Solbert's Method

Fred and Checkers guided Solbert to the hidden chamber. The tip of Astra's tail poked out of the chamber. Fred called out, "Astra! Help is here. A mage named Solbert, who knows something about dragons, has offered to help."

"Grand! I will gladly take my chances. I have been feeling closed in, and with my mission accomplished, want to be myself again."

Solbert, Checkers, and Fred dashed into the passage. They squeezed into the space between the tail and the wall, with Solbert running in easily, Checkers navigating over tail the without too trouble, and the larger Fred having to edge in sideways.

Solbert walked up to Astra, and said nothing. Astra asked, "Are you local to the Shreken, or have you travelled to these caves?"

Solbert answered, "I am quite native, my lady. These caves were the home of me and my friends, and shall be again soon, I hope. Perhaps you can help me with that task. But I understand that now you are the one that could use some help, yes?"

Astra nodded. Solbert explained to her, "Your friends told me a little about you. You are from the south of here, and a princess as well. How did you come to be here? I would think that you would never be allowed out of the castle."

Astra bared her teeth in a dragon's smile. "My family would have it that way if I let them! Fortunately my sisters are understanding, and we work together. My older sister is of course going to be the heir to the throne. She is quite serious, but she is helpful in that she is always arranging for me to go places as part of my education, as she calls it. My younger sister likes to hunt, revel, and explore as much as I do. We get into all sorts of mischief." Astra stopped, as if she suddenly felt foolish for talking this way.

"Go on," said Solbert. "This is helpful to me. In order to help you, I need to know some background. It helps me paint a picture in my mind, so to speak. Was your sister with you when you decided to explore the Shreken?"

"No. She was at home, helping one of my aunts get well from a cold. I was sent by my mother to investigate stories that the dragon's minions were terrorizing villages in north Aqualaria. Aqualaria is the name of my homeland, in case you did not know."

Astra continued, "Well, I arrived in the north, at Cuminae, a small town on the northern river. I saw burnt fields and senseless vandalism. I can understand the minds of some thieves. A hungry man may reach out for the spare fruit of the orchards or the small potatoes of someone else's garden plot, to keep the body and soul of a loved one together. But what I saw was different. I saw buildings gutted, with the useful goods, like the pots and bowls, just smashed. I saw the bodies of men who had not only been killed, but whose bodies had been broken after their deaths for sport." The colour of Astra's draconic body was naturally a shade of white similar to ivory, with a wide and brilliant streak of red running from just above her eyes, down her back, and ending at the tip of her tail. But Astra's listeners now saw that ivory changing into a shade of pink as blood rushed to her scales.

"When I saw that, I felt an anger that I had never felt before. I spoke to the citizens of the little town that night. I arranged for messenger to spread the alarm in the capital. I requested that a division of the Queen's own guard come north to show the poor people that they had not been forgotten."

"I did not go back. I had two close friends that I had brought with me as guides and companions, and they gave me conflicting advise. Ursula of the house of Ellipi, the greatest family of the north, advised me to pursuade the farmers of the country to huddle in Cuminae, and practice martial exercises while waiting for reinforcements. She said that the dragon's minions picked on the weak and exposed, but would not take chances in a fight that they might lose. Alicia, a distant cousin from a poorer branch of the royal family, recommended that I lead a picked band and raid into the countryside, to strike fear into the hearts of the brutes, so that the land would be safe after the army went home. The sense of adventure appealed to me, and I followed Alicia's advise."

"A scout informed the town that a field to the northeast was on fire, with a gang of four or five bums trying to drive out the residents and loot the manor. We mounted and went into action, heedless of the consequences."

"I had never ridden so fast in my life! I could feel the sweat of the horse, and almost felt as if I were flying." Astra understood the irony of using this metaphor in front of Checkers, and gave another dragon smile. "Well, it felt like what a human thinks of as flying. Anyway, I and my party rode up the road until we could see the smoke in the distance. We had to veer off the road about a league out, following a rutted trail to get to the burning manor. I believe that it was here that a little group of us was separated from the rest of the party."

