//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Stories // Story: The Dragon and The Moon // by Dragon-Heart //------------------------------// Today is the arrival of the delegates from Saddle Arabia and I get to see how meetings like these work and to get a better understanding of relations between other lands. Just thinking about standing in the meeting is nerve racking even with my sister by my side, I don't want to be a bother or end up ruining our image as royals of Canterlot. Looking around the room nothing would keep me distracted and only made it worse, maybe Dragon-Heart can help in removing my nerves. Heading to his door I thought about dealing with my nerves on my own but it just kept returning to the idea of it being a disaster, reaching his door I give it a few knocks and call him out. "Dragon-Heart are you in there?" "Yes, I'll be right there." the door opens to a smiling stallion, "What's with that worried look on your face?" "Could we go for a walk?" "Alright," closing the door behind him we head down the hallway, "Is something bothering you?" "I'm just really nervous about this thing I'm standing in with my sister. I worry that I might not be ready and I was wondering if you can help get over my doubts." "It'd be my pleasure. What is it that you are attending?" "We are going to be speaking with delegates from Saddle Arabia." "Saddle Arabia: A jewel in a sea of sands." "You know about the place?" I asked. "I've traveled through Saddle Arabia before it is a very interesting area. Most citizens live in a large city that in its center is an oasis with canals running through most of the city." "Sounds like a very beautiful place, tell me more about this city." hearing about Saddle Arabia distracted me about any earlier doubts I may have had about the meeting. "Its a large hub for merchants traveling the world to meet and trade for many exotic items, their culture gives new meaning to life through arts and crafts. The citizens are all very kind to travelers passing through their plazas which helped the city grow as tales of the place were told." he continued on explaining his visit to the city and meeting those would teach him different trades of the world, I was so interested in his story that I forgot I had to meet up with my sister to speak with the delegates. "I'm sorry to cut you off but I really must be going now." "It's all right, may the meeting go well." giving a small bow he began his return down the hall. Arriving to the small room that connects with a main chamber, I found my sister having a discussion with the Captain which ended upon them noticing my arrival, greeting the Captain and Celestia with the usual formalities. Before entering the room my nerves returned worst than ever and accompanied by doubts about how I would be able to handle myself in the situation made shudder a little that my sister took notice. "Still really nervous about this?" she asked. "Only a little." "I thought you might, so I asked for someone to join us who knows about some of their history to give support." "Who?" I asked, Who? I wondered. The Captain opens the door to let in Dragon-Heart wearing something of a formal coat in dark shade of purple, with symbols representing the sun and moon stitched on it. As he finished saluting and greeting everyone, he let his gaze rest on Celestia to finish any explanation needed to be done. "Dragon-Heart will be helping us in any way he can so we can established a strong relationship with the delegates, but it will still be up to us to create and maintain this friendship. Any questions before heading in?" "Just one." turning to Dragon-Heart, "Shouldn't I be formed about certain information?" He and my sister exchange a small smile, "Yes you should had been informed but a leap of faith can be a greater asset in many situations." "Maybe unless you miss and meet with despair." this got a laugh out of the Captain, a praised look from Celestia, and a defeated smile from Dragon-Heart, "Shall we make our entrance?" We begin to make our way into the chamber which has a large round table at its center with a large window at one of its walls that overlooks most of Canterlot and the small town down in the valley. At the table sat the three delegates all which are wearing some very enchanting robes and scarfs, from what Dragon-Heart has told me these are made from a fine silk that gives its wearer protection when traveling though the desert, making up the party were two colts whom have seen much traveling and a young looking mare with the presence of a influential adviser. As we greeted them Dragon-Heart does a strange greet of his own which approved greatly with the delegates which returned the same gesture, taking our seats my sister sat on the far left, I took the right, Dragon-Heart in the middle and the Captain took his spot at the door. The other three sat in almost the same fashion the two colts on either side and with her in the middle, she's probably the one that will be speaking on their behalf, she still gave off a strong presence and with a stare that could move mountains yet it seemed to have no affect on my sister or Dragon-Heart. Celestia began, "Greetings delegates of Saddle Arabia, it is our pleasure to have you here in our small part of Equestria. I am Princess Celestia, this is my sister Princess Luna," gestures at