Leaning on the flat surface with her elbows, she rested her chin against her folded hands and sighed, admiring the beauty of their surroundings. Any place she could be with her friends would be home, but the glen brought an ease to their lives they all seemed to enjoy. Remembering the night that they had fled Riran, she shivered despite the sun and hoped they would never be forced to leave.
However, living there had been hard for her companions to accept, despite the comforts and ease of their lives. Things were vastly different in Eriden, and although she herself held no desire to return to the rim of mortals, the men had once had their hearts set upon it. When the queen had informed them that none of them ever would, she had felt a deep sadness for them.
Knowing their sorrow, Amicia had done all she could to help them adjust. They were her dearest friends, and she wanted them to be happy in their new life; to accept it as openly and willingly as she had. I want them to see this is home, she mentally soothed, confident that they finally did so.
Coming around the corner, Rey held up a large bird, which had been stripped of its feathers and no longer had a head. Dangling it before her by the feet, he grinned, “These wild chickens sure are tasty. I came upon this fellow while following the goats,” he beamed. “Thought you might like to start us a stew.”
“Aye, then he must have been eager to join us for dinner,” she teased with a small laugh. Accepting the carcass, she carried it over to the standing work bench that occupied the other side of the door. Placing it upon it, she pulled out the blade Piers had fashioned for her for cooking and began separating the pieces for the cook pot.
“Shall I bring a few vegetables around?” he asked, eager to.
“Sure, and you can set water upon the flame,” she agreed with a smile. “And a pail for my bath if you don’t mind.”
“I never mind,” he agreed with a nod, more than willing to return all that she did for them.
Sauntering around back, Rey gathered a selection of his favorites and carried them to the brook for a wash. Then, placing them on her work bench, he tended to the kettle with a sigh. He would still like to see home one day, the farm he had left behind years ago, but for now, this place would have to do. The water on to heat, he returned to her to share her time, which was his most favored activity.
“Will my shirt be ready soon?” he inquired, rubbing absently at the thin layer of hair that coated his chest.
“Soon, yes,” she chuckled. “I swear, you men act as if clothing never needs washing.”
“It doesn’t,” he teased. “That’s what swimming is for.”
Shaking her head, she didn’t argue and instead chopped the vegetables. Adding them to the pot over the fire inside, she then used her pail to wash her face and neck, then each of her arms before tossing the soiled liquid on the side behind the clothesline.
Ready to depart, she picked up her bow and set the string, then slung her quiver of arrows over her shoulder. Hiking across the green field, she arrived on the far side, where Animir busily placed colorful leaves and flowers on a large bale of dried brush. The soft material would catch her arrows without damaging them, and they used it for target practice almost every afternoon.
“Someday I’m going to be as good as you,” she informed him with a broad smile.
“Indeed, you shall,” he agreed, lifting an open palm to indicate where she should stand for the first volley.
Taking turns, they pierced his colorful arrangement, destroying them with their success. Following his instructions as he guided her, her proficiency with the weapon had improved significantly since they first arrived.
In the shadows, unbeknownst to them, a dark form watched the couple. Lying curled between large trees and boulders, his green scales glistened in the patches of sun that reached his rough skin. He had taken up residence in the small woods when construction on their dwelling began, and from his camouflaged space, he could observe all, or near all, that they did.
Their days a boring cycle, he had pondered what about the girl could possibly have frightened Gwirwen and Ziewen so. She arose every morning and prepared a meal for the group of men. She cleaned their cabin and tended their clothes, and every evening she cooked their dinner to eat before they went to bed.
Most afternoons, they ventured over, closer to his hiding place, but never into the woods that sheltered him. They seemed to enjoy the shade on his side of the meadow, and there they practiced their aim with their primitive weapons. It was the closest they ever got to behaving uncivilized that he could see.
There was peace in the valley, Lamwen could not deny, and he probably wasted his days spying on such unimportant creatures. However, the rest of the continent, or at least all of the regions to the north, had been coated with the winter’s treatment of snow, so there was little else to hold his attention in the kingdom until spring.
At best, he might have found some sailors who had ventured too close to their shores. Sinking their ships, or in the least turning them away, had always been a favorite past time of his, and he considered almost daily if he dared abandon his post even if only for a few days to have a look around the western part of the mortal’s rim.
Knowing he wouldn’t risk leaving his charges unattended, he surmised he could also attribute the winter as a reason the group remained in the glen. Therefore, he deduced they would become more interesting once the frosty lands had awakened, and they might be enticed to explore more of Eriden.
Stretching his healed wing, he growled in quiet satisfaction as patches of sunlight danced across the scars. At least the elves were able to mend me, he mused. After the satyrs had torn his appendage with their upgraded armaments, that had made his watch over the glen more important as well; at least he hoped that it would. And eventually I will discern what all of this means in the grand scheme of things.
Before him, the laughing couple enjoyed their afternoon, but soon the sun had made its track and sank low on the horizon. Gathering their weapons, they trotted through the tall grass, each glowing with exhausted joy at their training success.