"As we approached the manor, we noticed that there was not four or five bums, but fifty or sixty of them. It did not make sense, for the manor did not appear to be that rich! I ordered a halt. There were only four of us. In my heart, I wanted to press the attack, but I knew that it would be foolish, as we were outnumbered. Where was the rest of the party? We agreed to backtrack until we got to the larger road."

"We never made it. They spotted us. Our horses were tired, and theirs were fresh. We were cut off before we could get to the main road. We were out in the open, and there were no places to hide and make a stand, which is what I was hoping for."

"We circled our horses - at least as much as four people could make a circle, anyway. We drew our swords."

"I called out. 'Villeins,' I said, We can make this very unpleasant for each other. Or we can be reasonable.'"

"'That manor will yield little in the way of gold or value. We have perhaps ten nobles of precious metal on us. We will had it over if you allow us to pass unmolested, and allow you to flee. If you attack, then some of you shall be grievously harmed, and you shall not have the luxury of slipping into the wilds. For know you this, I am of the royal house, and if I am harmed, the Queen and her household will not rest until the last of you is brought to justice.'"

Astra saw the effect the she was having on her listeners. Six eyes were staring at her, as if charmed by her account. She continued, pleased, and not realizing that she was so engrossed in recounting her experience, she had triggered the reflex that allowed dragons to change form without knowing that she had done so.

She continued, "I felt more fear than I let on, although I was angry, too. Some of the bums talked to each other, and then someone, I believe one of the leaders, said, 'Hand your valuables over, and we will let you all go. Dismount, please."

"We all dismounted in turn. Contrary to what I had expected, the search was not thorough. It appeared that they were going to trust us without the indignity of a search."

"I was the last to dismount, with the other three now in their saddles, ready to flee. Suddenly a small squadron of their mounted horsemen charged! They did not attack my companions - instead, they intended to spook their horses. I do not know what charm they used, but it worked. Powerless to control their horses, I saw my companions running down the trail and away from the spot where I was."

"I instinctively reached for my sword, but was surprised again by their leader. He somehow pressed my arm in such a way that I could not hold it, and dropped it. I was overpowered by two of the gang. They tied my hands and legs, and I was destined to be cargo on one of their horses, to be taken to their master."

Astra hesistated. The rest of the story was the scene of great and petty humiliations, insults, and injuries that the dragon and his men imposed on her, until her miraculous transformation, revenge on Minestus, and her meeting with the rustic knight from the barbarian north and the odd creature from beyond the Great Sea. She felt weary, as if she had gone through the ordeal of her capture again.

She looked down. She had hands! Delicate, vulnerable, exposed little hands instead of claws. She looked at the rest of her body. She was wearing the skirt, boots, and blouse that she wore on the day that was captured. She was happy. But she knew that was not back to normal.

Solbert, as if he read Astra's mind, although really it was easy enough for him to guess what Astra was thinking, said, "You are still a dragon. You know that, Astra. You would have learned how to change, given time, but I thought that if you told of an intense experience that you had, as a human, that it might trigger the change without your knowing it, and it did."

"Astra, it will take a great effort for you to maintain this form, and you will soon change back. You should have enough time to get into the ampitheater, though, if you desire. With practice, you will be able to go longer and longer in your original, and you will not feel quite as drained when you do."

"Am I fated to always remain a dragon?" Astra asked.

"No. I think that it should be possible to change you back to your natural self. I am not absolutely sure, but I would say that it is likely that it can be done. There are some problems, though, where you may not wish to try right away."

"Such as?"

1. "We may have a little problem with something in your hoard."
2. "Now that Minestus has been killed, there is a power vacuum in the Shreken. And I am afraid that someone is going to try to fill it."

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