Not Dragonslaying, but still dangerous business . . .

Dragoness Andrea

"Well, for a change it doesn't involve slaying a dragon," I say softly.

'Tis strange, but now that I'm on the OTHER side of the bard's tale I find I am not . . . so eager to spill dragon's blood. I remember having been enthalled with those few wandering minstrels who my father allowed to entertain us at dinner, tales of daring knights fighting yet another evil dragon.

Memories (of which I am HAPPY, that stupid quest for some kind of Dishcloth just is too . . . . silly) remain vague, but I do remember my new (and very welcome) form.

Since then, much has happened (as you can see)! Not only have I new family (only way I can describe it):

http://www. geocities.com/ terraprimedatabase /Scene52.jpg

But also . . . a lover and lifemate!

Hrmph . . .

I've learned MUCH since having found myself on Nantucket Earth. The experience lent me a clue as to why dragons are so possessive over their Hoards: their lives are linked to it. Then there was my new husband and mate . . .

. . . .

Pardon the sigh of happiness, but after so long being practically locked away from the world by my overly protective father who I love but . . . .

Well, at least when I'd been granted being a Champion the plague of madness had been banished by a Rule. At least my father and my nation can now pull things together and put things to right. . ..

Sorry, got sidetracked. Just suffice to say that glad things worked out the way they had so far.

Now, as for how things go from here is an open question. This is my first Quest as Champion (much more serious and . . . sane that that damnable Quest for the Dishcloth of Righteousness). This is my Validation Quest and though even if I fail and I remain a Champion, it would leave a bad taste in my mouth.

Part of this Quest already has left a bad taste in my mouth.

We have been sent to gather up the analogs of Frederigo and Alicia D'Honaire. Take them, turn them into blocks and deliver them to the Rules and Agents to have the Key Components inside them removed. Sounds simple enough, I guess, until one realizes that we cannot just waltz in and take them away without risking some nasty political/national consequences.

See, like Fred the Manfox and Shefox Alicia both the native analogs here have been transformed into humanoid foxes by this world's Minestus. However . . . from what I was told (sketchy details) in my briefing that while harsh, the situation wasn't a matter of yet AGAIN an evil Minestus trying to gain godhood. Or of some petty retribution for annoying him.

This Minestus--while not perhaps a "good guy"--did these kinds of things out of a sense of retributing crimes against fellow non-humans. It seems that THIS (now defunct) version of my kingdom (the Great Kingdom) had become so intolerant of non-humans that they'd begun to hunt them down to eradicate them from their borders. Genocide!

Small wonder that the non-humans rose up against the human kingdom..... But then again it had gone too far. Those who'd not been ejected from this land's borders had been either killed (smashed flat by various giants or such) OR turned into simple animals of the field (never to return).

Things had gone down even further from there. After the expulsion, a new non-human nation had been formed . . . but it was in the process of falling apart. Fred and Alicia were attempting to stop this disitnigration . . . tough enough, that. However, if we just waltz in and nab them at the wrong time (or the wrong way) WE could be contributing to a nation's downfall (and the resulting chaos that would ensue after). Won't even MENTION what will happen to the human merchants braving obvious dangers for traveling into this new, non-human ruled nation, if WE are seen stirring up trouble . . .

So, I lay that all down.

1. Obviously, the humans are going to be posing as trade merchants, but there is much still to be planned . . .or at least worked out as we go!