Arriving at the cabin, they discovered that Piers and the others had served the stew and were already seated to eat. Zaendra had joined them, as she did many nights, and Amicia decided to take advantage of her presence.
“Shall you share a story with us this evening?” the girl asked with a small smile. Getting any of the nymphs to divulge what they knew of Eriden had been difficult, but their new friend had finally been coming around, giving them details about the kingdoms to the north and northeast of the glen.
“Only a small one,” Zae grinned, her dark skin accenting her beautifully white teeth.
“Perfect,” Ami agreed, placing her bowl on the table and taking her favorite seat across from their guest.
“I shall tell you the story of the nymphs,” Zaendra began, smiling at Bally as she did so.
“I’d rather hear about the dragons,” the boy countered between slurps of the thick soup.
“What about them?” the nymph asked in surprise.
“Well, I’ve been thinking,” he replied, dropping his spoon for a moment and using his hands to demonstrate his meaning. “When they fly in, they always bring that crazy storm. You know, flashes of light and the roll of thunder, and that wild rain that whips around and flies sideways,” he explained, animating the scene with his fingers.
Gazing at him with wide eyes for a long moment, the girl shrugged. “The dragons do not always bring the storm,” she informed him. “For the most part, they are welcome within the glen and visit here often without disruption.”
“They do?” Rey asked in surprise.
“Yes,” Zaendra nodded. “There is one enjoying the meadow and woods across the way, even this night. He has been stationed there for weeks, but I’m sure you have not noticed,” she observed with a disapproving shake of her head, her chin pressing against her chest.
“Because he didn’t bring the storm?” Ami perked up, curious as well. “So, what does
the change in the weather mean?”
“Well, they are magical creatures,” Zae laughed. “It could simply be to intimidate their enemies, unleashing fear into their hearts before the attack comes. Or it could be an extension of their power as they use it against their foe.”
“And you say one is hanging out near here?” Piers interrupted, concerned that they might be watched from afar.
“Indeed,” the nymph replied with a smile. Shaking her spoon at him, she observed, “I dare say you lot see little of the world around you. Many creatures come and go within the shadow of the forest. Even Uscan pays the occasional visit, but I’m confident you have not spoken a word to him since the night of your arrival.”
“Uscan was here?” Amicia gasped in surprise.
“Yes, and has been a few times. Checking up on you, more like, while staying out of sight. I swear, if it’s not something you would care to eat, you don’t notice much of anything that lives or walks in the woods or glen,” Zae finished with a loud laugh.
Her face flushed, Ami shook her head, shame staining her cheeks. It was true, she had not known of the large wolf’s visits. If he cared enough to check on her, it would be only right that she welcomed him to their new home. “Next time that Uscan comes, please see that I am informed,” she asked in a subdued tone.
“And what of the dragon?” Animir asked, speaking up for the first time.
His features pensive, Piers nodded, “Aye, I’m curious about that as well. Perhaps we should pay him a visit and find out what he’s doing here.”
“Do you think he will talk to you?” Bally asked with wide eyes. “If he will, I want to come.”
“The one they captured the night we arrived wouldn’t speak to me,” Amicia informed them with a shake of her head. “I tried, but he just laid there, and then as you know, he had been freed the next day. I wonder if he’s the same one,” she mused, her attention also aroused.
“Well, we could just make one big party of it,” Rey laughed, “all gather up and clomp across the field –”
“Don’t be silly,” Piers cut him off. “If he’s here, you can bet it’s to spy on us for one reason or another. And you can also bet he’s not aware that the nymphs have noticed him.”
Her laughter light, Zaendra shook her head. Making the humans understand anything had always been a difficult chore. When it came to something as complex as a dragon, she knew it would be near impossible for their mortal minds to comprehend.
“A dragon may languish wherever he likes,” she informed them gently. “If he prefers the meadow while the rest of our kingdom is covered in winter, who are we to demand an explanation?”
The group stared at her, considering her observation. After the pause grew long, the Mate declared, “So, you believe his presence is purely innocent.”
“They are the leaders and head of our kingdom,” Zae sighed, stirring her bowl slowly. “I think it would offend him should you confront him. Best to let him be. As Bally has said, he would have brought the storm if his intentions had been to seek an altercation.”
Nodding, Amicia agreed. “There’s logic in that. We should give him a wide berth. Stay clear of his side of the woods and the next meadow over, to the west. Perhaps my message of peace held some merit and has been accepted,” she finished with a small smile, hoping the others would heed her warning and leave the fire breathing monster next door alone.
Eyes Opened
The following morning, Bally awoke with excitement tingling in his gut. “These breakfast cakes are delicious,” he complimented the girl, while sharing a furtive grin at his comrade.
Instantly stiff, Animir shushed him, knowing full well the pair would shortly do exactly what they had been instructed not to.
Grinning at him, Baldwin continued his compliments and chatter, earning him only an occasional glance from Amicia, who had grown accustomed to his tendency to talk a great deal about trivial matters. She had become quite adept at ignoring him.
