Dragon Seer

by Heather McCorkle

  ~*~

  The garish wagons, clothing, it all tugged at a memory from Ashanti’s classes on the races of people.

  “What is your business here, woman? We’re not prepared to entertain locals,” the young man said.

  Entertainers… It clicked into place in her memory. These people were gypsies.

  “Thank you kind sir, but I’m not here for entertainment. I’m here on a matter of great import and I beg audience with your matriarch,” Ashanti said.

   The blond man lowered his sword a little and raised an eyebrow. “In regards to what?”

  “This child.”

  His eyebrow went up even farther, disappearing into his hair. Snow crunched in a rapid percussion beneath feet that sounded too small to sink far into it. Blue robe billowing out around her, a girl child ran up behind the blond man and tugged on his arm. Her breath turned the air white around her mouth with each exhale. The man resisted her tugging and kept his eyes locked on Ashanti.

  “What is it? I’m busy here,” he said out of the side of his mouth.

  Crossing her arms, the child stomped her foot, sending up a plume of snow. “Madelhari wants to see the lady, says her coming is foretold,” the child insisted.

  Colorful sash whipping through the air, the man sheathed his sword, stepped aside, and waved an arm toward the camp. “Well then, we mustn’t keep her waiting.”

  Inclining her head to the man, Ashanti walked past him and followed the skipping child toward the camp.

  Between the garish carts and the brightly clad people, there was so much color it made Ashanti’s eyes hurt after two days of nothing but snow. It reminded her of the Dragon Empire during festival season. While living amidst such gaiety all the time seemed appealing, Ashanti couldn’t help but wonder if it ever took the fun out of it. It dawned on her that she was trying to talk herself out of leaving the babe here.

  Her gaze cast down to the bundle in her arms. Airegud’s wide eyes took in the scenery and people as she smiled. Had Ashanti really become attached to her so quickly? Surely it was only a sense of obligation that came from the visions and saving her life.

   Yes, that had to be it.

  Children stopped playing, the cook at the spit froze with ladle in hand, people stepped from their enclosed wagons, all gaping at her with curiosity and more than a little suspicion. Ashanti smiled and nodded at them but none save the children returned the gesture. The small girl who had come to fetch them led them to the largest wagon, running straight up the steps onto its small deck. She threw the door open and disappeared into the darkness within.

  The tingling sensation of being watched crawled along Ashanti’s back. People gathered all around her, eyes fixed upon her. She had to concentrate hard to hold her borrowed form. Her wings wanted desperately to spring forth and carry her from such scrutiny. A woman with long dark hair and a satin dress to match, stepped from inside the wagon. She was a slight thing but held her shoulders back and head up with such an air that it gave her a presence that belied her size. Bright blue and green beads decorated the bodice of her dress, accenting her slender waist and voluptuous curves. Eyes nearly as green as the beads gazed out at Ashanti with a look of knowing that made her pull up short and look away.  

  “Queen Madelhari, the woman says she must speak to you in regards to the child she carries,” the blond man said from somewhere behind Ashanti.

  Murmurings spread through the gathered crowd; disbelief, questions, surprised comments as to why the Queen would agree to see a random stranger.

  “Watch your tone, Pax. This is no woman,” Madelhari said.

  Lifting her dress, she continued down the steps, walked right up to Ashanti, and curtsied so deep that her nose nearly touched her bent knees. A collective gasp echoed through the crowd.

  “She is a dragon seer.”

  Madelhari gave Ashanti a warm smile that lit up her entire face, making her eyes sparkle. She took one of Ashanti’s hands in hers and led her over to the steps of the wagon. Sitting down, she guided name to a position beside her. The wagon step shifted under Ashanti’s dragon weight—for such a thing could be disguised but not changed—but held.

  Raising a ring-adorned hand to her people, Madelhari waved them away. “Off with you now, we have seer matters to discuss,” she said.

  They dispersed, erupting into a din of excited chatter as they did so.

  The wonderful scent of wheat and lavender wafted over Ashanti as Madelhari leaned in to get a look at Airegud.

  “How beautiful, her hair really is the color of starlight. I wondered because the visions aren’t always spot on,” she said.

  “You’re a seer as well?” Ashanti asked.

  Green eyes rose to her with a weight of knowledge and experience in them that suggested the woman may be much older than her appearance let on. One corner of her dark red lips pulled up into a half smile. “You must be new to your power,” she said.

  “I am,” Ashanti admitted. Shame burned at her and she had to fight the urge to look away from that intense gaze.

  As if reading her mind, Madelhari said, “there’s no shame in it.”

  Perhaps she had, Ashanti knew such a thing was possible among dragons. Why wouldn’t it be for people as well?

  “You’re going to be a powerful one, you know. The visions, they chose you, that’s a special thing,” Madelhari went on.

  “Chose me?”

  “Yes. You must believe in yourself and believe in them. What you’ve done today, bringing this child to us, will help change the future, save both dragons and people from a horrible fate,” Madelhari said.

  Ashanti straightened, glancing about to make sure they weren’t being overheard. Everyone had spread out to a respectable distance away, even Pax. She let out a long, slow breath.

  “You’ve seen the same vision then?” she asked.

  Beads adorning her hair clacked as Madelhari shrugged. “A similar one most likely. Each vision is unique to its seer. I saw that you would come, and why.”

  “So you will take Airegud, care for her, keep her hidden and safe?” The words were heavy upon her tongue, like the after effects of breathing lightning. Her arm tightened around Airegud, making the child squirm.

  “Of course.”

  Looking down into the babe’s lovely face, Ashanti’s heart broke a little. But this was the right thing to do. She knew it deep inside. Before she could lose her nerve, she handed her over to Madelhari, rose to her feet, and moved away from the wagon. If she didn’t leave quickly, she feared she may not leave at all.

  “It’s not the last you’ll see of her,” Madelhari called after her.

  She stopped, turned back. “What do you mean?”

  Madelhari shrugged. “I’ve seen it. You will be a part of her life again.” With one hand beneath the baby’s bottom and the other around her chest, she held her up so she could see Ashanti.

  Gray eyes fixing upon Ashanti, she reached out her arms, little hands opening and closing. A sadness filled her gaze that one so young should never be able to know. But there was something else too, something that spoke of destiny.

  If you enjoyed Dragon Seer, read on for an excerpt of Heather’s full length fantasy novel, The Dragon Empire.