Quellelthan, right before she became Dragon Queen.
Tale 5: Hara Fystan and the Dragon Princess (chapter 4. Twice Freed 4/5 ) part 2. Stories of Fey
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Grand Snow is a peaceful village isolated in tallest mountains of the Westlands. It is a magic forest that has preserved a harmonious and traditional way of life. Grand Snow is shrouded in a protective spell, that makes people wander around the forest, or get lost if they ever attempt to enter without a guide. Centuries ago, this was where the first gate to the Shadow Veil was made; The Dragon Gate. An entrance to the most powerful kingdom of fey.
It was carved of simple rock, taking the form of a summoning spell. The Table of Fours drawn like a compass pointing south towards the rune of torch. But gates don’t summon objects, fey, or anything else for that matter. What a gate summoned, was actually magic itself. Because of The Dragon Gatete and magic barrier, Grand Snow remained protected and untainted by modern times and wizards. It remains as the oldest magical forest, with the oldest mention of mages. Perhaps the cradle of all magery. But it’s relevance to this tale, is that the second mage ever born to this village was a girl who was about to be wed.
The girl intrigued people with her magic, and it made suiters unsettled. She was seen spending all her time healing, playing with, and watching the dragons. Her family had to bribe a young man to take her hand, out of fear of losing her to the magic forest. The original name her parents gave her is long forgotten; today she is referred to as Quellelthan. And her fate would turn out to be quite important.
Upon her wedding day, Quellel fled into the woods. She feared the men of the village, and did not want o marry any of them. Quellelthan went to take refuge in the forest, with the fey she had befriended. They seemed more supportive and loving then her family. The depths of the enchanted cliffs were Quellel’s happy place; Full of whimsy and fond memories.
Near the top of the mountain was the Dragon Gate; a place she knew someone who understood, would be waiting for her. In the clearing overlooking the village and valley, standing upon the gate, was her True Love; the Dragon King. He was not hateful and violent like the men in the village, nor possessive and lustful towards her. The Dragon King did not judge her for her magical talents or choices. Even though he was made of magic, Quellelthan never saw the Dragon King as anything but a person. They always treated each other with respect and kindness when they met. Exchanging stories and listening to the wind. When Quellel finally reached him that day, she ran over and cried in his arms. She was scared and cold, which concerned the Dragon King. Then she confessed her love for him.
Quellel wanted to be go away with him, and far from people who didn’t seem to want her the way she was. They had known each other for years, but the Dragon King loved her since he the first moment he saw her. Therefore, seeing Quellelthan in distress made him deeply sad, as he wanted her to be happy and safe. He then enfeyed and wed her with A True Loves Kiss; making Quellelthan the first Beast Queen. She would bare him one child, as a half human heir, every fifty years. The Dragon King’s children were half of him as well, and he was a large powerful dragon in his fey form. His heirs were no different, and took many years to fully grow because of it. Their children were the ethereal pearl and gold Cynedom Dragons. Queen Quellethan, now enfeyed with the Dragon Kings magic, was also a radiant dragon in beast form; but she was still only human. Yet, there was no fire she couldn’t breathe or conjure, and no person or fey in need she wouldn’t help. Now safely away from a world that didn’t appreciate her, The Dragon King gave her a fey name, Quellelthan, as a token of love; to help her leave the Day Veil behind. Over the centuries Quellelthn would become known as the most cheerful and endearing of the Beast Queens of fey.
Fourty years ago, while looking for her lost ten-year-old daughter, Quellelthan was captured and forced to guard the Capitol’s wizard vaults. Metal whips and spells were used against her; as the wizards believed her to be an untameable dragon and not an enfeyed young woman. Quellel could have turned into her human form, but she was scared it would make no difference to these savage men. Times had changed since she was born, and humans no longer lived peacefully with fey. Quellelthan had the misfortune of watching magic turn from a treasure in the hands of a few, to a weapon of status and war. Quellel lay in loneliness within the vault.; Numerous scars on her body, and wondering if she’d ever see her husband or children again. That was until Morgan met Quellelthan, and freed her.
Morgan recognized her on the spot; unlike her Cynedom Dragon heirs, Quellel had human mannerisms if one paid attention. Tales of the Beast Kings and Queens had been stomped out by wizards; but Morgan had found, restored, and read, the ancient documents recounting the kingdoms of fey. Quellelthan was very curious about how such a young mage, managed to sway so many commoners to free her; Morgan was too young to be going around confronting accomplished wizards in her opinion. Wizards are dangerous, and he could have been hurt. Quellel, regardless, was overwhelmingly grateful. Morgan proposed the eldest Cynedom Dragon take her place. This was princess Laurel, who admitted she loved lounging about guarding treasure, and being pampered by humans. Having her mother be free was payment enough to take the position.
When Quellelthan arrived in the Dragon Kingdom of Shadow Veil, she warmly embraced her husband, and joyously reunited with all her dragon children. It had been so long since Quellel had seen her family; She now had the opportunity to give the Dragon King another heir if they wished. Yet, Quellel first had to meet the princess she had lost all those years ago. She had a big enough family, that another heir became a second thought until her daughter was found.
