Glossary:
Dreki--dragon
Módír--mother
Faóír--father
Dáma-- Lady
Drottning--Queen
Drottinn--Lord
Kóngur--King


Prologue

The night was cold and bitter with the land frozen thick with the falling sleet. The young Dáma Nyadi ; not in her usual guise of silken gowns embedded with gemstones and crown of geidsilver that shone with its own light, wore a dark tunic with leggings under a thick, dark cloak. She pulled the hood tighter about her pale face as she performed the rites.
The baby was sound asleep in her gentle boat-like crib. The magic of the Aledran would keep the boat afloat and the child warm. Then Nyadi placed the letter, written in the ancient language and in her own blood, alongside the gleaming blade of the Aledran.
Nyadi set the boat into the waters of the Nordur Sea and cried silently as the wind took the child into the safety of the seas waters. The Nyadi went and faced her death.




The night was filled with wonders as the sleet fell. How he saw the northern lights through the storm clouds, Captain Qin did not know. He and his crew had a lucky catch of rare swordfish, saw the dancing lights, and there were no sightings of dreki.
Just as they were about to call it a night and head south, Jakyre, the man in the crows nest, spotted something on the edge of the northern horizon.
It looks like a small boatee! he cried out.
Qin, to everyones dismay, steered the boat north.
Sir, it comes from the north! Jakyre cried out in fear.
Aye, it does, but my gut says to go and retrieve it,
Captain Qin learned to trust his gut for it had saved his and the lives of his crew countless times. The smaller boat continued to drift farther south. When it was close enough, the captain was startled at the size of it. No small boat like this could have survived on its own in the wild Nordur seas, but this one did.
They netted the boat and pulled it onto the ship.
Careful, Capin, itll prolly be curs-sed, one of the men said. Paying them no heed, Qin gently lifted the net and peered into the boat. Something moved and suddenly the wailing of an infant pierced the nights eerie silence. Qin quickly pulled back the blankets revealing the child and the letter.
Dawn was near and it was a long sail home to the port village of Basingport. The captain stayed up with the child letting everyone else get some rest. It was then when the Aledran revealed itself.
This child is to be called Aysalinhi. Guard her with you life. Fear not the sword and let non touch or see it but her and your wife,
I will do so, the captain promised.