Lost Songs of Dragons: The Awakening


Lee R.B. / Lost Songs of Dragons: The Awakening

*Disclaimer: This is a first draft/unedited ongoing book that is currently unpublished.  I hope you enjoy the story of pure fiction as I write the chapters and post them on a regular to semi-regular basis, granted writer's block doesn't take me.*
Lost Songs of Dragons: The Awakening by Lee R.B. Copyright Lee Barnes aka Lee R.B.


Chapter 1:  Satyra

"If father knew my true feelings about Cael, he would have a chastity belt strapped to my waist and my head on a pike," Satyra thought to herself as she gazed upon the pale face and dark blue eyes of one of the two vampires that stood before her father, King Barthetii.
     Her heart raced as she twirled the tips of her long, red hair, allowing her pampered fingers to graze her soft, perky breasts.  She felt a warm flow between her thighs that were as hot as coal.  She bit her lower lip and turned her head, hoping no one would notice her face flushed with desire.
     She knew it was wrong to desire Caleb, but she couldn't help herself.  There was something about the never aging being that stood only a few meters away from her.  Not only was it his looks, but there was something about his personality, his very soul, if he had one, that intrigued Satyra.
     Satyra jerked at the sound of a fist slamming against hardwood with a thump that echoed through the empty domed chamber.  It was her father who now had risen from his throne and pointed a finger at the older of the two.
     "Now, you listen to me and you listen well, Prince Ajani," King Barthetii said, his voice was stern as Satyra had ever heard it.  "You tell your master that the people of Barthetii will not be bullied in any fashion.  Libere Landon and its people are part of the Barthetii Kingdom and part of our kingdom it will stay as long as there's a Barthetii in power."
     "My Lord,-"
     "You will address him as your grace, you beast!" Commander Forta shouted at Prince Ajani.  King Barthetii subtly raised his right finger, hushing the commander of the King's Guard from speaking any further.  The King sat down and leaned back.
     The red eyed prince cleared his throat and continued.  "My Lord, we do not wish anymore bloodshed.  This war between our people has been going on for nearly two hundred years now.  You're the fifth Barthetii I've had the honor of meeting but displeasure of having to go into battle against," Prince Ajani groveled.  He spoke with a smooth but dark, deep voice.  A tone that made Satyra's skin crawl as it sounded too smooth.  "The Vampire Nation wishes peace between our people and for us to begin trade negotiations to build a stronger relationship."
     Advisor Ruza, a short and slender fellow, scoffed at the vampire prince and said, "What could we possibly trade?  Our blood?  That's all you would want, isn't it?  And what would we get in return?  Death?"
     Prince Ajani kept his gaze on the King and replied, "We vampires do take pleasure in owning luxuries such as jewels and aesthetic paintings.  We're also aficionados of books."
     "Books?  Books about what?  Probably death and suffering," Advisor Ruza commented.
     "We enjoy stories of all types," Prince Ajani said.  He turned his eyes to focus on Advisor Ruza with a look that pierced into his very soul and said, "Including torture, suffering, and death." 
     Satyra lost her heat and shivered at the sight and sound of Prince Ajani.  She lowered her eyes and touched her nose, allowing her long sleeves to drape across the bottom half of her face, hiding her fear.  For a few moments, she struggled to breathe, but quickly controlled herself.
     Prince Ajani smiled and returned his attention to the King and modestly said, "But, vampires make bad story tellers and thus we rely on the imaginations of others."
     "Well, some of you people have had thousands of years of life, and some of your people were once great artists and storytellers themselves.  So tell me, how is it they've all of a sudden lost this ability to create stories?"  Advisor Ruza sharply asked.
     "Vampires are incapable of exaggeration as it is also our preference to stick to the truth thus everything we say, write, and pass down is far more accurate that the exaggerated imaginary depictions human beings convey," Prince Ajani replied, his voice had risen a decibel but was still under control.
     King Barthetii considered the Prince's words for a moment and then leaned forward.  "Thousands of my kin, my ancestors, had lost their lives taking Libere Landon and thousands more died defending it.  I will not ask my people to give it up so easily.  My answer is, no."
     Prince Ajani mimicked taking a deep breath and said, "The city's proper name is Septerra, and thousands of my kin, many of whom I've shared memorable moments with, have lost their lives over it too.  Don't think you're the only ones who have lost loved ones."