Fleoganan was the youngest Cyendom Dragon; she looked like an innocent young woman in human form; Even though she was half a century old. But to Quellelthan and the Dragon King, Fleog was still their baby girl. Fleog had been caring for all her little reptilian fey sibling that her father made. Fleog remained by her father’s side, to watch the secret royal nest, while her mother was gone. She would reassure her father that mother would come back someday. Sheltered in the Shadow Veil for decades, Fleoganan had no knowledge of the more unsavory aspects of humans and the Day Veil. She was preserved in a childlike state of optimism and innocence. Fleog’s jovial nature was caring and vibrant; unwavering in the face of cynicism. However, it was time for a change.
After Fleog and Quellel had a heart-warming reunion, The Dragon King asked his daughter if she would like to live on Tiberius Gate with his new brother; King Mage Morgan Cynedom. The same mage who had freed Quellelthan earlier. Fleog, even though she wanted to spend time with her mother, yearned to see what the humans were like. She wanted to smell and see the green of grass. Fleoganan accepted, and left immediately. So immediate in fact, the Dragon King did not have the time to tell Fleog that she was to live with her royal cousins, and be an advocate of fey by helping Hara Fyrstan.
When Fleoganan arrived, she greeted the gate with a full-hearted hello. However, when she examined the vibrancy before her, Fleog found Tiberius Gate void of humans. There were people things around, but no King Mage to meet. Fleog shrugged this off, and proceeded to explore the gate for her siblings, of which there were a few. A couple nagas, some Quetzalcoatl’s, small wyverns, a few drakes; but nothing in need of immediate snuggles and familial support.
Fleog decided to fly back to the tower, and began to read the brand-new, freshly written journal, sitting in the open. She saw it on a small desk in the main hall when she arrived. It mentioned a Seer mage of red hair and grey eyes, who desired to save a nymph he considered family. Fleoganan was immediately drawn to this ‘Professor Hara Fyrstan’. One of the entries said that this man wished to meet a Cynedom Dragon for his research; in hopes of preserving the gate. The journal even mentioned the academy where she could find him. What luck! Before Fleoganan left, she checked the front page of the journal to see whose magical diary she had browsed; It was the endearing King Mage her father had mentioned, Morgan. Fleog’s parents said such good things about Morgan’s kindness, it made her eager to find him. Captivated by how Hara was described in the journal, she was aflutter to meet him too. Fleog would not simply wait in the tower for them. Without delay, Fleog morphed into a dragon, and flew to Pepperidge magic academy, to meet what seemed to be a very charming bunch of mages.
Meanwhile, Hara finished feeding the fey in the conservatory. They chatted with him about his grandfather. Then Hara graded some assignments, and got tomorrow’s lecture ready. At the end of the day, Hara eagerly anticipated his soft bed, which was now only a staircase away. He was having a good day. It was one of the normal ones, where ones feels alive when they wake, and keeps feeling happy for the rest of the day for no reason; even when nothing worthy of merriment occurs.
Hara went through each key on his carabiner before finding the one for his dorm room. Then he unlocked the door, and walked in with the confidence of a privileged young man. Hara satisfyingly flopped his satchel on the dresser, slipped off his boots and coat, undid his shirt and gave big relaxed sigh. He looked at his bed anticipating a perfectly made white downy cloud; but instead, there was an undressed dragon princess splayed upon it. Fleoganan was laying there day dreaming in human form, wearing nothing but her horned golden crown and white silken cape; both of which could not be removed. Hara, in surprise, began to experiences what can only be described as trance music being played over recorders wielded by children. Fleog perked up and smiled at him. Like there was nothing unusual about their first meeting whatsoever.
“Are you professor Hara?! I read the King Mage’s journal, which said you were here. You are as cute as a button! You wanted to see me for research purposes, right?” Fleog chirped.
“Yes, but where are your clothes?!?!?” Hara exclaimed.
“I took them off because it was warm in here!!!!! Why are we yelling!?!?!” she said jubilantly. Hara covered his mouth, then the rest of his face, and then his fingers through his hair. Then Hara clasped his hands together by his chest, and with a smile that also contained pain, he let out a bit of a wheez like a sad balloon. ‘It was hot in the room. Or it’s me… it’s me, isn’t it?’ Hara thought, starting to grimace. Fleoganan was now standing in front of him. She was so happy to see him, that she was bouncing a little, and looking him over while waiting for a response. Hara looked like a young freshly graduated unrefined bachelor; Just as he was described by Morgan. Forget research. forget turning into a dragon for show; Fleoganan wanted to get to know Hara. She wanted to collect and lay on him like a hoard of stollen dwarven gold. Her hands were on her cheeks like a school girl. Everything felt so wonderful.
“I’m so happy right now.” She giggled. Hara touched her at the waist to insure she was real. She was indeed real. Authentic dragon princess; guaranteed. Hara took a minute to compose his thoughts, then looked her in the eyes calmly.
“what’s your fey name happy?” Hara giggled.
“Fleoganan! You can call me Fleog! Or flag. whichever you can pronounce better.” She chimed, leaning in.
“You can call me-” he smiled charmingly. “Hara.”
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