The Valley of Fire

“There weren’t always dragons in the Valley,” Grandfather Obreg began as one of the guards cut a chunk of lamb off the spit, wrapped it in a leaf, and handed it to him. Grandfather nodded courteously before taking a bite.

“They weren’t?” Gylber leaned close and waited for grandfather to finish chewing with baited breath.

“That’s right, lad.” Grandfather washed the lamb down with a swig of goat’s milk, the only thing he drank anymore. “I’m old,” he would always say if asked why. “I’ll be damned if I spend my last few years eating or drinking anything I don’t like.”

Elyn scoffed and shook her head, bringing me back to the present. The way the setting sun shone around her head made her strawberry-blonde hair shine in a way that made me smile.

I leaned in close to whisper in her ear. “You think I want to hear it again any more than you, love?”

“No,” she murmured back, “But I don’t have to be here.”

“Don’t have to, or don’t want to?”

“Both.”

“Then why are you?” I glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention to our conversation. Captain Rills was speaking with mother and father, Gylber was engrossed in grandfather’s story, and gods knew where Margot had run off to.

“You know why.” Elyn’s face darkened. I did know why.

“Elyn, I’m only meeting him tonight. Nothing more.”

“Nothing more?!” Elyn’s voice rose, catching the ear of one of the guards. This was not the time nor the place to have this argument.

I held up my hand to Elyn’s lips to shush her. “Not here, love.”

“If not now, then when? What in the inferno are we doing, Meryll?” She stood up suddenly, shaking off my hand as I tried to grab her arm. Before I could say another word, she had stormed off, finding some secluded spot in the camp.

“I was around your father’s age when the Emergence happened.” Grandfather Obreg’s voice pulled my heart back into my chest. I wanted to chase after Elyn, but I knew it would draw too many eyes. Sometimes, being heir had its drawbacks.

“Where did they come from?” Gylber asked, kicking his legs up in the air as he stared up at grandfather with wide eyes.

“An astute question, lad. No one truly knows where the dragons came from or why they chose to appear when they did. But they were first spotted in the north, in the land that we now call-”

“The Dragongrounds?” Gylber’s face lit up and he leaned in even closer to grandfather, who chuckled at the young boy’s enthusiasm.

“Yes, lad, the Dragongrounds.” Grandfather Obreg leaned forward on his cane to bop my brother on the nose. “Although at that time, it was still part of Demesne Karzag. But it didn’t take long for the dragons to make it their own.”

“What happened?” Gylber asked. My brother had an insatiable curiosity. That I could never deny. Seeing him so happy was almost enough to make me smile. But then I thought of Elyn again.

I wasn’t going to sit there and listen to grandfather tell a story I had heard a thousand times while the woman I loved was upset with me. I checked to make sure no one was watching me. Surprisingly, they weren’t.

“Pardon me, grandfather, Gylber.” Grandfather Obreg caught my hand as I stood up to leave. I could see in his eyes that he was about to dispense his all-mighty wisdom upon me even before he opened his mouth.

“Speak plainly and from your heart, child, and you will never go astray.”

I smiled back at him warmly. Even after all these years, he was still a Hjallik at his core. And, even though he was an old windbag most of the time, I almost loved that about him.

“Thank you, grandfather.” I laid a kiss on his forehead and slipped off after Elyn.

It took me nearly half an hour, but I eventually found her slumped behind a barrel, sobbing her eyes out. Her earlier ire must have fizzled out by now, for she did not move to stop me when I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her head to my chest. She only sobbed louder when I did so, but I shushed her down before anyone heard.

“I hate this,” she spat out after silence long enough to have been greatly uncomfortable if I had shared it with anyone else. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I learned only shortly before you did, my love. I wanted to tell you, but my mother forbade it. She didn’t even want me to bring you to the meeting.”

“Her fears are well-founded.” Elyn lifted her head from my chest to look me dead in the eyes. “What’s wrong with you? Aren’t you upset about this? You’ve never even met him and you have to spend the rest of your life with him.”

Of course, I was upset about the situation. When my mother had told me the news, I’d downed an entire jug of wine and felled two trees with my axe. I’d screamed into my furs until I fell asleep. The fact that Elyn had been away when I’d found out had only made it more difficult, and things hadn’t been the same between us since her return.

