The Dragon, King of the Dark elves, let his eyes sweep over the throne hall. Now in the summer this was a comfortable and cool place, but in the winter the cold would touch the bones. The problem with winter temperature was, however, not only reason that this place had been abandoned for centuries. After the war they had been forced to leave this once magnificent palace and during the following years the location had become uncomfortable close to the growing human settlements. Although spells that would instill fear still kept humans away from this place it was not practical to risk encounters with humans or even worse, Light elves, as soon as anyone would depart from the limited protected area. The Dragon liked to call it a palace although a ruin might be more appropriate. The throne hall still looked impressive enough but there were areas of this old place that could only be entered at the risk of one’s life, and other parts of the palace had been turned into piles of stone since long. The disadvantage of the location was, however, also the reason that he had chosen to temporarily move his court to this place for a short while. The location was a great advantage considering the guest he had within the walls.

Of course “The Dragon” was not the real name of the King of the Dark elves, but this was the title he preferred to be called and the only name he had been called since centuries back. Most of his subjects did not know his real name anymore. Dragons were the most sacred and worshipped of all animals that had ever existed so this was a suitable title for the King of the Dark elves. Today only the sacred bones of the dragons remained, they had all died even before the elves came to this world.



From a distance the court looked impressive enough. But he also knew that most of the nice dresses and tunics would show signs of wear at a closer look. After the war against the Light elves the Dark elf realm had declined, both in population and prosperity. The Dragon had, however, never given up the hope of revenge and the hope to once restore the Dark elf realm to its former splendor. Unexpectedly, the subjects Orm and Ondina had stumbled over a chance to damage the Light elf realm much deeper than the Dragon would have ever hoped to do within a foreseeable time.


The Dragon let his eyes rest on Lady Ondina and Lord Orm. The potion masters had never been any remarkable members of the realm but now their wit was acknowledged by everyone and they had been generously rewarded. When they had come to him to tell what they had done, the Dragon had first found it difficult to believe that such insignificant subjects could have done this. But the young and mighty Princess Aliendre had disappeared and the news about the disappearance of the human crown prince also soon reached the Dark elf realm. Of course Ondina and Orm could not return to their former home. It had always been a risky place to live, a place where one would always risk encountering light elves in the forest. Ondina and Orm, Lady Ondina and Lord Orm now, the Dragon corrected his own thoughts, had chosen to live in that place so distant from other Dark elves because of all the herbs that grew in the forests there. After Aliendre’s disappearance light elves were everywhere in the forests on the search of the lost princess. Therefore it would not have been wise of Orm and Ondina to return to their former home. Instead they had become potion masters at the court.


A movement further down in the hall made the Dragon stretch his already straight back. He felt how one of his brows rose and for once he had to make an effort to suppress all expressions from his face when he saw the human for the first time.


”My Lord, may I introduce the human Lord Erik,” Indindra’s voice was clear and steady but there was an undertone of excitement there. Everyone had gathered in the throne hall to have a look at the human and his first meeting with the Dragon.

“Lord Erik, this is the Dragon.”

The human bowed in the elven fashion. He looked calm and relaxed but the Dragon had been told that he had been everything else than calm before.

The Dragon did not bow or even nod his head, it would have been far beyond his dignity to give such an acknowledgement to a human although in fact he desperately wanted to make an impression that the human would never forget. “I hope your visit here is to your satisfaction. You are our guest and I have ordered that no efforts should be spared to make you comfortable.” The interpreter translated the Dragon’s word to the human’s ugly language.

Erik bowed again. “I have been very well treated My Lord except that I’m not used to be kidnapped by armed men and women and locked into a room when I’m invited as a guest.”

When the human’s words had been translated, The Dragon didn’t know if he should be amused or furious about this insolent answer. This was not how to speak to the King of the Dark elves. Then he remembered that Erik had been brought here because the Dragon wanted something from him so he chose to be amused.

It hadn’t been easy to capture this human. After weeks of planning and finding out which human to take, it took even more time to locate him and to find the right opportunity. Finally Lord Erik had made the mistake to go riding on his own and the warriors had taken their chance. Two warriors had been hurt, one so bad that it first had been unclear if he would survive. If anyone had believed that humans were weak and poor fighters Lord Erik had proved them to be very wrong. But a cloth drenched in a sedative had put an end to all his resistance.

