intriguing smells in the air. You could smell the fish, fruits, and even more exotic scents from nearby shops. A dragon would have felt dizzy with so many smells in the air.
“So, what kind of governance do you have here?” You asked while memorizing all the roads and streets. “A typical monarchy, ruled by a king and a queen. Though the king has taken a liking to decide everything on this island,” Elendil explained, sounding somewhat distasteful. “How come?” You asked curiously.
“I’m – not certain what is the relationship between our current king and queen. In our culture, there should be mutual respect between the two. However, I have not seen our king Ar-Pharazon show even a speck of respect toward our queen Tar-Miriel, or Ar- Zimraphel since he’s not fond of elven names or anything related to the elves,” Elendil explained.
“He does not heed her advice on anything, and to me, it seems like he simply keeps her inside like a pet,” he added. You frowned at the thought. “That sounds more like a caged bird. She has a voice but can’t fly,” you explained, thinking about Helaena. There was something oddly similar to her and the Numenor’s queen.
“Well, I think that is the better definition for it. Our queen can’t even use the name she was born with, only to be addressed by the name her husband had given her,” Elendil further elaborated. You re-arranged your thoughts after hearing that– Helaena’s brother was an asshole and raped innocent girls, but compared to Ar-Pharazon, he fell short of committing such vile cruelty to his own wife.
“Some of us want to show support for her decisions, but now with the king’s new advisor around. It has become difficult to have our voices heard,” Elendil said. “Have you heard about Sauron?” He asked, then looked at you with a guarded expression. “No— who is he?” You asked.
“I’m surprised you do not know. Sauron is the one called the dark lord, one of Morgoth’s mightiest former servants,” Elendil started. “Wasn’t Morgoth the fallen Vala that brought evil across the land?” You questioned. “He was till he was defeated, and Sauron decided to follow in his footsteps, forming his orc armies, enslaving the free people, and even calling himself the lord of men,” Elendil explained. “That was until our king heard about it and decided to march toward Middle Earth to fight him. I do not know all the details, but apparently, Sauron surrendered, and our king brought him here as a captive, but now he is this so-called trusted advisor,” he added, making you frown in confusion.
“If Sauron’s captive, how is he –” you started. “That is what I would like to know as well. I can only guess that he whispered things to our king’s ear and gained a position as an advisor and a new position as the new priest for a temple at Meneltarma,” he pointed at the mountain.
“It used to be a place to pray for blessings and good fortune, but now no one knows what kind of things have been happening there,” Elendil said with a sorrow-filled tone.
You stood quiet momentarily, thinking about the odd similarity between the current situation and what happened with Shepherd and his mob of followers.
“Well, he must be a talented liar to gain the trust of his captors and gain such power,” you said. “Indeed, I have never seen such manipulation of words, and the worst of all, our king believes everything he whispers to his ears,” Elendil answers. “He had caused a bad trifle between the common folk and the Faithful with his rumors,” he said, catching your attention. “What kind of rumors?” You asked.
“He claims that the Valar favor the elves. He claims it to be unfair that humans get to live such a short life and get subjected to the whims of death. These rumors have caused issues between the king and the Faithful since they are allied with the elves. I’m worried the rumors might get worse, and someone will get hurt because of them,” Notes of concern fill his voice.
Your mind returned to the night when the Dragonpit got attacked by the common folk, led by the man who preached about Targaryens and dragons being spawns of hell. It felt all too familiar.
You could still remember that night like it just happened.
“But let us not worry about these problems in the court. You are new here, so I shouldn’t bother you with our politics,” Elendil tried to dissipate the heaviness of your conversation. “No, it’s okay. It’s good to know something than try to live in ignorance. Are there other things I should look out for?” You asked. “Stay clear from people who follow Ar-Pharazon’s ideals. They can be troublesome and hard to reason with, so it would be best to stay out of their way,” he explained.
“But let us go now – there is someone I would like you to meet,” he said as you followed him through the meandering streets.
You followed Elendil to what seemed to be grand halls. You were amazed by the colors of jade and pearl that decorated the walls. Great white columns stood on each side of the halls and the floors seemed to be sculpted from the finest stone.
People walked past you, carrying scrolls and looking busy. You and Elendil approached a man who was talking to another.
“Father, there you are,” Elendil called out to the man. The man turned around, and you noticed similarities between him and Elendil. He looked older and was slightly taller, but despite the differences, the man had Elendil’s gentle smile and sincere gaze.