But I was heir to Clan Vellen. My parents had sprung it on me without warning, for sure. I’d known my whole life that eventually, the day would come when a consort was selected for me. Besides, the ink was dry. The falcons had been sent, the papers had been signed, and Elora Durik and I had been betrothed. There was nothing to be done about it. And, in the week since I had learned of my betrothal, I had come to accept that.

I chose my words carefully before replying to Elyn’s question. “You’re right, I don’t like it any more than you do. I want to whisk you out of the Valley and build a home together somewhere far away from all of this. I want to marry you atop some great green hill, find children to raise as our own, and grow old with you by my side. I want to spend every minute of the rest of my life with you.”

“But you can’t.”

“But I can’t.” I didn’t realize I was crying until Elyn reached up and brushed the tears from my face and pressed her lips to mine.

“I’m sorry, Meryll. I know this isn’t your fault, and the last thing you need right now is me making this harder for you.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.”

“No, I’m making this about me. We always knew this day would come. I just didn’t expect it now. I’d only just returned to Demesne Vellen when I found out. I hadn’t seen you for a month. And now I have to give you up forever.”

“I know, I know. This was my mother’s doing, surely. She could’ve put a hundred other smallfolk on that mission. She wanted you to not be here when it was announced.”

“I don’t blame her. If I’d been here, I would’ve taken you in my arms and carried you halfway to Lake Amadain before she could’ve stopped me.”

The tears had subsided for both of us at this point, and I allowed myself to smile at the thought of Elyn carrying me anywhere. “You don’t have to give me up forever, love. Many highborn spend nights outside the beds of their consorts. I’ll still have time for you.”

“Not like you do now. Things will be different. We won’t be able to spend entire days in each other’s company anymore. It may be weeks or even months before we can find the time to be alone together.”

“I’ll have need of all kinds of smallfolk in our keep. I could find a position for you in our staff, that way w-”

“Your mother would never allow it. And we both know she would find out sooner or later.”

I nodded solemnly. I knew Elyn was right, and, at this point, I knew anything I could say would be as good as a healing poultice to a headless corpse. I took a deep breath and steeled myself for what I was about to say.

“I know things are about to change greatly for us. I know there will be no going back from this. But I promise you this, Elyn. I will never stop loving you.”

“Nor I you,” Elyn smiled up at me.

I pressed her forehead close to mine, and the tears began again, for both of us. For what felt like an eternity, the only sounds I could hear were my sobs and Elyn’s mixing together, in and out of each other. Then, a voice called my name.

“Vellen Meryll! Vellen Meryll!”

I peek out from around the barrel to see Captain Rills and a few other guards heading past. I turned back to Elyn.

“I have to go, love. I’ll speak with you again after the meeting.” I pressed a firm kiss to her lips before slipping out from behind the barrel and walking up behind Captain Rills.

“Here I am, Captain!” I called out. He and the other guards turned with a start.

“Vellen Meryll, where have you been? We’ve been looking all over for you.”

“My apologies, Captain.” I decided to avoid answering his question by asking one of my own. “Has Clan Elora arrived?”

Rills began to walk briskly and gestured for me to come with him. I obliged. “They will soon. The Grand Chieftain sent me to collect you. She wishes to speak with you before their arrival.”

I knew that couldn’t be good. “Very well. Thank you, Captain. Is she in her tent?” I walked past Rills, hoping to see Mother on my own terms.

Rills raised his voice, stopping me in my tracks. “If it please you, my lady, your mother has bid me escort you.”

Of course she had. “Yes, of course, Captain.” I let Rills catch up with me and kept pace with him to my parents’ tent.

Our walk began in silence. Rills was a man of duty, first and foremost, though he was not completely incapable of friendly conversation. After a few minutes, I decided that palavering with him would be a better way to spend my time than ruminating on how Elyn was doing and what my mother was going to say to me when we got there.

“Is there any news from the other demesnes, captain?” I asked, only half-caring about what his answer would be.

“Elora Willa is with child. The Erudite Elora believe it will be a girl, though it is too early for them to be certain.”

That actually did make me feel better. If Clan Elora’s heir had a daughter, that would take some pressure off of me to conceive, at least from my betrothed’s side of the family. “Ah, splendid. She will be attending our meeting today, yes?”

Rills nodded. “I believe so, my lady.”

“I’ll have to offer her my congratulations, then.”

Rills paused for a moment, as if he was deciding whether or not he should tell me something. “There is another bit of news, my lady, from Demesne Karzag. But it is only a rumor, and a rather grim one at that. I fear I should not sully your meeting with your betrothed with such dark tales.”

