Novel Series #4: Dragon Knights

By the time this thing actually gets posted I'll be about two novels ahead. Why? Well, because I suck at remembering to post blogs so I've scheduled like two months in advance. This post was written in April. It is now June. Yeah. Onward into my lateness of talking about things.

Genre: High Fantasy (Written from March 3rd - March 17)

Word Count: 90,352

Prompt: There wasn't really a main prompt. I wanted to explore the relationships between two cousins forced to live out lives that they don't really want. Rayth should be heir to the throne but Aldtia is the heir. No one wants her to be heir because of a physical deformity and would rather Perbela (her younger sister) to be Queen. Yeah, it's a mess.

Main Characters: Rayth, Aldtia, Perbela, Yin, Yang, Emessa, Tuvino, Kellan, Erine.

Minor Characters of Note: Rismund, Teacher, Amun, Marissa, and Batty.

Summation: Rayth is the first born son of the second son which puts him out of direct heirship when Aldtia, the first born of the first born son is born. Rayth is orphaned shortly before Aldtia's birth so has no one to turn to. He resorts to pulling pranks and being a general jerk before Kellan (the King and his Uncle) sends him away to train with an elite group of warriors known as the Dragon Knights. Rayth must make a dragon accept him to become a Dragon Knight. He has a 10 percent chance. If he fails, his uncle will win and Rayth does not want that to happen.

High Points: Yin and Yang in general. Oh and Rayth finding love. I don't know why this keeps happening in my novels because I'm not normally a romance type of person. And there's the scene where Rayth gets Tuvino drunk.

Low Points: Rayth is betrayed but not by his family. Oh and a few people he cares about get hurt or die.

The World: There isn't really much magic in this one and it kind of has an ancient Asian feel to it. All the characters from Rayth's country are dark haired with dark eyes while those across the ocean are blonde and blue eyed.

The common dragon is not large. It's about seven feet long from head to the tip of the tail and weighs about 350 pounds. I used Kimono Dragons as a base. The huge dragons are rare and thusly called "Grand Dragons."

Dragon Knights are considered the most powerful warrior and to become one is difficult. There are many different factions of Dragon Knights, each with their own oaths, weapons, and colors.

Kingship in Rayth's country is given to the first born which he (and most others) think doesn't make sense. The Kings across the ocean are elected out of the prince/princesses rather than it going instantly to the oldest one.

Kings rule over a mass of land and can barter with goods, daughters or warriors to gain immunity from a war with a neighbouring King. Wars still happen of course and there is a big one in the book.

Major Plot Twist: The betrayal Rayth faces.

Thoughts: I love Rayth, Yin and Yang, I really do. Despite everything that happened to him Rayth was still a sarcastic, funny, SOB and toughed it out. Any normal person would have said screw it at some point but not him. It's also kind of like a fantasy soap-opera but not as dramatic since I don't watch those things.

Memorable Lines:

Rayth's first line: “Is there a specific way to eat? I had no idea.” It sets up his attitude.

“Well, you and I both know I should be first heir. The people wish it, most of the Royals wish it and if someone could actually speak with God, he would likely wish it. But you’re a stubborn git and refuse to pass the crown to your brother’s son even if your brother saved your life. I think that’s more than enough reason.”

“I never get to see the city without guards. I’d like to disappear one morning and see what really goes on.”

“This is Rayth. He has been sent here by his uncle, King Kellan to become a Dragon Knight. He is not allowed to return to his home of Gailsmith or leave until he completes this task.”
 
“You are Number 66. You have no past, no name and own nothing until you prove that you are worth of it. Breaker, take 66 to a room and show him where he can obtain the proper gear.”

“You always do have to be the odd one.”

“Cockiness is only a bad thing when it can’t be proven.”

“Oh, I thought we were stating obvious facts. You know, the sky is blue, you have a really long beard, and dragon claws can render a man to little more than mush.”
 
“Life is always interesting with dragons.”

“I get that a lot. I guess I’m just special.”

“Oh I don’t know. Between running for my life in a stinking, dark, place and trying to avoid fire, I’m sure I can remember well enough to get a good artists rendition.”

"Friends are human and humans are fickle creatures that can turn on you faster than a dragon can fly."

"Wars happen and people die because of them. I’m only glad that I managed to survive this long.”

“No matter what happens to me, remember to love this country. Fight for it as I fought for it. Love it as I love it. Grow up and marry a beautiful woman as I did and have a son as strong as you. Live but do not look upon the past with sadness. It is what will make you stronger than I am.”

“Everyone says I’m special and I realized I am. I’m special enough that the fates love to beat the hell out of me and make me think that it’s good fortune."

“Well yeah but now I’m an ass with a dragon. People respect that.”

This was book four in three months and I finished it with 16 days in March to spare. During that 16 day no-writing stint, I went a bit crazy and wrote some short stories about me talking to my Inner Editor. Yeah. I know. Anyway, next up in this series will be Lies which is probably one of the most interesting sci-fi books I've written and the ONLY novel that made me write an alternate ending.