Hrothgar

The King. The founder and leader of the clan. One of the dragons every one in the clan trusts. He himself knows whom he can rely on and only takes those dragons into his clan. He has the Secret Sight - he can see if a person is honest and trustworthy or not.

Hrothgar is a strong, but kind leader. He put the needs of the clan in front of his own needs - and still does, as the King's First Advisor. He is not a person for long chats, but he has a great sense of humor.

His loving mate and companion is Firestorm, although it is an open marriage. They both have children with other dragons as well. Still, they rely on each other more than on anyone else. In difficult matters they also ask the opinion of Saeldur or Sage Aldebaran.

Sometimes Hrothgar thinks about his past in the lair his brother is now ruling. Then he gets sentimental. One day he said to Firestorm: "Do you know what was my Dad's answer when I was unsure whether I would do well in his Royal Guard?" Firestorm shook her head. "You have not told me. What was it?" Hrothgar took a stiff pose on his throne and said in a rumbling deep voice: "Use that head sitting on your shoulders! It is not just a decoration." They both laughed. Then Hrothgar's expression became more serious. "I am glad that I do not need to rely on my head only", Hrothgar said. I am happy to have you and Saeldur and Aldebaran and the others to give me advice." Firestorm nudged the side of his neck. "True. But you have an exceptionally good head on your shoulders. So perhaps your Dad's advice was not that bad."

Both the Hrothgar and the Firestorm love cats and dogs. They have one very special cat that used to live with them in the old Royal Palace, and who miraculously managed to follow them to this new place. This magical and invisible Royal feline goes by the name 'Her Ladyship' and apparently finds it her role in the Universe to fill the lair with kittens.

In this clan eveyone is accepted and gets respect as who he/she/they is. The new King, just like the old King, only requires two things: 'Do not hurt any clan member if you can avoid that. And do something for the benefit of the clan.' The King does not require that everyone does an equal amount of work for the clan. He understands that some are more able than others. But each dragon has to do something for the benefit of the clan. It can be anything: hunting, nursing the eggs and hatchlings, gathering food and herbs, healing, entertaining, cooking, baking, arranging flowers, cleaning up the nests and the lair, .. whatever. As long as it is for the benefit of the clan. Even the hatchlings are encouraged to do something, however small, for the clan. Otherwise the dragons are allowed to arrange their lives the way they want. A married couple, a loner, a threesome, an asexual couple, .. Anything goes as long as they do not hurt anyone. If someone does not speak a word to anyone in three days, but brings food to the lair meanwhile, it is OK.

One day Hrothgar was in the Temple, doing his prayers. Suddendly he felt a familiar shiver down his spine. He bowed deep, letting his beard touch the stone floor. The Shadowbinder appeared from the mist in front of him. "Hello, darling", said the Shadowmama with a smile that could be anything from loving greeting to death sentence. "Your Supremacy", answered Hrothgar without lifting his head. "Head up, boy", said the Shadowbinder, "I have come to answer your question." Hrothgar rose from the humble position but made sure that his head was not above the deity's head. One can never be too careful when meeting a deity. "Pardon me, Your Supremacy, but what question?"

Shadowbinder laughed again. "The question that has been swirling inside your head a long time. The simple question: Why do I like you?" Hrothgar felt a lump in his throat. He wanted the Shadowmama to accept him. The Shadowbinder smiled reassuringly. "You already answered part of the question. You are perfectly loyal to me - and at the same time on your toes every time you meet me. You are smart. You consider first and talk only then." Hrothgar felt a warm feeling of happiness inside him. And a huge amount of relief. Still, he could not help wondering..

"Say it aloud! Don't you dare to think you can keep it secret from me!" Hrothgar took a step back at this sudden swift of mood of the deity. He coughed, and then let out the thought that had been bothering him a long time. "But, but I am not so Shadowy." The Shadowbinder smiled. "Here. Now the secret is out. The secret everyone knew, of course. No, you are not very Shadowy. You could well fit the Light flight. But I intend to keep you. At least for a while." Hrothgar did not know what to think of this. "Why?" he whispered.

"Balance", said the Shadowbinder. "You and your lair and your kind balance my flight. There are many much more shadowy leaders and clans in my flight. Calculating, clever and cruel brats, backstabbers, .. some of them are outright mad. Don't take me wrong - I do like them. But too much chaos is bad even for Shadowlingers. You balance the lot and offer refuge for those who - just like yourself - have hidden themselves in the shadows to avoid harm." After these words the Shadowbinder hid herself in the mist and Hrothgar was alone again. But his heart felt a lot lighter. So, even I do have a place in the Shadows, he thought.

But one day the clan had to leave the Shadows and step into the Light. As Valen knew the Light area and took very sensible action and showed leadership talents when the clan was desperate in the middle of a desert, Hrothgar decided to accept leadership change and support the new King.

Hrothgar's relation to Lightweaver is a bit ambivalent. On the other hand he likes the warmth of the Light deity, but he cannot give up on his loyalty to Shadowbinder either.

Whe Valen returned with a few other dragons Hrothgar was overjoyed. There was a grand feast to the honour of King Valen and the other returning dragons. But when Hrothgar asked Valen whether he would take the throne back, he refused. "I was able to save only a few of my fellow dragons. An none of the hatchlings. I am not fit to be King." Hrotghar said: "Nonsense! When the Deities turn the world upside down, there is nothing we can do but accept. I was not able to save anyone. I slept. I woke up only recently and found my Lair almost empty. But as there was a lot of room, we let some wandering dragons to settle down here. You could be their King. I am sure you would do a fine job." But Valen looked down. "I am not up to the task." Then Flirestorm came to them. "Hey, what if you guys share the job? Valen is an organizer. Hrothgar is a King that holds the hearts of his people. Together you will be a storng pair."

Hrothgar and Valen looked at each other. "That might work", Hrothgar said. "You are a better organizer than I am." "But you have their hearts. They would go through Water and Fire for you", he said. "Exactly", said Flirestorm. "That is why you should share the throne." After some hesitating and pondering the two Kings decided to share the throne, at least for now.