“Nonsense, Rills. No news could make this day dark.” Darker than it already was, anyway. “There’s no need t-”

“There you are!” I heard my father’s voice boom out, and turned to see him standing before me, his arms folded across his chest.

“Thank you for retrieving her, Captain,” he said to Rills. “I can take her from here.”

Rills bowed low before my father, then turned to give me a curt nod. “Grand Chief Consort. My lady.”

My father clasped a hand around my shoulder as Rills strode off. “Where have you been?! Your mother is fuming.”

I sighed deeply and cast my eyes to the ground, hoping to avoid answering that question for a second time. “I’m sorry, Father. I know how important this meeting is. I did not mean to cause offense nor alarm.” Hopefully, that was good enough.

It was, but my father had a way of seeing through me that no one else did. “You were with Elyn.”

“I wa-”

“Let’s walk. Hopefully your mother hasn’t caught wind of this.”

“Yes, Father,” I nodded dutifully and followed meekly behind him.

He ran a hand down his face, stroking his long beard when he reached his chin. “Listen, wildflower. I know we sprung this upon you suddenly. And I know how long Elyn has been in your life. I wish you were free to follow your heart, my sweetling.”

“But I am Clan Vellen’s heir.”

“Yes. And that comes with certain responsibilities. You’ve known your whole life that this would happen eventually.”

“I know, I know. And I’m ready for it, truly I am.” I wasn’t entirely sure if that was true or not, but it didn’t matter. I would have to be ready for it soon. May as well start pretending now. “I’ve come to terms with it. But Elyn hasn’t. Mother sent her away when the news reached me. She hasn’t had as much time to process it.”

“It is admirable that you care for her so,” he smiled. “It warms my heart to know my daughter is capable of such devotion. But it also breaks my heart to think of you being unhappy the rest of your life. If he is not to your like, you are still free to reject him at this meeting, you know.”

In theory, he was right. In practice, he was wrong. I scoffed, “No way in the inferno Mother would allow that.”

His shrug seemed far too relaxed for the situation. That was something I’d always loved about him. “It is not her decision to make. You are the heir, Meryll. She and I set up the match, but you ultimately have the final say in this.”

“What are you saying? That I should risk our relations with the greatest clan in the Valley besides our own, and incur Mother’s ire?”

“I’m saying you should follow your heart, wildflower. Do not make this decision lightly.” I wished that I had had time to mull over his words, but we had reached my parents’ tent. “Try to be patient with your mother. She has a lot to worry about right now.”

“Of course, Father. I love you.”

“And I you.” He planted a kiss on the crown of my head.

The tent flap opened and Mother stepped out. She did not say a word, but her eyes locked on mine, and I could see a smoldering fury behind them.

It took me a moment to muster the courage to speak. “Mother,” I said, clearing my throat. “You summoned me.”

“I did, and you know why. You are to meet your betrothed tonight, and yet you were sneaking around with your paramour.”

I cast my eyes down to the ground, unable to meet her gaze any longer. I opened my mouth to speak, but she cut me off before I could.

“Save your breath. Clan Elora is here. We will speak of this later.”

I looked up and saw that she was looking past me, a pleasant smile gracing her face. I heard a crier announcing the arrival of Clan Elora, and turned around, wholly unprepared for what awaited me.

Clan Elora strode towards us upon their steeds. At the helm of their column rode Elora Maeve, their Chieftain. I had only met her a few times in my life, always at Gatherings or other large events. The last time I’d seen her had been many years ago, though she seemed to have not aged a day.

Her Chief Consort, Sethryn, rode at her side, and behind them I could see Elora Willa and her husband Rykstan. I had not seen her since I was a child, and, in truth, I had little memory of her from then. She kept her head high and her chest held upright, even as she dismounted her horse. She seemed tenfold better at being heir than I was.

And to the right of his parents rode a man who could only be my betrothed. Though I’d never met him before, he looked around my age, and comely enough. His hair was the same shade of sandy blonde as his mother’s, his jawline was firm and pronounced, and he looked to be near as well-muscled as I, though it was hard to tell beneath his furs. He shot me a smile from a distance. I did not reciprocate.

“Grand Chieftain,” Elora Maeve called out as she bowed low before my mother, the rest of her family following her lead. Mother approached and lifted her to her feet before embracing her in a warm hug.

