//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: The Dragon Council // Story: The Frost Chronicles: Book 2: Shadow of the Storm // by steelwingx //------------------------------// CHAPTER 10 The Dragon Council As Lord Spike and I talked through the night, we discussed our new plan on how he would be able to help us. He would call a meeting with the other clan leaders and meet at the summit, they joined at the corners of each of the clans. After a long night, I returned to my room for some well-deserved rest, where I found River fast asleep, I smiled and did my best to snuggle in next to her without waking her. ________________________________________ The next morning we were invited to breakfast with Lord Spike in his dining hall, where we would be able to discuss the plans further. One of the servants went to each of our room and told us to follow him, but we were all more interested with Dust and vapor’s arguing about his snoring last night, which only made us chuckle as we made our way downstairs. After crossing the grand hall, we were taken down the first floor hall that supposedly lead to the large main dining hall. As we entered we saw that the room was filled with similar decorations as to the rest of the palace, but with a large table that stood taller than most of us. We saw Spike at the end, accompanied with a female dragon, approximately his age, and a familiar looking young dragon, who smiled at us as we entered. When he saw us enter, Spike stood up and extended out his arms, “ah, our guests have arrived. Please come in, I hope you all rested well” he said as we each took a seat along the table. Spike nodded and gestured to the female dragon beside him, “I don’t believe any of you were formally introduced to the rest of my family. Allow me to introduce my wife, Sapphire” he said as she stood up and nodded at each of us, “it’s a pleasure to meet you, I trust my husband has been…pleasant to you all” she said as she glanced at him, as we all chuckled. After we all sat down, some of the other butlers came over to the table, each of them carrying trays that held food that was more familiar to us. As we began to eat, Luna looked up from, her food and turned to Spike, “with respect, might I ask what you and Frost were speaking about last night?” she asked with a curious expression, which also caught the interest of our friends who glanced from me to Spike. He stopped and lowered the bite of food he was eating, and folded his hands on the table, “ah yes, as I was discussing with Frost, I told him that I will help you in your cause, but my help is only so flexible. In order to make my contribution more effective, I will need to approval of the Dragon Council” he said as his wife and son turned to him with curious expressions. We all looked around at each other, exchanging confused looks. “What’s the Dragon Council?” Vapor asked as she looked at him, but I could see that the question was on every pony’s mind. Before Spike could answer, Sapphire cleared her throat, “the Dragon Council is the summit where all the dragon clan leaders meet to discuss the more political matters of the clans. After the Council was founded, it was declared that no one clan can perform any act that might have consequences on the others. With my husband’s agreement to help you, he must first ask the Council for their approval, so has been the Council law for many years now” she said with a solemn look. She looked over at Spike who stared at her for a moment and then sighed. “What my wife says is true, I have already sent a message to the other clan leaders. If time is on our side, we shall meet with them later today.” He said with a hopeful gaze. My friends and I all turned to each other and nodded as we continued to eat our food. ________________________________________ After we finished our breakfast, we were released to do what we pleased around the city, under orders from spike that we were to be welcomed as friends, and not treated as meals, like so many seemed like they wanted to make us. My friends and I soon found ourselves walking through the city’s market place, where we all easily felt small and helpless. Luna, Iron Star, and Aurora were all back at the palace, discussing what we would say to the other clan leaders, in trying to convince them to help us. As we walked through the market, we were all easily impressed by the sights we had not been allowed to see previously. We occasionally stopped at vendor stations to inspect their products, either sampling various food items, or pulling River and Vapor away from the jewelry stands. “Hey Frost, I've been meaning to ask you. Why haven’t you told Spike yet about Twilight? Do you really think it’s fair, leading him on like this?” Dust asked as we stopped, while Vapor and River had gone off to inspect some other booths. I turned to him with a confused expression, but I quickly sighed and looked away, “I know what you mean. But Twilight made us promise not to tell him, if she wants to handle it on her own, then we should respect her wishes” I said to him as Vapor and River returned. As they walked up to us, we noticed some other dragon guards, making their way over to us, we all turned and watched as they walked over and stood in front of us. “Pardon our intrusion. But Lord Spike sent us to bring you back to the palace” one of them said as we all exchanged worried glances. ________________________________________ As we left the market, the guards took us back on the path to the palace, where we saw a large amount of guards waiting. As we walked up, we