The Dragon Eaters

by Duke Kittle

  Chapter 15

  Belthazuul had come to rest in front of the gates of the town of Likonia with his hands spread in front of him. As still as the ground beneath him, the dragon's torso looked like a giant, imposing statue. The level of tension it produced in the town itself could be felt in the air. A dragon on anyone's doorstep could easily cause such an effect.

  Tina, riding on Kravek's head, crossed back into the town to be met by Governor Keldo and Captain Cephalin. Captain Cephalin didn't look happy, but from the way he glared at Tina, she guessed it wasn't just because of the dragon on their doorstep.

  Governor Keldo stepped forward and sighed. “So, now we have the Maldavians pressing on our little town as well.”

  Tina folded her hands in her lap. “I would not worry about the Maldavians so much, Governor. I have had encounters with them before. They will listen to me.”

  Keldo nodded. “I trust you to try to speak some sense into them, Wizard. But we have had our own encounters with the Maldavians as well.” He sighed again. “The arrival of the Dragon Eaters was almost a blessing for awhile. The Maldavians were on the verge of trying to drive us off this land before.” He raised a finger. “Mind you, almost a blessing. The Dragon Eaters must be dealt with because they still pose a threat to both our peoples. Perhaps some common ground may be found there.”

  One of Tina's ears twitched. She then nodded. “It is likely. Once the Albatross returns, I hope to have a chance to speak with Belthazuul.” Tina adjusted her glasses. “If I may, Governor, since we have some time before the Albatross returns, I had a question I've been meaning to ask you.”

  Governor Keldo showed that smile which hid too many teeth. “Of course, Lady van Schtoffen.”

  “Why did you believe you specifically needed to bring a wizard here to deal with the Maldavians?”

  Governor Keldo folded his hands together. “This is a question you have asked before, Lady van Schtoffen. Was my answer before not sufficient?”

  “It was, but with a little more information, I'd like to know why you thought specifically that a wizard would be of benefit.”

  Governor Keldo nodded. “Of course. I hired a wizard because I have been told several times that wizards regard the Maldavians as magic incarnate. I thought perhaps the wizard could find more in common with the Maldavians, find some way to relate to them.” He gestured to Tina. “I wish I could have had a wizard like you who has dealt with them before, in truth.” Keldo sighed and folded his hands together behind him. “But alas, my requests for intervention from the Council of Stars were denied, as you are well aware.”

  Tina nodded. “Was he able to find common ground with them?”

  “It seemed like it, at first.” Governor Keldo leveled his ears out to the sides. “Unfortunately, when it appeared he was making progress, the Dragon Eaters arrived. Shortly afterward,” the governor's ears lay straight back, “he perished. That was a little more than five months ago.”

  “And how many times have the Dragon Eaters appeared since then?”

  Governor Keldo rubbed his chin in thought. “Well, they have only been seen on the nights surrounding when Cerra's Grace is at its brightest.”

  “The nights around the full moon?”

  Governor Keldo nodded. “Of course.”

  Tina was about to ask another question when she saw a short, black-furred rabbit boy suddenly run past. She saw him heading for the main gates which were still open.

  “Aiden!” Not far behind the boy was Beth with her ears laid back against her black hair.

  Kravek looked at Tina on his shoulder. “Shouldn't we stop them?”

  Tina shook her head. “No. But I would like to observe this.”

  Kravek's eyebrow rose in curiosity. He turned and walked to the front gate where Beth stood, frozen in fear, with one hand on the open gate and the other reaching for Aiden. He had escaped her grip, but Beth stood trembling as she watched Aiden run toward the dragon.

  Tina stood on Kravek's shoulder and leapt down to Beth's. Beth felt the weight land on her shoulder and turned her head. She whimpered as she looked at Tina. “Please, Tina, save him!”

  Tina could feel Beth trembling as she stood in the gateway. As much as she knew Beth wanted to run out, fear of the dragon was all but pinning her feet to the ground. Tina gently rested her hand on the side of Beth's neck and smiled reassuringly. “You don't need to worry, Beth. That's your little boy?” Beth nodded in response to the question, but Tina could still see the fear in her eyes. Tina gently stroked the fur on the side of her neck. “Aiden is safe, Beth. Dragons of the soil and stone are quite patient.” She gestured for Beth to look at Aiden as he stopped in front of the statuesque dragon.

  Aiden looked up at the dragon with wide eyes. “Wow! You're one of the dragons!”

  Belthazuul turned his head with the sound of grinding stone and shook the rocks free from his neck. He then nodded at the little black rabbit boy. “I am a dragon of soil and stone, young one.” The dragon lowered his head and turned it to one side so he could look more closely at Aiden. “My name is Belthazuul.”