“It’s good to see you once more, Maeve,” she smiled.

“And you as well, Lylith. It has been too long.”

Sethryn stood and gave my mother a nod. “Are you faring well, Grand Chieftain?”

“I am, Sethryn. I trust you all had a pleasant journey?”

“It was dull, and we were not able to stop as many times as my husband would’ve liked.” Maeve replied. “We had little time for anything besides riding.”

“Yes, quite.” Sethryn cleared his throat. “If we had been given more notice, we might’ve been able to lea-”

Maeve cut him off before he could say something stupid. “Dear, surely you do not mean to question the Grand Chieftain’s judgment?”

“I, uh…” Sethryn’s eyes darted between my mother and his wife for a time before finally settling on the former. “My apologies, Grand Chieftain. I did not mean to cause offense.”

Mother smiled gracefully back at him and Maeve. “It’s quite alright, my lord. I apologize for the hastiness of this process. Certain factors dictated that it occur quickly, for the Valley’s prosperity.”

And by that, I was sure she meant my relationship with Elyn. Mother had sent her away and summoned Clan Elora shortly thereafter, hoping they would return before Elyn and I could do anything foolish. She had not remained Grand Chieftain for as long as she had without having some wits about her.

“Sethryn! Maeve!” My father’s voice boomed out from my right as he strode up with the rest of my family in tow. I noticed Margot adjusting the strap on her left shoulder. Grandfather Obreg and Gylber remained behind her, and I could tell that the only thing my brother wanted to do was finish listening to Grandfather’s tales of dragons.

Father planted a kiss on Maeve’s hand before scooping Sethryn up in one of his spine-crushing hugs. “You’re heavier than you were last time. Have you taken up sword practice again, chap?”

Sethryn chuckled lightly as my father set him down and the air returned to his lungs. “No, no. I’m afraid the weight comes from my overindulgence at the dinner table.”

“The dessert table, more like,” Elora Maeve snorted. “Though I can hardly blame him. My son’s developed a new recipe for fruit loaves that are to die for.”

“Never was able to resist a thing if it had blueberries in it,” Sethryn chortled.

“I’ve heard Elora Durik has grown into quite the cook,” my mother cut in, shifting the conversation towards the inevitability I was dreading. “I hope we will have the chance to try some of his food during your stay.”

“Yes, I’m sure that can be arranged,” Elora Maeve chimed. “Children, why don’t you say hello?”

Willa and Rykstan approached us, and Durik followed behind, shyly. I wondered if perhaps he was as uneasy about this as I was. When they reached us, Willa and Rykstan bowed their heads before greeting my parents. I was far too lost in my own head to pay attention to what they said. I kept my gaze fixed on Durik, my mind swirling with a million questions about him. I was snapped out of my reverie by the sound of my mother’s voice.

“Meryll,” she said sternly, her eyes boring holes into me. “I asked if you could come down and greet our honored guests.”

I shook myself back to reality. “A thousand apologies, Mother.” I glided down towards them as quickly as possible.

I nodded towards Maeve and Sethryn courteously as I joined them. “It’s good to see you all once again.”

“You, as well, Meryll,” Maeve replied. “Allow me to introduce my son, Elora Durik.” She gestured for him to come forward, and he moved to stand at her side.

He raised his gaze in an attempt to meet mine, but I could not make eye contact with him. It was all still happening so fast. He bowed his head and reached out his hand to me. “Hello, Vellen Meryll. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” It was too early to tell if he meant that or not.

I hesitated for a moment, but the longer I paused, the more I could feel my mother’s eyes burning into the back of my skull. I laid my hand in his and allowed him to press a kiss to it. “You as well, Elora Durik,” I responded, with as much false cordiality as I could muster.

“Tales of your beauty and strength were not truthful, my heir,” he said. I had to hold myself back from laughing at his braziness, and his mother looked more upset than mine for a moment before he clarified his statement. “They fall utterly short of reality.”

I could see Chieftain Maeve’s shoulders slacken at his words, and a smirk painted on Elora Willa’s face. It took me a moment to realize the reason no one was speaking was because they were waiting for my response. “Thank you, my lord. I am flattered at your appraisal,” I lied. “I am glad to hear I am to your liking.”

“And what of my son, Meryll?” Elora Maeve asked with a raised eyebrow. “Is he to your liking?”

