Young Guardian Trilogy by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (read aloud .txt) 📕

who was there, he blinked. “May I help you, Companion?”
Braken sighed. Being called ‘Companion’ all the time would take some getting used to. “My Lord, may I introduce myself?” He bowed. “I am Braken Hawk, a new Companion to this Realm.”
O’Dell studied him. “I have never heard of the family name Hawk.”
Braken rose. “That is because I am the first. The name is, or should I say ‘was’ Lord Brakkon Dratianos.”
O’Dell blinked, searching his eyes. Sure enough, he was telling the truth. “How? You are a dragon! How did you become a feline Companion?”
Braken told his tale. O’Dell merely stared in wonder as he listened.
“Where is Thorn now? And Draconis?” O’Dell asked when Braken was finished.
“I know not, Lord.” Braken supplied. “The last I knew, Draconis destroyed me, sending me back to the Realm of the Gods. He raged war against the Demon Lord Archimond and the Nations were in ruins.”
“You say he went chaotic and destroyed the Dragon Nations?” O’Dell was in deep thought, rubbing his chin. His silver eyes were dark. “What of the Empress and your grandchildren?”
Braken didn’t know how to tell him. “My lady Locarra has passed to the Summerlands, O’Dell. Shortly afterward, I went chaotic.”
“I am sorry for your loss, Braken. I was asking about the Lady Adellandra and Draconis’ children.” O’Dell supplied. “Where are they while Draconis is chaotic?”
“Adellandra left him not long after Locarra died.” Braken said. “She took the children with her and has not been seen since.”
“What of your daughter Dracora?” O’Dell asked.
“She disappeared as well, on your insistence I am to understand.” Braken rushed. “Why all the questions, O’Dell?”
O’Dell smiled. “If I am to welcome you into this Realm as one of my own Companions, I need to know how you arrived.”
Braken slumped into the nearest chair and sulked.
“Now, now, Braken. Cheer up.” O’Dell supplied, clapping him on the back. “I will keep your identity a secret, if that is your wish. You may consider yourself home.”
“Home.” Braken remarked under his breath. “I am homeless. I cannot return to the Nations as I am now. There is still war and I will be the laughingstock of the entire Dragon Nations!”
“It is not all that bad, I assure you.” O’Dell said.
“I am made to be a feline Companion, a common housecat for Goddess’ sake.” Braken told him. “Stripped of all titles, status and honor as a dragon Lord. What am I to do?”
“Relax, for one.” O’Dell remarked. “For another, you could follow me. I have the perfect place for you in the Feline Village.”
Braken stood. “Perfect place, eh?”
“Aye.” O’Dell nodded, wrapping an arm around Braken’s shoulders. Braken looked at him suspiciously. “The Feline Palace, nestled in the—“
Braken interrupted. “Let me guess, the Feline Wood?”
O’Dell laughed. “Come, Braken.”
Rolling his eyes, Braken Hawk followed.
It took a few months for him to adjust to his new life in the Dream Realm. He wandered, found many things that interested him, and even made a few friends. Braken ever missed his beloved Dragon Nations, but that was the price that had to be paid for returning to the Inner Realms.
He kept to himself, mostly, finding how much of his power he had and using it in secret. No other Companion came by his new home of the Feline Palace. O’Dell visited, more friend than a Lord of the Mystic Realms. O’Dell even instated him as a Sergeant in the Mystic Army, which fought against O’Dell’s twin brother Orthos and the Dominionite Warriors.
On many of his walks through the Province Wood, he sensed someone watching him. At first, he ignored it, heading on his way. Soon, he knew who it was and smiled to himself. It was a female peregrine falcon. He used his telepathy and empathy many times, hoping to coax her into shifting and joining his side, but she never did.
Braken enjoyed his quiet life in the Realm of Dreams, but never forgot his main reason for being there. There was always some kind of fighting for him to do with the Army, and he soon became General of it. It kept him busy for a few years and earned him a certain respect from his peers, which included the Originators.
He continued to walk through the Province Wood at night, his empathy always searching for the female peregrine. Soon after the War for Peace ended, he found she no longer followed him in that form, or any form. His mind played through many scenarios, mostly the possibility of her death in the War.
It was a starry night when he walked to the river’s edge, ever searching and wishing for her return to him. Though it was a brief encounter, Braken Hawk could not stop thinking about the peregrine named Sibylline.
The only thing that interrupted his thoughts of her was the reflection he caught in the water. He studied his feline form.
He sat on the grass and looked up to the sky as he whispered. “The Fates should be shot for this.” His eyes caught a shining star. “You must think it is all some kind of joke. A Once-Draconian Emperor’s form reduced to that of a common housecat! Well, I am not laughing, ladies and gentlemen.”
The shining star seemed to blink at him.
He rose and washed his face in the river, spying the Immortal form of a black-haired woman in the water’s reflection. She was beautiful, with stars sparkling in both her hair and her silver eyes. He stood and turned to bow to her.
“Hello, Balinese.” The woman, whose name was Sibylline, called. “You may rise.”
He stood, golden-eyes delighted to see her. “Good evening, Sibylline.”
Sibylline smiled, nodding. “Good evening to you. How are you this fine night?”
“All is wonderful upon your arrival, Sibylline.” Braken took her hand and kissed it. “Ah, Sibylline. Truly, the most beautiful name I have ever heard.”
Sibylline blanched. “Why, thank you, sir.”
“The name is Braken Hawk, M’Lady.” He supplied, smiling into her silver eyes. Using his empathy, he smiled. “Do you not remember me? It may have been a few years ago.”
Sibylline stared back and blushed. “Aye, I do know. I led you to Lord Guardian’s Castle when you arrived.”
Braken smiled. “That you did, M’Lady. You were in the form of a gentle peregrine falcon.”
Sibylline laughed. “I have not shifted to that form for a few years.”
“Even if you do not remember me, I remember you.” Braken supplied. “I remember how you followed me through the forests in that form. You kept yourself hidden and never came to my mental calls.”
“That was you in my mind?” Sibylline asked in wonder.
Braken crooked his arm. “Aye, lady. That was I.”
Sibylline smiled at him and realized how golden his eyes were, how magical and secretive. With her own Empathy power, she felt something between them; a kind of spark that told both it was more than friendship. It was Destiny.
He took her hand and led her to places she’d never seen before. It was his private little Kingdom, and the couple became involved. It wasn’t long before Braken had fallen in love with the Ancient Mystic Sister.
Despite all the battles, wars and fights with Dominionite Warriors, Braken had to say his life was perfect.

