The Kiss From a Dragon

by C. D. Pennington

  “She will return, my love.” Cerana turned to face her youngest sibling, sensing her anxiety. “You’ll see, she’ll swan in tomorrow as if nothing has happened and wonder what all the fuss has been about.”

  Esteri smiled at this, and a small laugh forced its way out. “Yeah, she has a habit of that. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. She’ll be fine, you watch. Why don’t you go get some sleep, then the morning will come quicker. She might even have got back by the time you wake up.” Cerana regretted saying that as soon as she had finished - she did not want to get her hopes up. Thankfully, it did not seem to register fully with Esteri.

  “I am a bit sleepy.”

  “Past your bedtime, young lady!” Cerana joked, and they both laughed.

  “Okay, I’m off. Nighty-night.”

  “Night love.” The girls hugged, and Esteri trudged off wearily into the bedroom.

  Cerana wasn’t quite ready to go to bed yet, and she fancied a drink. It might help her sleep, too. She went to the kitchen and poured herself what remained of a jug of wine. To her dismay, this amounted to about half a cup. She snarled at the lack of wine, but took a sip and walked through to the living area.

  It was not late, but darkness had fallen, and Cerana wondered if it was still warm outside. It had rained hard during the day, but then the sun had once again returned, making for a fine evening. She opened the front door and stepped outside, testing the air. It was cool but pleasant, so she decided to drink her wine under the night sky. She leant against the upright frame of the wooden porch outside the door, scanning around for any signs of movement, half expecting to see their recent visitor again. She almost wished to see the rider again; it might help to answer some burning questions as to her unexpected visit.

  But all was calm this evening. Even the breeze had died down, so the area was silent save for the occasional distant hoot of an owl. A wolf let out a solitary howl from the nearby forest, and she watched a bat flit across her field of vision, dark and stealthy in the night sky. The faint smell of burning wafted from the nearby village, or so she assumed. Any other time, that smell would have brought back guilt and memories of her parents, but these days Cerana was too preoccupied with her sisters and their troubles, ailments and whereabouts even to give the aroma a second thought.

  She sipped some more wine, realised there was only a mouthful left and drained the cup, a rueful look appearing on her face. She could quite easily drink herself into a stupor tonight, try to forget about her troubles. But that would not help in the long run, so sense prevailed, and she decided to call it a night. She was getting tired now, so the wine had done the trick after all. Giving the garden and surrounding areas one last scan, she decided all was clear and headed back inside, bolting the door behind her.

  She had no idea she was being watched like a hawk, and had been all evening.

  The small figure perched on a thick branch high up in the tree at the side of the garden, as still as a stone whilst the surveillance lasted. Still motionless after Cerana had shut the door, he waited a few more minutes, just to be safe. When he saw the dim light from the shuttered window of the front room extinguish altogether, he knew that his vigil was over.

  He had done his job. Now he just needed to get away unseen.

  Taking a few more minutes, he finally skipped from his branch onto a smaller one below, and another, and another, agile as a squirrel. When he reached the thick trunk, he straddled the huge tree with clawed hands and feet, descending rapidly until he reached the ground. A quick but careful look around both sides of the trunk, and he was happy his escape route was clear.

  The tiny creature pulled his cloak further down his wrinkled head, and shot off past the flower bed, round the west side of the cottage and away into the wood. Stopping behind a nearby tree, he glanced round to see if there had been any activity, any signs he had been spotted. The cottage remained dark and noiseless.

  His mission was nearly complete. All that was left was get to the meeting point and wait.

  He decided he liked this new role he had been given. He was fed up with day after day slaving away for his master in the tower; now he had a sense of freedom for the first time in his life. He grinned, baring his small, sharp, yellow teeth.

  Small red eyes glistened in the light of the moon that peered at him between a gap in the trees. Goblins made good spies, he thought to himself. And he was a particularly good one. He had done his job - the vital task his master had asked of him - and he was looking forward to his reward. Now he just had to make the journey back with his important news.

