Lost in the dream

The Last Supper

Falt saw Ozwuld's grim look as He thought on the past, the huge knight-Lord looking at Oz with knowing eyes

"So... Wyn has followed in Yours and Uthers's footsteps eh... shit." Falstaff shook his head "Do you think... maybe?"

"I don't know." Ozwuld quickly interrupted, shaking his head at Falstaff who at once frowned

"Look, Wulda, I don't know what happened when You and Uther went south, I don't know what You saw... but if Wyn has seen it too, and She has the Crown... or the others then I need to know if we can actually beat her?"

The Lord-regent rubbed the stress from his eyes, He could not talk about it... Falst wouldn't understand, no one could, the only man who shared the knowledge was gone now... His eyes flickered up to Uthyr's portrait before He stood.

"If our Wynnie has... become what I think she has, with the Scaled men in her ranks... then this battle will be a difficult one, the fate of the realm hangs in the balance. I need You to put all of Your efforts into protecting our people, swear to me." Oz asked.

Lord Falstaff Havel sighed, fiddling his calloused hands on the table

"You remember back at the Drakengate? that loyalist boy who nearly ran Uth through with his spear?" Ozwuld couldn't help but smile at the memory, it was the most extravagant and smooth battle that the trio had ever been in before, back when the three were young and strong "I thought I'd play hero, throw myself in front of Uther... but he pushed me out of the way, took the blow right in the shoulder."

"Gods, the poor fucker... You nearly split that spearman in twain." Oz chuckled, remembering Falstaff with his greatsword, coated in the blood of a hundred men, Uther's ever-smiling face as He clutched his bleeding wound, unflinching from pain

"He said something to me then, I'll never forget it until the day I die." Falst lamented Oz nodding in grim recognition

"We Dragons are gonna get You killed someday, Lord Havel, but today is not that day," Oz said, echoing his brother's joke in its dark realisation. But Falstaff Havel stood, his face never falling as He grasped Oswuld's hand in a tight and trusting bond

"It will be my honour to defend Britannia's people, brother, and I'll meet my Dragon's day if I must to fulfil that oath. On Stone, Steel and Saint. I swear it." and hearing his friend's words, Oz was not crestfallen or worried, just happy to have earned the right to possess such a loyal friend.

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The Lord-Regent did not sup well that evening, His weary mind still lingering on The Army of Serpent's pass, and of course, Edwyn.

Oswuld often lost focus in times of leisure, especially while dining with his family in the grandiose dining hall, not even the rampant arguing of the two princesses could pull Oswuld from his thoughts, though He did find his eyes tracing along, examining those before him with a keen eye.

On the long and fine oaken table, a Sunday feast was laid, a truly bountiful meal of which the entire Royal family (plus a few of their subjects) participated in. On the far side of the long table, sat Lord Falstaff, taking large bites from pork on his fine plate; for it was the place of the Host Lord to dine opposite his Ruler.

On the right and left of the titan Havel, sat the Princess', Evangeline bitterly accusing and Maggie spitting furiously in retort just opposite.

Besides the Two princesses were the Young Prince and Percival, the Young Squire speaking enthusiastically about what her cousin had missed during training while the Boy himself, much like his uncle, worried about serpent's pass.

Finally, just behind the Lord-Regent himself, sat in darkness always on guard, was the Lady Spymaster, watching silently over her Master and his royal family.

Beside Oswuld directly, sat at the table's head as the Leader of the Nine Kingdoms, was the Queen-Mother who had paused her sipping of her walnut & thyme soup to look at him with worry, her hands shaking slightly, they had been since He had told her about Edwyn, her fear ate at her soul.

The Lord-Regent's tired golden-gaze looked on to the empty chair to his left, a seat long empty, barren for such a time, that he barely remember anyone sitting in it, the Seat for the King's firstborn.

"L-Love..." Gwen whispered, pulling Oz' eyes to her, She was beauty in this golden chamber even with her scared expression, dressed now in a lesser garb from the emerald dress that she had adorned before, a dark brown, relaxed outfit, her olive skin glowing in the light, her hair loose and free, "...I think... that we should tell the children" Her voice was shaky, rightly so... with what Wyn did to her...