“Elendil, it is good to see you again. I hope the trip went well,” Elendil’s father greeted him, smiling softly. “I advise you to visit home. I heard Isildur and Anarion have been causing some racket during your absence,” he chuckled.
“I see. I got to go and see what my boys have been up to once I have finished what I came here for,” Elendil said and turned toward you. “Father, I would like to introduce you to my friend, (Name),” he said pointing towards you.
“It’s a – pleasure to meet you, my lord,” you bowed nervously. “The pleasure is all mine. I am Amandil. What brings you two here?” Elendil’s father glanced at both of you. “You see, we found (Name) stranded in the ocean. He told us he got attacked by a sea snake along with his companions and was separated. So, I was hoping you could spread some word since there might be a missing young boy somewhere,” Elendil explained. “Oh dear, is this missing boy your son?” Amandil questioned, looking at you. “No, but you could say we’re family of a sort,” You said.
“Well, say no more. If you can provide some description– I will make sure word gets out for people to keep a lookout,” Amandil said as another person stepped in holding a quill and a board. “Right, his name is Joffrey. His family name is Velaryon. He’s about thirteen years old, about this size, has brown curly hair, and last time he was wearing a black cloak with a red tunic,” you tried to describe while using your hand to show Joffrey’s height.
The person wrote it all down and then left with a curt nod to Amandil.
“Once we find something, we'll let you know,” Amandil said. “Thank you, my lord. I fear I do not have high hopes that he’s alive, but it would ease my mind to know what happened to him,” you said. “I will pray fate will be kind,” He said, holding his hand on his chest. “Thank you,” you bowed your head.
“Elendil, there is something I must discuss with you–” Amandil started, and the two started conversing. You waited patiently, allowing your thoughts to wander for a moment.
Your mind came back to Joffrey and all those times you spent together. You used to find him annoying, sneaking into the Dragonpit and being reckless. He was the very definition of an annoying younger brother, but after everything, you went together… You couldn't help but feel even worse for losing him because you were the one who took him away from King’s Landing and brought him to the sea. He could be dead, and it was your fault. His mother would have you executed if she knew and you would have most likely accepted it.
You felt shivers run down your back. You turned your head, observing your surrounding. Working with the dragons helped you gain keen senses, so you felt someone was watching you. It felt ominous, sinister, and right behind you.
In a quick reflex, you grabbed your dagger, twisted it around, and pointed it at the neck of the man behind you. You held your pose, locking your eyes with him and keeping the tip of your blade a fingertip away from his throat.
You said nothing. The man was tall, towering over you like you were a mere mouse in his eyes. Red locks flowed from his shoulders like a bloody river, his golden eyes sharp like a venomous snake.
He looked unnatural and almost amused as you held your dagger at the middle of his throat. You could tell from the sharp points of his ears that he was not a human.
You stared at each other before you pulled back after Amandil let out a couple of coughs to break the sudden tension. “Tar-Mairon, surprising to see you here out of all places,” Amandil stated as you didn’t break eye contact with the red-haired being.
“I was simply passing by, running some errand for our king,” Tar-Mairon said. A sweet, honeyed sound accompanied his voice, making it sound pleasant.
“I then heard about Elendil’s return and his new guest. So, I came to greet them myself,” he said, looking at you. “I certainly did not expect to receive such a greeting,”
“I apologize, my lord. I tend to get easily startled when approached from behind unannounced,” you kept your voice contained from expressing your current suspicion while sheathing your dagger back to its place.
He chuckled. “No hard feelings. Having fast reflexes is a good thing because you never know when something or someone might try to strike you from behind,” he said with an odd glee in his eyes. You could feel your skin break into goosebumps when he continued to look at you with a conniving look, especially with everything you had heard about him.
“What is your name, esteemed guest?” he asked. “(Name), my lord,” you said, reluctant to share your last name with him. “And what brings you here to our lovely home?” He asked with an airy laugh like it was a joke of sorts.
“I got lost and was rescued by Elendil. I hope to find someone and simply find a peaceful home here,” you answered. “Aww, then I humbly welcome you to Numenor,” he said with a tiny bow. Mockery of a bow. “I hope you will find all that you seek,” he said, his eyes falling on your bag. His threat did not go unnoticed as you pulled your bag behind you– away from his prying eyes.
“I will take my leave now. Do visit the temple if you face troubles?” he said and soon walked away. You let out a breath of relief when he was out of sight.