noticed Spike and our other friends standing there, he smiled and waved to us as we walked up and they all turned to us. “Glad you could make it. We will be departing for the Council meeting soon, but I must give you all a word of caution. Many of the other clan leaders do not share my desire to help you ponies, it will be hard to convince them. I will do what I can to speak on your behalf, but I think that if one of you were to speak with them, then it might just sway them enough to help.” He said with a concerned look. We all looked at each other with confused looks, trying to point out who the speaker would be, until Luna stepped forward. “I was a friend to many of the clan leaders a century ago or so, but I will not be able to convince them myself. Frost…I would consider it an honor if you were to aid me” she said turning to me. I looked at my friends and they all smiled at me, River smiled and placed a reassuring hoof on my shoulder, I smiled and turned to Luna with a nod. She smiled at me as we heard a loud screech from above, we all turned to see our familiar feathered friend fly to us and land on the ground, and chirp at us. We all smiled as Spike turned and made his way back into the palace, which we all followed briskly. ________________________________________ Spike had told us that there was a small mountain that served as the Council’s meeting place, which was placed directly at the center of the clan’s boundaries. Spike informed us that our ship had been fully repaired and that we would be able to take it to the mountain, under the protection of his palace guard. Our crew had brought the ship to the palace and we all boarded calmly and the ship slowly carried us to the meeting place. It didn't take long for us to see the small mountain that Spike was talking about, to us it didn't seem to be more than a simple mountain, but Spike had told us that the chamber had been built into the mountain, and that we would have to wait outside the chambers until Spike could bring us in. After the ship landed, we came up to a large set of stone doors, which ultimately lead into the main chamber. Spike calmly turned to us and frowned slightly, “remember, you must all wait out here. I will call for you when the time comes for you to speak” he said as both he and Sapphire walked towards the door. There was a loud groan as the stone doors slowly slid open, and they walked in before the doors slowly closed behind them. ________________________________________ My friends and I had been standing outside for nearly an hour, simply waiting for Spike to give us the signal, but we simply continued to wait. “Ugh…how long are we going to simply stand here?” Dust whined as he sat on the side of the path that lead to the chamber. “Oh stop your whining!” Vapor said to him as they began to go at it, but before they could get too far into it, the large stone doors began to open, and the two guards who stood outside the door, calmly walked over to us. “You may enter the chamber, but you must show respect to the other clan leaders!” one of the guards said as they nudged us along to the door. We simply followed in and looked at the sight before us. From our perspective as ponies, the mountain didn't seem to be that large, but the inside had made us think twice. The inside of the mountain had been carved in a large stone dome of sorts, at the top of the chamber, a large window shined light down into the middle of the room, while torches along the wall lite the stone seats that lined the walls of the chamber, aside from the path to the door. Towards the middle of the room, we saw five large stone podiums, one for each clan leader. Standing by the podiums were various dragons of size, color, and age, but all seemed to share the shocked expression as we entered the chamber. Our gazes shifted to the middle of the room, where we saw Spike standing there, smiling at us as we entered. Before we made it to the center of the room, one of the clan leaders spoke out. “Lord Spike, what is the meaning of this!? Why are these equine in the Council chambers, you know this is greatly unacceptable!” one of them yelled at us, while Spike simply turned to address the leaders. “Yes I’m well aware of our traditional customs, but as I said before, this is a more pressing matter” he said, as the guards escorted us into the stone seats around Spike’s podium. As we sat down, it seemed like a heavy, heated debate broke out between the clan leaders, while Spike simply remained calm. “Lord Spike, are you suggesting that we waste our time listening to these…ponies?” one of them said in a more confused tone, while some of the clan leaders glared at us. Spike raised his claw and they all slowly fell silent, “I am suggesting that we hear them out on their purpose for being here. You all know as well as I do, that Equestrians wouldn't come here, to our home, unless it was truly a dire matter” he claimed to the others. We watched with nervous looks as some of them glanced at the others, some of them nodding their heads in agreement, while one or two still glared at him. “Lord Spike, the mere idea that you brought these ponies here…could be written off as your own sentiment for the place you once called home, before you came here” one of the older ones said. Spike sighed and glanced briefly at us, but he quickly turned to the leader who said that. “With all due respect, Lord Razor. I believe the commitment that I show to my duties as a father, a husband, and a clan leader; is more than enough to prove that I hold little sentiment for Equestria