Legend of the Draco Snow Prince
Ch. 1
By: Ash Cinder and Nate the Great1

Long ago a grand party was being held at the palace where the Dracos (the royal family of dragons) were celebrating the birth of Nathan and all were invited and no one was more happier than Luna, the Draco princess and she danced with her human lover, Jack Frost. The golden dragoness held up her son to his father and Jack Frost smiled. "He looks just like you," he said kissing her cheek and kissing his son's forehead. "I wish you wouldn't go so soon," Luna said, as Jack Frost knew he had to go for autumn was coming to a close and the Snow King had to bring the first snowfall. So, Jack Frost gave Luna a special gift that would make the separation easier for both of them. It was a snowflake necklace and Luna smiled as she kissed her husband.

"It's beautiful," the golden dragoness said smiling as she wore a beautiful white gown and a diamond tiara. "Read what the necklace says," the human said to his beloved and she read the snowflake, which said, "Together with the Seasons". "Really?" Luna said excitedly as she knew that she and Nathan would be with Jack Frost forever at the palace of the seasons. But they would not be together long, for a dark shadow had descended upon the house of the Dracos. He was a black serpent named Exortos. They all thought he was a wise man, but he was a fake, power mad and dangerous. "How dare you return to the palace," Jack Frost said. "But... I'm your loyal servant," Exortos protested. "Loyal? HA!" Laughed the white human, "You are a traitor. Get out!" By then, Exortos was getting angry. "You think you can banish the great Exortos?" he roared, "By the evil powers vested in me, I banish YOU with a CURSE!" Everyone gasped as Jack Frost held Luna and their son protectively. "Mark my words, Princess Luna, you, your son and your people will die within a fortnight! I WILL NOT REST UNTIL I SEE THE END OF THE DRACO LINE FOREVER!!" And with that, he burst into a pillar of flame and vanished without a trace.

Consumed by his hatred for Jack Frost and the dragons, Exortos created a magic wand that would turn his victims to stone and he made a pact with several hideous creatures and monsters promising them revenge on the ones who had imprisoned them: the dragons. "Come, my minions," the black serpent hissed, "Fulfill my prophecy. Seal the fate of the Dracos and their people once and for all!" And from that moment on, the small band of monsters had grown into an army that pillaged every village filled with dragons and slaughtering innocents within their path and until at last, they came to the palace of the Dracos.

The dragons were now at war with Exortos and his monsters. Jack Frost was providing extra protection for Luna and their son. Luna and the child had made their escape. But, yet, Exortos and his monsters ran after her. She ran until she made it to the highest mountains. She was trapped and there was nowhere to go. But, she had to stay strong to protect her child at all costs." Luna was at the peak of a mountain.

It was then that Luna had to teleport her only son to another part of the forest to save him. "Nathan," she said taking her necklace off and putting it in with the baby's blanket, "Mommy loves you." It was then that Exortos himself came up in his serpent form and just as he was at the foot of the hill, Jack Frost tackled him down to the ground. Luna said her enchantment just in time and in a flash of light, her son was gone. She turned around just in time to see Jack get flung into the air and then get sucked up into a mirror by a headhunter named Langwidawn. The serpent looked up at the dragoness and then lunged with his mouth open and the next thing Jack Frost saw trickling down in the snow was blood. "LUNAAAA!!!!" he screamed from inside the mirror. So many lives were destroyed that day. What had always been was now gone forever. And the Draco prince Nathan, the only heir to Jack Frost, was nowhere to be found.

24 years later

Nathan had grown up and he was just coming out of an orphanage and the headmaster, a pot-bellied boar, was giving him directions to he was supposed to go. "I've got you a job in the fish market," the work master said, "You go straight down this path till you come to a fork in the road. Go left... Are you listening?" Nathan was waving at the kids and then turned to the boar, "I'm listening sir." The old pig huffed and grabbed his shirt and started dragging him to the gate. "You've been a thorn in my side ever since you've been brought here," the old man growled and said, "And you've been acting like the king of Spain instead of the nameless, no-account you are. And also nearly freezing me to death with your constant ice magic." Nathan managed to get free of the man's grip without him knowing as the old headmaster continued, "For the past 24 years, I fed you, I clothed you, I.." "Kept a roof over my head," Nathan finished making the headmaster gasp and turn around. "How is it you don't have a clue as to who you were before you came to us, but you can remember what I've told you?" he growled. "Well I do have a clue," Nathan said holding up his necklace but the headmaster rolled his eyes. "I know," he said and read the necklace saying, "'Together with the Seasons'. So you want to go to the north to find your family?" Nathan nodded but then the old man laughed but then scowled. "Nathan, its time you took your place in life," he said pushing him out, "In life and in line, and be grateful too." And with that, the work master slammed the door laughing. Nathan scowled at the man and once he was far away. "Be grateful, Nathan," the young dragon said mimicking the headmaster, "I am grateful... Grateful to get away!" Then he came to fork. "'Go left' he says," Nathan said rolling his eyes, "Well, I know what's to the left. I'll be Nathan the orphan forever... But if I go right, maybe I can find.." He paused and looked at his snowflake necklace. "Whoever gave me this necklace must have loved me," he thought and then he sighed," This is crazy. Me? Go to the north?" Then he looked up to the sky and shouted, "Send me a sign! A hint! Anything!"

Just then a feral wolf pup appeared behind Nathan and nuzzled his leg, it's tail wagging happily.

