Spring, 1344

The green island dragon walked towards the Blue Cliffs, alone. As she approached the aviary, gryphon scouts took notice and quickly began assembling to ambush. However the female dragon quickly detected them, barely acknowledged their presence with a glance, and then continued the course walking straight towards the aviary. The scouts were confused. They knew they had a Dragon Lord prisoner, and they knew that the war with the dragons had fallen into a bloody stalemate. This wyrm was not flying, certainly what a dragon or gryphon should do if facing enemies, as it left them completely at the mercy of an opponent's sudden aerial attack. There was something important with this dragon. Several scouts returned to the cliffs to report, and soon the bulk of the aviary came out, dozens of eagle-lions soaring just above the dragon, casting long shadows over her.

With a few upward glances at her opponents filled with annoyance, the dragoness continued on. She was either really brave, or really stupid. The gryphon warriors hovered around her, just beyond range of the dragon’s fires waiting for a response. Finally, within eyesight of the Blue Cliffs Aviary a half-dozen gryphons, clad in full battle armor and armed with ranseurs - enough to kill even the most powerful of wyrms multiple times over- landed directly in front of her, blocking her path.

Kharriana of Behran Island looked at the forces arrayed in front of her with barely disguised contempt.

“If any of you bird-brains speak human, I come with a message from my leader.” Kharriana stated.

***

About four months after sustaining his abdominal wound, Mera was resting atop the aviary cliff side, idly watching the sun descend over the horizon while the birds and gryphons began returning to their roosts. His wound still ached badly, but it was healing, and strength was improving. It had been a long and painful recovery, but he was almost able to fly again.

Which meant that he would probably need to begin planning how to escape his gilded prison.

It would be difficult. Fetati's guards still kept an eagle eye on him, and he wondered how strongly they would fight, how he would have to fight through them, where he could find safety and shelter. The dragon didn't even know if there were any survivors from his Flight after Compton's Cove. Could he hope for any outside help?

Mera shook his head. It didn't matter: as a Dragon Lord, he had his oaths and his duties to his people, and it was expected of him.

Still, the bronze dragon couldn't help but feel hollow at betraying Fetati, at leaving-possibly to fight her again, after she had spared him and nursed him back to health. She had treated him kindly, considering the brutality of the fighting between their two peoples, considering Yubegsa's death was still a deep emotional wound for her. Did she know he would have to try to rejoin his people?

If he failed, the dragon wondered if the gryphon leader would be so merciful a second time. Fetati was brave and righteous-was she vengeful? Mera certainly hoped to never find out.
Mera vaguely recalled that his father may have died facing gryphons, but finally the male dragon hoped he didn't need to harm any more of the gryphons.

He wondered if trying to escape would be worth it.

With a start, the dragon wondered if this was how Logan felt all those years ago when Mera spared the hunter at the end of a heated battle, nursed him back to health, then let him go. Logan had of course immediately betrayed Mera, but then felt bad about it and eventually helped the dragon reach the Truce with Stanton. That youthful indiscretion had turned out to be the best decision of his life, leading to 19 years of peace with Stanton and a friendship with humans that had got him this far.

“I wonder how Logan and Stanton are doing?” Mera muttered aloud. It had been quite a while since he had thought about his guardianship duties, getting distracted by his involvement in a war and almost getting killed and all.

“Well Mera, you’re lucky to get the opportunity to find out.”

The dragon turned to find Fetati sitting behind him with arms folded, her ranseur leaning on her shoulder. The eagle-lion was smirking.

“Your queen wants an exchange, Mera. I guess she remembers how you rescued her. Your people have spared five gryphons that we lost over the Flaxfield last month. They are offering them all-alive-in exchange for you, alive.”

Mera was shocked. “Really. All this for me? From the Jutrstra?”

Fetati smiled “I guess you made an impression on your queen, Mera.”

---

The Proclaimers-I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)

Courtesy of  theroguez!