Savath and Drake of Skald

I do not understand the Witch, my son. I know that story by heart and I do not understand the Witch. There is no power on this world in any time, in my now or your now, that I could understand giving up my child for.  But, you are reading this in your now, and so I have given you up haven't I?

The dragon of Skald is something I do understand.  I understand him very well.  Dragons were always much more than anyone could describe them, they were greatness; massive, hungry, powerful, murderous, terrifying, greatness.  And they cultivated their own lands, pastures were peopled to feed and serve the dragons, and those were the people of Skald.  But people are not cows or sheep and they will not serve well if their only bonds are terror.  The dragons knew this.  In Skald they introduced their human cattle to a concept; Savath.

Savath is a dragon word my son and should you ever hear a dragon say it you will understand it in all its depth and subtly.  I can only crudely translate the word for you as a form of the word "mine."  The way you are mine.  Infact I only came close to understanding Savath the first hours of your birth my son.  When I held you, you were Savath to me.  Its a word of love, possession, passion, it gives both the giver and reciever of the word a bond.

During the Age of Dragons each child born in Skald heard a Dragon call them Savath and it gave them peace and purpose and a sense of their place in the universe.  Savath is so strong that after the Dragon Wars when the dragons left Skald their cattle refused to leave the lands or change the lands encase their dragons came home.

The Arcanists attempted to take them through magic and force, thinking the dragon's pets would make fine servants for themselves but they didn't understand about Savath.  The people of Skald already belonged to something greater, and would not serve the Arcanists.  They caused insurections within, they fought, poisoned, set fires were killed or set free and made their way back to Skald.

Those that didn't make it were soon collected by Drake of Skald.  He unified the men of Skald into a fighting force and they raided into Canus finding and freeing their people and bringing them back home.

  Legend had it that his mother gave birth during the last days of the Dragon Wars and taking shelter by a fallen dragon he was born coated in dragons blood.  It was thick on his mothers breasts when he took his first feeding and the dragons soul and fire nourished the baby and molded the man.

Whether the legend was true or not Drake cut a dramatic figure when he stood among his people.  Drake was a giant among men, he was a head taller and half a man broader than any man of Skald and they had already been bred to be broad and tall.

He wore and armor of black dragons scales set onto sharp edged dragon leather.  The scales were set making thorned ridges down the sides of his arms.  White steel chain linked at his sides and places where he would need flexablity.  Leather pieces were stained and sewn into the pattern of two great talons that threatened to tear off his rib cage.  More steel links ran twenty rows deep over his hips.  Shiny black leather pants fit tightly into dragon scale armored boots.  Several of the scales could be ripped off the boots and thrown as knives.

Drake was a war child and his graceful stances his swift movements, warned that he was always vigilant always ready to make a potentially deadly move.

His face painted a different picture.  Years had grown him a golden beared which he kept neatly ungrabably trim.  His golden hair hung in page boy style and few hairs dared stray out of place.  His eyes hungered for something.  The color of smoke, they scanned faces and places, with a yearning.  His large human nose picked up scents no human could.  Breathing in once, the air about you told Drake where you came from that day, what you had eaten, what girl you had kissed, and if you were pleased or frightened to be in his presence.

His mouth was even more human looking, full, plump, pinkish, girlish even.  Kissable.  Do not ask how I know this my son, since Drake was of several ages before your mother's birth, but I can tell you because I am a time traveler, Drake of Skald was most kissable.

thoughts on the story so far

I've been sickish for a week and I've been wrestling with how to repost the wonderful piece I did with Skald as a 1st person narrative and flailing.  I finally figured I can't salvage the piece, I need to use it as inspiration and move on or I'm going to miss the writing groove I've got going.

So starting tonight, new stuff. built on the old stuff.

-kat