  “I has found the girl,” he squeaked. “Master will be pleased.”

  CHAPTER 20 – Intimidation

  The stocky man untied the knot from the back of Jana’s head. “Remember, not a sound,” he said.

  Jana nodded. He removed the gag. The relief to have the horrid thing out of her mouth was almost blissful. It felt like it had been in there for an age, and she opened and closed her mouth several times to get some movement back in her jaw, which was very sore and stiff. She was still terrified, and totally at his mercy. The man had brought a small bag down with him, from which he removed a water skin. “Drink,” he said, holding the skin to her mouth. She leant back her head, and he poured a small amount into her parched mouth, which she drank thirstily. “That will do for now. You can have more if you cooperate.”

  “Tha…,” she croaked, her voice deep and dry. She coughed several times. “Thank you,” she corrected.

  “I am going to ask you some questions. You will answer them and answer truthfully. Do not lie to me. Do you understand?” His words carried a warning to her that she dare not aggravate.

  “Yes,” her throat hurt to talk, so dry it was. The water had helped, but not much.

  “Good. I will start by introducing myself. My name is Pelan Corr. You have also met my brother, Tavlor.” Brothers, she thought. They did not look like brothers. “I believe your friend named you Anna?” It was more of a question than a statement.

  “Jana,” she corrected.

  “And your friend, Jana. The one you travelled with. What was his name?”

  He talks of him in the past tense, so he must be dead. Jana held a slim, unlikely hope that Alleran was still alive, but his question confirmed her fears. “Alleran,” she said, a tear escaping from her right eye.

  “I am sorry, Jana. Truly I am. It will come as little consolation to you, but we never meant to kill either of you. My brother is not the most patient of men, and he gets a little angry at times. He has been punished, I promise you.”

  His promise gave Jana little in the way of consolation, and she said nothing, lowering her eyes to the ground. Pelan Corr spoke with intelligence and confidence that she did not expect from his rather rough, rugged appearance. For a thug, which she believed he indeed was, he was a very clever thug, and she needed to be very careful with him.

  “Anyway, what’s done is done,” he continued, almost cheerily. “Now, there are things I need to know.”

  Her bottom was uncomfortable on the hard floor, and she shifted her body as much as she could whilst still tied up. Slightly more comfortable, she nodded her head again.

  “Where are you from?” he asked.

  Jana had very little time to decide whether to tell this man the truth or to fabricate a story, but this way would be dangerous. “Barnesbay,” she answered.

  “The little village to the south?”

  Jana nodded in agreement.

  “I know it. Was Alleran from Barnesbay too?”

  “No, he was from Otterley,” she said sharply, emphasising the word to point out her distaste.

  Pelan ignored the notion. “Why were you in Mallam? Where were you heading?”

  Jana paused and thought about this for as long as she dared. Should she tell the truth, and risk bringing Esteri into this? “Alleran was my boyfriend. He brought me to Mallam as a treat for my birthday, and we stayed the night. We were heading back to his house
when you attacked us,” she lied, taking a risk, but at least she thought it sounded plausible.

  “I see,” he said, clearly thinking this over.

  Alleran used to say that, she thought to herself. She was getting uncomfortable again, so she wriggled around, trying to find a more comfortable spot. It didn’t work.

  “Who else knew you were in Mallam?”

  This question shook her, and she did not know how to answer. “No one. We both live alone.” The lie was the most significant risk she had taken, and she was growing fearful that his interrogation of her would cause her to make a mistake. She needed to be very careful.

  “Tell me whereabouts you live, precisely.”

  “What?” he had thrown her again. She realised she was sweating, even though it was not warm in the chamber.

  “Your house, where is it?” he demanded, his eyes boring into her head. “If you live alone, there should be nobody there to miss you, correct?”

  He has got me, she thought. Her heart pounded, and she felt a trickle of sweat drip down the side of her head. Pelan noticed it, too. She shifted uncomfortably, due more to the hole she had dug herself than being kept tied up.