“We only recently arrived, and we’re already targets of his interest,” Elendil stated, sounding angry and frustrated. “He has Ar-Pharazon’s people working under him, so we must be careful of our actions, son,” Amandil said. “Are you alright, (Name)?” He asked, looking at you with concern and lacing his eyes.
“I’m fine. I now see what kind of man you’re dealing with,” you said. “So, that was Sauron?” You asked. “Correct. I apologize for the unpleasant experience,” Amandil said. “It’s okay. I have met unpleasant people before, and now I know where not to go when I face troubles,” you said, making them momentarily chuckle in amusement.
“Come along. I think it’s time to find you a place for your stay,” Elendil said as he prepared to leave. You bid Amandil farewell and followed Elendil to his home, where he introduced you to his family. They were kind and offered you a room to rest in after your exhausting journey. You didn’t ask for anything extravagant. You only wanted a room with a good fireplace which they kindly gave you one.
You thanked the maid for bringing you there and enjoyed the peace when you were finally alone. The room was nice and quiet. It had a bed in the corner, and a steady fire was burning in the fireplace, bringing light and warmth to the room. It almost resembled your old quarters in the Dragonpit.
You took out an empty chest from the corner and started gathering some soft rags inside, building a little nest before taking out Dreamfyre’s eggs and carefully settling them inside the chest next to each other. You stared at them as they lay in front of the fireplace, slowly warming up and incubating the life inside them.
Tears began to form in your eyes, blurring your vision as you thought about Dreamfyre. You remember how she attacked the sea snake to protect you and Joffrey and how the sea snake pulled her into the sea. You couldn't do anything to protect her. It now felt like all your efforts were for nothing.
You began to sob, holding your hands against your face. Tears flowed across your face like a relentless river, releasing everything you felt for the past weeks. You thought about Helaena, your beloved queen.
“Forgive me, Helaena. I couldn't even protect Dreamfyre from the stranger,” you sobbed as you continued to cry alone with nothing but the eggs to keep you company.
In the morning when vendors prepared for another day to sell their goods. A little hooded figure walked past them. The little figure stopped, observing his surroundings and waiting for an opportunity. He watched a man going inside, leaving his boxes of bread and vegetables unattended. He took the chance and grabbed a loaf of bread, carrots, and apples when no one was looking.
He then walked away, carrying the stolen food. “Hey!” The man shouted when he saw the little figure, who then ran away– not giving the man a chance for a chase.
The little figure escaped from the city, walking past herds of sheep and cattle until he found a suitable place to eat his breakfast. Joffrey pushed off his hood, allowing his dirty hair to fly with the wind. He watched the sea, taking bites of his bread and wondering about you and what happened with the giant sea monster that still haunted his dreams.
He was lucky to survive and found refuge in Numenor, but what about you and Tyraxes? Where were you? Were you even alive?
He began to remember the voices of people, those who looked down on him and his mother because he was a bastard. They used to say bastards always had the worse luck. They always end up alone, get their loved ones killed, and look where he was now. Alone and lost with no one to turn to. He is most likely the reason why you and his dragon were gone.
Joffrey screamed and threw the apple over the cliff in anger. Tears fell from his eyes as he stared at the sea.
He held on to his knees, leaning his head against them. He wept alone until his ears picked up something over the cliff. He looked up, trying to listen. It sounded like a shriek of some sort.
Joffrey slowly leaned over the cliff, trying to see what was beneath. Suddenly, a giant creature with wings and bronze-colored scales ascended before him.
It was moving its wings, creating gusts of wind, and looking down on the little boy. Joffrey held his breath as he recognized the creature. It was no other than his own dragon, Tyraxes, but something was wrong. Tyraxes had this odd look in his eyes, like he did not recognize him. It made Joffrey back away in fear.
Tyraxes growled, flying over him toward the herds of sheep. Joffrey watched as his dragon breathed fire down on the innocent sheep and snatched one of them, flying away with the scorched body with a shriek.
The little boy took a deep breath, trying to relax his beating heart. He wanted to feel happy that his dragon was still alive but couldn't shake off the dreadful feeling after watching his mount kill a sheep without hesitation. You taught him it was in the dragon's nature to hunt prey and that they could go wild if separated from their rider for far too long. His dragon has gone wild. Joffrey didn’t know what to do except hug his legs and wonder if his life could turn for the worse.