Drakkar Dratianos

The war Brakkon started still raged on without him. Draconis, the new Emperor of the Dragon Nations before he turned Chaotic, had led his troops further into battle.
In another part of the Dragon Nations, his twin Drakkar and mate, Adarra fought side by side, with Adarra’s younger brother Anton. They were in full Royal battle armor against demons from the Demon Realms. In the heat of battle between Draconis and Brakkon, they had taken advantage and attacked the Empire city of Mal’estar. Adarra, Drakkar and Anton couldn’t bear to see that happen, so they suited up and fled out to the other soldiers, taking on as many demons as they could. They used magic and might, power and strength, but each were wavering.
Adarra shot as much of her magic to destroy the attacking demons but she was getting weaker by the moment. She looked to her mate of Drakkar for help, but he wasn’t any better.
If you must, draw on her magic. Drakkar sent.
“Her” was Adarra’s twin sister Adellandra, the one the Draconians were calling the “Runaway Empress,” as she ran away from her mate of Draconis, taking her three children only-she-knows-where. Being they were twins, Adarra and Adella could draw on one-another’s energies and magic should each of them need it.
Well, Adarra needed it, and knew very well that her twin didn’t. That didn’t mean she was going to do so without permission. Adarra shook her head.
Drakkar frowned. I will not have you die on me, Adarramena! Draw on her magic – NOW!
Adarra couldn’t refuse. She quickly nodded and sent an apology to her twin’s mind. I’m sorry, ‘Della…
Using the twin-link between them, Adarra pulled on her twin’s magic. She put as much of her own magic into the attack on the oncoming demon as she could muster.
After firing the shot, she fainted.
Drakkar noticed her right away and stopped to scoop her up and disappear.
He reappeared in a place he never knew he would. He looked around the room and spotted a couch in the far corner. He set his mate’s unconscious body on it and felt her forehead. “Dare not die on me now, Adarramena.” He croaked.
A voice broke his thoughts.
“What are you doing here, Bratton?” It was female and familiar.
Drakkar turned to see his sister Dracora standing beside another female and a male. The other female’s name was Enchantra, and she was an Ancient Mystic Sister in the Realm of Dreams. The male was Lord Guardian O’Dell of the Realms himself.
Drakkar bowed to the two Mystics. “I do not know, Brattona. I just grabbed her when she fell and disappeared from the battleground.” He rose. “My apologies, Sister Enchantra and Lord Guardian.”
“No apologies needed, Prince Drakkar Dratianos.” Enchantra smiled. “How did you know which Sister I was?”
Drakkar smiled. “The same as how you knew which Dratianos I was. A twin always knows the differences between other pairs.”
“What can we do for you, Prince?”
“It’s my mate, Lord Guardian.” Drakkar supplied.
Enchantra went to examine Adarra. “She overexerted both herself and her duo.” She supplied, than looked to Drakkar. “Where is her twin now?”
Drakkar shrugged his shoulders. “Ask her.” His head nodded to Dracora, who was silent.
“I know nothing of it, and you know it.” Dracora supplied. “The last I knew of my Empress-sita, she was planning on taking the children and herself away.”
Drakkar frowned. “The two of you are virtually inseparable. Are you sure you are not hiding anything?”
“If I were, you would know of it already.” Dracora