Maggie, Angie and Percy had clearly noticed the unease, pondering the shared darkness in their eyes "What's wrong, Uncle?" Evangeline asked furtively

"I..." He peered into her Goldeneyes, but it was a mistake for she could obviously tell that He was about to give her very, very bad news "I was informed..." His stammer seemed to only make the princess' more uneasy

"Informed of what?" Maggie pressed, only to be answered by her younger brother who spoke in a fearful tone

"It's Edwyn."

All eyes fell on him, the sisters stopped their arguing, Falst stopped his feasting and Black-Crow's silver mask glinted in the torchlight, "He's coming." The words cut into the calm of the room, never before had a dining chamber become so tense so fast. Angie broke the silence, a small look of hope on her young face

"S-She's definitely coming back?"

"We don't know for certain that it's her," Falstaff answered softly to the girl, his powerful voice made gentle for the Princess' sake.

"He was spotted by Miss Crow's friends in Serpent's pass," The Prince said, everyone could tell how serious the Boy took this, by listening to his voice, looking at his reaction and the same was true of Oswuld... He just hated so much how they still cared for Edwyn, Oz couldn't tell them the truth about what their Bastard Sister had done, not yet, but they would know one day

"Ozzy... are we in danger?" Gwen asked honestly, The fear for her children and for her lover apparent.

"What do you mean are we in danger!?" Maggie piped up from her seat, her gold-amethyst eyes blazing with wrath "That Maniac always causes trouble, You people never listened to me when I tried to warn you!" She cried, but Evangeline scowled

"Don't say that Mags, she might just want to come home..."

"Are You stupid, Angie? have You forgotten what she was like before she left?!" Maggie spat

"Don't call me stupid, you cretin!" Evangeline spat back, as another ruckus began.

Oswuld slowly rose from his chair, his tall and broad form overshadowing everyone else, the dark fury of the old days felt by the Girls who slowly piped down as they saw him, "Enough." Lord Wulda Commanded, as he would a regiment, and that they did.

Gwen touching the Iron dragon's hand softly and giving him a soft smile, He took in a calming breath as he spoke the truth "Edwyn is suspected to be leading a large military force to the North, we don't know what might happen should they march to the capital, but we are making preparations to counter them should they come for us." the table was silent, Ozwuld softening at his family's fallen expressions.

"Everything that I ever needed, ever wanted is at this table." He started, smiling fondly at them all "My brother, Your father... he would be fiercely proud of all of you and on the oath that I swore to him before He passed, I will protect You, all of You and if the worst occurs then Uncle Falst and Miss Crow will take you to safety." Falst nodded proudly, he would never let anything happen to his surrogate nieces and nephew. Black-Crow lingered ominously.

"You are loved, Oz..." Gwen smiled "By all of us, I know that You will protect us. No matter the cost." Everybody nodded and agreed, the princess's gentle smiles warming Ozwuld's heart... The Prince's grin making the Iron Dragon rest and Ozwuld Regis burn with hope like dragon fire.

"You know what this means we are probably all going to die right?" Evangeline muttered.

Maggie and The Young Prince chuckled, their mother shaking her head as Oz also joined in a booming chuckle, Falstaffs great rolling roar of a laugh slithering into the symphony, leaving Queen Gwynevere watching her family with an unamused eye "Bloody dragons, all insane."

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Ozwuld and the Queen had never had such a night of passion like the one that had followed their diner, twisting and turning, moaning and squirming with orgasms in that chamber of love, the Lord regent filling his Lover's cunt with his cum, saying a silent prayer to the gods that she might carry his child one day...

"Say it again," Oz commanded to his nude queen as they bathed in the light of their post-coital bliss. Gwen smiled, her red lips arching to expose perfect white teeth, her olive cheeks flushed with desire

"You are loved, Ozwuld Regis," she whispered in her Succubus tone, smooth as butter and pretty as sin

"I wish You could stay with me..." He said, just like he said every night, but unlike every other night, she made no effort to leave, clutching him tightly as his semen churned inside of her

"Well... maybe I will, just this once." She whispered, making the Lord-regent beam

"What if our subjects see us, think of the rumours," He said playfully, Gwen scoffed

"Piss on the rumours, let them see." All seemed okay at that moment like nothing could ever go wrong, He was thankful to drift off to sleep in that ecstasy, finally feeling the warmth of his woman in his arms as He fell into a sloth's sweet abyss.

---

"OZ! OZ PLEASE, OSWULD, YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP!"