any longer. This is merely us helping out a neighboring kingdom” he said before turning to the others. Some of the other clan leaders, began to nod in approval, the one who had spoken out against us, sighed and motioned for Spike to continue. Spike nodded and began pacing around the room, “as I’m sure you are all well aware of, the Equestria we had once come to call our neighbor, was taken from them and crushed under the rule of their new king. Many of our predecessors…were close friends with Princess Celestia, and we welcomed Equestrians into our clans with open arms. But that changed when they undertook the war against the Griffins, and to only add to their injuries, they suffered a revolt led by the now crowned King, Red Spear, and he has ruled Equestria for many decades now. In order to protect ourselves, we barred all further trade with their kingdom, and have shut out their cries of anguish for too long. My friends…it is time we act!” Spike shouted across the room. The other Clan leaders remained silent, but the one who seemed more intent on throwing us out, softened his gaze. “If you are telling us this yourself, then what was the point of bringing them here?” the dragon known as Lord Razor asked him, as he gestured toward us. Spike glanced at u and took a deep breath, “If you so permit it, I brought them here so that you might hear their proposal from them” he said as he looked toward us. The Clan leaders all exchanged various expressions, but they all began to nod, which only made Spike smile, and us breath with relief. Spike turned to us, “first, I would like to introduce a pony who has dedicated their life to the freedom of Equestria…Frost Fall” he said gesturing to me. The room fell silent as the other Clan leaders followed his gaze to me, I swallowed nervously as River gave my hoof a reassuring squeeze. I calmly stood up and made my way to the center of the room, just as Spike stepped back up behind his podium, watching me with a calm smile. I looked back to see Luna give me a confident smile, which helped a little as I stepped into the center, and looked up at the tall dragons above me, I quickly cleared my throat and began. “Honored members of the Council, I stand before you today…as a humble Equestrian citizen. For my entire life, I lived in fear of King Red Spear’s regime, like every pony else in my hometown. Then my life changed forever, I received something that not only changed my life, but inspired hope in others, and so the Night ranger’s found me. Along with them, they gave my friends and I a chance to fight back against the King, and try to renew the once peaceful land that Equestria once was under the rule of the four Princess’s.” I said taking a breather from my speech, and letting my words sink into their ears. After a few moments of silence, I continued. “Some might call our purpose foolish, and a waste of time, and they may be right. But after a life of living in fear, we have the chance to bring back the kingdom we once loved, to restore the true rulers to the throne. We fight so that nopony has to suffer…by living a life full of fear and cowardice. If we all had the chance to make the difference, then…I think that is something worth fighting, or even dying for” I said as my words echoed off the walls. The room fell silent as many of the Clan leaders began to debate what I said in their minds. I turned to see Spike smiling at me as he fooled his arms on his chest and glancing at the others, but before they could speak up, I did so once more. “Before you all make your decision, I think it’s only fair that you hear these words come from the one of the only living members of the royal family. Princess Luna!” I said and many of them gasped, as the Midnight blue colored Alicorn stepped next to me and removed her hood, as multiple quiet questions filled the room, such as: Princess Luna? She’s alive!? I thought she perished in the war? How is she here? Luna spoke up as I backed away and went up to take my seat, receiving multiple pats on the back from my friends. “great leaders of the Dragon Clans, I am the one who leads the Night Rangers in our quest to fight Red Spear rule, but we have yet to make a true difference in the battle” she said as her words echoed across the room, only hers were laced with more certainty, indicating that this wasn't her first time making a speech. “I know that I may no longer wear the crown on my head, but I am still the true ruler of Equestria. Many of you and your predecessors were close friends with my sister, and it think it’s only fair to remind you that she gave her life to protect her kingdom and those she cared about, and I believe we are honoring her name by doing what we can to stop the King. I understand that many of you would want to keep those you care about safe, but we would never be able to stop Red Spear without your help. I think that if my sister were here today, she would ask you the same thing. I am not here before you as a Princess, I am here as a humble pony, who wants nothing more than to rid the poison that pollutes her land” she said in a calm and controlled tone. My gaze drifted to Spike as he looked at the other Clan leaders who seemed to be in deep thought, but Lord Razor quickly stood up and grasped the side of his podium. “The Council has heard enough for now, we shall now discuss our answer in private. Guards! Escort our equine friends out for now” he said in a much calmer voice. The guards appeared and slowly began to file us out, but as I glanced back, I saw Spike look around with a concerned face.