Lord Erik had been very upset about being their guest. But after some persuasion he had finally accepted that it would be better to cooperate. Of course, looking back it might have been better if someone who could speak the human language had been there when they caught Erik.


The Dragon was satisfied to note that Erik had been given a black tunic instead of his own dirty and tasteless brightly colored clothes. He had also been made more presentable with khol painted around his eyes, but there was something that didn’t make sense.

“I see that you still have hair in your face, did the servants fail in their service?”


A childish smile spread over Erik’s face. Humans really had no control at all over their face. They were like small children, always moving some part of their body and showing their feelings openly without control. Could he never stop blinking, the continuous blinking was starting to get very enervating.

“I was very well treated by your lovely ladies and offered a shaving in the bathing hall. But you see, human ladies love a masculine beard and I would not very much like to part from mine. I had it trimmed though, doesn’t it look good?” Erik stroke his beard and laughed. Some of the ladies in the hall also smiled. It was as if Erik’s uncontrolled behavior was contagious.

The Dragon grunted. “You are our guest because we could help each other. I understand that your ambition is to take the crown in the human realm but that there is some resistance to your claim. We are willing to help you with armed warriors.”


Erik looked suspicious when the offer was translated.”Why would you risk the lives of elves to help my cause?”

“Many years before all living humans were born the ancestor or of your prince, Alexander, helped the Light elves in the war against us. If it had not been for their help the outcome of the war might have been very different. Our lives are long and so is our memory. I want revenge on the humans who once helped the Light elves.”

“What do you expect from me after you have helped me to take the crown? Do you know anything about Alexander’s disappearance?”

Although a war in which the Light elves would be defeated and humiliated was a future the Dragon could easily see he could not expect the human to share this dream. “I have heard rumors saying you are behind the disappearance of your cousin.” The Dragon stretched the corners of his mouth to something that could resemble a smile. “However, from what I know about the reasons for Alexander’s disappearance the Light elves are not friends of humans anymore.”


Erik’s face showed obvious signs of surprise when he heard this. It was as if he didn’t even try to hide his feelings. Obviously he did not know anything about Alexander and Aliendre “So you do know what has happened to Alexander?”

“You can forget about Alexander now. After you have taken the throne we expect you and your kingdom to be our allies.”

“I think my chances are good already. Why would I need the help of Dark elves when my wife’s father and brothers are my allies?”

The Dragon took a deep breath to calm his anger. He had to admit that this human was brave if nothing else. “First of all you need to come back to your home to take the crown.” When these words had been translated the Dragon could see how Lord Erik’s yaws and fists tightened. “If the crown was so easy to take why is it not yours already? As I understand there are other candidates who could be chosen and not everyone is in favor of you.” It had taken months of reconnaissance to gather all this information but now it seemed to have been worth the effort.

Erik bowed. “You are right. Of course the help of Dark elves would be very valuable. Excuse me if I have seemed ungrateful but it was unexpected to be offered such a valuable gift. I accept your offer and hope that we can start to plan our strategy as soon as possible.”

“We will talk more this evening. Now I have other urgent businesses to take care off.” Of course there were no urgent businesses to take care off but it could not hurt to give Erik the impression that he was not important at all for the Dark elves. In fact all dreams and plans the Dragon had made the last months had involved this human and his role in the beginning of the new age for the Dark elf realm. One of the major differences between Dark elves and Light elves had been the matter of the humans. The Dark elves had advocated that humans should be destroyed while the Light elves had advocated that elves should aim for friendship with the humans for mutual benefit. But what benefit could humans be to elves? They multiplied in an appalling speed and continuously spread their settlements into new areas. But there was one thing that humans could do for the elves, one thing that King Eraldor but not the Dragon had realized and that had been the end of the Dark elves dream to rule the elven realm. The human king had appreciated the friendship with the Light elves so much that he had come to their help in the war. The humans were numerous and the Dragon soon realized that his second mistake had been to underestimate their ability as fighters.


The Dragon dreamed with his eyes wide open. He was patient but once the humans were in his debt they would help him to defeat the Light elves. When the Light elves were defeated there would be no one who could defend the humans from the Dark elves. Maybe eradicating the humans would be a mistake. They were strong and numerous while the elves were few. Some of the humans could be saved and used as slaves for the elves. The Dark elf realm would soon be stronger than ever.