The air of the cabin felt different to him, as if something in Zaendra’s words had changed his perception of the world. His eyes had been opened to the possibilities around him, and this newness gave him a strong desire to know more about it. They dwelled in a magical kingdom, with a dragon taking up residence next door, and he intended to pay him a visit one way or another.
Disappearing as soon as they had eaten and washed, Bally and Animir took the long way around so they could hide within the trees. They typically explored and played behind and to the south of the cabin, but not this day.
“Do you think he’ll still be there?” Bally babbled in an excited whisper when they were out of range of the others.
“I’m sure that he will be,” Animir agreed. “Zae said he has been there for weeks, so it is likely he will remain until the spring.”
“Good,” Bally laughed, rubbing his hands together briskly. “We didn’t get to see much of the one the satyrs took down, and I want to look at them up close for certain. Do you think he will speak with us?”
“Let’s have a look before we decide if we will speak with him. A dragon isn’t a playmate,” Animir warned with a laugh, then added, “If he takes offense to our presence, all they will find of us is a pair of charred corpses.”
Bally laughed at the image anxiously, thinking of Rey’s description of burned cows during his story on their raft. It felt like ages ago that the older man had shared the tale. “We won’t get burned,” he countered, his eagerness undaunted. Walking with a bounce to his gait, he discerned, “We are going to learn all about this dragon. If we make friends, we can visit him every day.”
Shaking his head, Animir led the way through a tightly grouped section of trees. Baldwin will always be a dreamer, he feared with a chuckle, but I’ll be here to make sure my young friend doesn’t do anything stupid with this dragon. He knew the danger they could stir by merely being in the beast’s domain, even if the boy did not.
Creeping through the wooded area on the southern end of their meadow, they continued on, towards the western woods that ran between their field and the next. Arriving on the far side, they pushed through the denser foliage, choosing their path carefully until they came out on the opposite side, where another expanse of tall grass and flowers spread before them.
In the center of it, a group of three large boulders stood, jutting out from the waves of plants that undulated under a gentle breeze. His back against the furthest rock, so that he faced away from them, a massive green form slept.
Frozen in place, Baldwin stared at the creature. Its spine lined with giant plates larger than his hand, they stuck out into a “V” and would impale anyone who attacked from that angle with their sharp points and edges.
His skin a pale green, it shimmered in the morning light. Its side rose and fell as the creature breathed, and for the moment, it appeared to sleep. It held one wing outstretched in a comfortable, haphazard position, a jagged scar accenting the injury he had suffered the night of their arrival in the glen. Listening to his heavy breaths, the two young men glanced at one another, questioning their hiding place and if they dared for more. Their breathing shallow, they pushed their heads up and around, straining for the best view.
“He’s magnificent,” the Bally declared, recognizing him as the one the satyrs had shot down and held captive. “We should get closer. I want to see all his scars.”
“No!” Animir hissed loudly, seizing his arm to prevent his movement. “This is enough. If he picks up our scent, he will know we are here.”
“You don’t want to talk to him?” Bally laughed, mistaking his friends concern for fear. “I can’t believe you’re scared.”
“I’m not.” Animir’s fair skin took on a pink hue. “I’m cautious, as we have been instructed not to be here. Come away,” the elf insisted with a firm tug on the appendage. “We should at least be out of sight if we are going to observe him further.”
Wearing a heavy pout, the smaller of the duo turned and chose a new location a few t
rees back, where he could still see the slumbering form. “I think we should try to talk to him,” he insisted.
“And Amicia said we should leave him alone. Besides, if something goes wrong and he becomes angry, any attack would be our fault,” Animir stated persuasively.
“What do you care? I know you don’t really like the nymphs, the satyrs, or even the sirens for that matter,” Bally teased.
“I like them well enough,” he countered, his brow furrowed. “Elves are taught that we are above all such creatures, tis all. Only the dragons out rank us. Besides, I certainly wouldn’t want to see our cabin burned to the ground.” Craning his neck for a better view, the dragon rolled onto his belly and stretched. “He’s going to get up. We should go.” Turning, he marched the way they came, fully expecting the other man to follow.
Reluctantly, Baldwin did so, and a few minutes later, they had arrived on their own side of the woods. “We should practice with the swords today,” he suggested when they were clear to speak normally. “We need to be ready in case we have to fight.”
“Only if we use the sticks,” Animir replied. “After your cut, I will never practice with an actual blade again.”
Shaking his head, Bally laughed, “You are not as much fun as you used to be. You know my cut was an accident and not your fault.”
“And you, my friend,” Animir joined in the chuckle, “are a reckless boy who will never change. At least I hope you don’t.” Grabbing his companion, he half hugged, half wrestled him to the ground as they cackled.
Sitting in her seat at the cabin, Ami enjoyed a midmorning cup of tea and heard their laughter as it carried across the field. Watching the pair as they exited the trees, she knew immediately where they had been.
Biting her lip, she studied them, pondering if she should confront them or inform Piers of what they had done. Lately, their leader took her advice often, but he was still in charge of their group as a matter of principle. It would probably be best to leave the matter in his hands.
Journey of Darkness Page 2