Nathan looked down and saw the little fluff ball. "Hello there," he said speaking softly as he kneeled down and offered a hand to the pup, "It's okay. I won't hurt you."

The pup licked his hand and whined happily.

"I don't suppose you know which way I should go," said Nathan as he sat down, unaware that his scarf was dangling within reach of the pup.

The pup took the scarf in his mouth and pulled Nathan down the right side of the fork in the road.

Nathan looked at the pup and smiled. "Okay," he said, "I can take a hint." He knelt down to pick up his scarf and pet the pup's head.

The pup whined happily, enjoying the pets and snuggled against Nathan's jacket.

"Would you like to come with me?" asked Nathan, "I sure could use the company." He held the pup in his arms as he wrapped the little fluff ball in his wings.

The pup barked happily in response.

Nathan smiled and hugged him and then the two friends set off on what would be the greatest adventure yet.

____________________________________

Elsewhere, a grizzly bear was making his through a crowded market place which was bustling with life and he finally stopped at a corner where he saw a German Shepherd standing there.

The German Shepherd looked up and saw the bear waving him over.

"Well, Travis, I got us a theater, just like you requested," said the grizzly as he saw the dog's tail wag at the news.

"Great! Now all we have to do is hold the auditions for the Draco Prince and then we'll be set for life!" He clapped his hands for emphasis.

They set out for the theater and settled themselves down. One by one, each boy went on the stage and tried to act out the part assigned to them but neither of them could do it right.

Travis put his head in his hands and groaned. "Damn, what are we supposed to do! None of these Dracos are good enough!"

Later, they returned to their hide away in the abandoned Draco palace. "Well, that's it, Travis," said the grizzly, whose name was Jim. Jim was stirring some soup in a kettle that was hanging over a fireplace and it smelled good.

Outside, Nathan and the wolf pup came to a giant gate, and beyond the gate was a grand palace that had its windows bordered up and not a soul was to be seen. One of the bars of the fence were broken to they easily slipped through and made their way to the front entrance. Nathan was looking around when he saw the wolf slip through one of the boards and head inside. "Lupin!" whispered Nathan as he looked inside, "Lupin, where are you?" He yanked on the boards covering the door till they came loose and fell backwards in the process.

The wolf pup barked inside the building leading Nathan inside.

"Hello? Anybody home?" called Nathan as he walked through the corridors. There was dust everywhere as the young dragon and wolf pup walked on through the deserted rooms. In one room, Nathan saw a plate on a table and blew some dust off it. It appeared to be made of gold. As he picked it up to examine it, a flash of a memory appeared in the plate, but Nathan shook his head and put the plate back where he found it. As he kept walking along the room, he had a strange feeling that he had been there before. "This place... it's like a memory from a dream," he said and then he entered a great ball room where a portrait of a human dressed in white and a golden dragoness with a snowflake necklace similar to Nathan's. And in her arms, was a baby dragon that surprisingly looked just like Nathan himself but the dragon didn't realize this. Nathan just strolled down to the floor of the ball room and started dancing with several imaginary figures for awhile... that is until...

"Hey!" Travis shouted, seeing the dragon in the ballroom. "What are you doing in here?!"

Nathan gasped and tried to make a run for it but he only stopped in front of the portrait as he saw a German Shepherd and a grizzly bear running towards him.

"Stop, stop, stop! Hold on!" Travis and Jim caught up with him, stopping and catching their breath. "Now how did you get in here..." Travis trailed off as he looked at the dragon next to the portrait of the Draco prince, noticing they looked so uncanny. "Jim, do you see what I see?"

Jim was panting as he was trying to catch his breath and looking at the floor when he said, "No." But then he looked up at Nathan and the portrait and gasped, "Yes!" "Excuse me, are you Travis?" asked the young dragon.

"Ah, yes I am, and who might you be?" Travis asked, starting to walk around Nathan admiring how much he looked like the long lost Draco prince.

"My name's Nathan... why are you circling me? What were you: a vulture in another life?" he asked getting annoyed while Jim was cuddling the wolf pup.

"No, no, no forgive me, but you look exactly like the long lost Draco Prince." Travis explained, presenting the portrait behind Nathan.

Nathan turned around and looked at the portrait and then back at the canine. "Anyway, I need travel papers," he explained, "I'd like to find the seasons."

"You'd like to find the seasons?" Travis smirked. "Well, me and Jim just so happen to have some travel tickets there, for us and one person to pose as the Draco Prince."

"And the Draco prince's only family is north in the Azure City," said Jim still holding the wolf pup in his arms. "Hold on," said Nathan, holding up his hands, "Are you trying to tell me that I am the Draco Prince?"

"Well, he mysteriously disappeared and no one knows what happened to him to this day so... maybe..." He dangled the tickets in front of Nathan. "But, I'm sure you aren't interested in getting mixed up in all that. Come on Jim." Travis took his friend by the shoulder and pretended they were uninterested.

Nathan held Lupin and looked back at the portrait and then ran after the German Shepherd. "Travis! Travis, wait!" said Nathan catching up to them, "If I don't remember who I am then who's to say I'm not a prince or a Draco or whatever this guy is, right?"

"Hm, well if you think you're up for it, I guess we'd better get packing, the train leaves tonight."

"Lupin, we're going to the seasons," said Nathan smiling at the wolf pup who gave a happy bark.