LeRoy Clary
Dragon Clan #6: Anna’s Story
CHAPTER ONE
Anna quelled the desire to scream her frustration as she watched each of the elders gathered around the table placed on the stage. She forced herself to sit with calm restraint for any looking in her direction. She understood the council’s reluctance to allow her to sail across the Endless Sea to Breslau, especially when considering her young age. But she believed her services were critical to the survival of the family, and perhaps to the entire Dragon Clan. I have to make them understand.
The young man who had traveled with her before, Gray, broke a leg and couldn’t travel with her again, at least not for months, and she didn’t want to wait. Tessa, the leader of the watchers, was too busy as the newest member of the council. Besides, she was scheduled to be at King Ember’s Summer Palace in a few days. That left nobody in the Drylands Family with the experience required to go with her. Yet, the council was adamant about not letting her go alone.
They faced each other across the aged wooden stage built at the edge of the orchard. It stood under the canopy of apple trees older than anyone alive. This was not the first time she had been up there. It was often used by family singers, play-actors, and children to entertain. Not so long ago that included her. But the structure had originally been erected years ago, so the council members could be seen and heard by all in the Dragon Clan Family at meetings exactly like this one.
She stood before the seated council, chin up, ready to fight. She’d lose her arguments; she knew that, but she would do her best. Her Grandma Emma, the wily senior member of the council, spoke first before Anna could say anything. “Your last venture out into the world warned us of the impending danger of Breslau and their dragons, and it provided invaluable information about the invasion scheduled for landing at Shrewsbury. You can be proud that you have served your family well, and no more of you is expected. But now you request to leave us again, and ask for our permission and support.”
Anna lowered her eyes. The tone was both an accusation and a decision. All in attendance, even those furthest away could hear Grandma Emma and Anna’s carefully crafted arguments would now fall on deaf ears. She didn’t request to go out there again; she needed to. Her job tonight was to convince them.
The family may not understand, but they needed her to gather more knowledge about the land of Breslau even if they didn’t understand why. Breslau was going to invade the Princeton Kingdom with little or no opposition—and part of their foreign army would march right through the drylands—right past this valley. Worse, they probably already knew the location of the Drylands Family, and would attack and destroy her home, perhaps killing everyone at tonight’s meeting.
A month ago, the messenger from the Highlands Family had told them of the further dangers from Breslau. Tanner and Carrion had traveled there, confirming all she and Gray had found—and more. The messenger had sat with the counsel for two full days, telling them of the dangers to not only the Dragon Clan but everyone in the kingdom. They were the kind of dangers that could only be fought with accurate information, the sort she might help provide. But, how could she convince the council?
Her grandmother thumped her staff loudly, twice on the wood floor to draw the attention of all. The pounding sounded with the hollow echo of a drum. Her Grandmother half- stood and raised her voice so even those in the back would hear each word clearly. “I believe our very existence is at a crossroad today. We will either defend ourselves from invaders from Breslau--or the Dragon Clan perishes, at least our family dies. It is that simple.”
“Yes, we need to fight back,” Anna said, glad of the unexpected support, tentative as it was. However, Grandma Emma hadn’t said who needed to defend the Dragon Clan, just that we need to. The difference was not lost by Anna. Her grandmother was renowned for her subtle use of language to get her way.
The old woman, still standing, turned to face Anna, a sad expression already telling of her foregone conclusion. “It was my reluctant responsibility to assign you to travel with Gray to Shrewsbury last year, but you agreed and risked everything. True, your mission was almost an observer and messenger. Yet, after all, that, you are still only fifteen. Perhaps it is better for others to take on this task and do their part; their share on protecting us all.”
“No! I want to go. I’m experienced and better qualified than any other Clan member here. Besides, there is nobody of age or more experienced. Look around you. Who else is there?”
“Pretty fifteen-year-old girls face difficulties out in the world that is beyond your understanding. You cannot travel alone, and there is nobody in our family available to escort you.” She pounded her staff on the floor once, to emphasize her point with another hollow boom. She was not a woman who allowed others to raise their voices to her.
Heads nodded in agreement with her words, but Anna ignored them as she thought. She’d seen the twinkle in her grandmother’s eyes and understood that she had given Anna an out that the others on the council hadn’t heard or didn’t yet understood. It was just like the old woman to say one thing and mean another.
Now Anna just needed to figure it out quickly. What was her grandmother trying to tell her? In our family. The phrase had been ever so slightly stressed, yet Grandma Emma was such a great manipulator of people and meetings that it meant something. She would not use that phrase unless there were meanings behind meanings.
Like a flash of lightning on a warm summer evening, Anna understood. There are people in other families who can go with her. Anna spoke again, keeping her voice level and restrained, “Remember last year when Fleet came here and took Tessa with him to travel to Fleming? Like Fleet, I could travel to another Dragon Clan family and ask for a partner. This invasion affects them as much as us.”
Grandma Emma looked at the rest of the council, her expression bland, and she shrugged as if Anna had out-argued her. Even Sawyer, the leader of the council stayed quiet. However, Anna caught a slight wink in her direction from her grandmother, almost just a twitch of the eye as if an insect had flown too close to her eye. Grandma Emma’s face remained calm, and her eyes avoided Anna’s as if seeing them might make her giggle with pride.
When Grandma Emma stepped forward, she held the attention of all. She spoke as if resigned to her decision, a choice she did not want. “I can think of no reason to prevent my granddaughter from taking on this task if she can secure help for the venture. Since she is able to outmaneuver all of us on this council so easily, I suggest we allow her to help us. Maybe she can outmaneuver the Breslau Royals.”
Sawyer, the leader of the family, said, “Which family will she visit for a partner? The Bear Mountain family already has sent at least four people. Another of their family is at Castle Warrington advising the Earl. They cannot possibly spare more people.”
Grandma Emma said, “There is another family high in the Raging Mountains east of Castle Princeton. While we do not know precisely where they are, we do know that Raymer came from there. His name alone should guide the way if a clever girl mentioned it to the right people.”
It was the opening Anna needed. “Yes, he left other clues, too. I could travel there and find Raymer’s family. He might even be there with his bonded dragon. Imagine if Raymer went with me.”
“He was recently visiting the son of the Earl at Castle Warrington in the north, last we heard,” Sawyer said, looking guiltily at her grandmother as if that ended the subject.