The Lord Regent's eyes snapped open, his cold sweats and spiralling mind befitting that of a man who had been awakened from the grave, He was unsure why the ceiling was drowning in a pool of Black smoke, or why His lover was screaming at him, pulling him to awaken with panic in her emerald eyes, but as the sound of screams and panic smashed into his overwhelmed senses, Oswuld Regis for the first time, fully recalled his Dragon's Dream.

"Oswuld, I-It's Hornhill, the outskirts they're... they're...." Oswuld flew silently from his bed, leaving Gwen to mumble in shock to stare out of the unlatched window, from which Black smoke swept into his chambers.

Past the City, over the Great walls and up the great terrace paths southward, was nothing less than an ungodly inferno, flames that climbed high into the night sky, titanic clouds of Onyx smoke so thick and dark that they blocked out the stars, sweeping ominously over the city.

And before the giant flame, black silhouettes of an army lined the horizon, thousands and thousands of Men, moving at such ferocious speed that Oswuld felt the earth tremble like the coming of a storm, the Black Army, mounted on four-legged beasts whose scales glinted against the wall of Fire, washing down the hills like a wave of coming death, towards the city's great walls.

The Entirety of Hornhill was burning, and Oswuld, frozen for a moment in silent horror, watched as his people ran and scattered across the field, the City's mighty alarm tower, quaking as its golden Bells clanged to erect the City's defences.

Tearing his eyes away from the catastrophe at the city outskirts, The Lord-Regent marched to his bedside, pulling on his garments with haste "When did this happen?" He growled in his commander's tone, throwing on his shirt as The Queen's lip quivered, her cheeks wet with tears of horror

"I... It... H-How is this possible, How did they build that flame so fast and without notice... you don't think it's... but we were supposed to have more t-time, flames... the flames are so high, by the gods the Children, Oz, we have to protect My Children!"

"Gwen! Gwen please, listen to me." Oswuld whispered, taking his lover by her shoulders and staring with his furiously Golden eyes "I need You to focus, if we fall apart then we are finished, do you understand me?" His Queen's face was flushed with red, though she was not unfamiliar with danger, the Hawken were esteemed warriors and Gwen had her time as Page-girl for her father in her youth.

Gwen steadied her breathing and wiped the fear from her eyes, nodding as she sniffled "I understand." She said, her voice still a little unsteady, Oswuld nodded, containing the thumping of his heart, this was no time for panic, It was a leader's job to keep his cool in dire times

"You will find the Children, gather the Palace inhabitants and get to safety, alright? I will handle the rest." He said softly, Gwenevre nodding as a tad more focus reinforced by her mother's instincts flooded into her posture

"We'll take the King's escape route, through the Northern passages." Oswuld nodded, the underground passages were not well known by those who did not have royal blood in their veins, it was the best means of escaping the coming invasion, for those that could escape, Gwen, nodded solemnly, reaching up to pull Her lover down so that she could plant a passionate kiss on his lips "You come back to Me alive, You understand, Swear to me that You will come back alive." Gwen begged, though there was a grim understanding in her eyes that resonated with Lord Oz as He stared with a grave knowing, Oswuld knew that it was unlikely that He would survive this.... and Gwnevere knew this too.

Queen Gwen, sniffed back tears, sorrow painting her face as she panted, kissing his cheek and kissing his lips again, kissing his hand as tears streamed down her face, Oswuld smiled weakly "Do this foolish old man a favour, smile... and go, the children need You." He said, putting on a brave face for his Queen.

Gwen smiled, chuckling slightly as she wept, her hands wanting to hold on his as they slipped away "I-I love You..." She whispered, staggering backwards in her nightgown, Oswuld smiling at her as she looked back one last time

"I love You too." He whispered, watching as his Oaken haired Love vanished into the panicking crowds in the Hallway "A Bow, for Your Queen, Now!" He heard her command, Oz chuckling slightly as He said his prayers to the Gods.

Bursting in through the crowded halls of confused and terrified people just after Gwen had left, came two figures, One dark as Night and the other wrapped with silver, both armed and armoured and ready for battle "Lord-Regent!" Harry growled, the Knight-Captain's face hard with fury mixed with focus, Black-Crow swept in beside him, cold and silent as always, her beaked mask shining ominously as they approached

"Knight-Captain, Spymaster, status report," Oswuld commanded, the Handsome knight-Captin nodding as He explained that the Castle inhabitants were already being evacuated to the Great hall, that the Palace Garrison 5000 strong were awaiting his command as well as the City Garrison, Black-Crow had already ordered the guardsmen to pull the body of the population behind the Drakengate.

