The Dragon Kings' Forbidden Witch

They began to arrive as the morning progressed toward midday.

First came Venn, the scholar, his robes bearing the weight of books and scrolls he always seemed to carry. He took his seat with visible excitement, his fingers drumming on the table.

Next came Matthias, moving with the calculated grace of a man who understood strategy on the deepest level. He greeted Cedric with a formal nod and took his seat, his sharp eyes already assessing the room, the positioning, the implications.

Varrick arrived with his usual skeptical expression, his arms crossed across his chest even before he sat down. He was the kind of elder who questioned everything, who trusted no one completely, who always seemed to be preparing for betrayal.

Brennan entered looking nervous, his youth evident in every movement. He had been on the council for only three years and still moved through these chambers as if he might be asked to leave at any moment.

Garrison came bearing the practical demeanor of a man who dealt in real goods and real numbers. He seemed slightly impatient, as if he had other matters to attend to.

Finally came Aldric, moving slowly but with unshakeable dignity, taking his seat with the air of someone who had been part of this council for so long that he had become almost part of the chamber itself.

They exchanged greetings and small conversations...the weather, the health of various family members, minor updates about their estates. The idle talk of powerful men passing time before the real business began.

But underneath it all, there was tension.

They all knew this meeting was not casual. They all understood that Cedric had information to share. They were all wondering what that information was, and what it would mean for them personally, for their houses, for the realm.

The anticipation hung heavy in the air.

***

When the bells marking midday had finished their chiming, Cedric rose from his seat.

The conversation ceased immediately. All eyes turned toward him.

He was dressed formally in the deep blue robes of his office, the sigil of his house displayed prominently on his chest. His expression was grave, carefully controlled, giving nothing away.

"My lords," he said, his voice carrying the formal weight of the occasion. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. The matters requiring our attention are urgent and significant."

He paused, letting this sink in.

"As you know, several weeks ago, this council became aware of... irregularities regarding a servant in the palace. A young woman whose presence and behavior suggested complexities beyond her apparent station."

He allowed a moment for this reminder to settle.

"At that time, I informed you that an investigation into her background had been initiated. I am here today to report the findings of that investigation."

The elders exchanged glances. This was what they had been waiting for.

"Additionally," Cedric continued, "I must address the recent incident in the training grounds. The council should be aware of the specific circumstances and their implications."

Varrick leaned forward slightly, his skepticism evident in every line of his body.

"I propose that we first discuss the transformation incident in detail," Cedric said, "so that all council members understand the gravity of the situation. Then we will address the investigation findings. After that, we will determine what actions, if any, are appropriate."

He looked around the table, making eye contact with each elder.

"Are we agreed?"

There was a general murmur of acceptance. No one objected, though Varrick’s expression suggested he had about a hundred questions he was restraining himself from asking.

Cedric settled back into his seat.

"Then let us begin with what happened in the training grounds few days ago."

***

Cedric began by laying out the facts.

One of the kings....Kaelen, had been training in the morning hours. This was not unusual. The kings often trained personally with their warriors to maintain their combat skills. What was unusual was that this particular training session had involved an involuntary transformation.

"The reports I have gathered," Cedric said carefully, "indicate that during combat training, King Kaelen experienced a loss of control over his dragon form. The transformation was not deliberate. It was involuntary."

Silence passed across the meeting.

This was the kind of silence that came when something fundamental had been questioned. Something that everyone had assumed was stable and controlled had revealed itself to be fragile and uncertain.

"Involuntary?" Venn repeated, his voice carrying a mixture of shock and scholarly interest. "That is... that is not something the chronicles record as common among the dragon kings. They are supposed to have perfect control over their transformations."

"That is the assumption we have all operated under," Cedric agreed. "However, it appears that assumption may no longer be valid."

"How severe?" Matthias asked, his strategic mind immediately moving to implications. "The transformation, how severe was the loss of control?"

"Severe enough that Captain Rhen, who was training with the king, was placed in immediate danger," Cedric said. "Severe enough that the kings felt compelled to intervene. Both Draeven and Kaelen transformed to contain Kaelen’s dragon form."

Brennan had gone pale. "They had to restrain him? Like he was a wild animal?"

"They had to ensure he could not hurt anyone," Cedric corrected, but the implication was the same.

Varrick was shaking his head slowly. "This is the curse. The Oracle warned us centuries ago...the curse would consume them eventually. The question was always when, not if. Apparently, when is now."

"We don’t know that," Garrison interjected, his practical nature asserting itself. "One incident of loss of control doesn’t necessarily mean the curse is consuming them. It could be stress, exhaustion, any number of factors...."

"Stress?" Venn interrupted, his scholarly excitement overriding caution. "The curse has been consuming them for two hundred years. If it were going to activate due to stress, we would have seen this centuries ago. This represents a fundamental change in their condition."

The room erupted into overlapping conversation.

"How did they regain control?" Matthias asked, raising his voice to cut through the others.