me, then to Dragon-Heart, "and Dragon-Heart our traveler of the lands." "Thank you your highness. My name is Nubia Sinai the queens' royal adviser and these are my associates Namib Dasht," on her left, "and Indus Gobi." on her right. "We've come in asking if you would be willing to establish a route for our citizens to be able to travel inland in a more effective and safer manner." "We would most gladly set a safe route between our cities but I must ask, what do you mean in a safer manner?" Nubia paused at the question before answering, "Along our usual routes inland have become dangerous over time by bandits that would raid merchants or creatures attacking our caravans. We were almost delayed even further when a pack of timberwolves tried to attack us." "Timberwolves aren't known to go after travelers on the road." I interjected, "They mostly stay behind in the bushes or trees and lure anyone travelers unfortunate to wonder off." "Many occurrences have also been happening in the desert as well, many of our citizens would rarely travel without the help from our fighters guild to reach other cities. The bandits have also increased in number and seem to be more coordinated than before." "Has anything big happen in the city?" Dragon-Heart spoke up. "Nothing major just discoveries of old books from ruins we dug up" "The only time bandits get bold is when a strong leader takes over or something was found in those ruins to get them all excited. Do you know if the bandits tend to be 'believers' of things?" She and her associates mumble to each other gathering information from each other, "No these bandits weren't ones to follow those kinds of things but...they have gotten strange in their ways." "How?" "The markings they leave behind aren't the usual markings, their messages as well have become riddles, and their attire as well have changed." "This is strange indeed. Dragon-Heart do you know anything about the areas around Saddle Arabia?" Celestia asked. "Yes specifically that these bandits were always a rowdy group that didn't follow anyone unless proven to be stronger than all of them. Even then they weren't bold enough to go after merchants unless a strong or dumb brute was with them." "Might I ask how does a traveler like you know a lot about our bandits?" Nubia focused all her attention onto Dragon-Heart. "There's a lot of information you can get from small pubs and taverns in any city." "But never having full details about how bandits work in the area unless having been one or been encountered by them. So I would like to know where you a bandit?" silence shrouds the chamber waiting to be broken with a response from Dragon-Heart. "I was never one but had many encounters with them either on my own or protecting the many caravans among the other routes." "So it is you." "Excuse me?" "You were the masked individual that helped the royal caravan make it back to the city and protected the queen and I, we have been looking for you to give our gratitude." "Now I remember, you were much younger then and looked different. So I must have left a pretty big mark in protecting your routes." "Everyone there have been asking where you've gone and even went to the Queen for answers about you. She has also gave out news to find you and meet with her." the other two both reacted with astonished faces with finding out Dragon-Heart here was the one who has been protecting travelers and saved their Queen. "What are we going to do about the new route?" I asked Celestia, bringing us back to the main topic. Celestia and Dragon-Heart discussed for a while before giving an answer. "I've deciding that we would begin establishing the new route and Dragon-Heart shall travel with you back to Saddle Arabia. I've also decided that my sister shall also go with you to maintain watch over the project." "Thank you princess we will send a letter back home until then we would like to rest here a few days before returning." "I'll have the Captain to show you to your rooms." she signals him over, "Make sure they have everything they need." "Understood." the Captain leads the delegates out the room. "Dragon-Heart I want you to prepare yourself for the journey with any materials you'll need and also this will be the first you will have to protect Luna without many eyes also watching, do you understand?" he nodded in acknowledgement before heading out. "Sister why am I also traveling with them?" "To give them reassurance about them coming to us for help and given that Dragon-Heart has become a local hero to them it might be beneficial to see him traveling back with them the princess he serves under." "What about just traveling with our banner or just wearing the armor to show where he is from?" "Luna sometimes you must make a large presentation to sway those into your favor. If they were to see you with him traveling to their city they will see you as a princess with interest in protecting others who are in need of help. Just having others just sent there wouldn't give much credit in to your actions." I mulled over with how one portrays themselves with other leaders and citizens of Equestria. "We must prepare everything for when they are ready to travel unless you have something else to do before then." *** Present yourself the way you want to and make a statement of who you are. At least that's how I think it seems to go