Riley Nocks

**R**iley Nocks was a young soldier during the events of *Prince Lander and the Dragon War* and a friend of Prince Lander.

## Biography

### Prince Lander and the Dragon War

When the Grimble faction attacks Lener's Crossroads in an attempt to get Whitson's Trekkers to seek peace with them, Prince Lander hurries around the camp organizing the defense. He finds a group of confused young fighters, and asks them who they are and who is in command. A young buck who Lander recognizes from the Frustrated Band of Hot Youngbloods introduces himself as Riley Nocks. Riley tells Prince Lander that they are in Lieutenant Puck's company, but he isn't there, and they don't know what to do. Lander, resisting the urge to scold them for their inaction, tells them that this is the time for deeds that bleed, going on to tell them that he is an officer and they can call him Captain Deeds. He leads the young soldiers into battle.

During the battle, Lander sees an arrow rushing at his face. He tries to duck, but it is too late. However, he is knocked to the ground, and the arrow rushes over him. Riley asks if he is hit, and Lander, surprised, answers that he is not, asking what happened. Nickel Drekker informed Lander that it was himself. Lander thanks him, and then invites him to join their unit, the Mighty Reds, but then says that because Nickel is in it they should change the name to Tricky Reds. Riley helps him up, and joins Nickel in flanking Lander as the Tricky Reds continue on. Lander spots elite fighters from Grimble's faction leading the attack, and one of them knocks Riley to the ground and drives a pike toward his heart. Prince Lander lunged, using his sword to snap the spear aimed at Riley, then kicked the attacker. Lander pulled Riley up, telling him not to look sad as he might still get a wound. Prince Lander continues to fight with Riley and the Tricky Reds, who were eager to impress him. Lander and Riley were starting to form a good partnership, Riley lunging into the path of a sword thrust that would have cut off Lander's leg. Riley got knocked down again, but sprang up and beat the larger enemy rabbit, while Lander protected another Tricky Red from a near-fatal mistake. As Captain Forne realizes the danger Nickel poses, directing archers at the young slinger, Lander kicks free a rabbit's blade and, leaving Riley to do the rest, hurried to protect Nickel. After Forne nearly kills Lander (he is saved by Whitson charging into battle), Riley hands Lander back his sword, and thanks Riley, who salutes and then returns to the fight.

During the preparation for the final battle against the dragons, Lander (now king) gathers a volunteer army. Riley is the first to volunteer, shouting exuberantly from the crowd that he is with Lander no matter what. Lander calls Riley up to the pyramid of barrels on which he is standing, and smiles at him. Lander tells everyone that this is his first recruit, but that he will have the opportunity to be excused after he's heard all that Lander has to say, as Lander is inviting them into a danger which they have never known. After he instructs them that he is attacking the dragons, Lord Fleck Blackstar, Massie Burnson, and Captain Walters join Riley in standing beside Lander.

Before the final battle, King Lander gathers his scalebreakers, among whom is Riley Nocks. Lander is sure that Riley had not been picked but had picked himself. During the battle, after the appearance of the Drekker forces, Riley tells Lander that the dragons have been shocked awake. Lander says that the bad news is that they are now awake, and Riley growls that they should put the dragons back to sleep. Lander marvels at how Riley is untouched by dragon claw, blade, or tail, even though Riley had been rushing in to all the fights he could join. Lander begins to fight with Riley, intercepting a stroke that would have killed him, and later intervening in a fight Riley had rushed in to aid. Nickel and Riley are among Lander's captains at the head of the scalebreaker line. Lander runs to Riley's aid, who is pinned down by a cackling dragon and kicking up uselessly. Lander cuts the dragon in two, and then asks if Riley is okay. Riley grins, saying he is fine, and then asks if the long red trench across his face is a good wound. Lander smiles wearily, telling Riley that it is perfect. Lander reaches to pull Riley up but has forgotten that he can't use his right arm. Riley, seeing his captain is hurt, calls for a medic, but Lander tells Riley no, as the medics cannot do anything for Lander at the moment. Later on in the battle, Lander sometimes nearly dies in protecting Riley.

## Trivia

* The name Riley has two meanings. One is derived from the original Gaelic word *raghalach*, which means "valiant", and the other meaning is derived from the Old English words *rye* and *leah*, meaning wood, clearing, or meadow.