     "Brother!"  Prince Cael said, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.  His voice was calm and smooth like Ajani's but it wasn't as dark or sinister sounding.  He possessed a softer and more humane tone.
     Satyra found her heart beating once again at the mere sound of Cael's voice.  She fixed her gaze on his eyes, ignoring the rest of the court.  She imagined him walking over, sweeping her off her feet and making passionate love to her, an encounter she had yet to experience.  But her fantasy would soon be interrupted again by the sound of her father's voice.
     "This meeting has concluded.  I want to thank you for wasting my time," King Barthetii said, infuriated.  He took a deep breath and sincerely said, "I hope our next meeting will be a productive and satisfying one."
     Prince Ajani and Prince Cael both gave the King a courteous bow and took a step back.  As Cael raised his head, he glanced at Satyra and gave her a brief, crooked lipped smile, and walked away.
     Satyra hid her face as she blushed.  From the first day she laid her eyes on Cael, she had fallen madly in love.  She didn't know why, she couldn't explain it.  She knew what he was, the fact that vampires preferred human blood over any other creature in the world, the fact that the Barthetii Kingdom had been at war with the vampires for hundreds of years and the human race for thousands of years, and that he was old and unpredictable, but there was something that compelled her to him.
     She knew it couldn't be a matter of mind control.  Ever since the last of the dragons were laid to rest over five thousand years ago, the vampires lost their ability to read and control the minds of human beings.  In fact, almost all magic and supernatural powers disappeared with the dragons.
     As Satyra was figuring out what attracted her to Cael, she looked up and saw the most dreadful person she ever had the displeasure of meeting.  He walked with a white staff that tapped against the hard, marble floor with every step.  He had a long white beard to accompany his aged face and wore black robes.  His name was Solaris.
     Solaris was once a great wizard with hundreds of magical powers and abilities.  He, along with the Counsel of Wizards, once held dominion over the entire world and over all races, backed by an army of dragons who were the true rulers.  But now, he was simply a defenseless, immortal being doomed to spend eternity wandering the world.  He didn't even have the strength to raise a hand and kill a fly.
     "My dear, useless wizard, Solaris," King Barthetii said with amusement.  "How are you these days?  Still staking claim of the world?"
     The wizard stopped before the King and rested against his staff.  He gave Satyra the most malevolent smile and said, "My Lord-"
     "You will address him as your grace, sorcerer!" Commander Forta shouted.
     "I'm here to ask if you're willing to sacrifice your virgin daughter to bring back the true kings of this world, and to make you a very powerful man."
     King Barthetii barked a laugh before he could check himself.  He covered his face for a long moment, clearing his system of all the laughter.  Satyra, on the other hand, found nothing funny about the wizard's proposal.  Her stomach churned with disgust at the mere idea of the wizard knowing that she was still a virgin.
     King Barthetii straightened himself up and said, "I must first thank you for giving me such a laugh.  I needed that after today's affairs of council after council and talk after talk with delegates from all around the world.  I still remember the first time you asked for my Satyra as a sacrifice four years ago when she was only twelve years old and since then, every six months you come to my kingdom and enter my grand chambers and ask me to sacrifice my only eldest daughter to bring back the tyranny of the dragons."
     "You will be rewarded for your loyalty and sacrifice," Solaris said.
     "I'm curious, what did King Olaf of the Swizern Kingdom say to your offer?"
     "He said if I could defeat one of his foot soldiers in single combat, he would allow me to sacrifice one of his seven daughters," Solaris glumly replied.
     "And did you do it?  Did you accept this challenge?"
     "Of course my lord, I try everything and anything to bring back the true rulers of this world, but, you know as well as I do, I am no challenge in this melee combat you mortals participate in."
     King Barthetii laughed again and then asked, "So how did the old King's foot soldier defeat you?  Stabbing?  Burning?  Drowning?  How?"
     Solaris sighed and replied, "The young man was kind enough to disrobe me before thrusting his blade into my flesh, where my heart would be if I were one of the worldly races."
     "At least he didn't tear up or make a hole in your robes, eh?  No stitching needed?"
     "None, my lord."