  Aiden pointed at his own chest. “I'm Aiden, sir. You're really big!”

  Belthazuul's voice rumbled out as a chuckle which resonated throughout the area. “And you have quite a small body, Aiden. But to approach a dragon, I sense you are much larger than you look.”

  Aiden grinned at the dragon. He looked at the stretch of the dragon's wings and stepped back. “You're wings are huge! Can you fly for a long time, sir?”

  “I cannot fly at all,” Belthazuul replied as he stretched his wings apart, “but my wings are meant to protect me, not to fly.”

  Aiden's ears swiveled forward. “Oh. I'm sorry. Are you sad that you can't fly, sir?”

  Belthazuul raised and shook his massive head. “I am not. But, young Aiden, other dragons may not swim through the earth as I. So I do not envy them the sky.”

  Aiden grinned. “That rhymed! Do you like rhyming?”

  Belthazuul chuckled again. “I'm afraid I do not have the gift, young Aiden. Do you have a rhyme you would wish to tell me?”

  Aiden turned his head to one side and folded his hands in front of himself as he thought. “Well, my mom told me a rhyme.”

  Belthazuul bowed his head to Aiden. “I see. If you wish to tell me of this rhyme, young Aiden, I will listen.”

  Aiden took hold of his long ears and pulled them down on the sides of his head. He held them still as he tried to remember his mother's rhyme.

  “Sewed and sewed did old lady Ren,

  But never sewed did the old hen.

  Many clothes, she did make,

  And many muffins, she wished to bake.

  But never made them, only stared,

  Never cooked, only prepared,

  Sat upon the porch to wait,

  And wait she did until too late.

  Sewed and sewed did old lady Ren,

  But never sewed did she again.”

  When Aiden let go of his ears, Belthazuul bowed his head once more. “A clever rhyme, young Aiden. Do you understand its meaning?”

  Aiden tilted his head to one side with one ear standing straight up while the other swiveled out to one side. “Meaning, sir?”

  Belthazuul nodded. “Its meaning. Many rhymes have a meaning, young Aiden. The rhyme you recited talks of an old woman named Ren.” Belthazuul folded his arms and gently rested his massive wings on the ground. “From what I have heard you say, it sounds to me as if this woman Ren planned for the future, but waited far too long to act. There is a moral in that, young Aiden. Can you discover it?”

  Aiden shifted his large feet in the dirt, but eventually shook his head. “I don't know, sir.”

  Belthazuul bowed his head once more. “Men and women can plan for the future all they like. But things do not always go as planned. Simply sitting around and waiting for the chance to act will get you nowhere
but where you sit.”

  Aiden's ears both straightened up, and he smiled at the dragon. “You're smart, Mr. Bel.” He waved his hand in the air then and turned back toward the town. “I should get back to Momma, sir. It was fun talking to you!”

  Belthazuul nodded at the boy. “I am sure she is waiting for you, young Aiden.”

  Beth caught Aiden as he came running back to her, and Tina had to leap into Beth's hair to keep from falling as the rabbit woman threw her arms around Aiden. Kravek stepped up behind Beth and held his hand out for Tina who dropped out of Beth's hair and onto Kravek's palm. She fixed her glasses on the bridge of her muzzle.

  The runic circle appeared in Tina's right lens as she looked at Aiden. It faded shortly after, and a faint smile crossed her lips. “Intriguing.” She cleared her throat and looked up at Kravek. “Kravek, I'd like to go to the Thorn's Side.”

  Kravek looked at Tina curiously. “Captain Morgan's ship?”

  She nodded. “Yes. Captain Morgan was trying to get my attention in the Stumble Drum, and I would also like to take a look at that book on board her ship.”

  Kravek deposited Tina onto his shoulder. “I can do that.”

  As Kravek started to walk off, Governor Keldo stepped forward. “Wizard, where are you going?”

  Tina tugged on Kravek's ear, and he stopped. She stood up so she could turn around on Kravek's shoulder and look back at the governor. “I'm going to continue my investigation. We likely have a few hours before Belthazuul's Albatross returns. He will not harm the city until then.” Tina patted Kravek's ear, and the bull swept his tail around to slap the tuft of fur on the end of it against his side before he continued on.

  “And if he does?” Governor Keldo took a step forward.

  “Then I suggest you be prepared to evacuate the town. The Maldavians only want to destroy the city, not its people, but refusing to get out of the way would not stop Belthazuul from carrying out his duty.”

  “And you're going to do nothing?”

  “I am going to do the only thing which will likely keep them at bay; I will try to determine how we can get rid of the Dragon Eaters.”