"By the Gods, I couldn't ask for better Commanders." Oz said with a light smile "But I fear that the Moon-Palace's defences may not adequately protect the people."

"But Milord, there is yet to exist a force strong enough to have breached the Drakengate, not even You and King Uthyr could breach it, it doesn't matter how many trebuchets they use, how many men they sport-"

"These are not Men." Ozwuld interrupted, gesturing for the two to follow as He marched to his personal armoury in the corner of his chambers, barging through the door to meet with his Iron Grey armour, tall and dark, covered in dust from where He had left it to fester, Oswuld swept into the room, snatching the chainmail and plates to fit them with a fast and practised hand "These are Scaled Men, from the far South, twice as deadly and manic as any one man, mounted on venomous reptilian beasts that can scale a filed at twice the speed of any cavalry..." Oswuld struggled with the buckle of his chest plate, his belly a little bigger than it was in his youth, though He eventually managed to fasten it tightly

"Wyrm?" Crow whispered, The Knight-Captain looking at her beaked mask like she was insane

"Wyrm, like from the legends of the Old World, but those are just stories, they can't exist or even if they did, they were destroyed, made extinct in Old Saint George's crusade!?" Harry gritted his teeth, the Lord regent grasping the man by his shoulders and fixing him with painfully serious eyes

"You need to listen to Me Harry, the Legends are true, the Serpents, the Wyrms, the Drakes... The Dragons, they are all real, the legends about My linage and what lies south, it's all true." He whispered. Harry paused, staring into Oswuld's eyes

"No... no, t-they can't be, they are just stories..."

"Do you think that any normal force could wrap the entirety of Hornhil in hellfire, in less than an hour?" Oswuld saw the fear in Harry's eyes, the denial, then the mania... and then the acceptance and understanding, all in less than a second

"Then... then this is the end, The Ninefold is finished," Harry muttered, his eyes wide with shock. Oswuld nodded grimly

"Perhaps... but we will not go down without a fight!" He growled, letting his old friend go-to move to the tall heavy weapons case, its glass overcome with a thick layer of dust. Oz wiped a little away, looking inside to the long, aged and worn Blade within, the heavy claymore slightly tinged red where it had been bathed in the blood of his enemies... Oswuld had sworn to never take up this blade again... but these were the end times and His great blade would taste blood again, before the end.

Oswuld's gauntleted hand gleamed as it swung down, smashing into the glass like a hammer and grasping at the Blades handle "Come, No more wasting time, Drakenhald will die a glorious death tonight." He snarled, Black-Crow and Knight-Captain Harry bowing as he charged towards the door, pausing only for a moment, to whisper to his Spymaster with a task of Dire Importance.

The Lord-Regent burst through the great oaken doors to the great-hall, seeing the sea of people crying, mumbling and shouting at one another, filled with panic at the coming attack. Many souls looked to the Lord-Regent as He and the Knight-Captain charged passed them, the parting crowds crying out for him for direction... He could not look upon them, he had to focus on the task at hand, He merely hoped that his efforts would be enough for them all to escape.

"All of You, moved to that doorway, now!" Oswuld turned, hearing his Queen shouting at the crowd, directing them all towards the Grand throne's secret exit, many guardsmen assisting in shepherding the people through the great archway to safety.

Gwen stood fiercely, a tall oaken bow clutched expertly in her hand, a large quiver of arrows slung over her shoulder... and close at her side, were the three, Maggie, Evangeline and the Young Prince, terror painted on their young faces... Oswuld fought the urge... He didn't have time, even as the Prince spotted his Uncle, calling out to him desperately

"U-Uncle! Uncle Oz... were are You-" The Boy was cut off by his mother, who could not bring herself to look upon Oswuld, tears welling in her eyes as the Girls also called out to him, Gwen hushed them, pushing them along with her motherly wings

"W-Where is He going, mother!? Uncle Ozzy!" Maggie cried, tears running down her plump cheeks, her older sister grimacing as she saw his armour and sword

"H-He's coming back, isn't He mother?" Evangeline asked, Her eyes welling as The Queen mother shoved them all back.