     "Ah, well, that's too bad.  I hear Swizern fabrics are to die for," King Barthetii said.  He glanced at his daughter and smiled.  "You may not have my daughter as a sacrifice and no when my youngest turns twelve you may not have her as a sacrifice either.  I would also like to point out that this is the last time I'm allowing you to ever step food in my grand chamber ever again."
     Solaris cleared his throat and said, "So let's be sure I leave here today on good terms with you because I promise you, this isn't going to be the last time I step foot in this chamber.  I will be back.  Maybe not in six months, but I will one day sit in that throne."  Solaris pointed at the wood carved and gold encrusted throne King Barthetii sat in.
     The king slowly rose from his chair and stared down the old wizard.  Satyra could see her father's rage build as his cheeks turned red like hot coals.  She became frightened at what he might do next.  She knew her father to be a short tempered man since his wife, her mother, died.
     "Get, out!" The King commanded, his voice echoed throughout his domed chamber and down the halls for all the world to hear.
     "Your lordship doesn't-"
     The king let out a war cry no one had ever heard in over a decade.  He grabbed his silver long sword and charged at the wizard who stood his ground.  The king thrust his blade through the wizard's throat.  Black ash puffed out the back of the wizard's neck as the silver blade pierced through his flesh.
     Solaris struggled to speak, but not a single word left his lips.  King Barthetii glared into the wizard's eyes and fiercely said, "Do not speak to me again.  Go back to where you came from and stay there.  I implore you to not ask any of the lords, kings, chancellors or even my greatest enemy, the emperor, of this world for any of their virgin daughters as a sacrifice.  The dragons are forever laid to rest, you lost your power and hold on this world, let it go."
     Satyra watched as her father slowly pulled his sword out from Solaris' throat.  She heard his razor sharp blade tear away flesh.  He motioned for his guards to take the wizard away and watched as strong hands gripped Solaris' arms, escorting him out of the king's grand chamber.
     Once Solaris was out of the chamber and out of sight, the king reached over and touched Satyra's hand.  She grabbed his hand and felt the warm protection only a father could offer.  She rubbed her cheek against the back of his rough hand and shed a tear.
     "Don't cry my daughter, you will never see that monster again," King Barthetii assured her.
     "I hope so," Satyra said.  She wiped away her tears and asked, "If father permits it, I shall retire to my bed now."
     King Barthetii smiled and nodded.  Satyra rose from her comfortable, smaller throne and walked towards the guarded doors that led to the royal chambers.  As she entered, she heard her father sigh and say, "Next subject, please."
     Satyra entered her lavishly decorated chamber.  The smell of lavender incense cleared her soul as she panned the room with her eyes.  Violet drapes surrounded her plush, soft bed.  Her large balcony door was open letting in the cool, fresh mountain air.  Flames danced on candlesticks set in front of the mirror of her vanity table.  Fire crackled on burnt wood in the nearby fireplace.  It was her private chambers, a place where she could be at peace, and safe.
     Satyra walked over to her bed and plopped herself on the feather stuffed mattress and wrapped the thick blankets around her.  She didn't bother with her nightly rituals of having her handmaiden brush her hair and apply oils to her face and hands.  All she wanted to do was close her eyes and think about Cael.
     She wondered if Cael knew how she felt about him and if he shared the same feelings.  Satyra knew her feelings for him were real because even though Cael could and would kill her by drinking her dry, the fact that his people killed Daniel, her one and only brother, and because Cael was an enemy of the Barthetii Kingdom and to the human race, she still felt nothing but love and compassion for him.  It was a feeling she had never felt in her life.
     After her brother's death, Satyra developed a hatred for vampires.  Every time she heard the word vampire and especially when she saw one, her skin crawled and her blood boiled.  She had heard the terrible things they did do her brother before killing him, unforgivable acts of horror as was their nature but, Cael was different.  From the moment she laid eyes on him, Satyra felt something different in him that softened her heart.  Something no one else saw and she was determined to prove he was different from every other vampire.
     Day in and day out, she slowly began to build up a case for Cael, a case all in her mind and derived from her heart.  But for now, Satyra lied back in her comfortable bed and felt her eyelids become heavy and allowed them to close.  She allowed her body to relax and drift off into the world of dreams.

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