[ WP ] As a dragon of innumerable age you have guarded your gold horde for millennium . Many heroes have come with long speeches on how they will slay you , the great evil , none finish . However this one is odd.He throws a coin on your stash , looks you in the eyes and says `` I have a proposition for you . ''

Chronis was pleasantly surprised by his new visitors. He was used to being harassed by adventurers, treasure hunters, and evil dragons. And when he was a young dragon he had to contend with dragonnappers – the black market had a high price for small, trainable dragons. 
 
 He had shifted into his human form to look at the coin the newcomers had brought him as an offering. 
 
 `` Curious. A gold coin from the Oirean Second Dynasty. Quite rare. Priceless, really.'' Chronis noted that it was in good condition, too. 
 
 One of the visitors, a male human, unarmored and dressed in dark townsfolk attire, but with a rapier strapped to his waist, stepped forward. `` We found it in a treasure trove in a shipwreck not to long ago. It's yours if you help us out.'' 
 
 The other visitor, an elven woman who was dressed in leather armor with a funny hat and a small crossbow, added, `` And we might be able to tell you where to find more.'' 
 
 The ancient being sighed. `` What is it that you want?'' 
 
 The male human, who earlier had mentioned his name was Julius, asked him `` Surely you've heard of the uprisings against Princess Augusta?'' 
 
 The dragon could see where this was going. `` I've also heard that half the rebels are worse than she is.'' 
 
 The elf, Miriel, replied, `` We represent the other half, the ones who want to restore the Oirean Commonwealth, not join the Witch-King of the eastern lands.'' 
 
 Chronis chuckled. `` Ahh, the other half that are the puppets of the realm of Ocida.'' He continued examining the coin. `` I would be cautious of trusting that land. It's chancellor will abandon you when you need him the most.'' He chuckled again. `` I have seen their nation rise. And I will, too, see its fall.'' This coin was quite remarkable. 
 
 The human – Julius – shifted nervously. `` We are puppets of no one! We are... forging our own... destiny. Surely you have no love for the Princess?'' 
 
 Chronis frowned. `` No, I do not. She's burned entire villages to take their grain for her armies, she's allied with the Emperor of Astria and now his black dragons fill the skies, she's brought in every vile creature in the continent to bolster her armies, she's strip-mined the countryside, and she's brought back the worship of the Ancient Ones. What is it that you need?'' He continued eyeing the coin. 
 
 Julius continued, `` A week ago, our army routed hers from the Old Capital. However, while pursing the routed army, our Marshal Sir Marcus was captured and brought to the New City. She plans to publicly execute him to quash'rumors' that her army was defeated. We are planning to infiltrate the city and rescue him when he is to be executed. That's where you come in. We need someone to move him out – through the skies.'' 
 
 Chronis snorted. `` You could have any common hippogriff or gnomish ornithopter do that.'' 
 
 Julius shook his head. `` A common hippogriff would be cut down by Augusta's archers and arquebusiers before he even left the square. And gnomish contraptions are hardly reliable.'' Julius dug out another coin as he said this. 
 
 `` And how do you plan on stopping her black dragons. She has several in the New City. I know this well. They are close to encroaching on my territory.'' 
 
 Muriel reached into her satchel and withdrew an orb the size of her hand. It was obsidian, a grey smoke seemed to billow through it. `` Not all elven mages are content to hide in their towers while the world burns around them. We have enough of these to keep most of them docile.'' 
 
 Chronis took the second coin from Julius. `` When do we leave?'' 
 
 *** 
 
 This is the first part. If people like it I'll post the second. The story was actually the result of two WPs that I was inspired to write one story from ( the 2nd is no longer on the WP front page so I did n't post it there ). I initially intended on posting it on the other thread, so that's why this is written in 3rd person, rather than 1st person.