Oswuld frowned darkly as He marched through to the courtyard, his Nephew and Nieces panicked cries echoing in his mind as He emerged into the darkness, salt and smoke staining the air as his men waited for his command, 5000 strong men armed and ready to defend their home... it wouldn't be enough.

Oz mounted his Charger, a great Iron grey Stallion named Greymyre, the Old beast kicked at the ground affectionately as Oz pulled himself in its worn saddle, the Lord-Regent stroking its thick mane as He whispered "Ready for one last battle old friend?" He asked, his Old Horse snorting fiercely as He patted his ears "Good." He smiled, steering Greymyre onward to the head of the grim-looking garrison men.

"Knights and soldiers of Drakenhald and The Capital!" Oswuld called, his voice booming through the courtyard, the Men standing to attention for their lord "Hear me now, and hear me well, foreign forces are closing in on the city, forces that destroyed Hornhil, forces that are not human." The Garrison let slip a few whispers, but Oz continued "I will not lie to you, You will see things this day, things that no Kinsman is ready to see... including this city's fall, our enemy is bigger than us, stronger than us true, but We will not falter, our blades will strike true and our defences will hold until they crumble. The plan is to flood to the city's front, defend the inner city as the citizen's retreat to the Palace, it is the only means to guarantee our people's survival.

Many men will likely fall in the skirmish, but we will defend our Ilk to the last man, not a single soul is to retreat until we get everyone we can to safety Am I understood!?" Oswuld cried, many... although not all, saluting and calling their acceptance.

Oswuld hid his grimace... He was bringing these men to their deaths, they were not the Black Regiment, ready to fall at their Lord's call, many were young, others were worn but tired knights, but all were afraid.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU CALL THAT THEN!?" Oz turned his head, spotting A mountain of a knight, adorned in silver-grey Armour big enough to fit a giant, a huge two-hander strapped to his back, his Horse huge and silver maned trotted forward, its rider; Lord Havel the Boulder, crying out in fury "You cowardly dogs, dare call Yourselves Men of the Golden Garrison, Flames consume the bloody land, threatening to eat up your families and You let out a bastard's yelp like that, We are the men of the Heartlands, The Men who are descended from the originals blessed by the goddess! Grow some bloody Balls and Raise Your swords! Tonight we die for our land, die for our people, tonight we die for our lord Wulda!" Falstaff's roar shook the men to their core, the solider's erupting into a fierce but fearful cry to join Falst... nothing inspired ferocity like the impending coming of Death.

"THE LAND, THE PEOPLE, LORD WULDA!" They Cried, horror in their eyes as they chanted, saluting and screaming their devotion to protecting their home, Ozwuld smiled grimly, nodding at them all before raising his great Claymore

"MOVE OUT!" Oswuld screamed, the mighty garrison immediately marching towards the high field and out of the legendary Drakengate towards the city.

"looks... like this is it," Havel said, hiding his grim face by sliding on his helmet, Oswuld nodded

"Yes... Falst listen..." Oswuld said He was unsure how the Knight-lord would respond to hearing about the Dragons but-

"I know. Dragons... just like Uther used to talk about, we really are fucked." Falstaff shook his head, but his helmet turned to Oz, his eyes hard behind his visor "The Paravants, they are gone, along with that Sea-rat Bors: Calico Jack... they must have escaped during the night."

"I suspected that those Snakes were the one's that smuggled these lot here without our notice, Lord Ardas has betrayed us... gods smite the cunts." Oswuld spat, Falst nodded solemnly, his head laying low as He whispered to his old friend

"Who would've thought, that My dragon's day would come so soon." The Stone Lord huffed, Ozwuld chuckled shaking his head

"Our Dragon's day... gods, I had prayed for the first time that My brother was wrong, I bet that bastard is laughing from the Above right now," Oz growled, Falst stifled a chuckle himself

"That Mothefucker is nowhere near the heavens, I take comfort in the fact that we can sucker punch him when we go to Hell." Oswuld and his old friend shared a hearty laugh, thinking fondly on Uther before they straightened out, Falstaff clearing his throat in a finality that made Oswuld's heart sink

"Come then, old friend, I want to see how many of those scaled bastards I can fell before I dine with the dragons." Lord Havel spoke, whipping at his monstrous horse to trot after their forces, Oswuld nodded following his friend into what He knew would be a slaughter, "Just like old times."