All eyes were on me. I could feel my mother’s ire, my father’s quiet anxiety, Elora Maeve’s nonchalance, and most of all, Durik’s growing trepidation. I had hardly known him for a few minutes, and now I had to publicly announce whether or not I deemed him worthy to be my mate. He seemed a nice enough lad, but I had no real measure of him yet.

If I spoke the truth, and said that I did not know, it would be taken as a slight to him and Clan Elora. That was out of the question, which meant that my other two choices were lies. If I said yes, he and I would be married within a fortnight. If I said no, I would insult him and his family more than if I spoke the truth.

I was heir to Clan Vellen. One day, I would rule over the whole of the Valley of Fire. Chieftains and nobles from all over our clan would defer to my judgment. They would attend the births of my children and the deaths of my family members. I would be lavished with gifts and tributes at every opportunity. People would name their daughters after me, perhaps for generations if I reigned with distinction. I would lead my people through war and peace and happiness and sorrow and all of life.

I would be the most powerful person in the entire Valley. And yet, in that moment, I had less power than anyone in the entire world.

“Meryll, Chieftain Maeve asked you a question,” my mother said sternly. I realized that over half a minute had gone by in silence. I could hold my tongue no longer.

I opened my mouth to give the only answer that I could, but, fortunately for me, I didn’t have to.

I saw Rills sprinting towards us out of the corner of my eye. “Dragon!” he bellowed, and my eyes turned to the sky.

Although there were dragons in the Valley, they lived far to the north, in the Dragongrounds, and interfered little in the lives of the clans. Most outside of Clan Karzag never would go their entire lives without seeing one. Up until that night, I had counted myself lucky to be in that group.

I heard the beast before I saw it. It was the loudest noise I had ever heard. A deafening roar that shook the flames of the torches and the fabric of the tents. I covered my ears to stop the ringing, and frantically looked around for the creature.

It was difficult to spot it in the night sky, but it soon landed on the tent across from where we stood. I had never seen an animal so large in all my life. It must have been the size of ten horses. Its wings stretched out to more than half the length of Castle Vellen’s tiltyard. Its head was the size of my father.

“Fire at will! Fire at will!” I heard Rills shouting frantically. A volley of arrows flew through the air and clattered harmlessly against the dragon’s scales. It turned towards the guards and opened its mouth. A rumbling wheeze emitted from the dragon’s maw, as if it was sucking in a large breath. I felt my heart sink deep into my chest, knowing what was about to happen but praying to the gods that it would not.

“Rills!” My father shouted. “Get out of there!”

I watched in abject horror as the beast bathed the guards in dragonfire. Men and women I had known since I was a little girl were set aflame in an instant. One by one, they fell to the ground, writhing in agony for a time before they lay still. I frantically tried to spot Rills to see if he had escaped the blaze, but I could not tell.

The fire spread to a nearby tent, which went up in flames and began to collapse in on itself. Satisfied with its work, the beast turned back to us. Its irises were a deep yellow-orange color, and its pupils were long black vertical slits, like those on a serpent’s eyes. Its gaze shifted from one person to another, as if it were scanning us.

“Run!” Sethryn cried as he made a break for it. The rest of Clan Elora followed suit, as did my family. The beast walked towards us on its two rear legs, using its wings to pull itself forward with each step. I felt the fear and panic inside me strike a pang in my chest, and I turned heel.

I ran faster than I had ever run in my life, one singular thought consuming my mind as I did so. Elyn. I had to find Elyn. I had to make sure she was safe. I looked around frenetically, calling out her name, but she was nowhere to be found. With each passing second that I failed to find her, my chest grew tighter and tighter and my heart beat harder and harder. Just when I thought it would burst, I spotted her taking cover behind a carriage.

My eyes locked with hers and I allowed myself to smile despite the chaos around us. She smiled back at me and gestured for me to join her. I started into a sprint once more, but as I did, I saw her expression change from one of relief to utter panic.

“Meryll, look out!” She yelled, pointing behind me. I turned to look behind me, but I felt something hard and solid trip my ankle, and I fell face first into the mud. I rolled onto my back and saw Grandfather Obreg standing over me, his cane in hand.

“Take care of her, Meryll,” he smiled as he looked down at me. “Take care of all of them.” I glanced over his shoulder and saw the dragon standing only a few yards behind him.

I heard the rumbling wheeze of the dragon drawing in its breath once more, and then shielded my face from the blinding light and heat that came after.