Tuesday 25 March 2014

The Prophecy - A Dragon's Tale, Book 1 (Mark Boyd) in One Thousand Words

The Prophecy by Mark Boyd is today's feature on One Thousand WorldsMark is the author of the trilogy - A Dragons Tale.  You can preview all three books and excerpts at www.adragonstale.net  Book 1 - The Prophecy has been available for a little over a year. Book 2 - The Book of Genevieve is due out in mid to end of April this year.

The Prophecy-

The prophecy, a foretelling of a great king born of dragon-human-elven blood that unites all of the races in a millennium of peace is an ancient story told to all dragon hatchlings from the Dragon Book of Lore. A foretelling born of old majic, through the centuries, became just another story to give the young hope. The old believed…the young cannot perceive how it could ever manifest; who would ever want to be other than pure blood dragon? The prophecy existed in story only, until Anaterri Strayarth, a blue dragon living in human form and the daughter of Stragor Strayarth – Head of the High Council of Dragons, saves the life of Prince Leandro Sargovia with a transfusion of her dragon blood. The unification of human-dragon blood sets in motion the beginning of the once dormant tale and a love that transcends time.  
Grand Magi Aloysius Alamaris, a black dragon hiding in human form, learns of the initiation of the prophecy and plots the ultimate destruction of all who seek to bring the prophecy to fruition.  
Anaterri and Leandro are now pitted against the ultimate evil, fighting not only for their own lives but also the lives of their children…and they must insure the prophecy is allowed to manifest…at all cost.


About the author-

I began reading fantasy at an early age; the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy was one of my first and favorite. Fantasy was my escape when my own world wasn't going so well. I never thought I would be blessed to add to the world of fantasy but my dragon friends had other ideas. I only hope you enjoy reading the trilogy, as much as I have in writing it. I am forever grateful to the dragon intelligence that has infused my consciousness, awakening memories and giving me the ability to bring their story to life.



Chapter 1


     The outlaws were close, he couldn't see them but sensed them near; soft murmurs of their voices carried back to him through the unnatural fog. There was no time for indecisiveness. He had trained his entire life for a moment such as this. Drawing his long sword he spurred his stallion forward unconcerned with the fallen tree lying across the trail. His mount would clear it easily.  Half way over his mind screamed, "Trap!"

~~~~

     Anaterri Strayarth looked forward to a quiet afternoon in her kitchen. Discovering several plants growing in the forest, not previously known to her, she was excited about blending them for new remedies. She enjoyed being in human form, not typical for most dragons. It was important when creating delicate healing remedies that she have fingers with which to work instead of talons.
     She’d taken human form when moving to the Northland two hundred years ago. It allowed her to practice her healing arts without scaring the local outlanders. She had become known as “the healer in the forest.” She healed as many animal friends as people. Although the Sargovia family was the official warden of the Northland forests, she was truly the “hidden” warden.
     Going about her day in joy, quietly humming a favorite tune, Anaterri was suddenly invaded with a heart-stopping vision thought causing her to drop the bowl of flower infusion she had just created.
     “Prince Leandro is going to die soon. You must get to him immediately.”
     The stag, she recognized his vision thought. Leaping the shattered bowl she rushed to the window, her knowings confirmed. Standing at the edge of the clearing, his large brown eyes were firmly fixed on the cottage. She’d encountered him a number of times in the last two hundred years. He’d never engage her in thought exchange but his eye contact was now unmistakable.
     Visions past from him were usually dream like, allowing her time to plan a solution or at least an ending with a successful outcome.  However, this visitation was like none she’d ever experienced. It was clear and precise and demanded immediate action. Appearing only when there was a need to save a life, he was the messenger but not the answer.
     Prince Leandro Sargovia was in the forest and about to be ambushed by outlaws he’d been tracking. One of the outlaws possessed majic and the Prince’s life was in extreme danger. Distracted temporarily by the impact of the stag’s vision thought, Anaterri looked back but he was gone.
     Moving quickly toward the door, she extended her right hand drawing her short sword to her from its place on the wall. Slipping the scabbard easily down the back of her gown, the door opened automatically as she approached it; a red fox was waiting to lead her to Leandro.

     Amidst the jeers and taunts she could hear from a distance, she silently found her way to the site. Before her was a pit, narrow and deep, filled with large spikes protruding from all directions. Her anger flashed as she saw Leandro struggling to free himself. Acting immediately, knowing the majority of human men to be predictable, she stepped from her hiding place in the woods. She was instantly aware of the one with majic.
     The leader turned instinctively as if sensing her presence. She knew exactly what he saw. It was her intent to distract him with the vision of a strikingly beautiful woman, tall and slender with raven black hair and emerald green eyes. The light blue gown she wore accentuated her breasts and slender waist. While he leered at her, she stood perfectly still assessing the situation.
     The outlaws following the focus of their leader, turned from the pit. Lustful looks revealed their thoughts. Their quarry, impaled on stakes, was going nowhere.  Staring at her like a pack of hungry wolves as to a lamb separated from the flock, they moved to surround her, not able to take their eyes from her. The leader closed on her first, licking his lips as he rubbed his groin.
     Staying calm, Anaterri let them get within striking distance. From the scabbard concealed on her back she wielded the short sword with lightning speed and in one swift movement severed the head of the leader, cutting through the jugular of the man beside him.  The third man started to draw his sword. It never made it out of his scabbard; he was dead before he knew it, a short sword through his heart. The fourth man turned to flee making it no farther than a few feet before she caught him from behind. His head slapped the ground at an unnatural angle, his body lifeless.
      She did not care for killing, unless it was for survival, especially killing humans and yet she did not have any compunction for killing the likes of these four.  She’d witnessed their sick delight taunting Prince Leandro in the pit. No, no, she felt no remorse.
      Turning to the pit, she saw the limp body sitting atop a steed who was struggling desperately in the last throes of life. The spikes, driven through the great beast, were penetrating Leandro’s lower body. There were also spikes lodged in the sides of the pit that had punctured areas of the prince’s sides as he’d struggled to free himself. Shifting immediately to her dragon self Anaterri was large enough to straddle the pit, gently pulling the prince free from his horse.
     Clear of the pit, she reverted to her human form. Gazing at the still body before her, she proceeded to tear Leandro’s clothing open attempting to stem the bleeding. Using her majic, she ran her hands over the wounds effectively stopping the blood flow. In the process, she sensed a poison in the wounds she was not familiar with. Having lost a lot of blood, Leandro appeared lifeless; his pulse was weak.  Focusing on the wounds already taking on a gangrenous look, she cast a spell to stem the flow of poison through his body. She needed to get him to Queen Angeline in the Southland. 


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