  “You seem to have forgotten where you live?” he asked, smugly. “Speak.”

  “I….I….” she squirmed in her ropes.

  “You have lied to me, have you not?” Jana bowed her head to the ground. “You will tell me who it is that you live with, who knows you are missing?” His raised voice told her he was getting impatient. She dare not anger him any longer, and she started to weep.

  “TELL ME, NOW!” he yelled, making her jump.

  “I live with my sister, but she is sick!” she cried, tears fully flowing. “Please, she cannot leave the house, and she will not come looking. She is so sick! I doubt she even knows I went to Mallam.”

  “Why did you leave her if she is sick? Is there anyone else?”

  “No, no-one else,” she lied again. “I had to get her medicine. Alleran was an apothecary, and we went to pick plants for her medicine. Check the bag we carried, it will prove it!” she broke down and wept.

  “I have,” he said. Crossing his arms to his chest, he leant back and narrowed his eyes. “Hmmm, I’m still not sure I believe you, Jana.” He stood and stretched. “Maybe I should get my brother to ask you a few questions, what do you think?”

  “No!” she yelled. “Please, let me go. I won’t tell anyone.”

  “I can’t do that, Jana. But I do believe you have told me some truth. Fact is, it doesn’t really matter. No-one will find you here, believe me. I was just curious to see if anyone might come looking. Maybe they will, maybe not. It matters not. You will stay here as long as I decide, and I have not yet decided how long that will be just yet.” He was so calm, emotionless.

  She wept again, and fell to her side with a thud. Pelan walked over to her and lifted her head, holding up the horrid gag. “Open wide,” he said. Her feeble attempts to stop him only resulted in him yanking back her hair and forcing the wet knotted cloth back into her mouth, her screams turning to muffles once again. He tied the ends of the gag around the back of her head, silencing her to whimpers.

  Jana cried and tried to scream, uselessly thrashing around on the floor as he climbed back up the ladder, pulled it up into the open space above, and shut the hatch.

  She was plunged into almost total darkness again. Jana screamed as best she could into her gag, which had been tied even tighter than before.

  CHAPTER 21 – Tempers Flare

  The day after Jana was due back had come and gone. The next day was cloudy, and the sun did not make an appearance all day. A wind had developed from the south-east, across the Halgarn Sea, and the temperatures had plummeted. Rain lingered in the air, and a few short showers had dampened the garden and grounds of the cottage. Esteri and Cerana’s moods were also dampened, but more so by Jana’s disappearance than the weather.

  They had trudged around the house all day, mostly in silence. Fear and nerves had taken over them both, and they longed so much for their sister to return safely. But Cerana knew something was wrong. She knew her sibling too well, and she would never deliberately cause them undue worry. I should never have let her go. It should have been me. Whatever has happened to her, it should be me.

  Even the improvement in Esteri’s general condition could not lift the gloomy atmosphere from the house. Esteri, ever the selfless soul she was, was more concerned for her missing sister than her own wellbeing, and Cerana also had her mind on Jana enough to forget Esteri’s medication that morning. It was not until mid-afternoon that they both realised she had skipped a dose, but a small sense of achievement that no ill had come of it was the one bright point of the day, however this was quickly forgotten as Jana had still not returned.

  Overall, the medicine seemed to be working. Esteri continued to have random nosebleeds – some heavier than others – but apart from these and the fatigue, no more adverse symptoms had represented themselves. No fits, no sickness - even the rash on her back had calmed down considerably. Such was the improvement, Cerana had wondered what might happen if Esteri stopped taking her medicine altogether, but that would be too risky and dangerous. She decided to wait for Alleran to return and seek his advice.

  They sat in silence at the table in the main room. Esteri was fiddling with her hair, pulling the curls straight before letting them snap back into their natural state. Cerana had her chin resting on the palm of her hand on the table, chewing her fingernails and staring at nothing in particular.

