The familiar movements of a mares bareback as it ran calmed Jullinar only a little as she raced toward the edge of her kingdom of Draak. How could she be completely calm though? The Council of Maghi had made a decision that she was of marrying age and they had already called the suitors to her kingdom. No one could fight the Maghi though, because the Maghi were wizards. In fact, that's why there was a Council of Maghi in the first place, to keep the kingdom safe. That's not how it always turned out thought because the Maghi weren't always good people. Princes had even fled from their kingdoms to escape the Maghi never to be seen again-probably living their life solitary in the woods-just to get away. They fled because the only person or thing that could fight and defeat the Maghi were the riders of the draaks or the draaks themselves.
Dragon riders are rare, because everyone knew that to ride a dragon the dragon had to like you, which has only happened once in 400 years because the draaks were wild creatures. It's not something that you can take lightly. Especially because in the 400 years thousands of people had tried to befriend the dragons that live on the outside limits of the kingdom Draak. Well... a thousand and one now, because even though Jullinar knew that to try to befriend a draak was insane, she still thought she could do it. Not because she knew everything about them, even though she thought she did, and not because she was a super strong warrior woman capable of throwing herself out of the way of any stream of fire that was hurled her way, because though she was trained in combat she still couldn't do that, but the reason she thought she could do it was because she was the only one in 400 years that needed to become a rider of the draak to defy the Council of Maghi. Jullinar suspected that that was one of the major reasons the draaks befriended a rider in the first place. Everyone knew that the Maghi had once treated the Maghi like slaves thrashing them with whips to pull boulders for the castles of draak over 400 years ago, which was stopped by the rider. Riders get powers from their draaks, although how was a question that was never answered to her. The powers that they get are stronger than the powers of the Maghi.
It wasn't that she didn't want to get married, because she kinda did. She just wanted to marry a prince that she liked and not one the Maghi picked out for her, which was bound to happen because that's what her mother Lady Pamela had gone through. Her mother hadn't lived a terrible life, as long as the king wasn't mad at her or just mad in general. Kings in anger bring terror as her mother had always told her. It was Lady Pamela's dieing wish that she fall in love before marrying. Not only for herself but for the kingdom as well. Another rein from a king of terror would force the kingdom into ruin, Jullinar knew that. So to have her husband and King picked for her would be against everything she stood for, which for a princes is the kingdom itself.
Jullinar slowed her mare as she got closer to the edge of the kingdom. She was crazy for even thinking this could work.
"I wouldn't go any further if I was you," said a man as he edged out of the forest ahead of her. Jullinar drew her sword.
"You will let me pass," she said pointing the sword at the man staying on her horse. The man wasn't really a threatening picture though better safe than sorry. The Maghi didn't look all that threatening either. His pants and shirt looked like they had been worn for years with patches everywhere. His brown hair was disheveled with sticks, twigs, and mud covering it. It was obvious that the man was a peasant, he had been making the ground as a bed, as was obvious by his attire, and his hands were up in surrender: no sword on him. Though he still had muscle that could be used against her Jullinar didn't think this man really wanted to hurt her, he was surrendering after all. Jullinar put her sword away.
"I will let you pass," he said. "I'm just saying I wouldn't go any further if I was you."
"And why is that,"Jullinar asked. "You just came out of there did you not?"
"I'm not you am I?"
"This is silly," Jullinar said. She had no time to play word games with this man. She had to get into the woods before it got light out or the Maghi would capture her and take her back to the castle. If she was caught there would never be another opportunity. She would be watched like a dog. "I have no time for this," she said kick starting her mare into a trot again, trying to maneuver her way around the man.
"So you're going anyways? You have to know whats beyond this point!" He said running alongside her and her mare.
"Of course I do. Do I look like a fool? The Draaks are the reason I'm going in here in the first place."
"No you do not look like a fool," he said still trying to keep pace. "You look like a desperate princess!" He said the last shouting as he fell behind. Jullinar stopped; he knew who she was?
"Yes, I know you are the Princes Jullinar of Draak," he said answering her unsaid question while he came up beside her again. "And I know the predicament that you are in. I, however, know that if you would like to appeal to a dragon, the best time is at night. It is almost light out princess. It would be wise to camp out here in the woods until night falls."
"Who are you," Jullinar asked.
"My name is Jazda from the kingdom of Gudarien," he said bowing low at the waist.
"The kingdom of Gudarien is far away. How long have you made a home of my kingdom?"
"I have lived on the outskirts of the town for almost a year my lady. A tough year it has been. Would you wish to camp alongside my makeshift home for the day?" he asked still bowed at the waist.
"You may rise Jazda, and I would love to camp next to you." Jullinar got off her horse and took the mare by the reins. "I have provisions Jazda, you must be hungry."
"Thank you my lady; I am."
"Then show me to your camp. I know you are right; to go to the dragons when their fire is the strongest would be a stupid and perilous task."
When they made it to the camp, which wasn't far into the woods yet hidden very well considering the Maghi wouldn't go into the forest themselves for fear of the Draaks, Jazda built a fire while Jullinar made her tent and got out some food.
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