when meeting new courts. Her explanation kept me occupied for the rest of the day from doing anything, as I sat in the garden pondering how the world worked with its many constant changes from natural events or by words in books. After trying to figure out of how one must learn to run a good royal court with a changing world I began tending to some of the flower beds to see how the beautiful plants were coming along, I really enjoyed the bed of blue roses that grew with blue as their natural color and sometimes would grow with a shade of purple within its petals. Nearing the center I notice there was one a little smaller than the rest, it seem to be in full bloom but short, upon further inspection there was another flower that was intertwined with the rose. A flower that I have never seen before with green petals, from the looks of it the flower was growing healthily with the rose even though the bud was closed and barely getting sunlight as the rose's petals would keep it in the shade. I would of tried to remove the plant to place it in its own flower bed to grow but from seeing the stems knot each others could mean that their roots were also intertwined, so very delicately I moved the petals as to give it more sunlight and just as the rays hit the flower it bloomed open with layers of petals within it, every layer a different shade of green and at its center there seem to be a clear like ball on top of the stigma. After the flower bloomed it also seemed the rose was happy about and open its petals more, the small green flower was very intriguing that I would motherly tend to these to flowers greatly. "Excuse my intrusion princess but I wanted to ask you something." Turning to see who's voice belonged to, seeing it was Nubia standing at the edge of the flower bed. "What is it that you wanted to ask?" "I was wondering if I could have a word with Dragon-Heart?" it seemed that even out of the chamber she still has that strong presence around her. "You don't need to ask, I'll bring you to him since he does tend to pace around the castle or would somehow be invisible to everyone around him." We wondered about the castle before she continued our conversation, "I must ask, how long have you had a pony travel all around Equestria for you?" "To be honest he wasn't under our assets until a short time ago, he has told me tales of his travels before arriving to the small town down in the valley and joining us." I wonder if it be too much to mentioned that his true role here was to serve as a close protector. "What is it that caught both you and your sister's attention to this one pony who has been traveling? There must be something more other than information." "You already have seen his skills first hand when he protected your caravan. He was just a gem smith for all we knew and we asked that something be made, upon arriving to deliver his work an experiment went south and we had a dragon within our walls causing havoc." she became more interested as she matched my pace and closely listening to my words, "Our guards couldn't maintain control of the dragon as it continued its rampage of undying rage, somehow by fate maybe, he was there in the crowd and joined in to help." "How? He just looks like any regular Earth pony, I doubt he could have stopped it." "That's where he caught our interest and learned who he really was. He somehow was able to manifest wings onto his back that matched those of a dragon, it gave him unnatural speed and also breath fire as he distracted the dragon but it wasn't enough as he was still able to get hurt, but with the help from our lead researcher he was able to use magic to stop the dragon. It was unbelievable someone without a horn to channel a high class spell and boost his abilities." Nubia faced toward the path not saying much before stopping by Dragon-Heart's living quarters, "That would explain why he was able to help our guards with ease. What happened after the dragon was stopped?" I gave the door a few knocks. "I went down to see him for myself, as I neared him I could also his eyes were those that matched a dragons powerful stare but the green color gave the feeling of safety. He then presented me with a beautiful necklace he was to deliver in the first place, looking deep into his eyes I was about to thank him before he began to sway and collapse to the ground, but after a good four days of rest he was back on his feet and Celestia announced that he will serve as my personal guard." Dragon-Heart appears behind the open door as he quickly greets us, "Good your here, Nubia wanted to discuss something with you and pardon for I have something that needs to be finished." Giving a small bow I left them to their discussion as I head off to prepare anything I would need for the travel ahead. Letting my thoughts flow freely they kept returning to the day I first met the other half of Dragon-Heart as he stood just a bit taller than I, just short of Celestia, with those powerful yet soothing eyes and scaled wings that rested at his sides. He looked like something from rumors told by fillies or old colts of a stallion with the power of a dragon, I wouldn't have fully believed somepony like that would exist even when he stood in front of me but as he collapsed from the exhaustion, I believed that almost anything can exist in this world of constant changes.