  “This is all my fault,” Esteri suddenly announced, still pulling at her hair and staring at the empty table.

  “Oh honey, of course it isn’t. Why do you think that?” Cerana stopped biting her nails and regarded her youngest sister with sudden sorrow.

  “Whatever has happened to her, she is there because of me. Because of this illness. It’s my fault.” Esteri slammed her fist down on the tabletop.

  “No Esteri, you cannot think like that. This is not any of your doing. You didn’t ask for this to happen, did you?”

  “No, but she went off to find me my medicine. If I didn’t need it, she would never have gone.” Esteri’s eyes began to fill up, and her bottom lip quivered.

  “Hey, come on now. Your sister wanted to do this for you. She was proud to.” Cerana was trying hard to unburden Esteri’s growing guilt, but it was not working. “She’ll be back tomorrow, you’ll see.”

  “For fuck’s sake Cerana, open your eyes!” Esteri blurted. “She has been missing for nearly two days! When Jana says she will be back, she gets back. Or sends word. She would let us know. She isn’t coming back.”

  Esteri’s outburst had shocked Cerana so much that she did not know what to say. This behaviour was totally out of character for her sweet, innocent sister. But what hurt Cerana most was that she knew Esteri was right.

  Esteri was crying hard now, and Cerana got up from her chair and went over to her. She tried to put her arm around Esteri’s shoulders, but her sister swatted away her advances. “Don’t touch me!” she cried. “I need to be on my own!” Esteri rose quickly, knocking the chair onto its back before running to the bedroom.

  Cerana just stood there, mouth agape and paralysed with shock as to Esteri’s behaviour. Composing herself, Cerana made to follow Esteri into the bedroom but quickly thought better of it. She decided to leave her alone for a while, give her the chance to calm down. It was late, and she was tired, so her behaviour could be explained, so Cerana thought. But it was so unlike her! Cerana realised that she did have a very valid point, though, and she was extremely worried herself. She hoped beyond all hope that Jana would just come bursting through the front door and be cross with them both for worrying about her. But she had not come through the door, and Cerana did not expect her to return this late in the day. It would be tomorrow at the earliest.

  Cerana sat down in front of the fire, which they left burning brightly due to the chill of the evening. She decided that if J
ana had not returned by tomorrow afternoon, she would go looking for her. It would then be more than three days since she had left and had not returned. Or was it even four? It seemed so long ago now, and she could not remember. But where would she look? Cerana prayed it would not come to this, and she would stroll in with Alleran tomorrow, but something told her that this would not be the case.

  They had left for the Mallam Mountains, and as far as Cerana knew, there was only one direct way of getting there so if it came to it, she would take that path first. It would mean leaving Esteri, but what else could she do? If they waited, they could be waiting forever. No, something needed to be done now. It is time, she thought. She would just have to make sure she returned herself to make sure Esteri was safe too.

  Cerana had already considered leaving Esteri alone when she was contemplating going out to look for work. However, she was a little less inclined to do so now, following the incident with the stranger at Esteri’s window. But needs must. It was possible that - if Jana was in some sort of trouble - Cerana might be able to help, and there was certainly nothing she could do whilst sat here at the cottage, she mused.

  It was very apparent to her that she needed Jana back here. And Cerana knew that she only had a short timeframe to search for her, with Esteri being so dependent at the moment. She could not leave her for too long.

  The next thing Cerana was aware of was Esteri gently nudging her shoulder. She awoke slowly to see her youngest sister smiling down at her. Cerana had fallen asleep in the chair in front of the fire, which had now burnt down to orange glowing embers. It was daylight; she must have slept straight through the night. It was the first time she could recall sleeping so soundly for many a night.

  “Hey sleepyhead,” Esteri said to her.

  Cerana stretched and smiled back at her. “Hey you, are you ok?”

  “Yes, thanks. I’m so sorry about last night. I don’t know what came over me. Please forgive me.”